The compact film camera was widely seen as an outdated category relegated to the past. For years, the consensus was that film itself was fading away, smartphone cameras gutted the point‑and‑shoot market and repair expertise was thinning out. Yet as Stephen Dowling recently explored in a detailed feature for Kosmo Foto, the humble 35mm compact has quietly shuffled back into the spotlight in recent years.

Dowling’s piece takes an in‑depth look at the path of this revival. In it, he traces how compact film cameras went from niche products to the focus of new premium releases with renewed interest among younger shooters. A big part of the film compact revival story is the reality that most of the classic models people now lust after were never designed for a second life. They rely on aging electronics, brittle plastics and parts that no major manufacturer is producing – or servicing – anymore.

Takeo "TKO" Suzuki poses with a Pentax 17.

Photo courtesy of Takeo Suzuki

That fragile ecosystem is exactly what pushed Takeo "TKO" Suzuki, the industrial designer behind the Pentax 17 project, to start thinking about a new film camera designed for today's beginners. "I wanted to create a camera especially for new and young users," TKO told Kosmo Foto via email. "When I heard about a young person who had saved up money to buy a used film camera – only to find it broken – I was moved to tears. My first idea was to create a camera they could use with peace of mind," he said.

Dowling's piece also makes clear how radical that ambition sounds inside a modern camera company. As TKO recalled, "what struck everyone was simply how unrealistic it seemed to build a film camera in the modern era. When I first presented the concept to the executive team, including the company's top leaders, everyone froze."

That comment underlines the tension at the heart of the compact revival: there is obvious cultural momentum, but bringing new hardware to market means convincing risk‑averse executives to invest in a format that had been left behind. Complicating things further, even if those executives were fully on board, the process would require recovering long-dormant or even lost institutional knowledge and figuring out how to make or obtain parts that haven't been mass-produced for a decade.

The Pentax 17 hasn't been the only compact film camera released in the past few years, either. The MiNT Rollei 35AF came out around the same time. Dowling spoke with MiNT's founder, Gary Ho, who highlighted the difficulties of manufacturing such cameras at this point. "Finding the right components is challenging. The supply chain for film cameras is long gone. But technology has advanced a lot and there are ways to do things that were otherwise impossible before,” Ho said.

Dowling also delves into the recently released Lomography MC-A and the currently in-progress Analogue af-1 to find out more about the processes and challenges of designing new film cameras these days. The article includes insightful comments from key players at both companies, providing a peek behind the curtain for devices that seem so simple on the surface.

Our article only scratches the surface of the history and personalities behind the compact film camera comeback. Dowling's original feature goes much deeper into what new cameras (and the people behind them) are keeping the market churning, and what it might take for new film cameras to become more than limited curiosities. If you want the full story, including more from TKO and others trying to give compact film cameras a true second act, it's well worth reading in full over on Kosmo Foto.

Since the early 1900s, dogs have helped people who are blind or have low vision to navigate their world. Now, in a very 21st century twist, seeing-eye dogs have gone robotic and added a skill that not even the most well-trained canine could pull off: conversation.

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Category: Robotics, Engineering

Tags: Unitree, Dogs, Binghamton University, Blindness

The specs race in high-end electric mountain bike motors has long had the feel of the 1990s processor wars – bigger numbers every year, but precious little difference when you're actually grinding through the mud. Avinox might have finally changed that. DJI's dedicated ebike drive system brand changed that a couple of years back and left the competition in the dust. Now Avinox is set to do it all again with what it claims is the most powerful and lightest production eMTB motor on the market in a package that is, essentially, drone engineering on two wheels.

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Category: Bicycles, Transport

Tags: DJI Innovations, Pedal-assisted, ebikes, Mountain Bikes, Motor, Battery, Drives

Not everything old is worth a modern makeover, but this is something audio-lifestyle brand Gadhouse seems to understand. Following on from some stunning retro-modern turntables, it's now reviving 1980s portable audio paired with modern convenience.

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Category: Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Cassettes, Retro, Audiophile, Sound, Music Player

In a "triple win" for green research, scientists at the University of Cambridge have developed a new sunlight-activated reactor that uses one waste stream to tackle another – all while producing clean hydrogen, and promising to be profitable at commercial scale.

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Category: Environment, Science

Tags: Recycling, Plastics, Plastic waste, University of Cambridge, Hydrogen, Clean Energy

Sometimes, the most important paleontological discoveries may come from the most disgusting materials.

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Category: Biology, Science

Tags: Paleontology, Predator, Reptile, Fossils

Over the years, we've seen a number of RV innovators develop lightweight, small-packing camping trailers with inflatable living areas, from the roomy Air Opus to the pinchably adorable Booba trailer. The new ToW trailer starts from the other direction, coming from a tent manufacturer instead of an RV brand. Dutch inflatable pioneer Karsten ports one of its popular air-beamed domes over to a trailer, creating a Tent on Wheels (ToW) that rides lightly, offers loads of payload, and quickly sets up into a ground tent with elevated bed. Enjoy the basic dome or build it out into a multi-unit mega-tent with Karsten's modular ecosystem.

