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Dragon Tiny Homes' Fairfax model is one of the most affordable tiny houses on the market. With a length of just 16 ft (4.8 m), it definitely won't suit a large family, but it could be a good fit as a vacation home or as a guest house.
Category: Tiny Houses, Lifestyle
Tags: Micro-House, Tiny Footprint, Building and Construction, House, Home
Bajaj Auto, the world's third largest motorcycle manufacturer, has gone from a partner of KTM to taking over the Austrian brand altogether. That's thanks to a €800-million (US$905-million) shot in the arm from the Indian two-wheeler giant that will enable KTM to bring its production facilities roaring back to life.
Category: Motorcycles, Transport
Satellites could have a longer life and space become a bit tidier if Starfish Space's Otter Pup 2 mission pans out. Scheduled to launch later this year, it aims demonstrate how a small craft can dock with unprepared satellites for service or disposal.
Tags: Debris, Satellite, Space Junk
A new study has found the non-invasive application of in-ear electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve to be safe and effective in reducing osteoarthritis-related knee pain. It opens the door to innovative, quality-of-life-improving treatment.
Category: Chronic Pain, Illnesses and conditions, Body & Mind
Tags: Osteoarthritis, Pain, Chronic pain, Vagus nerve stimulation, University of Texas El Paso
We've seen some tiny campers here over the years, fascinating micro contraptions that mash together mobility and living quarters in seemingly impossible ways. But we've never seen anything quite as tiny as the newest member of Volkswagen's storied camper van fleet. Shrunken down to model railroad size, this ID. Buzz is much more than a toy model; thanks to the addition of an equally vintage-inspired, color-matched teardrop trailer, it's also the smallest moving vehicle in an exhibit dedicated entirely to miniatures.
Category: Automotive, Transport
Tags: Volkswagen, mini-campervan, Scale-model, electric-camper, teardrop trailers, Campervan, Travel, Travel and Tourism, RV, Caravan, Toys, Miniature
Maryland-based startup InventWood is set to mass-produce the first batches of 'Superwood,' a new material made of modified timber that's stronger than regular barky stems, and even stronger than steel. It's set to go on sale later this year.
Tags: Steel, Wood, University of Maryland, Materials, 2025 Updates
This week already brought us a camper loaded with solid-state battery power, and now we have a luxury EV putting its own solidified energy storage to work. BMW is road-testing solid-state batteries in the i7 electric sedan. The sulfide-based batteries promise higher energy density, improved safety and more versatile, compact packaging in comparison with traditional lithium-ion batteries.
Category: Automotive, Transport
Tags: Solid-state, Battery Technology, Battery Electric Vehicles, Electric Vehicles, BMW
Surfboards can be quite awkward to transport, especially on planes and trains. What's more, buying different boards for different types of surfing is an expensive proposition. That's where the modular nine-in-one Newave surfboard is intended to come in.
Tags: Surfboard, Modular, Kickstarter
The photo above may look like a city or some sort of industrial plant, but it's not: it's actually the inside of a pipe organ, photographed by Charles Brooks. It's one of the many pictures he's taken from the inside of musical instruments, a process that's substantially more complicated than it may seem, especially since he's often working with rare, historically significant objects.
Charles Brooks spent much of his career as a principal cellist, traveling to perform with renowned orchestras from China to Chile and Brazil. But beyond his music, he also has experience with photography, going back to when he was young. It was a natural combination, then, when he stepped back from playing and picked up his camera. The project that kicked things off for him was when he started capturing the inside of instruments. Brooks was kind enough to talk with me over video chat, sharing his background, what drives him, and unique insight into his Architecture of Music series.
"The inside of a heavily restored Double Bass by Charles Theress, circa 1860, one of the finest bass makers in the history of the instrument. Photographed in Wellington, New Zealand, with the aid of it's present owner Matthew Cave."
Photo: Charles Brooks
Brooks had been living in New Zealand and photographing musicians when COVID-19 happened, which quickly brought things to a halt. During that time, though, he noticed that since musicians couldn't play, they were sending off their instruments for repair. As a result, workshops were filled with fantastic instruments, sparking an idea. Brooks said he had seen a few photographs of the inside of instruments before, including some taken for the Berlin Philharmonic, but those always looked like parts had been removed to create the images. He wanted to find a way to photograph the inside of instruments with everything intact.
