Η ΓΝΩΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΣΤΟ ΣΧΟΛΕΙΟ ΚΑΙ ΠΕΡΑ ΑΠΟ ΑΥΤΟ
We've long relied on lithium-ion batteries for long-term energy storage, but they can be expensive to produce and maintain over the years. California-based startup Inlyte wants to offer a scalable alternative with its sodium-iron battery tech, and it'll soon manufacture cells to showcase its benefits.
Category: Energy, Technology
Tags: Battery Technology, Sodium battery, Iron, Storage
TTArtisan is no stranger to making L-mount lenses, but those have always been manual focus options. That's no longer the case, though, as the budget third-party lens maker has released an autofocus lens for L-mount cameras. TTArtisan originally released the AF 75mm F2 prime lens in September 2024 for Sony E and Nikon Z-mount.
The L-mount version of the AF 75mm F2 weighs 329g (11.6oz), which is slightly less than the Z-mount model. Aside from the weight difference, the L-mount version shares the same specifications as the other mounts. It uses a stepper motor for autofocus, which TTArtisan says is fast, quiet and accurate. The lens supports eye, animal and vehicle AF detection as well, and it can focus as close as 0.75m (2.5').
Image: TTArtisanThe lens features ten elements in seven groups, including one extra-low dispersion (ED) element and four high index elements, promising to reduce chromatic aberration and improve overall image quality. It has nine diaphragm blades and an aperture range of F2 to F16.
TTArtisan's AF 75mm F2 offers a clicked aperture ring, with no option to de-click it for silent operation. It uses all-metal construction for better durability, and a USB-C port allows for firmware updates.
The TTArtisan AF 75mm F2 lens is available for purchase today for $178.
Buy now: $178 at TTArtisanWe've been using the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1RII in a range of circumstances, shooting galleries, covering trade shows and photographing weddings, in addition to our standard tests. We take a look at how it works, what it does well and where it worries us.
Autofocus operationThe Panasonic S1RII features a revised version of the phase-detection AF system introduced with the S5II cameras. It can detect and track more subjects than the S5II supported at launch, and Panasonic promises it's both quicker to find focus and more tenacious in terms of tracking.
The interface will be familiar to anyone who's used a Panasonic in the past ten-or-so years: pressing the AF Area button on the back of the camera brings up a row of seven icons representing the different AF areas the camera offers. Pressing upwards on the four-way controller or joystick then lets you choose whether the camera should look for a recognized subject near your chosen AF area. Pressing the 'DISP' button lets you select which subjects the camera looks for.
There's a twist, though: the S1RII can either be set to use its focus tracking system or it can be set to track a recognized subject but, unlike most modern cameras, these are separate functions. The upshot is that if you want to focus on a non-recognized subject for one shot, or the camera fails to find the subject it's supposed to recognize, you'll need to disengage the subject tracking: the S1RII will not fall back to its generic tracking system.
This is disappointing as the S5II has now gained the ability to detect all the same subjects as the S1RII, but its subject recognition is built on top of the generic tracking system, so the camera will fall back to tracking AF, making it more flexible.
AF interfaceThe interface generally does a good job of managing multiple subjects without overwhelming you with information. In most AF area modes, it'll only draw a box over the recognized subject nearest your selected area. If you move the point over another subject in the scene, it'll instantly snap the box to that subject instead. It's responsive enough that it doesn't feel like you're missing out by not having all the recognized subjects highlighted.
When the S1RII finds faces, it can do a good job of sticking with them. In this scenario, it was able to track someone who started out walking straight-on towards the camera but who ended up at an angle to it without losing track of them or jumping to the person next to them.If you prefer, you can use the 'full area' tracking mode. In this mode, the camera highlights all the recognized subjects, letting you select which one you want to focus on using the joystick or touchscreen. The boxes do jiggle quite a bit, though, and can sometimes flicker on and off, which isn't the most confidence-inspiring user experience and means a tap of the joystick doesn't always select the subject you wanted.
Autofocus performanceOur experiences with the S1RII were distinctly mixed: when the AF system works, it can be very good, but overall, we found it to be appreciably less reliable than we've come to expect from the likes of Canon, Nikon and Sony cameras.
In our standard tracking test we found the S1RII had a tricky time of following the subject – it lost track of the subject on half of the runs we performed. The camera would typically lose the subject as the rate of approach changed as the target turns a corner.
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Human detection did a better job but could still be prone to losing the subject mid-run (it did so in one of the four runs we conducted). This is consistent with our other usage of the camera: it can be very sticky once it's found a subject, but it doesn't always successfully find subjects, and it can lose track of them as you're shooting. The camera also appears to have struggled to judge subject distance consistently, resulting in some softness when the subject's approach speed varies.
