šø The Magazine For Photographers
A New Sunday means a brand new Issue of my Magazine. Another wonderful one enjoy the read :)
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In this Issue
The Artra Lab Similar 35mm f/1.4
Artra Lab, a relatively new player in the lens market based out of Hong Kong, is back with another release thatās bound to turn heads. After their not-so-subtle Nikkor-inspired lens grabbed attention a few months ago, theyāve now dropped the Similar 35mm f/1.4āa rangefinder lens that looks remarkably similar to the legendary Leica Summilux Steel Rim 35mm f/1.4.
This lens has been in the works for two years, and Artra Lab has gone all out to make it a solid contender. Itās made from CNC-machined unibody aluminum, which they claim gives it top-notch durability, perfect alignment, and a minimalist design thatās hard to ignore. At just 200 grams (a little over 7 ounces) and 33 millimeters long (about 1.3 inches), itās both lightweight and compact, making it a great option for those who donāt want to lug around heavy gear.
If the design reminds you of Leicaās iconic Steel Rim lens, youāre not wrong. The Similar lens is nearly identical in weight and size. The biggest difference, though, is the price. Leicaās version will set you back a cool $4,095, while Artra Labās offering starts at a much more wallet-friendly $530 for early buyers. Even after the early bird pricing ends, itāll only go up slightly to $555.
Optically, Artra Lab didnāt stray far from the Leica formula. The Similar lens uses seven elements in five groups, just like its more expensive counterpart, and features 10 aperture blades for creamy bokeh. It also edges out the Leica in one area: focusing distance. The Similar can focus as close as 0.8 meters (31.5 inches), compared to Leicaās 1 meter (39.4 inches). Granted, neither lens is meant for macro photography, but that little extra bit of closeness might come in handy.
According to Artra Lab, the lens is crafted with precision and uses high-quality glass to minimize distortions and aberrations, promising sharp images with excellent contrast and color. Theyāve clearly leaned into the idea of paying homage to classics, and while they donāt explicitly call out Leicaās Steel Rim by name, itās obvious where they took their cues from. Even the name āSimilarā is a cheeky nod to its inspiration.
Image credits: Artra Lab
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Interview with Nina Nayko
This weeks interview with Nina Nayko a very talented photographer. Her photography/editing style is one of a kind.
You can find her on Instagram as: @nina.nayko
Enjoy the amazing Interview ;)
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Nini Kachakhidze, but I go as Nina Nayko as my nickname. Iām 24 yr old photographer and content creator. I was born in Tbilisi, Georgia. The inspiration for my photography is my city and my country. I love capturing every detail of it, as it has beautiful nature, culture, various architecture and of course a very unique atmosphere.
How did you get into photography?
My vision was always āāstrongāā since childhood, I always noticed and found beautiful things in my surroundings and I wanted everyone else to see it. When I was 13, my father got me a tablet which could take photos, so I started capturing details I appreciated daily, and then showed it to my friends and shared them online. I quickly fell in love with taking photos, editing them and sharing it to others, and thatās how my journey began.
What role does composition play in your photos?
Composition is the most important part of my photography, as no matter how you color it, you canāt fix an unstable, unbalanced image. As a photographer, with the details I see around me ā I see compositions everywhere, if I think a certain detail is interesting, I wonāt really take a photo if I donāt see it as a good composition. Second most important is the color grading, which really helps me transfer the feelings Iāve felt in the moment of taking a photo - through a flat image.
What do you think sets your work apart from others in the industry?
I simply love what I do and it shows, the ideology of my photography was to always share it to others, let them see how I see the world, and teach them to appreciate the details around them. My photography is firstly for me, and for others as well. Iām staying true to myself meanwhile following the trends and keeping in mind what audience likes. So I think the connection of my art and the general audience is what keeps my work special.
How do you stay inspired and motivated to continue creating new and unique photographs?
