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The Latest News:

The New Pergear 12mm f/2 Mark II

Pergear has just dropped a new version of its 12mm f/2 lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras, and it’s a lightweight upgrade. Weighing only 230 grams, it’s made from aluminum alloy but still delivers sharp, wide-angle shots. On most APS-C cameras, it works like an 18mm lens, making it perfect for landscapes, architecture, and even night sky photos. The bright f/2 aperture handles low light well, but since it’s manual focus, it’s not the best for action or candid portraits.

You can focus as close as 18cm, though it’s not a macro lens. Its design includes special glass to reduce distortion and keep edges sharp, and the 10-blade aperture gives nice, smooth bokeh. One downside: the aperture ring clicks, so it’s not great for video. At $169, it’s available now for Canon RF, Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon Z, and Sony E mounts.

Godox V100 On-Camera Flash

The Godox V100, a new on-camera flash that’s more powerful than its V1 and V1 Pro siblings, packing 100 watt-seconds of output instead of 76. It’s made for Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, and Sony cameras, and features TTL metering, a huge 2.3-inch touchscreen, and power control from 1/1 to 1/256.

This flash is built for speed, working with global shutter cameras like the Sony a9 III and handling shutter speeds up to 1/80,000s. It can fire 70-100 full-power flashes in a row, recycle in as little as 0.8 seconds with an optional external pack, and includes a detachable subflash for creative dual-light setups. Preorder Is available for $349—release date is TBD.

The EU Finally Makes USB-C Mandatory

Over the weekend, the EU officially made USB-C the law of the land for portable electronics. As of December 28, all smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, and more sold in the EU must have USB-C charging ports. This new rule is meant to cut down on e-waste and save households an estimated €250 million annually by eliminating the need for extra chargers.

Laptops will need to comply starting in April 2026, but the biggest shake-up hits Apple. Any iPhones sold in the EU after December 2024 must have USB-C ports, meaning models with Lightning ports, like the iPhone 14 and SE, are already disappearing from Apple stores in Europe. Newer models like the iPhone 15 and 16 are USB-C ready, so Apple’s ahead of the curve—for now.

Something you should not miss

AI is something that most photographers/creatives see critically, and for absolutely good reason. HOWEVER the fact at the end of the day is that there sadly is no stopping AI, so the best thing you can do is learn how to use AI to your own advantage, whether that be with helping you with daily tasks, writing, editing, your day-job etc.

This is where the ‘‘AI Tool Report’’ Newsletter comes in, a Newsletter that I personally read and enjoy, definitely check it out, highly recommended ⬇️

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Photographer Spotlight

Discover amazing photographers

This week in the Spotlight:

Utsav Chatterjee

You can find him on Instagram as: @utsavc_

A few photos of his:

Weekly Photo Analysis

Welcome to a new addition to the magazine: the weekly 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 weeks photo by: Karl Vincent Corpuz

You can find him on Instagram as: @krlvcz

Let’s Analyse this Image:

Composition

Positives:

• The subject is placed slightly off-center, which makes the image more interesting and draws attention naturally. It's a good use of the rule of thirds.

• The street and sidewalk act as leading lines, guiding your eyes right to the person.

• The layers in the shot—snowy road, street signs, and the buildings in the background—give the photo depth, which adds a lot to the overall feel.

• The streetlights, signs, and trees naturally frame the scene without overpowering the subject.

Negatives:

• There’s a bit too much going on in the background with all the signs and details, which can feel cluttered and take focus away from the subject.

• The pole and traffic light overlap a bit with the subject, which makes the silhouette feel less clear and sharp.

Lighting

Positives:

• The mix of streetlights and traffic signals creates a nice contrast between warm and cold tones, which makes the photo visually engaging.

• The falling snow softens the light and creates a cozy texture, which fits the mood perfectly.

• The reflective vest really pops, catching the light and making the subject stand out against the darker street.

Negatives:

• Some of the streetlights are overexposed, which pulls attention away from the subject.

• The background lighting doesn’t completely separate the subject from the surroundings, which could make them stand out more.

Atmosphere

Positives:

• The snowfall adds motion and texture, making the image feel alive. It also nails that cold, quiet winter-night vibe.

• There’s an emotional tone here—something about the solitude of the person walking feels introspective and relatable.

Negatives:

• The mood is strong, but the overall message might feel a little generic without more focus on the subject or action happening.

Color Palette

Positives:

• The cool blues and whites perfectly capture the chill of a snowy night.

• The red traffic lights and orange safety vest add just the right amount of warmth and contrast to keep things visually interesting.

Negatives:

• While the cool tones are effective, they dominate a bit too much, making the background feel a little flat. Some subtle tweaks to balance this might help.

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