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Perhaps the most concerning behavior, though, was one we've seen in other recent Panasonic cameras, where tracking AF will fail to find something to focus on at all and will simply present a red flashing box and make no further attempt to focus. This is offputting enough to undermine our faith in the reliability of the camera, probably out of proportion to how often it occurs. Just knowing that the camera will sometimes fail to focus and make you wait a few moments is an unpleasant thought to have lingering in the back of your mind and not something we're used to encountering on a modern camera.
Some 20 years after it was first founded, San Diego, California-based startup Aptera has taken its solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) out on a proper 300-mile (~480-km) road trip – the first time it's been filmed doing so.
Category: Automotive, Transport
Tags: Solar Powered, Electric Vehicles, Aptera
Whether it's reading a book, having a shower or putting on some music, many of us have some kind of ritual – small or large – that we do before lights out. And while we have a feel for the good and the bad, we often don't really know just how detrimental some bedtime habits might be for our sleep. Now, for one particular activity, we do.
Category: Sleep, Wellness & Healthy Living, Body & Mind
Tags: Insomnia, Norway, Sleep deprivation, Circadian Rhythms, mental health, Sleeping
Continental Europe's first attempt at an orbital space launch ended shorter than expected after Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket returned to Earth with a bang 30 seconds after lifting off only to crash and explode in the Norwegian Sea next to the pad.
A new antibiotic to treat stubborn urinary tract infection (UTI) and a blood-clot-dissolving intravenous treatment for acute ischemic stroke have been granted approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It's been nearly three decades since adjacent treatments have entered the market to treat their respective conditions.
Category: Stroke, Brain Health, Body & Mind
Tags: Strokes, Bacteria, Antibiotic, Medication, FDA
With a length of just 8 m (26 ft), the Kookaburra features a well-designed interior layout that's suitable for two people. It includes a spacious and light-filled living room, plus it has a full kitchen and even a home office.
Category: Tiny Houses, Lifestyle
Tags: Building and Construction, Micro-House, Tiny Footprint, House, Home
A pair of studies conducted by OpenAI and MIT Media Lab found a small percentage of test subjects who used ChatGPT extensively reported increased loneliness and emotional dependence, as well as reduced social interaction.
Category: AI & Humanoids, Technology
Tags: GPT, Open AI, mental health, MIT
Scientists in China have created a new type of display with the smallest pixels and the highest pixel density ever. Individual pixels were shrunk to 90 nanometers – about the size of a virus – and a record 127,000 of them were crammed into every inch of a display.
Category: Electronics, Consumer Tech, Technology
Tags: Display, miniLED, Micro LED, LED, Nano, Cambridge University, University of Cambridge, Zhejiang University
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) has shown off the United States' latest nuclear weapon as full production begins seven months ahead of schedule. The B61-13 variable-yield gravity bomb is part of a major program to modernize the American nuclear deterrent.
Category: Military, Technology
Tags: US Department of Energy, US Air Force, Sandia Labs, Nuclear weapons
The theme for our April's Editor's challenge is 'RGB,' or red, green and blue.
We're looking for photos featuring a red, green, and blue color palette. Think an apple orchard under a blue sky, a color-coordinated bookshelf, a parrot – anything with a tri-chromatic color palette utilizing the three colors that form the basis of all our digital images. Our favorites will be featured on the DPReview homepage at the end of the month.
This challenge is open to photos taken at any time.
You can submit photos to the competition starting Sunday, April 6th. The last day for entry will be Saturday, April 12th (GMT).
IMPORTANT: Images MUST include a title and a caption of at least 25 words to be eligible. Viewers want to know the story behind your photo. We will consider both photos and captions when selecting our winners, so make sure to tell us that story!
Visit the challenge page to read the full rules and to submit your photos for consideration as soon as the challenge opens.
Construction has begun on an eye-catching new skyscraper in Miami, Florida. The residential tower will be defined by its sculpted exterior and feature solar-panel-integrated windows to help reduce its grid-based energy usage.
Category: Architecture, Lifestyle
Tags: Building and Construction, Skyscrapers, Residential towers, Luxury, Miami
The method used to brew coffee can significantly affect levels of natural cholesterol-raising compounds called diterpenes, according to a new study. It might be that the way your coffee is made is affecting your heart health.
Category: Wellness & Healthy Living, Body & Mind
Tags: Coffee, Brewing, Cholesterol, Uppsala University
There’s just something about well-put-together Royal Enfield custom builds. Ever since the Indian bikemaker released its 650 platform, it opened a portal to some of the most iconic custom designs I’ve seen. This one comes courtesy of the Australian custom shop, Purpose Built Moto.
Category: Motorcycles, Transport
Tags: Royal Enfield, 650s, Custom Bikes, Retro
Yangwang, the Chinese carmaker that brought us the [Mach 5 inspired?] jumping/dancing U9 electric hypercar, isn't shy when it comes to boasting about the off-kilter feats its vehicles can deliver. This time it's rooftop Wing Chun on the new U7.
