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Panasonic S1II studio scene: how does the speedy Lumix perform?

Digital Photography Review news -

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission. Photo: Richard Butler

With the release of the S1II, Panasonic became the second company to market a camera with a "Partially Stacked" sensor, which uses more sophisticated readout circuits to get data off the sensor faster than possible with existing BSI designs. (Though not nearly as fast as fully Stacked designs allow.) We've had the chance to put it in front of our studio test scene to see how it performs in terms of image quality and dynamic range.

Our 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, full even light and low directional light, to see the effect of different lighting conditions.

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The S1II performs well at shooting our test scene, providing great image quality. Looking at base ISO Raws, the S1II captures similar levels of detail as the other 24MP full-frame cameras on the market*, though Panasonic's JPEG engine doesn't seem to get rid of quite as much moiré artefacting as Nikon or Canon's.

Speaking of that JPEG engine, we've been pleased with Panasonic's colors for a while now, and the S1II is no exception; like the rest of its competition and the company's previous cameras, its colors are solid.

At mid ISOs to high ISOs the S1II's noise levels are competitive. Its JPEG engine does an admirable job of reducing noise while still retaining detail.

* The S1II's price puts it in competition with much slower, but higher-resolution cameras like the Sony a7CR and Panasonic's own S1RII; if you care more about image quality than speed, that's worth noting.

Dynamic Range

The S1II provides a good amount of dynamic range, giving you room to pull your shadows up without the detail being overwhelmed by noise. However, given the lack of chroma noise visible in our tests, it seems like there may be some noise reduction going on, either in ACR or in-camera. Either way, there's plenty to be squeezed out of the files, with no nasty surprises, though you will see the effects of a little extra read noise if you're shooting at base ISO to maximize dynamic range.

This is still a relatively new sensor, but it seems like Panasonic is getting a lot out of it. The S1II's image quality is very similar to other 24MP full-frame cameras with much slower burst rates and less capable video specs. Speaking of, be sure to stay tuned: tomorrow we'll be taking a look at video stills from the S1II.

Ancient-fossil bioconcrete traps 142% more carbon – and it’s strong as hell

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Using intricate geometry found in nature and refined through aerospace and biomedical design, scientists have now 3D-printed these forms into concrete to boost strength and capture carbon – creating a scalable building material that benefits both people and planet.

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Category: Materials, Science

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Autonomous robot surgeon removes organs with 100% success rate

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We're a step closer to entering an operating theater without any human life besides ours, following the world's first surgery performed by a robot responding and learning in real time. Its precision and skill matched that of experienced surgeons.

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Category: Robotics, Technology

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Rhubarb and turmeric deliver superbug smackdown in new study

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Picking up where traditional antibiotics are failing, two natural compounds have been shown effective in killing antibiotic-resistant bacteria in wastewater. The finding could point towards a natural way to defeat the increasingly undefeatable bugs.

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Category: Wellness & Healthy Living, Body & Mind

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Trailblazing 12-prop ground-effect seaglider rises on its hydrofoils

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Designed to provide the range, speed and convenience that electric aircraft and boats lack, the otherworldly Viceroy seaglider developed by Rhode Island startup Regent has completed another major milestone. Just a few months after hitting the water for the first time, the dramatic gull-winged vessel emerged out of the water to demonstrate its foiling capabilities for the first time. Pretty soon, it will be taking to the air to put its range-boosting ground-effect technology to work.

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Category: Aircraft, Transport

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Canon finally announces US pricing for its throwback 75-300mm lens

Digital Photography Review news -

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission. Image: Canon

Canon has finally announced US availability and pricing details for the RF 75-300mm F4.0-5.6, a budget full-frame lens that it introduced earlier this year. When it initially launched in April, the company shared details about its global launch, but made no mention of the US market, potentially because it was waiting to see how tariffs would shake out.

The lens will cost $219 on its own, and will also be available as part of a "Double Zoom Lens Kit" for the EOS R100, which will include the camera, the RF 75-300mm, the RF-S 18-45mm F4.5-6.3 and a camera bag for $799. Both will be available sometime this month.

While the lens is technically new, it's essentially the same as the 26-year-old EF 75-300mm F4.0-5.6 III, just with a new mount. That lens has never been renowned for its image quality, but it does offer a lot of reach at a very accessible price.

Speaking of price, it appears that US tariffs haven't made a huge impact on this lens; the EF version has been sold at $199 since well before the tariffs, and the RF version's higher price could just as easily be chalked up to the new housing as the cost to import it.

