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The Latest News:
Sigma Announced New Lenses
credits: Sigma
Sigma has officially announced two new fast prime lenses, the 15mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary for APS-C mirrorless cameras and the full-frame 35mm f/1.4 DG II Art. Let us take a look at the 15mm first. For Sony E-mount, it measures about 64.8mm long and weighs roughly 220 grams, which makes it much lighter than Sigma’s older 16mm f/1.4. The optical design uses 11 elements in 13 groups with a 9-blade diaphragm, and it takes 58mm filters. It will be offered for Sony E, Canon RF (APS-C), and Fujifilm X mounts.
That fast f/1.4 aperture should make the 15mm useful for low-light shooting, astrophotography, and video work where you want a wide field of view without having to crank up ISO. Sigma also says focus breathing has been kept to a minimum, which matters if you are pulling focus on video and do not want the framing to shift.
The 35mm f/1.4 DG II Art is a refresh of one of Sigma’s most popular full-frame lenses. It uses a 12-element, 15-group optical design with an 11-blade diaphragm and dual HLA linear motors for fast autofocus. Weight wise, it comes in at about 525 grams, and the lens will be available for Sony E-mount and L-mount. Minimum focus distance is 28cm, giving a maximum magnification of 1:5.4 for tighter shots. The 15mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary will go on sale March 12 for $579, while the 35mm f/1.4 DG II Art follows on April 16 at $1,059. A closer look at both new lenses will follow in this week’s Sunday magazine issue ;)
The Latest Canon EOS R3 Mark II Rumours
credits: Canon
Unconfirmed reports about a Canon EOS R3 Mark II are making the rounds again, this time sparked by speculation tied to images from a Canon Professional Services room at the Milan Winter Olympics. A photo shared by Olympic photographer Jeff Cable showed shelf labels that some people interpreted as references to unreleased gear, specifically a possible successor to the EOS R3. Since then, the story has largely snowballed, even though there is still very little concrete evidence that a new flagship sports camera is actually on the way.
Most of the rumoured specifications come from a Weibo account called “Camera Beta,” which has a mixed track record when it comes to accuracy. According to that source, the R3 Mark II would use a back-illuminated stacked CMOS sensor with a switchable dual native resolution. 54 megapixels for maximum detail or 24 megapixels for speed and low-light shooting. That setup would supposedly allow continuous shooting at around 40 fps at full resolution or up to 90 fps at the lower setting. The same post also mentions “Triple Native ISO,” pixel binning for better sensitivity, and a Quad Pixel CMOS AF system capable of phase detection in multiple directions across the entire sensor.
Not everyone is buying it though. Canon Rumors editor Craig Blair says none of his contacts have heard anything about such a camera and believes the rumours may be based on a misunderstanding. Even the mysterious shelf label “FV120” is thought to refer simply to firmware version 1.2.0 for the EOS R1 rather than a secret product code. While a dual-resolution sensor is not out of the question (Leica already offers selectable resolutions in some cameras) there is currently no solid proof that Canon is preparing an EOS R3 Mark II with these kinds of specs, so do not get your hopes up too much.
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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: Slow Shutter (after Titarenko)
Phil Penman
Kriv Itsky
Ernest Gharzaryan
Slow Shutter Speed Technique (After Alexey Titarenko)
This technique is inspired by the work of legendary photographer Alexey Titarenko, known for his haunting long-exposure photos of people (often crowds) that dissolve into ghost-like forms while the architecture around them remains solid. Up top I included some photos from other photographers recreating his technique, if you want to see the real thing however (highly recommended) you can visit Titarenko’s website here.
The idea behind the technique is actually pretty simple → You use a very slow shutter speed so moving people smear together or become transparent silhouettes, while anything stationary remains sharp.
Titarenko used this approach to convey atmosphere, history, and especially collective movement → for example (what I mean by this) he often used this technique at metro stations during rush hour.
What Makes This Different From Normal Long Exposure
Lots of long exposures blur motion, but this style has a very specific look
Stationary elements remain clean
Moving people become layered ghosts
Motion accumulates rather than it creating streaks
Repeated foot traffic builds up a density (again, I highly recommend checking out his actual work)
How to Shoot in This Style
STEP 1: Find the Right Scene
The location matters more than almost anything else.
Look for places where:
People move through the frame continuously
Architecture is strong and stable
There are natural paths or flow lines (the idea is to find a spot where people get naturally ‘funnelled’)
The background tells a story (not technically necessary, but its a ‘nice to have’)
Some good location examples, many of which Titarenko used:
Public squares, subways or metro entrances, staircases, bridges, markets (→ you want movement that repeats)
STEP 2: Lock the Camera Down
Sharp stationary elements are crucial
Use a sturdy tripod
Turn off stabilization
Avoid touching the camera during exposure
Use a remote or self-timer if you have that
STEP 3: Slow the Shutter Dramatically
You can experiment, but a typical range is:
5–30 seconds for moderate ghosting
30 seconds–2 minutes for very dense crowd textures
→ try lots of variations and see what works for you!
STEP 4: Let the Crowd Do the Work
After you set everything up, let the people do the work for you.
Wait for steady movement
Avoid large groups standing still in one spot (again, make sure to pic your location carefully)
Look for repeated paths (stairs, entrances, as mentioned are perfect), because people walking through the same space again and again creates that effect.
STEP 5: Compose for the Flow
You want to leave space for people to enter and exit the frame + you want to anchor the photo with strong static elements (Titarenko often used hand rails)
STEP 6: Time the Exposure
Start the exposure when the movement feels balanced and fluid. Do not stress about perfect timing, part of the look comes from a bit of unpredictability (and it will give your shot some character).
Camera Settings (Just A Starting Point)
Shutter: 10s – 2 min
Aperture: f/8 – f/16
ISO: 100
Focus: Manual
Tripod: Essential
Editing in the Titarenko Style
Keep it subtle and restrained.
A few things to focus on:
Contrast between ‘ghosts’ and architecture
Deep blacks for atmosphere
Gentle highlight control
Often black & white conversion (Colour can work of course, but monochrome is simply the way to go for this specific ‘Titarenko style’.)
A little grain can actually enhance the atmosphere if you use it carefully
Try it out and have fun ;)
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