I really like flashlights. It's almost an addiction. Infinity offered up its flagship 7,000-lumen torch for me to give a whirl, and I jumped on it right away.

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Category: Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Flashlights, LED, Camping, Outdoors and Camping, Torch, Reviews

These days, there are an overwhelming number of options when it comes to buying an external SSD to expand your computer's storage (an increasingly important ability as Raw sizes and video bitrates balloon). The highest-end options use protocols like Thunderbolt 5 or USB4 to achieve blistering speeds, but this raises the question: do photographers need all that performance?

We tested several SSDs across a range of price points to see if each one had more to offer for photographers, or if the returns quickly diminished.

For this article, we used a 1TB Samsung T7 Shield as our sample for USB 3.2 Gen 2, a 2TB SanDisk Extreme Pro to represent USB4 and a Thunderbolt 5 2TB OWC Envoy Ultra. The tests were carried out on a 2024 MacBook Pro with an M4 Pro processor, which supports Thunderbolt 5, and we tested each SSD one at a time, using the cable it came with.

While this isn't meant to act as a review for the specific SSDs we used for our testing, the results can't necessarily be universally applied to each product in their class. For example, the USB4 SanDisk SSD is using the faster 40Gbps version of the spec, but another USB4 SSD may only be able to reach 20Gbps speeds. We may also see faster USB 4 and Thunderbolt 5 drives as the market around those specifications matures, but, as of early 2026, the drives we've tested are some of the best in their respective classes.

Starting with our standard-bearer for USB 3.2 Gen 2, the Samsung T7 Shield handled a number of photography-related tasks with aplomb. We didn't notice any hiccups scrolling through a Lightroom Classic library with over 3600 images, and it wasn't meaningfully slower than the competition when we were copying hundreds of Raw/JPEG pairs to it from a CFExpress or SD card. However, it did take noticeably longer to import and build previews for that Lightroom library, and copying files to the drive from the computer (and vice versa) could take several times longer than on our faster drives.

For the photographers who occasionally stumble into the land of video, we also found that the slower SSD struggled a bit more when editing footage off of it. Adobe Premiere would frequently drop frames during playback, and more complex sequences could slow it to a crawl. Final Cut fared a bit better and was surprisingly usable, though there were still occasional hitches.

Despite the USB 3.2 Gen 2 drive's general competence, there were definitely times when the USB4 drive made it obvious that it was using a next-generation interface capable of real-world read and write speeds anywhere from 2.5 to 6.4 times faster than those of the Samsung model. Moving files back and forth between it and the computer was very quick, and most of the playback issues in our video editing suites disappeared or were substantially less noticeable. And, of course, it handled all our photo editing and organization tasks with the same ease as the lower-end model.

Unsurprisingly, the Thunderbolt 5 drive easily handled everything we threw at it, and it never felt like it was a performance bottleneck. However, there also weren't any scenarios we ran into where it was noticeably faster than the USB4 drive, outside of our synthetic benchmarks*. While there are probably some users who'd be able to push it to its limits, we suspect most photographers and video editors wouldn't see a ton of benefit over a good USB4 drive.

* - And even there, the gains weren't nearly as large a jump as the one from USB 3.2 Gen 2 to USB4; our Thunderbolt 5 drive ran around 1.2 to 1.8 times faster than our USB4 one, not quite realizing the theoretical 2x improvement that the standard would allow for.

No discussion of external SSDs would be complete without a rant on just how confusing things have become when it comes to USB ratings and speeds. What was once relatively simple (USB 2 = slow, USB 3 = fast) has become incredibly complex, with the version of USB that your device supports actually telling you very little about what speeds it supports. For example, a device labeled "USB 3.2" may only run at 5Gbps, or it could rival earlier versions of Thunderbolt, supporting up to 20Gbps. USB4 has the same issue, with potential speeds ranging from 10Gbps to 120Gbps.

Wikipedia has an excellent chart showing all the permutations of the USB specification and the speeds they provide. Which explains a bit why the standard is such a nightmare for those who care about performance.
Graphic: Wikipedia

While external SSDs usually come with maximum speed ratings that tell you what they should be capable of (even the fastest SSDs won't be capable of fully saturating USB4's top speeds), it's more of a concern when it comes to the port on your computer and the cable you use to connect the two. While the USB Implementers Forum has been leaning on people to label equipment with their speed and power delivery ratings, not everyone will, so you'll want to make sure you're familiar with which ports on your computer are the fastest, and that you're using a high-quality cable that's capable of providing the speeds your SSD needs. If you have a random USB-C to C cable laying around your house that came with some device, assume it runs at USB 2 speeds, and shouldn't be used for transferring data.

Thankfully, the story is simpler with Thunderbolt, as each generation has only a single speed. If you have a Thunderbolt 4 cable, you know it should run at 40 Gbps. Of course, this is part of the reason why the price floor for Thunderbolt devices and accessories is so much higher than it is for their USB counterparts. It's also worth noting that Thunderbolt is cross-compatible with USB; if you plug a Thunderbolt drive into a 20Gbps USB-C port on your computer, it will still work, albeit at the lower speeds allowed by the connection.