Inside a 2021 Selmer Paris Saxophone.
Photo: Charles Brooks
Luckily for Brooks, Laowa had released its first probe lens not too long before. His first attempt was on a cello, an instrument he is very familiar with. "That wasn't too hard, since you can take the spike at the bottom off and getting the probe lens in is easy," he explained. He said he thought it was a nice shot, so he decided to see if he could sell a few and posted it on Reddit. It blew up there, so Brooks started scheming how to continue with other instruments, including smaller ones.
He quickly realized the Laowa probe lens was too big for most instruments. To fix this, the first thing he did was use a heat gun to melt off the waterproof casing to make it a bit smaller (though he doesn't recommend others do this). That allowed him to photograph pianos, but what he really wanted was to capture the inside of a Stradivarius violin. Violins only have a 5mm hole at the bottom, which is much too small for anything except medical cameras (called scopes), which are not made for high-resolution photography. And so began the rabbit hole that Brooks has found himself going down.
"Inside a French violin crafted by Nicolas Augustin Chappuy in 1770. This violin was brought to New Zealand by Le Violin Rouge luthiers (Auckland). They will spend the next year or two restoring it. It's a stunning old instrument that has been unplayed for quite a while and needs careful care and attention to bring it back to a playable state."
Photo: Charles Brooks
Brooks says he started by buying 20 to 30 adapters that allow you to attach medical scopes like endoscopes or arthroscopes to cameras. These introduced many problems, though. First, they are made to cover tiny sensors. You could adapt it to a full-frame camera, but most of the resulting image would be black. So he had to find a combination of adapters and magnifiers. "I sort of stacked them on top of each other to get that image circle as large as I could," he said.
"This remarkable photo captures the interior of the first violin I successfully photographed. Initially, it was presented to me as a Hopf, but I believe it is actually a 19th-century replica. This particular violin has been played but never repaired or opened since its creation, a rarity for an instrument of this age. This photograph marks the first time anyone has seen the inside of this violin."
Photo: Charles Brooks
Unfortunately, every time you add more glass, it degrades image quality. Making things more complicated, "these scopes are so small, they're right at the limits of diffraction," Brooks explained. "So even if you do blow it up, you're going to get a larger image, but it's not necessarily going to give you any more data. It's just a bigger blurry image." He spent a lot of time playing around with adapters and magnifiers and talking to the manufacturers to see what he could do.
In the end, Brooks decided to use the Micro Four Thirds Panasonic Lumix G9 II with his scope setup. "That's as large as I could get it magnified without it sort of falling to pieces," he explained. Then, he uses the high-res mode to get larger images, which especially helps because there's still some vignetting he needs to crop out.
Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.Unfortunately, figuring out the camera and adapter combination didn't solve everything. He explained that with all the magnification, he was shooting at roughly the equivalent of F250, meaning there was essentially no light. His solution was to use a bunch of flashes at the highest power possible, but that adds a lot of heat, and old instruments don't tolerate heat well. To keep these expensive instruments safe, he has to ensure that the varnish doesn't get over 28°C. So, he constantly measures the temperature and pauses between each shot to keep everything cool.
A photograph of the inside of a Geminhardt Elkhardt Alto Flute, which is the result of combining 960 individual images.
Photo: Charles Brooks
After lots of trial and error, Brooks landed on a process involving a combination of focus stacking and panoramic stitching. He uses the probe to rotate around the inside of the instrument, almost like a clock. However, the probe only focuses on roughly 2mm at a time. He wants it all in focus so that it doesn't look like a classic macro shot, so he's taking 20 to 30 images to get it all in focus. He also takes dark frames, like astrophotographers, to prevent hot pixels. Plus, given that the probe lens isn't made for photography, the light transmission isn't even across the frame. So, he photographs a piece of paper to identify where the vignetting starts, determining where he needs to take additional photos to compensate.
