Daniel ‘Danny’ Kleinman, title sequence designer for the James Bond series and director of Sony’s recent ‘Made for Bond’ advert has shared his tips for capturing action sequences. The ad follows a tense chase across London’s South Bank as Moneypenny fights off mysterious villains to deliver Bond’s Xperia Z5 phone (pictured). Danny advises budding action film makers to film on at least two cameras, rehearse the action at half speed if possible, get reaction shots, use the right kit and double check that everyone is happy with their roles in the action and understands the cues.

SanDisk has recognised the new LG V10 as the first smartphone to meet SanDisk’s guidelines for ‘Extreme Photo-Imaging Capabilities’ (EPIC). SanDisk EPIC is a SanDisk led marketing initiative which strives to foster and proliferate the incorporation of high-quality imaging capabilities in mobile devices. In meeting the SanDisk EPIC guidelines for smartphones, the LG V10 offers a variety of advanced video and photography capabilities, including, among others, multi-shot image capture in raw format and 4K Ultra HD video recording and playback. “An increasing number of our customers rely on their smartphone as their primary device to capture their memories in both photos and video. So, it was critically important to us to give the LG V10 truly exceptional imaging capabilities. We are thrilled for our LG V10 to be the first smartphone to meet SanDisk’s EPIC guidelines,” said Dr. Ramchan Woo, vice president of LG mobile communications.

The Nexus 6P is a new Huawei-built phablet with a twelve-megapixel primary camera, f/2 lens, broad-spectrum CRI-90 dual flash and laser-assisted auto focus. Other highlights include a 5.7-inch WQHD AMOLED display with a resolution of 518 pixels per inch, USB Type-C connectivity, 4K video capture at 30fps, reduced-resolution movie recording at up to 240fps for slow-motion playback, and a front-facing camera with an 8-megapixel imager and an f/2.4 lens. Running on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the Nexus 6P will be available in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB editions, with prices starting at £449/$499 for the 32GB model.

The LG Nexus 5X is a new smartphone featuring a 12.3-megapixel main camera with an f/2 lens, broad-spectrum CRI-90 dual flash, laser-assisted auto focus and 4K movie capture. The phone also boasts a 5.2" Full HD LCD screen with a resolution of 423ppi, a USB Type-C connector and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera with an f/2 lens. Running on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the Nexus 5X is available to preorder for £339/$379.

Apple have just announced iOS 9, which will be available on Wednesday, 16th September as a free software update for iPhone 4S and later, iPod touch 5th generation and later, iPad 2 and later and iPad mini (all versions). This update shall bring a longer battery life, improved multitasking with Split View and a new Picture-in-Picture mode. The brand new iCloud Drive app enables users to easily access any file they had previously saved to iCloud from their Home screen, while the revamped Notes app now allows you to add photos to your notes or take a new one with your device's built-in camera. Also, you can now use Siri to search for photos based on date, location or album name by telling the assistant to "show me photos taken in Paris last summer," for example. There are other enhancements including faster typing, more robust security, support for public transport in Maps, plus an all-new News app; but in our understanding, there are no major OS-level changes that directly affect the photo-taking experience on currently available devices (Live Photos are reserved for the new iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus).

Apple today introduced its latest smartphones, the iPhone 6S and the iPhone 6S Plus. The new iPhones introduce 3D Touch, which senses force to enable new ways to access features and interact with content. They also boast a transformative new approach to photography called Live Photos, bringing still images to life by capturing a moment in motion. High-definition video improves with support for 4K — with a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels — and the expansion of optical image stabilization to video on iPhone 6s Plus. The main camera module has been updated with a 12-megapixel sensor and an Apple-designed image processor. The new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will be available in gold, silver, space grey and the new rose gold metallic finishes for $0 down with 24 monthly payments starting at $27 and $31, respectively. Both models will be available in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the UK and the US beginning Friday, September 25.

Lenovo has launched  the 5.0” Lenovo VIBE S1, a unique smartphone with two front cameras. The 8MP primary front camera takes the sharpest photos and a 2MP secondary front camera analyzes depth of field information to replicate human binocular vision. After taking a selfie with both cameras, there are various options to modify the selfie by selecting from a number of built-in photo editing tools. ‘Blur’ allows refocusing anywhere within the frame (up to 3 focal planes). With ‘Cut Out’, people can be cropped out of a selfie and then placed on any other image (from a wide selection preloaded on the VIBE S1 or downloaded from the Internet), and even on a photo taken with the 13-megapixel rear camera of the smartphone. The VIBE S1 will be available starting in November in countries where Lenovo smartphones are sold. Pricing starts at $299.