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Category: Camping Trailers, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors

Tags: trailers, Camping, RV, Tent

Despite decades of technological progress, robots still can’t move as smoothly as humans – they drop objects, and struggle to pick them up properly. Scientists have been trying to teach robots to move with the same precision as humans, but hand movement is more complex than it might seem at first glance. Even a simple action, like holding and scrolling your phone, uses dozens of small muscles, joints, and over 100 tendons and ligaments working together.

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Category: Robotics, Engineering

Tags: MIT, Remote Control, Ultrasound, Hand

In its most ambitious set, PowerUp Toys' Starflux Balsa Wood RC Airplane Kit delivers a hands-on experience where each step influences success in the air. And let's just say, the experience was quite a humbling one for a flight enthusiast like myself.

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Category: Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Plane, Craft, Aerodynamics, Flight, Smart technology, Design Engineering, Toys, Reviews, Aircraft

Swedish electric boat company Candela has just unveiled the P-12 Business, a 16-passenger hydrofoil ferry it's calling the quietest high-speed vessel on the water.

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Category: Marine, Transport

Tags: Candela, public transportation, Luxury, Hydrofoil, Electric Boats

The winners of the 2026 World Press Photo Contest have been announced, showcasing a powerful lineup of photographs that capture defining stories around the world. From intimate moments of resilience and hidden traditions to stark scenes of global conflict, this year's selections highlight photography's enduring power to inform, move and inspire.

This year's edition saw the submission of 57,376 photographs entered by 3747 photographers from 141 countries. The competition follows a regional model, introduced in 2021 to support greater diversity in stories and storytellers. Each region features three categories, highlighting single images, stories and long-term projects.

In addition to the already announced winners, the contest will select a Photo of the Year winner and two finalists, who will be announced on April 23. The overall winner will receive €10,000. They and two additional finalists will also each receive a Fujifilm GFX100 II with either two Fujinon GF lenses or the Fujifilm GFX100RF and one GF lens. The winning works will be featured in the World Press Photo’s annual traveling exhibition, which premieres in Amsterdam before visiting more than 60 locations worldwide.

The full collection of winning images, including the complete photo series, can be viewed on the World Press Photo website, alongside additional background details on each photographer, their project and this year's exhibition schedule.

*Note: Complete technical information was not available for every image.

Photographer: Ihsaan Haffejee, for GroundUp

Title: Joburg Ballet School

Caption: Young dancers from the Joburg Ballet School backstage at the Soweto Theatre during their year-end performance. Soweto, South Africa, 7 December 2025.

Story: In apartheid South Africa, ballet was the preserve of white culture, inaccessible to people of color. Today, the Joburg Ballet School offers subsidized training to children from historically disadvantaged backgrounds, with locations in Soweto, Alexandra, and Braamfontein. Parents describe seeing their children learn ballet as something they never thought possible.

Technical information: Sony a7 IV | 1/5000 sec | ISO 2500

Photographer: Chantal Pinzi, Panos Pictures

Title: Farīsāt: Gunpowder's Daughters

Caption: Noura attempts to control her horse after firing, the most dangerous part of the performance. Riders risk injury from gunpowder or falling and being trampled. Sidi Rahal, Morocco, 8 August 2025.

Story: Tbourida is a UNESCO-recognized Moroccan equestrian tradition dating back to the 16th century. Troupes gallop in unison, firing rifles in a choreographed performance of cavalry warfare. Historically excluded, female riders have fought for inclusion since Morocco's 2004 family code reforms strengthened women's legal rights. Today, seven all-female troupes now ride among some 300. These farīsāt (horsewomen) bear significant personal costs, funding their own horses, costumes, and gunpowder permits. Their perseverance stands as a powerful claim to women's rightful place in Moroccan cultural heritage.

Technical information: Sony a7R V | Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II @ 129mm | F5.6 1/1250 sec | ISO 500

Photographer: Mohamed Mahdy, Arab Documentary Photography Program

Title: Moon Dust

Caption: Amal holds an X-ray of her lungs. She moved to Moon Valley at three years old and developed asthma within months. Alexandria, Egypt, 31 January 2018.

Story: More than 30,000 residents of Wadi El-Qamar, also known as Moon Valley, in western Alexandria, Egypt, live less than 15 meters from a cement factory that fills their homes with toxic dust. Children are born with asthma. Families suffer from lung disease and irreversible respiratory damage. In 2016, the photographer – who lives nearby and has asthma himself – began documenting their stories and ongoing legal battles.

Technical information: Fujifilm X-T2 | Fujinon XF 18mm F2 R | F2.0 | 1/200 sec | ISO 250

Photographer: Rob G. Green, National Geographic Society, Henry Luce Foundation

Title: Mountain Resident of Wanglang

Caption: A wild giant panda is captured by a camera trap in the Wanglang National Nature Reserve. Sichuan, China, 11 November 2025.

