{"id":11965,"date":"2026-10-19T05:03:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T03:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brokenmount.com\/bm\/2026\/10\/19\/nikon-gopro-and-instax-cameras-made-times-list-of-best-inventions-for-2026-heres-who-each-is-really-for\/"},"modified":"2026-10-19T05:03:00","modified_gmt":"2026-10-19T03:03:00","slug":"nikon-gopro-and-instax-cameras-made-times-list-of-best-inventions-for-2026-heres-who-each-is-really-for","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brokenmount.com\/bm\/2026\/10\/19\/nikon-gopro-and-instax-cameras-made-times-list-of-best-inventions-for-2026-heres-who-each-is-really-for\/","title":{"rendered":"Nikon, GoPro and Instax cameras made Time\u2019s list of best inventions for 2026. Here\u2019s who each is really for"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n

\n\tThe Nikon ZR, GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS and Instax Mini Evo Cinema all earned a spot, but our reviews and hands-on time tell a slightly different story than Time\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\"Three<\/figure>\n
\n

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n
\n

This week, Time published its list of the Best Inventions of 2026<\/a>, and three cameras were among the 300 honorees: the Nikon ZR<\/a>, the GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS<\/a> and the Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Cinema<\/a>. According to Time<\/a>, it gathers nominations from its editors and correspondents as well as through an online application process \u2013 meaning companies can nominate their own products \u2013 then evaluates each nominee based on \u201coriginality, efficacy, ambition, and impact.\u201d But its write-ups on each product are very brief.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n
\n\t<\/div>\n
\n

We\u2019ve covered all three of these cameras since they were announced, so here\u2019s what our experience with them adds to the picture \u2013 including where we might disagree with Time\u2019s editors.<\/p>\n

Nikon ZR<\/h2>\n
\"Black<\/a>
The Nikon ZR earned a Gold award from DPReview as a standout vlogging camera, though we don\u2019t recommend it for photographers.<\/figcaption>Fujifilm<\/span><\/figure>\n

The Nikon ZR<\/a> is Nikon\u2019s inaugural take on a video-first body, and the company\u2019s first camera to carry both Nikon and Red branding. Under the hood, it\u2019s essentially a Z6III without the viewfinder or mechanical shutter, but with a boxy body that sports a 4\u2033, 1000-nit screen, internal 32-bit float audio and Red\u2019s R3D (NE) Raw codec at up to 6K\/60p. And at $2,199, its launch price landed $500 below the Z6III\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Time pitches the ZR (or, as it calls it, the \u201cNikon RED ZR\u201d) as a tool for emerging cinematographers, but our take is slightly different. Despite the Red branding, the ZR has more in common with creator-focused cameras like the Sony ZV-E1 and Panasonic S9 than with cinema cameras like the Sony FX3. That\u2019s not a criticism: our review found it to be one of the best vlogging cameras we\u2019ve tested, earning it a Gold award. That said, we\u2019d steer photographers away from it entirely, no matter how much they fall in love with the camera\u2019s looks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n
\n\t<\/div>\n
\n

GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS<\/h2>\n
\"GoPro<\/a>
At $700, the Mission 1 Pro ILS is GoPro\u2019s first interchangeable-lens camera, swapping the fixed wide-angle lens for a Micro Four Thirds mount with no electronic contacts.<\/figcaption>Fujifilm<\/span><\/figure>\n

The Mission 1 Pro ILS<\/a> is GoPro\u2019s first interchangeable-lens camera. It\u2019s essentially a Mission 1 Pro, with the same 50MP Type 1 sensor and 8K\/60p capture, but with a Micro Four Thirds mount where the fixed wide-angle lens would be. And at $700, it\u2019s an inexpensive entry point to 8K open gate and 4K\/240p slow-motion video.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n
\n\t<\/div>\n
\n

Time\u2019s article cites a GoPro product manager who imagines the same camera \u201ccareening down a mountain\u201d and capturing valley flowers apr\u00e8s-ski, but our experience with the camera points to a more specialized audience. The lens mount has no electronic contacts, meaning there\u2019s no autofocus, and it can\u2019t drive the focus-by-wire or electronic apertures found in most Micro Four Thirds lenses. Pulling focus by hand on a 2.59\u2033 screen is no easy feat \u2013 especially while careening down a mountain.<\/p>\n

As we noted in our earlier coverage<\/a>, this is a cinema tool built for rigs and crews, not a take-everywhere pocket camera, and GoPro\u2019s recent beta firmware<\/a>, which adds anamorphic support, reinforces that.<\/p>\n

Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Cinema<\/h2>\n
\"Fujifilm<\/a>
The Instax Mini Evo Cinema is Fujifilm\u2019s first Instax camera to shoot video.<\/figcaption>Fujifilm<\/span><\/figure>\n

The Instax Mini Evo Cinema<\/a> is Fujifilm\u2019s first Instax camera to shoot video. With a design reminiscent of Fujifilm\u2019s 1960s Fujica Single-8 cine camera, it captures stills and 15-second clips, prints on Instax Mini film, and can print a frame from a video clip with a QR code that plays the video back on a phone. The camera\u2019s \u201cGen Dial\u201d applies effects inspired by ten different eras, ranging from the grainy 1930s to the modern look of the 2020s.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n
\n\t<\/div>\n
\n

Time says the camera offers \u201coodles of analog charm in a digital friendly package.\u201d On paper, though, it\u2019s a tougher sell, which is why we called it divisive when it launched. It\u2019s built around a tiny 5MP Type 1\/5 sensor \u2013 smaller than those in even budget smartphones. Most of its video modes top out at 800\u00d7600 pixels, and the video \u201cmemory\u201d in each print isn\u2019t permanent; Fujifilm only stores clips for 24 months, so you\u2019ll want to download them. And then there\u2019s the price: at $410 before you even buy film, it feels like an indulgence.<\/p>\n

When our team went hands-on<\/a> with the camera, the takeaway was that it\u2019s a fun device, built around nostalgic looks, and that one of its core appeals was transforming digital clips into keepsakes using QR-coded prints. It\u2019s a camera you buy for the experience, not the image quality.<\/p>\n

All three are innovative takes on what a camera can be, and it\u2019s nice to see companies experimenting with different camera formats. However, if one of these catches your eye, just make sure it\u2019s built for the way you actually shoot.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"TheNikon<\/span><\/figure>\n
\n

Nikon RED Z Cinema | ZR Cinema Camera | 32-Bit Float Audio RED Color Science 6K Full-Frame Camera Body with 4″ DCI-P3 Monitor<\/a><\/h3>\n