For most photography tasks, you can get away with a relatively standard USB 3.2 SSD with a port and cable rated for 10Gbps speeds. If you frequently move around large chunks of data, edit complex videos, or are just generally impatient, though, it may be worth upgrading to a faster USB4 one, with the greatest gains to be had by going with a model that supports a 40Gbps connection. Most photographers and videographers will be able to stop there; unless you just enjoy having the best version of a thing possible, or need a specific feature, capacity or form factor only offered by a Thunderbolt drive,

These days, there are an overwhelming number of options when it comes to buying an external SSD to expand your computer's storage (an increasingly important ability as Raw sizes and video bitrates balloon). The highest-end options use protocols like Thunderbolt 5 or USB4 to achieve blistering speeds, but this raises the question: do photographers need all that performance?

We tested several SSDs across a range of price points to see if each one had more to offer for photographers, or if the returns quickly diminished.

For this article, we used a 1TB Samsung T7 Shield as our sample for USB 3.2 Gen 2, a 2TB SanDisk Extreme Pro to represent USB4 and a Thunderbolt 5 2TB OWC Envoy Ultra. The tests were carried out on a 2024 MacBook Pro with an M4 Pro processor, which supports Thunderbolt 5, and we tested each SSD one at a time, using the cable it came with.

While this isn't meant to act as a review for the specific SSDs we used for our testing, the results can't necessarily be universally applied to each product in their class. For example, the USB4 SanDisk SSD is using the faster 40Gbps version of the spec, but another USB4 SSD may only be able to reach 20Gbps speeds. We may also see faster USB 4 and Thunderbolt 5 drives as the market around those specifications matures, but, as of early 2026, the drives we've tested are some of the best in their respective classes.

Starting with our standard-bearer for USB 3.2 Gen 2, the Samsung T7 Shield handled a number of photography-related tasks with aplomb. We didn't notice any hiccups scrolling through a Lightroom Classic library with over 3600 images, and it wasn't meaningfully slower than the competition when we were copying hundreds of Raw/JPEG pairs to it from a CFExpress or SD card. However, it did take noticeably longer to import and build previews for that Lightroom library, and copying files to the drive from the computer (and vice versa) could take several times longer than on our faster drives.

For the photographers who occasionally stumble into the land of video, we also found that the slower SSD struggled a bit more when editing footage off of it. Adobe Premiere would frequently drop frames during playback, and more complex sequences could slow it to a crawl. Final Cut fared a bit better and was surprisingly usable, though there were still occasional hitches.

Despite the USB 3.2 Gen 2 drive's general competence, there were definitely times when the USB4 drive made it obvious that it was using a next-generation interface capable of real-world read and write speeds anywhere from 2.5 to 6.4 times faster than those of the Samsung model. Moving files back and forth between it and the computer was very quick, and most of the playback issues in our video editing suites disappeared or were substantially less noticeable. And, of course, it handled all our photo editing and organization tasks with the same ease as the lower-end model.

Unsurprisingly, the Thunderbolt 5 drive easily handled everything we threw at it, and it never felt like it was a performance bottleneck. However, there also weren't any scenarios we ran into where it was noticeably faster than the USB4 drive, outside of our synthetic benchmarks*. While there are probably some users who'd be able to push it to its limits, we suspect most photographers and video editors wouldn't see a ton of benefit over a good USB4 drive.

* - And even there, the gains weren't nearly as large a jump as the one from USB 3.2 Gen 2 to USB4; our Thunderbolt 5 drive ran around 1.2 to 1.8 times faster than our USB4 one, not quite realizing the theoretical 2x improvement that the standard would allow for.

No discussion of external SSDs would be complete without a rant on just how confusing things have become when it comes to USB ratings and speeds. What was once relatively simple (USB 2 = slow, USB 3 = fast) has become incredibly complex, with the version of USB that your device supports actually telling you very little about what speeds it supports. For example, a device labeled "USB 3.2" may only run at 5Gbps, or it could rival earlier versions of Thunderbolt, supporting up to 20Gbps. USB4 has the same issue, with potential speeds ranging from 10Gbps to 120Gbps.

Wikipedia has an excellent chart showing all the permutations of the USB specification and the speeds they provide. Which explains a bit why the standard is such a nightmare for those who care about performance.
Graphic: Wikipedia

While external SSDs usually come with maximum speed ratings that tell you what they should be capable of (even the fastest SSDs won't be capable of fully saturating USB4's top speeds), it's more of a concern when it comes to the port on your computer and the cable you use to connect the two. While the USB Implementers Forum has been leaning on people to label equipment with their speed and power delivery ratings, not everyone will, so you'll want to make sure you're familiar with which ports on your computer are the fastest, and that you're using a high-quality cable that's capable of providing the speeds your SSD needs. If you have a random USB-C to C cable laying around your house that came with some device, assume it runs at USB 2 speeds, and shouldn't be used for transferring data.

Thankfully, the story is simpler with Thunderbolt, as each generation has only a single speed. If you have a Thunderbolt 4 cable, you know it should run at 40 Gbps. Of course, this is part of the reason why the price floor for Thunderbolt devices and accessories is so much higher than it is for their USB counterparts. It's also worth noting that Thunderbolt is cross-compatible with USB; if you plug a Thunderbolt drive into a 20Gbps USB-C port on your computer, it will still work, albeit at the lower speeds allowed by the connection.

