Artensoft has announced Tilt Shift Generator, a Windows program that allows users to simulate the tilt effect achievable with a tilt-shift lens. The application uses a special algorithm to blur specific areas of the image by the right amount, and provides a number of control options and settings to achieve the desired effect. Tilt Shift Generator licences are available from $49.95 through the website below.

Nikon has released a new version of its Capture Control Pro software. Camera Control Pro allows the user to remotely control a camera from a computer using either a wired connection or a wireless connection if using a Nikon Wireless Transmitter with the camera. Version 2.10.0 adds support for the Nikon D4 digital SLR camera and its special features, and adds ‘Movie’ as a separate camera control tab. Additionally, the Macintosh version gains MacOS X 10.4 and 10.7 support. You can download the software update from the website below.

Website: Nikon Europe

The Pentax Image Transmitter is a new software application for transferring images taken with the Pentax 645D to a computer. It’s also possible to record the images simultaneously on an SD memory card installed in the camera and release the shutter using the computer. The Pentax Image Transmitter will be available on CD-ROM for £249.99.

Map-A-Pic for Android has been updated to include a new feature called Public Pictures. “With the Map-A-Pic location scouting app, you can remember every great place you come across, so you can return to it later,” the developers say. The app allows users to keep a database of their favourite locations, along with their pictures, notes and tags. The new Public Pictures feature, powered by Panoramio, lets you see the pictures taken by other people at any given place (where available). Map-A-Pic Location Scout is available as a free download from the Android Market.

Topaz Labs have just released Topaz Star Effects, a Photoshop plug-in that manipulates and enhances light sources to create radiant lighting and star effects. “With an advanced detection algorithm powering Star Effects, we have developed a simple and intuitive way to recognize hundreds of light sources at once, along with the choice to selectively amplify sources,” says Dr. He Yang, Senior Software Designer at Topaz Labs. “Star Effects has the most comprehensive tool set available, allowing for users to create both natural, accurate renditions or more dramatic, graphic effects.“The program is $29.99, with a trial version available for free.

Digital Anarchy has recently released version 5.1 of its Primatte Event plug-in for Apple Aperture 3.0 and higher. Primatte Event is designed primarily for photographers who work in high-volume or live environments, and often process thousands of green screen images for events, little league and school portraits. This release adds the ability to use Primatte Event in a live green screen photoshoot utilising Aperture’s tethering and batch capabilities, and also includes a number of improvements to existing features. “Our new Primatte Event plug-in was designed specifically for Aperture, and opens new possibilities for photographers who shoot a lot of green screen images,” said Jim Tierney, President of Digital Anarchy. “The tethering and batch features in Aperture make productivity and output much easier, and allow us to offer features that we can’t do in Photoshop.” Primatte Event 5.1 is regularly priced at USD $299, and is on sale for $199 through 1st February.

DxO Labs have released DxO Optics Pro v7.2 for Mac and Windows. Today’s update adds support for four new (and not-so-new) cameras, including the Canon S100 and the Panasonic G1, G2, and GF3 models, and includes a tool that allows users to import all their projects and image processing information from DxO Optics Pro 6, and to integrate them into DxO Optics Pro 7 by merging both databases. DxO Optics Pro for Windows and Mac is available in the DxO Labs online boutique and at photo resellers at a special discount price good through 31st January:

Zwijndrecht-based Galarina has released GeoLogTag 4.0, a major update to their geotagging app for iOS devices. Featuring the ability to continuously track the user’s location just like a traditional GPS data logger, version 4.0 adds geotagging of iPad and Google+ photos. Locations recorded with an iPhone are seamlessly used by the iPad app via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Another new option is to import a GPX track file via Mail, Dropbox or any other file management app. GeoLogTag 4.0 is available on iTunes for $4.99.

AFP has launched ‘Eye on a New Century,’ the first in a series of photography apps for the Apple iPad. The app features 130 photos from the past 12, alongside commentary from the photographers. Also released today is ‘Rugby 2011,’ another AFP app, which celebrates the best of last November’s Rugby World Cup through the lenses of Agence France-Presse’s award-winning photographers. Future “AFP Photo Books” applications will be devoted to highlights of current events and key personalities. AFP also plans a number of other photo apps on the environment, faith rituals and traditions.