"Deep inside the action (the moving parts) of one of the world's finest grand pianos. Fazioli make around 100 of these instruments a year, each handcrafted with over 8000 individual parts. Shot with a Lumix S1R and a Laowa Probe lens, 100 images at various focal distances have been stacked together for sharpness from front to back, giving a distinct architectural appearance reminiscent of a concert hall or film set."
Photo: Charles Brooks
If you're thinking that sounds like a lot of images, you're right. Brooks says that there isn't a single final image with fewer than 100 shots stacked together, and some have more than 1,000 individual frames stacked. It's an incredibly time-consuming and technical process, both while shooting and in post-production.
Every part of his process is intentional because he doesn't want the images to look like miniatures. The focus stacking helps him avoid the typical aesthetic of macro photography by reducing the amount of background blur and focal compression. Creating an image that looks like it was taken with an ultra-wide-angle lens also results in leading lines we associate with normal-sized things, like streets and buildings, which tricks your brain into thinking the subject is not small. He also uses lighting to make it look like the sun is shining down, emphasizing the feeling that you are standing inside something. Finally, when Brooks displays prints, they are massive, adding to the feeling that you are inside a grand structure. For example, one upcoming show will have prints that are five by seven meters (16 x 23').
"This is a photograph showcasing the interior of one of the world's most exceptional violas, a magnificent 1619 creation by Nicolò Amati. The instrument is on a long-term loan from The Adam Foundation to the New Zealand String Quartet. It is presently being played by Gillian Ansell, a founding member of the quartet, and one of the greatest viola players to emerge from New Zealand."
Photo: Charles Brooks
His unique way of photographing the instruments is part artistic and part documentary. He's photographing some of the finest instruments in the world. While they may look the same on the outside, with finely polished finishes and pristine surfaces, inside is a historical record. His photographs reveal the maker's marks, repairs, signatures and imperfections from use or cleaning the instruments. Because of this, he has no plans to slow down and has a list of famous instruments he'd like to photograph someday. You can see more of Brooks' photographs and read stories behind some of the instruments on his website.
Likened by its creators to an "ornate layered cake," the Tor Alva has been completed in Switzerland. Hailed as the world's tallest 3D-printed building, this remarkable structure rises to an impressive height of 30 m (98.5 ft).
Category: Architecture, Lifestyle
Tags: Building and Construction, 3D Printing, Switzerland, ETH Zurich
Dyson says that its new PencilVac is the slimmest cordless vacuum cleaner in the world, and by the looks of it, that sounds about right. It's also the company's most powerful model to date.
Category: Around The Home, Lifestyle
Tags: Dyson, Vacuum cleaner
What's cooler than a precision artillery round? How about Tiberius Aerospace's Sceptre TRBM 155HG 155mm artillery round that has a ramjet in its nose, can fly at supersonic speeds and has over four times the range of a conventional round?
Category: Military, Technology
Tags: Artillery, Supersonic, Ramjet
All product photos: Richard Butler
The Fujifilm X half is a JPEG-only compact camera with a fixed focal length and a vertically orientated sensor, designed to mimic the experience of shooting with a half-frame film camera. It prioritises fun over technical excellence.
Key featuresThe obvious reference point will, no doubt, be Fujifilm's own X100 series cameras, and we doubt Fujifilm will dislike the comparison, given their popularity. But, whereas the X100 cameras look a lot like miniature Leicas, the cute, boxy X half looks more like a scaled-down Rollei 35.
The X half will have a recommended price of $849 and will be available in black, charcoal or silver. There's no obvious precedent for a camera like this and the uncertainty around the cost of importing items from China into the US makes it a little hard to make sense of, but it seems like a lot for a camera that's putting more effort into being fun than functional.
Index: What is it?The Fujifilm X half is a fixed-lens camera built around an 8.8 x 11.3mm sensor. Those dimensions may not sound familiar but it's essentially a 4:3 crop from a 20MP 3:2 Type 1 sensor, turned on its side.
So, when Fujifilm talks in terms of half frame, it's talking about the 3:4 shooting experience you get from shooting half a frame of 135 film, not about mimicking the same capture area that would give.
It has a 10.8mm F2.8 prime lens, and that sensor's 2.94x crop factor means this gives a 32mm equivalent field of view and an F8.2-equiv maximum aperture.
