The Olympus VR-310 is a very affordable travel-zoom camera with a 10x, 24-240mm lens and a 14 megapixel sensor. Other key features of the Olympus VR-310 include a 3 inch screen, 720p HD video and a 1cm super macro mode. Priced at £129.99 / $179.99, is the VR-310 just too cheap to be any good? Read our in-depth Olympus VR-310 review to find out...

The Samsung ST96 is a 14 megapixel compact camera with a wide-angle 5x zoom lens and a BSI CMOS sensor, claimed to be twice as sensitive as conventional sensors and therefore better for low-light photography. Priced at £179.99 / $199.99, the ST96 also offers Full 1080p HD video and fast 10fps burst shooting. Read our Samsung ST96 review complete with full-sized sample photos and video...

The Nikon Coolpix S6150 is a new point-and-shoot compact camera, featuring a 7x, 28-196mm lens and a 16 megapixel CCD sensor. The S6150 also offers a 3 inch touch-screen LCD, 720p HD movies and a range of special effects. Read our in-depth Nikon Coolpix S6150 review now.

Serif PhotoPlus X5 is an affordable photo editor and manager for Windows. You can use PhotoPlus X5 to edit, enhance, and organise your images and perform advanced tasks like editing Raw files and HDR image merging. Is Serif PhotoPlus X5 a viable alternative to Adobe Photoshop Elements and Corel Paint Shop Pro? Read our Serif PhotoPlus X5 review to find out...

Spider Holster has started shipping its Spider Holster Black Widow Kit, which offers a comfortable and secure carrying solution for entry-level DSLRs and other small cameras. The kit costs $65.99 and includes the heavy-duty resin and stainless-steel Black Widow Holster unit and all the basic accessories, such as the Black Widow Belt and just updated Black Widow Pad. Offering a comfortable and secure carrying solution that ensures quick-draw access for entry-level DSLRs, camcorders and compact cameras; the Black Widow Camera Holster secures the camera firmly to the photographer’s hip and eliminates the neck, shoulder and back strain caused by cameras dangling from traditional neck straps or shoulder bags.

NightCap is a photography app that extends the maximum exposure time of the iPhone camera to a full second. “Capturing quality images with NightCap is very straightforward as it features a simple automatic mode,” the developers say. “The camera adjusts exposure and focus automatically, and will use the flash if needed. In low light it automatically uses longer exposures.” The app also offers a manual mode in which you can turn the flash off and set the exposure time anywhere from 1/20th to 1 second. Available on iTunes, NightCap sells for $0.99.

The Walter RX Leica M rangefinder astigmatism rotating eyepiece incorporates a special dioptre correction lens, and allows people suffering from astigmatism to use Leica rangefinder cameras more easily and effectively. Priced at $479, the Walter RX Leica M astigmatism eyepiece allows users to put their eye up close to the eyepiece and see the full frame including all frame lines in the viewfinder, For more information, visit the website below.

Website: Walter RX Leica M Rangefinder Astigmatism Rotating Eyepiece

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars have launched a photo contest on their Facebook page in association with British photographer Rankin. It allows entrants to upload a photograph they’ve taken, inspired by the legendary Spirit of Ecstasy figure – the statue which adorns the front of every Rolls-Royce car. Rankin himself, who has produced 100 unique images inspired by the figure (including the photograph above), will choose the winning image. The winner will receive special prizes from Rolls-Royce and a framed print of their winning photo. Additionally, the image may be used in Rolls Royce materials.

Website: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars on Facebook

The AF-S DX Nikkor 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR is a standard zoom lens that can be used with cropped DX Nikon DSLR cameras. Originally launched alongside the D90 and now bundled with the D7000 and D5100 DSLRs, read our Nikon AF-S Nikkor 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Review to find out if it makes the ideal first lens.

The lucky winner of a fantastic Sony Ericsson Xperia arc S smartphone, courtesy of Sony Ericsson and Photography Blog, is Georgina Bean.

We’ve teamed up with Sony Ericsson to give away an Xperia arc S smartphone and a live dock to one lucky winner.

The Xperia™ arc S at a glance:
- Super fast 1.4 GHz processor
- 3D and 2D sweep panorama photography
- 8.1 MP camera with Exmor R™ for mobile image sensor
- 4.2“ Reality display with Mobile BRAVIA® Engine
- Latest Android™ platform Gingerbread 2.3

This competition closed on 19/12/2011.

Sigma Corporation of America has announced the winner of its “Dear Sigma” contest.  Participants were required fill out an entry form and draft a “Dear Sigma” letter describing what Sigma products they’re dreaming of this holiday season. The company today revealed that Brandon Bethea, of San Diego, California, will receive three Sigma lenses totaling nearly $2,500 as a result of his “Dear Sigma” contest entry, titled “Better to Give than Receive.” Bethea founded Fin Forward, a shark-diving project for cancer survivors, and said he plans to use the 50mm F2.8 macro, 8-16mm F4-5.6 wide angle (pictured), and 20mm F1.8 wide angle lenses to photograph his upcoming 2012 Mayan Shark Odyssey to raise awareness about cancer and shark conservation.

