The Iteration and Rise of Camera Modules Amid the Short Video Craze

As short videos become a nationwide content creation and dissemination medium, from everyday sharing on Douyin and Kuaishou to professional Vlogs on Bilibili, from real-time presentations in live-streaming e-commerce to visual expressions of knowledge dissemination, the creative enthusiasm of hundreds of millions of users has been continuously ignited. This wave of nationwide participation in creation has not only reshaped the landscape of content dissemination but also placed higher and more specific demands on camera modules, the core of content acquisition. This has directly driven their iterative upgrade from "meeting basic shooting needs" to "pursuing professional quality," becoming the core driving force for the continued development of the camera module industry.

The popularity of short videos has first and foremost activated the market demand for camera modules, allowing them to break through the limitations of traditional application scenarios and achieve rapid market expansion. Previously, the demand for camera modules was mainly concentrated in traditional fields such as smartphones and surveillance equipment. However, the explosion of short videos has led to a surge in demand for various devices, including smartphones, action cameras, panoramic cameras, and live streaming cameras, thereby driving the dual growth of module shipments and market size. Data shows that in 2025, the Chinese smart camera market reached 128.72 billion yuan, with an average annual compound growth rate of 18.5%. Consumer-grade camera modules related to short video creation contributed significantly to this growth, with shipments reaching 53.4539 million units. Many users actively upgraded their devices to those equipped with high-end camera modules to improve the quality of their creations, and short video creators upgraded their devices 2.3 times more frequently than ordinary users, further releasing market demand.

At the same time, the diversified needs of short video creation have broken the industry misconception of "pixel count only," driving the transformation of camera modules from "pixel stacking" to "comprehensive performance upgrades." In short video creation, users are no longer satisfied with simply "getting a shot," but rather pursue "shooting well and with quality"—the nuances of light and shadow in backlit scenes, the delicate glow of neon lights in nighttime scenes, the smooth clarity of moving subjects, and the detailed presentation of macro shots. These demands pose new challenges to the overall performance of camera modules, forcing the industry to move beyond simple pixel competition and focus on the collaborative optimization of core components such as sensors, lenses, and algorithms.

As the "core heart" of camera modules, sensors have undergone a leapfrog upgrade driven by the short video boom. In short video shooting, complex scenes such as backlighting, night scenes, and motion are frequent, making the problems of insufficient light intake and limited dynamic range of traditional small-sensor sensors increasingly prominent. Users often face issues such as overexposure in highlights, loss of detail in shadows, and motion blur. To address this pain point, manufacturers are increasing their investment in the research and application of large-sensor cameras. OmniVision's OV50X sensor uses a 1-inch optical format and leverages TheiaCel™ technology to boost the dynamic range to 110dB, effectively solving the motion artifact problem of traditional multi-frame synthesis solutions. This allows smartphones to capture near-professional camera-quality night scene and backlight video effects, marking the official entry of flagship camera modules into the "one-inch era." The widespread adoption of these large-sensor cameras significantly improves noise control and dynamic range performance in low-light environments, perfectly meeting the diverse needs of short video creation.

Upgrades in lens and focusing technology are also a key driver of camera module development in the short video era. The extensive use of techniques such as camera movement, tracking shots, macro, and telephoto in short video shooting places higher demands on lens resolution, aperture size, and focusing speed. In the past, mid-range models mostly used ordinary lenses, which could not meet the professional needs of short video creation. Now, however, the shipment volume of periscope telephoto modules has increased by over 100% year-on-year, and large-aperture lenses and high-resolution lenses have become standard features in mid-to-high-end devices. The Honor ROBOT Phone even features a gimbal camera arm with a mechanical structure, achieving 4DoF gimbal stabilization for tracking shots, allowing ordinary users to easily achieve professional-level camera movement effects. At the same time, the application of QPD four-phase detection autofocus technology achieves 100% coverage of focus points, ensuring rapid subject locking during dynamic shooting, avoiding image blur, and adapting to the needs of frequent scene switching and subject tracking in short video shooting.

Innovations in image processing algorithms have become the "finishing touch" for camera modules to adapt to short video creation. Short video creation emphasizes "instant output," allowing users to obtain high-quality works without complex post-production. This demand has driven the deep integration of camera modules and AI algorithms, ushering in the era of end-to-end AI computational photography. The vivo X200 Ultra adopts a dual-core collaborative architecture of its self-developed VS1 pre-processing AI ISP chip and V3+ image chip. The former is responsible for real-time RAW domain data optimization, while the latter completes fine-tuning adjustments such as color and noise reduction, reducing noise in night scene portraits by 35% and improving clarity in telephoto macro shots by 50%. It also supports 4K 120fps recording across all focal lengths, meeting the needs of high-definition short video creation. Furthermore, the addition of AI scene recognition and stylized rendering allows users to easily create short videos with different styles, such as cinematic and retro, further lowering the creative threshold and driving the upgrade of camera modules towards "intelligence and convenience."

The short video boom has not only driven the upgrade of consumer-grade camera modules but also expanded their application boundaries, spurring the rise of emerging niche markets. To meet the demands of short video live streaming and outdoor content creation, the demand for camera modules for devices such as action cameras, panoramic cameras, and AI glasses has surged. AI glasses, in particular, come standard with cameras boasting 10 megapixels or higher, demanding high performance in dynamic shooting, with individual modules sometimes exceeding the value of similarly configured mobile phone cameras. Live streaming-specific camera modules, focusing on high-definition image quality, real-time autofocus, and noise reduction, have become essential equipment for broadcasters. These emerging demands have opened up new growth opportunities for the camera module industry.

From an industry competition perspective, the popularity of short videos has accelerated industry consolidation, prompting leading manufacturers to focus on technological innovation and vertical integration. Leading companies such as Sunny Optical, O-Film, and Q Technology have increased their R&D investment in short video-related camera modules, building a complete industry chain capability from lens to motor to sensor to module, leveraging their technological advantages to capture the high-end market. Meanwhile, smaller manufacturers are focusing on niche scenarios, launching high-performance, cost-effective modules tailored for short video creation, thus creating differentiated competition. Meanwhile, the domestic supply chain has also ushered in development opportunities. Companies like OmniVision Technologies have achieved breakthroughs in the high-end sensor field, breaking the monopoly of international companies and driving the continuous increase in the market share of domestic camera modules in the short video-related market.

In short, the nationwide craze for short videos has not only activated market demand for camera modules but also reshaped the industry's development logic—from "pixel competition" to "comprehensive performance comparison," from "traditional scenarios" to "multi-scenario scenarios," and from "hardware stacking" to "software and hardware synergy." In the future, with the continuous upgrading of short video creation, users' demands for image quality, convenience, and professionalism will continue to increase. This will further drive continuous innovation in camera module technology, lens craftsmanship, AI algorithms, and other fields, propelling the industry towards higher quality and greater diversification. It can be said that the short video boom has not only changed our content consumption habits but has also become the core driving force for the iterative rise of the camera module industry, allowing this core hardware to unleash even stronger development vitality in an era of nationwide creation.