# Microscopy videos reveal diseases still images can't

> The 16th Nikon Small World in Motion competition shows how video microscopy unlocks medical insights impossible to capture in photographs.
- Title: Microscopy videos reveal diseases still images can't
- Summary: The 16th Nikon Small World in Motion competition shows how video microscopy unlocks medical insights impossible to capture in photographs. Motion is…
- Keywords: nikon small world in motion, microscopy, microvideography, primary ciliary dyskinesia, dr ning xu, tsinghua university, medical imaging, scientific research, diffractive super-resolution microscopy, cellular imaging, videos, reveal
- Source: Digital Camera World — https://digitalcameraworld.com/photography/awards-and-competitions/to-understand-this-disease-you-need-to-watch-the-cilia-through-dozens-of-beat-cycles-not-just-a-still-image-says-winner-of-16th-annual-nikon-small-world-in-motion-competition
- Published: 2026-09-21T03:20:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: nikon small world in motion, microscopy, microvideography, primary ciliary dyskinesia, dr ning xu, tsinghua university, medical imaging, scientific research, diffractive super-resolution microscopy, cellular imaging
## Video microscopy wins major award
The 16th annual Nikon Small World in Motion competition celebrates microvideography as both an art form and a vital scientific tool for medical research.
## Motion reveals what photos cannot
Dr Ning Xu's winning entry shows abnormal cilia beating in a child with Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia. Still images cannot capture the dozens of beat cycles needed to understand the disease.

> To understand this disease, you need to watch the cilia through dozens of beat cycles, not just a still image
## Keeping samples alive during filming
Dr Xu faced a critical challenge: the sample could die or change behavior under typical microscopy lighting. He shaped light using light waves and a digital micromirror to protect the living cells.
## Advanced magnification captures detail
Dr Xu used diffractive super-resolution microscopy to achieve 100x objective lens magnification, revealing the intricate beating patterns of the abnormal cilia.
## Runner-up entries showcase diversity
Vietnam's Nguyen Nam Nhat captured a roundworm with a single-celled Dileptus at 40x magnification, while Germany's Benedikt Pleyer filmed jellyfish larvae suspended in water droplets at 25x magnification.
## Fifty years of microscopy excellence
Nikon Small World has celebrated microscopy for over 50 years, with the video competition now in its 16th year. Expert judges evaluate all entries.
## Key takeaway

Motion is essential to understanding some diseases. Video microscopy reveals dynamic cellular behavior that still images miss entirely.