Website developer Idan Shechter has announced an update to CameraSize.com. Designed to help users visually compare different cameras in terms of size, CameraSize.com allows them to view each camera from different angles and directions, alongside its competitors. The new “Compact Camera Meter” widget lets you sort cameras by height, width, depth or weight, change the orientation of all cameras in a single click, change the size of the images so you can view more cameras onscreen etc. Click through / scroll down for a video demonstrating the capabilities of the Web app.

Lodz-based Lucky Clan has released Top Camera 3.5 for iOS, which adds a number of new features. Top Camera supports operation in both portrait and landscape orientations, includes iTunes File Sharing, and saves images to its internal Gallery, the iOS Photo Library, or both. Novelties in Version 3.5 includes focus and exposure lock and a new “send feedback” button, as well as a few bug fixes. The app is available on iTunes for $2.99.

Smile2Shoot is an iPhone app that offers face and smile detection technologies. The program’s developers claim that Smile2Shoot Camera provides better self-portraits than the on-board camera app. Once a picture is taken, the software applies any necessary improvements such as redeye reduction, exposure and skin tone corrections. The photo can then be shared with friends and family via Facebook and Twitter. Version 1.1. promises improved image quality and adds iPhone 4S support. Smile2Shoot is available as a free download from the iTunes App Store.

Photodex has released Version 5 of ProShow Producer and ProShow Gold. The new version includes more than 300 updates including a redesigned user interface as well as some major new features. These include 3D tilt effects, GPU acceleration, SmugMug integration, an updated wizard, new slide styles and transitions, and more. ProShow 5 is available now for $69.95 (ProShow Gold) and $249.95 (ProShow Producer) from the website below.

Adva Soft has released AntiCrop for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad users. Now available on iTunes, AntiCrop uses intelligent content-aware filling algorithms and innovative image straightening techniques that promise no apparent loss of resolution or quality when rotating or expanding a photo. Created by the developers of TouchRetouch, AntiCrop sells for $0.99. According to Adva Soft, an Android version is also in the making.

Akvis has released version 1.5 of Refocus, an application that improves the sharpness of out-of-focus images. Version 1.5 adds support for raw files, new ready-to-use presets, a list of Recent Files, a new colour scheme for the Hints panel, and the possibility to use the OS file dialog to load/save files. The Mac version additionally improves compatiblity with OS X Lion. This is a free upgrade to registered users of Akvis Refocus.

Hamburg, Germany-based codeSTREAM has just released Timelapse Video Recorder, an iOS app that enables users to create time-lapse videos at up to 1080p resolution. Offering a clean, non-cluttered interface to simply adjust settings like video length and speed up factor, Timelapse Video Recorder is available on iTunes for $0.99.

Corel has released version 12.1 of Corel Painter. The update offers new brush sharing and management options, workspace management, and Photoshop plug-in support, along with the enhanced Live Brush Stroke Preview that now enables artists to quickly view and select brush attributes on the fly. Version 12.1 is a free upgrade for owners of Corel Painter 12, and can be downloaded from Corel’s website.

Adobe says it will offer special introductory upgrade pricing on Creative Suite 6 to customers who own CS3 or CS4. “This offer will be available from the time CS6 is released until December 31, 2012,” the company announced in a statement. “More details on this offer, as well as any introductory offers for existing customers to move to Creative Cloud membership, will be announced when CS6 and Creative Cloud are released later this year.”

Blurb has announced a further collaboration with Adobe Systems, with the integration of bookmaking into the public beta of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4. This provides users with the tools directly within Lightroom 4 to create professional-quality photography books, coupled with a direct link to Blurb.com for printing, marketing and distribution. This integration with Lightroom is the second bookmaking solution Blurb has created for Adobe customers, joining the plug-in for Adobe InDesign, which launched in 2011.

King Camera for iOS has been updated to version 2.5.1. This update adds in-app Instagram support, 2 times faster thumbnail generation on non-Retina display devices, and a few bug fixes. King Camera can be downloaded from iTunes free of charge.