Fujifilm has received three awards from the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA). The Best Expert Compact System Camera award went to the Fujifilm X-E1, the Fujinon XF14mm f/2.8 R was named "Best Compact System Camera Prime Lens," while the Fujifilm X20 (pictured) received TIPA's Best Expert Compact Camera award.

Fuji has issued a firmware update for the Fujifilm Finepix HS50EXR super-zoom camera. According to the company, Version 1.01 incorporates the following enhancements:

1. "Operability with Eye-Fi card is improved."
2. "Disconnection of objects shown in Motion Panorama images by vertical direction shooting is improved."

Website: Fujifilm Finepix HS50EXR Firmware Update

Fuji has released a firmware update for the Fujifilm FinePix F900EXR digital compact camera. According to the company, version 1.01 incorporates the following fixes:

1. "The phenomenon is fixed that the brightness of objects in live view could change momentarily during repeating zoom-in and zoom-out."
2. "Disconnection of objects shown in Motion Panorama images taken in the vertical direction is improved."

Website: Fujifilm FinePix F900EXR Firmware Update Ver.1.01

Pentax Ricoh UK has just launched a cashback promotion across its range of digital SLRs, mirrorless and compact cameras. The cashback campaign will run from 4 May – 27 July 2013. Click through / scroll down for the list of eligible products and the amount of cashback you can claim on your purchases.

Canon has just launched its summer cashback offer in the UK. Eligible customers may claim up to £55 cashback on a range of selected products across digital SLR cameras and lenses, compact cameras, inkjet printers and camcorders. Plus, if you purchase two promotional products within the same transaction, you're eligible to claim one additional £30 bonus payment. Click through for the full list of participating products.

To celebrate National Photo Month, Pentax Ricoh Americas have announced significant savings on numerous products. The promotional offers include several price drops and consumer instant rebates on a variety of compact and interchangeable-lens cameras as well as lenses. Click through / read on for the details.

The Fujifilm Finepix JZ700 is a new 14-megapixel compact camera with a stabilised 24-192mm equivalent lens,  8fps continuous shooting (for a maximum of 8 frames) and Full HD movie capture. The body is only 18.6mm deep at the thinnest point, making the Fuji JZ700 an eminently pocketable shooter. Other highlights include a 360°Motion Panorama mode, 200fps video recording for slow-motion playback, high-speed multi-frame processing for high-dynamic-range imaging and a number of advanced filter effects. Pricing and availability have yet to be communicated.

Nikon has issued a firmware update for the Nikon Coolpix P7700 digital compact camera. Version 1.1 incorporates the following modifications and fixes:

Display accuracy for the virtual horizon has been increased according to the direction in which the camera is pointed.

The interval between shots with uninterrupted shooting when Auto bracketing is set to Exposure bracketing has been reduced.

An issue that prevented shutter speeds slower than one second for the second and subsequent shots when shooting with Auto bracketing set to Exposure bracketing has been resolved.

Website: Nikon P7700 Firmware Update 1.1

Fujifilm has posted a firmware update for the Fujifilm X100S large-sensor compact camera. Version 1.02 fixes a bug related to the brightness of the shooting frame within the optical viewfinder. In Fuji's words, "the phenomenon is fixed that the brightness of the OVF bright frame doesn’t change according to a surrounding brightness in case of ISO 1600 and higher." You can download the firmware update from the website below.

Website: Fuji X100S Firmware Update Ver.1.02

Want to see exactly what the new Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50 travel-zoom compact camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50 compact camera, including a side-by-side comparison with the HX300 and WX300 models, and with the optional electronic viewfinder fitted.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50 is the World’s smallest camera with a 30x zoom lens. In addition to the 24-720mm lens, the new Sony HX50 travel-zoom also boasts a 20.4-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor, ISO range of 80-12,800, full P/A/S/M  manual controls, built-in wi-fi connectivity, and Full HD (50p) movie recording capability. The HX50 has a dial to adjust exposure compensation plus a mode dial for other manual shooting settings, a Multi Interface Shoe for attaching a compatible electronic viewfinder, flash or microphone, and a Multi Terminal for using a remote controller. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50 will be available in the UK from May 2013 priced at around £350.

