Category: Electronic Product

There’s Finally a Decent Smartwatch for Android

IIswitched from an iPhone to the Google Pixel 2 a few years ago after thinking about the move for a long time. My Apple Watch had held me back. The watch is an expensive device, but it would be rendered a paperweight if I used a Pixel full time, because Apple doesn’t allow it to work with Android phones. There were few alternative watches that would work with my Pixel — or at least few that seemed at all appealing.

Ultimately, I still decided to change over to a Pixel, which had become compelling enough despite the lack of Apple Watch support, and gave up wearing a smartwatch altogether.

But now I’ve finally found a smartwatch I’m willing to wear again, from an unexpected source: Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Active2. Awful naming aside, it’s one of the strongest competitors to the Apple Watch I’ve seen.

Companies like Fossil and Misfit make wearables that run Google’s Wear OS, while FitBit and Withings churn out smartwatches focused on fitness or aesthetics. For the most part, smartwatches like the TicWatch look decent online, but are thick and chunky to wear in real life. They feel more like knock-off spy watches than accessories. Worse still, Wear OS devices are notorious for poor battery life and aren’t likely to get updates for the long haul — manufacturers don’t make money from keeping the software up to date, so they simply ignore it.

Samsung’s Active2, though, works with any device, looks great, and can make it almost two days on a single charge (not bad, given Apple targets 18 hours of battery life with its Series 5 watch).

What’s most surprising about the Active2 is an attention to detail that’s rare.

The difference starts with its appearance. I have wanted a circular smartwatch ever since the Moto 360 debuted and ultimately disappointed back in 2014; the shape looks natural for a watch. The Samsung’s Active2 is also slim enough to hide under a shirt or sweater, and small enough that it doesn’t seem like a smartwatch at all. The always-on display, especially with circular analog watch faces, helps it blend in even better.

What’s most surprising about the Active2 is an attention to detail that’s rare. The edges of its round display, for instance, can be used as a way to scroll through the UI—dragging your finger around the edge to the right scrolls down, and to the left scrolls up. While the bezel doesn’t physically move as it does in previous generations of Samsung smartwatches, it understands touch, and it’s more intuitive as a way to interact with a watch.

Many of the watch’s other features take advantage of the round display. The “My Day” watch face, for example, places reminders of the day’s meetings around the edges of the display, which is a helpful way to see what’s coming up for the entire day without jumping into an app.

Though not specifically targeted at fitness tracking like some of its competitors, the Active2 delivers on health features as well. While many watches require you to manually specify when a workout has begun, the Active2 automatically logs workouts, so that you don’t need to explicitly indicate you’re out for a run or cycle. After 10 minutes of activity, a little vibration notifies you the workout has started — which is so much better than fidgeting around with menus to get a workout kicked off.

Active2 has other thoughtful fitness prompts, clearly inspired by the Apple Watch, like a “heart” that fills up (similar to the Apple Watch’s rings) as you exercise and go about your day. But the Active2’s prompts go even further than Apple Watch’s prompts: Rather than pushing you to simply stand up hourly, the Active2 detects and shows inactivity, prompting a short walk or stretch.

I tested the Bluetooth version of the Active2, but I’m thinking of returning it for a refund so I can buy the LTE version, which would allow me to stream music, as well as get calls and notifications on the go.

What I most want from my smartwatch is the option to leave my phone at home entirely while I go for a run or cycle — or even just to escape scrolling through social media for a while — and Samsung might be the first brand to truly pull it off. The Apple Watch only allows Apple Music to sync offline. With the Active2, you can sync the device to Bluetooth headphones directly and use a Spotify integration to play play music offline while still doing GPS tracking on a run with the Strava watch app, finally free of wires.

I had worried that the Active2’s battery life wouldn’t be good enough. For the last two years, I’ve worn a Withings Steel HR, which only needs charging once every month. The Apple Watch I wore before that needed to be charged much more frequently — about once every two days — and I rarely remembered to charge it before the battery died.

Despite my fears, I was delighted by the Bluetooth Active2: Every night after a full day’s use — including workout tracking — I dropped it onto the magnetic charger with a solid 60% of battery life leftover.

Samsung didn’t get everything right with the Active2. One of the biggest pain points is its app store. Samsung has its own entire ecosystem of apps, if you’re noton a Samsung phone like the Note 10, you need to install three separate apps to even get started with the watch. That’s notincluding the Samsung Health app, which you’ll also need if you want health data on your phone andthe third-party syncing app for Google Fit if you want your data in there instead of Samsung’s silo.

