As the US brandishes tariffs against China, the photography world is already in silent shock: most of the equipment we use is no longer just made in China, but also created there. How have Chinese companies gone from copy-and-paste masters to world-class innovators in 10 years – and what does this mean for Sony, Canon, Nikon? DJI's mirrorless camera is also coming, and it will change a lot.
Let's start with the most important question: When was the last time you bought a photography accessory that it is not was it made in China? If you have to think for more than five seconds, you know where the dog is praying. In just ten years, companies like DJI, Godox, Yongnuo, Lao and Viltrox moved from the status of “Chinese cheapness” to a position where it is often beat the big players – and not just in price, but also in technology. Is a DJI mirrorless camera coming?!
Why did this happen? One short answer: Made in China 2025 – a 2015 government strategy that transformed the entire tech ecosystem. The goal? No longer just to be a “world factory,” but to become global innovator.
Why GoPro fell – and why someone else might follow
Remember GoPro-yes. Once indispensable in every extreme bag, today… well, today it’s probably gathering dust somewhere on a shelf. Why? Because DJI came up with its Eight cameras and ruined the game. And then Pocket 3 – a small revolution that sent Canon and Sony's "vlog" cameras on a forced vacation.
But this is not an isolated case. Godox has become in recent years de facto choice for professional lighting. Not only because of the price, but because it is simply works better. More beautiful, smarter, with more features. DJI is already beating many Western brands with microphones. Now comes the DJI mirrorless camera.
What happened? And why didn't anyone notice?
China, meanwhile, has been playing the long game wisely. Since 2015, it has invested $1.7 trillion in education, research, development, tax breaks, business incubators. The effect? A true technological renaissance. Companies that used to simply copy the West are now they lead the game.
And interestingly – it wasn't just about production, but also about own intellectual capital. DJI is one of the most innovative tech giants today. And even more terrifying: the state is learning six-year-olds to use artificial intelligence, while our kids watch Cocomelon on repeat.
Japanese giants: are they facing a Kodak fate?
Japan has long been the undisputed king of photography. Canon, Nikon, Sony – brands that mean confidence, quality, history. But this also means: inertiaWhile DJI is experimenting with connectivity, AI, and modularity, Canon is still unsure whether to add a touchscreen to its camera. That's why DJI's mirrorless camera could be a shock to the industry.
Sony is a bit more open – its E-mount was a paradise for third-party lens manufacturers – but that's exactly why it could also be the first to fallCanon and Nikon are more protectionist, which protects them a little (for now). But not for long.
Future scenario – DJI mirrorless camera: will DJI create a “Sony A1 killer”?
Everything indicates that the moment is approaching when DJI will present full-frame camera, which will have everything that today's top cameras don't have:
- instant file transfer (not over 90s WiFi)
- integrated AI for image processing already in the camera
- precise GPS tracking
- 5G connectivity
- an app that works like an actual user interface and not like a buggy beta version
If you combine this with Hasselblad's experience in medium format photography (which is owned by DJI), then the question is only when, no if.
What's next?
The world has woken up. The US is raising tariffs, wants to ban TikTok, ban DJI drones, and protect its technological sovereignty. But the question is: Isn't it too late?
While the West bans, China builds. While Nikon releases evolutionary fixes to existing models, Chinese companies are experimenting with Android cameras that look like a cross between a Blackmagic and a smartphone.
China doesn't play the same game. They play for the next 10 years...But we often barely plan until next Friday.
Conclusion: Will China “eat” Canon and Sony?
Not quite. But it will be ate a large part of the market cake, that's for sure. The old giants will have to stop playing it safe, or the history of photography will immortalize them as Kodask The 21st century – companies that had the opportunity to create the future, but chose to be scared of it. The DJI mirrorless camera will be a milestone that we can witness this year.
Or perhaps it is this very pressure and fear that will spark a new era of innovation in Japan as well.
If not, well – hey – you can always buy DJI Pocket and use it to record the arrival of companies that were once only “Made in China”.
