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In this Issue

• Zhong Yi Optics’ New Pittura Lens Is Here

• Learn The Art Of Photography

• Interview with Brett Beaudry

• Nikon Is Making A New Compact Camera?

• Photography Tip of the Week

• Photo Analysis

• Something You Have To Check Out

• Join Our Photographer Group!

• Photographer of the Week

• Subscribe and Get Amazing Benefits

Zhong Yi Optics’ New Pittura Lens Is Here

A couple of weeks ago, Zhong Yi Optics announced/teased the Pittura 30mm f/2.4, and now it is finally here, with the company releasing the full specifications and details for the new lens. It is a manual-focus wide-angle prime for Fujifilm GFX and Hasselblad XCD medium format cameras, combining a pretty wide field of view with a relatively fast f/2.4 aperture.

Wide-angle medium format lenses do not typically get much faster than f/3.5, so f/2.4 gives the Pittura roughly another stop of light to work with. That is particularly interesting for Fujifilm GFX users, where Fujifilm’s own GF 30mm f/3.5 is considerably slower.

The situation is a little different for Hasselblad photographers, who already have lenses such as the XCD 25mm f/2.5 and XCD 38mm f/2.5. Those native options are considerably more expensive, though, while also offering things the Pittura does not, most notably autofocus and a built-in leaf shutter.

The 30mm focal length works out to roughly 24mm in full-frame terms, with an 84.5-degree angle of view. That f/2.4 aperture should also make the lens more useful when shooting handheld in lower light, allowing you to maintain faster shutter speeds or lower ISO settings. Combined with the larger medium format sensor, it should also be possible to get noticeably more background separation than you might normally associate with a wide-angle lens. Minimum focusing distance is 0.2 meters.

Internally, the Pittura uses 13 elements arranged in 12 groups. Zhong Yi has not detailed any special glass elements or coatings. The aperture runs from f/2.4 through f/22 and uses an 11-blade diaphragm, controlled through a clicked manual aperture ring.

Looking at the dimensions, the Fujifilm GFX version measures 81 × 80mm, while the Hasselblad XCD model comes in at 73 × 84mm. Both weigh around 550 grams and accept standard 58mm filters.

There are some obvious compromises. The Pittura is manual focus only, which won’t bother everyone but does make it a very different proposition from the native Fujifilm and Hasselblad alternatives. Early sample photos (some of which you can see down below) show some visible distortion, something architecture photographers in particular may want to keep in mind.

And for Hasselblad users, the lack of a leaf shutter is another important consideration. The lens relies on the camera’s available shutter options rather than providing the flash-sync advantages of Hasselblad’s native XCD lenses.

The Zhong Yi Optics Pittura 30mm f/2.4 is priced at $499 for both versions.

A few sample shots:

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Interview with Brett Beaudry

This week’s Interview with Brett, a talented street photographer from the U.S. I am truly honoured to have had the opportunity to interview him again, this time with a closer look at his newer work!

You can find him on Instagram as: @bb_frames

Enjoy the amazing Interview ;)

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

My name’s Brett Beaudry, born and raised in Northern California, and I live up here now with my girlfriend and our dog, Roo (like kanga-“Roo” because she jumps really high) During the week I run an insurance agency, which is not glamorous at all, but it pays the bills and keeps the lights on. Photography is my escape from all of that. On weekends, I basically turn into a caffeine-fueled wanderer with a camera. If I have a long weekend or just feel restless, I love getting on a plane and landing somewhere random. I’ll walk around all day, fill up an SD card or two, drink way too much coffee, and fly home feeling like I lived a different life for a few days.

How did you first get into photography?

