Η ΓΝΩΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΣΤΟ ΣΧΟΛΕΙΟ ΚΑΙ ΠΕΡΑ ΑΠΟ ΑΥΤΟ
Traffic in the vicinity of Antarctica has become a bit trickier now that A23a, the world's oldest and largest iceberg, has broken free of its watery trap north of the South Orkney Islands and is floating northward on the Antarctic Circumpolar Current.
Category: Environment, Science
Tags: Antarctic, British Antarctic Survey, Ice
The Dust Moto Hightail is a 220-pound all-electric dual sport that punches above its weight. It offers a simplified ride experience in a compact size with a swappable 4.4-kWh battery pack. And it could be yours for just $100 up front!
Category: Motorcycles, Transport
Tags: Electric Motorcycles, Dirt Bikes, Enduro
It can be tricky, keeping a spray paint can at that Goldilocks not-too-close/not-too-far distance from the surface being painted. The Laser Focus Sprayer is made to take the guesswork out of doing so, by putting a dual-laser sighting system on any can.
Category: Around The Home, Lifestyle
Tags: Laser, Paint, Kickstarter
Look ma, no Haber-Bosch Process! In the latest bid to greenify ammonia production, researchers at Stanford University and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals have come up with a portable device to produce ammonia wherever it's needed by simply using air at room temperature and standard atmospheric pressure.
Category: Energy, Technology
Tags: Ammonia, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Greenhouse emissions, Agriculture
Since its completion in 2013, London's mighty Shard has stood as both the UK and Western Europe's tallest skyscraper, however this won't be the case for long – at least not exclusively. An ambitious new supertall has now been given the thumbs-up to be constructed in the British capital that will match its exact height.
Category: Architecture, Lifestyle
Tags: Building and Construction, Skyscrapers, Office, London
Every December, as we approach the end of the year, DPReview editors engage in our annual ritual of picking our Gear of the Year: that one photography item we enjoyed using most during the past twelve months. When I think about how much gear comes through the DPReview offices annually, I’m surprised the decision is usually as easy as it is, but in most years, one product usually stands out for me.
Not so this year. It got complicated.
The candidatesRegular readers may know that I love fast, wide prime lenses, particularly for astrophotography. In the past, I’ve selected a fast, wide prime as my gear of the year at least four times. It’s not exactly a tradition, but it’s starting to feel close. I think there are even a couple of readers who placed bets over whether I would choose the new Sigma 15mm F1.4 DG DN Fisheye lens this year.
If you took that bet, you lost. Better luck next year (and maybe diversify your portfolio). I came close, though. That Sigma lens is a beauty, and I’d love to have it in my kit. But it didn’t quite make the cut for the top spot this time around.
"I’ve selected a fast, wide prime as my gear of the year at least four times. It’s not exactly a tradition, but it’s starting to feel close."The next product I considered was a dark horse: The Panasonic DMC-LX7. In case you just did a double-take, that’s not a mistake. I almost picked a compact camera from 2012 as my favorite gear of 2024.
Unless your Wi-Fi went out in 2020 and you never bothered to fix it, you probably know that ‘vintage’ compact cameras – and I use the term ‘vintage’ loosely – have become all the rage among those who are too young to remember being frustrated by their image quality the first time around. (Those were the dark ages, kids.)
So, a few months ago, in a moment of nostalgia-inspired curiosity, I dug my LX7 out of storage and started using it just for fun. Thankfully, no bell bottoms or disco albums turned up alongside it, allowing me to put off confronting some earlier life choices.
Despite being released in 2012, the Panasonic LX7 almost snagged my 2024 Gear of the Year award. I rediscovered it earlier this year and have enjoyed its simple, point-and-shoot style.And oh, the fun I had! I found myself carrying the LX7 around for much of this year, using it for snapshots and embracing it for the fun of point-and-shoot photography.
I’m sure I'll snap out of it eventually and go back to more meaningful pursuits like obsessing over megapixels or arguing about negligible differences in dynamic range, but if I were to choose my gear of the year based on the pure joy I got from a product, the LX7 would be the clear winner.
The product that ultimately made the cut for the top spot is the Canon EOS R5 II, a camera I didn’t get to use nearly as much as I’d hoped but used enough to be convinced.
The EOS R5 II Photo: Richard ButlerThe original EOS R5, introduced in 2020, never made my shortlist for gear of the year. It was a capable workhorse, but nothing about shooting it felt particularly special. In contrast, the R5 II added three features that, for me, made the difference.
Stacked sensor: I don’t need a stacked sensor for most of the shooting I do, and I rarely shoot at the highest burst rates offered by most new cameras. However, after a few years of shooting cameras with stacked sensors, I’ve come to appreciate the blackout-free shooting experience such cameras offer.
