Η ΓΝΩΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΣΤΟ ΣΧΟΛΕΙΟ ΚΑΙ ΠΕΡΑ ΑΠΟ ΑΥΤΟ
With the threat of a US ban looming over Chinese drone maker DJI, keen flyers throughout the land will likely be on the lookout for alternatives. Homegrown Ascent Aerosystems may have an answer with its somewhat oddball Helius.
Category: Drones, Consumer Tech, Technology
Tags: Camera drone, 4k, Rugged, Surveillance, Monitoring
Over a year and a million kilometers' worth of real-world testing has returned impressive results for Spanish company Fersa's "fuel efficient wheel hub," which cuts fuel burn by at least 3% and saves operators around US$3,500 per truck per year.
Category: Automotive, Transport
Tags: Fuel efficiency, Truck, Efficiency
A rice wine native to the Philippines has grabbed the attention of researchers looking into new, natural ways to slow biological aging. But it's not the wine itself – sorry – in the spotlight, but what's left over after the liquid is ready to bottled.
Category: Diet & Nutrition, Wellness & Healthy Living, Body & Mind
Tags: Microbes, Yeast, Aging, anti-aging, Age-Related, Cells, Chronic illness, Health, Fermentation
Back in 2021, at the height of the pandemic, scientists at Pfizer revealed the development of a novel antiviral molecule, designed to hinder the SARS-CoV-2 virus’s ability to replicate. Clinical trials moved quickly, and by the end of the year we had the very first oral COVID antiviral, called nirmatrelvir.
Category: Infectious Diseases, Illnesses and conditions, Body & Mind
Tags: Coronavirus (COVID-19), Antiviral, Drugs
A still shot from Zafra's timelapse of the event.
Photo: Dan Zafra
Capturing the total lunar eclipse is special enough, but one photographer took things to the next level. Dan Zafra saw the forecast for a period of high solar activity during last week's lunar eclipse and traveled from his Las Vegas home to the Alaskan Arctic to capture the rare event.
Aurora trips are typically best with a new moon because it ensures the darkest possible skies, enhancing the aurora's visibility. This time was an exception, though the eclipse yielded a similar result. "The total lunar eclipse meant that the Moon would darken, allowing the northern lights to shine even brighter," Zafra said.
Photo: Dan ZafraGetting the timing and location right was a significant challenge, Zafra said. He had to calculate where to be to ensure both the Moon and potential aurora were in the same composition. Location scouting was part of this process, though the subzero temperatures added to the challenge. He finally settled on a frozen lake south of Fairbanks, Alaska, which offered an unobstructed horizon.
The weather made things challenging the night of the event, too. Zafra had to contend with -23°C (-10°F) temperatures, requiring he switch between thin glove liners for dexterity and thicker gloves to keep feeling in his fingers. Cold temperatures also drain batteries quickly. He kept spares in his jacket, swapping them out as needed. He says he used six batteries in total between his three cameras.
Adding to the difficulty was the predictably unpredictable aurora. "At one point, my timelapse framing was completely off—the aurora surged higher in the sky than I expected," Zafra said. "I had to quickly reframe the shot mid-sequence, all while monitoring my other cameras."
Photo: Dan ZafraDespite the challenges, Zafra managed to capture multiple shots of the event. A telephoto image, created using a 400mm telephoto lens on a Benro Polaris start tracker, enabled a close-up view to show detail on the surface of the Moon. On the opposite side of the spectrum, a 20mm wide-angle lens allowed him to capture a wide view of the entire scene, showing how grand the aurora was. He also created a timelapse of the event to show it all in motion, which you can see below.
Due to the extreme contrast between the Moon and the surrounding aurora, the final images involved some post-processing. Zafra says he bracketed multiple exposures during the shoot. He then used PixInsight to extract details from the Moon and Photoshop to blend them together with the aurora background. The wide-angle image required less editing, with a single exposure for the Moon and one for the landscape. The timelapse was processed with LRtimelapse.
Zafra says that of all of the images he captured that night, the telephoto shot is his favorite. "I’ve seen countless lunar eclipses and auroras separately, but never like this," he said. "It was as if the entire sky was working together to put on a show."
