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The Latest News:
Pixii Delays New Rangefinder Camera To 2027
credits: Pixii
French manufacturer Pixii has provided an update on its next digital rangefinder camera with Leica M-mount compatibility, confirming that development is largely finished but that the camera itself will arrive later than originally planned. Instead of launching in summer 2026, the company now expects the new model to arrive sometime in 2027. According to Pixii, the delay comes down less to development problems and more to scaling production. Up until now, the company says it has largely operated like a startup, releasing new products relatively quickly, but this next camera is being developed with larger production volumes in mind.
Pixii says it is currently looking for investors, manufacturing partners, and industry collaborations to help support that expansion. The company describes the upcoming camera as a “true optical rangefinder for photographers of our time”, with particular emphasis on the optical viewfinder experience. The new model will also represent the first major body redesign in the Pixii lineup, moving away from the compact aluminium design language used across previous cameras. Early teasers suggest a redesigned top plate, while another interesting change is the apparent removal of the top LCD display found on previous models. Exactly what replaces it remains unclear, although this could suggest heavier reliance on the rangefinder, smartphone integration, or a different interface altogether.
Despite the delay, existing Pixii users are still getting updates. The company says many features originally developed for the next generation are already being rolled out to current Pixii Max and Pixii+ cameras, including a redesigned exposure system, updated highlight handling, improvements to the smartphone app, better Android support, and a revised interface. Like previous Pixii cameras, the upcoming model is still expected to keep many of the company’s core ideas intact, including Leica M-mount compatibility, built-in storage instead of memory cards, strong wireless connectivity, minimal physical controls, upgradeable hardware, and a software-focused approach where features continue evolving after release.
A New Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro Lens?
credits: Canon
Canon may be working on a revised version of the RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM, with a newly published patent application pointing toward possible changes to both the optical design and focusing system. What makes this particular patent interesting is less about the focal length itself and more about the possibility of Canon moving toward internal focusing, something that could make quite a difference when it comes to close-up work.
The patent application, published on June 2, 2026, describes several optical designs with focal lengths around 31mm, 24.5mm, and 34.8mm, each using an aperture close to f/1.85 and offering 0.5x magnification. Those specifications line up fairly closely with Canon’s existing compact macro primes, particularly the current 24mm and 35mm RF macro lenses. Reports suggest the designs use two independently moving focusing groups, which some sources interpret as Canon trying to improve areas like focus breathing, close-focus performance, and overall lens size while making the optics more suitable for video use as well.
Whether any of this turns into an actual product is still completely unclear. Patent applications often show development ideas rather than finished products. Still, speculation around a possible RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM Mark II is understandable given how popular the current lens remains thanks to its compact size, image stabilisation, and relatively versatile 1:2 macro capability. Separately, Canon also recently published another patent focused on compact zoom designs, including optical formulas resembling 20-50mm f/4 IS, 20-60mm f/4 IS, and 16-35mm f/4 IS lenses.
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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: Star Trail Photography
Linh Tran
Saidu Ismail
Photomaker Yu
Alex Steven
What is Star Trail Photography?
Star trails are the result of long exposure photography capturing the Earth's rotation. Well technically speaking, the stars are not moving, but you are. Or rather, the planet which you are standing on is spinning under the night sky, and if your shutter stays open long enough, you will catch that movement as glowing arcs/strips across the photo.
What You Need
You do not need any crazy astro photography gear, but a few things are non-negotiable:
A camera that can shoot manual + long exposures
A sturdy tripod (any movement will ruin trails)
A remote shutter or intervalometer (so you do not shake the camera when you press the button)
Extra batteries or a battery grip
Clear, dark skies (city light pollution does you no good here, so get away from the city!)
Optional but definitely very helpful → a wide-angle lens (preferably something like f/2.8)
How to Do It
1. Find a Good Spot
As I mentioned, you need to get away from city lights. Use apps like Dark Sky Finder, PhotoPills, or Stellarium to find clear skies and check the moon phase (you want a new moon or close to it).
2. Frame Your Shot
Point your camera toward the North or South celestial pole (in the Northern Hemisphere, that is near Polaris, the North Star). That is how you get the circular swirl pattern/result. If you shoot east or west, the trails will be more horizontal.
You can include something interesting in the foreground like trees, a cabin, or a mountain to anchor the composition and give your trails some context (almost always looks more interesting in my opinion).
3. Settings (for single long exposure)
If you are doing one long exposure:
Shutter speed: 15–60 minutes (yep, that long)
Aperture: f/2.8 to f/4
ISO: 100–400 (depends on how much ambient light there is)
The risk here is sensor noise or your camera overheating, especially in warm temperatures.
4. Better Option: Shoot a Time-lapse Stack
This is the smarter way. Instead of one big exposure, take hundreds of shorter exposures (like 30 seconds each) over the course of an hour or two. Then stack them later in editing.
Set your camera to:
Manual mode
Shutter speed: 20–30 seconds
Aperture: wide open
ISO: 800–1600 (depending on how dark your skies are)
Use interval shooting with no gap between shots. Your camera will keep shooting away automatically.
5. Stacking the Trails
Once you have got your photos, you can combine them using:
StarStaX (free and easy for Mac/Windows)
Photoshop (open all frames as layers and blend them with Lighten mode)
This stacking technique keeps noise low and gives you way more control over the final photo.
Extra Tips
Turn off long exposure noise reduction (it doubles the time between shots)
Watch out for planes, satellites, and light leaks
Use a lens hood to help reduce dew and side glare
Keep an eye on weather, even a few clouds can mess up a long shoot
Bring snacks. It will be a long night ;) (but it is worth it)
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