Dictation tech for typing on your computer and mobile devices has gotten way better and more accessible over the last few years, thanks to sophisticated AI models. But an upcoming device can remove even more friction from the process of getting words onto your screen, by simply reading your thoughts.
Category: Wearables, Consumer Tech, Technology
Tags: Brain-computer interface, EEG, Electroencephalography (EEG), wearable computing
Russian design studio ATRIUM has completed a private multi-use garage in Moscow. Set within a forested estate, Garage for Car Collection, is a bespoke building for a private collection of luxury and vintage vehicles. The 200-sq-m (2,153-sq-ft) garage is a modern extension to the site, and also features a home gym, office, lounge areas, practical storage, mud room, and ski racks.
Category: Architecture, Engineering
Tags: sustainable design, Architects, Fusion Garage, Tiny Footprint
As if it wasn't already running enough laps around its competition in the electric-vehicle (EV) world, BYD's now building a hypercar for drop-top aficionados.
Category: Automotive, Transport
Tags: Hypercar, BYD, Electric Vehicles
Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have created a passive motion/contact sensor that detects motion using only sound. Without electricity, electronics, or batteries. The sensors are small, uniquely shaped metal tags that each emit very specific ultrasonic sounds upon contact. They are smaller than a penny and cost only a few cents each.
Category: Good Thinking, Technology
Tags: Georgia Tech, Georgia Institute of Technology, Motion sensor, Ultrasound
In only four years after the Russian invasion, Ukraine went from being a country knocked back on its heels and scrambling for military aid to emerging as a leading provider of battlefield-tested counter-drone expertise and exporter of anti-drone weapons systems. How did this happen? Let's find out.
Category: Military, Engineering
Tags: Ukraine , drones, NATO, xxShowcase
The RX 450h+ plug-in hybrid luxury SUV sits right at the intersection of pragmatism and indulgence, sipping electrons like a monk but wrapped in enough leather to make a cattle ranch nervous.
Category: Automotive, Transport
In the previous article about photographing mammals in China, I told the story of photographing black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys in Yunnan – the first of two species of snub-nosed monkeys I had the opportunity to capture. I'll tell you about the second species in the next article, but before we get to that, I'd like to tell you about a couple of pit stops I made to shoot other kinds of mammals.
Photo: Erez MaromThe pit stop was mainly planned to make use of a day that would otherwise be dedicated to driving. Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, a renowned 40,000-hectare biodiversity hotspot in Qingchuan County, Sichuan Province, was on my route and allowed me to spend more time shooting, even if it was a very short visit. Tangjiahe is recognized globally as a premier spot for wildlife viewing, and the landscapes on the way – and in the park – are breathtakingly beautiful.
Upon entering, I was greeted by a face only a mother could love: that of a very aggressive Tibetan macaque. The macaques are far from shy and are known to harass human visitors, meaning that one must approach them with caution. I got my fair share of aggressive grinning behavior and decided to retreat before getting into an actual fight with a monkey and ruining the rest of the trip.
I found it hard to make out this look by the Tibetan Macaque. One second, it was quiet; the next, it gave me the feeling that I was asking for trouble. In any case, I loved how colorful its face was.
Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, China
Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM | ISO 200 | 1/400 sec | F4
Photo: Erez Marom
Tangjiahe is home to a wide selection of mammal species. While not all of them are that exciting, I found a lot of pleasure in viewing and shooting things I don't usually take an interest in, specifically ungulates. I found a few muntjac (barking deer) gently grazing the mountain slopes.
Reeves's Muntjacs are roughly the size of a medium dog, featuring distinct facial markings, long canine tusks in males, and a tendency to be solitary, nocturnal herbivores.
Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, China
Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM | ISO 1600 | 1/250 sec | F7.1
Photo: Erez Marom
A more visually-interesting animal was the Sichuan takin - a large, muscular mountain ungulate native to the eastern Himalayas and the mountainous forests of southwestern China, especially in Sichuan province. It has a distinctive appearance – often described as a cross between a goat and an ox – with a heavy body, thick coat, and a prominent, arched nose that helps warm cold mountain air before it reaches the lungs. Both males and females have strong, curved horns, and their dense fur, along with oily skin secretions, helps them withstand cold, wet alpine environments.