Unlike the Apple Watch, Active2 allows third-party watch faces, but almost all of them are terrible. And its app store does a terrible job of showcasing watch faces that aren’t hideous. Instead, it shows a giant list of poor quality designs before you eventually find a good one buried at the bottom. That’s a shame, really, because the included watch faces are really good— they show off interesting ways to take advantage of the display, and I found myself wanting even more.

The Active2 has other minor quirks, like coming with always-on display disabled by default and burying the setting to turn it on yourself deep in a menu. Samsung did the same with the setting for the bezel-scrolling feature, which is also disabled out of the box.

Then there’s Bixby, Samsung’s voice assistant. Settings need to be disabled in multiple places to avoid accidentally triggering it on the watch. And Samsung wouldn’t let me use a different, more capable assistant, like Alexa or Google Assistant. I found myself even wishing Siriwas on this watch, something that I’ve never wanted any other time in the past — Bixby is that bad.

But, amongst all of these quirks and annoyances, the Active2 is surprisingly delightful. It delivers a good smartwatch alternative for anyone who is notdeeply invested in the Apple ecosystem (it works with an iPhone too, but has limited functionality due to Apple restrictions), at a fraction of the price — and with great aesthetics on top. I went in with low expectations, but was delighted to find myself enjoying wearing a smartwatch again.

If you’re in the market for a watch that isn’tthe Apple Watch, the Galaxy Active2 is what you should get. Samsung has delivered something for everyone, and the quality is at the level you’d actually wantto wear on your wrist, rather than hide it up to your sleeve.

Olympus launches a new Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera

Olympus has made its new Micro Four Thirds digital camera official. The OM-D E-M5 Mark III is pitched as a particularly compact mirrorless camera with lots of functions and abilities. In addition to its updated 20.4MP Live MOS sensor, it also has a 2.36 million dot electronic viewfinder – which is also OLED – as well as a 3.0-inch Vari-Angle Touchscreen – which is not.

The OM-D E-M5 Mark III also packs in-body 5-axis image stabilization. It is rated for DCI and UHD 4K video, recording at 30 frames per second (fps). However, it also has a mechanical shutter that can achieve 10 fps for up to 150 consecutive raw files. It can also produce time-lapses of 5fps.

This new Micro Four Thirds unit also has an ISO range of 200 to 25600, as well as 121-point phase-detect chip-linked autofocus (AF). The E-M5 Mark III’s AF can also be adjusted manually to suit focus ranges and points. This new Olympus mirrorless camera is to be made available on B&H Photo Video soon. It will come in black or silver colorways for a price of US$1199.

Nikon Z6 vs Nikon Z50: 10 key differences you need to know

With Nikon introducing a brand new APS-C (DX format) Z series camera into the mix, it begs the question: do you need to buy the more expensive full-frame Z6 mirrorless camera?

Both are designed to be great all-rounders, but that extra real estate for the Z6 image sensor sees an asking price of more than double that of the Z50’s. If you’re a travel photographer, there’s also the fact that the Z6 is bigger, heavier and bulkier too. 

In this comparison we’ll discover the key differences between the two cameras to help you decide whether you should splash the cash or save the pennies. 

Nikon Z50 vs Nikon Z6: Sensor and resolution 

Of course, the biggest difference between these two cameras is the sensor size. The Z6 totes a 24.5 megapixel full-frame (what Nikon calls FX format), while the Z50 has a smaller APS-C (DX format) 20.9 megapixel sensor. Despite it being the same resolution as the Nikon D500 sensor, Nikon claims the Z50 is not the mirrorless equivalent of the DSLR. 

A full-frame sensor is generally better in low light, while the higher resolution should mean it’s also better suited to capturing fine details as well. Whether you need the larger sensor very much depends on what you like to shoot. If you’re consistently shooting in gloomy conditions, the Z6 will undoubtedly perform better but if, on the whole, you’re shooting in favorable conditions (such as while traveling), then the Z50 should be more than adequate.

Nikon Z50 vs Nikon Z6: Lenses

Both the Nikon Z50 and the Z6 use the same Z lens mount. That means that all of the existing Z mount lenses available for the Z6 and the Z7 can be used with the Z50. As the sensor is smaller, you’ll need to take into account the crop factor – so the 35mm f/1.8 S series lens would offer an equivalent focal length of around 52mm. 