The urge to take photos is already in my blood. I need that in my life, so wherever I go, my camera comes with me. My country is my inspiration, as itās so interesting on every step, each walk is something new to explore and photograph, itās hard to stay uninspired, but making content is different, you always have to push yourself to be consistent as that is a job, think about what audience enjoys, think about stats and numbers, which can be exhausting. But luckily the support Iām receiving from people is always enough to make me feel motivated whenever I feel down.
What are some of the most important qualities for a great photographer to have, in your opinion?
I think itās all about taste and love for taking photos, without the love and interest you canāt be a great photographer, if you feel nothing when you take photos, it wonāt turn out good. Photography is super subjective, but I know how to rate things objectively, some people have an amazing eye for compositions, but they put Instagram filters over their photos, or just make objectively terrible choices for editing. It is not because of the lack of editing knowledge, when I first started out, I knew nothing about it, but as I look back at my very first photos ā theyāre done with taste, tons of mistakes, but still with a vision and a specific taste.
What gear do you use?
I use canon 6D mark ii for photography and my animated photos. I use canon 24-70mm 2.8 lens as it gives me lots of flexibility. I also use canon 75-300mm f4.5-5.6, the cheapest telephoto lens I could find, Iāve been using it for 5 years and it is always fun to use as it has a great zoom.
What is your editing software of choice and how much time do you spend editing?
I use adobe photoshop and premiere pro. Sometimes I spent 5 minutes on a photo, sometimes 30 minutes, and sometimes days, depends on the complexity, the mood. Video editing and content preparation takes much longer, hours and days, my computer is a little slow so it takes longer than it should.
What does photography mean to you?
Photography is an art of observation, it taught me to see much more, think big. A regular person in a beautiful scene sees just the beauty, I see the compositions within that beauty, so I get the positive energy from those compositions. Even if Iām not carrying the camera, I still look for the details that will make me and my eyes happy. Photography is mostly a positive energy - happiness to me.
What are your thoughts on AI in photography?
The rest, 5 more questions, of this Interview are for Premium subscribers only.
A 0.03-Megapixel Pixless Camera?
The Pixless camera, now live on Kickstarter, is a fun throwback to the lo-fi magic of the Nintendo Game Boy Camera. Designed by Italian photographer Carlo Andreini, it takes photography back to basics, capturing tiny, pixelated images with just 0.03 megapixels. Andreiniās goal? To remind us that photography isnāt about chasing megapixels but about capturing unique perspectives.
The Pixless camera is all about embracing the āless is moreā philosophyāturned up to eleven. Its pixel art-inspired photos have a retro charm, perfect for those who love the low-fi aesthetic. This isnāt a new idea; the Game Boy Camera, with its 0.014-megapixel grayscale images, still has a cult following. People have used it for everything from music videos to motorsports photography, proving thereās plenty of creativity in limited tools.
While the Pixless borrows from the Game Boy Cameraās vibe, it adds its own spin. It shoots slightly higher-res 256 x 128 images in up to 64 colors. The camera processes photos line by line to save memory, enlarges each pixel into an 8x8 block for that chunky look, and saves everything as PNG files for better quality.
The current prototype (version 3.0) has a 3D-printed body with a 35mm equivalent f/2.4 lens and a tiny monochrome OLED screen on the back for framing shots. Despite its retro feel, the tech inside is pretty clever. Andreini modified a modern image sensor to create the signature pixelation. The camera is small (about the size of a credit card), lightweight, and powered by a battery that lasts up to six hours.
Andreini is also working on extra features, like manual controls for ISO and shutter speed, digital cropping to adjust focal length, and even a full-color viewfinder. Right now, itās all about keeping things simple and fun.
The Kickstarter campaign has already smashed its goal, raising over $39,000 (way past the $15,000 target). Backers can grab one for around $73, with deliveries expected in April. If youāre into retro vibes and the art of simplicity, the Pixless could be your next favorite toy.