Sigma UK is offering a special cashback programme for all SIGMA SD/DP camera users. Anyone who owns a Sigma SD9, SD10, SD14, SD15 or SD1 digital SLR or any Sigma SD series digital compact camera can receive up to £300 cashback when they purchase a new Sigma Merrill model. The promotion is valid on new Sigma camera purchases imported via Sigma UK, and applies to all purchases made up to 16 June 2013 from a UK retailer. The offer is only available to residents of the  United Kingdom, aged 18 years or over.

Want to see exactly what the new Panasonic Lumix LF1 digital compact camera looks like in the flesh? We have compiled a gallery of hands-on photos for your perusal.

The Panasonic Lumix LF1 is a surprisingly lightweight 12.1-megapixel compact camera with a 28-200mm (eq.) f/2.0-5.9 lens, integrated 0.2" electronic viewfinder, 3" rear display, multi-functional Control Ring and Wi-Fi/NFC connectivity. After a first initial setup, NFC compatibility lets you turn on Wi-Fi with a simple tap of a compatible smartphone or tablet, so no more fiddling with menus or passwords. The Control Ring at the base of the lens barrel makes it easy to manually control aperture, shutter speed and zoom. Other highlights include an ISO range of 80-12800, 10fps burst shooting, Power O.I.S. and level gauge functions, 15 Creative Control effects - of which 13 can also be applied to panorama shots taken in the Panasonic LF1's Creative Panorama mode - and Full HD 1920x1080 50i video recording with a choice of AVCHD Progressive and MP4 outputs. The Panasonic Lumix LF1 camera will be available from mid-June at an RRP of £379.

Panasonic has posted a firmware update for its Lumix TZ40 (a.k.a. ZS30) and TZ41 digital compact cameras. According to the company, version 1.1 improves GPS signal acquisition and geotagging accuracy. You can download the firmware upgrade from the website below.

Website: Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ40/TZ41/ZS30 Firmware Update Service

Panasonic has released a firmware update for the Panasonic Lumix FT5 digital compact camera. According to the company, version 1.1 improves GPS signal acquisition and geotagging accuracy. You can download the firmware upgrade from the website below.

Website: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT5/TS5 Firmware Update Service

Pentax Ricoh have released half a dozen high-resolution sample photos taken with the new, large-sensor Ricoh GR digital compact camera. All of these official Ricoh GR sample pictures were captured at the camera’s base sensitivity setting of ISO 100/21°, at f-stops ranging from f/2.8 to f/8. According to the data provided on the Pentax Ricoh website, they were all shot raw and developed in-camera. You can download the full-resolution Ricoh GR samples from the website below.

Website: Pentax Ricoh Japan - Ricoh GR Sample Photos

With the high-end digital compact market expanding at an exponential rate (up by over 160%), Ricoh have decided to come back and reclaim their crown as the kings of prosumer cameras. But the competition is ferocious with the big guys on the battlefield, such as Canon and Nikon. We went to see Ricoh to have a chat about the new GR and see what tricks it has up its sleeve. With an SRP of £599.99, the GR will be available around May 2013 and in black.

Want to see exactly what the new premium Ricoh GR compact camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Ricoh GR compact camera, which features a 16.2 megapixel APS-C CMOS image sensor with no anti-aliasing filter and a 28mm f/2.8 lens.

Pentax Ricoh has announced a new Ricoh branded “expert” digital compact camera, called simply the GR. Developed as a successor to the GR Digital IV, the new GR inherits the product concept of the GR Digital series while upgrading the basic specifications and functions of its predecessor. Thanks to the combination of an APS-C-size CMOS image sensor (with approximately 16.2 effective megapixels and no anti-aliasing filter) and a newly designed 18.3mm (28mm eq.) f/2.8 lens, the camera boasts high image resolution, gradation-rich colour reproduction and improved image quality. By coupling the large image sensor with the newly developed GR ENGINE V imaging engine, the GR offers high-sensitivity shooting at up to ISO 25600/45°.  It also offers a range of user-assisting features, including in-body raw data development and focus assist to facilitate manual focusing. The GR will be available from May 2013 at an RRP of £599.99. An add-on viewfinder will be offered as an optional accessory, for £222.99.