Buy now:

Buy at B&H PhotoBuy at Canon Canon RF 75-300mm F4.0-5.6 specifications: Principal specificationsLens typeZoom lensMax Format size35mm FFFocal length75–300 mmImage stabilizationNoLens mountCanon RF, Canon RF-SApertureMaximum apertureF4–5.6Minimum apertureF32–45Aperture ringNoNumber of diaphragm blades7OpticsElements13Groups9FocusMinimum focus1.50 m (59.06″)Maximum magnification0.25×AutofocusYesMotor typeMicromotorFull time manualNoFocus methodExtending frontDistance scaleNoDoF scaleNoPhysicalWeight507 g (1.12 lb)Diameter71 mm (2.8″)Length146 mm (5.75″)MaterialsPlastic barrel, metal mountSealingNoColourBlackZoom methodRotary (extending)Power zoomNoZoom lockNoFilter thread58 mmHood product codeET-60Tripod collarNoOptional accessoriesSoft Case LP1019

Review: Prepare to party with the JMGO 3-in-1 PicoPlay 1080p projector

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Shenzhen-based projector maker JMGO has a new family member. The PicoPlay brings the party to any indoor space with Full HD projection combined with a Bluetooth music speaker and ambient light show, in a form factor about the size of a travel mug and light enough for an easy carry at the wrist or in the backpack.

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Category: Home Entertainment, Consumer Tech, Technology

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Samsung's latest foldable has fewer camera compromises than ever

Digital Photography Review news -

Image: Samsung

Samsung has announced its latest folding smartphones, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7. Both have improvements over their predecessors, but the higher-end Z Fold has one that's especially exciting for people who like taking pictures: it adopts the main camera from the company's flagship S25 Ultra, which it says will capture "4x more detail" and produce "44% brighter" images than the camera in the previous Z Fold.

Galaxy Z Fold 7

Compared to more traditional smartphones, foldables often compromise on camera performance because of space constraints; each half of the phone is usually substantially thinner than the typical candybar phone.

That's especially true for the Z Fold 7, which has slimmed down substantially compared to its predecessor: it's now 8.9mm thick when closed, compared to 12.1mm, and weighs 215g instead of 239g. Theoretically, this should make it more comfortable to use the front "cover" screen, as it'll be closer to the experience of using a non-folding phone. That display has also gotten an upgrade: it's 6.5" instead of 6.3", and slightly higher resolution.

The Z Fold 7 has three rear cameras, and two selfie cameras.
Image: Samsung

Despite the phone's thinness, the main camera has gotten some big improvements. The Z Fold 6 used the cameras from Samsung's mid-range S24+ flagship, which meant it's main camera was a 50MP Type 1/1.56 (50mm²) sensor behind an F1.8 lens. The Z Fold 7, meanwhile, gets the 200MP Type 1/1.3 (72mm²) sensor and F1.7 lens from Samsung's top-tier standard smartphone.

That means that, at least for the camera you're using most, you're not compromising by picking Samsung's foldable instead of its standard smartphone. That's good news for those who like big screens; the S25+ is no slouch with a 6.9" display, but that doesn't quite match the Z Fold 7's new 8" interior screen, which offers even more real estate than the 7.6" one found on its predecessor.

Of course, there are still trade-offs. For one, Samsung seems to have solved the space problem by just making the camera bump massive; YouTube reviewer MKBHD shows that the phone can't even come close to sitting flat on a table thanks to the protrusion. The phone's ultra-wide camera is also a downgrade compared to what you'd find on the S25 Ultra, and the Z Fold 7 doesn't have a "periscope" camera for even more zoom.

Galaxy Z Flip 7 Galaxy S25 Ultra Galaxy Z Flip 6 Main camera 200MP
Type 1/1.3 (72mm²)
F1.7 200MP
Type 1/1.3 (72mm²)
F1.7

50MP
Type 1/1.56 (50mm²)
F1.8

Ultra-wide camera 12MP
Type 1/2.5 (25mm²)
F2.2

50MP
Type 1/2.5 (25mm²)
F1.9

12MP
Type 1/3.2 (15mm²)
F2.2 Telephoto camera

10MP
Type 1/3.94 (10mm²)
F2.4

10MP
Type 1/3.52 (12.5mm²)
F2.4 10MP
Type 1/3.94 (10mm²)
F2.4 Periscope camera N/A 50MP
Type 1/2.52 (25mm²)
F3.4 N/A

Of course, cameras aren't the only thing Samsung changed this generation. The company says the Z Fold 7 has a thinner and lighter hinge, more durable glass for the cover display and a more powerful SOC with improvements to the tune of 38% in CPU and 26% in GPU compared to its predecessor. The selfie camera on the main screen is also now higher resolution, and provides a wider field of view.