For most photography tasks, you can get away with a relatively standard USB 3.2 SSD with a port and cable rated for 10Gbps speeds. If you frequently move around large chunks of data, edit complex videos, or are just generally impatient, though, it may be worth upgrading to a faster USB4 one, with the greatest gains to be had by going with a model that supports a 40Gbps connection. Most photographers and videographers will be able to stop there; unless you just enjoy having the best version of a thing possible, or need a specific feature, capacity or form factor only offered by a Thunderbolt drive,

In the first study of its kind, neuroscientists have shown the real-world benefits that sunlight gives the brain, beyond laboratory experiments, linking brighter and more regular daytime light to better alertness and faster attention in everyday life.

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Category: Learning & Memory, Brain Health, Body and Mind

Tags: University of Manchester, Cognitive functioning, Brain, Eye, Sunlight, Circadian Rhythms, Sleep

The fruits of car designers’ efforts are often revealed at vehicle launches with all the ceremony of a fine-art unveiling. Trumpets sound. Spotlights glare. Curtains sweep back. The assembled motoring press discovers that a front grille has been bravely reworked or a headlight subtly reshaped. Very little that is genuinely new makes it to these grand reveals.

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Category: Automotive, Transport

Tags: Peugeot, Concept Vehicle, Steering

Two new large studies have confirmed that it doesn't take Olympic-level efforts to harness the life-extending power of exercise. In fact, say the researchers, even just five minutes a day can have a profound impact on your health and longevity.

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Category: Fitness & Exercise, Wellness and Healthy Living, Body and Mind

Tags: Exercise, Longevity, Mortality

It took many decades for collectible Japanese motorcycles to get any respect on the auction block. It was 2009 before a Japanese motorcycle first topped the USD$100,000 mark at public auction, but collector generational change is inevitable, and Honda has now been the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959 and today’s collectors are finally beginning to correctly frame the company in historical perspective.

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Category: Motorcycles, Transport

Tags: Mecum, Collecting

Whether you're just looking for a more stable ride, or something a bit more comfortable than your average ebike, a pedal-assist trike could be a good shout. The Chill from Trike Bike includes a few features not common in the three-wheeled world.

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Category: Urban Transport, Transport

Tags: Electric Vehicles, Trike, Tricycle, Pedal-assisted, Recumbent

The Ford F-Series may forever reign in the USA, but outside North American borders, the Toyota Hilux is the incredibly popular pickup truck that pulls in buyers across the globe. During over half a century on the market, it's sold more than 27 million units and has been identified as the most indestructible passenger vehicle on the planet by some guys who would know. Now, the Hilux evolves into its 9th generation, a critical step that sees it welcome in new capabilities and tech, including several electrified powertrain options.

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Category: Automotive, Transport

Tags: Toyota, Pickup, Truck, Electric Vehicles, Hybrid

Optogenetics has long been a powerful experimental tool, but a growing body of research suggests it may now be approaching a point where it could reshape how neurological disorders are treated. Initial studies indicate that neural circuits can be adjusted with a level of precision that could be clinically meaningful for conditions such as chronic pain and epilepsy.

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Category: Medical Devices, Medical Innovations, Body and Mind

Tags: Optogenetics, Pain, Genetics, Neuroscience, Epilepsy, Neurological, Light

When it comes to ultra-humanlike Westworld-style robots, one of their most defining features are lips that move in perfect sync with their spoken words. A new robot not only sports that feature, but it can actually train itself to speak like a person.

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Category: Robotics, Technology

Tags: Columbia University, Artificial Intelligence, Voice, Facial

DivePhotoGuide (DPG) has announced the winners of its Masters Underwater Imaging Competition 2025. The contest consists of nine image categories, including wide angle, macro, over-under, compact and more, along with one video category. It also awards one overall winner, with this year's honor going to Yuka Takahashi for her stunning image of two humpback whales swimming side by side in Mo'orea.

The DPG Masters Underwater Imaging Competition may be smaller than some photo competitions, but it still showcases stunning imagery. This year's edition received more than 2000 entries from underwater photographers and videographers around the world. A panel of six judges – Nicolas Remy, Jennifer Hayes, Álvaro Herrero (Mekan), Jill Heinerth, Aaron Wong, and Kate Jonker – selected the winners and runners-up, awarding a total of $85,000 in prizes. The contest also donates 15% of proceeds to marine conservation efforts.

You can see all of the winning images and learn more about the contest at the DPG website.

Photographer: Yuka Takahashi

Country: Japan

Title: Synchronized Humpback Whales

Shooting location: Mo’orea, French Polynesia

Equipment and settings: Sony a7R Mark IV, Sony FE 16–35mm F2.8, SeaFrogs housing (F4.5, 1/500s, ISO 320)

Photographer's comment: A pair of humpback whales swims in synchronicity off the French Polynesian island of Mo’orea. Every year, migrating humpback whales from the Southern Hemisphere journey to Mo’orea to use its warm waters as a nursery and resting ground. These two humpbacks are always seen together, and I was fortunate to capture this rare moment in which they mirrored each other’s position and movement almost perfectly. Living close to nature has taught me lessons no textbook ever could, including the realization that each animal has a unique personality. To me, this photograph reflects the strong bond between the two whales while also revealing their playful and curious nature. One of the most special moments I have experienced, this encounter truly made me feel a deep connection with wildlife.