Photography started as a way to keep myself from falling apart. When the pandemic hit, I was living in L.A. County, stuck in a tiny apartment, and drinking way too much. It was getting bad, like “this could go downhill fast” bad. In early 2021, I decided to get sober. Suddenly I had a ton of time and absolutely zero idea what to do with myself. I’d always wanted to own a camera, but I never made the effort to actually learn/buy one. Once I quit drinking, I didn’t have an excuse anymore, I needed something to fill that space. So I bought some gear, watched a few videos, went outside, and started shooting everything. I was hooked immediately. Something about having a camera in my hand felt natural, and it gave structure to my days. I’m not someone who does well just sitting around. Photography gave me a reason to walk, observe, explore, and stay sober. It sounds dramatic, but picking up a camera genuinely changed my life.

Why street photography?

I grew up in the suburbs my whole life, so I was always drawn to urban life and big cities I like that friction. I like the speed, the noise, the energy. And I’ve got ADHD, so street photography fits my brain perfectly. It forces you to pay attention to everything light, movement, faces, gestures, patterns. You never know what’s going to happen around the next corner, and that unpredictability is exactly what keeps me engaged.

Your work has this cinematic, sometimes abstract look. How do you capture that?

Well honestly, half the time I’m just sticking my camera into weird angles and hoping it turns into something interesting. I don’t have a super technical explanation. I’m not someone who walks around thinking, “Let me express the metaphysical layers of urban life.” I’m thinking more like, “Hm, what if I put the lens right up against this reflective thing and see what happens?” There’s also this instinctual part of it. After shooting enough, you start noticing patterns in how you see the world. I think the “cinematic feel” is just me responding to the mood of the moment. If something feels dramatic or weird or “movie-like,” I lean into it. I don’t question it too much.

What does photography mean to you?

Photography is the closest thing I have to a mental reset button. When I’m out shooting, I’m just present. Not thinking about work, not thinking about responsibilities, not worrying about whatever nonsense is happening that week. I’ve always needed creative outlets, I played music for years, tried different forms of art, doodled, wrote, whatever but photography is different. It’s tactile. It’s immediate. You point your camera, you click, and you’ve made something. Your eyes become your instrument essentially.

What gear do you use?

I shoot mostly digital because I like the freedom of experimenting and messing up without consequences. But I also have a few old film cameras I break out occasionally. My main workhorse is a Canon R5 with a mix of RF lenses and some Sigma primes. I’m not loyal to any specific setup, I use whatever makes me excited to shoot.

Do you prefer the chaos of busy streets or quiet places?

It depends on the city. In places like New York or Vegas, chaos is the point, you’re surrounded by so many potential scenes happening all at once that it’s almost impossible to run out of ideas. You just walk and let the city do the work for you. But I also love quiet nights in small towns where I can slow down and think more about framing, light, and mood. In those environments, you’re creating atmosphere instead of reacting to it, and that’s a totally different creative challenge.

What are your favourite shooting conditions?

My ideal shooting conditions are very cold, sunny days, when people are wearing coats and the shadows are long, everything just pops on camera. The light feels cleaner, the colors feel richer, and everyone’s body language is more interesting because they’re bundled up. I do like the results you get from rainy conditions too, like the reflections, the mood but I’m not always thrilled about the actual experience of being out in the rain. I’m not a “let me get soaked for the shot” kind of dude.

How do you decide which moments to capture?

I probably have certain types of people or movements I’m subconsciously drawn to, posture, clothing, silhouettes, body language, but I try not to overthink it. The more I shoot, the less picky I become. I’d rather press the shutter and see what happens than miss something because I was being too selective. Some of my favorite images happened because I shot something half-randomly and later realized there was a tiny detail or gesture that made it special. With street work, you don’t always get time to analyze a scene. You have to trust your instinct and your reaction to whatever’s happening in front of you.

What are some of your favourite photography techniques and why?

Big fan of backlit silhouettes. Something about stripping a person down to pure shape and gesture feels powerful, almost anonymous, but expressive at the same time. It leaves room for interpretation, which I love. Reflections are my other favorites. Windows, puddles, car doors, bus stops, anything that distorts or doubles the world. You never fully know what you’re going to get until you look at the files later, and that unpredictability keeps photography fun for me. It’s like opening a present every time you review your shots.

