We recently asked you to vote for your favourite businesses, camera gear, communities and exhibitions in the People’s Choice Awards. You have been voting in your thousands, and with a record-breaking number of votes, we are pleased to reveal the winning camera, lens and accessory that you liked the most this year!
People’s Choice Camera of the Year: Canon EOS R6 Mark III
Key features:
- Great image quality from 33MP sensor
- Superb autofocus system
- Excellent controls and handling
- Super-fast shooting
Over the past few years, we’ve been spoiled by a number of superb high-end cameras that that can do almost anything users might ask. The Canon EOS R6 Mark III is a full-frame mirrorless camera that’s designed for serious enthusiast photographers. It employs a near-identical body design to its predecessor, the Mark II from 2023, but gains a new, higher-resolution 32.5MP sensor, rather than 24MP. In our five-star rated review, Andy Westlake said, ‘As with its predecessors, it’s an extraordinarily accomplished all-rounder that can do pretty much anything you ask of it. But now, it comes with even higher resolution to go with its blisteringly fast speed. ‘
People’s Choice Lens of the Year: Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II
Key features:
- Top-notch optics
- Internal zoom design
- Handy video features
- Weighs just 675g
Many photographers crave having a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens in their kitbag. Such large-aperture standard zooms enable you to cover a range of subjects without having to switch lenses too frequently. This second-generation optic is a follow-up to the 2019 version, which arrived a year after the Z system debuted. Nikon’s original 24-70mm f/2.8 lens is a fine lens, but it’s large, heavy and cumbersome. This new version addresses that by being both lighter and smaller in diameter.
The Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II is a neat, compact 24-70mm f/2.8 that would make a fantastic everyday lens for users of high-end Nikon Z full-frame cameras. Notably, this is the world’s first 24-70mm lens with an internal zoom mechanism. Not only should this provide more effective weather-sealing, but it also helps when using the lens on a gimbal, as there’s no change in balance on zooming. It comes at a high price, but could well be worth the investment and won our People’s Choice vote by a healthy margin.
People’s Choice Accessory of the Year: Peak Design Pro Tripod
Key features:
- Exceptional build quality
- Stable support for heavy gear
- Smooth camera adjustment
- Good range of accessories
Peak Design’s original Travel Tripod has gained a strong following among enthusiast photographers for its light weight and clever, space-saving design. However, the company’s new Pro Tripod brings noticeable improvements in strength, height and usability, without overly sacrificing the compact form or weight. It’s expensive, but it’s solid, portable, and really well-made. Angela Nicholson rated it 5 stars in our review.
People’s Choice Accessory of the Year: Godox iFlash iT30 Pro
Key features:
- Small and portable
- Very affordable
- Remarkably well-featured
- Available for all popular cameras
This Godox flash may be tiny and affordable, that weighs just 120g, but it’s also extraordinarily well featured. It offers through-the-lens metered, strobe, and manual modes, plus the ability to work within Godox’s 2.4GHz wireless system, including as a controller. It’s available in five versions for most popular cameras, namely Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, and OM System/Olympus/Panasonic.
In his 5-star review, Andy Westlake described it as the best small camera flash he’s used so far.
We’ve already announced the Good Service Award recipients, with more winners from the People’s Choice Awards to come including Community of the Year, Content Creator of the Year and Event/Learning Provider of the Year. Stay tuned to see who wins!