Copyright © Yuka Takahashi | UnderwaterCompetition.com

Photographer: Evgenii Ivkov

Country: Russia

Title: Through the Looking Glass

Shooting location: Lakey Peak, Sumbawa, Indonesia

Equipment and settings: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Canon EF 8–14mm F4 Fisheye, Liquid Eye housing (F10, 1/2000s, ISO 1000)

Photographer's comment: There was a good weather forecast on this particular day of our surf trip to Sumbawa, and I knew I had a great opportunity to try and get some underwater shots with a surfer in a tube, as the water clarity and conditions were perfect. The hardest part was constantly being in the breaking zone of fairly large and powerful waves. You need to understand and read the ocean well to do that. A small mistake can be very costly if you’re in the wrong place. The swell that day was great. The waves were double overhead, and the surfers put on a show. I spent almost two hours in the water and made numerous attempts before I got a really good series. The best waves were taken by local surfers, and one of the Indonesian surfers is in the photo.

Copyright © Evgenii Ivkov | UnderwaterCompetition.com

Photographer: Sunbong Jung

Country: South Korea

Title: House Cleaning

Shooting location: Anilao, Batangas, Philippines

Equipment and settings: Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 100mm F2.8 Macro, Seacam housing, Retra strobes (F2.8, 160s, ISO 400)

Photographer's comment: A bluestriped fangblenny repeatedly scoops up sand from its burrow with its mouth and spits it out. At first glance, the behavior appears random, almost playful, but closer observation reveals a precise and purposeful routine. The fish follows a systematic three-step excavation process, carefully clearing its home grain by grain. This image captures the final and most dramatic stage—the moment the fangblenny launches itself upward from the burrow at roughly a 45-degree angle, forcefully ejecting the remaining sand as far away as possible. The brief burst of motion, frozen in time, highlights both the intelligence and determination hidden within this tiny reef dweller.

Copyright © Sunbong Jung | UnderwaterCompetition.com

Photographer: Wojtek Męczyński

Country: Poland

Title: Pregnant Denise

Shooting location: Lembeh, Indonesia

Equipment and settings: OM System OM-1 Mark II, Olympus M.Zuiko 90mm F3.5 Macro, Nauticam housing, Inon Z-240 strobes, Backscatter MW-4300 video light (F18, F160s, ISO 200)

Photographer's comment: Prior to this dive, our guides had mentioned that there was a possibility of encountering a Denise’s pygmy seahorse, but after entering the water, there wasn’t much to see and I remember thinking our chances were slim. Yet, when we reached this small, pristine fan coral, I was amazed—and overjoyed—to find this tiny, pregnant pygmy living there. I took just three or four shots, trying not to disturb the animal too much. It seemed to pose proudly among the branches of the fan.

Copyright © Wojtek Męczyński | UnderwaterCompetition.com

Photographer: Chris Gug

Country: USA

Title: King of the Hill

Shooting location: Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia

Equipment and settings: Nikon Z8, Nikon Z 105mm F2.8 Macro, Nauticam housing, Backscatter HF-1 strobes (F25, 1/25s, ISO 320)

Photographer's comment: On the way back up a deep, sandy muck slope, at 25 feet, I saw my 30th tube anemone of the dive, and I habitually—obsessively—inspect each and every one for symbionts. The prize I was looking for wasn’t just present but perched in the perfect spot, looking like the ruler of its domain. Before beginning to shoot, I knew I wanted a blue background rather than black, so I slowed the shutter speed. Since I had to be quite far back for this composition with my 105mm macro lens, I moved my strobes all the way forward to try to minimize backscatter. Then the challenge was getting a crisp shot at 1/25s (since I’m an ISO noise snob) as the anemone swayed back and forth in the current. So, much to the chagrin of my housing’s already-gritty O-rings, I braced the housing in the sand as a poor excuse for a tripod. I checked this anemone each time I repeated this site over the next few weeks, and the crab was never there again, so I’m glad I dedicated all the time I could when the chance presented itself.

Copyright © Chris Gug | UnderwaterCompetition.com

Photographer: Galice Hoarau

Country: Norway

Title: Shaw’s Sea Snake

Shooting location: Anda, Bohol, Philippines

Equipment and settings: Sony a7R Mark IV, Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro, Nauticam housing, Nauticam EMWL-1 with 160° Objective Lens, Retra Flash Pro Max strobes (F16, 1/160s, ISO 640)

Photographer's comment: Encountering this sea snake (Hydrophis sp.) during a dive off Anda in the Philippines, I noticed some rather unusual behavior. First, the snake was rubbing itself on the sand in a vertical U-shape, then it was literally tying itself in knots. I could see pieces of skin hanging at the tail—it was shedding! Although sea snakes are known to exhibit such behavior to help slough off their old skin, it has rarely been captured in a photo—so I knew I had captured something special.

Copyright © Galice Hoarau | UnderwaterCompetition.com

Photographer: Karyll Gonzalez

Country: USA

Title: Even Eyes Deserve a Spa Day

Shooting location: Lembeh Strait, Indonesia

Equipment and settings: Nikon D7200, Nikon AF-S 60mm F2.8 Macro, Nauticam housing, Sea&Sea YS-D2 strobes, 10Bar macro snoot (F11, 1/250s, ISO 200)

Photographer's comment: This composite image was created during a multi-week trip to Lembeh, Indonesia. Our dive guide found a black sand patch with multiple snake eels, but this was the only one that had cleaner shrimp associated with it. With the dive guide assisting by holding my snoot, the shrimp moved along the snake eel and I managed to capture this shot with the crustacean over its eye. The sun ball that forms the background was shot later on the trip.

