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Ole Bielfeldt won the 2026 Nikon Small World in Motion competition with a microscope video showing an inkjet printer depositing ink on paper. Nikon says the image uses a microscope objective in an unconventional way; the contest highlights moving and time-lapse images made through light microscopes.
Ole Bielfeldt has won the top prize in the 2026 Nikon Small World in Motion competition with a microscopic video of an inkjet printer depositing ink on paper. The winning image turns a familiar printing process into a close-up moving scene, and Nikon says Bielfeldt achieved it by using a microscope objective in an unconventional way.
The image shows ink droplets in motion as they are deposited onto paper by an inkjet printer. Nikon’s description identifies Bielfeldt as the creator and says his approach used a microscope objective differently from its usual application. The supplied contest report does not provide technical settings, the video’s duration, or details of how the printer and microscope were arranged.
The award is part of Nikon’s Small World in Motion competition, which recognizes photovideography made through a light microscope. Nikon also announced the top 10 winners for 2026; the full list includes honorable mentions. The company is producing a 2027 full-color calendar featuring this year’s winners.
Eric Flem, a spokesperson for Nikon Instruments, described the winning entry as a combination of microscope imaging, ingenuity and artistry. His comments reflect Nikon’s characterization of the work; the report does not include an explanation from Bielfeldt about his process or the scientific purpose, if any, behind the recording.
A Familiar Process Under the Microscope
Bielfeldt’s winning video brings attention to how microscopy can be used not only to document specimens but also to record ordinary processes at a scale and pace that are difficult to see unaided. In this case, the subject is a routine act of printing, presented as a sequence of ink droplets reaching paper. The award recognizes the visual result and the imaging approach, rather than reporting a new scientific discovery.
The competition also gives a public platform to microscope-based video and time-lapse work. Such images can make microscopic activity easier to observe and communicate, while creative framing can draw viewers to details they might otherwise overlook. Nikon’s award does not, on the information provided, establish that the video has a particular research application or reveals a previously unknown property of inkjet printing.
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From Still Images to Microscope Video
Nikon Small World began in 1974 and marks its 52nd anniversary in 2026. The competition is intended to showcase the beauty and complexity of subjects viewed through light microscopes. Its original format centers on still photographs; Nikon added the Small World in Motion contest in 2011 for video and time-lapse imagery.
The motion category reflects the use of microscopes to produce moving images as well as still ones. Nikon describes both competitions as celebrations of what can be seen through light microscopy. The supplied report identifies Bielfeldt’s entry as a view of an inkjet printer depositing ink, but gives no further detail about the material, magnification, capture method, or whether the video was made for research or primarily for artistic presentation.
The 2026 contest has more than one recognized entry: Nikon has named a top 10, with additional honorable mentions listed separately. Its planned calendar will feature the year’s winners. The information available here does not specify the other winners’ subjects or how the judges ranked entries beyond Bielfeldt’s top-prize result.
“Ole Bielfeldt’s winning image embodies what makes Nikon Small World so powerful: the intersection of microscope imaging, ingenuity, and artistry.”
— Eric Flem, spokesperson for Nikon Instruments
The Imaging Method Remains Undetailed
The supplied announcement does not state how the video was captured, what magnification was used, or precisely what Nikon means by using the microscope objective in a different way. It also does not identify whether Bielfeldt’s work was connected to a scientific study, or provide judging criteria, scores, or comments from the judges.
Although Nikon’s spokesperson calls the view “previously unseen,” that is an attributed characterization, not an independently established claim that no comparable image has ever been made. The announcement confirms the award and describes the subject, but further technical and production details are not available in the source material.
Calendar and Winner List Ahead
Nikon says it is producing a 2027 calendar featuring the 2026 winners. The competition’s complete list, including honorable mentions, is available through the contest’s results. No release date for the calendar, additional technical explanation from Bielfeldt, or further event related to the winning video is specified in the supplied report.
Key Questions
What won the 2026 Nikon Small World in Motion contest?
Ole Bielfeldt’s microscopic video showing an inkjet printer depositing ink on paper received the top prize.
What does the winning video show?
It shows ink droplets being deposited onto paper during printing. The supplied report does not give further details about the video’s length or magnification.
How did Bielfeldt make the image?
Nikon spokesperson Eric Flem said Bielfeldt used a microscope objective in a different way. The announcement does not explain the exact setup or capture technique.
What is Nikon Small World in Motion?
It is Nikon’s competition for microscope-based video and time-lapse imagery. Nikon added the motion category in 2011; its original Small World competition recognizes still images made through light microscopes.
Will the winning work appear elsewhere?
Nikon says it is preparing a 2027 full-color calendar featuring the 2026 contest winners. The supplied report does not give a publication date.
Source: arstechnica.com
