Lithium. While it’s not quite “the Spice” of Dune, the silvery, reactive metal is an extraordinarily valuable means for storing electricity, meaning it’s a key tool for transitioning from climate-killing carbon-fuel consumption to a world-transforming economy and green-energy future.
Category: Energy, Technology
Tags: Rice University, Lithium-ion, Recycling
Being an outdoors enthusiast comes with one thing that most people don’t enjoy all that much: packing bulky, heavy gear that never quite fits in the car, especially when it comes to cooking equipment. Currently available on Kickstarter, the Vennoe T01 pizza oven could become a smart addition to a camping setup, helping to solve at least part of that problem.
Category: Outdoor Cooking, Gear, Outdoors
Tags: Kickstarter, Cooking, Pizza, Portable, Oven
Despite its modest length of just 24 ft (7.3 m), the Pacific Wren packs an impressive amount of flexibility into its compact frame. The tiny house contains two bedrooms, a well-equipped kitchen, and even a small home office area.
Category: Tiny Houses, Outdoors
Tags: Building and Construction, Tiny Footprint, Micro-House, House, Home
Welcome back to our Question of the Week series! This reader-focused series aims to get our photographic community to share thoughts on all sorts of photography-related topics in our forums. We pose questions about gear, favorite camera stores, advice, problem-solving and more, and you share your thoughts and opinions.
This week, we’re leaning into the holiday spirit! The season of giving (and occasionally re-gifting) is upon us, and that means it’s time to unwrap some memories – both heartwarming and hilarious.
What are the best (and worst) photography-related gifts you've received?What’s the best photography-related gift you’ve ever received? Maybe it was a dream lens that caused you to take on an adventure deep in the mountains, or a handmade camera strap that’s now an essential part of your kit. And what about the worst? Perhaps someone thought you needed yet another "World’s Best Photographer" mug, or that odd lens filter set that turned every photo a shade of green.
In this edition of our Question of the Week series, we want to hear your gift stories: the memorable, the useful and the truly baffling. Share your favorites (and flops) in the forum link below. Photos of the gifts (or what you created with them) are also more than welcome! We'll highlight some of your most entertaining and heartfelt responses in next week's roundup.
When we set out to make predictions for the year ahead this time last year, we discovered that our crystal ball wasn't working. And unfortunately, despite several attempts to recalibrate it, we still haven't managed to get it working.
Instead, we decided to get with 2025's hottest trend* and train an AI model to do our predicting for us. After all, we figured, we have probably the most comprehensive camera database in the world that we can use as a dataset.
Turns out 2026 will still be hard to predict. Most of the major camera makers have updated their core lineups such that, with a few exceptions, it's not obvious which of the remaining models are going to receive updates and which have already been quietly abandoned.
Camera makers seem to be trying all sorts of novel ideas in an attempt to attract new audiences, and the more data we gave our AI model about 2025's cameras, the madder its suggestions became. So, like the rest of the content on DPReview, we're going to have to make do without the help of machine learning or large language models and rely on a group of camera enthusiasts making semi-informed guesses.
As always, this article does not include any information from manufacturers nor any speculation from rumor sites.
*By which we're referring to the cooling costs of all these AI tools that none of us asked for and which have definitely made the internet better.
Sony - What we expect to seeThe cameras under the a6700 in Sony's APS-C lineup are looking very long in the tooth now, and it seems possible we could see an update to them. As for whether we'll get another camera like the a6100, which is aimed at as broad an audience as possible with an ultra-affordable price tag to match, though, it's hard to tell. It's possible that going after vloggers is more profitable than courting beginner photographers nowadays, so we wouldn't be shocked if we instead see a more entry-level APS-C ZV camera.
It also feels like we're about due for the a7R VI, though it'll be interesting to see which way Sony takes it. We could see arguments for either speeding up its current 61MP sensor with partially stacked readout tech, and gaining improved dynamic range performance in the process, or going even higher resolution. It's always possible that Sony could do both, but perhaps we ask for too much.
If we had to place bets, our money's on an FX3 II coming out before we see another a7S, perhaps with the tilting EVF and mechanical shutter like the recently announced FX2. Sony launched the FX3 shortly after the a7S III, which was probably a bit disappointing to early adopters who likely would've been better served by the more cinema-focused body. We'd like to think Sony wouldn't make that mistake twice.
