Starting today photographers living in the UK and Ireland can claim cashback on a range of Canon products including DSLRs, lenses and accessories, compacts, camcorders and printers. The amount of cashback ranges from £20/€25 on the PowerShot S110 camera (pictured) to £235/€300 on the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM and EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lenses. To take part in the offer and check the terms and conditions, visit the website below.

Panasonic has announced the upcoming release of firmware updates for the Lumix GH3 compact system camera and three Micro Four Thirds lenses. Scheduled to be available later this month, the Panasonic GH3 firmware upgrade will enable users to connect their camera to a PC over Wi-Fi by inputting the computer’s name, and add a 60p, 28Mbps Full HD video recording mode for MP4 movies. The firmware updates will also enhance AF speed and continuous shooting performance when using the camera in AF-C mode in conjunction with the 14-42mm, 40-150mm and 45-175mm lenses.

The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR is a new FX-format telephoto zoom lens. An updated version of Nikon’s immensely popular AF 80-400mm telephoto lens, the new AF-S 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR telephoto zoom boasts an improved optical construction, Nikon’s Vibration Reduction system which allows up to 4-stops of compensation, and a greatly improved autofocus mechanism. The new Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR will go on sale in the UK on 19th March 2013 for £2,449.99 / €2,999.00. In the US it will be available in early April 2013 for a suggested retail price of $2,699.95.

The Canon EF 200-400mm f/4 L IS USM is a new professional lens that first appeared at last year’s Olympics. Still in pre-production and not even officially announced, but looking like very much the real deal, we were able to take a look at one of three samples that were being shown to journalists to the Focus on Imaging Show in Bimingham, UK. The Canon 200-400mm features a built-in 1.4x tele-convertor to extend the reach to 560mm with very little loss of quality (easily activated by a switch on the lens barrel), a built-in filter holder, 2 customisable function buttons, and an innovative stepped focusing ring especially for video. The Canon EF 200-400mm f/4 L IS USM is expected to ship sometime this year, price yet to be announced.

Check our our hands-on gallery of 16 photos of the new Canon EF 200-400mm f/4 L IS USM lens.

Fujifilm have revealed the full specifications of the upcoming XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8R LM OIS lens. Due for release in May 2013, the Fujfilm 55-200mm will offer 5 stops of stabilisation and faster maximum apertures than comparable zooms at a substantially cheaper price. Fujifilm were also showing a new lens roadmap at Focus on Imaging, with the new 23mm f/1.4R, 27mm f/2.8, 56mm f/1.4R, and the 10-24mm f/4R OIS lenses set to be launched this year. Exciting times for X-series owners.

Intro 2020 has launched a new Tamron UK Facebook page. Offering plenty of news and editorial content as well as regular competitions, reviews of Tamron products, galleries of inspirational images and exclusive offers for fans; the page went live on Monday, 25th February 2013. To celebrate the launch month there will be a different themed photo-competition each week for the next four weeks – with a total of four Tamron 18-270mm PZD lenses up for grabs.

Want to see exactly what the new Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 lens looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 lens.

Sony introduces three new A-mount lenses plus A-mount and E-mount accessories. They include 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II telephoto zoom, Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm F1.4 ZA SSM and DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II standard zoom lenses, compact HVL-F20M flash and RM-VPR1 wired remote. The new Sony lenses and accessories will start to become available in the UK from March 2013.

In celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Nikkor brand, Nikon has released an interesting behind-the-scenes video allowing a glimpse into how its lenses are manufactured. The three-and-a-half-minute movie guides viewers through the entire process from start to finish. Click through / scroll down to see the video.

The new Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.5 Aspherical VM is the improved edition of a classic M-mount rangefinder camera lens. Described as an “inexpensive” alternative to the faster Nokton 50mm f/1.1 VM, the improved Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.5 Aspherical is constructed of 6 elements in 5 groups and comes equipped with a 10-bladed iris diaphragm. The closest focusing distance is 70cm, a 20cm improvement over the lens’ predecessor. Available in black and silver, the new Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.5 Aspherical VM lens takes small 49mm filters. The exact launch date and pricing have yet to be confirmed.

Cosina Voigtländer have announced an ultra-fast manual-focus portrait lens for Micro Four Thirds (MFT). Equivalent to a 85mm f/1.9 lens (in terms of angle of view and depth of field), the Voigtländer Nokton 42mm f/0.95 comprises eleven elements in eight groups and comes with a stepless 10-blade diaphragm. The lens takes standard 58mm filters and focuses down to 23cm. Availability is slated for Summer 2013, with pricing to be communicated.

Sony has posted firmware updates for the Sony NEX-F3, NEX-5R, NEX-5N, NEX-6 and NEX-7 (pictured) compact system cameras and a couple of E-mount lenses. Fast Hybrid AF lens support for Sony’s NEX-5R/6 cameras has expanded to include six new lenses. The NEX-5N firmware upgrade also expands its Exposure Bracketing range and updates its raw format version. The upgrades for the NEX-F3/5N/7 cameras add auto compensation for use with the 16-50mm power zoom lens. New E-mount lens firmware for the E 30mm f/3.5 Macro and the E 50mm f/1.8 OSS lenses enable Fast Hybrid AF with the Sony NEX-5R and Sony NEX-6 cameras. You can download these firmware updates - along with those released for the Sony A37, A57, A65 and A99 - through the website below.

