DJI and ShadowStone account for 93% of the global handheld smart camera market, with gimbal cameras growing the fastest

The latest market survey data points out that DJI is the world’s leader in handheld smart cameras. (Picture/File photo)

Not only are mobile phones becoming more and more good at taking pictures, action cameras, panoramic cameras and gimbal cameras are also becoming more and more popular among consumers. According to the latest IDC report, global handheld smart camera shipments exceeded 5.88 million units in the second quarter of 2026, an annual increase of 57%. The market continues to grow rapidly. Among them, the two major brands DJI and Insta360 have a combined market share of 93%, almost dominating the entire market.

What is a handheld smart camera?

"Handheld smart cameras" as defined by IDC mainly include consumer-grade portable imaging devices with computing processing capabilities, electronic or optical anti-shake capabilities, resolutions above 2K, and can be handheld, including action cameras (including detachable and non-detachable action cameras), panoramic cameras and gimbal cameras. With the increasing demand for travel, Vlog, and short video and audio shooting, these products, which are more flexible than mobile phones and lighter than traditional cameras, are rapidly expanding the market size.

Please read on...

PTZ cameras have the fastest growth

Judging from overall performance, global handheld smart camera shipments exceeded 5.88 million units in the second quarter of 2026, an increase of 57% over the same period last year and an annual increase of 50%. IDC estimates that by 2030, the global market size is expected to be close to 41 million units.

One of the fastest growing categories is gimbal cameras. In the second quarter, global shipments were close to 2.8 million units, a year-on-year increase of 87%; action camera shipments also exceeded 2.55 million units, a year-on-year increase of 47%. In particular, detachable action cameras (i.e. thumb cameras), the shipment volume surged by more than 300% compared with the same period last year, showing that compact shooting equipment is rapidly gaining favor in the market.

DJI and Shadowstone almost capture the entire market

In terms of brand competition, in terms of overall handheld smart cameras, DJI ranks first with a 73% global shipment market share. In the second quarter, it shipped approximately 4.3 million units, an increase of 87% year-on-year, and its market share increased by 11% compared with the same period last year. DJI not only performed strongly in gimbal cameras, but also grew its market share in the non-detachable action camera market to 64%.

Shadow Stone, ranked second, shipped approximately 1.2 million units globally in the second quarter, capturing 20% ​​of the overall market share. Shadowstone has a particularly obvious advantage in the panoramic camera market, with a market share of 73%; it also captured 43% in the detachable action camera market.

In comparison, GoPro, which was almost synonymous with action cameras in the past, is now facing increasing pressure. IDC pointed out that GoPro's action camera shipments in the second quarter fell by 49% compared with the same period last year, and panoramic cameras fell by an even greater 61%. Currently, more than 65% of shipments are still concentrated in the American market. On the other hand, GoPro has also recently announced a major strategic transformation and reached a final merger agreement with the American optical and optoelectronic company Starman Optical. If everything goes well, the two parties are expected to complete the transaction before the end of 2026.

IDC also believes that the next competitive focus for handheld smart cameras will not just be image quality and anti-shake. With the gradual introduction of AI chips, functions such as night scene noise reduction, automatic composition, smart framing, and AI editing will become the focus of competition among brands in the future. Handheld smart cameras are also evolving from mere "shooting tools" to developing into small AI imaging platforms.

"You May Also Want to See"

GoPro, once synonymous with action cameras, is determined to transform! Acquired by an optical company and shifted to the defense field