Described as Europe's largest 3D-printed housing project, the Skovsporet development is currently underway in Denmark. A total of 36 student apartments were built with remarkable speed, as the cutting-edge technology allowed the equivalent of more than one apartment per day to be printed.
Category: Architecture, Technology
A week ago, we looked at what could very well end up the most modular Toyota truck of all time. Now, we have a vehicle that could prove Nissan's most versatile van ever. Nissan may not be quite as well known for vans as Toyota is trucks, but it has long offered a few commercial van staples. And in markets not named "USA," it's also developed some very intriguing factory camper vans and concepts. The all-new Primastar Flexvan is both, and it's designed to get things – all the things – done.
Category: Campervans, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors
Tags: Campervan, RV, Nissan, Modular, Camping, Van, Outdoors and Camping
Anaphylaxis is not something to be taken lightly, as it's an allergic reaction that can prove fatal if not halted. That's where an experimental new skin patch comes in, as it could warn of the onset of anaphylaxis while there's still plenty of time to head it off.
Category: Allergies, Illnesses and conditions, Body and Mind
Tags: KAUST, Microneedles
Partially stacked sensors are essentially conventional BSI sensors with more complex readout circuitry (seen at the top and bottom of the Z6III sensor, here). This allows boosted DR modes we're seeing from the Panasonic S1II and Sony a7 V.
Image: Nikon
Dynamic range data for the Sony a7 V makes clear that the benefit of partially stacked CMOS isn't just speed: it's the ability to deliver higher dynamic range.
Bill Claff has just published his DR figures for the Sony a7 V, making an impressive showing and revealing what's going on behind the scenes, both of the Sony and the recent Panasonic Lumix S1II.
Partially stacked sensors are essentially conventional BSI chips with more complex readout circuitry around the edge (the sensor itself isn't stacked). The Nikon Z6III showed this could bring a speed advantage over existing BSI sensors but the Panasonic S1II and Sony a7 V show that there's much more they can do.
The dynamic range data for the Sony a7 V (black) gives a hint to how it's delivering its excellent results in mechanical shutter mode (blue).
Image: Photos to Photos
Unlike existing dual conversion gain sensors, which could use either a low gain (high capacity) setting for low ISO and a high gain (lower noise but lower capacity) mode for high ISOs, the new sensors can do both, simultaneously. So you can capture the full capacity of the low gain mode but combine the cleaner shadow data of the high gain mode.
For years, we've seen dismay that the advances in sensor tech weren't giving an IQ improvement. Well here's the step forward in IQ we've all been waiting for'This process, which we suspect involves sample-and-hold capability in the more complex readout circuitry, takes longer than reading out just a single mode. As a result, it can only be conducted in mechanical shutter mode, where the physical shutter stops any more light accumulating, giving you as much time as you need to read the sensor.
The publication of the e-shutter data for the Sony makes this clear: in e-shutter mode you see the now-familiar shape of a dual conversion gain sensor, but in mechanical shutter mode the low ISO DR is boosted: essentially extending the shadow benefit of the high gain mode back up into the low ISO range. Panasonic's S1II does the same thing.
Compare the results of the Panasonic S1II (orange) with that of the Nikon Z6III, which uses a similar sensor but appears to always use only either its low or high gain mode, and you see the same pattern. We strongly suspect the S1II's e-shutter data would overlap very closely with the Nikon's.
Image: Photons to Photos
For years now, we've seen dismay expressed that the advances in sensor tech were only giving a speed benefit, rather than an IQ improvement. And those speed improvements were often mischaracterised as solely benefiting video. Well here's the step forward in IQ we've all been hoping for, in addition to the speed boost we see in the single gain readout mode.
What does this mean for the a7 V?The upshot for the Sony is that dynamic range looks excellent in mechanical shutter shooting but you have to give up that DR boost when you switch to any of the e-shutter modes. So, while the Sony still outputs 14-bit files in these modes, there may not be the DR advantage over the Canon EOS R6 III's 12-bit output that some commenters have been (perhaps prematurely) crowing about.