How did you find your unique style?

I think style is something that sneaks up on you when you’re not really trying to “have” one. In the beginning, I tried all kinds of editing, all kinds of lenses, all kinds of compositions, just throwing everything at the wall to see what stuck. Over time, I noticed patterns in the photos I kept returning to. I like contrast. I like mood. I like mystery. I like scenes where the viewer feels like they’re walking into a moment rather than just looking at a picture. Eventually you start recognizing that you’re consistently framing things a certain way, shooting at certain times of day, gravitating toward certain colors and tones.

How do you see yourself genre-wise? Street? Cinematic? Documentary?

I just see myself as a dude with a camera if I’m being honest. I know that’s a lazy answer, but it’s the truth. I don’t wake up thinking, “Today I will be a cinematic street photographer.” I shoot whatever grabs my attention. If it looks interesting or weird or beautiful or moody, I point the camera and hope it turns into something cool. If other people want to label it, that’s up to them.

What do you do when you hit a creative block?

Travel solves everything. If I’m stuck or everything feels stale, I book a flight or drive somewhere new. Even three days in a totally unfamiliar place can recharge my brain. New streets, new colors, new people, new light it shakes things loose. But even without traveling, sometimes a simple change of routine helps. Different time of day. Different lens. Different direction on a walk. Creativity loves momentum, and sometimes you just need to get moving again.

What is the most challenging part of photography for you?

I would say longer focal lengths are most challenging for me. I started with an 85mm in the beginning but the more I’ve been doing this the more I leave on my 35mm. It’s hard to throw on a longer lens and do what I want to do from a framing standpoint, but I do see the benefits of compressing images. I’d like to play around with them more often but I have commitment issues and I usually revert to what's comfortable.

What does a typical shooting day look like?

Three cups of coffee. 25,000 steps. Headphones blasting. That’s the formula. I like to start early because there’s a quiet energy in the morning that feels different from the rest of the day. Then I’ll just wander and let the city guide me. By the time I get home, I’m usually exhausted in the best possible way.

What is your favourite subject to shoot?

People. Always people. Not necessarily faces, more like posture, gestures, movement, and the subtle things people do when they think nobody’s watching. Humans are endlessly interesting, even in the most mundane situations.

Do you listen to music while shooting?

Absolutely. Music helps me zone out of the noise and tap into the moment. What I listen to really depends on my mood, sometimes electronic stuff, sometimes hip-hop, sometimes ambient, sometimes rock. It sets the pace for how I walk, how fast I react, and even how I frame a scene.

Who are some photographers or artists that inspire you?

I get inspired by so many people it’s hard to narrow it down, but a few names always stand out. I love the moodiness of Todd Hido. I admire the cinematic edge of Gregory Crewdson. I also follow a ton of contemporary street photographers, people like Craig Whitehead, Alan Schaller, and Joshua K. Jackson. Outside of photography, filmmakers inspire me a lot. I’ve always loved the way Christopher Nolan uses light and shadow, and Denis Villeneuve’s sense of atmosphere is unreal. Anytime I watch one of their films, I want to go grab my camera immediately.

How do you know you have nailed the shot?

It’s a gut feeling. Sometimes you know the second you hit the shutter that something just aligned and you feel a little jolt. Other times you don’t realize you nailed it until you’re going through the files at home. If I stop scrolling and just stare at an image without analyzing it to death, that’s usually how I know it’s something special.

How important is composition?

Important, but not everything. If I had to choose between a flawless composition and a genuine moment, I’d take the moment every time. That being said, composition does help tell the story and give the photo structure. But street work is messy. Things happen fast. Sometimes you get lucky and everything lines up perfectly, and sometimes the moment is strong enough that you don’t even care about the crooked lamppost.

What advice would you give someone starting with street photography?

