What Is Panning Photography Panning is a technique were you are trying to match your camera’s motion to someone (/something) else’s movement, with the goal of hitting that perfect moment where everything lines up, the subject’s speed, your own rotation, your shutter etc. The key thing here is relative motion. Your subject stays sharp because, for a fraction of a second, you are essentially moving with them. Meanwhile, the world behind them sort of smears into streaks because it is moving relative to you. The better you match the speed, the cleaner and sharper your subject becomes. The Technical Side Most people start with “Use a slow shutter speed,” but that is only half the story. You are controlling three KEY variables at once: Subject speed Your pivot speed Shutter speed These three have to fall into harmony. If one is off, your subject blurs. If all three align, your subject is clear with the buttery streaks in the background. A little guide on shutter speed vs subject speed: Fast-moving subjects (cars at 50–80 km/h): 1/80s–1/125s Medium subjects (cyclists, skateboards): 1/30s–1/60s Slow subjects (walkers, dogs trotting, slow joggers): 1/10s–1/25s What To Do About Autofocus Make sure to use Continuous AF Use Zone or expanded AF, not single-point, since your subject is moving you need flexibility. Turn on tracking sensitivity if your camera has it, you want it to stay locked on your subject and not jump to something in the background. Use Back-Button Focus so your AF isn’t tied to the shutter, this gives you way smoother tracking. Stabilisation: ON or OFF? This is sort of a fun one because it depends heavily on your lens. If you have a lens with panning-aware stabilisation, turn it on, it stabilises vertical shake but lets horizontal motion through. If your lens doesn’t have a panning mode, turning stabilisation off can sometimes give you better results. Bottom line → try both. Different lenses behave differently. Camera Settings

credits: Reto Reto, the company behind the blind-box Charmera, has introduced the Kodak Snapic A1, a new $99 point-and-shoot 35mm film camera. It is Reto’s first full-frame camera with a glass lens, and it adds features like auto wind/rewind and an automatic flash. The Snapic A1 is relatively compact measuring 118 × 62 × 24 mm, and it runs on two AAA batteries, which Reto says should get through about 10 rolls of 24-exposure film. Weight comes in at 117 g without film or batteries. The lens is a 25mm f/9.5, built from a three-element glass design. It uses zone focusing with just two ranges, 0.5–1.5 m and 1.5 m to infinity, relying heavily on the deep depth of field from the slow aperture. The built in flash has a guide number of about 8, and it can be used in auto mode or toggled manually, shutter speed is fixed at 1/100 s. A small display on the top plate of the camera shows battery status, focus zone, and how many frames you have left. Reto also added a multiple exposure mode, accessible through a switch on the front. It actually tops out at two exposures per frame, but it is still a rare feature for cameras in this category, and the flash can be used with it as well. The Snapic A1 comes in Rhino Grey or Ivory White and includes a strap and pouch. It is priced at $99 and is expected to start shipping in early December 2025. You can see full details and sample shots on Reto’s website here

credits: Fujifilm Back in 2022, Fujifilm kicked off its fifth generation of APS-C cameras with a new 40-megapixel X-Trans sensor and the X-Processor 5. That combo has powered most of Fujifilm’s recent bodies, including the X-E5, which arrived in early 2025, and it is still the foundation for the current lineup. By the time May 2026 rolls around, the X-H2S, the very first model of that generation, will already be four years old. The X-H2 followed a few months later in September 2022, and the X-T5 closed out the year in November. Fans of the X-T line have been waiting for news on what comes next, and it looks like there is finally something concrete to go on. According to Fujirumors (usually a solid source for Fuji info) the Fujifilm X-T6 will be announcement in the second half of 2026. That of course is not a precise date yet, but in Fujifilm’s typical release pattern, “second half” usually translates to a window between September and November. As for what the X-T6 might bring, expectations are already forming. It is widely assumed that Fujifilm will debut a new processor alongside a new or updated sensor, likely the rumoured 46-megapixel X-Trans VI. That would set the stage for the next generation of X-series bodies over the following years. Early rumours and chatter also points to around 10 stops of IBIS, new film simulations, and a price that could land near $3,000.