Flicking the film advance lever just after you've taken a shot (or when you're reviewing an image in playback mode) lets you combine that shot with the next one you take.
Left image: Provia film sim | F2.8 | 1/800 sec | ISO 200
Right image: Provia film sim | F2.8 | 1/1600 sec | ISO 200
Photos: Richard Butler
You can shoot individual 3:4 vertical images, swiping on the Film Simulation window on the back of the camera to change your virtual film stock. Alternatively, if you flick the film advance lever after taking a shot, you can combine your previous and next images to create a side-by-side diptych. Both individual images are saved to the memory card, in addition to the combined version.
Film Camera modeThe X half is best understood through its Film Camera mode. Engage the mode and you'll be asked how many exposures you want on your virtual film: 36, 54 or 72. If those second two numbers look unfamiliar, remember that this is styling itself as a half-frame camera, so you can fit 72 shots on a '36 exposure' film.
"Once you start shooting, you'll have to use the film advance lever after each shot: the camera won't take another photo until you do"When in film camera mode, you lose the live view on the back of the camera and have to compose via the optical viewfinder. You also lose the ability to swipe to change Film Simulation or filter: you're using a single roll of 'film,' after all.
And, once you start shooting, you'll have to remember to use the film advance lever after each shot: the camera won't take another photo until you do.
Once you've taken all your photos, you can connect your camera to the app and transfer the photos, at which point you get to see a contact sheet and watch the images 'develop.' That contact sheet image, complete with sprocket holes, frame numbering (with the images numbered as 01, 01A, 02, 02A and so forth), can also be downloaded.
If you lose interest in a project before the end of the roll, you can double-tap the film window screen and the camera will 'rewind' the roll, leaving you with a partially-complete film strip. Fujifilm also warns that removing the memory card or the battery can result in film camera mode being abandoned.
Filters and Film SimulationsOne of the X half's main selling points is likely to be Fujifilm's film simulation modes, and the camera includes ten of the most popular ones.
The X half also has a range of Filter modes, including Toy Camera, Vignetting, Light Leak, Halation and Expired Film. These give more extreme looks than the film simulations, but include some fun options such as giving the expired film mode a green or red tint, or the light leak mode that applies a one of a selection red/yellow bursts across each image at random, which are only visible in the final image. Filters can't be combined with Film Simulation modes.
ISO and AutofocusThe camera's base ISO is 200 and there are three pre-defined Auto ISO settings, you choice is essentially whether the camera stops at ISO 800, 3200 or 12,800.
In terms of autofocus, you have a choice of two AF area modes: a large central point or an AF area that can be moved to one of nine positions. There are eye and face detection options on top of this, and the camera will prioritize faces in your scene, regardless of the AF position.
Autofocus is somewhat laggy and distinctly slow, though, so we found the camera to be much more dependable in AF-S mode. This is not a camera for action or moving subjects, really.
VideoThe X half can shoot up to 1080/24 footage at up to 50Mbps, captured in a 3:2, 1080 x 1440 format. It can also shoot 2x slowmo footage. These video clips can be combined with still images in 2-in-1 diptychs, output as 2160 x 1440px MOV files. There's a 3.5mm-to-USB-C lead in the box that lets you use an external mic with the camera, if you insist.
Body and handlingThe X half is small, boxy and really rather cute: both its size and looks attract attention. It's also pretty well built. It feels like a lot of it is plastic but it's thick enough that the camera doesn't feel flimsy. It's small enough to fit in a coat pocket, despite the protruding lens.
The lens has an aperture ring around it, controllable in whole stops and with an 'A' position at one end, passing control back to the camera body. There is no other control dial on the camera, so there's no way to gain 1/3EV control of the aperture.
The camera's shutter tops out at 1/2000 sec, so in bright light you'll need to remember to stop down; especially if you're using the viewfinder, where there's nothing to indicate that your shots will be overexposed.
The lens is covered with a soft plastic lens cap. It's not the prettiest or most convenient feature, but ends up highlighting a benefit to the lens design: it doesn't change length. As such you never have to worry about stripping the gears or damaging a motor if you turn the camera on in your pocket or with the cap still attached.