Category: Automotive, Transport
Tags: Electric Vehicles, China
If last weekend's Lutz Minicamper seemed a little too cushy, expensive or pavement-limited for you, perhaps you'll like the Let's Go Aero (LGA) Crashpad a little better. Originally designed as a ruggedized towable pickup bed for hauling heavy, jagged cargo across equally jagged off-road surfaces, LGA's trailer now transforms into a pull-behind pop-top pickup camper of the simplest form. It's an affordable, hassle-free and versatile way to travel and camp your way through the wild.
Tags: trailers, Trailer, Caravan, RV, Cargo, Camping, Outdoors and Camping, Off-road
Swedish sci-fi adventure flick Watch the Skies is using a technique called 'visual dubbing' to alter the cast's lip movements and map them to dubbed English dialogue for international audiences – without reshooting a single scene.
Category: AI & Humanoids, Technology
Tags: Artificial Intelligence, Movies, Filmmaking
A gorgeous solution to a common problem... This mesmerizing mechanical vise adjusts its shape to hold oddly shaped items still without damaging them, using a design first patented more than a century ago. It can also turn inside-out.
Category: Around The Home, Lifestyle
Tags: Tools, Kickstarter, Engineering, Crowdfunding
We're back with another accessory roundup. This week, we're taking a look at memory cards, memory cards, and more cards! Oh, and some other stuff, too, but we'll get to that right after we discuss the deals.
On sale this week Photo: Brendan NystedtIf you're looking for an entry-level full-frame camera, Canon's EOS R8 is one of the cheapest ever released. That's especially true now that it's on sale for $200 off, putting it at only $1300. It doesn't have all the whizz-bang features of more expensive models – IBIS is a particularly notable omission – but for the price, it's hard to complain.
Buy now:
$1499 at Amazon.com$1499 at Adorama$1499 at B&H PhotoIf you've got $2000 to spend on a mirrorless camera, there are a lot of great options. But if you're feeling nostalgic, you're in luck – the Nikon D850 is currently on sale for $400 off. It may be a camera destined for the history books, but that doesn't mean there's no reason to use one today.
Buy now:
$1996 at Amazon.comBuy at B&H Photo A deck of cards Image: PergearIt's a big week for CFexpress cards – we've seen several new options hit the market. The first two are from Pergear and Novachips, and are aimed at budget-conscious shooters. The former company is offering CFexpress Type A cards starting at just $129 for a 256GB model. Type A cards have always been more expensive than Type B or SD models, likely partly because they're far less common – Sony is the only major manufacturer whose cameras use the standard.
Novachips, meanwhile, is selling both Type A and Type B cards. You can get a 330GB Type A card for $238, and a 256GB Type B card for just $125.
Meanwhile, Delkin has updated its lineup of CFexpress Type B cards, making them even faster and adding more storage options. Unlike the other cards we've covered today, these ones aren't particularly cheap. But if you need the utmost performance, they may be the way to go.
A do-it-all reader Image: SmallRigIf you end up buying one of those CFexpress cards, you'll probably want a way to offload data from it to your computer. SmallRig has you covered. Its new 9-in-1 docking stations offer either a CFexpress Type A or Type B reader, along with myriad other I/O options.
Despite costing less than some dedicated CFexpress card readers, the docks also include SD and Micro SD readers, two 5Gbps USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, one of which can accept 100W of power to pass along to your computer, HDMI and gigabit Ethernet ports. It also includes a cable that lets you connect it to your computer and transfer data at up to 10Gbps, though its CFexpress read speeds are limited to a (still quite fast) 6Gbps. The one downside is that you'll have to decide whether you want a dock with a Type A reader or a Type B reader; there isn't one that does both.
Buy at B&H Buy at Amazon A bright idea Image: SmallRigSmallRig is also becoming a major player in the budget lighting space, to the point where it's releasing add-on products for its COB lights. This week, the company introduced the SP-mini, a spotlight attachment for its lights with the RCmini mount, including the RC60B/C and RC100B/C.
It does pretty much what it says on the tin, allowing you to focus your light on a narrow area, highlighting your subject. It also comes with 10 gobos to help you shape the light, creating interesting patterns in shadow.
The SP-mini is available now for $149.
Buy at SmallRig The ProPackIf you're a medium-format shooter and a fan of CineStill's 400D film, we've got great news: you can now buy a "ProPack" with five rolls of the 120 film. You won't save much by doing so – it's only around $3 cheaper than buying five individual roles – but at least you'll know you've got enough on hand for whatever you want to photograph.
Buy at CineStill Save on a lensThe Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 DI III VXD G2 is currently available for $200 off.
Image: Tamron
Tamron hasn't announced any new lenses, but it is having a spring sales event from now until April 20th. That means you can pick up some of its best glass for up to $200 off. The sales are available on Tamron's site and through retailers like B&H and Amazon. You can see which lenses are on sale and how much off you can expect on the company's website.