You can see more behind-the-scenes content and more of Zafra's incredible work on his Instagram page or website.
I know many folks who dismissed Stark's initial announcement of the Varg, a 60–80 horsepower electric dirt bike intended to compete with conventional gas-powered motocross bikes, as just another ambitious EV project that would never reach the market.
Category: Motorcycles, Transport
Tags: Electric Motorcycles, Electric Vehicles, Supermoto, Zero Motorcycles, Dirt Bikes, World's Fastest
Imagine being able to listen to music or other audio that no one else can hear, without having to wear headphones. Doing so is now possible via so-called "audible enclaves," which already exist in functional prototype form.
Category: Good Thinking, Lifestyle
Tags: Pennsylvania State University, Audio, Sound, Ultrasound, metasurface
Budget e-mobility brand Engwe has taken the wraps off the latest generation of its compact L20 fat-tire ebike. The dual-suspension compact hauler can be collapsed down for between-ride transport in the trunk, and comes in hub-drive and mid-drive variants.
Tags: ebikes, Pedal-assisted, Foldable bike, Off-road, City
The first satellite in a constellation designed specifically to locate wildfires early and precisely anywhere on the planet has now reached Earth's orbit, and it could forever change how we tackle unplanned infernos.
Category: Environment, Science
Tags: Wildfires, Google, Satellite, Machine Learning, Detection
As part of our ongoing review of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1RII, we shot our standard test scene, to see how its sensor performs.
We're moving to a pattern of shooting test scenes together in batches, rather than risking delays to reviews, but the S1RII is a camera built around a sensor we've not seen before, so we rushed it straight into our studio to see how it performs.
Buy now:
Buy at Amazon.comBuy at AdoramaBuy at B&H PhotoOur test scene is designed to simulate a variety of textures, colors and detail types you'll encounter in the real world. It also has two illumination modes to see the effect of different lighting conditions.
Image ComparisonThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.The results are pretty positive. In terms of detail capture, the S1RII performs as we'd expect, capturing less detail than the 61MP Sony a7R V but with no meaningful difference vs the likes of the Canon EOS R5 II, Nikon Z8 or its own predecessor.
There's a fair bit of moiré visible in various places suggesting there's no anti-aliasing filter. But it's not significantly more pronounced than in most of its rivals, suggesting we were just unlucky that we got to see some artefacts in one of our real-world shooting. If anything, looking around various high-frequency targets in the scene, Panasonic's JPEG engine seems to be doing a pretty good job of suppressing the effects of moiré.
In terms of color rendition the Panasonic looks a lot like its immediate peers, with no significant differences in most colors, compared with its peers. The light skin tone patch is perhaps a fraction more pink than Canon's rendering, but there aren't any nasty surprises: something backed up by our experiences of shooting with the camera.
Noise levels seem competitive at low to moderately-high ISO settings but it looks like noise reduction is being applied to the Raws at the higher ISO settings, with distinct blurring of the noise patterns. JPEG noise reduction strikes a pretty good balance between noise suppression and detail retention, but gets a bit overwhelmed at the highest settings.
Dynamic range:The S1RII's sensor is a modern design with dual conversion gain; it has Panasonic's 'Dual Native ISO' function that lets you decide exactly where the switch in modes happens, but at default settings, it's at ISO 400 that the switch happens. Sure enough, if you brighten an ISO 320 image, you'll see it has slightly more noise than images shot at ISOs above that point, with the same exposure.
The further you venture into the ISOs from that low gain mode, the more noisy you'll find the very deep shadows (this is exactly the read noise that using the higher gain step minimizes). So the widest possible dynamic range is encountered at ISO 80, but if you're tempted to underexpose in low light, to protect highlights, you shouldn't venture below ISO 400.
The S1RII has a lower base ISO than its predecessor, so you can't make a direct comparison (the new camera receives 1/3EV more light), but even with that slight discrepancy, it's results seem comparable. It's a competitive result, even compared with the best of its peers.