The top of the camera is decidedly simple: a large exposure comp dial, that photo advance lever and an power switch, which releases the level from its stowed position. There's also a cold shoe slot in the middle of the camera. We're not really sure why.
The whimsy continues on the back, with a film-window-style rounded LCD panel that displays the currently active Film Simulation mode or Filter effect. It's a touchscreen, so you can swipe up or down to change mode (unless you're in Film Camera mode).
Next to this is the main display, a small, portrait-orientation 2.4" 640 x 480px touchscreen. In regular shooting mode this shows a live view display, just as you'd expect. Swiping your finger across the screen brings up one of four menus.
Swipe rightSwipe down
Swipe right
Swipe up
Swipe left
Swiping down gives you the choice between connecting to a smartphone and entering Film Camera mode.
Swiping right lets you select whether you're in Film Simulation or Filter mode. There are icons at the bottom of the screen to let you determine which of these modes applies to stills or video shooting. You don't select which of the simulations of filters you're using, just which mode the camera is in.
Swiping up brings up a quick menu, detailing eight of the camera's core settings:
Finally, swiping left brings up the camera's main menu. It's a much-simplified variant of the one from other Fujifilm cameras, divided up into seven catagories: Shooting settings, Movie settings, IQ settings, AF/MF settings, Audio settings, Set up and Networking/USB settings. These catagories are navigated by swiping up and down on the film window, next to the main LCD.
The film advance leverOne of the only physical controls on the whole camera is the film advance lever. In normal camera mode its job is to engage 2-in-1 diptych mode, in Film Camera mode it acts as the film advance lever it mimics. Push the lever in towards the body in normal shooting mode and the camera will show you the last image you took, while the lever is held in. Again, we're not entirely sure why.
BatteryThe X half takes the same NP-W126S battery as Fujifilm's other small cameras. It's a relatively large battery for such a small camera, making up something like 1/7th of the camera's volume. This helps power the camera to a rating of 880 shots per charge, if you use the OVF. We've not seen a figure for shooting with live view.
This is enough that you'll essentially never have to worry about charging the battery. The camera can charge over its USB-C socket, so all you need to do is remember to plug it in from time-to-time.
Initial impressionsThe Fujifilm X half is, objectively, a profoundly silly camera. It is, after all, a digital camera with a film advance lever. But that's not to say it's a joke, necessarily.
Whether you think the X half is cute and fun or utterly ridiculous is likely to come down to what you think of its Film Camera mode. If you like the creative challenge and playfulness of a mode where you have to shoot a whole virtual roll's worth of images before 'developing' them on your phone, then you might well really enjoy the X half.
If you find the idea preposterous, worry about it only being able to produce JPEGs, or find yourself thinking 'it's basically half of Four Thirds, doesn't that make it 1/8th frame?' then it's fair to say this isn't the camera for you.
Even without using Film Camera mode, the ability to combine images (with a choice of dividers and widths) prompts you to think about pairs of images that will go well together.
Left image: Provia film sim | F2.8 | 1/125 sec | ISO 640
Right image: Provia film sim | F2.8 | 1/125 sec | ISO 640
Photos: Richard Butler
The X half will inevitably ride on the coat-tails of the hugely successful X100 series, but whereas that camera was beloved both by established photographers and newcomers enraptured by its stylish aesthetic and attractive color response; the X half's pull is likely to be much stronger for the latter group.
"Expecting you to crank the non-existent film forward is inherently ridiculous, but entertainingly so"The pictures aren't great and the camera is distinctly laggy in most of the things it does. If you're coming from a modern mirrorless camera, it might be a bit of a shock. If you've been buying old compacts on eBay, you'll probably feel right at home. And it seems likely that this is the intended audience for this camera: someone who appreciates a small camera with a sense of fun.
Because yes, the Film Camera mode is fun. Expecting you to crank the non-existent film forward is inherently ridiculous, but entertainingly so. Likewise the idea of a retro-feeling compact camera that can deliver Fujifilm's Film Simulation colors is a delightful prospect, even with the X half's drawbacks.