Sony - What we'd like to seeYou all knew this one was coming: we really wish Sony would make a new RX100. If we're really picky, we'd also ask that it have the 24-70mm equiv. F1.8-2.8 lens from the Mark V, and a sensor that didn't make it cost $1200 ... wait, are you serious? Sheesh. Okay, make that $1700, as the current VII does. At this point, though, we'd just be happy to see a new compact from Sony that has any signs of modernity, like USB-C instead of microUSB, and tolerable menus.
Sigma - What we expectWe think the only thing that's easy to predict from Sigma is updated firmware for the BF, mainly because we were told it was a project that would continue to develop once it was out in the wild. Beyond that, I don't think it's possible to second-guess what the company might do next.
We'd love to see aperture or control rings and weather sealing added to refreshed versions of the DC DN primes, and their appearance on this year's 12mm F1.4 DC and 17-40mm F1.8 DC gives us some hope in that regard. Sadly, given the status updates that have been given, we aren't predicting that the promised full-frame Foveon camera will arrive in 2026, but we want to believe it's still possible, so we don't want to relegate it to the wishful-thinking list.
Sigma - What we'd like to seeIn terms of a wishlist, we'd love to see the downsizing approach Sigma took with the 35mm F1.2 II applied as broadly as possible (we're going to assume it's easier said than done). And, because Richard was involved in the discussions leading to this article, we're going to say yet again that we'd love to see a modern version of the 50-150mm II EX DC HSM: because 70-200mm equivalents for APS-C can be a brilliant thing if they're usefully smaller, lighter and less expensive than camera maker's 70-200mm F2.8 lenses, and Sigma has a proven record of delivering on those fronts.
Fujifilm - What we expectSurely it's time for a new X-Pro? Fujifilm has made clear that it intends to make one, so 2026 must surely be the year. As perhaps the most photo-focused camera in the lineup, it needn't necessarily wait for a fancy new sensor, though building a flagship model around a sensor or processor that then gets superseded too soon would risk taking the shine off the experience for owners.
Beyond that, the oldest cameras in Fujifilm's lineup are the X-H2 and X-H2S twins. Could a sensor with faster readout (a partially stacked variant of the 40MP chip, perhaps?) allow the two lines to converge again, offering a single hybrid model that excels at both stills and video, rather than forcing buyers to pick which is more important to them?
Fujifilm - What we'd like to see2025 was a quiet year in terms of lens launches for Fujifilm, so we'd expect to see some action on that front. Both its X and GF lens ranges are looking complete enough that it's hard to point to any obvious gaps that still need filling, so we're into the realms of what we'd like to see replaced or upgraded.
An updated version of the 50-140mm F2.8 with any excess of the downsizing pixie dust used on the 16-50mm F2.8 II sprinkled in its direction would be nice. There are also a couple of primes that might benefit from a refresh and the application of the latest focus motor know-how, but everyone seems to have a different opinion about where this should start.
Leica - What we expectThe most confident prediction we can make is that we'll see a variety of special edition models from Leica this year. We haven't a clue which brands the German perfectionists will choose to gang up with (and wouldn't rule out having to go straight to Wikipedia to work out who they are, once announced), but there'll definitely be some.
We also think it might be time for an M12. We've seen just about every possible variation of the M11, including one that isn't even a rangefinder, so the time is surely getting close. If nothing else, the company's pioneering commitment to the Content Credentials concept suggests it's time for the principal M model to gain the requisite hardware. But, as with so many of our guesses predictions, it depends a lot on whether someone has anything better than the current 61MP sensor about to take to the stage. That is likely to be the catalyst for much of what does or doesn't happen in 2026.
Leica - What we'd like to seeLeica operates in such rarefied fields and such obscure niches, it's hard to even know what to wish for (other than the lottery win that should probably happen before any of us try to get too committed). Perhaps we'll see Leica become the next company to adopt a true HDR workflow, with a bright monitor and default use of an HDR delivery format. The company's creation of mono variants of some of its cameras suggests it's comfortable playing to specialized niches, but there's a difference between embracing a style of photography with a long and storied history, versus leaping into a technology that is inherently near-incompatible with prints.
