At Photo Plus Expo 2011, Lowepro introduced its new, soft-sided professional series of messenger bags, the Pro Messenger AW. Available in three sizes, Lowepro’s Pro Messenger AW photo bags are highly configurable with deep and roomy main compartments outfitted with the company’s padded and adjustable divider system. Depending on the shooting scenario, a photographer can organise pro camera bodies, lenses, flashes and smaller accessories within the main compartment, front pocket and zippered storage pocket.Additional features include: Lowepro’s patented, built-in All Weather AW Cover to protect gear from the elements; interior flash compartments with covered battery pockets; an interior see-through ID/business card pocket; a thickly padded shoulder strap for long-wearing comfort; a camera strap keeper on shoulder strap; a removable and adjustable webbing handle; two SlipLock attachment loops to expand capacity; and two, gusseted side pockets for extra gear or personal items. For more information on this series, visit the website below.

In response to customer feedback, Think Tank Photo has completely redesigned its Modular Rotation System that consists of three product groups:  Lens Cases, Gear Pouches, and the Modular Component Set V2.0. New features include a wide-mouth opening, one-hand drawstring closure with an auto-locking mechanism, a zippered bottom pocket with rain cover, improved front pocket material, and more. Both the Lens Cases and Gear Pouches come with Think Tank Photo’s unique Rotate and Lock design feature so that components either slide along the belt or fasten in a specific position. All products in the redesigned Modular Rotation System will be available for sale in early December.

X-Rite has announced that Eizo now offers ColorEdge calibration monitor support via its proprietary ColorNavigator software for X-Rite’s i1Display Pro colorimeter product. The i1Display Pro offers power users ‘Advanced’ user-defined settings and in-depth quality assurance tools for precise colour control, as well as predefined ‘Basic’ settings. “X-Rite is honoured that a major manufacturer like Eizo, and others yet to be announced, have chosen to license X-Rite’s display measurement technology because they respect the integrity of the i1Display Pro hardware to calibrate consistently, accurately and repeatedly,” said Thomas Kunz, X-Rite’s Market Manager, Imaging.

Kingston Digital Europe has announced Kingston urDrive, a free pre-loaded application available on a variety of its DataTraveler USB Flash drives. “USB drives have historically served as digital couriers, transporting data from one device to another. Kingston is taking the lead in transforming the way consumers interact with those devices,” said Krystian Jaroszynski, European Product Marketing Manager – Flash, Kingston Technology. “urDrive enables consumers of all ages to make the USB Flash drive an interactive experience beyond just storing and transferring data between devices.” For more information, visit the website below.

Color Confidence, the exclusive UK distributor for the X-Rite ColorMunki Photo, has announced that all ColorMunki Photo will come with a free Mini ColorChecker and a link to download the ColorChecker Passport camera profiling software. “The combination of ColorMunki Photo and the ColorChecker Passport software is a powerful, all in one, colour accuracy solution” comments Geoffrey Clements, Managing Director, Color Confidence “This offer gives photographers the ability to achieve the best colour results in their capture, on-screen editing, and final result, be it projected or in print.”

Multiblitz is launching a new monolight-battery bundle called Glamkit in the North American market. The Glamkit combines the Profilux Plus studio flash system with the Multiblitz Propack 1 battery pack, and the 3-foot octagonal softbox Glambox 90. A sturdy trolley with a snug-fitting soft case and harness for the Propac battery pack with Velcro fastening straps for the included 8-foot. air-cushioned light stand completes the Glamkit. Priced from $1,899, the Glamkit will be exclusively sold in the US through the Multiblitz USA online store starting on 1 December.

Intro 2020, the UK distributor and importer of Phottix photo accessories, has announced the availability of a range of new products. The new line-up includes a handheld reflector/diffuser, a radio trigger set and a remote release that features a full-colour LCD screen for displaying the live view feed coming from the camera. The Phottix 5-in-1 collapsible reflector disc includes the five most popular reflectors used in photography: silver, gold, white, black and translucent; the last of which can also be used as a diffuser. The Phottix Strato II Multi Wireless Trigger Kit for Canon and Nikon cameras comprises a 2.4 GHz transmitter and receiver offering ranges of more than 150 metres and sync speeds of up to 1/250 second (extra receivers are available separately), Finally, the Phottix Hero Live View Remote Set (pictured) provides remote live view on its 2.4” screen and doubles as a regular wireless remote release. Interestingly, the set also works with SLRs that do not feature live view functionality as it includes a small camera that attaches to your SLR’s viewfinder eyepiece.

THK Photo Products has announced the US availability of the new Hoya PRO1 Digital ND32 and ND64 neutral density filters. These filters allow you to use long exposures in strong daylight. The ND32 is a 5-stop neutral density filter, while the ND64 is an even darker filter that allows you to set exposure times that are 6 times longer than would otherwise be possible in the given lighting conditions, at the lowest ISO speed of your camera and your choice of f-stop. THK Photo Products is the US distributor for Tokina lenses, Hoya filters, Kenko photo accessories and SLIK camera support systems.

Wacom has announced an Intuos4 promotion called ‘Meet the Masters’. When purchasing an Intuos4 pen tablet, customers will receive a free DVD with more than 10 hours of professional tutorials from 13 international experts in digital imaging, design, illustration, 3D and motion design. ‘Meet the Masters’ is available in English, German and French versions, as well as with subtitles in Italian and Spanish.