Takins have such distinct and interesting builds and features. I love the elongated face and short horns; it gives them a bit of a mythological appearance. Do you agree?
Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, China
Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM | ISO 3200 | 1/500 sec | F6.3
Photo: Erez Marom
Sichuan takins live in herds that move seasonally, climbing to higher elevations in summer to graze on grasses, bamboo, and leaves, and descending to lower, forested areas in winter, which is the reason I could shoot them with relative ease. They are well adapted to steep, rugged terrain and can navigate cliffs with surprising agility despite their bulk. The species faces pressures from habitat loss and historical hunting, but it is protected in China, with populations found in reserves, such as Tangjiahe, that also shelter the giant panda, making conservation efforts for both species interconnected.
I tried to get a shot of a takin crossing the stream, but at the last second it backed off.
Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, China
Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM | ISO 3200 | 1/800 sec | F7.1
Photo: Erez Marom
Another location I'd like to talk about is Wawu Mountain (Wawushan), a striking flat-topped massif in Sichuan Province, rising like a vast natural plateau above surrounding valleys. Known for its sheer cliffs, dense temperate forests, and frequent cloud cover, it creates a dramatic, almost otherworldly landscape. Wawu's table mountain topography supports a rich mosaic of ecosystems, making it an important biodiversity hotspot.
A relatively rare shot of two red pandas cuddling together. This is almost exclusively possible during the mating season.
Wawu Mountain, China
Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM | ISO 3200 | 1/500 sec | F6.3
Photo: Erez Marom
Among its most charismatic inhabitants is the red panda, a shy, tree-dwelling mammal that thrives in Wawu Mountain’s cool, bamboo-rich forests. These elusive animals spend much of their time in the canopy, feeding on bamboo leaves, as well as fruits, insects, and small vertebrates. Wawu Mountain’s protected status and relatively intact habitat make it one of the better places to support completely wild red panda populations, and sightings are practically guaranteed if you spend 2-3 full days. The same ecosystem also shelters other notable species, linking Wawu’s conservation importance to the broader network of Sichuan reserves that protect iconic wildlife, such as the giant panda.
A red panda munching on bamboo leaves.
Wawu Mountain, China
Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM | ISO 3200 | 1/400 sec | F7.1
On the last morning, we even got some snow to accentuate the red pandas' beautiful red coloring.
Wawu Mountain, China
Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM + RF 1.4X | ISO 3200 | 1/200 sec | F9
Photos: Erez Marom
In the next, and last article in this series, I will share the story of how I managed to capture my most desired species of snub-nosed monkey, even though the universe tried to make it as difficult as it could.
Photo: Erez MaromErez Marom is a professional nature photographer, guide and traveler. You can follow Erez's work on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe to his mailing list for updates.
If you'd like to experience and shoot some of the world's most fascinating landscapes and wildlife with Erez as your guide, take a look at his unique photography workshops in China, Colombia, Vietnam, Madagascar and other locations.
Erez has recently published his first e-book, Solving the Puzzle, thoroughly explaining his views about composition in landscape photography and beyond.
Selected Articles by Erez Marom:In northern Switzerland, a construction team is hard at work excavating a hole in the ground that will end up being over 88 ft (27 m) deep, and spanning the length of two soccer pitches. This pit will be home to Switzerland's first redox flow battery for storing clean energy – and it'll be the most powerful of its kind in the world.
Category: Energy, Engineering
Tags: Flow Battery, Battery, Redox Flow Batteries, Grid-Level Energy Storage, Switzerland, Renewable Energy
Most bicycle campers just tow, but there are some that flip, that drop, that pitch and that straight blow up. The new Alpencamper adds another motion to that mix: sliding. The two-wheel towable borrows a trick from larger caravans and motorhomes, using a sidewall slide-out to expand its tiny interior enough to house a double bed comparable to what you'd find in a full-blown camper van – not bad for a little 'drop trailer that weighs less than the average adult.
