Canon today announced two new accessories for the EOS system – the Speedlite 600EX II-RT flash (£549.99/€749.99, pictured) and the DM-E1 Directional Stereo Microphone (£279.99 / € 389.99). Firing up to 50% more flashes continuously compared with its predecessor, and a 100% increase when used with the new CP-E4N battery pack; the Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT has an improved heat measure technology which prevents overheating and allows longer bursts of flashes. A guide number of 60m at ISO 100 allows you to creatively light your subject over a wide range of distances and large areas, ideal for capturing the whole congregation at a wedding. Thanks to a wide lens coverage, from 20mm to 200mm, or to 14mm via the built-in adapter, photographers can easily control how light is spread across a subject. The radio control function provides further creative freedom. The DM-E1 is a compact stereo directional microphone featuring a classic shotgun design with three directional sound pick-up modes. Switching to the 90- and 120-degree modes provides stereo sound for sources that are spread over wider areas, such as an orchestra in a concert hall. Both new accessories will become available next month.

Now available to purchase, the Manfrotto Advanced Rear Backpack can be used as a camera backpack, a laptop backpack, or just as a protective camera case. Featuring the Manfrotto Protection System, the lower part of the bag is dedicated to holding photographic equipment, and will hold a professional SLR camera body with up to 3 lenses. The front pocket can store a 13” laptop, A4 documents, 10” tablet and small book and can be opened separately without affecting your camera equipment. The side pocket is suitable for a notebook and water bottle and the upper compartment can contain other documents and personal items. The camera compartment is completely removable, meaning the bag can be transformed into a spacious daypack. The Manfrotto Advanced Rear Backpack is available at £119.95.

COPTRZ is a brand new venture specialising in the sale and hire of drones. "COPTRZ are able to deliver a unique bespoke service: whether a production company needs to buy a drone, take training, or hire a commercial drone pilot - or all three! - we're able to help create a package that suits any budget," the company says. "UAVs such as the DJI Phantom 4 are not only affordable, but carry high definition cameras that rival any traditional stills or video equipment. Wide angles and panoramic views make for stunning landscape shots, and the possibilities available thanks to the versatility of drones is almost endless."

Peak Design have unveiled The Everyday Messenger 13 camera bag. The new compact bag promises to deliver the same design and functionality as the original Everyday Messenger (renamed The Everyday Messenger 15), but scaled down to fit smaller loads (13-inch laptop, compact system camera kits) and smaller body frames. “The response to the original Everyday Messenger Bag was unprecedented,” commented Peak Design Founder and President Peter Dering, “To say fans loved it is an understatement. But we also knew that a smaller version would be well received by mirrorless camera enthusiasts and anyone of smaller stature. We’re very excited to offer a 13-inch version.”

Transcend have launched a new range of industrial-grade SuperMLC UHS-I U1 microSD memory cards. The sequential write speed of the new SuperMLC cards can reach up to 95MB/s, twice faster than MLC flash chips. "Though the total capacity is reduced, SuperMLC is still a good trade-off for industrial enterprises to obtain superior quality that is nearly equivalent to SLC NAND flash at a cost-effective price," the company says. Transcend’s SuperMLC microSD cards offer exceptional endurance, delivering up to 30,000 P/E cycles, and are available in 4GB, 8GB, 16GB and 32GB capacities.

Flashpoint today announced the new Flashpoint R2 lighting line. The Flashpoint R2  wireless radio flash system consists of five new products, compatible with Canon, Nikon and Sony cameras: the Flashpoint XPLOR 600, Streaklight TTL, R2 TTL Remote Transmitter and Receiver, Zoom Flash and Zoom Li-on Flash. Also new are Flashpoint R2 bridge units, which introduce R2 compatibility to older Flashpoint Streaklights and Zoom Li-ons. The Flashpoint XPLOR 600 TTL all-in-one HSS studio flash with built-in R2 2.4GHz Radio Remote System ($749) is a portable lighting solution with a 600Ws head and an interchangeable 11.1-volt Lithium Ion 8700mAh battery. The Flashpoint R2 Streaklight 360 TTL ($519.95, pictured) is a hot-shoe, portable bare-bulb flash available in both Canon-compatible and Nikon-compatible models. The Flashpoint R2 TTL Wireless Remote Receiver connects all strobes to any tool in the R2 family, including older Flashpoint monolights and strobe lights. The R2 TTL Transmitter attaches to the body of any Canon, Nikon or Sony camera for full lighting control as well as TTL pass-through. The R2 Zoom Li-on Flash ($179.95) is powered by an internal lithium-ion battery pack and featurs a full-power recycle time of less than 1.5 seconds. Finally the R2 Bridge Receiver ($19.95) enables users to upgrade theirexisting non-R2 Flashpoint Streaklight and Zoom Li-on Speedlights to be upgraded to receive signals from the new R2 Radio Remote System.