Story: Recent population estimates suggest that fewer than 2,000 pandas remain in the wild, and only a few dozen individuals live within Wanglang National Nature Reserve’s 323-square-kilometer territory. This rare sighting was made possible through a pilot exchange program between the National Geographic Society and wildlife biologists, aimed at supporting wildlife monitoring efforts and fostering cross-cultural cooperation in conservation. Established in 1965, Wanglang is one of China’s oldest wild panda nature reserves and today serves as a key site for education and scientific research collaboration within the larger Giant Panda National Park system.

Technical information: Canon EOS 6D II | Canon EF 16-35mm F2.8L III USM @ 18mm| F2.8 | 1/160 | ISO 400

Photographer: Matthew Abbott, Oculi, for The New York Times

Title: The Last Dolphin Hunters

Caption: Paralyzed for the past two years, Eddie Sua is confined to a hut that floods during high tides. He notes that without food and income from dolphin teeth, the community would starve. Fanalei Village, Fanalei Island, 16 February 2025.

Story: Fanalei, a low-lying island in the Solomon Islands, stands at a crossroads between contested tradition and a changing economy. For generations, dolphin hunting provided food and income, with dolphin teeth used as ritual currency for bride-price and other forms of local exchange. Today, as rising sea levels displace the community and threaten its future, seaweed farming is providing an economic alternative to the seasonal hunt. As seaweed farming expands, fewer people are available for the collective efforts upon which dolphin hunting depends. This story captures a community reshaped by environmental pressure and shifting traditions.

Technical information: Nikon Z9 | Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm F2.8 S @ 24mm | F4 | 1/60 | ISO 2500

Photographer: Wu Fang

Title: Motherhood at 60

Caption: Sheng Hailin prepares for delivery at a hospital in Hefei. At 60 years old and over seven months pregnant, she faced pain, hemorrhaging, and other physical hardships to bring her twin daughters into the world. Hefei, Anhui Province, China, 25 May 2010.

Story: After the death of her only child, retired doctor Sheng Hailin sought in vitro fertilization treatment (IVF) and gave birth to twin girls named Zhizhi and Huihui at the age of 60. This story follows Sheng Hailin's family over 15 years, offering a portrait that is both extraordinary and mundane, but always filled with enduring love. In China, Sheng Hailin is only one of many shīdú, parents who have lost their only child born during China's one-child policy era.

Technical information: Nikon D3 | Nikon Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm F2.8G ED | F2.8 | 1/640 | ISO 1250

Photographer: Evgeniy Maloletka, Associated Press

Title: Russian Attack on Kyiv

Caption: Valeria Syniuk (65) sits near her badly damaged home. She was asleep when a Russian missile destroyed the building opposite hers. Kyiv, Ukraine, 24 April 2025.

Story: On 24 April 2025, Russia launched one of the deadliest attacks on Kyiv since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Hours after international peace negotiations stalled again, missiles and drones struck at least five residential neighborhoods, killing 13 people and wounding 90. Russia's intensifying air campaign continues to devastate life across the country, systematically targeting infrastructure, hospitals, and educational institutions. By December 2025, at least 14,775 civilians had been killed since the invasion began. April 2025 was the worst month for child casualties in nearly three years.

Technical information: Sony a1 | 1/160 sec

Photographer: Brais Lorenzo, EFE, Revista 5W, El País

Title: Burned Land

Caption: The Larouco wildfire, the worst in Galicia's recorded history, burns through the night as flames reach O Courel – a mountain range of great biodiversity. Sierra de O Courel, Galicia, Spain, 19 August 2025.

Story: 2025 was a record year for wildfires in Europe. More than 200,000 hectares burned across Galicia during Spain's worst fire season in about three decades. The increasingly severe fires in this region are attributed to drought and heat intensified by climate change, rural depopulation, and shortsighted forest management policies, including the widespread planting of highly flammable non-native species. Born in Ourense, the photographer grew up with the smell of smoke every summer and has documented Galician wildfires since 2011.

Technical information: Nikon Z8 | Nikon Nikkor AF-S 24mm F1.4G | F4.5 | 30 sec | ISO 320

Photographer: William Keo, La Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Die Zeit

Title: Extramuros

Caption: Younes and Sandra embrace in a car close to Villepinte. Seine-Saint-Denis, France, 18 April 2024.

Story: In the peripheral neighborhoods of France's banlieues, migrant families navigate postcolonial legacies, higher rates of unemployment, and structural inequality. France's integration system requires migrants to culturally assimilate while prejudice persists, leaving communities caught between exclusion and belonging. Yet these communities are also spaces of creativity and resilience that shape contemporary French culture. Documenting his friends and family, the photographer – born to Cambodian refugees – portrays lives in which community and solidarity are the clearest markers of identity.

Technical information: LEICA M (Typ 240) | 1/90 sec

Photographer: Jan Sonnenmair

Title: Portland Protests ICE

Caption: Officers from the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies clash with demonstrators outside an ICE processing center. The intense summer protests centered on opposing the administration's escalating mass-deportation agenda. Portland, Oregon, United States, 24 June 2025.

Story: In 2025, the Trump administration shifted its immigration enforcement from the border to the US interior, aiming for 3,000 arrests per day and abandoning protections for schools, hospitals, courthouses, and places of worship. In response, Portland, a "sanctuary city" that prohibits its own state and local law forces to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, became a flashpoint for resistance. During the nationwide "No Kings" demonstrations in June, localized protests escalated into nightly clashes outside the city's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility.

