F-Stop Gear has just introduced the Loka UL, its first ultra-light bag for photographers working on location. This 37L photo backpack weighs in at a mere 1kg thanks to a lighter rip-stop nylon shell and lightweight internal frame. The Loka UL can be preordered for $249.

Website: F-Stop Gear

Apple has updated its MacBook Air with faster processors. Now starting at £749, the new Apple MacBook Air models feature fourth-generation Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors, fast flash storage, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, up to 12 hours of battery life and Apple’s iLife and iWork apps.  The 11-inch MacBook Air comes with a 1.4 GHz processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.7 GHz, 4GB of memory and is available with 128GB of flash storage starting at £749, and 256GB of flash storage starting at £899. The 13-inch MacBook Air comes with a 1.4 GHz processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.7 GHz, 4GB of memory and is available with 128GB of flash storage starting at £849, and 256GB of flash storage starting at £999 inc VAT. Configure-to-order options include a 1.7 GHz Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3 GHz, up to 8GB of memory and up to 512GB flash storage.

Profoto has issued the first firmware upgrade for its B1 off-camera flash and AirTTL system. The B1 was the world’s first cordless monolight with TTL metering, and Profoto vowed to continuously update the AirTTL system. One of the most frequently requested features is TTL metering with Canon’s flagship model: the Canon EOS-1D X. Today, this feature is made available free of charge through an easily installed firmware upgrade. The process is simple: 1) Go to the Profoto support website. 2) Sign in with an existing My Profoto account or create a new one. 3) Register your B1 and your Air Remote TTL-C. 4) Download the upgrade. 5) Open the software and follow the instructions.

Kenro has announced the introduction of a new range of cost-effective Reflecta slide viewers to the UK and Irish markets. The £5.94 Reflecta B36 is a battery-operated, pocket-sizded 'light panel' with a convenient slot on the upper surface to drop a mounted 35mm slide onto and hold it firmly in place. For those who wish to view a number of slides in quick succession, the £42.84 Reflecta B220 is mains operated and uses a slot and tray changing system, allowing a 2.5x magnification on the built-in bright viewing screen. Completing the range is the £71.76 Reflecta B250 (pictured), which features a 5000 °K fluorescent lamp for daylight-balanced viewing. It comprises a light panel that accommodates either film strips or slides 24mm x 36mm or 120 roll films and has a 2x magnifier that can be moved along over the appropriate section for optimal viewing angle.

The “Traveller 150 Premium Duo” is a new aluminium tripod from Hama. Weighing in at 1530 grams, the Hama Traveller 150 Premium Duo extends to a maximum height of 150 centimetres and folds down to a mere 38.5cm. The tripod comes with a ball head equipped with a spirit level, and a carrying bag. What's more, if you remove the weight hooks from the central column, you can completely remove the column, unscrew one of the tripod legs, and quickly turn the tripod into a fully-functional monopod. The Hama Traveller 150 Premium Duo will be available for €239.

The GoPlug bag system charges your camera, smartphone or tablet on the go. There are eight bags to match your needs, including the Go Plug Camera Case, Go Plug Camera Pack, Go Plug Roller Case, Go Plug Backpack, GoPlug Computer Bag, GoPlug Mobile Kit, Go Plug iPad Case and the Go Plug Swag Pack. The built-in battery has the capacity to charge your smart phone up to six times, and your tablet up to two times, and doubles the life on an average laptop on a single charge, the company says. GoPlug is currently on Kickstarter to raise finishing funds for its first production run.

Nikon have posted a firmware update for their FT1 mount adapter, which enables Nikon 1 system users to use any F-mount Nikkor SLR lens on their cameras. Version 1.20 adds support for autofocusing when mounted on the Nikon 1 J4 and the Nikon 1 V3 compact system cameras. You can download the firmware upgrade from the website below.

Website: Nikon Mount Adapter FT1 L Firmware Update 1.20

The Thule Perspektiv Collection has been awarded the title Best Photo Bag by the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA). “We are particularly pleased with TIPAs recognition of the Thule Perspektiv Camera Bag collection as this award acknowledges our entrance with the Thule brand to the professional photo and imaging industry,” says Magnus Welander, CEO and President of the Thule Group. “The award is one of the most coveted in this realm, and this reinforces our underlying focus on quality, easy usage, safe protections and design when we developed the bags, and our long-term plans to become a leading brand in the camera bag segment.”

Tiffen has announced two new additions to the Lowel family of LED lights. The new Lowel Prime Location LED features an 1x1 panel, a very rugged housing and a high IP-65 rating, which means Prime Location LEDs can be used in rain, sand or dust storms. The lights are available in hi-CRI Daylight, Tungsten or Bi-Color models, and are dimmable without colour shifts. The Lowel PRO Power LED is a compact, focusing light available in hi-CRI Tungsten or Daylight colour with impressive output and a wide fresnel 8:1 focus range. Where other LEDs are lower power and therefore need to be used closer to the subject, the PRO Power LED can light from a greater distance, allowing the shooter to get more of the location into the wide shot.

