Stuff UK September 2020

With a mind-boggling array of numbers and terminology, cameras can be a tricky area of tech to love. Just ask one of our top Stufflings, Tom Wiggins, who would rather produce a thesis on why he shouldn’t cover them than write a news story on the exciting new Nikon Z5. So we made him anyway, over on p6. It provides a fitting start to our September photographic special, where we really want those of you who’ve never embraced the artform before to give it a go. And if making the jump into proper cameras with swappable lenses feels like a leap too far, we’re also going to tell you how to get the most from your existing smartphone shooter – or upgrade to one that will do your snaps justice –…

HOT FIVE #1 YOU’VE BEEN FULL-FRAMED Nikon Z5 If you’ve ever bitten into a doughnut and discovered that an evil baker has filled it with out-of-date tartare sauce instead of jam, you’ll be a firm believer in the old saying that it’s what’s inside that counts. Nikon is too, which is why its entry-level mirrorless Z5 has a full-frame 24.3MP CMOS sensor behind the lens. That means more detail in your snaps, while five-axis in-body image stabilisation, an Expeed 6 processor and a 273-point hybrid AF system will help to keep things sharper than a steak knife with a PhD. That’s not to say the chassis itself isn’t important, though; and with a magnesium alloy body that’s sealed against dust and moisture, the Z5 isn’t just a fairweather snapper. Round the back is…

£259 / klipsch.com The racetrack hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for McLaren F1 in recent years, so it’s a good job its true wireless buds look like such winners. • Ear all day Klipsch’s T5 II Sport McLaren Edition buds come in a rugged 24-hour charging case that includes a special moisture removal system and its own wireless charging pad. A new external antenna design, which boosts the signal to reduce interference, also means they’re 25% smaller than the original T5s. • Wet behind the ears Should 20-year-old McLaren driver Lando Norris soak you while driving through puddles in the pit lane (bless him, he’s only just passed his test), the IP67-rated charging case is completely waterproof on the outside, while on the inside the reusable moisture removal system draws sweat and water away…

Most people are enjoying understandably uneventful birthdays this year, but Sega is making a big deal of its 60th anniversary celebrations. Following the recent Game Gear Micro, the company has announced the Astro City Mini, an extremely shrunken-down homage to its iconic Astro City arcade cabinet primed for fighting games. You can play on the tiny screen with the micro-switch joystick and six buttons, or plug it into your TV via the HDMI port round the back. The Astro City Mini will reportedly come pre-loaded with 36 classic titles, including Virtua Fighter, Altered Beast and Golden Axe. Fingers crossed for a launch outside Japan in time for Christmas. £100 (est) / sega.co.uk…

Amazon’s python-like stranglehold on the e-reader market can make it easy to forget that Bezos and co have any competition whatsoever. But Kobo has proved a worthy rival, and its latest reader packs in some pretty impressive specs for the price. There’s a 6in display with 1024x758 resolution, an adjustable light for late-night reading and a 1000mAh battery that should last you weeks between charges. It’s a few grammes lighter than Amazon’s basic Kindle, and offers double the storage at 8GB – or around 6000 books. Kobo’s support for OverDrive allows you to borrow ebooks from most public libraries with a valid card, with the option to purchase via Kobo’s digital store. £90 / kobo.com…

£3699 / superstrata.bike THE UNIBODY CHASSIS IS CLAIMED TO BE 61 TIMES STRONGER THAN STEEL Is this the real reason Chris Froome left Team Ineos – they wanted him to ride vertically? Oi, that’s cutting-edge magazine design, that is. And there’s more to Superstrata’s Ion e-bike than the sci-fi looks. The frame is made from a single piece of industrial-grade carbon fibre, a world first for a bike, so you don’t get any of the usual weak spots. With no joints, welds or glue, the Ion’s unibody chassis is claimed to be 61 times stronger than steel and 15 times tougher than titanium, and the whole thing weighs around 11kg, which is super-light for an e-bike. It’s just a shame the same can’t be said about your own frame, eh? No need to get…