Whatever else, we'd love a Q3 43 Mono.
Panasonic - What we expect to seeGiven how well the S1II's sensor performs for video, it feels inevitable that Panasonic will release some sort of video camera based around it. That could take the form of a Nikon ZR or Sony ZV-E1 competitor, focused on vlogging and ease of use, or it could be something more akin to the Canon EOS C50 or Sony FX3, with a cinema-style body that has even more cooling and is covered in attachment points.
Beyond that, it's hard to predict what Panasonic might do next, given that it just updated pretty much all of its high-end, full frame cameras. It still seems a bit early to expect an update to the S5 series... if indeed the company plans on continuing that line at all, instead of replacing it with the S1IIE. Panasonic is another one where the only thing we really expect is the unexpected, be that a new camera or a feature-packed firmware update.
Panasonic - What we'd like to seeWe said it last year, and we'll say it again: we'd love to see a new enthusiast compact from Panasonic, potentially as a continuation of the LX100 series. Though, like with Canon and Sony, it seems like companies have a lot of momentum in just letting the compact market ride.
Similarly, we'd also be excited if Panasonic were to come out with a new GM or GX camera; the market is sorely missing a truly compact Micro Four Thirds option that plays into the mount's greatest strength: its collection of solid, compact lenses. Is Panasonic invested enough in the system to do that? We're not sure, and the fact that they repurposed a full frame body for the G9 II gives us extra pause, but that doesn't keep us from hoping.
To be continued...This article would be unbelievably long if we tried to cover every major brand here, so we've split it into two. The second part will be coming shortly, and we'll add a link here as soon as it's live.
Sitting around a fire is surely one of the outdoors’ greatest simple pleasures. Living on the coast, I enjoy driftwood bonfires that are not just decorative, they keep you warm enough to sit out on a stony British beach after sundown year-round.
Tags: Fire, Camping, Portable, Collapsible
Mini motos have always thrived on a simple idea: small, useful motorcycles that punch well above their weight. What started as post-war utility machines quickly transformed into farm runabouts and then eventually into cult favorites like Honda’s Trail series in more recent times.
Category: Motorcycles, Transport
Tags: Moped, ebikes, Off-road, Honda Motorcycles
The ability to make fire on demand has long been seen as a turning point in our evolutionary story. It unlocked benefits like cooking food, staying warm, and protection from predators. For thousands of years, our ancestors progressed from scavenging flames around wildfires to tending them and, eventually, sparking them deliberately.
Tags: Fire, Archeology, Neanderthal, British Museum, History, Evolution
It's that time of year again – and my personal favorite corner of science to look back on – when we recap the many fascinating discoveries in the plant and animal kingdom that made headlines in 2025.
Tags: Wildlife, Best of 2025, Animal science, Behavior, Genetics, Evolution, Conservation, Spiders, Ants, Snakes, orca, Birds, Plants
The Nissan Leaf is, in its own way, a big part of modern automotive history. It’s the first affordable EV. And this all-new 2026 model keeps that groundbreaking premise, but updates it to relevance in today’s more saturated market.
Category: Automotive, Transport
Tags: Nissan, Nissan LEAF, Electric Vehicles, Reviews
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always preferred making my own antibodies.
Category: Medical Innovations, Body and Mind
Tags: MIT, antibodies, Nanoparticles
In 2025, we saw some truly wondrous, often oddball tiny camping creations that included everything from extra-petite inflatable tow-pods, to self-powered rooftop A-frame micro-cabins, to platform-agnostic camper capsules built to roam from automobile to trailer. We definitely saw more than a year's fair share of category-defying camping contraptions.
Category: RVs and Motorhomes, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors
Tags: Outdoors and Camping, RV, Caravan, Trailer, trailers, Outdoors and Camping, Camping
Honda’s new patent asks one weird but very interesting question: what if motorcycles came equipped with a steering-assist system, which would help with crash avoidance – a feature most modern-day cars come with?
Category: Motorcycles, Transport
Tags: Honda, Honda Motorcycles, Patent, Road Safety, Assistive Technologies
Being able to access your EDC gear when you need it is just as important as having quality equipment on hand. PD EDC, which specializes in thoughtfully designed carrying cases for your stuff, has a new organizer in the works that can make it easy to use your gear, and keep it all together when you're out in the field.