"It's a little luxury, like heated car seats for your eyeballs."I can’t think of a single instance in which I’ve ever missed a shot due to viewfinder blackout, but I do notice the blackout. Call it a quality-of-life enhancement, if you will, but it’s becoming more important to me. It's a little luxury, like heated car seats for your eyeballs.
Eye-controlled AF: I’ve been a fan of Canon’s eye-controlled AF since the film days. A few years ago, I even wrote an article expressing my desire for Canon to bring it back with a more modern implementation; four years later, the EOS R3 delivered on that call to action. Thanks for listening, Canon ;)
Whether using eye-controlled AF or Canon's new Action Priority AF mode, the EOS R5 II's autofocus system is up to the task, even for sports. The pre-burst capture feature allowed me to get photos I would have missed. (Processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw.)
Canon EOS R5 Mark II | F2.8 | 1/1250 | ISO 4000
Photo: Dale Baskin
I know eye-controlled AF doesn’t work for everyone, but when it does, it can be a transformative way of shooting. It pains me to know there are many people for whom eye-controlled AF still doesn’t work because it's such a natural way to interact with a camera.
Pre-burst capture: I’m an expert at shooting certain subjects but a rank amateur at others, and it’s this latter group where I find pre-capture helpful. This is particularly true when shooting sports, but I’ve also found it helpful for shooting birds or wildlife. It has allowed me to capture photos I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise.
"It pains me to know there are many people for whom eye-controlled AF still doesn’t work."To be clear, I don’t want to give Canon too much credit here. The R5 isn’t the first camera with a blackout-free stacked sensor, and it’s far from the first to offer pre-capture. However, it’s the first camera to offer those features alongside eye-controlled autofocus, and, for me, that combination is what makes the camera so enjoyable to shoot with.
There are many more things the R5 II does better or faster than its predecessor, and some of those things will matter more to other people, but most won’t make a big difference to my photography work. The R5 II hits a nice sweet spot for me, and the fact that it does so in a body with excellent ergonomics that delivers outstanding image quality is icing on the cake.
Canon EOS R5 II sample gallery Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.Buy now:
$4250 at Amazon.comHidden among a bunch of Samsung's product launches in last year's CES presskit was a very brief paragraph on the world's first 8K projector with wireless connectivity. The Premiere 8K is still yet to arrive, but it's already received the first certification from the 8K Association.
Category: Home Entertainment, Consumer Tech, Technology
Tags: Samsung, 8K, Laser TV, Projectors
Imagine a next-gen VR experience that lets you speak realistic scenes, intelligent characters and complex situations into being, then interact with them in real time. It's coming, due to a convergence of tech like this advance in real-time 3D video.
Category: Virtual Reality, Consumer Tech, Technology
Tags: Artificial Intelligence, Video, 3D, Immersive Media
Taking acetaminophen, a.k.a. paracetamol, one of the most globally recognized, widely-used painkillers for a prolonged period, increases the risk of serious complications in older folks, according to a new study. It may mean rethinking the drug’s use as a first-line treatment for chronic conditions.
Category: Chronic Pain, Illnesses and conditions, Body & Mind
This 125-kg (276-lb) robotic ball looks – and acts – like it could've broken free from the Batpod. It's a self-balancing sphere that can chase down criminals at up to 35 km/h (22 mph) on land or water, and strike with a range of non-lethal weapons.
Category: Robotics, Technology
The US Army and Navy have successfully flown its Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon system in an end-to-end test at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida with the Battery Operations Center and a Transporter Erector Launcher that it will use in the field.
Category: Military, Technology
Tags: US Army, US Navy, Hypersonic
A new study has found that eating a better-quality diet was directly associated with a reduction in chronic pain severity, regardless of body weight. The findings suggest that upping overall diet quality could be an easy, affordable, and effective way to manage pain.
Category: Chronic Pain, Illnesses and conditions, Body & Mind
A new study has demonstrated that a tiny bundle of optical fibers can continuously, accurately, and simultaneously measure six biomarkers of brain health, helping to prevent serious complications that can follow a traumatic brain injury.
Category: Brain Health, Body & Mind
Tags: Traumatic Brain Injury, Secondary injury, Fiber optics, Imperial College London
In the long list of tasks we'd like humanoid robots to perform for us, shooting hoops is probably close to the bottom – if it makes the list at all. But the CUE bot from Toyota recently set its second Guinness World Record, for the farthest basketball shot by a humanoid robot.
