SmallRig successfully held the third Visionary Speakers Industry Forum in Shenzhen. With the theme of “Connect • Co-exist • New Frontier”, the forum brought together global imaging and technology brands, creators, investment institutions, and academics to discuss the next round of industry growth. A highlight of the forum was the official release of the highly anticipated “2025-2026 Global Imaging Trends Report”, which provided a new roadmap for the entire market.
Based on extensive user research and market analysis, this report identifies 12 core imaging scenarios that will shape the industry in the coming year: daily life, unscripted live broadcasts, intangible cultural heritage and folk traditions, leisure sports and outdoor activities, extreme sports, interest communities, live performances, narrative storytelling, micro-series dramas, social impact documentaries, wildlife and macro photography, as well as professional imaging.
The report also points out four key trends currently driving industry development: mobile video production, the decentralization of professional institutions and resources, democratization of creators, and AI-driven video generation.
Report data shows that in the next five years, the growth rate of imaging peripheral devices is expected to reach 9.2%, which is significantly faster than that of host devices. In the face of rapid technological development, the report proposes the concept of “AI is responsible for efficiency, while human interaction is responsible for warmth.” It is believed that as algorithm-generated content becomes increasingly realistic, real-world experiences, on-site judgment, and the responsibility of human creators will become the ultimate scarce resources.
SmallRig Founder and CEO Zhou Yang stated that the company has maintained an average annual growth rate of about 30% over the past five years. "The professional imaging market and the consumer imaging market are rapidly merging. This change is ushering in a golden age for the imaging industry."
In addition, the forum has also established three parallel sub-forums. The Technology and New Frontiers sub-forum focuses on AI vision, intelligent tracking, robotics, and innovative hardware, discussing the need for verification from concept to mass production and entry into global markets. The Products and Cultural Creativity sub-forum explores how aesthetics and cultural expression affect product value from perspectives such as investment, art, industrial design, and IP. The Talent and Future sub-forum focuses on talent cultivation, discussing industry-academia collaboration models to nurture interdisciplinary talents with skills in technology, product development, and content creation.
Zhou Yang added, 'In a market where user needs are highly fragmented and change rapidly, it is very difficult for any single company to complete the entire process from identifying needs to launching a product on its own.'
To bridge this gap, SmallRig states that the company is committed to creating an open and collaborative ecosystem that seamlessly connects users, industry partners, and creators. The company provides strong supply chain support for research and development teams and innovators, helping projects progress from concept validation and pilot testing to prototype production and mass manufacturing. SmallRig will also leverage its global brand platform that directly reaches consumers ( DTC ) to support product verification, co-marketing, and pre-sales, and will support new projects through dedicated angel investment and industrial investment funds.
The next round of competition will not be won solely by hardware specifications. Success will belong to those companies that can get closer to real-world scenarios as early as possible, identify unmet user needs, and transform technology into products that are easy to understand and use. With this change, the "new frontier" of the imaging industry is moving from abstract concepts towards a more concrete and collaborative reality.
About SmallRig
SmallRig was established in 2013 and is a global provider of imaging solutions, offering a complete ecosystem that includes camera and mobile phone accessories, lighting, power supplies, and audio products. SmallRig is renowned for its versatile and highly compatible product ecosystem, serving creators in over 160 countries and regions around the world.
For more information, please visit: www.smallrig.com
