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The Latest News:

Schneider Kreuznach × LK Samyang Lens Is Almost Here

A while ago Schneider Kreuznach and LK Samyang have teamed up to drop something pretty special for Sony shooters: a 14-24mm f/2.8 lens that’s compact, lightweight, and—get this—it actually lets you use front filters. That might sound small, but for a 14-24mm zoom on Sony E-mount, it’s a first. Most ultra-wides this wide need bulky filter systems or don’t support them at all, so landscape and city shooters should be paying attention.

The lens is set to be officially announced on April 22 (later today) and is expected to land at around $1,000. It’s only 445g and measures just under 9cm long, so it won’t take up much space in your bag either. But what really makes it stand out (besides the filter support) is how close you can get to your subject—just 18cm.

This is a collaboration that blends Schneider’s legendary German optics with Samyang’s modern manufacturing, so expectations are high. It’s clearly aimed at creatives who want pro-level performance in a compact, travel-friendly package.

Sigma Announces Shortages

Sigma has got a bit of a supply problem on its hands as they announced. The new Sigma BF full-frame mirrorless camera and the refreshed Sigma I Series lenses have both racked up way more pre-orders than expected ahead of their April 24 release. So many, in fact, that Sigma’s production lines can’t keep up.

If you were hoping to get your hands on one of these right away, you might have to wait a bit. Sigma says they’re working overtime to ramp up production, but some delays are unavoidable. The company put out a formal apology, thanking customers for their support and asking for patience while they catch up.

It’s not just the BF camera either—three updated I Series lenses are also in short supply. Sigma didn’t specify which models, but they’re part of a pretty popular lineup already, and demand clearly shot up after the refresh was announced. So yeah, if you’re one of the many who jumped on the preorder train, hang tight. Your gear’s coming—just maybe not on day one.

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Weekly Photo Technique Exploration

Welcome to a new section of the magazine where every week we will explore a new photography technique from across various photography genres.

This week’s technique: Smoke Art Photography

What is smoke art photography?

It’s exactly what it sounds like—you take pictures of smoke. But not just any smoke. Usually it’s from something like incense because it burns clean and gives you that nice, steady stream to work with. The real magic is in how the smoke twists and curls around on its own, giving you totally random (and super cool) shapes. And then you light it just right, snap the photo, and maybe throw in a bit of editing, and suddenly you’ve got something that looks like a ghost, a dragon, or some trippy abstract art.

What you need

Nothing too fancy here:

• A black background (could be cloth, cardboard, anything that soaks up light)

• Incense sticks (cheap, easy to find, smell kinda nice too)

• A tripod (so you’re not chasing focus every time the smoke moves)

• An off-camera flash or strong directional light (side lighting works best)

• Your camera, obviously—ideally something you can set manually

How to set it up

You’ll want a dark room or at least a setup where you can control the light. Set the incense in front of your black background. Your flash or light should come from the side so the smoke lights up nicely without ruining the dark backdrop.

Focus manually where the smoke rises, then just… wait. As soon as the smoke starts doing its thing, start snapping. You can wave your hand gently near the incense to make the smoke dance a bit. It’s all about timing—some of the shapes are boring, but others? Total magic.

Settings-wise, try something like 1/200 sec, f/8, ISO 100, and adjust as needed.

Editing is where the real fun starts

Once you’ve got your shots, now it’s time to play.

• You can invert the image if you want white smoke on a black background.

• Or add colour to the smoke trails—gradient overlays or manual colouring can make them pop.

• Mirror your image to make cool symmetrical shapes. A simple flip can make your smoke look like a butterfly, mask, or some kind of fantasy creature..

Why you should give it a shot

It’s cheap, it’s fun, and it’s weirdly relaxing. You don’t need to go anywhere special or have any fancy gear. Just a room, a bit of incense, and some time to mess around. And the best part? No two shots will ever be the same. You’ll end up with a bunch of unique, trippy images that look way more complicated than they were to make.

The Rest of this Issue is for Premium Subscribers

The Premium Version of this Magazine is now on a ‘‘Pay What you Want’’ model. Meaning you get to decide the price.