Outdoor photographer Andy Biggs has launched the Kiboko bag that allows all photo gear to be safely stored and comfortably carried but also quickly accessed. The Kiboko bag is deep enough to accommodate a pro level SLR camera body, as well as medium format cameras. The bag will also hold up to a 500mm and 600mm lens simultaneously. The first design from Biggs’ Gura Gear line, the Kiboko bag can be carried either as a backpack with a retractable, expertly engineered harness system or as a shoulder bag using ergonomically placed handles.

Website: Gura Gear

Canon U.S.A. is joining forces with fashion label, LeSportsac, to offer an exclusively designed PowerShot camera carrying case. LeSportsac, known for its 36-year history of manufacturing functional and chic bags and accessories for consumers all over the world, has applied the same fashion-forward design creativity to create this exclusive camera case for Canon PowerShot Digital cameras. The new LeSportsac camera case is available starting today only on Canon Shop Direct online store, for $38.

Website: LeSportSac Camera Case

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.

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

A Japanese company has developed a tilt-shift adapter for Micro Four Thirds cameras. The Hino Seisakusho tilt-shift adapter allows regular FourThirds lenses to be attached to Micro Four Thirds bodies, and endows them with tilt-shift capabilities. However, lenses weighing more than 500 grams are not recommended to be used with this adapter. Originally scheduled to go on sale this month, the Hino Seisakusho adapter is now expected to be available later this year. The exact pricing is unknown, but Photoscala believes it should not cost more than €330.

Source: Hino Seisakusho via Photoscala

PocketWizard has started testing the Nikon version of its FlexTT5 wireless transceiver. The company had Mark Wallace test the first working prototypes using a Nikon D3 with SB-800 and SB-900 flashes. PocketWizard says there is still a lot of testing and firmware tweaking to be done before the FlexTT5 becomes compatible with all key Nikon cameras and features, but the system is coming. (The illustration above depicts the existing Canon version of the transceiver.)

Western Digital has introduced its new My Passport AV portable media drives, designed specifically for video storage and playback. With their small footprint, the My Passport AV portable media drives fit neatly in a home entertainment centre. The included stand and extra long cable makes it easy to position the drive neatly in entertainment centres, maximising the airflow and minimising heat around the drive.Operating seamlessly with the Direct Copy feature offered in Sony’s new Handycams, the new My Passport AV portable media drives feature a 2-year limited warranty and are available now at select retail stores and WD’s online store. MSRP for the My Passport AV portable media drive with 320 GB is $109.99.

Manfrotto has launched its new generation of joystick heads; the 324RC2 and 327RC2, designed for the amateur and professional photographer. The 324RC2 and 327RC2 are the latest versions of the Manfrotto joystick heads, making full use of new technologies and materials to improve both design and technical specs. The heads have been optimized to provide intuitive, fast operation, improved comfort and reduced weight. The 324RC2 (£109.95) is made of Adapto, an ultra-durable and lightweight technopolymer, optimised for compactness and transportability with a high load capacity and reduced weight. The 327RC2 (£164.95) has a magnesium body shell that provides superior performance and durability. Both Manfrotto tripod heads are available now.

Digital Foci will introduce a new Pearl White version of its popular Photo Book, a portable digital photo album with an 8-inch 800x600-pixel colour screen and a 4GB of internal memory. Featuring a slim design encased in a soft leather-like case for a convenient, elegant photo display, Photo Book offers over 2.5 hours of battery life and an easy and portable way to enjoy and share digital photos in a comfortable setting. Built-in memory card slots provide native support for CF, SD/SDHC/MMC, xD, MS and MS PRO memory cards, and supports mini-SD, RS-MMC and MS Duo with adapters. Photo Book includes a leather-like case, AC power adapter, USB to computer, USB adapter to USB flash drive, and Quick Start Guide. Priced at $189 SRP, the Pearl White version of the Photo Book will be available June 2010.

Lowepro has introduced the feature-packed Lowepro Pro Runner AW Series backpacks and roller backpacks. The Lowepro Pro Runner AW Series incorporates the Pro Runner 300 AW which is an upgraded version of the Mini-Trekker AW, the x350 and x450 rolling models featuring spring-loaded trolley handles (see picture above), replaceable wheels and an inventive harness system which quickly converts the roller to a backpack with two easy attachments. Available in black later this month and Pine Green in the summer, the Pro Runner AW Series will store a DSLR with attached lens from a 70-200mm f/2.8 plus 3-4 lenses or flash and accessories to a pro DSLR with attached 300mm lens, three to four extra lenses or accessories.

Apple has announced the retail availability of the Apple iPad. In the US, the Wi-Fi models will go on sale on 3 April, followed by the WiFi+3G models in late April, the same time as all models of iPad hit the shelves in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. Featuring a 9.7-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating, the Apple iPad boasts 1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132ppi, and comes with 16, 32 or 64GB of built-in storage capacity

WD has announced that the company is shipping its new high performance WD SiliconDrive N1x 2.5-inch solid state drive family. WD SiliconDrive N1x SSD products feature a native SATA 3.0 gigabits per second interface with target read speeds up to 240 megabytes per second and write transfer rates up to 140 MB/s in capacities up to 128 gigabytes. The WD SiliconDrive N1x products also feature WD’s innovative Speed Assurance technology for consistent read/write performance. Available in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB capacities, the WD SiliconDrive N1x SSD comes with a five-year limited warranty.

