This article was taken from the December 2012 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by <span class="s1">subscribing online.
Welcome to Wired's roundup of the hottest products for the coming year -- from hi-tech toys to thousand-year stopwatches.
Here, Wired takes you through a selection of telescopes, microscopes and cameras.
Star-tracking telescope
Celestron SkyProdigy 6 SCT (above)
With x60- and x167-magnification (with supplied eyepieces), this is a powerful scope that lets you view distant galaxies and scan the Moon's surface in great detail. But it's the on-board computer that makes this telescope ideal for tracking stars. With 10,000 celestial bodies logged in its database and an imaging camera capable of recognising them, the automatic alignment system is able to locate and track any star you choose. And if you still don't know what to look at, this helpful scope will find an interesting selection for you. £1,149
Instant pictures
Polaroid Z2300
Just like the original 1948 camera, Polaroid's latest has the same instant gratification, thanks to a built-in ZINK printer. The use of infused ZINK paper also reduces its size, so it will fit in a back pocket.
Its 3inch LCD enables you to edit your pictures first, and in the minute it takes to print a photo, you can use Wi-Fi to share your pictures. £130
polaroid.co.uk
Nature watch
Minox DTC600
With its khaki or grey cover and motion sensor, this surveillance camera is ideal for watching wildlife. It will take eight-megapixel stills with a fast shutter speed, and its powerful infrared flash has a range of 15m -- a black filter over the flash means it's not visible to animals.
Footage is stored on an SD card and can be viewed on the 2inch monitor. £300
minox.com
Fancy fieldwork
Nikon 20x Stereoscopic Field Microscope
This compact and water-resistant microscope is ideal for field trips. Its light means you can study fauna and flora in their natural habitat, and it even comes with a soft case and strap.
The wide (50mm) range offers the flexibility to look at larger 3D objects and also zoom in to observe at a cellular level. The stage plate can be turned over to hold liquids or solids, or be replaced by a slide sample. £499
nikon.com
Limited lecia
Leica X2 Edition Paul Smith
Leica's X2 camera has cult status among photojournalists for its professional CMOS image sensor and Elmarit 24mm lens. It means they can capture 16.5 megapixel images at a focal length just right for nearby opportunities.
With a run of only 1,500, this one will attract collectors as well as fashionistas looking to add a splash of distinctive Paul Smith style to their snaps. £2,000
uk.leica-camera.com
Speed cameras
Vision Research Phantom v1610
Film cameras record at a rate of 24 frames per second (fps), but this powerful high-speed camera can capture footage at up to one million fps.
That's bullet time. It means you can study very fast-moving events in immense detail, or make attractive slo-mo films. $125,000
visionresearch.com
Life logging
Autographer wearable camera
This camera-on-a-necklace takes 2,000 wide-angle pictures a day, recording everything that occurs in a 110 degree field in front of you.
Developed to help people suffering from memory loss, it can record your holidays or a meeting, and knows to snap significant shots triggered by a change in colour or motion. £399
autographer.com
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
