We were given the opportunity to test a production version of the Leica X1 at the German manufacturer's Mayfair store in the heart of London earlier today, and to share the full-resolution images with you. There are 50 JPEG photos taken indoors and outdoors in our Leica X1 gallery, plus 15 RAW files in the Adobe DNG file format.

We got all hands-on today with the new Leica X1 compact camera at Leica’s main retail store in central Mayfair, London. The Leica X1 boasts a 12.2 megapixel sensor and 24mm f/2.8 lens. Click through for an extensive gallery of photos of the Leica X1, including side-by-side comparisons with the Olympus E-PL1 and Samsung NX10 cameras.

Now’s your chance to test the quality of a Canon Pixma Printer using your own photo. Through Canon UK’s ‘Your Print’ programme, you can see the results before you buy. All you need to do is upload your image to the ‘Your Print’, choose a printer, and receive a free print in the post. You can choose from the following Canon Pixma printers: MP990, iX4000, MP640, MP550, MP560, iP3600, iP4700, MX860, MP490, MP250, MP270, iP1900, iP2600, MX320 and MX330. The programme runs until 30 May 2010.

Website: Your Print

General Imaging has announced that the countdown is on to win one of only four exclusive autographed ‘Create by Jason Wu,’ digital cameras. Create is an exclusive line of digital cameras resulting from the unique collaboration between General Imaging, the company behind GE branded digital cameras, and Jason Wu, the 27-year-old designer who has claimed the international fashion spotlight, dressing celebrities like Drew Barrymore, Diane Kruger and Natalie Portman. Visit the website below and sign-up to be one of the first to get a glimpse of this new collection of unique GE digital cameras styled by Jason Wu.

Website: General Imaging

Discovery Channel’s Life, the 11-part follow up to Planet Earth - the most successful natural history documentary of all time - will launch on Sunday, featuring amazing cinematography. While Planet Earth told the story of the natural world through the framework of our planet’s ecosystems and regions, Life takes viewers on a more intimate journey as they’re introduced to different animal and plant groups, using the latest in HD filming techniques to show jaw-dropping behaviours that you may never have witnessed before. Click through / read on for behind-the-scenes vignettes and previews from the first two episodes.

John Freeman Photours has just launched its website. A company specialising in luxury photography holidays and workshops, John Freeman Photours employs award-winning photographers as tutors. The website has been designed to help visitors get a feel for the photography courses offered by the company, plus detailed course agendas and biographies of the photographers who have been hand-picked to teach the courses. The website is image-led, with bold, colourful shots taken by John Freeman over his 40-year photographic career.

Website: John Freeman Photours

Fujifilm has posted firmware updates to a number of their new digital cameras. Version 1.02 improves colour reproduction in the live view feed and in movies captured, the aspect ratio of HD movies has been optimised for displaying on both the cameras’ LCD screens and HDTVs, and for the S2500HD / S2600HD, the aspect ratio of HD movies through the cameras’ HDMI terminal has also been optimised for displaying on HDTV.

Website: Fujifilm Firmware Update

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP3 is a new ultra-slim camera with touch-screen technology that won't break the bank. Featuring a clever 4x folded-optics zoom lens and large 3 inch touch screen LCD, the 14 megapixel Panasonic FP3 could be your for just £179 / $230. Gavin Stoker discovers if Panasonic have delivered a winning combination of features and value for money in our Lumix DMC-FP3 review.

Pro photographer and Nikon user Uzair Kharawala explains how he dealt with the extreme cold when shooting a wedding and the Northern Lights in the Arctic.

Brighton-based Silicon Beach Training has launched a photography competition centred on the theme “My Home Town”. The winning photographer can choose from Silicon Beach Training’s one- or two-day training courses. Entrants can simply upload their photograph directly to the competition’s Flickr group pool. The submission deadline is 21 May. As always, we suggest that you read the rules before entering your work.

Website: My Home Town

Wearable Inc. today announced that AirStash, the first wireless SD card reader for Wi-Fi enbaled devices, is now available. “It’s the first flash drive that shares and streams files directly and securely over WiFi, and the only flash drive which works with Apple’s new tablet [i.e. the iPad],” said Matthew Klapman, Wearable’s CEO. Measuring just 3.6 x 1.9 x 0.5 inches (92 x 47.8 x 12.2 mm) and weighing just 1.5 oz (43 g), AirStash is powered by a built-in lithium-polymer battery. New features and enhanced device compatibility can be provided by firmware updates downloaded from the Internet. AirStash is available now for $99.99 at the website below (US and Canada only).