The innovative Spider Holster is now available from B&H and distribution partners in 14 international markets. The Spider Holster System provides photographers with a comfortable and durable carrying solution that is designed to put the weight of accessory-laden pro-grade cameras on the photographer’s hip, eliminating the back, shoulder and neck strain often experienced with traditional camera straps or shoulder bags. Up until now, the Spider Holster has been available through the manufacturer’s direct sales channel, but now interested photographers can test it in person through a local, trusted retail outlet. In addition to availability at B&H in the United States, Spider Holster will also market its products internationally in Belgium, Canada, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the Russian Federation. The complete Spider Holsters System, including the SpiderPro Holster, the sturdy Holster Belt designed to evenly distribute the camera weight across the photographer’s hips, along with the Spider Plate and Spider Pin which connect the camera to the holster by attaching to the tripod mount on the camera bottom carries an MSRP of $109.99.

Wacom has unveiled the newly-redesigned Wacom Cintiq 21UX sporting a 21.3” screen. “The new Cintiq 21UX detects 2048 levels of pressure, giving you even more control over pressure-sensitive pen effects such as line weight, opacity, and exposure. With Wacom’s new Tip Sensor, the pen now features a lower activation force that captures even the most subtle nuances of pressure,” the company claims. Boasting a resolution of 1600x1200 pixels and an aspect ratio of 4:3, the Wacom Cintiq 21UX is available now priced at $1999. The price includes the device itself with a display stand and three pieces of software, Corel Painter Sketch Pad, Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0 WE6 and Wacom Brushes 3.0.

FilmMakerAccessories are launching a new line of affordable professional film/video, DSLR, and other camera related accessories. The new line of products features the SD Camera Brace which is for use with video DSLR cameras, including the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon EOS Rebel T1i, Nikon D90, Nikon D300s et al. The fully adjustable SD Camera Brace delivers cinema-grade support for $249, including numerous ¼” - 20 threads to mount optional accessories like batteries and wireless devices, all wrapped into one highly stylistic and modern design, the company says. The SD Camera Brace for DSLRs is available for immediate purchase from filmmakeraccessories.com and from selected resellers.

Website: HabbyCam

Kata has unveiled its camera bag collections for 2010. In the course of the year, Kata will be introducing three new innovative collections which pledge to be the lightest and most protective photo/video bags. The three collections include state-of-the-art ultra-light pro bags that “embody the ultimate essences of Lightweight Protection without compromises”, pro-light bags that “cater to the smallest detail of a professional photographer and videographer needs”, and the so-called D-light bags designed for hobbyists.

Inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, the new Giotto’s Vitruvian VGR tripods are designed to offer photographers not only a truly lightweight and compact tripod, but a fully functioning monopod and ball head too. The Vitruvian tripods have been designed with “reverse technology” legs so that when collapsed they fold through 180 degrees to “surround” the tripod centre column and head – folding down into a unit that measures only 40cm long. There are two VGR models available, both with a maximum operating height of 157cm and a load capacity of up to 4kg. The VGR9255 is manufactured using aluminium tubing and weighs 1.5kg while the VGR 8255 uses 6 layer carbon tubing and weighs just 1.28kg.

Website: Giottos

WD has just introduced its new My Passport Studio portable drives featuring the super-fast FireWire 800 interface and a customizable e-label that’s always visible, even when the drive is unplugged. The new high-performance My Passport Studio drives are formatted for Mac computers, compatible with Apple TimeMachine software, and feature automatic and continuous backup with WD SmartWare software, and 256-bit hardware-based encryption. Available now at select retailers and shopwd.com, the new My Passport Studio drives are offered in capacities of 320 GB, 500 GB and 640 GB, priced from $149.99 to $199.99.

Sanho’s HyperDrive Album is a portable photo backup device with up to 640GB storage capacity and a transfer speed of 2GB per minute. Sanho claims that it can decode and display true raw images from “virtually any digital camera” on its 4.8” WVGA LCD screen. Incremental Backup allows the download of only new data on the card or USB device, skipping previously saved data. The battery allegedly provides enough power for up to 200GB of downloads per charge. Travel Photographer of the Year, Lorne Resnick commented, “I found the HyperDrives in use to be flawless. I shot more than 5,000 images and downloaded all of them without a hitch. The actual speed of the drives was by far the most impressive. The difference it makes in the quality of your travel cannot be discounted.” The HyperDrive Album is available now at the following manufacturer’s suggested retail prices: 160GB:$349, 250GB:$399, 320GB:$449, 500GB:$549, 640GB:$599.

Website: HyperDrive Album

Manfrotto has launched its new 521LX LANC camcorder remote control for videographers. The 521LX uses Sony and Canon’s widely implemented LANC protocol to allow interaction and command over LANC-enabled camcorders. The new remote control can be updated in the event of new camcorder features becoming LANC-enabled as it features a USB port for connection to your PC. The new Manfrotto 521LX is available from March 1st 2010 at an RRP of £339.95.