DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY NEWS FROM ePHOTOzine

© Sigma

 

Sigma has officially launched the AF Cine 28-105mm T3 FF, the second lens in its autofocus cinema line. The new model is designed to merge the optical performance of Sigma’s Art series with professional-grade cinema mechanics, offering filmmakers a versatile tool for modern production.

 

Features

• Advanced optical design: Built on the foundation of Sigma’s 28–105mm F2.8 DG DN | Art, the lens delivers high resolution, smooth bokeh, and minimal flare or ghosting across its focal range.
• Cinema-ready mechanics: Includes industry-standard 0.8M pitch gears, a clickless aperture ring, and a limited-rotation focus ring for precise control during filming.
• High-performance autofocus: Powered by Sigma’s High-response Linear Actuator (HLA), the lens ensures near-silent operation and dependable tracking, making it suitable for fast-paced action, gimbal work, and documentary shooting.

 

© Sigma

 

Price and Availability

The Sigma AF Cine 28–105mm T3 FF will retail at £2799. It will be available in Sony E-mount and L-Mount versions starting April 16, 2026. Product specifications may be subject to change prior to release.
 

For more information, visit Sigma’s official website.

 

The well known saying: 'Keep it simple stupid' is well known for a reason – it works. Yes, there are times when lots of compositional elements do work but by creating an almost 'empty' space, you can actually create a stronger image.

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1. Why Does It Work?

By cutting out clutter, other people etc. you remove potential distractions and it'll be easier for the viewer of your image to understand what / who your main focus is in the shot and what you're trying to say.
 

2. Subject Choice

 

Just because you're keeping things simple it doesn't mean it has to be boring. Actually, with this technique, you have to work hard to do the opposite and find a strong subject that can stand up on its own. This becomes even more relevant when you're using a large amount of space so your subject only takes up a small amount of the frame.

Also, rather than thinking about what to include in your frame, think the opposite and look for items you can remove.
 

Here are a few ways you can achieve a minimalist look to your shots:

  3. Blurry Backgrounds

 

An obvious way to make your subject stand out is to adjust your aperture so everything in the background is thrown out of focus. You can find more tips on how to do this here: Creative Aperture / Depth Of Field

  4. Plain Backgrounds

Studio backgrounds and other material can be used to hide distracting objects inside and while you're out, use plain walls, fences or if you're shooting small subjects such as flowers, try taking your own backgrounds with you. On the subject of flowers, you can lower your angle so you're shooting up at the flower with the sky as your background which can give you a minimalist-style shot. White backgrounds are an obvious choice but don't think you can't use some bold, strong colour too (as we'll explain further down the page).

 

5. Play With Colour

 

If your subject and background contrast your subject will stand out from the shot. You can do this with colour (bright, strong colours work well) or light, using a brighter subject against a darker background and vice versa. Just make sure there are no 'hot spots' which will pull the viewer's eye away.

Also, having a strong colour filling your background that's the same as your subject can work in some situations or try producing black & white shots which rely on strong subjects and textures to make them interesting. You could even use shapes and colour as your subject, creating a strong composition that fills your frame in the process. 

6. Space To Breath

When used right, adding space to a shot can work just as well as cropping in close. To find out why sometimes it's what you leave out of your images that makes them great, read our tutorial: How To Use Negative Space In Your Photos

 

7. Crop Out Objects

An easy way to remove objects that are at the edge of your frame is to use your zoom to crop them out. You can also use editing software such as Photoshop to crop your images and we have a detailed tutorial on how to use this tool here: Introduction To Photoshop's Crop Tool

If you find the distracting objects are too close to your subject to crop out, you could use the Clone Stamp Tool to remove them. You can also remove distracting backgrounds and replace them with plain ones in Photoshop, too.

 

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© Sigma

 

Sigma has released the 35mm F1.4 DG II | Art, a large-aperture wide-angle lens for full-frame cameras. This new evolution of the popular 35mm focal length focuses on delivering superior resolution while significantly reducing physical size and weight.

The lens uses a new optical construction consisting of 15 elements in 12 groups. This includes four high precision aspherical elements and two SLD glass elements to fix color fringing and distortions. To improve clarity in difficult lighting, Sigma introduced an Advanced Amorphous Coating (AAC) that minimizes ghosting and flare.

 

Key Features

• Enhanced Optics: 15 elements in 12 groups for edge to edge sharpness.
• Compact Design: 20% lighter and 14% shorter than the previous model.
• Advanced Coating: New AAC technology reduces reflections and flare.
• Fast Autofocus: Dual HLA motors provide quick and quiet focusing.
• Video Ready: Minimized focus breathing and a de-clickable aperture ring.
• Durability: Dust and splash resistant body with a water repellent front coating.