Additionally, two new Z mount lenses have been announced for pairing with the Z50, specifically designed for use with the smaller sensor. These are a 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 kit lens, and a 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 telephoto zoom. The former is designed to keep the overall system as compact as possible and, again, is great for those looking for a travel-friendly snapper.

Nikon published a lens road map recently which showed that there will be more lenses announced throughout 2020 and 2021 designed for both its mirrorless systems.

Nikon Z50 vs Nikon Z6: LCD screen

Here’s a good example of another reasonably big difference between the two models. 

While both have a 3.2-inch LCD screen, the Z6 has a higher, 2100K-dot resolution display as compared to the 1040K-dot resolution on the Z50. Used in isolation you may not realize what you’re missing out on, though. 

The Z50 also has an extra trick up its sleeve – it can tilt to face all the way forwards, which is great for selfies and for recording vlogs to camera. The Z6’s screen can tilt, but only downwards and slightly upwards. 

Nikon Z50 vs Nikon Z6: EVF

Both cameras have electronic viewfinders, but the EVF on the Z6 – which is the more expensive of the two shooters – is both higher in resolution and size. 

The Z50’s EVF is a 2360k-dot, 0.39-inch device, compared to the Z6’s 3690k-dot 0.5-inch option. Again, it’s likely that if you only ever use the smaller, lower resolution EVF of the Z50 you won’t know what you’re missing out on. 

Nikon Z50 vs Nikon Z6: Burst shooting

Here’s another point where the Z6 and Z50 are reasonably similar: the Z6 offers 12fps shooting, while the Z50 sits only slightly behind at 11fps, with both speeds sufficient for shooting sports and action. In fact, you might argue that with the crop sensor, and the longer lens available for it (for now), the Z50 is the best option out of the two. 

Nikon Z50 vs Nikon Z6: Memory card 

The Z6 uses a single XQD card, while the Z50 has a single SD card slot. Although XQD cards are faster and more robust, they’re also significantly more expensive and less easy to find than SD cards. 

If you’re already shooting with another camera, you might already have an existing supply of SD cards available to shoot with. As the physical size of an SD card is also smaller, it helps to keep the overall size of the Z50 to a minimum. 

Nikon Z50 vs Nikon Z6: Battery life 

Another specification which helps to save space – the Z50 uses a much smaller battery than the Z6. 

The official CIPA rating for the new EN-EL25 Z50 battery has yet to be announced, but it’s bound to be less than the Z6. That said, with a lower resolution sensor, plus a lower resolution screen and viewfinder, overall power consumption is likely to be lower.

As for the Z6, its EN-EL15b battery life is officially rated at a meager-sounding 310 shots – but in real-world usage you can usually get much more from it, typically lasting at least a whole day for the average user.

Nikon Z50 vs Nikon Z6: Dimensions and weight

Here’s where the Z50 has a trump card if your ultimate concern is portability. 

Weighing in at just 450g (including battery and memory card), it’s over 200g lighter than the 675g Z6. On top of that, the 24-70mm f/4 lens for the Z6 will add another 500g to your kit bag, while the 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 kit lens for the Z50 is only 135g. 

As for dimensions, the Z50 is essentially a miniaturized Z6. It retains a deep grip and decent handling while only being 126.5 x 93.5 x 60mm, as compared to the Z6’s dimensions of 134 x 100.5 x 67.5mm. 

It could be that you prefer the beefier, bulkier Z6 in terms of handling, but it’s hard to deny the Z50’s appeal as a travel-friendly camera.

Nikon Z50 vs Nikon Z6: Price

So here’s the big one – price. Both are excellent cameras, but if you’re on a tight budget, the Z50 offers fantastic value for money. 

At the time of writing, it retails for around $856 / £849 body only (you’ll only get the kit bundles in Australia), or $996 / £989 / AU$1,799 with the 16-50mm kit lens. You’ll need to double your investment if you’re keen on the Z6, which will set you back around $1,996 / £1,699 / AU$2,999 body only, or $2,596 / £2,249 / AU$3,999 with the 24-70mm f/4 lens.