Shoot all day everyday. That’s the biggest thing. Learn your camera so well that you don’t have to think about the buttons anymore. Walk a lot, be patient, and stop comparing yourself to everyone on Instagram. Your eye is your voice, and it takes time to find it. Also, don’t be afraid to take “bad” photos. Some of the worst shots I’ve taken taught me the most.

How important is lighting in photography?

The word photo literally means ‘an image created by capturing light’ so yeah it’s pretty important. I don’t think need perfect light, though. Sometimes harsh light or weird light or even barely-there light can be interesting. You just have to work with what you’ve got and notice how the world changes depending on where the light hits.

Is there a genre you have not tried yet that you’d like to explore?

Yes actually, I would love to start doing more long exposure film photography in low light situations. I really enjoy the work of artists like Todd Hido and the way they capture ominous, small-town scenes especially in the winter. Someday, I’d like to do a winter long road trip across the middle of the US and make it into some sort of a series. Could be sooner than I think now that I work remotely!

Do you have any rituals before you start shooting, besides coffee, obviously?

The rest, 6 more questions of this Interview + an additional exclusive photograph selection, are for Premium subscribers only.

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Nikon Is Making A Compact Rangefinder Full-Frame Camera?

According to the latest rumours, Nikon could be working on a new compact mirrorless camera with a rangefinder-style body and built-in electronic viewfinder, potentially giving the company a direct answer to cameras like the Sony a7C II. Rumours about this camera have been circulating for the past few months, but until now, reports suggested Nikon was developing an unusually compact model without an EVF. According to new information, that may have been a misunderstanding.

The camera reportedly won’t have Nikon’s usual centrally positioned viewfinder hump. Instead, the EVF could sit in the upper-left corner of the body, similar to the layout Sony uses for the a7C series. From the front, especially at a distance, that could easily make the camera look like it does not have a viewfinder at all, which may explain the earlier reports.

If the latest information is accurate, it changes the idea behind this camera quite a bit since Nikon may now be developing a genuinely compact alternative to its more traditionally shaped Z-series cameras.

And that naturally brings the Sony a7C II into the conversation. Sony has already shown that it is possible to combine a full-frame sensor, in-body stabilisation, an EVF, and modern autofocus inside a relatively small rangefinder-style body. Nikon currently does not have a direct equivalent in its Z lineup.

One possibility is that Nikon could take some of the technology from the Z5 II and put it inside a newly designed, considerably smaller body.

There is another possibility, though. The mystery camera could instead use an APS-C sensor, effectively becoming Nikon’s answer to something like the Fujifilm X-E5. A compact DX camera with an offset EVF would certainly make sense, particularly given the popularity of smaller retro-inspired cameras.

For now, however, the full-frame theory seems more likely. Earlier rumours surrounding Nikon’s mysterious compact camera have generally pointed toward a full-frame sensor, and a rangefinder-style design would give Nikon something genuinely different within its current lineup.

There are still plenty of unknowns, including the sensor, processor, autofocus system, stabilisation, video capabilities, price, and even when Nikon might announce it. So let’s wait and see.

Photography Tip of the Week

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Photo Analysis

Welcome to the part of the Magazine Issue where we take a closer look at a photo and analyse it so that you can learn and better your own photography from it ;)

Photo by: @unseenbyjakub

Let’s Analyse this Photo

Composition & Framing

What works well:

• The architecture is obviously very important here. The curved steel beams coming from the upper left across the frame and down toward the platform, naturally pull your eye deeper into the station. They kind of create a tunneleffect around the scene.

• The railway tracks add a second set of very strong leading lines. Starting right at the left bottom of the frame, they gradually converge toward the bright background and roughly toward the man walking along the platform. So we basically have two different sets of lines -> the curves above and the tracks below -> both are leading us into the distance and the general area of our subject.

• The placment/positioning of the man is also pretty good. He is quite small yes, but because he is standing against a very bright background, his silhouette immediately pops.