Category: Camping Trailers, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors
Tags: bike-campers, teardrop trailers, trailers, Trailer, Caravan, Bicycle, ebikes, Camping, RV, Outdoors and Camping
Roboticists at Harvard and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras – very smart folks indeed – somehow entirely missed the great name “antdroids” when building the insectoid drones they call RAnts (robotic ants, which do not, in fact, rant about anything – not even against a tyrannical robotic ant queen).
Category: Robotics, Engineering
Tags: Harvard, Biomimicry, Ants, Robotic construction
Fourteen years ago we first heard about the Elf, a pedal/electric velomobile that could be charged via a rooftop solar panel. Well, there's a new version on the way that'll be cushier, more powerful, and able to seat a second passenger.
Category: Urban Transport, Transport
Tags: Velomobile, Pedal-assisted, Solar Powered
Despite Eastman Kodak making tentative steps back into the consumer photo film market, and its name still being applied to the front of countless licensees' compact cameras, there's still a widely-held sense of 'What if?' surrounding the Kodak name.
Not only did the company dominate the film industry, it also did more than its share of founding photography's digital age.
It was a Kodak engineer, Steve Sasson, who in 1975 produced the world's first digital camera as we recognize them today: a self-contained, comparatively hand-holdable device that captured images with a CCD sensor. Though, perhaps thankfully, the Compact Cassette tape didn't last long as a storage medium.
Likewise it was a Kodak engineer, Bryce Bayer, who invented his eponymous, and now near ubiquitous color filter pattern, patented the same year.
So perhaps it's not a surprise that it was Kodak that, 35 years ago this month, launched the first commercial digital SLR.
The Kodak DCS (Digital Camera System) built on both these existing inventions, combining a 1.3MP CCD sensor with a Bayer color filter array. It was designed as a digital back that could be mounted onto an unmodified Nikon F3 film camera body, with the add-on unit including a motor drive to cock the camera's shutter between shots.
Where it all started (for camera buyers)
Photo: Marc Aubry
The sensor was an in-house Kodak chip, the KAF1300, a 21 x 16.6mm sensor, roughly comparable in size to the 1.6x crop sensors in Canon's later APS-C digital camera. It delivered 1280 x 1024 px images, with both mono and color versions being offered.
A cable then connected the camera to a shoulder-slung 'Digital Storage Unit,' which contained a 20 megabyte hard drive, lead acid camcorder battery and the ability to add options such as a JPEG compression processing board. This allowed the camera to capture up to 156 uncompressed images or around 600 compressed photos.
If you're wondering why we're describing it as the first "commercial" DSLR, it's because the DCS was developed from a series of earlier, often government/military-funded digital camera projects. Kodak's earliest DSLRs were created by its Federal Systems Division (FSD), which developed a camera based on a Canon F-1 body and a 1MP CCD sensor, as early as 1988.
The company's Professional Photography Division developed a prototype somewhat closer to the DCS in 1990, based on a Nikon F3 body and that, intruigingly, led to FSD making the Hawkeye II, one version of which used a 5 megabyte memory card and lithium ion batteries, making it more directly comparable to a modern digital camera in many ways.
However, this more portable camera only had capacity for four full-res images, hence the decision to persevere with the external storage unit's development for the DCS.
Photo: Marc AubryKodak continued to develop the camera, with the later DCS 200 (whose introduction prompted a journalist to coin the 'DCS 100' name, by which the original camera is now widely known), leading to a series of DCS cameras culminating in the Nikon and Sigma-bodied 14MP DCS Pro SLR models in 2004.
The DCS's lead engineer, Jim McGarvey, said the prominence of Nikon in the US photojournalism market led to the decision to built the original DCS around an F3, but both F-mount and EF-mount versions of later DCS models were produced, with varying levels of input and support from Nikon and Canon. It would be another eight years before Nikon introduced the first Japan-designed DSLR, the recognizably modern Nikon D1.