Nikon Z50 vs Nikon Z6: Conclusion

There’s a lot to like about both the Z6 and the Z50. We’re yet to fully test the Z50, but our initial impressions are very good. By now, the Z6 is more of a known quantity, and we’ve been very pleased with how it performs. 

We’d happily recommend the Z6 as a travel-friendly camera – it is still small when compared to equivalent DSLRs. If you want the best image quality, then it makes more sense to go for the full-frame option and, of course, it’s cheaper than it’s higher resolution Z7 sibling. 

However, if your key desire is to have something small, lightweight and a fantastic all-rounder, the Z50 probably makes more sense, especially if you’ll mainly be shooting in good light.

Canon is Working on a 5D Mark V, May Arrive at the End of 2020: Report

If you’re worried that the launch of the EOS R and the creation of the RF mount meant Canon is giving up on its DSLRs entirely, we have some good news for you: it seems Canon is still planning to keep updating its DLSR lineup… for now.

A source who is familiar with the latest internal Canon camera roadmap tells Canon Rumors that there is in fact a Canon 5D Mark V in the works, in addition to the expected EOS R Mark II.

The source didn’t reveal any timing or other details, but it’s likely these cameras will share a sensor and many of the same specs. Early adopters of Canon’s full-frame mirrorless RF mount will be able to step up to the EOS R Mark II, while full-frame DSLR users who don’t want to give up their OVF or use an adapter with their EF-mount glass will get at least one more 5D upgrade.

Don’t get excited just yet though: CR doesn’t expect either camera to be officially announced until Q4 of 2020.

Nikon Announces the 58mm f/0.95 Noct: A Crazy Lens With a Crazy Price Tag

Nikon has just announced the launch of its much-awaited NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct and the price tag is as crazy as the lens itself. Bravo, Nikon.

Nikon has taken an interesting approach to releasing glass for its new Z-mount mirrorless cameras, preferring to introduce more affordable, less “pro” lenses first and saving its premium glass for once the system is more established. There is one, exception, however: a 58mm, f/0.95, prime, manual-focus-only lens that, rather than being affordable, costs a tasty $8,000.

58mm at f/0.95 will almost certainly make focusing somewhat difficult but I give Nikon a huge amount of respect for creating this thing. With the exception of Fuji, Japanese manufacturers are rarely experimental for the sake of being experimental, but this lens is just that.

Antireflection coatings should reduce ghosting and flare awhile the high-refractive index of the front element is claimed to “dramatically” improve aberration correction.

The OLED display on the lens’s barrel shows aperture, focus distance, and depth of field. Bokeh is claimed to be “exquisite” and the sample photographs certainly seem to confirm that. Be warned, the words “creamy” and “buttery” will no doubt feature repeatedly as soon as this lens gets into the hands of reviewers.

Nikon Europe BV’s Manager Product Marketing, Dirk Jasper, is suitably passionate, stating that “it’s exciting to see the promise of the Z mount system be fulfilled so powerfully.” Unfortunately, to powerfully fulfill its promise, you will need to spend $8,000. If that’s not quite in your budget, you can pick up the NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 for a mere $600 instead.

Canon EOS 1D X Mark III could claim burst speed crown with 30fps shooting mode

We’ve been hearing about the third iteration of Canon’s full-frame sports DSLR for a while now, but details on its spec sheet have been sparse. However, leaked specifications of a prototype of the Canon 1D X Mark III could give us a fair picture of what to expect.

According to Canon Rumors, the EOS 1D X Mark III will likely come with a 28.1MP full-frame CMOS sensor alongside a brand new image processor. The highlight of the report, however, is the news that the forthcoming shooter could boast a continuous shooting speed of 30fps.

If that’s the case, Sony will have something to think about as its newly announced Alpha A9 II comes with the same 20fps burst speed as its predecessor.

Historically, Canon has never debuted a new image processor in the 1D series, but that could change, with the Canon Rumors report claiming the third-generation 1D X will boast dual Digic 9 processors under the hood. 

If this news has any grain of truth to it, it’s no wonder the new camera can achieve such stupendous speeds as clicking 30 frames per second, with both engines working in tandem to process so many files in such a short time frame.

We did hear previously that the 1D X Mark III might arrive with in-body image stabilization (or IBIS), and Canon Rumors is holding to that for now, however these specs are for a prototype and things can change by the time the final product becomes available to the public.

The report’s source also claims that the camera will have a bigger – and apparently brighter – rear LCD display, but we’ll just have to wait and see if that’s true.

