X-Rite has announced its new portfolio of i1 colour management solutions which now include a redesigned i1Pro 2 spectrophotometer. The i1Pro 2 spectrophotometer introduces an expanded feature set including enhanced optical brightener compensation, a new position detection sensor, better temperature stability, plus new diagnostics and self-correction features. The i1Pro 2 device can be purchased as part of the i1Basic Pro 2, i1Photo Pro 2 and i1Publish Pro 2 product kits.

Think Tank Photo’s new Strobe Gel Wallet stores flash gels in a neat and organised manner. Launching in May, the Strobe Gel Wallet offers five pockets to store and protect your Rosco Strobist colour filters and includes a tether with clips for secure attachment to bags, backpacks or belts. The clear pockets make filter identification easy. Folding flat when not in use, the Strobe Gel Wallet measures 11.5cm x 6.5cm x 1.5cm, weighs 40 grams, and carries an MSRP of $15.75.

Think Tank Photo’s SD Pixel Pocket Rocket keeps your Secure Digital memory cards safely stored in one place. Available from May, the SD Pixel Pocket Rocket fits up to nine SD/SDHC/SDXC cards in clear pockets that make identification easy. Folding flat when not in use, it can be tethered to bags, clothing, briefcases, and backpacks. The Think Tank Photo SD Pocket Rocket carries a recommended retail price of $15.75.

This May, Think Tank Photo will release two DSLR battery holders. The DSLR Battery Holder 2 ($9.50) and the DSLR Battery Holder 4 ($16.50) secure two or four standard-size camera batteries. These slim, collapsible, compact battery holders compress flat and are easily stored when not in use.

Eizo will showcase advanced 4K LCD display technology at NAB 2012. The Eizo FDH3601 is a 4K x 2K resolution, 36.4-inch LCD monitor with LED backlight, designed for professional applications where image quality is critical. Offering 100% sRGB coverage and an internal 16-bit look-up table, the display can display simultaneous 10-bit colour over the DisplayPort connection. NAB 2012 is taking place from 16th to 19th April. Eizo can be found in booth SL10228.

The Bushnell BackTrack D-TOUR is a user-friendly, personal GPS device that includes a host of new features. In addition to a self-calibrating digital compass, the device provides time, temperature, altitude, and current latitude/longitude coordinates. The D-TOUR also captures key stats including the length of the trip, average speed and elevation. This data can easily be saved for future use or uploaded and shared via email or social media. Available in red or green, the Bushnell BackTrack D-TOUR personal GPS device sells for £99.99 including a USB cable.

Epson has announced that its Ultimicron electronic viewfinder (EVF) technology comes equipped as standard in the Olympus OM-D Micro Four Thirds camera. “Based on a single Epson HTPS TFT colour LCD panel, Ultimicron achieves superb full colour images with supreme levels of detail and sharpness,” Epson said in a statement. “Using a colour filter, Ultimicron also helps photographers shoot fast moving images without the colour breakup experienced using other formats.” The Epson Ultimicron EVF used in the Olympus OM-D features a 0.47” panel with a resolution of 1.44 million dots. This panel was first announced back in October 2009.

Special thanks to Arturo Fukuda of FotoActualidad for drawing our attention to this piece of news.

Tenba has introduced a new Roadie II Hybrid case. The Hybrid is a protective, rolling photo/laptop case that meets strict international airline carry-on standards, and it includes a fast-deploying backpack harness to comfortably carry a loaded case over rough terrain or up stairs. This new case also features a heavy-duty, four-section locking handle that extends to a full, comfortable walking height. The Tenba Roadie II Hybrid accommodates up to two large professional DSLR camera bodies, 6-8 lenses plus other accessories, or an HD video or medium format camera system and a laptop up to 17 inches. The case is available now for $324.95.

MAC Group has launched a $25 mail-in rebate programme for US customers who purchase a new PocketWizard MiniTT1 and/or FlexTT5 radio for use with Canon or Nikon digital SLR cameras. Running until the end of May, the promotion is valid on every Canon/Nikon MiniTT1 or FlexTT5 purchased from an Authorised PocketWizard Dealer. For more information on this rebate, visit the website below.

Lensbaby LLC has released the Lensbaby Composer Pro for a range of compact system cameras (CSCs), including Micro Four Thirds, NEX and Samsung NX models. Compatible with the Lensbaby Optic Swap System, the Lensbaby Composer Pro ships with the Double Glass Optic installed. The Double Glass Optic, a 50mm f/2 selective focus optic, creates a Sweet Spot of sharp focus that photographers can move around the photo by tilting the Composer Pro’s swiveling lens body. Other compatible products in the Lensbaby Optic Swap system include the separately sold Edge 80, Sweet 35, Fisheye, Soft Focus, Pinhole/Zone plate, Single Glass, and Plastic Optics. Each optic can be swapped into the Composer Pro to deliver a different creative effect. The Lensbaby Composer Pro retails for $300.

The Revolve camera dolly is a portable, versatile and affordable camera dolly system. “It allows anyone with a video camera to achieve smooth, dynamic, cinematic video easily and in a package they can actually afford,” explains designer and inventor Jeremy Canterbury. “It is compatible with virtually any camera, and is suitable for use on all surfaces and at any location.” Jeremy has recently initiated a Kickstarter project to fund themanufacturing of this product in order to make it available to the video community. Interested readers are encouraged to visit the website below.