Technical information: Sony a7 IV | 135mm | F3.2 | 1/320 sec | ISO 25,600

Photographer: Ethan Swope, for Associated Press

Title: Los Angeles on Fire

Caption: The Palisades Fire ravages a neighborhood amid high winds. The Los Angeles blazes inflicted between $28 and $53.8 billion in property damage, disrupting thousands of local businesses. Los Angeles, California, United States, 7 January 2025.

Story: In January 2025, severe drought and 100-mph (roughly 160-kph) Santa Ana winds fueled 14 devastating wildfires across Los Angeles, destroying over 18,000 buildings and displacing 200,000 residents. While officials reported 31 direct fatalities, public health studies estimate 440 excess deaths linked to toxic smoke and disrupted medical care. In the disaster's aftermath, a stark wealth divide has defined recovery efforts, with lower-income residents facing displacement while wealthier communities leverage private resources to rebuild.

Technical information: Canon EOS R5 | Canon EF 16-35mm F4L IS USM @ 26mm | F4 | 1/20 | ISO 8000

Photographer: César Rodríguez, Norwegian Red Cross, SNCA, The New York Times

Title: Mexico, A Changing Climate

Caption: A child runs up to the second floor of a partially submerged home. The 2024 floods affected 7,000 residents. Many families lost personal belongings like photographs and other cherished items. Chalco, State of Mexico, Mexico, 19 August 2024.

Story: Mexico is especially vulnerable to climate extremes, with 52% of its territory situated in arid or semi-arid zones. Over the last two decades, environmental disasters have internally displaced approximately 2.7 million people, a figure projected to reach up to 8 million by 2050. This project documents the enormous cost of these changes on a human scale: from the rapid erosion of Tabasco's coastlines, where sea levels are rising three times faster than the global average, to the systemic water scarcities in Monterrey and the State of Mexico, where renewable water availability has plummeted by 81% since 1950.

Technical information: Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII @ 28mm equiv | F5 |1/3200 sec |ISO 640

Photographer: Santiago Arcos, for Reuters

Title: Funeral for "The Four of Malvinas"

Caption: Teammates mourn Ismael Arroyo (15) who was tortured and murdered by Air Force personnel. Families, neighbors, and residents of Las Malvinas accompanied the coffins from their homes to the cemetery, turning the funeral into a massive public act of grief and protest. Guayaquil, Ecuador, 1 January 2025.

Story: Ecuador's militarized crackdown on transnational gangs has transformed vulnerable communities into targets for state violence. In December 2024, four Afro-Ecuadorian boys – aged 11 to 15 – disappeared after a neighborhood football practice in Guayaquil. The government initially denied involvement, then attempted to label the children as criminals. The discovery of their burned remains near an air force base shattered the Las Malvinas community and exposed the dangers of security policies that racially profile and criminalize marginalized youth.

Technical information: Sony a9 | Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art | F2.8 | 1/125 sec | ISO 4000

Photographer: Eduardo Anizelli, Folha de S.Paulo

Title: Those Who Carry the Dead

Caption: In October 2025, a massive police operation targeting the Comando Vermelho criminal syndicate unfolded in Rio de Janeiro's Complexo do Alemão and Penha favelas. Deploying a record 2,500 local and military officers, the raid was the deadliest police operation in Brazilian history. Of the 122 who were killed, the vast majority were Afro-Brazilians. In the aftermath, authorities failed to deploy forensic teams, forcing the community to bear the physical and emotional weight of carrying their own dead.

Story: Municipal workers wash away blood in São Lucas Square. Despite the unprecedented death toll and failure to apprehend key gang leaders, the state government declared the operation a success. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 29 October 2025.

Technical information: Canon EOS R3 | RF 35mm F1.4 L VCM | F1.4 | 1/16,000 sec | ISO 400

Photographer: Pablo E. Piovano, Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation, Philip Jones Griffiths Foundation, Lawen.doc

Title: The Human Cost of Agrotoxins

Caption: Fabián Tomasi, a former agrochemical worker, suffered from severe toxic polyneuropathy and became a global face of the fight against agrotoxins. He passed away in 2018. Entre Ríos, Argentina, 25 October 2016.

Story: In 1996, Argentina approved genetically modified, herbicide-resistant soybeans paired with glyphosate-based herbicides, a policy adopted without independent research. In three decades, pesticide use skyrocketed from 40 million to 580 million liters annually. Today, 60% of Argentina's cultivated land is sprayed, affecting 14 million people. Despite independent studies linking exposure to increased risks of cancer and congenital malformations, regulations continue to loosen even as agrochemical usage moves closer to human settlements. This project documents the human cost of an economic model that prioritizes agro-industrial profit over the lives of its rural citizens.

Technical information: None provided

Photographer: Yasir Iqbal, Outlook India Magazine

Title: A Daughter's Grief in Kashmir

Caption: Sanam Bashir (21) collapses with grief at her mother's funeral. Nargis Begum (45) died from shrapnel wounds after a mortar shell struck while the two were fleeing their home. Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, India, 9 May 2025.

