One of the most sought-after smartphone components nowadays is the camera (or in some cases, cameras). What was once considered a luxury feature is now a mainstay within the smartphone market. It only makes sense then that smartphone manufacturers continue to improve camera capabilities from one generation to the next. But how to stay abreast, or keep advancing the state of the art?
Apple is looking to get a head start on the next wave of imaging technology with the help of a new research and development center, according to reports. The company has signed contracts to open an imaging technology research and development lab in Grenoble, France, claims French newspaper Le Dauphiné Libéré. The building is roughly 800 square meters and will hold a team of 30 or so engineers, the paper claims, as well as the accompanying machinery to develop and test new imaging technologies.
The location of the building is believed to have been chosen by Apple because it will provide a more streamlined collaboration with French-Italian electronics manufacturer STMicroelectronics, which has supplied various pieces for Apple products in the past, and is expected to play a role in creating sensors for future iOS devices.
A team of Apple employees have been working inside the Minatec European Research Center for the past year, but it seems Apple isn’t happy sharing its space. By building its own lab, Apple will be able to keep its secrets under wrap and further push the imaging boundaries of future products.
Apple usually has components for future products laid out far in advance, so it’s not likely the impending iPhone 7 will have any elements designed inside the new research and development lab — but it’s very likely future iOS devices will.
Full-frame cameras tend to be chunky beasts, but Sigma wants to prove that big imaging doesn't need a big body. Enter the Sigma FP2, the successor to its tiny, boxy fp mirrorless camera. It keeps the same modular design but packs in some serious upgrades, including a 24.5-megapixel partially stacked full-frame sensor, improved autofocus, 6K video recording, and 70GB of built-in storage. Sigma calls it the world's smallest full-frame camera, and while it might be tiny, the same cannot be said for its price tag.
Sigma FP2 brings faster shooting and 6K video
A phone thermal camera is one of those tools you don’t think you need until the first time it saves you from an expensive problem, and the Thermal Master P3 just got easier to try. For Halloween, it’s discounted with the code THERMCAM10, a 10% cut that works out to $107 off the total. It’s also fresh off a win at the 2026 Tom’s Guide AI Awards for best phone thermal camera, which is the kind of third-party nod that separates a serious tool from the cheap clip-on sensors that flood this category.
We are nearing Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days, which officially run October 6 and 7. But there is no need to wait until the sale begins to start looking. Early offers are already live, and camera gear is one category where I found enough worthwhile discounts to put together a proper creator-focused list.
I’ve deliberately gone wider than interchangeable-lens cameras here. There are pocket and action cameras, a 360 camera, an instant camera, two wireless microphone systems, and a pair of webcams covering very different budgets. Prices were checked on October 2, and as always with Amazon, they can move quickly.