SummaryIt's pretty apparent that the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1RII is built around the IMX366 sensor from Sony Semiconductor. So we see a sensor with dual conversion gain giving lots of dynamic range at base ISO and well-controlled noise once you move to the second gain mode. Its BSI design means its high image quality should be maintained right to the corners of the image, as it means the pixels can reliably receive light from more acute angles than on older FSI sensors.
Buy now:
Buy at Amazon.comBuy at AdoramaBuy at B&H PhotoIt does this while being fast enough to deliver 8K footage at an acceptable rate (though not great by video camera standards), despite taking the unusual step of using a slower, 13-bit readout mode, which should give it a DR edge over its peers. We'll be looking more closely at that in the coming weeks. But on the stills side of things, the S1RII seems to be built on predictably firm foundations.
Tiny house firms are always trying to think up new ways of maximizing every inch of available space. Modern Tiny Living has hit upon a neat approach to this with its Shadow model, which features a living room that seats six, has lots of storage, and also doubles as a guest bed.
Category: Tiny Houses, Lifestyle
Tags: Building and Construction, Tiny Footprint, Micro-House, House, Home
As a tech journalist and photography educator, I've been lucky enough to get my hands on a variety of cameras. While each differs somewhat regarding menu systems, button placement and ergonomics, they are mostly subtle differences that haven't drastically altered my shooting style or process. That was not the story with the Nikon Zf, though, which surprised me by how much it changed the way I photograph.
The Nikon Zf has been available since October 2023, but I only recently had a chance to use it for the first time. As someone who learned photography on film (with a Pentax K1000, to be precise) and still shoots film, I have admired the camera's looks since it was first announced. I'm a sucker for that vintage film camera vibe, after all. Plus, I like having physical dials for my exposure settings, mainly for nostalgia.
My first time using the Zf was on a hike. It was a last-minute decision to bring it, so I didn't put any thought into using it instead of my trusty Sony a7 III. I knew the physical dials would change how I interacted with the camera and assumed there would be an adjustment period, but that was all. I certainly didn't set out with the intention of using the camera differently or think that my fundamental process would change. I simply tossed the Zf in my backpack as I would any other camera and set off.
Almost immediately, though, I noticed that the way I interacted with the camera was altered. In many ways, it felt much more like using a film SLR than a mirrorless camera. For starters, I exclusively used the viewfinder, not the rear display, to compose my images. That hasn't been the case since I switched to mirrorless many years ago.
The more significant change, though, was that my process slowed down.The more significant change, though, was that my process slowed down, and I was much more selective about what I took photos of. On that hike, I took less than half of the images I typically take on a hike of a similar distance. Of course, some of this could be attributed to the location and general mood that day, but I was also distinctly aware of a shift in my mindset.
When I take photos during hikes with my Sony, I snap away. I pay attention to composition and subject matter, but it's often a more rushed process. I'm willing to take a handful of shots to get the composition or exposure right instead of slowing down and getting one shot that does what I want. I even take quite a few photos while still walking and not looking closely at the display. With the Zf, though, I was much more intentional about getting the composition where I wanted it in the first frame. I also didn't take photos at all unless I was excited about the scene, and I didn't take any frames while walking.
Photo: Abby FergusonOverall, using the Zf was much more reminiscent of how I shoot with film when I have limited frames to work with, and each one costs at least a dollar or so. Whether it was the physical dials and their placement that made me slow down, the vintage design that tricked my brain into thinking I was shooting film or a combination of the two, I'm not sure. But it was truly surprising how a very modern mirrorless camera could shift my process so dramatically.
Of course, Nikon isn't the only camera company offering vintage design and dedicated control dials. It wasn't even the first. This design choice has been a trend in recent years, and cameras from other companies could indeed provide the same effect.
No matter what the cause, the Zf brought back a sense of mindfulness to my photography that I had missed when shooting with digital cameras. In fact, I recently came back to shooting film after years away because I missed the push to slow down. Whether or not this change is sustainable as I keep using the camera remains to be seen. It could also be that I can put that mindset into practice with other cameras without control dials now that I am more cognizant of the change. No matter what, it was a refreshing change that certainly made me more aware of my approach and how different tools can shape my process.