Story: The Kashmir region has been contested between India and Pakistan since the 1947 partition of British India, a territorial dispute that has fueled decades of conflict. On 22 April 2025, an attack on tourists in Pahalgam killed 26 people. India blamed Pakistan-backed militant groups and responded with strikes on 7 May. Four days of intense cross-border shelling, drone attacks, and airstrikes followed. Thousands of civilians were displaced, dozens killed, and homes and infrastructure along the Line of Control (the de facto border) were destroyed. Widespread international pressure secured a ceasefire on 10 May, averting further escalation between the two nuclear-armed rivals.

Technical information: Nikon D810 | 24mm | F2.8 | 1/160 sec | ISO 400

Photographer: Saher Alghorra, for The New York Times

Title: Witnessing Gaza

Caption: Tamer Hassan al-Shafei and his family break their Ramadan fast in the remains of their home. Food shortages meant only basics were served instead of the usual spread. Beit Lahia, Gaza Strip, 4 March 2025.

Story: In 2025, civilians in Gaza endured starvation, famine, and relentless bombardment as the death toll surpassed 75,000 and Israeli authorities severely restricted the flow of humanitarian aid. A ceasefire agreement in October has yet to bring meaningful relief. Palestinian journalists – living through the reality they document – are the world's few witnesses to what a UN Commission has concluded is a genocide. Israel disputes this. The photographer worked under immense danger, driven by a refusal to let the world turn away. "Even when everything around me told me to stop, I couldn't – silence would mean surrender."

Technical information: Canon EOS R6 II | EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS III USM | F/4 | 1/80 sec |ISO 2500

Photographer: Diego Ibarra Sánchez

Title: Hijacked Education

Caption: Students walk to Miadad Primary School in Khartanai Village. Hundreds of children across Afghanistan travel long distances on foot to attend classes. Haska Meyna District, Afghanistan, 13 November 2025.

Story: Across the world, war, extremism, and displacement deny children the right to education. Schools are destroyed, teachers killed or forced to relocate, textbooks burned, and classrooms turned into barracks. The UN estimates that 85 million of the 234 million school-age children affected by conflict worldwide have no access to education at all. The consequences extend far beyond the classroom, impacting physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development. Since 2011, the photographer – son of a teacher and father of an 11-year-old – has documented this crisis across nine countries, from Western and South Asia, to Europe and South America.

Technical information: Canon EOS R5 II | 1/800 sec | ISO 100

Nikon Z6 w/ Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S @ 27.5mm | F6.3 | 1/500 sec | ISO 720
Photo: Friedrich von Horsten

Wildlife photography often finds its strongest expression in moments of atmosphere rather than sheer variety, and few places deliver that quite like the African bush. Harsh sunlight, drifting dust and fleeting golden hours transform even familiar scenes visited multiple times into something with a unique perspective by the photographer.

For community member Friedrich von Horsten, the pursuit of African wildlife began with a borrowed Minolta SR-1 and a roll of Agfachrome slide film on a trip to Gorongosa National Park. Over the years, he's developed a deep appreciation for the natural world and built a great deal of patience to photograph it.

This story is part of our What's in your bag? community spotlight series. The series showcases the diverse gear and photography of our community, and shares their stories of how that gear helped them to capture the perfect shot.

Have your photography featured on the DPReview homepage! Find out how.

Home base: South Africa

Favorite camera and lens: The Nikon Z6III with a versatile telephoto setup.

Typical photo scenes: Friedrich focuses on African wildlife and landscapes. From the dry intensity of Hwange National Park to the elephant-rich floodplains of Chobe National Park and the vast ecosystems of Kruger National Park, his photography is rooted in misty mornings and dusty sunset encounters that reveal the essence of the wild.

"My first 36 shots were duds, but one picture of a sable antelope silhouette on a misty morning in Gorongoza, Mozambique, looked like a painting. That made me decide that was what I wanted to do – shoot African wildlife and landscapes in special light that showed the essence of Africa – harsh light, dust, vibrant wildlife."

Nikon D7200 w/ Nikkor 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED @ 220mm | F8 | 1/500 sec | ISO 400
Photo: Friedrich von Horsten

• Primary cameras: Nikon Z6III and Nikon Z50
• Other cameras: Nikon Z6
• Lenses: Nikkor Z16-50mm kit lens, Z50-250, Z24-120, Z100-400, Z180-600
• Support gear: Friedrich keeps things simple, carrying only essentials like spare batteries and chargers. By avoiding extra equipment, he stays mobile and ready to respond instantly to changing light and wildlife behavior.
• Camera bags: A medium Lowepro bag that offers enough space for core gear while remaining compact and easy to handle for long hours in the field.

Photo: Friedrich von Horsten

"I typically shoot maybe 3,000 pictures on a 2-week trip, since I only photograph what I really like. The Z6III on electronic shutter is another story – 16 fps is too much for me, so I don't take hard drives, laptops, etc."