Website: REVOLVE by Jeremy Canterbury

Enlight Photo’s ioShutter, which enables you to use an iPod touch, iPhone or iPad as a wired remote release for your Canon, Hasselblad or Pentax camera, is now available. Plug one end of the ioShutter cable into the device’s headphone jack and the other into the camera’s remote terminal, fire up the ioShutter app, and start taking pictures. “With your ioShutter cable plugged in, the free ioShutter app then gives you a ton of fun functions; options for Timers, Bulb setups for long exposures to get that great night sky or cityscape shot, Timelapse programmes and two unique world firsts: ClapToSnap sound trigger and ShakeToTake movement trigger,” says Enlight Photo founder James Madelin. The release cable is available through the Enlight Photo Online Pro Store for $69.99, while the free ioShutter app can be downloaded from iTunes. The pro version of the app sells for $9.99.

Manfrotto has won two prestigious accolades at the 2012 Red Dot Design Awards. The two winning Manfrotto products include the modular SYMPLA Rig System designed for video-enabled digital SLR cameras and the 502HD telescoping video kit incorporating the MVH502A fluid head and the MVT502AM tripod. In addition to Manfrotto’s accolades, the Imaging & Staging Division of the Vitec Group was honoured with a prize for the Gitzo Systematic tripod range, having introduced a completely redesigned range of supports in January 2012.

Custom SLR has today launched the M-Plate universal camera tripod plate. Billed as the world’s first universal tripod plate to offer built-in Manfrotto RC2 and Arca-Swiss connections as well as attachment points for accessories, the M-Plate enables quick release from virtually any tripod head. “Crafted in the USA from aerospace grade aluminium, the M-Plate is sturdy, steady and lightweight, and works with any camera strap system including the Custom SLR C-Loop strap mount, BlackRapid,  Spider Holster, Sun Sniper, Cotton Carrier and virtually any system that would typically occupy the camera tripod socket,” the company claims. The M-Plate is available starting today for a MSRP of $74.95. You can buy the M-Plate through the website below.

The Joby GorillaPod Micro 250 has been awarded a Red Dot design award. “The GorillaPod Micro 250, provides a durable tripod for point and shoot cameras when you need it, and it stows away on the camera when you don’t,” Joby says. “Weighing less than one ounce, the GorillaPod Micro can support compact cameras up weighing up to 250 grams.”

Lensbaby today unveiled the Lensbaby Lens Cloth and the Lensbaby Lenspen Pro. Made of a silky-style micro-fibre material, the 14"x14” Lensbaby Lens Cloth is available in orange for $15. Like the original Lenspen, the Lensbaby Lenspen Pro ($10) is sized at 5” long with two different types of cleaning ends: one end is a chamois tip containing a non-liquid cleaning compound covered with a cap that replenishes the cleaning compound and keeps the tip protected between usages.  The other end features a slider on the top of the pen extends and retracts a soft cleaning brush. Both the Lensbaby Lens Cloth and the Lensbaby Lenspen Pro are available now from Lensbaby.com, and Lensbaby authorised photo specialty stores.

Axtremex is set to release a number of new Compact Flash memory cards with a 800x speed rating. The UDMA 7 compliant Axtremex 800x CF cards, available in 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB capacities, support read speeds of up to 120 megabytes per second and write speeds of up to 95MB/s. Additionally, the company has announced an “800x Plus” range of Compact Flash cards, which will support both read and write speeds up to 120MB/s. These cards also offer a Video Performance Guarantee (VPG) at 20 Megabytes per second, which is currently the highest rating. Initially, the new Axtremex memory cards will be available from NanoFlash.net for USA and international customers. For UK customers, the new CF cards are available from CCK Media Technologies and other authorised dealers.

Developed in collaboration with nodesign, the all-white DIA digital photo frame from Parrot sports a simple design, tactile buttons and a high-resolution 10.4-inch screen. “Dismantled, deconstructed, disconnected from the frame as if there was nothing behind, this screen is transparency; is light,” says Henri Seydoux, founder and CEO of Parrot. “The picture, your photo, appears through this ‘light box’ in a brand-new aesthetic dimension.” DIA Parrot by nodesign offers a comprehensive set of connectivity options, including USB, SD card, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and sells for £459.99 including VAT.

Western Digital (WD) today announced the next generation of its My Passport line of portable hard drives, offering consumers a fresh new enclosure design and the first-ever 2TB capacity in a portable drive. Now available in five colours including white, black, silver, blue, and red, with a range of capacities beginning from 500GB; the new WD My Passport drives feature scratch- and fingerprint-resistant finishes on their outer shells, USB 3.0 connectivity and password protection with hardware encryption. Shipping with WD SmartWare automatic backup software, the new-generation Western Digital My Passport Hard Drives are priced from $129.99-$249.99, depending on capacity.

DSLR Triggers have announced the upcoming launch of their Stedi-Shot DSLR Trigger, a new thumb-controlled trigger for video-enabled digital SLR cameras. Their ongoing Kickstarter campaign is aimed to help raise funds and get the trigger out into the market. The money raised during the 45-day campaign will be used to purchase machine time as well as the raw materials in quantity in order to mass produce the triggers. The Stedi-Shot DSLR trigger system consists of a bracket the camera sits on that holds a cable release perfectly aligned with the start/stop button on the back of the camera. By using the cable release to activate the start/stop button on the camera there is no shaky footage caused by pushing the button. Currently there are five different camera models that are supported by the Stedi-Shot: the Canon 5d MKII, the Canon 7D, the Canon T2i, the Canon 60D and also the Nikon D7000.