McGarvey's own website is host to a fascinating details and insights into the Kodak DCS and the cameras that came both before and after it.
With thanks to Marc Aubry for the photos from his camera collection. You can see more of his images on his Flickr page
On the face of it, JMGO's latest lifestyle projector might look like just another boxy smart entertainment hub. But this model is reported to boast the world's first 3-in-1 optical system, and rests on a nifty gimbal stand that can adjust itself or play follow the user.
Category: Home Entertainment, Consumer Tech, Technology
Tags: Laser, Projectors, Google TV, 4K UHD, Gimbals
Brembo's braking equipment has graced many a champion-winning F1 racecar and MotoGP superbike over the last several decades. It's now targeting cyclists who demand serious stopping power, with a whole ecosystem of gear specifically for mountain bikes.
Tags: Mountain Bikes, Braking, Bicycle
The next time you fly through Tokyo's Haneda Airport, your luggage might be taken care of by the dexterous hands of a humanoid robot.
Category: AI and Humanoids, Technology
This pint-sized tiny house recalls the small living movement's humble roots by combining a very compact footprint that sleeps up to two people with a surprisingly affordable price.
Category: Tiny Houses, Outdoors
Tags: Building and Construction, Tiny Footprint, Micro-House, House, Home
At the recent Modern Day Marine Exposition in Washington, DC, Textron Systems rolled out a robot made to fight alongside US Marines. Called the Ripsaw M1, it's designed to act as a robotic force multiplier for the Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) and Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV).
Category: Military, Engineering
Tags: Textron, US Marines, UGV
German camper van upstart Alcovia Vans has taken the well-known Ford Nugget multi-room camper van layout and adapted it for the ever-popular Fiat Ducato full-size van. It elevates the floor plan's versatility and comfort by adding an extra bed, trimming it all out in warm wood and felt, slatting in adjustable separation between the two "rooms" on the main floor, and adding an extra available seat to carry and sleep up to six people.
Category: Campervans, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors
Tags: Campervan, RV, Camping, Outdoors and Camping
Sony a7R IV | F1.4 | 1/125 sec | ISO 1600
Photo: Kevin Zhang
Kevin Zhang, known as fatplanediaries in the wider community, began photographing at a young age under his father's influence, a dedicated Leica street photographer. What started as a focus on street photography evolved over time, especially after a chance moment in Shanghai, when he experimented with panoramas using only a prime lens. Since then, his work has developed into a distinctive blend of candid street scenes and highly detailed panoramic images, each discipline informing the other.
"I was far from a prodigy; it took a million photos until I considered myself to be halfway decent. I still have a long way to go, always looking at my own photography as an ever-developing thing. The style changes all the time as I try to demolish what I did previously."
This story is part of our What's in your bag? community spotlight series. The series showcases the diverse gear and photography of our community, and shares their stories of how that gear helped them to capture the perfect shot.
Have your photography featured on the DPReview homepage! Find out how.
Love, the Neighbors – performance rehearsal photoSony a7R IV | F1.4 | 1/200 sec | ISO 1600
Photo: Kevin Zhang
Home base: New York, USA, but also Shanghai, China
Favorite camera and lens: Kevin’s go-to setup centers around the Sony a7R IV, a high-resolution full-frame camera known for its exceptional detail and well-suited to his panoramic work. He pairs it with Sony’s G Master lenses, particularly the 24–70mm f/2.8 GM II and 35mm f/1.4 GM, which provide the sharpness and consistency he prioritizes. This setup supports both his fast-paced street shooting and the precision required for high-resolution stitched panoramas.
Photo: Kevin Zhang
Accessories can make or break a field trip. What does your bag have?"DJI Osmo 360 with a jerry-rigged way of attaching it to my backpack as a 360 camera antenna (because my generation of people are encouraged to make video content about their photography to be successful), plus the remote for it."
"2 Peak design captures on my backpack, one for my camera and one for the Peak Design e-mount lens kit, so I can change lenses easily."