Image credits: Pixless Camera, Carlo Andreini
Photo Analysis
Welcome to the new 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: jg_travels
Letās Analyse this Photo
Composition
Whatās great:
The use of the raindrops on the window as a foreground element is beautiful. It creates a sense of depth and adds a textured, atmospheric quality to the image.
The blurred person walking with the umbrella provides a subtle focal point and hints at a story, leaving room for interpretation.
The composition balances the foreground (raindrops) and background (street and figure) really well, creating layers.
What could be better:
The subject (the figure with the umbrella) is a bit too blurry, which makes it harder to identify them as the focal point. While the abstraction works to an extent, more clarity could help anchor the image.
Some areas in the background, like the dark sections, feel a bit heavy and distract from the overall balance.
Lighting
Whatās great:
The soft, diffused lighting caused by the overcast weather is perfect for a mood like this. It adds to the calm, introspective feel of the shot.
The reflections and highlights on the raindrops are well captured, adding visual interest and emphasizing texture.
What could be better:
The lighting in the background feels slightly flat, making some parts of the scene (like the person) blend into the surroundings. A bit more contrast or separation would help bring out key elements.
Focus and Sharpness
Whatās great:
The sharpness of the raindrops is spot-on and works well as the main element of the foreground. They immediately grab your attention.
The contrast between the sharp raindrops and the blurry background adds to the dreamy, rainy-day vibe.
What could be better:
The figure in the background is perhaps too out of focus. While the intention might have been to emphasise the raindrops, the subject fades away a little
Color Palette
Whatās great:
The muted tones of the scene match the rainy-day mood perfectly. The soft blues, grays, and hints of warmer colors in the background create a nice balance.
The subtle pop of color from the umbrella and surrounding buildings adds a bit of vibrancy without overpowering the scene.
What could be better:
The color palette is cohesive but leans a bit too muted. Enhancing certain colors slightly (like the blue jeans or umbrella) could make the image more engaging.
Artistic Intent
Whatās great:
The choice to shoot through a wet window adds a unique, personal perspectiveāit feels like the viewer is experiencing the scene firsthand.
Photography Tip of the Week
The weekly photography tip is only accessible to Premium Subscribers of The Magazine For Photographers.
Photographer of the Week
Photographer of the week goes to: Jonathan Varjabedian
You can find him on Instagram as: @jvwanderlens
A few of his images:
Donāt forget to check out the advertisement up top ā¬ļø
ProGradeās New Thunderbolt 4 Hub for better Photo Workflow
ProGrade Digital has introduced the PG20 Pro Thunderbolt 4 Hub, a high-speed, professional-grade hub designed to streamline workflows with speeds up to 40 Gb/s. Itās built to pair perfectly with ProGradeās magnetic peripherals, like their card readers, and includes thoughtful features to keep workspaces neat and organized.
The hub is equipped with a Thunderbolt 4/USB4 upstream port that provides 85 watts of charging power, three Thunderbolt 4/USB4 downstream ports with 15-watt power output each, and a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port for added versatility.
What sets the PG20 apart is its design. The top features a raised edge that acts as a magnetic cradle, perfectly sized for ProGradeās card readers. It also integrates seamlessly with other ProGrade devices like the PG10.5 and Pro Mini SSD. To keep things tidy, the hub has a magnetic base and comes with an adhesive metal plate, so it can be mounted securely on any work surface.
ProGradeās CEO, Wes Brewer, explained that the PG20 was designed with professionals in mind. "While Thunderbolt 4 hubs are everywhere, weāve focused on how professionals use our card readers. The magnetic base lets users mix and match devices while keeping their workspace clean.ā With its three downstream Thunderbolt ports, the hub supports two card readers and still leaves one port open for other peripherals, like ProGradeās PG10 Professional SSD.
The hub ships with a Thunderbolt 4-certified high-speed cable and is compatible with ProGradeās short six-inch cables, sold separately. Itās priced at $169.99.
Image credits: ProGrade
The Rest of this Issue is for Premium Subscribers
