Tom's Guide Awards 2025: Our favorite mirrorless cameras, action cameras, drones and more

Tom's Guide

30-07-2025

Capturing the perfect moment has never been easier now that mirrorless cameras, action cameras, 360 cameras and even drones have become so advanced and we've tried all of the best ones you can get right now.
From instant cameras that can capture nostalgic moments, to vlogging cameras designed to capture every minute of your life, to film cameras for those who love the classic approach, you have plenty of options when it comes to documenting your life or even just the world around you.
Our team of experts has tested and reviewed all of the latest cameras, drones and more for the Tom's Guide Awards 2025. Below, we highlight our favorite cameras from the last 12 months that have helped us capture life's best moments in the best way possible.
We've reviewed the best cameras you can buy over the last year, from budget-friendly cameras like Kodak PIXPRO WPZ2, through to $7,500 beasts like the Fujifilm GFX100 II. The Nikon Z5II is neither, but that's a good thing.
See, the Z5II is a fantastic mirrorless camera. Its 24MP full frame sensor produces beautiful images, it handles brilliantly, and has a range of pro features including dual card slots and subject detection AF.
You'd think it'd be expensive, but (at least in mirrorless camera terms), it isn't. The Z5II costs $1,699, undercutting its rivals, the Canon EOS R6 Mark II and Sony A7 IV by a long way. The sheer value for money is insane, especially given the Z5II's quality and performance.
From amateurs through to enthusiasts and even aspiring (or current) pros, the Z5II one of the best all-rounders we've ever tested, and our favorite mirrorless camera this year.
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For a while now, GoPro — once the king of the action camera market — has seemingly been resting on its laurels, coasting along and trading under its brand recognition. Each new GoPro is barely different to the one before, and that lack of impetus has given GoPro's rivals space to soar ahead.
No camera demonstrates that better than the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, the best action camera you can buy right now. Its predecessor, the Osmo Action 4, was a great camera, but a runner up. The OA5 Pro is just fantastic.
Improved (and excellent) stabilization, best-in-class battery life, and gorgeous OLED displays that make it a joy to use, the Osmo Action 5 Pro is a premium, professional action camera through and through. It maxes out at 4K, which may be limiting if you need to crop heavily, or you want to oversample footage, but for most users, 4K/60p will be plenty. Better yet, the OA5 Pro is cheaper than its rivals, the GoPro Hero13 Black and Insta360 Ace Pro 2.
Insta360 didn't need to develop or release the X5. Its predecessor, the Insta360 X4 was already the best 360 camera around, and it wasn't even a close contest: it was the only 360 camera with 8K maximum 360-degree resolution, allowing 4K reframed 16:9 footage. The X5 builds on the X4 in numerous key ways, though, and it's a huge step up on what was already the finest 360 camera you can buy.
For the X5, 8K maximum res was back, but Insta360 fitted new, larger sensors, improving image cleanliness in low light — we were impressed with how well these performed. The X5 also boasts an improved microphone array and noise cancellation, and the wind reduction mode was staggeringly good in testing. Battery life was boosted thanks to a new power cell, and Insta360 also gave the X5 replaceable lenses (as 360 cam lenses are prone to strikes when used on a motorcycle) to remove the need for the X4's lens guards, which degraded image quality.
The Insta360 X5 is the ultimate 360 camera, so a very deserving winner of this award.
Instant cameras are just as fun today as they were when they first came out, and it looks like Fujifilm is still leading the pack with its Instax lineup. The Fujifilm Instax mini 41 is the best instant camera that came out in 2025 for one very simple reason: it's the easiest, most user-friendly instant camera that takes gorgeous photos.
Intuitive to use with a very straightforward control scheme and a dark colored body, the Instax mini 41 is like the Instax mini 12 but for grown-ups. Images pack plenty of detail and there's a selfie mirror and close-up mode for more creativity. Long battery life also means that you can use this camera for hours.
With faithful color reproduction and Fuji's accurate color science at full display, the Instax mini 41 is a deserving winner of this award.
Analog photography is on the rise again with many social media users populating their timelines with photos shot on film, and the launch of one modern-day film camera took us all by surprise. The Pentax 17 is what we describe as the 'crème de la crème of film cameras.' Offering manual control over shutter speed and exposure compensation, the Pentax 17 takes stunning photos in bright conditions.
As this is a half-frame camera, the Pentax 17 is great for creating diptychs and telling a story in two parts. This also doubles the shot count so a 36-shot roll yields 72 photos. We also love the camera's retro design and lightweight build, making the camera easy to carry in your pocket or handbag.
For anyone who loves film photography and wants a modern camera that takes fantastic photos, there really isn't a better one than the Pentax 17.
This past year, DJI knocked it out of the park with the launch of the Neo, Flip and the Mavic 4 Pro, but there's only one drone that takes the crown, and that's the DJI Air 3S. It was a close call between the Mavic 4 Pro and the Air 3S, but the U.S. launch of the former being hindered by economic conditions means the Air 3S is the gold standard — it's also more financially accessible.
And what do you get for your money? A dual-camera system that lets aerial videographers and travel photographers capture wide-angle and medium telephoto shots. A large 1-inch sensor for superb low-light performance. Next-gen obstacle avoidance. AI subject tracking that powers short-form flight modes. Smooth 4K/60fps video and detailed 48MP stills. You name it, you've got it.
We also love just how easy it is to fly the Air 3S with the RC-2 controller and its bright 700-nits display. Edit videos on the fly via the controller or save them safe and sound in the drone's 42GB internal storage. You can capture vertical footage too for quick-sharing to social media. This drone packs so much potential that we keep coming back to it regardless of how many others we test.
Canon took the competition to Sony this year by introducing not one but two vlogging cameras — and we love both the PowerShot V1 and the EOS R50 V. While the former is a fixed-lens compact, the latter a mirrorless with interchangeable lenses, and it is that distinction that earns the EOS R50 V the crown for best vlogging camera.
The EOS R50 V is one of the cheapest ways of stepping into the world of mirrorless cameras. Not just that, but it's an absolute machine for content creation. Capable of recording lovely, smooth 4K/60fps and capturing detailed 24MP stills, the EOS R50 V is a hybrid powerhouse. Because it's a video-first camera, we adore the top plate dial dedicated to different video modes, giving users quick access. It's an extremely intuitive camera to use, perfect for beginners.
Canon's autofocus system is rarely a letdown and that's the case here too. Auto subject detection also means you don't need to manually swap between animal and human detection, taking one step out of the equation. The EOS R50 V is a great step forward for Canon, and there really is no other vlogging camera (that came out this year) which outclasses it right now.
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