Category: AI & Humanoids, Technology
Tags: Toyota, basketball, Robots, Humanoid, Artificial Intelligence, Guinness
Our December Editors' Photo Challenge theme was 'Happy Holidays': we asked you to show us what the end-of-the-year holiday season looks like through your lens. And you certainly focused on the festive spirit, capturing heartwarming moments and scenes filled with holiday cheer. From twinkling lights and decorated trees to snowy landscapes, your photos truly captured the essence of the holiday season.
Did you miss this challenge? Stay tuned for our January challenge announcement! In the meantime, consider participating in these current and upcoming challenges hosted by other members of the DPReview community:
Open challenges
Upcoming challenges
Drumroll, please! Here are our top picks from the December Editors' Photo Challenge.
Window shoppingPhotographer: morelens
Description: Window shopping in Beacon, NY, a small town on the Hudson River in NY State.
Equipment: Canon EOS R + unspecified 35mm lens
New Year's Eve, Mt. Hood, OregonPhotographer: rainrunner
Description: New Year's Eve at Mt Hood, Oregon, each year, if weather permits, we snow camp on New Year's Eve and watch the fireworks show at Timberline Lodge.
Equipment: Sony a7 IV + Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD
Christmas cardPhotographer: Aleksei Syrkin
Description: A little surprise for my wife, reflecting our life at that time and the atmosphere in the house.
Equipment: Canon EOS 5D Mark II + Canon EF 85mm F1.8 USM
Winter wonderlandPhotographer: Managarm
Description: My winter holiday tradition is taking long walks through the snowy landscape. Nothing brings me happier moments than a cool breeze of air and the sparkling snow in the woods.
Equipment: Ricoh GR IIIx
Ho! Ho! Happy holiday little fellaPhotographer: Hooyat
Description: The boy was watching children lining up to take pictures with Santa Claus. Santa noticed the boy was watching him for quite a while. He was alone with his mom. Santa came over, peeked around the fence, and told them he would take a picture with the boy... free of charge and ahead of the queue. Happy holiday.
Equipment: Nikon Z6 II +Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm F4 S
The listPhotographer: jaberg
Description: I think this is the "nice" list, but one can never be sure. This is part of the American Swedish Institute's 2024 Holiday Experience, Tomte: The Myth, The Gnome, The Legend.
Equipment: Fujifilm X100V + Fujifilm WCL-X100 II
Winter in WinterlandPhotographer: Viking60
Description: The capital city of Norway, Oslo, is already illuminated with lights indicating the upcoming arrival of Christmas.
Equipment: Leica SL2-S + TTartisan 50mm F0.95
Christmas light!Photographer: Jerodum
Description: A traditional Christmas village in France.
Equipment: Fujifilm X-T5 + Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN | C
A round worldPhotographer: xenofon
Description: This ball was up on the tree, at a height of 10 m (or more). As a result, the whole square, the fountain, even the parliament in the background, are all depicted in the ball in a spectacular and unique way.
Equipment: Canon EOS R10 + unspecified lens
New Year in the RockiesPhotographer: etrautmann
Description: Long exposure at a remote cabin near Aspen, CO, just after the New Year in 2022.
Equipment: Sony a7R IV + Sony FE 20mm F1.8G
You can trust Russian mechanics to come up with some crazy stuff. This time, they've put a Fiat 124-derived Lada under the knife, and installed 16 chainsaw engines arranged in a V formation – because why not?
Category: Automotive, Transport
Tags: Lada, Custom, Engineering, Chainsaw, Crazy
Portugual's Madeiguincho once again shows off its woodworking skill with this charming tiny house, named the Concha. Featuring a compact interior that sleeps two, it also offers the flexibility to live off-the-grid.
Category: Tiny Houses, Lifestyle
Tags: Building and Construction, Tiny Footprint, Micro-House, House, Home
Declining brain function is a natural part of the aging process, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be delayed. A new study has found that physical activity can boost brain function for up to 24 hours and, independent of exercise, so can a good night’s sleep.
Category: Aging Well, Wellness & Healthy Living, Body & Mind
Tags: Cognitive functioning, Age-Related, Exercise, Sleep, University College London
Future space helicopters may benefit as NASA completes history's first interplanetary aircraft crash inquiry. The yet-to-be-released technical report explains why the space agency's Ingenuity Mars helicopter crashed on January 18, 2024.
Tags: NASA, Mars, perseverance, Helicopters
Common ivy is better known as a garden invader or a rather attractive indoor plant that's prone to triggering allergic reactions or irritation. Now, for the first time, it's been found to be extremely effective in blocking pain signals – by invading a key pain receptor.
Category: Chronic Pain, Illnesses and conditions, Body & Mind
Tags: Leipzig University, Plants, molecular biology, Chronic pain, Pain, Personalized Medicine