• Depth is another strong part. We have the immediate platform and tracks, then the man, the repeating columns and platform structures, the big station framework above, and finally that bright, slightly hazy exterior in the distance. There are a lot of layers, but they all connect nicely 

• The repeating steel beams (as well as the tracks) are also especially good for depth because they progressively become smaller as they move farther into the station. That repetition gives you a very clear sense of scale as well.

What could be better:

• There is a lot happening around the left-centre. The vertical electrical pole, overhead cables, windows and general railway infrastructure overlap a lot, so that area becomes slightly messy compared with the simplicity of the big arches.

• The right edge is very heavy. The first (all the way on the right edge) dark structural column takes up quite a lot of space and doesn’t contribute as much as the curved beams above it. A slightly tighter crop or repositioning a bit on scene from the right could have potentially made the composition feel cleaner.

• There is also a small dark object on the platform just in front of the man (I am not 100% sure but I do think it is a pigeon). It is minor, but because the surrounding platform is relatively clean, it becomes noticeable, and to some people maybe too distracting.

Light & Atmosphere

What works well:

• The backlighting is probably one of the strongest parts. The far end of the station is very bright while the interior is in deep shadow, giving everything this really strong silhouette look.

• That contrast, as touched on before, is also why the man works despite being so small. His dark clothing is placed against a brightest area, so you notice him pretty much immediately.

• There is a slight haze outside the station which softens everything farther away. That is great for depth because the foreground remains dark and defined while the background gradually becomes lighter and less detailed.

• I also really like the little strips of light catching the edges of some of the curved steel beams. They outline their shape and make the architecture much easier to read and appreciate.

What could be better:

• The tonal contrast is very aggressive. Large parts of the right side and roof have gone almost completely black, meaning quite a lot of architectural detail disappears. The darkness suits the photo, but I think there was room to recover just a little more information without losing the mood (especially since that old Prague train station architecture is pretty iconic, but I am also very much an enthusiast, so I might be a little buyest in that regard). So yes, I would probably lift the deepest shadows very slightly while keeping the black point strong. You would not want to flatten this because the contrast is part of what makes it work, but a little more tonal information could help.

• At the opposite extreme, the background is very bright. Some of the architecture in distance becomes very washed out. A little more highlight recovery could have preserved more detail and strengthened the depth.

• Because the brightest area sits very much to the left-centre, the eye can initially be pulled toward the middle before moving across our subject.

Texture

What works well:

• There is a lot of great industrial texture throughout. The rails, sleepers, steel framework, glass, concrete platform and paving all give you something different to look at.

• The railway tracks are especially nice because the alternating highlights and shadows make the repeating sleepers very visible.

• The steel framework above also has loads of small structural details, rivets and cross-bracing that reward you when you look around the photo for longer.

What could be better:

• Again, some of that texture is lost because the shadows are so deep. The right-hand architecture in particular becomes more of a black mass than something you can actually explore.

• Also again, the brightest background goes the opposite way, with texture disappearing because everything becomes so pale. The middle tones are therefore much richer than either extreme.

Balance

What works well:

• The balance is interesting because it is not symmetrical at all, despite the architecture initially giving that impression. The left side contains the bright windows, open platform and tracks, while the right side is much darker and visually heavier.

• The man becomes important here. His small silhouette gives the right-middle area a clear point of interest and stops the architecture from completely dominating.

• The sweeping arches also distribute visual weight across the upper half very nicely. Your eye does not simply fall into one corner because those curves keep bringing you back and forth.

What could be better:

• The right side is definitely a little heavier than the left because of that big dark structural mass. It works with the dramatic mood, but I personally would not call the balance perfect.

• The left side has far more bright negative space, while the right becomes increasingly dense and black. Cropping a little from the right (or, again, slightly changing the shooting position) could have made those two sides feel more equal.

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Photographer of the Week

Photographer of the week goes to: Thomas De Franzoni

You can find him on Instagram as: @thomasdefranzoni

A few photos of his:

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