The good news is that Bill had initially marked the a7 V's data as having noise reduction in it. He's now removed this designation as the signal processing he was observing appears to be the combination of the two readout modes, rather than anything murky goings on in the shadows.
Do I need all this DR?This is certainly a step forward for the industry, and one that doesn't come with the significant costs of a fully stacked sensor design, so it's likely to come to a wider range of cameras. We'd assume a similar approach will appear in the next generation of fully stacked sensors, though it may still require the use of a mechanical shutter.
It's worth keeping in perspective, though. DR numbers do not represent image quality as a whole, and there's nothing to suggest that there's been a big boost in IQ across the whole tonal range of the images. The improvements will primarily be in the shadows, adding editing flexibility for things like daybreak and sunset landscapes.
For a lot of photographers, DR differences were worth considering when some models produced Raw files with relatively little opportunity to exploit shadow capture, beyond what was already present in the JPEGs. But once you reach a threshold of 'good enough' for your style of shooting, any further increase is nice to have but for an increasingly small number of your images, rather than an every-shot benefit.
It's definitely a step forward, though, and if more people start to utilize the capabilities of HDR screens to make their work more striking and lifelike and more often use more of their captured DR, then that will only increase the value of this breakthrough.
Thansk to Horshack, Bill Claff and Bob Newman for their work, insight and feedback on this technology.
Honda redesigned the Passport for the 2026 model year, but kept the fundamentals that made this two-row crossover a great choice. Some of the changes, including the TrailSport model addition, improve on the Passport’s capabilities without going overboard.
Category: Automotive, Transport
If you enjoy building or tinkering with electronics, this hacking tool can help you get wildly creative with your projects, and make it a lot easier to test them. It's called the Kode Dot, and not only does it packs a ton of useful hardware into its compact body, it also has a couple of powerful features on the software side you'll likely lose many an evening to in your workspace.
Category: Electronics, Consumer Tech, Technology
For the first time ever, a unique cooperative hunting arrangement between dolphins and orcas has been documented. Researchers believe killer whales find salmon by tailing dolphins, who in turn benefit from bite-sized fish pieces.
Tags: orca, Whale, Dolphin, Predator, Marine Biology, Dalhousie University
Confession: this year has been a complicated one for me and my relationship with photography. It's been a year of conflicting emotions and unanswered questions about how to move forward with the medium. While I've already shared my reflections on some of my favorite photos taken this year, the end of the year also seems like a good opportunity for broader reflection about my place in the photographic world.
This year, I've been more involved in photography than ever before. On top of working at DPReview (for nearly a year now), I'm also teaching my second semester of photography at a local community college and I've joined local photography groups with regular meetups (a first for me). Photography has seeped into just about every aspect of my life and is part of every single day. It's become an all-consuming activity and topic. And yet, more than ever, I've also grappled with what this photography thing is to me at this point in my life. This year has challenged me to consider what kind of photographer I am and whether I'm creating work that I even want to make.
My thesis body of work from graduate school consisted of digital multiple exposures printed on transparency film and mounted to plexiglass. The work centered around the impact of failing memory, specifically visuospatial working memory. The image on the left is a very small segment of my thesis installation, with a close-up of one of the pieces on the right.To understand why I've been grappling with this medium, some background may be helpful. I went to school for photography for seven and a half years. My undergraduate degree was a dual major in photography and art education, and I subsequently earned my Master of Fine Arts in the medium. Both my undergraduate and graduate programs were very conceptual, fine-art focused. I loved that side of photography, and it resulted in work that I am incredibly proud of to this day.
There was an interactive component of my thesis show as well. Visitors were invited to take one of the small images hanging from red string (a reference to an old memory trick), which left empty red strings by the end of the show (the image on the right).Since graduating from graduate school, I have held a variety of photography-related jobs, all of which have been focused on the commercial or general industry side of the field. Being busy with a full-time job (and trying to make money) meant that the art side of my photography was largely pushed aside. I've made the classic excuses, including not having time and not having a dedicated space to create like I did in grad school.