credits: TTArtisan TTArtisan is adding two more lenses to its Dual-Bokeh lineup, the 50mm T2.1 and 85mm T2.1, both full-frame primes built around the same dual-rendering idea introduced with the 35mm earlier this year. Like that lens, these new ones let you flip between Bubble Bokeh, with punchy, spherical highlights, and a softer, more classic bokeh look. The minimum focus distance shifts depending on which mode you are using, but both get reasonably close, about 2.1 feet (0.65 m) on the 50mm and 2 feet (0.6 m) on the 85mm. Design wise you get 0.8 MOD gears on both focus and aperture, a smooth T2.1–T22 range, and a shared 82mm front diameter so matte boxes and filters swap over easily. The housings are made from aviation-grade aluminum, and the focus throw changes between the two bokeh modes just like it does on the 35mm. On that lens, the Soft setting stretched the rotation way out to about 313°, and while TTArtisan hasn’t listed the exact numbers for the new lenses, they say the behaviour is similar, softer mode equals longer, more precise focus travel. With the 50mm and 85mm now added, TTArtisan finally has a simple three-lens full-frame set, often also referred to as the ‘holy trinity’. The lenses come in Sony E, Nikon Z, Canon RF, and L-mount, plus the 35mm version in Fujifilm X (APS-C). Both new lenses are priced at $380 each. You can see TTArtisan’s launch video on YouTube here

credits: Sony The picture of the upcoming Sony A7 V is getting clearer by the week. The biggest upgrade so far is the partially stacked 33-megapixel sensor, which should give the camera a major speed advantage over the A7 IV. Current expectations point to 30 fps shooting with the electronic shutter, 4K/60p without a crop, and improved 8-stop IBIS. The body is rumoured to follow the A7R V design with a 4-way articulating screen and an extra USB-C port replacing the old micro-USB. The one early downside is that the A7 V reportedly won’t support open-gate video. More recent leaks add several technical details that round it all out. The A7 V will reportedly maintain 14-bit RAW even at its full 30 fps burst speed, which isn’t something every camera manages at high frame rates. A pre-capture modeis also expected, as well as Composite RAW, a feature borrowed from the A9 III that stacks 4, 8, 16, or 32 images into a cleaner, higher-resolution file using Imaging Edge. Early information also points to an autofocus system capable of 60 AF calculations per second. One last detail concerns pricing, which looks to be lower than originally feared. Instead of the widely rumoured €3,500, the Sony A7 V is now expected to launch at €2,999, a €200 increase over the A7 IV’s original price but still pricey but far more reasonable than early speculation suggested.

credits: Peak Design Peak Design’s new Pro Tripod series is officially arriving in stores and online shops. In essence, the company took what people liked about the original 2019 Travel Tripod and rebuilt it into something sturdier and more suited for demanding shoots. The lineup now comes in three versions, Lite, Pro, and Pro Tall. The Lite model stays closest to the old Travel Tripod in size and usability, while the two larger versions increase in both height and load capacity. For the new tripods, Peak Design switched to a fully CNC-machined hub and added a flanged centre column for extra rigidity. The tubing is larger, too, which is what gives the Pro series roughly double the stability of the original, it now supports up to 40 pounds instead of 20. The Pro Tall extends 30% higher than the standard model. There are also some new features meant for hybrid creators. The Pro Tripods add fluid panning, which works with Peak Design’s optional pan-tilt head to give the whole system better video capability without needing a separate video tripod. The updated Pro Ball Head adds a quick-lock ARCA plate and can still be used with the center column fully stowed. All three versions of the Pro Series tripods are available now priced at $799.95 for the Pro Tripod Lite, $899.95 for the Pro Tripod, and $999.95 for the Pro Tripod Tall. You can see full details on Peak Design’s website here

credits: TTArtisans TTArtisan has expanded its AF 23mm f/1.8 APS-C lens lineup to include Sony E and Nikon Z mounts, following the Fujifilm X version released earlier this year. While the Sony and Nikon models have slightly different exterior styling, all three share the same basic footprint and optical design, a compact autofocus prime that delivers a 35mm-equivalent field of view on APS-C cameras. The lens relies on an STM stepping motor for autofocus, which should help keep focusing quick and reasonably quiet for both stills and videos. The minimum focusing distance is 300 mm (11.8 inches) and the f/1.8 aperture gives enough light for indoor work or shallow-depth-of-field shots. Inside, the optical formula is identical across all mounts, built around 11 elements in nine groups. TTArtisan includes one high-index element and two extra-low-dispersion elements, meant to manage chromatic aberrations and maintain sharpness across the frame. A nine-blade diaphragm shapes the bokeh, and the front of the lens takes standard 52mm filters, making it easy to pair with common ND or polarizing filters. The body is made from aviation-grade aluminium, and the entire lens weighs 221 grams. Each version also includes TTArtisan’s now-familiar USB-C firmware update system hidden in the rear lens cap instead of on the lens itself. The company positions it as a general-purpose lens for everyday shooting, including travel, street, and portraits. Performance expectations should be similar across all three mounts since TTArtisan kept the optical and autofocus design unchanged. The lens is available for Sony E, Nikon Z, and Fujifilm X mounts at a price of $127. You can see full details on TTArtisan’s website here