Kenro has announced the UK launch of a new Nissin ring flash, the MF18 Macro Flash. The Nissin MF18 boasts an impressively high (for a macro flash, that is) guide number of 16 in metres at ISO 100/21°, and an ability to adjust its output down to 1/1024 power in Fine Macro mode. Available with either a Canon or Nikon fit, the Nissin MF18 also provides a Wireless TTL function enabling the addition of slave flashes. Firmware updates are available directly from the Nissin website via the unit’s USB connection. The recommended retail price is £359.99.

Sigma has issued a firmware upgrade for the Sigma SD1 digital SLR camera. According to the company, version 1.04 incorporates the following functional enhancements, improvements and fixes:

Languages to be displayed in Setup menu are added.
Enables the use of “SIGMA Capture Pro” camera control software.
Playback Menu is improved.
Saturation limit of highlight areas on JPEG images is improved.
Accuracy of evaluative exposure metering is improved.
Accuracy of Auto Focus is improved.
Various bugs have been corrected to achieve more stable operation.

Website: Sigma Firmware Update

Two of the UK’s most popular photographers, Andy Rouse and Joe Cornish, will be teaming up to unveil a new exhibition entitled ‘Outer Visions’ - at January’s Outdoors Show in London. Between them, Andy and Joe will be exhibiting a range of their best work, in a variety of formats which will include canvas and framed art prints. All images have been handpicked for the exhibition, to both compliment each other’s work and to inspire all who love the natural world. The exhibition will be located at Stand OU609 within the show, which will take place from 12-15 January 2012. For talk times and full details of the exhibition, visit the website below.

East London gallery and professional photographic printing lab theprintspace has just announced the NME Music Photography Awards Exhibition. Hosted by NME and Nikon, the exhibition will feature music photography from both amateur and professional photographers who won the 2011 competition. Photographers competed in categories including Live, Portrait, Reportage, Festivals, and Under-18s. On show from 6-11 January 2012 at theprintspace gallery on 74 Kingsland Road, the NME Music Photography Awards Exhibition is free for all to enter

Washington based Britton Mobile Development today introduced Portfolio for iPhone. Described as a “new pocket-sized counterpart to Portfolio for iPad”, this app can be used an ultra-portable portfolio, reference, or pose book. Portfolio for iPhone 1.0 is available now for the introductory price of $4.99.

Light & Land has announced a new workshop, “Filmmaking for Photographers”. Presented by remote location cameraman Phil Coates, the workshop will help clients demystify the process of shooting video on their DSLR or compact camera. It will also explore both the technical and craft based skills required when shooting video and storytelling, through the medium of moving image. Taking place on 31 March and 1 April 2012 at the Four Pillars Hotel, Cotswold Water Park near Cirencester , the “Filmmaking for Photographers” workshop is £349 per person including a light lunch, refreshments and tuition from Phil. For more information and to book your place, visit the website below.

Sigma has launched a remote camera control application called Sigma Capcture Pro. Designed exclusively for the Sigma SD1 digital SLR camera, Sigma Capture Pro 1.0 allows photographers to tether the camera to their computer and take control over camera settings and capture images remotely. By using a standard USB cable, SD1 users’ can adjust camera settings in the software such as aperture and shutter speed, exposure compensation and ISO value along with releasing the shutter to capture images. Images can be stored either on the camera’s CF card, the PC’s hard drive or both simultaneously. Sigma Capture Pro 1.0 is available for both Windows and MacOS through the website below.

Cameras Underwater has announced the availability of the new Ewa-Marine D-B underwater housing for compact system cameras. Waterproof down to a depth of 30m, thee D-B housing is manufactured from double laminate PVC and has an integrated, optically neutral flat glass port. Selling for £199.99, the Ewa-Marine D-B is available now through the website below.

Who would have thought that a digital camera inspired by the almost-bygone era of film would become an instant best-seller for a company that has been mostly absent from the higher-end of the market? That’s what the X100 achieved for Fujifilm in 2011, a retro product with a very modern twist that has proved to be by far the biggest surprise of the year, and a clear winner of our Camera of the Year 2011 award.

“The X100 delivers all of the goods and more in terms of its overall handling and image quality. Fujifilm have married the best of the past, in the multitude of external controls, leaf-shutter, optical viewfinder and stunning appearance, with some cutting-edge features, most notably the hybrid optical / electronic viewfinder, which really is a revelation to use.”

Read the Full Review

Congratulations to Fujifilm and the X100!