Website: AirStash

Digital Anarchy today announced a free update to its ToonIt! Photo plugin for Apple Aperture. ToonIt! automatically takes photos and gives them a variety of cartoon and illustrated looks. Version 2.5 is now fully compatible with the 64-bit mode introduced by Apple’s Aperture 3, while still supporting 32-bit architectures and Aperture 2. ToonIt! Photo 2.5 for Aperture is regularly priced at $129, but will be on sale for $99 until 26 March 2010. A separate version for use Photoshop and Elements is on sale for $129, normally $159.

Forty-nine photo editors from respected picture-desks in twenty-six different countries will judge the Red Bull Illume competition this year. 4,337 photographers from 112 countries registered to the competition website and 22,764 images were submitted to the competition before the February 28 deadline. This is more than three times the amount entered into the 2007 Image Quest. The jury has the challenging task of selecting the best 50 images from 10 categories. For a complete list of jurors, see the press release below.

The Photographers’ Gallery will host an exhibition of the works of photography graduates from across the United Kingdom. Twenty-nine photographers have now been selected by a panel of photography experts to have their work exhibited at the exhibition entitled, “Fresh Faced & Wild Eyed 2010”. The selected photographers have graduated from courses across the UK, including University of the Arts London, Swansea Metropolitan University and UCCA Farnham and demonstrate the quality and range of new photography practice. The exhibition kicks off on 14 May and runs through 6 June 2010.

GigaPan has just introduced the Epic Pro, a robotic camera mount that empowers DSLR cameras to take thousands of photos that can be combined for one highly detailed image. Based on technology employed by NASA’s Mars Rover, the GigaPan Epic Pro joins the newly designed EPIC and EPIC 100 in the series. Strong enough to hold a camera and lens combination of up to 10 lbs, the Epic Pro enables users to capture enormous panoramas with crisp, vivid detail, the company says. Priced at $895, the GigaPan Epic Pro will be available from April.

Following on from their highly successful exhibition Landscape Beyond at London’s OXO Gallery in 2008, David Ward and Anna Booth have again joined forces for an exhibition of new work, entitled Intimations.  The title reflects the artists’ belief that abstract images have the power to transcend mere description, the power to allude to objects and places beyond the frame and the ability to evoke emotional responses in the viewer. Intimations will run from 31 March to 11 April 2010. The OXO Gallery$ is open from 11am to 6pm daily, Admission is free.

WD today introduced its new 1 terabyte and 750 gigabyte capacity My Passport SE for Mac portable USB drives. These ultra-portable 1 TB and 750 GB My Passport SE drives are easy to carry because they are USB-powered and do not need an external power adapter. Available now at WD’s online store, WD’s My Passport SE for Mac portable drives feature 256-bit hardware encryption for an extra level of security. MSRP is $199.99 for the 1TB portable drive and $179.99 for the 750GB model.

Website: Western Digital

Canon has released the much-anticipated fimware update for the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, which brings 24 and 25fps movie recording to this DSLR camera. Version 2.0.3 also adds a function for manually enhancing the sound recording level, Tv and Av exposure modes for video recording and a histogram display for movies, plus changes the audio sampling frequency to 48 kilohertz, and fixes a bug.

Website: Canon EOS 5D Mark II Firmware 2.0.3

Leica has released a firmware update for the Leica M9 interchangeable-lens digital rangefinder camera. Version 1.116 removes a magenta cast seen in the left half of the frame when certain wide-angle lenses - including the 18mm f/3.8 ASPH; the 21mm f/2.8 ASPH; the 24mm f/3.8 ASPH; the 28mm f/2 ASPH and the 28mm f/2.8 ASPH - are used, introduces an ISO-dependent vignetting correction feature, improves image quality in thumbnail display, speeds up the SD card formatting process, and fixes bugs.

Website: Leica M9 downloads for registered owners

A hands-on preview of a Pentax 645D beta unit is now available. Posted by Japanese website DC Watch, the Pentax 645D hands-on preview focusses on the camera’s exterior, lens compatibility, comparative size, menus and a few key features including the virtual horizon and interactive status screen. For heaps of product shots and screen grabs, head to the website below.

Website: Pentax 645D Hands-On Preview at DC Watch

Via Rice High