Long exposure photography records movement as blur while keeping static elements sharp. Water turns to silk, clouds streak across the sky, traffic becomes rivers of light, and stars draw perfect circles. In 2025, cameras with excellent dynamic range, reliable live-view histograms, and in-body stabilization make the technique more predictable than ever. You don’t need exotic locations—just a tripod and the willingness to wait. This guide covers every aspect of long exposure work: equipment choices, planning tools, daytime and nighttime techniques, filters, settings, composition, post-processing, and real-world examples. Follow it step by step and you’ll produce clean, professional results on your next outing. Why Long Exposure Still Matters in 2025 The effect has been possible since film days, but modern sensors, precise ND filters, and apps that calculate exposure times have removed most of the guesswork. Social platforms reward dramatic, painterly images, and the technique works equally well with landscapes, cityscapes, and minimal seascapes. You can start in your local park or on a downtown bridge. Early long exposures often teach the value of stability and light control. A 30-second exposure of a fountain can transform ordinary water into something ethereal with basic gear. Essential Gear: Build a Reliable Kit Stability and light control are non-negotiable. Cameras Suitable for Long Exposure in 2025 Any recent mirrorless or DSLR works, but these stand out: Sony A7R V: 61 MP, no low-pass filter, excellent bulb-mode metering. Nikon Z8: Stacked sensor, almost no readout delay in live view. Canon R5 Mark II: In-camera intervalometer and bulb timer up to 100 hours. Fujifilm X-T5: Film simulations look great straight out of camera. Budget option: Canon R10 or Nikon Z30 with adapted lenses. Enable Long Exposure Noise Reduction only when necessary; it doubles shooting time. Lenses Wide to normal focal lengths reduce distortion over minutes-long exposures. 16-35mm f/4: Versatile for landscapes. 24-70mm f/4: Good middle ground. Primes (20mm, 35mm) for minimal coma in night shots. Image stabilization: Turn it off on tripod to prevent drift. Tripods and Heads Weight and rigidity matter more than features. Carbon fiber legs: Gitzo Systematic, Really Right Stuff TVC-34L. Aluminum budget: Manfrotto 055 or Sirui. Head: Geared head (Manfrotto 405/410) or solid ball head with separate panning. Add a hook for hanging extra weight in wind. Filters and Holders Neutral density (ND) filters are the core tool. 6-stop (ND64): Everyday use, 1–2 minutes in daylight. 10-stop (ND1000): Classic silky water, 2–8 minutes. 15-stop (ND32000): Extreme daytime, 10–30 minutes. Brands: Lee, NiSi, Kase, Haida (all excellent in 2025). Use 100mm square systems with gasketed holders to prevent light leaks. Carry a soft cloth—fingerprints show up badly in long exposures. Remote Release and Intervalometers Wired: Simple and reliable. Wireless: Phottix, MIOPS, or built-in on high-end bodies. Phone apps: Canon Camera Connect, Nikon SnapBridge, qDSLRDashboard. Planning Tools and Timing Success starts before you leave home. Apps and Websites PhotoPills: ND timer, sun/moon position, augmented reality view. The Photographer’s Ephemeris: Shadow direction at any time. Clear Outside or Windy: Cloud movement speed. Tide apps for coastal work. Best Conditions Overcast days: Even light, no harsh shadows. Dawn/dusk: Low light reduces filter strength needed. Wind: Calm for water, moderate for cloud streaks. Daytime Long Exposure Techniques Standard Workflow Compose and level the shot. Switch to manual mode, ISO 100, f/8–f/11. Meter without filter (e.g., 1/60 s). Attach ND filter. Use app or chart to calculate new shutter speed. Switch to Bulb, use remote, time exposure. Check histogram—push right without clipping highlights. Exposure Length Guide (10-stop ND, overcast sky) Moving water: 30 s – 2 min Fast clouds: 2–6 min Very slow clouds: 8–20 min Avoiding Common Daytime Problems Light leaks: Tape holder edges. Vibration: Mirror lock-up (DSLR) or electronic shutter. Color casts: Enable Lens Profile corrections; some 15-stops cast magenta—fix in RAW. Nighttime Long Exposure Techniques Light Trails 8–30 seconds per frame. ISO 100–400, f/8–f/11. Stack later if needed for density. Star Trails 30 minutes to several hours. 25–30 s exposures stacked in StarStaX (gapless method). Or single 30–90 minute exposure with very dark site. Astro-Landscape 10–20 minutes with 6-stop ND for foreground detail under moonlight. Composition for Long Exposure Static elements anchor the image; motion provides energy. Key Principles Strong foreground (rocks, pier, road) for scale. Leading lines into the blur. Symmetrical reflections in still water. Minimal sky if clouds are static. Place horizon off-center unless perfect symmetry. Popular Subjects Seascapes: Rocks + smoothed water. Waterfalls: Misty flow. Urban: Traffic light rivers. Abandoned buildings: Cloud movement. Lakes at twilight: Mirror reflections. Camera Settings Summary Situation ISO Aperture Base Shutter (no filter) Typical Filter Final Shutter Cloudy seascape 100 f/11 1/30 s 10-stop 30 s – 4 min Sunny midday 100 f/11 1/500 s 15-stop 4–20 min Traffic trails (night) 200 f/9 n/a None 10–30 s Star trails (single) 100 f/4 n/a None 30–90 min Post-Processing Workflow Lightroom / Camera Raw Lens corrections (remove vignetting and chromatic aberration). White balance: Often cooler for water. Exposure +0.3 to +1.0 — long exposures can look dark on location. Highlights –50 to –100. Dehaze +10–25 for mood. Clarity +15–30 for midtone punch. Sharpen Amount 40, Radius 1, Masking 70. Noise reduction: Luminance 20–30 (long exposures are clean anyway). Graduated filter on sky if needed. Photoshop for Finishing Remove dust spots or airplane trails. Orthogonal correction for converging verticals. Selective color boosts (teals/oranges classic combo). Light bleed fix from filter holder. Export 16-bit TIFF if printing large. Common Problems and Fixes Blurry foreground → Check tripod legs, hang weight, use electronic shutter. Purple/magenta cast → Custom white balance or profile correction. Light leaks → Black tape on holder gaps. Overexposed highlights → Bracket and blend. Flat image → Increase local contrast with Clarity or curves. Sensor heat noise (very long exposures) → Take dark frame or enable LENR. Color banding in sky → Shoot 14-bit or 16-bit RAW. Advanced Techniques In-camera multiple exposure for cleaner stacks. Time-lapse to video conversion. Neutral density grad filters for balanced skies. Extreme exposures (30–60 minutes) with 20-stop welding glass (cheap but green cast). Holy Grail method: Day-to-night timelapses with ramping ND. Best Locations Worldwide in 2025 Iceland: Waterfalls and black sand beaches. Lofoten, Norway: Midnight sun cloud streaks. Singapore / Hong Kong: Insane city light trails. Big Sur, California: Coastal cliffs. Your local river or bridge at blue hour. Final Checklist Before You Shoot Charged batteries × 3 Empty memory cards Tripod + head Filters + holder + cloth Remote release Headlamp with red mode Weather-appropriate clothing Backup plan if wind is too strong