"I also carry a variety of tools, snacks, personal hygiene items, etc. This includes my trusty Macbook Pro with case on (often need to check my panos in the middle of a shoot). Some other miscellaneous supplies and trinkets of mine:
"And to top it off, I carry two phones – an iPhone (for the Apple Watch I love and as a backup camera), and a Samsung (what I actually enjoy using)."
Battle 101, 3v3 NYC dance battle eventSony a7R IV | F2.8 | 1/200 sec | ISO 4000
Photo: Kevin Zhang
"My dad became a Leica enthusiast shortly after I got into middle school, and it's been downhill from there, lol. He became a really good street photographer, so I followed in his footsteps and essentially focused on street photography for the next decade or so. I only stopped for a few years when I went to film school to focus on film."
"A few months after I graduated, I was stuck with a prime lens while at a very scenic landscape view in Shanghai, so I just winged it and gave panoramas a shot. Ever since then, my focus has been on panoramas and street photography. It's a truly odd combination, but I like to say they complement each other and, in a weird way, my film career. So I keep doing photography even if I don't get enough gigs in this field as I'd like."
"I've been doing photography since age 10, I think? The launch day Sony a7R IV I currently own has been with me for more than a quarter of my life, which feels crazy to say, as my memory of that camera launching is still very fresh."
The Jam Showcase Volume 9. Full audience panoramaSony a7R IV | F1.4 | 1/250 sec | ISO 3200
Photo: Kevin Zhang
"I like to shoot candid street subjects, but I'm often pretty shy about approaching people to get the right shot. The best alternative is to get hired for events instead; everyone's vying to have you shoot them in those kinds of situations. I've had a lot of good practice at my friends' parties before getting to events as a photographer."
"On the panorama end, I like detail – lots and lots of detail. Ever since the Pureview 808 launched, my dream kind of photo has been the one where you can zoom in nearly infinitely and see a very complex world. That's been the ethos of my panoramas. They tickle that itch really well. I zoom into my own 750mp PTGui stitches all the time."
How has your photography evolved over the years?"I've always loved reading Roger Cicala's articles, absorbing DXOMark data, and of course, content on DPReview. All the technical deep dives and teardowns that teach you technical stuff, YouTube will never teach you about. That's always helped me out a lot I think, just being nerdy about stuff, and having a good theoretical foundation so that you never need to second guess yourself when you're out and about shooting."
"I really miss Barney Britton from the 2009 era. His Chris Burkard a6000 video was what got me hooked into DPReview in the first place."
New York City skyline from Staten Island FerrySony a7R IV | F5.6 | 1/800 sec | ISO 160
Photo: Kevin Zhang
"Probably the most unique environment I've shot at is the New York City street dance events. There's one called Battle 101, and at the end of the year, they host a massive battle with hundreds of spectators. In that sort of situation, the subjects you're shooting are also the background. If you shoot your handheld panos fast enough, you can also do them for people. Really. Not a lot of others have tried it but me."
What can the community take away from your experiences?"Be humble and be open to drastically altering your approach. Be happy to teach other people and learn from others. Both G.A.S. and the Dunning-Kruger effect are way too commonplace in photography. And please don't be a snob."
Kevin really enjoyed writing the content for this spotlight article and would be grateful for you to join him in discussion in the forums. Thanks, Kevin, for being featured!
If you'd like to share your photography, tell us about your main camera, lens choices, key settings and strategies. Your photos and story could be featured in the next article!
Editor's note: This article continues a series, 'What's in your bag?', highlighting DPReview community members, their photography and the gear they depend on. Would you like to be featured in a future installment? Tell us a bit about yourself and your photography by filling out this form. If you're selected for a feature, we'll be in touch with next steps.
Submit your photos and story to be featured in 'What's in your bag?'
DJI is one of the leading manufacturers of drones for aerial photography and videography. As social media continues to grow, beginners and content creators are seeking lightweight, easy-to-use devices for short-form video. DJI’s latest releases are designed to meet that demand.
Category: Drones, Consumer Tech, Technology
Tags: DJI Innovations, Camera drone, Quadcopter