Copyright © Karyll Gonzalez | UnderwaterCompetition.com

Photographer: Fan Ping

Country: China

Title: Skull at Green Cave Sink

Shooting location: Meizhou, Guangdong, China

Equipment and settings: Sony a7S Mark III, Sony FE 28–60mm F4–5.6, Nauticam housing, Nauticam WACP-1, DivePro G18 video light (F5, 1/400, ISO 16000)

Photographer's comment: The skull in this photo was the first human remains we saw after descending into Green Cave Sink (绿窟潭), which is thought to have once served as a site for ritual executions. It was resting quietly on a rock ledge, just 15 feet below the surface. Over time, minerals in the water had begun to coat its surface, leaving behind distinct signs of calcification—like a silent rust left by the passing of centuries. In that moment, I didn’t feel fear, or even fascination. What I felt was heavier: This wasn’t a movie prop, or a prank planted by some thrill-seeking explorer. It was real. Someone once lived here. And now, they remained here.

Copyright © Fan Ping | UnderwaterCompetition.com

Photographer: Anton Sorokin

Country: USA

Title: Sierran Gold

Shooting location: Sierra Nevada mountains, CA, USA

Equipment and settings: Nikon D810, Nikon AF-S 8–15mm F3.5–4.5 Fisheye, Nauticam, Seacam strobes (F16, 1/60s, ISO 400)

Photographer's comment: In the spring, in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, streams fed by snowmelt flow cold and clear. Remarkably resistant to the cold temperatures, Sierra newts (Taricha sierrae) take to the water to breed, spending weeks in the stream. During this time, they will find a mate and lay their eggs on the underside of boulders underwater in deeper pools. From above the water’s surface, a newt appears as a golden-orange shimmer on the bottom of the fast-flowing stream; one has to wonder how often during California’s gold rush prospectors mistook the amphibians for precious metals!

Copyright © Anton Sorokin | UnderwaterCompetition.com

Photographer: Suliman Alatiqi

Country: Kuwait

Title: Marine-Adapted from Head to Toe

Shooting location: Midriff Islands, Mexico

Equipment and settings: Nikon D850, Nikon AF-S 8–15mm F3.5–4.5 Fisheye, Nauticam housing (F10, 1/125s, ISO 100)

Photographer's comment: This split shot, captured with a close-focus wide-angle technique, aims to emphasize the key features of the brown booby (Sula leucogaster), a sleek, agile seabird perfectly adapted to the open ocean. The brown booby is commonly encountered resting on the water’s surface, its water-repellent feathers preventing it from becoming too heavy for takeoff and also helping insulate its body to maintain heat. Webbed feet allow it to efficiently paddle through the water while diving for food and give it the ability to launch itself from the water’s surface. Meanwhile, the dagger-like shape of its beak helps keep it streamlined when diving to minimize drag, while the sharp tip aids in piercing its slippery prey, such as fish and squid. Finally, its forward-positioned eyes provide binocular overlap, which aids in depth perception when judging plunge-dives.

Copyright © Suliman Alatiqi | UnderwaterCompetition.com

Photographer: James Ferrara

Country: USA

Title: Survivor

Shooting location: Sri Lanka

Equipment and settings: Sony a7R Mark V, Sigma 15mm F1.4 Fisheye, Nauticam housing (F11, 1/800s, ISO 320)

Photographer's comment: While on an expedition in Sri Lanka, we encountered an olive ridley turtle ensnared in ghost fishing nets, drifting amid the active gear of a nearby fishing boat. After speaking with the fishermen and receiving their permission, my wife and I, along with our boat captain, entered the water to help free the animal. As we worked, we discovered the turtle was already missing a front flipper, likely the result of a previous entanglement. Carefully cutting away the ropes, we released its trapped back flipper and watched as it swam free—now relying on only two flippers on one side of its body. The turtle disappeared into the blue, its ultimate fate remaining unknown. What stayed with me was its resilience and undeniable will to survive. I hope this image resonates with the wider public, serving as a quiet but powerful reminder of the lasting impact human activities have on these remarkable marine creatures.

Copyright © James Ferrara | UnderwaterCompetition.com

Photographer: Daniel Taylor

Country: Mexico

Title: Entangled Fates

Shooting location: Baja California Sur, Mexico

Equipment and settings: Canon EOS R, Canon RF 15–35mm F2.8, Nauticam housing (F10, 1/500s, ISO 800)

Photographer's comment: On August 2nd, 2025—less than 48 hours after Baja California’s annual three-month shark fishing ban was lifted—I was exploring the ocean with friends when something caught my eye through binoculars in the distance. At first, it looked like drifting trash. But as we approached, two small fin tips barely breaking the surface beside an empty plastic soda bottle revealed the truth: This male silky shark had mistaken a meal for survival, and lost.

Here, shark fishing often exists within complex and sometimes illegal networks, where intervening can place one’s own life at risk. Before getting closer, we scanned the horizon for nearby boats that might have set the line. Knowing what I would find, our captain stood watch as I entered the water. In that moment, our paths were bound by the same line, but with very different outcomes. The shark’s fate was sealed; mine was a choice. Unable to free it without putting myself in danger, I used the only tool I could safely employ: my camera. I hope the images I took will help to give a voice to those entangled in a system they cannot escape or fight against.