Category: Knives and Multitools, Gear, Outdoors
Tags: EDC, Tools, Kickstarter
We recently argued that this year had some of the most interesting camera releases that we've seen in a long time. But cameras are only half of the equation when it comes to photography, and, looking at our lens timeline, it's clear that it's also been a weird and wonderful year for optics, too.
We've seen interesting updates to bread-and-butter lenses, wildly ambitious primes and zooms, and things that we may never have thought to ask for, but are glad they exist. And, unsurprisingly, the innovations haven't all been happening at the major camera companies; you'll see Sigma, Viltrox, Laowa and others pop up just as often as we cover what's made this year such an interesting one for lenses.
The ground-breaking normal Nikon's new standard zoom this year still managed to break the mold.While it's always fun to talk about exotic and specialist lenses, they're not what most photographers will end up buying and using. Thankfully, there have been several lenses that cover standard focal lengths and use cases, but that come with some eye-catching feature or innovation.
The quintessential example of this is probably Nikon's 24-70 F2.8 S II; it's a workhorse full-frame standard zoom, refreshing an option that, honestly, wasn't all that old. But with it, Nikon managed to do something that we hadn't seen before: make an F2.8 standard zoom with a fully internal zooming design, making it easier to handle and more weather resistant.
Speaking of standard zooms, how about a medium format one? Hasselblad's XCD 35-100mm F2.8-4 E is a 28-76mm F2.2-3.2 equiv., with a size and weight that's strikingly similar to its full frame counterparts. Paired with the company's new X2D II, it provided a walkaround photography experience that was so normal, you could be forgiven for forgetting you were using a camera packing a 100MP sensor.
Photo: Abby FergusonGoing the other direction, we also saw two great APS-C standard zooms this year. We're delighted that the Nikon Z DX 16-50mm F2.8 VR exists, though, arguably, it's mostly exciting because the company hasn't allowed anyone else to make that kind of lens for its Z mount cameras. What really impressed us was Sigma's 17-40mm F1.8 DC Art; it follows up on a legendary lens from the DSLR era, but now there are cameras that can actually focus it. Its price, size and weight are all really impressive given its fast aperture, and it's the kind of thing you'd only see from a company committed to driving APS-C systems forward.
Sigma also released the 35mm F1.2 DG Art II this year, which is smaller and lighter than its predecessor, making it an F1.2 prime you could conceivably walk around with. It's also somewhat affordable, at a fraction over half the price of the 35mm F1.2 Nikon put out this year. However, if you're looking for less expensive fast primes, it's hard to ignore what Viltrox has been doing with its Lab and Pro series this year, entries in which have garnered positive reviews, even when compared to more expensive options from more established brands.
We hope the 45mm F1.2 is just the beginning of a line of compelling budget options from CanonAnd while we're talking about primes, it's also worth calling out Canon's latest 45mm F1.2, since its $470 price tag makes it the cheapest autofocus F1.2 lens we've ever seen. It's only 1/3EV faster than the F1.4 lenses Nikon's been releasing (which are faster focusing and a bit stronger when it comes to IQ), but we hope it represents just the beginning of Canon providing a line of compelling budget options to its mirrorless lineup.
Off the beaten path The Sigma 135mm F1.4 isn't a compact lens by any means, but it's certainly a looker.Of course, if companies had just come out with good versions of lenses we'd usually expect, this year would hardly be winning any superlatives. Thankfully, we've also seen a slew of lenses that did something completely new or provided an option that we haven't had for a long time.
Sigma was one of the leaders in this space, with several of its press releases starting by declaring a lens as a first at something; the first 200mm F2 for full-frame mirrorless systems, the first full-frame autofocus 135mm F1.4, the first lens for mirrorless with a 18.8x zoom ratio, etc. The company put out so many lenses that made us go "hold on, now, that's an interesting idea," that we potentially could've written this article based on its work alone.
Thankfully, we saw other brands trying new things, too. Perhaps the most notable is Sony's 50-150mm F2 GM. While we've seen other F2 zooms before, getting a telephoto option opens up a whole new world; it's a versatile lens that lets you achieve a large degree of subject separation, and that isn't an absolute beast to carry around with you.