credits: Sirui Sirui has introduced Astra, a new line of 1.33x full-frame anamorphic lenses that come with autofocus, something we haven’t seen before in full-frame anamorphics. The lineup starts with three focal lengths, 50mm T1.8, 75mm T1.8, and 100mm T1.8. All three share the same exterior design, use 67mm front threads, and weigh between 600 and 700 grams (roughly 21–25 ounces). The lenses cover a 44mm image circle and all have 72mm outer diameters, plus dust- and drip-resistant construction. Inside, the lenses use a 1.33x squeeze, which on a full-frame sensor desqueezes to a 2.39:1 aspect ratio. Sirui also emphasises the uniform T1.8 aperture across the set, giving you a consistent look and enough light for both low-light work and shallow depth-of-field shots. Autofocus, as mentioned is a big part of the Astra pitch, the motors support smooth and reasonably quick AF for handheld or gimbal setups, but users can switch to manual focus at any time. The MF rings include marked distance scales and are compatible with follow-focus units and LiDAR setups. The lenses are available in Sony E, Nikon Z, and L-Mount, with two flare options, blue or neutral, depending on the look you want. Early-bird pricing through Kickstarter is $799 per lens or $2,399 for the full three-lens set, which also includes a custom case. Once the campaign wraps up, standard pricing will be $999 per lens or $2,999 for the set. You can see full details on Sirui’s Kickstarter website here