I've continued to dip my toe in the art photography waters from time to time over the past decade, but not with any serious focus. There have been some conceptual self-portraits and a few series that I’ve started and stopped, but I haven't put forth the time or energy to develop anything in earnest or to get my work out there beyond my computer or the occasional Instagram post.
This is one of my more recent conceptual images, though it was taken in 2020. The red string has remained a consistent theme (or thread, if you will) in my work.I'd already been struggling with missing the art component for some time, which has resulted in something of an existential crisis. I've been questioning whether I still like and am proud of my work since it isn't conceptually based. I've also been thinking a lot about the why. Why do I take photos? And why do I take photos of the things I do?
For a period of time, those questions resulted in my rarely taking photographs. Luckily, this year, I at least got over that hump and started shooting regularly again, largely thanks to the photo clubs. But those groups also brought all of my doubts and confusion into full view, partly because with these new people, I am frequently asked what type of photography I do. Quite frankly, I struggle to answer that question.
Film photography and photo walks with local groups (which this image is from) have brought the fun back to photography for me, though they have also brought some of my dilemmas to the forefront.To a certain extent, it's always been that way, as I never narrowed down into one small niche as some do (and as I was constantly told to do). But it's been amplified lately. I always feel like I need some long, convoluted reply, or to have an asterisk at the end of it. Am I still a conceptual photographer at this point? I make lots of non-conceptual work, but is any of it any good? And how would I describe that work in a word or two? I can confidently say that I don't consider myself a landscape or wildlife photographer, but what type of photographer am I?
I wish I could say that as we wrap up this year, I've found my answer and can confidently say that I am a [fill in the blank] photographer or that I am in love with my photographs. Unfortunately, that's very far from the truth. While I created images I'm proud of, the big picture is something I am still wrestling with, and likely will continue to. For the time being, I'll just keep making work and perhaps find a renewed urge to put that work out there for others to see.
The Miami is on the smaller side for a tiny house, at just 8 m (26 ft) long, but manages to fit more than you'd expect thanks to its Tardis-like space-saving design. It can sleep up to six people at a squeeze while staying road-legal and easy to tow.
Category: Tiny Houses, Outdoors
Tags: Building and Construction, Tiny Footprint, Micro-House, House, Home
Japanese kei cars have a cult following – and for good reason, too. They’re ultra-compact, lightweight vehicles that are essentially designed to meet Japan’s unique “kei” regulations, which cap engine displacement, exterior dimensions, and power output to make them efficient, affordable, and city-friendly.
Category: Automotive, Transport
Tags: Fiat, stellantis, Electric Vehicles, Kei Cars
It doesn't make a lot of sense to carry extra gear for convenience on outdoor adventures if they take up a lot of luggage space. Flextail's new air pump for inflating mattresses, rafts, and pillows makes a strong case for a slot in your loadout with its diminutive build and ability to do double duty as a versatile lantern. It's also really powerful for its size, and seems like a fairly cheap carry to boot.
Tags: Pump, Lamp, Camping, Kickstarter, EDC
Hidden inside the narrow growth rings of Pyrenees trees lies the strongest evidence yet for what set the Black Death in motion. For the first time, researchers have combined high-resolution climate reconstructions with medieval records to draw a direct connection between a sudden climatic shock and the arrival of the plague in Europe, where it killed tens of millions between 1347 and 1353.
Tags: pandemic, University of Cambridge, Tree, volcano, Climate Crisis, Europe, Infections, Bacteria, Disease
A team of students from the Netherlands has demonstrated that it is possible to produce an affordable electric vehicle (EV) that owners can maintain and repair themselves. Even if they have the mechanical expertise of a toddler.
Category: Automotive, Transport
Tags: Technical University of Eindhoven, Electric Vehicles, Modular, Repair, sustainable design, Prototype
Archeologists say they have finally cracked the 6,000-year-old mystery of Armenia’s “dragon stones" – massive carved monoliths scattered across high-altitude volcanic slopes and pastures where no ancient settlements ever existed.