Canon Rumors is speculating that the 1D X Mark III will be announced in February 2020, which is believable. With the Olympics scheduled for July next year, it’s no surprise Canon would want to debut its latest pro-level sports camera for such an occasion. It also matches the release date of the EOS 1D X Mark II, which was announced on February 1, 2016, just months before the Olympics in that year.

Asus TUF Gaming H7 Wireless Gaming Headset Review: Tweaking Required

On paper, the Asus TUF Gaming H7 Wireless has the potential to be Asus’ first true standout gaming headset. It’s wireless, offers 7.1 virtual surround sound and exudes high-quality construction. It’s also a bit of a looker, available in black and yellow (pictured) or a more muted black and grey colorway, so streamers who are all about those aesthetics might well find themselves ogling the H7 Wireless.

VERDICT

There’s plenty to like about the feature-rich Asus TUF Gaming H7 Wireless. But we have reservations about the shape and character of its sound out-of-the-box. A lot can be remedied via software, though.

At the time of publication, the H7 Wireless (Asus also has lower-priced TUF Gaming H7 Core and TUF Gaming H7 wired headsets) is for sale on Amazon UK in its Gunmetal color scheme only. However, Asus told us today that the headset should arrive in the U.S. on Amazon and Newegg in about 2 weeks.

The wireless cans certainly pack a lot into one headset. Jumping right off the spec sheet are those 53mm drivers, quite a bit larger than those of rival headsets. Asus has a tradition of going big with drivers, including the fun-but-flawed Angry Birds-looking Asus Strix Pro’s 60mm drivers. But to my ears, bigger isn’t better. And while these feature-rich cans have a lot of potential, you’ll need to mess with the software to bring it out.

Design and Comfort

The H7 Wireless takes the weight off the top of the head using a suspended headband design, where an elasticated and well-padded leatherette contact band sits below a lightweight aluminum headband that forms the skeleton. Along each side of the elasticated band is high-quality stitching (not a single thread was out of place in our review sample) in the accent color, and some “TUF Gaming” branding is imprinted on the top. There’s more TUF Gaming branding on each side of the headband’s base, which are attached to matte plastic foundations for each earcup and finished with an aluminum bolt bearing the TUF wings’ logo. 

The earcups are enormous and finished in rubberized matte plastic that looked great when I first pulled it out of the box but quickly gathered fingerprints and other marks. Another thin band of accent color marks the edge of the cup, and on the rear-left is the volume wheel, mic mute and power button. All the controls, especially the mic mute switch, feel well-made and durable. The volume wheel is stepped, so it’s a little trickier to make precise adjustments than with a freewheeling control. But in the heat of the moment you’re less likely to accidentally max it out and blow your eardrums. 

Moving inwards, the large earpads are agreeably soft, finished in a microfiber cloth with a leatherette inner for, as the theory goes, better sound isolation. There’s some degree of lateral and vertical twisting adjustment to the earcups; although, you can’t fold them inwards for reducing their profile for travel or storage. The only sound you hear when you put the H7 Wireless on is the elasticated band stretching to fit, which speaks highly of the build quality and materials used throughout. A detachable gooseneck mic slots in via an asymmetrical 3.5mm jack, so it’s easy to pop in and out, and there’s no undue popping or crackling when you do.

In terms of comfort, the headband design is nicely engineered to provide just the right amount of clamping around your ears. The H7 Wireless won’t fly off your head if you sneeze or celebrate a victory with too much exuberance. At the same time, they don’t feel like they’re digging in around your head, either. We’re not sold on that massive earcup design, though. This humble reviewer has a smaller head and larger ears, and that meant my ears ended up pressing against the driver grilles. That obviously gets uncomfortable after a very short time, since the grilles are hard surfaces. The larger circumference has knock-on effects on the sound too, which l’ll get to below.

Audio Performance

I might as well get right to the punch: the H7 Wireless’ overall sound performance out of the box is disappointing.

Out of the box, which has virtual 7.1 surround sound enabled, there’s plenty of low-end power available. In certain situations, most notably action-heavy games with lots of explosions, the overall response sounded dramatic. You’d expect that from a headset with “Gaming” in its name, right? A bit of exaggerated low-end is fine for selling the sound and fury of bombastic action titles and multiplayer shooters.