Photo by: @box_box_you Let’s Analyse this Image: Composition & Framing What works well: The composition is pretty solid. Everything sort of funnels you straight toward the train → the walls, the balconies, the hanging tarps, and especially the curve of the tracks with the slight shimmer. The thick, cluttered environment creates great layers depth and visual interest. Even though the space is tiny in itself, it still feels rich in therms of exploration possibilities. The little group of people on the left adds a nice sense of scale and everyday life. They make the train look even bigger and more intimidating. The whole scene has a natural tunnel effect, the buildings squeeze your view to the middle, and the tracks are the icing on the cake. What could be better: Getting down lower could have been another option. A lower POV would have made the rails feel bigger and more dramatic, and the tracks would have pulled your eye even more forcefully in (but that is just a suggestion). The composition leans slightly left-heavy with the people, lighter wall sections, and visible details all sitting on that side. The right side disappears into shadow, so it becomes the “weak” side even though it probably has interesting details we can’t really see. The train sits a little low in the frame. Bringing it up slightly could have added a bit more balance (another point that speaks for getting a bit lower). Light & Atmosphere What works well: The light is moody and fits the setting overall. It is soft, nothing harsh, and it wraps itself nicely around the alley. The train headlights are a strong element, they immediately pull you in and make the train the star of the show. The faint shimmer on the rails is great. It catches just the right amount of light, exaggerating the leading-line effect and again guiding your eye straight to the train. The atmosphere is, as noted, rich —> all the clutter, the plants, the tarps, the cables everywhere. It feels raw and interesting to see. What could be better:

credits: Sony Sony fans have been waiting patiently for weeks, and now there is finally something concrete, the upcoming Sony A7 V is getting an all-new sensor. Not just a refresh, a completely redesigned, partially stacked 33-megapixel sensor. This is the same sensor tech we have seen in cameras like the Nikon Z6 III and Panasonic S1 II, but those top out at 24 megapixels. Sony’s version bumps the resolution noticeably, which makes the A7 V the first Sony camera to use this newer architecture at that higher pixel count. The big advantage of a partially stacked sensor is speed, early info suggests the A7 V will hit 30 frames per second with the electronic shutter, a big jump from the A7 IV’s 10 fps limit. The mechanical shutter is expected to stay at 10 fps, but the boost on the electronic side puts the new model in a much more competitive position. It still doesn’t hit the Canon R6 Mark III’s 40 fps, but 30 fps is plenty for most real-world shooting, the bigger question now is what image quality will look like at those top speeds and what formats will be available at full burst rates. Dynamic range is the one area everyone will be watching closely. Partially stacked sensors haven’t always had the best reputation there, and while Panasonic squeezed a bit more out of the S1 II using its DR Boost mode, that comes with trade-offs in readout speed. Sony is working with more pixels and a brand-new design, so how the A7 V performs compared to the Z6 III and S1 II is going to be interesting to see. On the video side, at least, the camera clears an important bar, 4K/60p with no crop. Anything less at this point would have been hard to justify. Sony is expected to officially unveil the A7 V around December 2, 2025.

credits: Viltrox Nikon Z photographers now have another 85mm option, as Viltrox has brought its AF 85mm f/1.4 Pro design over from the Sony E-mount lineup. The new lens keeps the same optical layout as the E-mount model with 15 elements in 11 groups, including extra-low dispersion and high-refractive elements, along with an 11-blade aperture. The optical formula is designed to control axial chromatic aberration and maintain sharpness across the frame, while the aperture geometry produces a rounded blur profile. Autofocus is handled by the same dual HyperVCM motor setup, and the lens supports both AF and manual focus. Most core specifications remain unchanged. The minimum focusing distance stays at 0.79 m (2.6 ft) and the front of the lens uses a 77 mm filter thread. The Nikon Z version is slightly heavier at 835 g (29.5 oz), around 35 g more than the Sony version, and is about the same overall size. The build is metal, with weather sealing in the usual spots, and Viltrox kept the USB-C firmware port on the mount, which has become standard for its newer lenses. Image characteristics and general handling should match what Sony users already know, the lens keeps its internal focusing design, works smoothly with Nikon’s IBIS, and behaves like a typical fast 85mm at f/1.4. For reference, Nikon’s own lineup covers the same focal length at different levels, the Z 85mm f/1.8 S sits just below it in speed, while the Z 85mm f/1.2 S is the high-end option with much larger optics. The Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.4 Pro Z is priced at $598 (€669).