Tags: Archeology, Stonehenge, Religion, Water, Europe, Geography, Environment
Some of us are natural-born chefs with the ability to look at a few ingredients and whip up a succulent meal, while others have the knack of being able to burn boiling water. The Cube o1: Your Personal AI Chef, is designed to guide either group towards tastier culinary shores.
Category: Around The Home, Lifestyle
Tags: Kickstarter, Artificial Intelligence, Kitchen, Cooking
Sony has released an update for its ZV-E10 II that unlocks better slow-motion capabilities from the tiny vlogging-focused camera. While the addition of 4K120p recording is free, it isn’t delivered as a standard firmware‑only update.
Instead of being able to install new firmware, the typical way releases like these are disseminated, ZV-E10 II users will instead need to install a free license file. To do so, users can go to the Sony Creators' Cloud website and sign in with their account to obtain the license. Alternatively, you can generate a license without an account by entering your camera's serial number.
The upgrade also adds support for shooting Full HD footage at 240 fps.In addition to the 4K/120 mode, the upgrade also adds support for shooting Full HD footage at 240 fps. There are some limitations with both additions, however. First, proxy recording isn't supported with either of the new frame rates. Additionally, Smart Zoom, Clear Image Zoom and Digital Zoom are also restricted when 4K120 recording or "slow and quick*" frame rates of 120 fps or higher.
The higher frame rate also comes with a more substantial crop. At 4K60, the ZV-E10 II uses a 1.1x crop (with stabilization off), while the updated 4K120 mode results in a 1.6x crop, which is a relatively substantial change in your field of view.
While the upgrade license required to unlock the new recording modes requires some extra steps compared to a typical firmware update, it being free makes that a bit easier to swallow. It also makes the ZV-E10 II an even more capable and versatile vlogging camera.
You can learn more about the 4K120 Upgrade License in Sony's help guide or head to the Creators' Cloud to upgrade.
* Sony's term for footage that's slowed down or sped up in camera.
Individuals with limited hearing struggle in situations where multiple people around them are speaking at once. New headphone tech could help, by boosting the voice of the person they're talking to based on the rhythm of the conversation.
Category: Technology
Tags: University of Washington, Hearing Augmentation, Headphones, Artificial Intelligence, Deaf
It's not terribly often that I get to test something that's unlike any other piece of equipment I've used before, but from the moment I laid hands on it, I knew the Sony FE 50-150mm F2 GM would provide one of those rare occasions. I'd used both Sony's and Canon's 28-70mm F2s before, but was excited to have that same speed and level of versatility in a telephoto zoom. All the lens had to do was have decent image quality, and I'd have been delighted.
Given that this is a Gear of the Year article, you probably won't be surprised to hear that it surpassed that benchmark. Even wide-open, I was impressed by how sharp it was, capturing as much detail as I wanted (at least, in the razor-thin silver of the scene that was in focus). I was also impressed at how well it handled chromatic aberration, even in relatively harsh conditions. Sure, there's a touch of color fringing in this image, but given that it was taken with a zoom, wide open in direct sunlight, it's more than acceptable in my book.
Beyond any technical aspects, though, there was just something about this lens that I really enjoyed. Perhaps I simply really enjoy this focal range. Or maybe it was the amount of subject separation I could achieve at the long end, the quality of the bokeh at F2, or the fact that I could be taking environmental portraits at one moment, spot an animal in the distance, and get a decent picture of it without having to change lenses or get too close to it.
Realistically, I suspect it's actually that this lens offers all of that, without being impossible to lug around and shoot with. Make no mistake, this lens is definitely a commitment to take with you; it's just not an undue one. In fact, it weighs less than Sony's original 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS, though the newer version of that lens is 30% lighter than the 50-150. I'm not exactly known for packing light, so take this assessment with a grain of salt, but I never hesitated to take it out with me on a photo walk while I was testing it, which hasn't always been the case with other F2 telephotos I've tested (not that those lenses are particularly comparable).