"I also love to chew dried fruit while watching sightings at dawn. Every time I have a good lion sighting, I stop at the next picnic spot and eat a huge mango to celebrate. Some people spend hours preparing bush meals, but I would rather spend the precious hours in the bush, and then rest from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. around the pool or in my chalet in winter."

Nikon D7200 w/ Nikkor AF-S 70-20mm f/4G ED VR @ 72mm | F8 | 1/1250 sec | ISO 800
Photo: Friedrich von Horsten

"I shoot manually with auto ISO, and start the morning at 1/125 @ F5.6 until light improves. Auto ISO is vital in Africa, where light conditions vary widely from shade to sunlight."

"My absolute favorite setting on mirrorless cameras is the magical focus/control ring. I use it for exposure compensation, so twirling the ring left instantly darkens the frame, and twirling to the right instantly lightens up subjects against bright backgrounds. Imagine being able to instantly see the final result without having to wait to develop a film, when you only discover two weeks later it was underexposed!"

"In Southern African parks, we always stop approaching vehicles, and quickly share our best sightings and ask what they have seen, especially if you stop the same people during another visit next year."

"My greatest joy was to teach school kids photography, so for 17 years I did local photography outings over weekends, and at least 2x week-long annual outings to more exciting destinations like Sossusvlei, Fish River Canyon, Namib Desert around Luderitzbucht, Swaziland, Addo elephant national park and Tiger Canyons where John Varty has free-roaming Asian tigers in African savannah. What an experience! We drove at least 60,000 km on rough roads in a Toyota Quantum school bus with 14 kids and 2 teachers during this time."

Soaking wet lionesses doing a tug-of-war over a dead warthog in Samburu, Kenya

Nikon D600 w/ Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED @ 48mm | F6.3 | 1/2500 sec | ISO 1250
Photo: Friedrich von Horsten

"Africa has amazing places like South Luangwa in Zambia for leopards, Serengeti and Masai Mara for vast landscapes and huge herds. Elephants are my favorite animal, so I spend a lot of time in Hwange and Chobe."

"My favorite annual trip is to the Hwange Annual Game Count around the end of September, where groups from all over the world get together, and each group spends 24 hours at a designated waterhole in the bush during full moon. Some counts deliver close to 1,000 elephants. The exciting thing is to be there in the dark, all on your own, in a small vehicle, surrounded by wild animals that come right up to you in the moonlight."

Nikon D600 w/ Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED @ 85mm | F5.6 | 1/400 sec | ISO 320
Photo: Friedrich von Horsten

"I love sharing my favorite spots with people who don't know Africa well yet. Photography on this continent opened my eyes to the intricate designs and patterns that an amazing Creator made for our delight. It is a fabulous excuse to get excited about all creatures great and small, as well as stunning light and magical moments. Imagine the joy it brings to others when they share your happy moments!"

"In Kruger Park South Africa there is a WhatsApp called Latest Sightings — not popular with park officials because it causes congestion at sightings that have been reported, but very good to do research BEFORE your self-drive safari to know latest whereabouts of wild dog dens, leopard cubs etc."

"Google Earth is also excellent for planning safaris – I do research on waterholes in dry parks like Hwange in Zimbabwe, to determine popular approaches by elephant herds to the waterholes. You then choose pans like Dom or Nyamandlovu where most elephant herds approach from the west in the dry season. This gives excellent opportunities at sunset with backlighting and dust."

Friedrich really enjoyed writing the content for this spotlight article and would be grateful for you to join him in the forums. Thanks, Friedrich, for being featured!

If you’d like to share your photography setup, tell us about your main camera, lens choices, key settings and strategies. Your photos and story could be featured in the next article!

Editor's note: This article continues a series, 'What's in your bag?', highlighting DPReview community members, their photography and the gear they depend on. Would you like to be featured in a future installment? Tell us a bit about yourself and your photography by filling out this form. If you're selected for a feature, we'll be in touch with next steps.

Submit your photos and story to be featured in 'What's in your bag?'

If your body typically runs hot, or you find yourself out in the sun often, Dyson's got something to show you. Its new handheld fan packs possibly the most powerful motor you can safely fit into a gadget of this size, and doesn't make a big ol' racket.

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Category: Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Fan cooling, Dyson

When the Nikon ZR was released, there was discussion about whether R3D NE, the new Raw video format it introduced, was just Nikon's N-Raw with a splash of red paint on it.

While it quickly became apparent that they were essentially the same under the hood, our testing shows that despite their similarities, there are actually quite a few important differences between the formats that become evident when you're shooting with and editing them.

The most significant difference between N-Raw and R3D NE is how they deal with ISO and gain. N-Raw works the way most people will be familiar with: you set your ISO, and the camera generally applies a corresponding level of gain to the signal coming off the sensor. If you set your ISO too high at the point of capture and your highlights clip, there's nothing you can really do, unless there's still some data left in one of your color channels.

R3D NE, however, uses an Exposure Index approach, exploiting the camera's dual gain steps. You choose whether to use the low step, at 'ISO 800,' or the high step at 'ISO 6400'. You can then choose a different "ISO," changing the lightness of your preview in the video file and writing a tag to the metadata. This change only affects how the footage is rendered; the camera isn't changing the amount of gain being applied while it's recording. This lets you change the "ISO" (really, just the lightness) of the footage in post.

DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Premiere both support N-Raw and R3D NE (with the caveats about lens corrections noted below), but if you edit with Final Cut, you'll have to choose a bit more carefully. Apple's software can work with R3D NE if you install Red's free plugin (which gives you full control over all the Raw parameters), but it currently can't open N-Raw footage.

There's also the matter of geometric lens distortion correction, which are part of the design of many Z-mount lenses. As with the Z6III, the ZR embeds correction profiles into N-Raw, but, at the time of writing, DaVinci Resolve is the only editing software that actually recognizes and applies the profile. You can open N-Raw footage in Premiere, but it won't implement the lens corrections.

Getting lens corrections on R3D NE is currently even more limited. The profiles are embedded in the files, but even Resolve won't render the footage using them. We'd expect it to support them in the future, but BlackMagic says it can't provide any details on future releases.

To apply corrections to R3D NE footage, you currently have to use the very latest version of Red's relatively clunky RedCine-X Pro transcoding software to render it as ProRes with the profiles applied. During this step, you can also adjust your clip's lightness or white balance and apply LUTs, but you'll probably want to use a different program for heavy color work, sharpening and denoising.

As is standard practice, N-Raw and R3D NE are typically converted into Log gamma when opened in editing software, so that you can use existing Log-to-[working space] LUTs and because rendering the data in a linear manner would be incomprehensible/not especially helpful.

Like the handling of ISO and gain, the R3D NE workflow appears rather more sophisticated. N-Raw files are typically rendered to N-Log and the gamut of the Rec.2020 colorspace. This is a relatively simple Log curve that we've not always got on especially well with.

The R3D NE files render to Red's Log3G10 and RedWideGamut. Like Panasonic's V-Log system, Log3G10 is a curve designed for more dynamic range than any camera currently offers, with each camera using the subset of that curve that's appropriate for its output. This means that the R3D NE files can be used with any LUT designed for existing Red cameras, rather than needing dedicated LUTs to be produced for it.

Interestingly, Adobe says it uses Red's software development kit to handle both R3D NE and N-Raw files, so if you edit using Premiere, the starting point for N-Raw files is also Log3G10 (though you can transform this across into N-Log, if you want to use LUTs designed for N-Log).

While Nikon provides default LUTs for N-Log and Log3G10 that you can grade on top of, the ecosystem around the two Log curves is quite different. There are a lot of LUTs designed for Red footage available, many of which were designed by professional colorists, since Log3G10 has been used in cinema cameras for years. N-Log has a comparatively limited selection, which is worth considering for those who want the option of using or tweaking existing looks, rather than having to come up with their own from scratch.

There are a few other things to consider when choosing between formats. For instance, when shooting R3D NE, you can't use focus peaking when using the View Assist feature to preview what the footage will look like with a LUT applied, which you can with N-Raw.

There also appears to be a difference in the handling of white balance, with the R3D NE files giving more consistent results, independently of the WB setting used at the point of capture. There's also a difference when shooting: N-Log mode allows you to use Auto WB (which, due to its unpredictability, isn't really best practice but can be a handy way to get something close to usable if you're moving between indoor and outdoor shooting, for instance). If you adjust the WB of the Raw clip during your edit, that single WB value is applied to the whole clip, and any variation is lost, so the usefulness of being able to shoot with Auto WB becomes questionable.

Finally, N-Raw offers a "high quality" and "normal" recording mode, with the latter cutting the bitrate in half, reducing how much storage your footage will take up. R3D NE doesn't provide any such option; it always takes up (exactly) the same amount of space as N-Raw's "high quality" option.

The ZR also shoots ProRes Raw, which is compatible with pretty much all professional editing software, but also produces much larger files. Despite the format adding support for lens correction profiles, Nikon doesn't appear to have implemented that feature for this camera (or for the Z6III). It also uses N-Log, rather than Log3G10.

Each Raw format the ZR supports has its own pros and cons, but to us, R3D NE appears to be the most well-considered option, despite the few workflow annoyances that come with shooting it.

Whichever Raw format you choose, it's likely best to pick one and stick with it for most situations. As we found with our test scene, they all offer similar image quality, so your choice can be dictated by how you want to shoot and ease-of-use considerations.

The electric vehicle (EV) space is in a weird one right now. On one hand, we’ve got brands chasing top speeds like there's no tomorrow. On the other hand, we’ve got a mileage battle popping up, with BYD claiming the top spot in that department (for now).

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Category: Automotive, Transport

Tags: Geely, Lynk & Co, BYD, Electric Vehicles, Battery Electric Vehicles, Battery Technology

A new study has shown that the popular GLP-1 weight loss drug semaglutide has the power to halt, and to some extent restore, cartilage in people suffering from osteoarthritis (OA). The finding hints at a possible use of the drug beyond weight loss.