It's hard to get a sense, from pictures, of just how small the X half is. It's not much bigger than the palm of my hand.Our main concern is the price, though. Even after a surge of inflation that's left us all a little unsure how much our money is now worth, $849 feels like a lot for something so playfully flirting with frivolity. And, on our production camera, albeit with non-final firmware, the lagginess and autofocus speed risks taking some of that joy out of the experience.
The X half doesn't take itself too seriously, and that doesn't in itself make it a joke, but we worry its price tag risks being a punch-line that falls rather flat.
Sample galleryPlease do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter/magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing (in conjunction with this review); we do so in good faith, so please don't abuse it.
Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.Taking a vitamin D supplement – or getting enough of the compound naturally – can knock three years off your biological aging, according to the results of a large, long-term study. This may not seem like a lot, over a lifetime, but it's a significant amount as you become more and more susceptible to age-related diseases.
Category: Aging Well, Wellness & Healthy Living, Body & Mind
Tags: Mass General Brigham, anti-aging, Age-Related, DNA, Disease, Cells, Sun
Perhaps unsurprisingly for such a well-established line of cameras, the design study for the new camera looks an awful lot like its predecessor.
Image: Ricoh
Ricoh has announced the development of the GR IV, the latest in its long-running and much-loved series of fixed lens compact cameras. An HDF version with built-in highlight diffusion filter will also be offered.
Both cameras will feature a new lens as well as a new sensor and processor, the company says. The comany says the GR IV will have a sensor with 25.74 million effective pixels, which is likely to mean the same 26MP BSI chip used in Sony's a6700.
It highlights the core values of the GR series as being "high image quality, quick response and portability," but also says it also includes "the changes and refinements demanded to meet emerging user needs."
Key features:*as in the GR III, the shutter will top-out at 1/2500 sec at F2.8, offering 1/4000 at F5.6 and beyond
The specs released don't include any mention of a flash: a detail the company said it was wrestling over, when we spoke to them in February.
Ricoh says production of the GR III will end in July 2025, with the successor model due in "autumn 2025." Production and marketing of the GR IIIx will continue for now.
Currently under development: the RICOH GR IV, the latest model of the GR series of high-end digital compact cameras, designed to be the ultimate snapshot cameraTOKYO, May 22, 2025 — RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. is pleased to announce the
development of the RICOH GR IV — the latest model of the GR-series high-end compact cameras.
Over a history of nearly three decades (since the introduction of the film camera, RICOH GR1 in 1996), and two decades (since the introduction of the first digital-format GR DIGITAL in 2005), the GR series has always kept the basic concept of pursuing the essential values of a camera: high image quality, quick response and portability. At the same time, the series has always incorporated the changes and refinements demanded to meet emerging user needs. Because of this, GR-series models have been preferred by many photographers, particularly professionals and highly experienced amateurs.
Currently under development, the RICOH GR IV inherits the basic GR-series concept, while also incorporating totally new components, including a newly designed lens, a new image sensor and a new imaging engine, to further upgrade image quality. It also features more advanced communications functions and is compatible with a new application designed for smart devices to improve operability and functionality.
Based on this new GR IV, another GR-series model featuring an HDF (Highlight Diffusion Filter) is also under development.
Designed to be the ultimate snapshot camera in the history of the GR series, the RICOH GR IV is a totally new breed of camera, one which will satisfy every photographer’s demands and expectations
Note: The exterior design sample of the RICOH GR IV, currently under development, will be showcased at GR SPACE in Tokyo, Beijing and Shanghai, beginning on Saturday, May 31, 2025.
The production and shipment of the RICOH GR III, currently on the market, are scheduled to be discontinued this July, due to difficulty in procuring of parts and components. However, the production and marketing of the RICOH GR IIIx will be continued for the time being.
Overview of the product under developmentGR WORLD (application for smart devices)
By eliminating the essential amino acid cysteine from the diets of mice, and disabling their ability to produce it, scientists have induced rapid and dramatic weight loss. The technique opens a new pathway to explore in weight-loss science.
Category: Diet & Nutrition, Wellness & Healthy Living, Body & Mind
Tags: Weight Loss, Amino Acids, Diet, New York University, Genetic engineering
Cargo ebikes can be very handy when you need to haul stuff, but they're kinda big and clumsy when you don't. The Convoy C.01 was created with that fact in mind, as it temporarily converts regular bikes into e-cargoes within a matter of seconds.