The problem is that any dialogue going on amidst the explosions was lost under all that bass. That was also true when communicating with friends or teammates over Discord. Finding balance was tricky, since turning down the game’s volume meant risking missing important sound cues. But in order to clearly hear other voices, that’s often what I was inclined to do with the H7 Wireless. Having virtual surround on by default is an unfortunate move, because the feature really exacerbates the muddy bass and imprecise stereo spread. 

There’s better news, though: you can significantly improve sound with some tweaking in the Asus ROG Armoury II software. Turning it off virtual surround tightened up the sound immediately. This is expected with any headset, but it was especially noticeable here. When it came to gaming, I flat out avoided this feature; the sound-space just doesn’t work. 

In stereo mode, the bass was still a bit too strong for my ears, but was much more capable of retaining the sparkle from higher up in the EQ and articulating the little details in the mixes of songs I know intimately. Little breaths in vocal performances and fret scrapes as guitarists change chords were audible, albeit not captured as cleanly as I’ve heard on competitors.

Using Armoury II to adjust the sound (more on that shortly), helped make the H7 Wireless more appropriate for all-around multimedia use, but I’m not sold on the fundamental sound design. Placing a 53mm driver in a chamber as enormous as this seemed to bring more drawbacks than benefits, including noise leak. The contact pads don’t sit snugly on the head, so some sound escapes, which affects the resonant frequencies within the earcup. It also means the H7 Wireless don’t isolate sound very well, for the wearer or those nearby. It goes both ways.

As for wireless range and stability, I experienced virtually latency-free performance and it stayed within range just about anywhere in my house, across three stories.

Mic performance is also a happier story. Output is thin but clear using default settings. I was able to improve performance and achieve a nice warmth and well-rounded response using the Armoury II software, which I’ll get to now.

Features and Software

Storage-greedy peripheral programs are a pet peeve of mine, so Armoury II isn’t getting away with taking up 439MB of storage on my PC without me bringing it up. In every other regard though, this program’s a lifesaver when using the H7 Wireless. In addition to the virtual surround toggle control, there’s a host of sound usage presets here — 7 in total — which alter both EQ and reverb settings. You can toggle the reverb on or off independently or cycle between 6 presets and adjust via a wet/dry (wet audio is processed and made with a special audio device, and dry audio is raw and unprocessed) mixer.

Armoury II is as feature-rich as we’ve ever sampled from a headset companion program, and while I didn’t find any practical use for the reverb settings, some music genres sounded bouncier and more enjoyable when using the Music preset. There’s also a manual 10-band EQ for audiophiles to play with to their heart’s content.

I was equally impressed by the mic software settings. Five adjustable effects, including a compressor, noise gate and de-esser, really do have a profound effect on your mic output. Even when using default settings, the mic produced a much richer, fuller sound than most competitors’ mics. It’s not quite up there with standalone models, like the Blue Yeti, but you wouldn’t expect a ~$100 headset’s mic to be. What’s startling is that it’s even close.

Battery Life

Battery life is a real strength of these cans. Asus pegs it at 15 hours, and that really does hold truth in the field. That’s partially due to a very eager auto-shutdown feature that kicks in after 5 minutes without receiving an audio signal, but the rare occasions you might be caught out by this are well and truly offset by such a gargantuan charge time.

Bottom Line

The Asus TUF Gaming H7 Wireless has a lot going for it. It’s stylish, the headband is cozy, its software and mic impress and its wireless tech never failed me. 

But it lacks the fundamentally great sound necessary for an unreserved recommendation. The headset requires too much fiddling to clean up the sound. I’d prefer a better plug-and-play experience. Additionally, the virtual surround sound didn’t sound good while gaming, due to overwhelming bass. That’s disappointing considering this is a key feature of the headset.

Still, other areas, like the build quality, are on point. If you can find this headset for around $100, it’s as rich in features and functionality as you could ever hope to attain from a similarly priced competitor. 

Nikon announces small and lightweight Z50 mirrorless camera with APS-C sensor

Nikon is today introducing an entry-level, crop-sensor camera that uses the same Z-mount system as the company’s Z6 and Z7 full-frame mirrorless cameras. The new Z50 costs $859 body only, and Nikon is also introducing two new DX-format lenses alongside it. You can bundle the camera with a 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR lens for $999.95, and there’s also a two-lens kit that adds a 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR lens for a total of $1349.95. Even then, you’re still coming in below the $1,800 Z6, but obviously these cameras are targeted at very different audiences. This one is made for the Instagram generation and for people who want a “real” camera for video. Nikon says the Z50 will ship in November.