Copyright © Daniel Taylor | UnderwaterCompetition.com

Photographer: Francesco Visintin

Country: Italy

Title: Blue Crayfish

Shooting location: Tuscany, Italy

Equipment and settings: Nikon Z8, Nikon AF-S 8–15mm F3.5–4.5 Fisheye, Isotta housing, Isotta RED64 strobes (F16, 1/25s, ISO 800)

Photographer's comment: This freshwater crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes italicus) displays an extraordinary blue coloration caused by a rare genetic mutation. While the species is normally camouflaged in hazel or olive tones to blend with the riverbed, a disrupted bond between carotenoid pigments and specific proteins reveals this striking blue hue, an exceptionally uncommon phenomenon in nature. Beyond its unusual appearance, this species is a sensitive indicator of ecosystem health, surviving only in pristine freshwater environments with stable temperatures, high oxygen levels, and minimal human disturbance. Today, its populations are in severe decline due to habitat fragmentation and degradation, the spread of pathogenic agents such as crayfish plague, and increasing pressure from invasive alien predators, including raccoons.

Copyright © Francesco Visintin | UnderwaterCompetition.com

Photographer: James Ferrara

Country: USA

Title: Killer Light

Shooting location: Norway

Equipment and settings: Sony a7R Mark V, Sigma 15mm F1.4 Fisheye, Nauticam housing (F4, 1/250s, ISO 800)

Photographer's comment: I set out to photograph orcas in the frigid fjords of Norway, where conditions can be unpredictable and often unforgiving. During my time there, however, the weather was nothing short of extraordinary. On this particular day, the sun shone brightly beneath a clear blue sky—an uncommon gift for this time of year. A pod of roughly 10 orcas was actively feeding on herring when one individual broke away from the group and moved toward the light. I followed at a distance as the orca swam calmly into the sunlit water, then suddenly turned and headed directly toward me. At the last possible moment, it veered aside, offering a perfectly framed, full-body view illuminated by cascading rays. Opportunities for a composition like this are rare, requiring timing, trust, and a great deal of luck. I feel incredibly fortunate to have witnessed—and captured—this fleeting, unforgettable moment in the wild.

Copyright © James Ferrara | UnderwaterCompetition.com

Photographer: Manuel Wüthrich

Country: Switzerland

Title: Tree of Life

Shooting location: Cenote Dos Pisos, Mexico

Equipment and settings: Sony RX100 Mark VII, Nauticam housing, Nauticam WWL-C, three X-Adventurer M8000 video lights (F2.8, 1/50s, ISO 1600)

Photographer's comment: In Mexico’s Cenote Dos Pisos, earth, water, and time merge into a single, breathing organism. Roots break through the ceiling of the cave and reach deep into the water. Light filters through the earth, bathing the scene in a mysterious glow. Millennia have shaped these formations, and yet everything feels alive. When I dove there, it was the silence that struck me. It was as if nature whispered its story—of rain seeping through limestone, of roots searching for life, and of light offering hope. It was a moment that reminded me how deeply everything is connected.

Copyright © Manuel Wüthrich | UnderwaterCompetition.com

Photographer: Johan Letang

Country: France

Title: In Meditation

Shooting location: Tahiti, French Polynesia

Equipment and settings: Canon G7X Mark III, Nauticam housing (F2.2, 1/1600s, ISO 800)

Photographer's comment: This is my favorite snorkeling spot in Tahiti, a place I return to again and again, never expecting the same encounter twice. That day, the ocean offered me this turtle, which was unusually calm and serene. When she rose to the surface, she didn’t simply take a breath and drift back down to rest on the reef. She stayed there, suspended between the marine world and the air above. Floating effortlessly, she slowly changed her position, adjusting her body as if searching for perfect alignment with her surroundings. Watching her, I had the strange and powerful feeling of being in the presence an animal in meditation. It reminded me why I keep coming back. You can enter the same water dozens of times, yet every immersion is a rediscovery of the marine world and its inhabitants, always offering something new to those willing to pause and observe.

Copyright © Johan Letang | UnderwaterCompetition.com

Photographer: Tom Shlesinger

Country: Israel

Title: Oceans of Life: Coral’s Annual Miracle

Shooting location: Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, Eilat, Israel

Equipment and settings: Sony a1, Sony FE 12–24mm F2.8, Nauticam housing, Retra Flash Pro Max strobes (F16, 1/60s, ISO 400)

Photographer's comment: In a breathtaking spectacle, thousands of corals spanning vast reef expanses release their reproductive material simultaneously—a fleeting moment that unfolds within minutes, once a year. A vibrant, upside-down snowstorm ensues as billions of colorful eggs and sperm disperse through the currents, converging to create new life. This photographic project, part of an ongoing scientific journey, chronicles the unique reproductive phenomena of corals, shedding light on the intricacies of their underwater world and the challenges they face in an ever-changing environment.

Copyright © Tom Shlesinger | UnderwaterCompetition.com

Photographer: Frank Aron

Country: Germany

Title: Orange, Black and Green: The Colors of Diving in Flooded Slate Mines

Shooting location: Nuttlar, Germany

Equipment and settings: Sony a7C, Sony FE 28mm F2, Nauticam housing, Nauticam WWL-1, Bigblue VL65000P and other video lights (F8, 1/30s, ISO 2500)

Photographer's comment: Orange rusty remains create a pleasing contrast to the greenish/black walls of the flooded slate mines in northern Germany. My goal in this portfolio is to show this color contrast by using powerful video lights. The orange main subjects are in the foreground of the image, near the camera, so that the color is not absorbed by the water. The greenish/black slate walls form the background, thereby underlining the orange color, which sometimes appears golden. The beams of light and shadows create a certain depth in the image while the illuminated diver provides an important sense of scale.