Tags: cargo bike, Pedal-assisted, trailers, Cycling
For the past few years, Google has been developing 3D video technology that would allow distant colleagues, friends or family to chat as though they were in the same room. Now the tech giant has rebranded Project Starline to Google Beam to prepare for commercial rollout.
Category: Technology
Tags: Google I/O, Google, Video Conferencing, 3D, Video Calling, Communications, Hewlett-Packard
Recent Saudi projects like the Line have been defined by their immense ambition and their modernity. However, the upcoming Asaan Misk Heritage Museum takes a very different approach and instead looks to the past with traditional mud brick construction to stay cool in the desert.
Category: Architecture, Lifestyle
Tags: Building and Construction, Museum, Saudi Arabia, Zaha Hadid
There's no denying the convenience of using a smartphone camera for travel photography. While dedicated cameras offer advantages regarding quality and flexibility, lugging around an often clunky extra device isn't always ideal. You'll likely have your phone with you anyway, so you might as well pack a few accessories to help you get the most out of it for documenting your travels.
Grip Photo: ShiftCamSmartphone grips provide a more camera-like experience for holding your phone, making them more comfortable while putting your hand in a more natural position for taking photos. Made by brands like ShiftCam, Ulanzi and even Leica, some rely on magnets to connect to your phone, while others are more complete cases.
Beyond making your phone easier to hold, most smartphone grips also solve additional problems you may come across when using your phone for travel photography. They typically provide a dedicated shutter button, making it faster and easier to take photos. Many offer a built-in battery, giving your phone more power for your adventures. The full case designs also give your phone a bit more protection.
Power bank Image: AnkerIf you aren't using a grip with a built-in battery, you'll want to make sure you have a portable power bank. After all, using your camera frequently can burn through the battery fast. There are endless options available, with many that are compatible with wireless charging. However, that method won't charge your phone as fast or as efficiently. Instead, you may want to keep a cord on you (or, even better, choose a power bank with one built-in) for those times you need power fast.
LensesAnamorphic lenses can be a fun way to create a new perspective.
Photo: Dale Baskin
Most phones offer two or three different cameras with unique fields of view (what you'll see of the scene). Those don't always do what you need or want, though. Adding a lens to your smartphone can unlock new possibilities. Smartphone lenses come in many styles, including macro, telephoto, ultra-wide-angle and anamorphic. They can be useful for getting a fresh perspective or giving you more creative control.
Be aware that if you opt for cheap smartphone lenses, you'll be throttling your phone's quality quite a bit. Sandmarc, Moment, Beastgrip, PolarPro and SmallRig are some brands that make quality options worth investing in.
Microfiber cloth Image: SpudzYour phone goes through a lot throughout the day. Smartphone cameras seem to attract smudges, which will impact your photo quality. While you could use your shirt to wipe off the camera, that's not always effective and can risk scratching the lens. Instead, keep a microfiber cloth handy to keep your phone's cameras sparkly clean when it's time to take photos.
Tripod or mount Photo: Peak DesignA tripod or some sort of mount will be a handy addition if you like to be in your photos or take photos in dark conditions. You could opt for a full-size tripod for maximum height, or a tabletop one if you don't want to deal with something so large. Peak Design even makes one that essentially sits flat against the back of your phone, so you can leave it attached without thinking much about it. There are also suction cup mounts or other accessories that allow you to put your phone in places that a tripod may not work, but still let you go hands-free.
Bluetooth remote Photo: MomentOn top of a tripod or mount, a Bluetooth remote will make your life easier for group photos or selfies. That way, you won't need to rush in front of the phone after setting the timer, or keep going back and forth to take more images. Some watches can function as remotes as well, so you may not need to buy a dedicated device, either.
Final thoughts on smartphone travel accessoriesIf you're sticking with your smartphone for travel photography, you likely don't want to bring a bunch of extra stuff along. However, a few key accessories can help you get more out of your phone, while still saving you space and weight compared to a dedicated camera and the accessories that you'd need for that.