The Z50 has a 20.9-megapixel CMOS sensor, weighs under a pound, and has a flip-down rear display for selfie photos and vlogging. (There’s even a Selfie Mode that disables most controls when the screen is down so you don’t accidentally mess up the camera’s settings.) But if you put the Z50 onto a gimbal, the screen will be blocked if it’s flipped. That’s not great for vlogging, so Nikon is developing its own handle for the Z50. The Z50 has a mic input and headphone jack among its various ports.

You can immediately feel and appreciate the Z50’s smaller size and weight when compared to Nikon’s pro-level mirrorless cameras. Thankfully it retains an electronic viewfinder (2.36-million dots) and 3.2-inch rear LCD, and the grip was comfortable for my large hands. Nikon says the benefits of the Z mount (such as the shorter flange distance) carry over to a crop sensor for an upgrade in image quality.

The camera is capable of 11fps continuous shooting (with auto focus/exposure) and has a 209-point phase detect autofocus system, which covers 87 percent of the frame horizontally and 85 percent vertically, according to Nikon. When in low-light mode, the Z50 can focus at -4 EV, which is better than some of the company’s DSLRs like the D7500. The standard ISO range is 100 up to 51,200. There’s a pop-up flash built into the camera, as well. Nikon’s eye-detection autofocus is included, and you can toggle between different eyes if there are multiple people in frame.

You get 4K video recording at up to 30fps (with full sensor readout), and there’s also a 120fps slow-mo mode in 1080p. Videos can be shared wirelessly from the camera to your phone, which is a first for Nikon cameras. A time-lapse mode is also available in-camera, and Nikon includes multiple picture control modes that you can customize to your liking to reduce the need for post-processing before uploading your shots to Instagram.

Aside from a smaller sensor, the other thing the Z50 loses out on compared to the Z6 and Z7 is Nikon’s excellent in-body image stabilization. The new lenses offer vibration reduction (image stabilization), but the IBIS in Nikon’s pricier mirrorless cams allowed for some brilliant, tack-sharp shots when I was reviewing them. Aside from the engineering challenge of squeezing that stabilization into the Z50’s smaller body, it also would’ve raised the camera’s price.

The Z50 has a magnesium alloy construction and some level of weather resistance — but Nikon says it’s not quite up to the same level as the Z6 and Z7. There’s a single UHS-I SD card slot, and the camera uses a Micro-B connector rather than USB-C. It also has an all-new battery, the EN-EL25.

Though it shares many of the design traits of the Z6 and Z7, Nikon is very much positioning the Z50 as an answer to the latest crop-sensor mirrorless cameras from Sony and Fujifilm. The 16-50mm kit lens looks terrifically compact and lightweight, and I imagine that’ll be the take-everywhere pick between the two Z-mount DX lenses that Nikon has ready for this camera. Unfortunately, early buyers will be left without any inexpensive primes. (Yes, the FTZ mount adapter can also be used if you want to attach FX lenses to the Z50, but Nikon isn’t bundling it with a discount this time around.)

It’s easy to nitpick the Z50 for what it might lack — and it would’ve been nice if Nikon had shipped a camera like this much sooner. But I’m still looking forward to seeing what difference the Z mount makes here.

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, Nikon also announced that it will soon release its 58mm f/0.95 S Noct lens for the Z mount. The company talks up this manual-focus glass as being among the greatest lenses it has ever manufactured — and certainly the fastest. As you might guess, the price tag reflects as much. The Nikkor Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct lens will be available from select retailers beginning October 31st for $7,999.95.

Galaxy Watch Active2 review: Dancing on the grave of Wear OS

There’s no denying that Apple makes the best all-around smartwatches, especially if you care about fitness, so Android-compatible watches continue to battle for second place. The most recent entry from the Wear OS camp is the fifth-gen Fossil Q, and while that watch is a decent step up from every other device with the same software, it still hasn’t addressed some of the platform’s core problems — poor fitness tracking, degrading app library, and so on.

Samsung’s new watch is a follow-up to the Galaxy Watch Active, which was (by most accounts) the best overall smartwatch for Android devices. The Watch Active2 isn’t a radical departure from the previous model, but there are a few key improvements that most people will appreciate.