MindShift Gear has released the Card-Again wallets designed for outdoor photographers who need quick access to their CompactFlash and SD cards. These two lightweight memory card wallets feature clear windows to identify used versus full cards and cutouts for easy access, and an attachment point to tether to a bag or clothing. The CF Card-Again holds4 CompactFlash or XQD media, whilst the SD Card-Again holds 6 SD cards. The wallets are priced at $14.99.

For outdoor photographers seeking one bag to carry a single DSLR or CSC on everything from a quick outing to a multi-night trek, MindShift Gear have just introduced four new Multi-Mount Holsters. Sized to fit a range of cameras and lenses, each holster offers five key mounting configurations: shoulder, pack/front harness, chest, storage, and belt. In a first for the photo industry, the Multi-Mount Holsters additionally feature a unique backpack mount. “The Multi-Mount Holsters include all the accessories needed to personalize your camera carrying method,” said Doug Murdoch, MindShift Gear’s CEO and Lead Designer. “With just a few adjustments, you can quickly switch from carrying it on your waist, back, chest or shoulder.” The Multi-Mount Holsters are priced from $89.99. Click through / scroll down for the details.

Elinchrom have introduced their next-generation Skyport flash triggering system. The new EL-Skyport Plus system is compact and robust, using readily available AA batteries. The Skyport Plus offers an extended range of up to 656 feet (200 m) and controls the power of all Skyport enabled Elinchrom flash units. With eight individual frequencies and the choice of standard and speed protocols, there are 16 frequency options, each with four groups. The EL-Skyport Receiver Plus will trigger almost every flash system and features a built-in hot shoe to trigger speedlights, while enabling them to also be conveniently mounted onto a lighting stand. The transmitter head folds down for reduced profile and easier subject viewing while shooting.

Sigma Corporation of America today announced two special Mother’s Day promotions. From now until 10 May 2016, the 18-300mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM | Contemporary lens (pictured) will include an instant rebate of $80 off its original Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price of $579 as well as a free USB dock, a $50 value and a Sigma macro close-up lens, a $55 value for a total saving of $185. Also offered during the same time period, the 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Contemporary lens will include a free USB dock.

As their Kickstarter campaign for the Pictar Camera Grip has reached its stretch goal of $150,000; Miggo have decided to offer an additional, dedicated Pictar model for the iPhone 6 Plus and 6s Plus smartphones. Billed as "probably the best iPhone camera-grip ever built," Pictar brings SLR-style controls - such as a physical shutter release and an exposure compensation wheel - as well as a tripod socket, a "smart wheel" and a zoom ring, to Apple's flagship smartphones.The new accessory is designed to communicate with the iPhone via a dedicated camera app which unlocks key features inaccessible on the native app to iPhone users. Each of the physical controls found on Pictar drive a specific function or setting and does so using high-frequency dual tone sounds. Each physical control is assigned a specific tone, and with each turn of a dial, press of a button or turn of a wheel, Pictar emits a sound that – when detected by the app – generates a corresponding action. The high-frequency dual tone (18,500 – 20,000 khz) is inaudible to the human ear and significantly increases battery life when compared to Bluetooth connectivity. Interested readers are encouraged to pay a visit to Pictar's Kickstarter project page.

Manfrotto has launched a new universal smartphone clamp. Devised for everyone who has embraced smartphone photography as a way of life, the Manfrotto TwistGrip is a high-quality aluminium accessory featuring a ¼” thread adapter to connect to any photographic support and cold-shoe lighting connection to allow integration with an LED light.The clamp’s twist movement and locking knob secure the smartphone in the right position in a just a few easy steps, so it stays safe, regardless of the shooting perspective.TwistGrip is priced at £39.95 and will be available from Apple UK and Manfrotto UK.