It might look dumb, but this little engine catalyzed the American Air Boat industry, and its legacy might yet have several more significant chapters in general transportation. Pusher engine technology can create very efficient vehicles, capable of doing things better ... maybe even for personal transport. Just not like this!
Category: Urban Transport, Transport
Japanese hardware brand Elecom has just launched what it claims is the world's first power bank to feature a sodium-ion battery inside. It promises significantly longer cycle life than traditional lithium-ion batteries, as well as the ability to operate in extremely hot and cold climes.
Category: Energy, Technology
Tags: Sodium battery, Battery, Elecom
Men tend to be happier with life when they're married, as many studies have identified over the last few decades. But new research shows they also become fatter. In fact, they're more than three times more likely to be obese than men who remained unmarried.
Category: Diet & Nutrition, Wellness & Healthy Living, Body & Mind
Tags: Obesity, Weight, Depression, Family health, Aging, Age-Related
The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has cleared a major hurdle in making a Generation IV nuclear reactor practical. Using a new process, a team has developed a new way of processing fuel efficiently for cutting-edge molten salt reactors.
Category: Energy, Technology
Exhibition vehicles often make a big splash for a couple weeks, maybe months, then disappear quietly to never be heard of again. Not the case for the jaw-dropping Camper Schmiede "Marilyn Onroad" camper van. One of the most distinctively appointed camper vans ever concocted is now ready to travel far beyond the gates of any exhibition hall. The six-sleeper camper van features a delightfully vintage-grade interior with transformable spaces and more outdoor living amenities than you'll find at some parks.
Category: Automotive, Transport
Tags: Campervan, RV, dusseldorf-caravan-salon-2024, Camping, Custom, Concept Vehicle, Outdoors and Camping, Camping
Dr. Frankenstein might not have needed a lightning bolt to bring his monster to life after all. A new study from Stanford suggests that life might have been kickstarted by constant zaps from “microlightning” between water droplets.
Tags: Life, Molecules, Chemistry, Earth, Stanford University, Lightning, Organic
When Canon released the R5, a common talking point was the camera's tendency to overheat when recording video. Canon improved those problems with the R5 Mark II, but all cameras overheat at some point, especially when recording long takes in high resolutions. To help cool things down, SmallRig has adapted its Cooling Fan, originally designed for Sony cameras, to work with the Canon R5 Mark II and R5.
The SmallRig Cooling Fan is more than just a basic fan. It features multiple layers to efficiently pull heat away from the camera body, including a silicone thermal conductive gel, a thermoelectric cooling (TEC) component and an aluminum alloy heat sink. The fan blades sit on top of those layers to blow away the camera's heat. The fan offers two levels: A Cool Mode with a 4500 RPM fan speed for quieter operation and an Ice-Cold Mode with a stronger 7000 RPM fan speed.
SmallRig claims that at 40°C (104°F), the fan can increase shooting time by 30% for 8K 30p recording. It also claims that when shooting 4K 60p at 25°C (77°F), the fan can completely prevent shutdowns from overheating.
The Cooling Fan is easy to use with quick snap-on installation. No tools are required, so users can pop it on or take it off as needed. There are some potential downsides, though. First, it attaches where the screen folds, so you have to operate the camera with the screen folded out. Additionally, it lacks a built-in battery, requiring an external power source via a 5V USB input. It is compatible with the SmallRig V-mount battery ecosystem, though, making it a convenient option for those already invested in SmallRig products.
While SmallRig made this version specifically for the Canon R5 and R5 Mark II, it is compatible with Sony cameras as well. SmallRig designed the fan's bracket to be removable so it can be switched back and forth if needed. It is available for purchase today for $60 through SmallRig's website.
Buy now: $60 at SmallRigChances are you already need a steel ruler for your fixing and making tasks, so why not use one that can do much more than most? That's the idea behind the ten-function Tiruler, which packs a protractor, caliper, bubble level and even a wrench.
Tags: Multitools, Titanium, Measured, Kickstarter