Design, hardware, what’s in the box

Much like Samsung’s phones, the Watch Active2 comes in a bunch of different variants. There are two sizes available (44mm and 40mm), each with three colors: silver, black, and gold. On top of that, there is also a Watch Active2 LTE with a Stainless Steel body, which is also available in two sizes and three colors. The regular 40mm costs $280, the regular 44mm is $300, the LTE 40mm is $430, and the LTE 44mm is $450.

Moving on from Samsung’s SKU hell, I received the regular 44mm version in black. The design hasn’t changed much from last year’s Watch Active — besides the choice of physical size, there is now a speaker on the left side. That means you can receive calls on the watch, and apps like Bixby can give audio feedback.

Both sizes of the Watch Active2 have a larger screen than the original model (1.2″/1.4″ vs. 1.1″). I’m coming from the smaller Watch Active, and the larger text on the Active2 means I don’t have to hold my wrist as close to my face as I did before.

The screen also supports a feature called ‘Touch bezel,’ which is designed to emulate the rotating bezel found on the Galaxy Watch and some other Samsung wearables. When you swipe around the edges of the screen, the watch cycles through widgets, scrolls in lists, and so on. It takes a while to get used to, and it’s still nowhere near as nice as the real thing, but it’s better than nothing. Interestingly, Samsung only recently started enabling it by default.

The right side of the watch still has two buttons; the top one acts as a back key, while the bottom one takes you to the watch face (or if you’re on the watch face, it opens your apps). Double-pressing the bottom button opens Bixby, but this can be changed to something else in the settings.

Samsung is still going with the tuck-under watch bands that pinch my arm, but thankfully, you can still replace them with any generic 20mm strap. In addition to the black band that came with my watch, Samsung sent me two of its Sport Bands: Pink Gold and Vivid Green. The green strap is my favorite, but if I were buying this watch myself, I’d probably pair it with a cheap leather band.

In the box, you just get the Watch Active2 and the tiny charging pad.

Software, performance, battery

The software experience here is similar to other Samsung -made watches. The Watch Active2 uses the Tizen operating system, designed to look and feel like the One UI skin that Samsung uses on its Android devices. There are a few changes compared to the original Watch Active’s software, like customizable quick settings toggles, but nothing groundbreaking.

The basic layout is still the same as Samsung’s other watches. The watch face acts as the home screen, with notifications accessible by swiping right, and widgets by swiping left. You can add, remove, or move around the order of widgets. For example, I moved the media controls widget closest to the watch face, since that’s the one I use the most.

The main change to the software experience is the touch bezel, which allows you to quickly scroll across all your notifications and widgets by moving your finger along the edge of the screen. It’s nice to have, but it’s no replacement for the physical spinning bezel on the Galaxy Watch.

All the other features you would expect from a modern smartwatch are here: health tracking, tap-to-pay support, waterproofing, an app store with tons of custom watch faces (and a few apps), and so on. You can also charge the watch by placing it on the back of a compatible Samsung phone. Corporate synergy FTW!

Performance, as usual with Samsung’s watches, is excellent. Tizen doesn’t suffer from any of the random slowdowns or stuttering animations that Wear OS does. The only aspect of the watch that feels like it takes forever is opening Bixby — though activating Google Assistant on Wear OS also takes a few seconds.

Battery life is also a high point. The original Watch Active could already reach two days on a single charge in most cases, and the Watch Active2 is even better. My 44mm version usually ended the day with around 70% charge remaining, with the screen always on and occasional heart rate monitoring. It’s worth noting that the smaller 40mm model has a slightly smaller battery (247mAh vs. 340mAh).

Should you buy it?

Yes. The Galaxy Watch Active2 is undoubtedly the best smartwatch you can use with an Android phone. It’s faster and less buggy than even the recent fifth-generation Fossil watches, with better battery life than you’ll find on any Wear OS device. It’s still a smartwatch though, so if fitness tracking is your number one priority, something from Fitbit or Garmin might be a better option for you.

I’m not a fan of Samsung raising the price by $80-$100 from the original model, but now that the first Watch Active is already going out of stock at most retailers, there’s not much of a point in comparing the two.

Buy it if:

You want a good smartwatch for an Android phone.

Don’t buy it if:

You have the first-generation Watch Active.

You have an iPhone (just buy an Apple Watch!)