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The Latest News:
Sigma’s New 12mm f/1.4 DC Lens
credits: Sigma
Sigma has added another fast APS-C prime to its lineup with the new 12mm f/1.4 DC | Contemporary. It’s now the widest autofocus f/1.4 prime available for mirrorless cameras in this format, giving photographers and videographers an ultra-wide option that’s still compact. The lens measures under 7cm in length, weighs 225g, and takes standard 62mm filters, so it’s a pretty small package considering how wide and fast it is.
The lens comes in Sony E, Fujifilm X, and Canon RF mounts, giving roughly an 18mm field of view on Sony and Fuji bodies and about 19mm on Canon APS-C cameras. Sigma has tailored the design a bit depending on the mount: the Sony and Fuji versions include both a manual aperture ring and a wide focus ring, while the Canon RF version instead gets Canon’s familiar control ring. All three have weather sealing and a coating on the front element to help keep out water and smudges. Autofocus is designed to be quick and quiet, and Sigma has worked to reduce focus breathing.
Inside, the optical design packs 14 elements in 12 groups, including aspherical and SLD glass to keep distortion and aberrations under control. Sigma also points to reduced sagittal coma flare, which is especially important for astrophotography. The lens can focus down to 17.2cm and it is designed to stay sharp even when shot wide open. The new 12mm f/1.4 DC | Contemporary will be available in early September for $629.
You can see full details on Sigma’s website here
Hasselblad’s Press Release Was Leaked
leaked pictures (upscaled)
A leaked press release has given us an early look at Hasselblad’s long rumoured X2D II 100C medium format camera and the XCD 35–100mm f/2.8–4 zoom lens. The new camera still carries a 100MP medium format sensor but adds some big upgrades, including true end-to-end HDR for better highlight retention and richer tones. Autofocus gets a major step up too, with continuous AF (a first for Hasselblad), 425 PDAF points, LiDAR assist, and an AF illuminator to help in dim light. The in-body stabilisation has also been reworked, now promising up to 10 stops of correction.
Design-wise, the X2D II 100C is a bit more refined than its predecessor. It’s slightly lighter, comes in a new graphite-grey finish, and features a redesigned grip. The rear screen is a brighter 3.6-inch OLED that tilts, and Hasselblad has added a 5D joystick and customizable controls to speed up handling. Storage shouldn’t be an issue either, with 1TB of built-in SSD space plus a CFexpress Type B slot for expansion. On the software side, Phocus Mobile 2 has been updated so you can edit, process HDR RAW files, and even remotely control the camera straight from an iPhone or iPad.
Alongside the camera, Hasselblad introduced the XCD 35–100mm f/2.8–4, a versatile standard zoom that covers a 28–76mm full-frame equivalent range. Inside are 16 elements in 13 groups, including three aspherical and five ED elements, to keep things sharp across the frame. Autofocus is driven by the fastest stepping motor in the XCD lineup, and as with other Hasselblad lenses, there’s a built-in leaf shutter that syncs with flash at up to 1/4000s. The X2D II 100C will launch at $7,399, with the zoom lens priced at $4,599.
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Photo Analysis
Welcome to a new addition to the magazine: the photo analysis, where I will analyse a photo and talk about the composition, lighting what’s positive, what’s negative etc. so that you can learn and better your own photography from it ;)
This week’s photo by: Sam
You can find him on Instagram as: @losttog
Let’s Analyse this Image:
Light & Atmosphere
What works well:
The soft, overcast light works really well here. It keeps everything evenly lit without harsh shadows, which is important for the reflection because it allows the puddle to stay very clean and readable.
The dome still has a good amount of contrast against the grey sky. It stands out, but it doesn’t blow out into white, so you still see all the detail in the stonework.
The darker tones around the edges of the frame act like a natural vignette, pulling your attention straight to the dome where it should be.
What could be better:
The sky is very flat, which isn’t unusual on a grey day, but even a little more detail brought out in post could add something extra to the background. Right now, it’s just a big white space.
The shadows on the right-hand building are really heavy. You lose a lot of the architecture there, and I think lifting them slightly would help show off more texture without distracting from the dome. Also this very dark shadow creates imbalance and the image starts leading to the right (the dark shadow is heavy).
The parked cars at the base of the dome are a bit of a distraction. Obviously, you can’t control that when shooting in the street, but darkening them a little in post would stop them from catching the eye.
Composition & Framing
What works well:
The low perspective is a great choice. Shooting from ground level gives you the puddle reflection, which makes the image far more interesting than just a straight shot of the dome.
The yellow line on the road is really effective as a leading line. It pulls your eye straight from the puddle reflection up to the real dome, tying both halves of the frame together.
The symmetry works well too. The dome is framed neatly between the buildings, so it feels intentional rather than accidental.
The reflection itself is sharp and clear, so it almost feels like you’ve got two domes stacked on top of each other.
What could be better:
The foreground is very dominant. The lines and puddle exaggerate the leading effect nicely, but they do start to overwhelm the composition a little. It makes the lower half feel heavier than the top. Tilting the camera up slightly or not getting quite so low to the ground might have balanced that better, but as always this could come at the cost of decreasing the effectiveness of the leading lines.
Emotion & Story
What works well:
The mood here is very quiet, it is obviously just after rain, and the street feels empty and still. That calmness suits the scene well.
The reflection adds a special touch. It feels like you see a different version of this very famous landmark (although to be fair these reflection shots are becoming more common).
It’s a very “London” scene: grey sky, wet street, and the iconic dome, which also gives you an immediate sense of location.
What could be better:
The scene is a little too still/lifeless. Having a passerby, maybe someone with an umbrella, would add a bit of life and movement to the scene. And actually, if you look closely, on the right side of the side walk (opposite to the cars) you can actually notice a couple walking. However they are absolutely hidden in the shadows so that you really cannot see them. Lifting up the shadows there could help.
At the moment, it leans more toward being a strong architectural photo. A subtle human element would give the shot more of a story to connect to.
Colour & Tone
What works well:
This sort of selective colour works nicely. The yellow lines stand out against the otherwise muted, monochrome palette, and that contrast gives the frame its energy and visual interest.
The overall tonality suits the weather, it’s soft and controlled, with enough contrast to hold detail without being harsh.
The reflection carries the tones well; nothing feels muddy, and the image reads clearly top to bottom.
What could be better:
The yellow line is maybe a little too strong. It works as a leading element, but it does pull a bit of attention away from the dome. A small desaturation could balance things better.
The stone greys are quite cool. Warming them slightly would give the dome more presence and stop it from blending too much into the sky and even ‘‘mirror’’ the warmth of the yellow leading line.
The midtones on the right-hand modern/glass building feel a little flat. Adding some local contrast would give it more structure and help balance the older architecture on the left.
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