The Technical Image Press Association has recognised two Epson products in the prestigious 2014 TIPA Awards. The winning Epson products this year were the Epson Expression Photo XP-950 (pictured), which was named “Best Photo Printer,” and the Epson EH-TW7200, which won the award for “Best Photo Projector.” Mark Reynolds, director of consumer sales, Epson UK, commented, “TIPA members are all experts in the field and therefore select products according to the strictest standards. The panel has a huge variety of choice so we are very proud to learn that Epson products have once again been selected for these much valued awards.”

Fuji has posted a firmware update for the Fujifilm X100S and Fujifilm X100S Black cameras. Version 1.20 adds support for the TCL-X100 teleconverter. In practice, this means that the 'Wide Conversion Lens' menu item - whose selectable settings were On and Off - has been changed to 'Conversion Lens,' and now offers Wide, Tele and Off settings. When "Tele" is selected, the size of the bright frame in the optical viewfinder will switch to showing the shooting area for the tele conversion lens.

Website: X100S / X100S Black Firmware Update Ver.1.20

SP/ Silicon Power today released the Thunder T11 external solid state drive. Marketed as the lightest and smallest Thunderbolt SSD in the market, the Thunder T11 promises read speeds of up to 380 megabytes per second and write speeds of up to 340MB/s. Thunder T11 is now available in 120GB and 240GB with two colour options, silver and blue.

Wacom’s Cintiq Companion (pictured) and the Intuos Pen & Touch S Tablet have both been awarded two of the highest accolades in the design industry this year - an iF Design Award and a prestigious Red Dot award. Hartmut Woerrlein, Director Global Product Management at Wacom, commented: “We are extremely proud that two of our products have won such well known design awards. Wacom continues to manufacture products for a more creative world, that combine technological innovation with outstanding design and these accolades confirm that we are creating the right tools for creative people.”

Fujifilm has posted 7 high-resolution sample photos taken with the new Fujinon TCL-X100 teleconverter mounted on a Fuji X100 camera. Depicting a variety of subjects ranging from flowers to landscapes to people, these TCL-X100 samples were captured at sensitivity settings extending from ISO 200 to ISO 1000.

Website: TCL-X100 Sample Images

Toshiba is set to launch what it calls the world's fastest microSD cards. Compliant with UHS-II, the ultra high speed serial bus interface defined in SD Memory Card Standard Ver. 4.20, the new memory cards deliver a maximum read speed of 260 MB per second and a maximum write speed of 240MB/sec. Compared to Toshiba’s current microSDHC EXCERIA MUH-A032G card, the write speed is improved approximately 8 times, while the read speed is improved approximately 2.7 times. The new memory cards will be available in 32GB and 64GB capacities.

Onabags today launched three new camera bags and a leather camera strap. The Astoria camera and laptop messenger bag ($359) is designed to accommodate a 13" laptop, 1-2 full-frame DSLR cameras, 3-5 lenses and small personal items. The Capri ($269) is a tote bag designed to protect a camera, up to three lenses and small personal items. The Leather Capri ($349) is a chic, understated camera tote designed to protect your camera, up to three lenses and small personal items. Finally, the Presidio camera strap ($99) is handcrafted with an Italian-tanned leather neckline that is padded with soft neoprene. The Presidio camera strap is most comfortably worn crossbody and is designed for use with camera kits weighing up to 6 pounds.

Fuji has launched five new accessories for the Fujifilm X-T1 comapct system camera. The new range includes two handgrips, the MHG-XT Large (pictured) and MHG-XT Small; the GB-001 camera grip strap (which is compatible with a number of other X series Fujifilm cameras in addtition to the X-T1); the EC-XT extended eyecup; and the CVR-XT cover kit, which contains three covers – one for the sync terminal, another for the hot shoe and another for the vertical battery grip terminal ensuring users can easily replace any of these covers if lost. Availability is slated for late May. Pricing to be confirmed.

The Fujifilm TCL-X100 is a new 1.4x tele-conversion lens designed specifically for the Fujifilm X100 and X100S cameras. Converting the focal length of the lens from 23mm to 32mm (approximately 50mm in 35mm terms), the Fujifilm TCL-X100 employs a 4-element construction featuring Fujinon’s unique Super EBC coating for superior contrast. Once mounted to the camera; just select the ‘Tele- Conversion Lens’ option in the Fujifilm X100/X100S’s shooting menu. To enable this extra functionality, the camera must be updated with the latest firmware (X100 : ver2.10 or later / X100S : ver1.20 or later), which also allows the option to be selected via the function (Fn) button. The Fujifilm TCL-X100 retains the lens's maximum aperture of f/2. Availability is slated for May 2014. The UK SRP will be issued closer to the availability date.

Sony has issued a firmware update for its DSC-QX10 and QX100 camera-lens modules. Version 3.00 enables users to focus with a half-press (and take a photo with a full-press) of the shutter release, and improves upon the "NFC One-touch connection." Note that this requires PlayMemories Mobile app version 4.2 or later.

Website: Sony UK

The award-winning BallPod is a colourful, tactile alternative to a traditional tripod. BallPod is the size of an orange and weighs just 298g, making it ideal to take on every adventure no matter how challenging the terrain is. The smooth silicone shell can quickly be moulded into any shape by hand, much like a stressball, and BallPod fits to all standard cameras, smartphone adapters and small video cameras. Priced at £20, BallPod is available to purchase from selected photography outlets throughout the UK.