The elephant in the room is the price. At $4000, most of the people buying this lens are likely to be professional sports or wedding photographers, rather than enthusiasts. But having had the opportunity to use it as the latter, I find myself envying those who can justify getting one. While I'll always preach the gospel of finding ways to be creative with what you already have, I'll also acknowledge that sometimes a piece of gear – especially lenses – can just catch you in a certain way, meshing with your creative instinct in a way that others don't.
I got that feeling shooting with the 50-150mm F2; if I had the means, I would definitely be picking one up. The engaging experience of using it made it my favorite example from what's been an impressive run of lenses from Sony: the 16mm F1.8, 100mm F2.8 Macro GM and the 28-70mm F2 from late last year. I'm left wondering what their optical division will come out with next... and impatiently waiting to get to shoot with it.
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Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.My favorite photo from this past year was of my favorite season, in one of my favorite places and taken with my current favorite camera.
Mamiya RB67 | Kodak Portra 400
I am a notoriously indecisive person and rather hate making decisions in most situations. So, when tasked with choosing my favorite photograph from the past year, I immediately started agonizing. How on earth is one to select only a single photo that, theoretically, represents an entire year?
With that in mind, I started combing through the thousands and thousands of images I've created this year. I've documented hikes, vacations, work trips, family time and quiet moments at home. I've also participated in numerous local photography club photo walks. The end result is an overwhelming number of images across a diverse set of subjects and genres to choose from. As I scanned through all of them, one kept popping back into my head.
If you aren't familiar with the Mamiya RB67, here I am using it at the beach. This wasn't where I took the image at the top of the article, or immediately below, but it is where I took the image of the stilt house in the gallery at the bottom.I took the image while I was home in Minnesota, where I grew up. I try to make a pilgrimage there every fall, since I've lived in tropical environments for the past six years and desperately miss dramatic seasons. This year, I lugged home my Mamiya RB67, which my husband gave me for Christmas last year and is my new prized possession.
While I've taken plenty of images that I really like with that camera over the course of the year (some of which you can see in the gallery below), this one stands out to me as a favorite. There's no grand story behind it; the light was simply nice on my last evening at home, and I wanted to finish the rolls of film in my cameras before my flight the next day. So I wandered down to the pond in my parents' backyard with my mom and took some images (admittedly with three separate cameras, as any sane photographer would do).
I remember when I got scans back, it stopped me in my tracks. It's an image that I'm very proud of, especially since I managed it on a camera with no built-in light meter and no autofocus. The colors, the light and the subject tick a lot of boxes for me. That it was taken with my beloved film camera in one of my favorite places makes it even better for me. Add to all that the fact that my mom was standing next to me, watching me do my thing, and it's hard to imagine not choosing this image.
Another image that I took on the same roll of film that evening, which others have said is their favorite.At the risk of rambling about far more than a single photograph – which is the point of this article – let me address the potential elephant in the room: yes, I'm highlighting a film photo at Digital Photography Review. But, you see, 2025 was a year of returning to film (which is how I learned photography) in earnest for the first time since I earned my Master of Fine Arts a decade ago. Some may see that as a foolish or even pointless decision, but I love using film for many reasons. I still use digital cameras constantly (I do work at DPReview, after all), but there were plenty of times this year that I left the digital camera at home in favor of my trusty Pentax K1000, or that I turned to my Mamiya instead of my Sony.
As a result, my list of favorite photos from the past year is a mix of both digital and film (both 35mm film and medium-format). And since I am so indecisive, here are some of those that nearly made the cut of my top image.
Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.Anyone who's mucked about with consumer-grade 3D printers knows that it's infinitely cool to create stuff with them, but you can't realistically expect those products to be particularly durable.
Category: 3D Printing, Manufacturing, Technology
Tags: Manufacturing, Carbon+Fibre, Kickstarter, 3D Printers