Photographer, film-maker and writer Zeke Kamm has launched a Kickstarter project to fund the development of a new photography accessory called the Nice Clip. Realising that photographers often run into the problem of not knowing what to do with their lens caps when they are not on the lens, Kamm has created the Nice Clip that “sticks to your lens cap so you can clip your cap to your strap, camera bag, pocket, shirt, hat - wherever you want”. To learn more about the project and the Nice Clip itself, check out the website below.

Website: The Nice Clip on Kickstarter

Ballistic Case Co. has launched a new universal belt pouch that is suitable for carrying a variety of camera phones and digital cameras. The Ballistic Sport Rugged Pouch is made of a tough ballistic nylon material and features an easy-to-open Velcro strap and a durable belt clip. Available in black, the Ballistic Universal Sport Rugged Pouch retails for $29.99.

Website: Ballistic

Lastolite has launched its new Ezybox Quad flash bracket. You can attach up to four flashguns and an umbrella or softbox to the Ezybox Quad to create a diffused light. The bracket can be used in conjunction with various flash triggering systems utilising one of the accompanying PC cables that allow you to connect four flashguns to a single receiver.The Ezybox Quad Bracket is available separately for £108 or in one of the three Ezybox Softbox Quad Kits (£160-220).

Ocean Leisure Cameras have announced the addition of Panasonic’s DMW-MCFT3 waterproof housing to its range of underwater photography products. The Panasonic FT3 is waterproof on its own down to a depth of 12 metres, but this housing allows you to go down to 40 metres. Unlike some housings, the Panasonic DMW-MCFT3 case enables the use of all the camera controls including custom white balance. The Panasonic housing also has an accessory shoe mount for focusing lights or small strobes. You can buy the camera+housing in a kit for £519.95. If you already have the Panasonic FT3, you can purchase the housing separately for £219.95.

Arca-Swiss has announced its NEX kit for the Sony NEX-3 and NEX-5 compact system cameras, comprising a mini L-bracket and a viewfinder shoe for an optical finder. The Sony NEX L-bracket is fully compatible with the company’s monoball Fix and monoball Classic quick release systems. Allowing a fast change from landscape to portrait orientation and vise-versa, the Arca-Swiss NEX kit is available for €159.

Lastolite has launched its new Strobo Kit. The Strobo is a compact and simple-to-use, creative light modifying system for battery-operated flashguns. The Strobo comes as a kit and is available in two versions: one which fits directly onto a flashgun and the other which includes an Ezybox Hotshoe Plate. Optional Barn Doors are also available for both kits. The Strobo Kit is available now, priced at £100.

Lindy Electronics have announced a USB 3.0 multi-card reader that provides SuperSpeed access to a range of memory cards. The device has slots for five different kinds of card, including Compact Flash, Memory Stick, SD, microSD and xD; and supports both UDMA-compliant CF cards as well has high-capacity SDXC memory cards. Backward compatible with USB 2.0/1.1 the card reader includes a 1m USB 3.0 cable, and sells for a recommended retail price of £24.99 including VAT.

The Rollei Flexipod 300 is a flexible camera tripod featuring rubberised legs, a small spirit level and a smartphone adapter. Available in a range of different colours, the Rollei Felxipod 300 is a compact and lightweight (35g) accessory that nevertheless boasts a maximum load capacity of approximately 1kg. The recommended retail price is €39.90.

Lowepro has expanded its Fastpack line with the release of the DSLR Video Fastpack AW series. Developed for fast-moving multimedia photographers, the series consists of three dual-compartment models that fit a wide-ranging capacity of pro-sized gear, plus a laptop and accessories. The lower compartment of each pack protects a pro-sized DSLR or HD video-enabled DSLR within padded and adjustable compartments. A fast-access, side-entry pocket allows the photographers to quickly get to his or her gear by rotating the pack to the front and unzipping the camera compartment. A separate and padded compartment accommodates a laptop and keeps it within easy reach. The Fastpack 350 AW is the biggest model, measuring 26x17x24.5cm, while the Fastpack 150 AW is the smallest at 20.5x12.5x23cm.

The Lowepro DSLR Video Fastpack 150 AW sells for $119.99, the 250 AW for $149.99, while the 350 AW is available for $169.99.

Tenba has announced another expansion of itsDiscovery collection of lightweight professional-level camera bags. The Discovery Top Load is a clean and simple carrying solution for a single DSLR camera body with a mid-size zoom lens, while the Discovery Messenger fits a larger multi-lens camera system plus a tablet or laptop computer up to 13 inches. As with all Discovery bags, the Top Load and Messenger have a waterproof bottom panel for protection when the bag has to be put down on a wet surface, and they include Tenba’s exclusive WeatherWrap fast-deploying all-weather cover. The new Discovery Top Load and Messenger bags are available now at suggested retail prices of $69.95 to $109.95 respectively.

At the Samsung Mobile Solutions Forum held in Taiwan, Samsung announced its new, fast 1/2.3-inch 16-megapixel CMOS image sensor. Featuring backside illumination technology and a 1.34-micrometre pixel pitch, the Samsung S5K2P1 sensor is designed for high-performance, advanced smartphones as well as digital still cameras and camcorders. The new imager supports native 16:9-format video at up to 8.3Mp resolution at 60 frames per second and maximum 16-megapixel-resolution for stills at up to 30 frames per second. Mass production is scheduled to start in November.