This year also saw Nikon release its first full-frame power zoom lens, focused on video, Panasonic making a full-frame ultra-telephoto zoom lens that doesn't break the bank and takes teleconverters (partially made possible by a clever spring mechanism) and OM System coming out with its long-awaited 50-200mm F2.8.
Wait, weren't these supposed to be boring?Fujifilm's latest kit lens, paired with the X-T30 III, seems perfectly suited for the audience the camera's aimed at.
Photo: Richard Butler
Even the kinds of lenses that would usually be completely unremarkable have something that make them interesting, this year. Sigma and Tamron both released all-in-one zooms – the 20-200mm F3.5-6.3 and 25-200mm F2.8-5.6, respectively – which offer reasonable image quality for their range despite being shockingly small and light for full-frame lenses. Meanwhile, Fujifilm and Canon put out entry-level APS-C kit lenses that go surprisingly wide in a way that might appeal to people who are mostly used to shooting with their phones. The Fujifilm 13-30mm collapses, making it absolutely tiny when paired with a camera like the X-M5 or X-T30 III, and the Canon is a powerzoom with a remarkably quiet motor that you won't hear in your video.
Why is this happening?While we've (perhaps over-throughougly) covered what made this such an interesting year for lens releases, that does raise the question: what made everyone suddenly start throwing a bunch of surprisingly good ideas at the wall?
The basics have been taken care of, it's time to get creativeWhile it's hard to say for sure, it's probably a similar story as it is with cameras; for most mounts, the basics have been taken care of, and there aren't any obvious holes in the lineup. There are some exceptions, sure (especially in APS-C land), but most photographers will be able to get most of the lenses they need. That leaves engineers free to work on less conventional ideas and to focus on things that they think might give their system a competitive edge.
Speaking of competition, customers have more and more options when it comes to standard lenses. If you're looking for a fast, autofocus prime on E or Z mount, you have not only the one or two options from Sony or Nikon, but upwards of half a dozen offerings from third parties like Sigma, Viltrox, Meike, 7artisans, TTartisan, the list goes on. It's possible the bigger brands are releasing lenses that they think won't be so easy to replicate in the near-term.
Whatever reasons the manufacturers have, it's a win for the rest of us. We here at DPReview appreciate having interesting things to test and write about, and consumers benefit from having even more options, including ones that may allow them to try out niche things they couldn't before. So here's to the year that came before, and to an even weirder 2026.
Laser weapons go mobile as the US Army takes delivery of two 20-kW, anti-drone Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV)-mounted Laser-Oriented Counter-UAS System (LOCUST) Laser Weapon Systems (LWS) from AeroVironment.
Category: Military, Technology
Tags: AeroVironment, US Army, Laser weapon
The eVista King tiny house offers a spacious single-floor layout that's suitable for full-time living. However, what really sets this model apart is its enclosed porch, which encourages owners to enjoy an indoor/outdoor lifestyle.
Category: Tiny Houses, Outdoors
Tags: Building and Construction, Tiny Footprint, Micro-House, House, Home
We all love a little Consumer Reports scoop, don’t we? Last year, Subaru surpassed Toyota and Lexus to become the most reliable carmaker. This year, Toyota reclaims its crown. And there’s one damning stat: Four out of the top five most reliable car brands this year are Japanese.
Category: Automotive, Transport
A drug once designed for dengue virus, then quietly abandoned by industry, is suddenly back in the spotlight, and it may be exactly what the global health community has been waiting for. A new study suggests that this antiviral didn’t just slow the dengue virus, it blocked viral replication and significantly reduced infection rates at high doses. Now, scientists are racing to map its path toward clinical trials. If it holds up, this once-side-lined molecule could become the first targeted therapy for a disease that has affected hundreds of millions.
Category: Infectious Diseases, Illnesses and conditions, Body and Mind
Tags: Antiviral, Dengue, Mosquito, Pharmaceuticals, Big pharma
I've always loved the idea of phone accessories that make your device feel more like a camera in your hand, so you can access physical controls easily and shoot more naturally. Xiaomi's taken that concept and run with it on its latest model, whose camera bump doubles as a ring you can twist to adjust the optical zoom.
Category: Photography, Consumer Tech, Technology
Tags: Smartphones, Xiaomi, Camera Phone, Camera