 

© Sigma

 

Price and Availability

The Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG II Art has a Suggested Retail Price (SRP) of £849. It will be available for purchase starting April 16, 2026. The lens is compatible with the following camera mounts:

• L-Mount
• Sony E-mount

For more information, please visit the Sigma website.

© Sigma

 

Sigma officially unveiled the 15mm F1.4 DC | Contemporary, a large-aperture wide-angle prime designed for APS-C mirrorless cameras. Set for a March 12, 2026 release, the lens achieved a rare balance of professional F1.4 brightness in a body approximately 50% lighter than its predecessor.

By utilizing a sophisticated optical path with FLD and SLD glass elements, Sigma refined the lens to a mere 220g and 64.8mm in length. This palm-sized footprint made it an ideal companion for gimbal work, travel photography, and high-quality video production.

 

Features

• Compact and lightweight: Measures just 64.8mm in length and weighs 220g (Sony E-mount version), making it approximately 30% shorter and 50% lighter than the Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary.
• Large F1.4 aperture: Delivers professional brightness and smooth circular bokeh, ideal for low-light shooting and creative depth of field.
• High optical performance: Incorporates FLD, SLD, and aspherical elements to ensure edge-to-edge sharpness and suppress sagittal coma flare, perfect for astrophotography and landscapes.
• Video-friendly design: Equipped with a quiet stepping motor for fast, precise autofocus and minimal focus breathing, enabling natural focus pulls.
• Durability: A dust and splash resistant build combined with a water and oil repellent front coating makes it reliable for outdoor use.
• Expanded lineup: Strengthens Sigma’s APS-C F1.4 DC series, now covering ultra-wide to mid-telephoto focal lengths for unrestricted creative expression.

 

© Sigma

 

Price and Availability

The 15mm F1.4 DC | Contemporary represented a high-value entry into Sigma’s expanding F1.4 lineup, which now spans from ultra-wide to mid-telephoto.

• Suggested Retail Price (SRP): £449
• Available Mounts: Sony E-mount, Canon RF Mount, and FUJIFILM X Mount
• Release Date: March 12, 2026

With this launch, Sigma reinforced the idea that APS-C users could achieve unrestricted creative expression without the typical bulk of large-aperture glass.

For more details, please visit the Sigma website. Read our full review of this lens here.

 

Flash can give images that extra bit of 'pop' they need and many cameras feature several flash modes for you to pick from so we're going to talk through the various modes available and how they work. 

 

Automatic

This is where the camera will use the flash when it detects low light levels. You don't have to tell the camera you want to use the flash, it will fire on its own.

  Flash On

This is when you tell the camera to fire the flash, regardless of the available light. It can be handy when shooting outdoors when there may be darker shadowed areas but generally the lighting is good.

  Flash Off

This turns the flash off completely. It's used when available light levels are sufficient or when shooting in areas where flash photography isn't allowed.

  Red-Eye Reduction

Red-eye is usually caused when shooting with a camera that has a built-in flash and it makes the eyes look like they have a demonic red glow. By using red-eye reduction, the flash fires several times just before the actual photo is taken. By doing this, the pupils contract and it is less likely you'll have red-eye appearing in the photograph. Do warn your subject before you fire the flash though as it can make them look like a startled deer in headlights if not.

 

Fill-In/Forced Flash

Fill-in Flash is weaker than regular flash but is strong enough to add light to darker areas of the image such as shadows. It's useful for situations when the subject needs illuminating but the background doesn't, such as the images here:

 

Slow Sync

Slow sync flash tells your camera to use a slow shutter speed and to fire the flash. This means your subject will be sharp but you'll still have some light in the background of your shot. In other words, it records the background and then illuminates the subject with flash to balance the exposure between the two areas. It's a good mode to use when shooting portraits at night although a tripod or steady support may be necessary to keep the background sharp.
 

Front Curtain Sync

This mode tells your camera to fire the flash at the start of the exposure then the shutter will remain open, continuing to record the ambient light.
 

Rear Curtain Sync

Rear-curtain sync tells your camera to fire the flash just before the photograph is finished exposing. This creates a long trail but a nice, crisp shot of your subject. Rear-curtain sync is great for adding impact to an action shot as when your subject moves through the scene they'll blur but the pop of flash at the end will leave them crisp and sharp.
 

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