Copyright © Frank Aron | UnderwaterCompetition.com

When we think about living in a tiny house, we often picture people on the road or in some gorgeous sunny locale, but they can also be used in more challenging climates. Case in point is this luxurious new model, which has been carefully designed to stand up to extreme cold without sacrificing comfort.

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Category: Tiny Houses, Outdoors

Tags: Building and Construction, Tiny Footprint, House, Home

Modern TVs are absolutely unreal, especially compared to the halcyon days of adjusting analog antennae to clear up the picture. At CES 2026 in LAs Vegas recently, TCL unveiled a display unlike anything the world has seen before. It’s so impressive, in fact, that it makes CRTs look like artifacts from the Stone Age.

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Category: Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: TCL, Television, ces-2026, Display

A British hobbyist has applied multicopter drone thinking to radically simplify the steering and powertrain of his high-performance radio-control car – and absolutely demolished the world top speed record in the process.

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Category: Automotive, Transport

Tags: Radio Control, World's Fastest, Toys, World Records

The Ford Nugget may forever have the spirit of a carefree 22-year-old, but Ford's beloved camper van is actually turning the big 4-0 this year. To celebrate, Ford Pro is kicking off 2026 with a 40th anniversary edition styled to match the original Nugget from 1986. The neutral black-and-white color scheme looks stunning inside and out, while the pop-top floor plan showcases the latest in Ford's three-room mobile living design.

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Category: Campervans, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors

Tags: Campervan, Ford, RV, Camping, Outdoors and Camping, Westfalia-Automotive, cmt-2026

The winners of the 2026 World Sports Photography Awards have been announced, highlighting impeccable timing, dramatic lighting and memorable moments. The contest showcases work from sports photographers across 24 categories, spanning more than 50 sports, including American Football, Baseball, Football, Formula 1, and more. In addition to Gold, Silver, Bronze and Special Merit awards in each category, the jury selects a Gold, Silver and Bronze Grand Prix award for the three top images.

This year's edition drew a record number of submissions. 23,130 images were submitted by 4120 photographers from 123 countries. "The images recognised this year showcase photographers at their creative best, pushing boundaries, seeing differently and capturing sport in ways we’ve not experienced before," said Richard Shepherd, Product Marketing Senior Manager, Imaging at Canon Europe.

You can see all of the winning images and learn more about the contest at the World Sports Photography Awards website.

Photographer: Edgar Su

Image Title: Carlos' Shadow Hits A Ball

Award(s): Grand Prix - Gold, Tennis - Gold

Description: Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 19, 2025 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in action during his fourth round match against Britain's Jack Draper

Photographer: Beatriz Ryder da Costa

Image Title: The Underworld

Award(s): Grand Prix - Silver, Aquatic - Gold

Description: We were deep in the Solomon Islands, on an island where we were the first white people anyone had ever seen, and yes, we were worried about saltwater crocs. I snapped the photo not knowing if it had worked, and when I saw it had, the stoke exploded. The waves were not great but that didn't matter, it was that raw, chaotic moment of adventure and disbelief that made it unforgettable.

Photographer: Richard Heathcote

Image Title: India v England layers

Award(s): Grand Prix - Bronze, Cricket - Gold

Description: Not provided

Photographer: Kyle Zedaker

Image Title: POV

Award(s): American Football - Silver

Description: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers take the field during team introductions prior to a regular season game. Shot on a rig with an authentic facemask attached, this photo is intended to simulate a players point of view, giving the viewer a true behind the scenes feel at what it's like to be an NFL player.

Photographer: Petr Slavik

Image Title: Razor

Award(s): Aquatic - Silver

Description: ICF and U23 Wildwater Canoeing World Championships Solkan 2025

Photographer: Kenjiro Matsuo

Image Title: Tokyo Rocket

Award(s): Athletics - Gold

Description: Not provided

Photographer: Steph Chambers

Image Title: Bubble

Award(s): Baseball - Gold

Description: Eugenio Suárez #28 of the Seattle Mariners takes batting practice prior to game five of the American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers at T-Mobile Park on October 10, 2025 in Seattle, Washington.

Photographer: Bob Donnan

Image Title: Breakaway for the Lead

Award(s): Basketball - Gold

Description: Florida guard Alijah Martin gives the Gators the lead for good on a breakaway score in the semifinals of the NCAA tournament.

Photographer: Alexis Goudeau

Image Title: Uppercut

Award(s): Boxing - Gold

Description: Not provided

Photographer: Santanu Banik

Image Title: Pant’s audacious pull electrifies the SCG

Award(s): Cricket - Silver

Description: Rishabh Pant of India unleashes one of his trademark, 360-degree pull shots during day two of the fifth NRMA Insurance Test of the Border–Gavaskar Trophy between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Known for his fearless, unconventional stroke-play, Pant once again chooses attack over caution at a time when his team needs inspiration. Having soaked up pressure and tight bowling, he responds by taking on the short ball and swinging through the line with complete abandon. The full house at the SCG is treated to the kind of audacious batting that has become his calling card. This frame freezes that moment of risk and imagination, with Pant’s body contorted and the bat carving an improbable arc across the sky.