Sigma Corporation of America has announced the immediate availability of its new Global Vision MC-11 Lens Mount Converter. Retailing for an MSRP of $249, the new MC-11 gives Sony E-mount camera users access to 15 high-performance Sigma Canon Mount (EF) and Sigma Mount (SA) Global Vision lenses. The converter features an internal control data system that automatically optimizes performance of AF drive, aperture control and other critical lens functions such as brightness and correct transverse chromatic aberration, distortion and more. The integrated flocking helps prevent internal reflections and reduction in lens performance, whilst the built-in MC-11 LED display lets users know if the attached Sigma lens is compatible and if it needs to be updated. The Sigma lens can be updated from a workstation or laptop using the Sigma Optimization Pro software and Sigma USB Dock.

The Polaroid LED camera/camcorder video lighting line is now available for purchase. The range includes the Polaroid 350 ultra-high-powered, dual-colour LED video light wih barndoors ($159.99, pictured), the Polaroid 312 ($139.95) and Polaroid 144 ($99.95) camcorder LED lights and the flashgun-mountable Polaroid 102 LED dimmable video light ($39.95). All four products are available from Amazon.

G-Technology has launched its new G-Rack 12 network attached storage solution, which streamlines demanding media and entertainment video workflows, including 4K and above resolution, with a scalable 12-bay server offering capacities up to 120TB. An optional expansion chassis is available for expanding up to another 120TB of storage. "RED Studios Hollywood is constantly looking for the latest storage innovations, such as the G-Rack 12,” stated Jarred Land, president of RED Digital Cinema. “The 10-gigabit network speeds and ability to work within our Adobe, Final Cut Pro, and Avid ecosystems makes our G-RACK 12 an extremely valuable asset.”  Pricingvaries depending on capacity and configuration.

Fantasea has announced the new FG9X underwater housing for the Canon PowerShot G9 X camera. The housing provides full access to all camera buttons with clearly labeled controls and features a new touch-screen technology, providing access to essential contact points on the camera's touch-sensitive screen. Depth rated to 60 metres, the Fantasea FG9X offers a moisture detector, double O-ring protection and an M67 thread on its lens port. Now available for pre-order, the FG9X housing is priced at $400. The estimated release date is May 2016.

MMD has announced a new addition to its line-up of Philips 4K Ultra HD displays. At 43 inches, the latest Philips BDM4350UC 4K Ultra HD monitor is the largest in the range to date, providing professional photographers and designers with more space than ever to work. The MultiView feature enables users to stream input from up to four systems, and show four Full HD windows on the screen at one time. With a range of connectivity options including HDMI, DisplayPort and MHL for streaming from mobile devices (while charging the device at the same time), the new 43-inch 4K Ultra HD display also offers a USB 3.0 port, as well as PiP and PbP functionality. The new Philips 43-inch BDM4350UC display will be available in the beginning of May at a recommended retail price of £1,169.99.

Timelapse+ have launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the commercialisation of their auto ramping VIEW intervalometer. To allow for automatic day-to-night and night-to-day time lapse creation without any complicated setup, the VIEW individually analyses the exposure value of each image the camera takes; then feeds it through a sophisticated algorithm to deliver perfect results for sunset, sunrise, or night sky captures. This allows it to achieve what its creators call "the holy grail in time lapse photography." Additionally, the Timelapse+ VIEW provides photographers with the ability to watch a preview of the time-lapse sequence while it is still being captured, upon a gentle wave of the hand in front of the device. A smartphone app extends the experience even further, giving professionals complete control over their camera. They can preview, make settings adjustments and even download images remotely. The early-bird backer pricing is $320 for one Timelapse+ VIEW. Following the Kickstarter launch, the retail price will be $380.

Hama have launched a new universal charger with an LCD display. According to the company, the Hama Delta Ovum will charge just about any lithium-ion battery (3.6V/3.7V/7.2V/7.4V) and NiMH (AA/AAA) battery available today. The device automatically detects the voltage and polarity of Li-ion batteries, and cuts off when charging is completed. The LCD function display shows the current charge level of the batteries. The Hama Delta Ovum LCD Universal Charger is available for €34.99.

The new Polly Slider is the most compact, lightweight camera slider of its class with integrated ‘high-inertia’ flywheel stabilisation, a flexible mounting plate, and a new patented connection option. A flywheel with an integrated, fine-tuned gear provides for extremely smooth, stable camera panning, while the flexible mounting plate offers three combined fastening options for all common thread formats. In addition, the slider has height-adjustable folding feet and a level for alignment. Weighing in at 1.5kg, the Polly Slider is available for €940+VAT.