Website: Official Sony Blog

LockCircle has announced the new Prime Circle XT-F prime lens series in Nikon fit. Built around the world-class optics of the Carl Zeiss ZF.2 lenses, the Prime Circle XT-F lineup spans focal lengths ranging from 15mm to 135mm. Prime Circle XT-F lenses are custom mounted ZF.2 lenses offering “in-house” assembling by professional and passionate technicians. Each Prime Circle XT-F lens boasts an ultra-lightweight Ergo-Focus gear for follow-focus, a Front Mount 95mm standard ring-mount for matte-boxes and cine-style accessories plus an aluminium cap with clear graphics displaying the lens’s focal length and maximum aperture. The X-Circle F-Mount stainless steel heavy-duty bayonet features “Side Index View” for focus and aperture scales on the side for comfortable focus-puller work. The lenses can be ordered now, with worldwide delivery within 3 to 4 weeks.

Intro 2020 has been appointed the sole UK importer and distributor of Samyang lenses. The Korean optics company currently manufactures a range of 25 lenses covering focal lengths from a 7.5mm fisheye to a 650-1300mm super zoom telephoto lens. Their newest product was announced just before Photokina 2012: the Samyang T-S 24mm 1:3.5 ED AS UMC is a wide-angle, full-frame lens fitted with perspective control and tilt-shift functions, making it an ideal tool for architecture and landscape photography with high-resolution full-frame digital SLR cameras. Like all other Samyang lenses, the Samyang T-S 24mm f/3.5 ED AS UMC is covered by a 3 year guarantee.

Olympus has unveiled a redesigned and more affordable edition of its M.Zuiko Digital ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 Micro Four Thirds lens. Equivalent to a 150-600mm optic in 35mm terms, the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II is now styled to match the distinctive OM-D E-M5, as seen in the photo above. Benefiting from “new and advanced” ZERO lens coating, the new version retains the MSC (Movie and Stills Compatible) auto focus mechanism, extra-low-dispersion and high-refractive-index lens elements and circular iris diaphragm of its predecessor. Weighing 5 grams less than the older model, the new edition carries a much more budget-friendly MSRP of £499.99 (the first version cost £799.99 at launch).

Tamron has just announced the development of its first superzoom lens for Micro Four Thirds. The Tamron 14-150mm F/3.5-5.8 Di III VC has a 35mm equivalent focal range of 28-300mm, and features 17 lens elements in 13 groups and an aperture diaphragm with 7 rounded blades. Supplied with a flower-shaped lens hood, the new Tamron 14-150mm lens boasts the manufacturer’s Vibration Compensation technology, a minimum focus distance of 50cm and a filter attachment size of 52mm. Pricing and availability to be announced.

At CP+, Kenko Tokina is showcasing the prototype of a new ultrawide-to-wide zoom lens designed for digital cameras with APS-C sized sensors. Intended to replace the critically acclaimed but somewhat shorter AT-X 12-24mm f4 PRO DX, the brand new Tokina AT-X 12-28mm f4 PRO DX offers users a 35mm equivalent focal range of 18-42mm on Nikon and ~19-45mm on Canon dSLRs. Weighing in at 600 grams, the Tokina AT-X 12-28mm f4 PRO DX features 14 elements in 12 groups and boasts a minimum focus distance of only 25mm from the sensor plane. Furthermore, the lens sports Tokina’s exclusive one-tocuh focus clutch mechanism that allows the photographer to switch between AF and MF simply by snapping the focus ring forward for AF and back toward the camera to focus manually. Pricing and availability to be announced.

Source: Kenko Tokina Japan

The Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM is a new standard prime for digital SLR cameras with APS-C sized sensors. With an optical formula comprising nine elements in eight groups and an iris diaphragm with nine rounded blades (and no “EX” designation in the name), this lens features a completely different design to the older Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM, which was introduced back in 2005. It also has a shorter close-focusing distance of 30cm and a higher maximum reproduction ratio of 1:6.8. The filter attachment size is unchanged at 62mm, as is the 30mm focal length that translates into 45mm on Nikon and newer Sigma bodies, 48mm on Canon and 51mm on older Sigma digital SLRs. As part of the manufacturer’s ‘Art’ line, the new 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM is compatible with Sigma’s separately sold USB dock accessory and Sigma Optimisation Pro software.

The Sigma 60mm f/2.8 DN is a new mid-range telephoto lens for Micro Four Thirds and NEX system cameras. Offering a 35mm equivalent focal length of 90mm/120mm (NEX/MFT), the Sigma 60mm f/2.8 DN boasts a rounded aperture diaphragm and a minimum focus distance of 50cm. The lens benefits from a linear AF motor which moves the lens unit directly without the need for gears or other extra mechanical parts. This system ensures accurate and quiet focusing, the company says. The Sigma 60mm f/2.8 DN lens takes small 46mm filters and comes supplied with an LH520-03 lens hood (see picture).

Sigma has unveiled new and restyled versions of its 19mm f/2.8 EX DN and 30mm f/2.8 EX DN lenses. Optically unchanged, the new editions boast metal exteriors and come in black and silver versions.