Of course, none of this comes cheap. While the Z Fold series has always broken the bank, the latest iteration now starts at $1999 for a model with 256GB of storage, $100 more than its predecessor. You can pre-order it now, and it'll be available on July 25th.

Z Flip 7 Image: Samsung

The changes to Samsung's smaller, less expensive Z Flip phone are a bit more subtle. The main cameras – a wide 50MP Type 1/1.57 (50mm²) and ultra-wide 12MP Type 1/3.2 (15mm²) – are unchanged from its predecessor, and it's actually a gram heavier. However, for that minuscule increase in weight, you get a bigger battery and a much larger cover screen; 4.1" versus 3.4".

That front screen now basically runs edge-to-edge on the phone's front cover, and should be more responsive as it has a 120hz refresh rate, where the old one topped out at 60hz. It's also much brighter, peaking at 2600 nits instead of 1600.

The interior display is also a touch bigger at 6.9" versus 6.7". However, the biggest change is even deeper inside the phone: it now uses a Samsung-designed Exynos SOC, rather than a Qualcomm Snapdragon one. Historically, some Exynos-equipped models haven't performed as well compared to their Snapdragon counterparts, so it'll be interesting to see how the phone performs once reviewers get their hands on it.

Unlike the Z Fold, the Z Flip is the same price as its predecessor, starting at $1,099 for a 256GB model. It will also be available starting on July 25th.

Big brains, farms and killer bugs: Epic tale of evolution still affecting us today

Gizmag news -

Humans have been getting infected by ancient bacteria and viruses for at least 37,000 years. Now, for the first time, pathogen DNA has uncovered a pivotal disease "turning point" that happened 6,500 years ago, during which our biology and society created a perfect storm that would forever change our evolutionary path.

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Category: Infectious Diseases, Illnesses and conditions, Body & Mind

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Nikon Z5II image quality: a level of excellence we take for granted

Digital Photography Review news -

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission. Photo: Mitchell Clark

We've put the Nikon Z5II through our studio scene as part of our upcoming review. And it's fair to say it doesn't present any major surprises. But we thought it's worth stepping back a bit to acknowledge what we perhaps risk taking for granted.

The Nikon Z5II is the company's entry-level full-frame mirrorless camera. Its launch price of $1699, body only, means it's not quite as inexpensive as the original Z5, but there are still only four full-frame digital cameras that have been launched for a lower price, so it's not uncompetitive.

But, whereas the original Z5 used a relatively elderly sensor to differentiate it from the higher-end Z6 II, the Z5II uses the same sensor as the more expensive Zf. And, while it's not the newest chip on the block, it's still being introduced in new models from Sigma and Panasonic, so shouldn't be considered unacceptably out-of-date.

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The test scene throws up no surprises at all: detail capture is consistent with other 24MP full-frame cameras, as is noise performance at high ISO. Default JPEG color is the usual Nikon response: on the punchy side of accurate, which is a result a lot of people like.

JPEG sharpening pulls out a lot of fine detail, though false color isn't as well suppressed as in the Canon's files. Noise reduction smoothes away a little more detail than its peers, but overall, the results are very solid.

This is a well-known sensor, so the results aren't surprising, but until recently, you had to spend a fair amount more than this to get the same combination of IQ, handling and autofocus performance.

Simple scan lets you slow down aging and even prevent chronic disease

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A single, freely available, noninvasive brain scan done in just a few minutes during midlife can predict what chronic diseases are most likely to appear in the future, empowering people to make diet and lifestyle changes that mitigate their risk even decades before symptoms begin to show. Getting the jump on degenerative conditions like Alzheimer's disease could have a huge impact on health outcomes later in life.

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Category: Alzheimer's & Dementia, Brain Health, Body & Mind

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Hoverair X1 Promax: It's so bad, but in the NES Power Glove kinda way

Gizmag news -

Remember the movie The Wizard (1989), when Lucas shows off his Nintendo Power Glove and says, "I love the Power Glove. It's so bad." English is weird; "Bad" meant good in the late 1980s. Today, "sick" means really cool. Other today-words that come to mind to review the Hoverair would be "slaps", and "fire," none of which actually sound like a good thing ... where was I going with this?

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Category: Drones, Consumer Tech, Technology

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