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Category: Body and Mind

Tags: GLP-1 receptor agonists, Ozempic, Arthritis, Weight Loss

Fueled by Thailand's role as a leading automotive manufacturing hub and booming adventure tourism destination, this year's Bangkok Motor Show felt as much like a SEMA-style overland exhibition as it did a full-blown international auto show. In our time on the show floor, we could hardly step over to a new booth without tripping on the guy lines of a carefully staged campsite or smacking into the snorkel of a hardcore off-roader or full-blown camper rig loaded up with all the rugged aftermarket components necessary (or not necessarily necessary) to overland the country's thick jungles and verdant mountains.

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Category: RVs and Motorhomes, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors

Tags: Campervan, RV, Pickup, Truck, Thailand, Bangkok International Motor Show, SUV, Camping, Outdoors and Camping, Off-road

Those kazillion-in-one multitools we keep telling you about may be relatively compact, but you're still quite likely to notice their presence in your pocket. The Scout, on the other hand, is truly small yet capable of eight different functions.

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Category: Knives and Multitools, Gear, Outdoors

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Viltrox has teased that more L-mount lenses are on the way ahead of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) trade show in Las Vegas. The announcement was decidedly short on details but suggests the company is ramping up to expand its L-mount lineup after joining the L-Mount Alliance last year.

The press release simply says that the Viltrox NAB booth will "spotlight its growing L-mount portfolio," including "several new and unreleased L-mount lenses." Whether these lenses are existing Viltrox offerings that will soon be available for L-mount or completely novel additions to its lineup is unclear, though it is exciting to hear that there will be more than one.

When Viltrox announced it was joining the alliance, it said it would be bringing its AF 16mm F1.8 and 28mm F4.5 lenses to the mount. The company released the 16mm F1.8 back in February, but we are still waiting on news of the promised 28mm lens. No matter what lenses are coming, it looks like Viltrox is finally hitting its stride with L-mount lenses after a bit of a slow start.

Beyond L-mount lenses, Viltrox also teased that it will be announcing new Evo-series lenses at NAB. The Evo series is a newer line of compact full-frame autofocus primes that sit between its premium Pro lenses and budget Air lenses, aiming to balance solid build quality, modern features, and relatively affordable pricing. These new ones will feature apochromatic elements to better control chromatic aberration.

The NAB show runs from April 18-22, so stay tuned for more news as the show approaches.

Discover new Lenses Empowering Modern Image Makers Through Photography to Cinema

Las Vegas, NV, April 7th, 2026 - Viltrox today announced its participation in NAB Show 2026, taking place April 18–22, 2026, in Las Vegas. At this year’s show, Viltrox will present the latest expansion of its imaging ecosystem under the theme "Expanding the Viltrox Imaging System — From Photo to Cinema."

Across all product categories, Viltrox’s NAB 2026 presence underscores a unified vision: supporting creators at every stage of visual storytelling, from photography to cinema. The showcase will highlight Viltrox’s ongoing evolution into a comprehensive imaging system provider, with developments spanning autofocus lenses, L-mount expansion, flagship optics, cinema tools, and creator-focused production accessories.

A key highlight of Viltrox’s NAB 2026 presence is the continued expansion of its EVO series, which includes previews of upcoming models, and the official launch of new lenses during the show. The EVO series with APO lenses emphasize professional performance, usability, and versatility for everyday shooting scenarios, ready for modern creators working across both photography and video.

Viltrox will also spotlight its growing L-mount portfolio, marking one of its first major international trade show appearances since joining the L-Mount Alliance. In addition to the AF 16mm F1.8 L, the company will present several new and unreleased L-mount lenses, reinforcing its commitment to supporting photographers and filmmakers using Leica, Panasonic, and Sigma systems.

The company’s LAB and Pro series lenses will be on display, representing Viltrox’s most advanced optical engineering. Attendees can experience hands-on demonstrations and attend on-site sessions led by industry professionals, focusing on real-world applications and creative workflows.

Further extending its support of cinema-grade videography, Viltrox will showcase an expanded lineup of filmmaking tools and cinema-ready products. Highlights include the EPIC series cinema lenses with expanded focal-length options, Raze cinema lenses (DL mount) designed for the DJI Ronin 4D system, and the NexusFocus adapter, which enables autofocus functionality in professional cinema workflows. The booth will also feature simulated production environments, including portrait, automotive, and wedding setups, demonstrating real-world scenarios.

Beyond lenses, Viltrox will present additional tools such as lighting and monitoring products, further strengthening its ecosystem for modern visual creators. These additions reflect the company’s direction toward building a more connected workflow from capture to production.

"NAB Show 2026 marks an important step forward for Viltrox as we continue expanding our imaging system across both photography and cinema," said Frank Fang, US Marketing Director, Viltrox. "This year, we’re excited to share a broader view of where we’re heading with new EVO developments, a stronger L-mount commitment, expanded EPIC focal lengths, and more tools for today’s image makers."

Attendees are invited to experience the latest Viltrox innovations at Booth 5735 during NAB Show 2026.

Learn more: viltrox.com

Removing and reinstalling a bike's rear wheel is a hassle at the best of times, but particularly when you're in a hurry. The Dual system is designed to change that, as it moves the cassette from the wheel onto the frame.

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Category: Bicycles, Transport

Tags: Cycling, Wheel