Photographer: Ashley & Jered Gruber

Image Title: Pauline Ferrand-Prévot Wins the Tour de France

Award(s): Cycling - Special Merit

Description: Pauline Ferrand-Prévot collapses after winning the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

Photographer: Morgan Treacy

Image Title: Equine Reflection

Award(s): Equestrian - Gold

Description: Runners and riders reflected in the sand on the beach in Laytown, Ireland's only horse racing event run on a beach under the Rules of Racing.

Photographer: Luis Amaral

Image Title: Black & White Passion

Award(s): Football - Gold

Description: Emotion that bursts in the moment and finds itself in someone else — the kind of feeling football turns into its own language, especially in the father-and-child bond.

Photographer: Florent Gooden

Image Title: Eau Rouge F1 Train

Award(s): Formula 1 - Bronze

Description: All the F1 cars racing on lap 1 at the famous Eau Rouge & Raidillon corners during the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix

Photographer: K.C. Alfred

Image Title: Fore

Award(s): Golf - Silver

Description: Scottie Scheffler chips on the 8th hole of Torrey Pines south during the second round of the Genesis Invitational as a large promotional golf ball is displayed.

Photographer: Arnab Sarkar

Image Title: Poise in motion

Award(s): Gymnastics - Silver

Description: In the midst of a flawless leap, she holds the ball gently, her form a symphony of strength and poise. The composition is striking – her hands holding the ball, as if she's holding her head in hand, even as she defies gravity. This fleeting moment, frozen in time, is the essence of artistic gymnastics. This image is taken in skygrace event.

Photographer: Sophia Sandurskaya

Image Title: Last Line of Defense

Award(s): Ice Hockey - Gold

Description: "Moscow, Russian Federation, Megasport Stadium. Kontinental Hockey League. "Spartak" (Moscow) vs "Shanghai Dragons" (Shanghai). Players of "Shanghai Dragons" (in white) and "Spartak" (in red) during the match."

Photographer: Tom Jenkins

Image Title: Unusual sumo attack

Award(s): Martial Arts - Gold

Description: Tobizaru sticks a finger up the nose of Takayasu as they fight during the final day of the five day Grand Sumo Tournament at the Royal Albert Hall on October 19th 2025 in London, England.

Photographer: Yana Stancheva

Image Title: Through the rocks

Award(s): Motor Sports - Special Merit

Description: A tricky crossing of a rocky mountain pass during Dakar Rally 2025

Photographer: Anna Zinovieva

Image Title: Bout

Award(s): Other - Gold

Description: Not provided

Photographer: Abelardo Mendes Jr

Image Title: Kim Nayeong - WTT Foz do Iguaçu

Award(s): Racket Sports - Gold

Description: Kim Nayeong (South Korea) - Table Tennis - WTT Star Contender Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil), 01 August 2025

Photographer: Andrew Dowling

Image Title: New Zealand Haka

Award(s): Rugby - Gold

Description: The Haka at the principality stadium in cardiff

Photographer: Carel du Plessis

Image Title: Catching a breath

Award(s): Swimming & Diving - Gold

Description: Image taken at the XTERRA World Championship in Molveno, Italy. Photo features Henry Bramwell-Reeks, a Triathlete from the United Kingdom. This was taken during the swim leg of the full-distance triathlon on September 27th 2025

Photographer: Joel Marklund

Image Title: All Light on Djokovic

Award(s): Tennis - Silver

Description: Novak Djokovic of Serbia during his match against Flavio Cobolli of Italy in the quarterfinals of men's singles on centre court during day ten of Wimbledon on July 9, 2025 in London, England.

Photographer: Martin Bissig

Image Title: Klickflippin' India

Award(s): Urban & Extreme - Gold

Description: An athlete finds an improbable line, launching across the void of an ancient Jaipur stepwell.

Photographer: Andrew Hancock

Image Title: Championship View

Award(s): Venues & Views - Gold

Description: A circular fisheye lens from above shows the scene as confetti falls from the circular video board atop Mercedes-Benz Stadium as the Ohio State Buckeyes rush the field to celebrate winning the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Photographer: Claudia Greco

Image Title: FIS Freestyle World Championships - Women's Aerials in St Moritz

Award(s): Winter Sports - Silver

Description: Freestyle Skiing - FIS Freestyle World Championships - Women's Aerials - St Moritz, Switzerland - March 30, 2025 Australia's Danielle Scott during the warm up before the event REUTERS/Claudia Greco

When you think of trailer companies, Honda probably isn't the first name that comes to mind. Nonetheless, the automaker has just revealed its prototype Base Station travel trailer, which can be towed by a compact SUV as small as a Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4.

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Category: Camping Trailers, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors

Tags: Honda, Prototype

Luke and Mike Bell, a father-son duo from South Africa, have reclaimed the Guinness World Record for the fastest quadcopter drone. Their 3D-printed Peregreen V4 drone clocked a top speed of 657.59 km/h (408 mph).

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Category: Drones, Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Guinness, World's Fastest, Quadcopter, Speed, World Records

Designed with flexibility in mind, the IndigoGo! is a space-saving single-floor tiny house. It's available in a range of sizes and configurations, from ultra-small all the way up to apartment-sized.

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Category: Tiny Houses, Outdoors

Tags: Building and Construction, Tiny Footprint, Micro-House, Home, House