This weekend saw the first of five ultraviolet art murals appear across London as part of a collaboration between Sony Mobile and a series of street artists to bring to life the low-light photography capabilities of its Xperia Z3 smartphone. The project was kicked off by artist Dan Kitchener, well-known for his modern impressionistic street scenes at night. His mural adorns the Hat and Feathers Pub at 2 Clerkenwell Road and has already sparked considerable conversation on social media. The next seven weeks will see five artists in total take to the streets of the capital and create murals around the theme of ‘I Can See in the Dark’ which aligns with Sony’s latest ‘I Can’ advertising campaign. The second mural, created by artist Zina, will be live from 20th July on the Great Eastern Bear Gallery in Shoreditch.

Toshiba today announced “T4KC3”, a 16-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor for tablet- and smartphone camera modules. This 1/2.7"-type chip has a pixel pitch of 1.12 microns, and allows 30fps recording at full resolution. Phase-Detection Auto-Focus achieves quick focusing, and makes it easier for mobile devices to capture high quality images and movies, the company says. “T4KC3” also incorporates Toshiba’s Bright Mode technology, which boosts image brightness up to four times and enables HD video capture at 240fps equivalent, and supports high dynamic range imaging. Additionally the new sensor incorporates 16Kbit OTP (one-time programmable memory), which can store lens shading correction data for four conditions at maximum, such as indoors and outdoors, daylight and sunset. Sample shipments are scheduled to start in September this year.

The new Samsung Galaxy S6 active is a rugged smartphone with a 16-megapixel camera and a 5.1" QuadHD screen boasting a resolution of 577 pixels per inch. Built to withstand whatever everyday life throws its way, the Samsung Galaxy S6 active has IP68 certified casing that is water resistant up to 1.5 metres for up to 30 minutes, shock resistant, and dustproof. The 16-megapixel rear- and 5-megapixel front-facing cameras are claimed to "launch faster than ever," whilst auto-real time High Dynamic Range (HDR) promises balanced exposures even in contrasty light. Photos and videos are saved unto the smartphone's 32GB internal storage unit. The Android 5.0.2 powered Galaxy S6 active has a 3500mAh battery and a 64-bit octa-core processor but unlike the S6 edge and regular Galaxy S6 models, it appears not to feature optical image stabilisation. In the US, the Galaxy S6 active will be available exclusively atAT&T.

Nova today launched Multiple Nova Support - a new, inventive way to create mobile lighting studios on-the-go. Using the new Nova Camera 1.2 app, photographers can connect and control up to ten Nova Bluetooth Flash devices from one iPhone. Similar to how a professional indoor studio uses multiple sources of light in different positions and at different angles, using multiple Novas enables iPhone photographers to control shadow and experiment with directional lighting effects. “We wanted to put iPhone owners in the driver’s seat so they can create and capture their vision anytime and anywhere by using more than one lighting source,” said Jaimie Walnes, Founder of Nova. “iPhone owners can now create outdoor lighting studios whether they’re at the top of a skyscraper or out on the street. It will be very exciting to see the creativity that will emerge from using this new capability.” To accompany the launch of Multiple Nova Support, the ‘Mint Nova Studio 4 Pack’ is available for $177.

The Sony Xperia Z3+ is a new Android phone with a 20.7-megapixel main camera and 25mm (eq.) f/2 lens. The camera module incorporates a 1/2.3-type sensor and offers 4K video capture, HDR exposure blending, as well as sensitivity settings up to ISO12,800. The 5-megapixel secondary camera also features a 25mm equivalent lens for group selfies. The waterproof and dust-tight (IP65/68) Sony Xperia Z3+ has a 5.2” Full HD smart adaptive display and runs on a 2930mAh battery. The phone will launch globally from June 2015.

LG have officially launched the LG G4c smartphone. As the smaller sibling of the LG G4, the 5", 720p  LG G4c features an 8-megapixel rear camera module with flash, plus a 5-megapixel front-facing camera for self-portraits. Other popular LG exclusives such as Gesture Shot, Glance View and Knock Code are also included. The LG G4c is scheduled to launch in key strategic markets in the weeks to come – with the UK release date in June. Prices and participating carriers will be announced locally at the time of availability.

The new LG G4 smartphone will begin rolling out this week to consumers in key markets around the world. Featuring a 1/2.6"-type sixteen-megapixel sensor, an f/1.8 lens and an external white balance sensor, the LG G4 offers raw photo capture, and a wide range of manual adjustments including shutter speed, focus and ISO sensitivity, as well as optical image stabilisation, laser auto focus and a live histogram. Starting in Hong Kong, the G4 will follow with rollouts in Turkey, Russia and Singapore, eventually including most of Europe, North America, CIS, Southeast Asia, Middle East/Africa and South/Central America. It will arrive in the UK on 28th May.

LG has announced its latest smartphone, which features a 16-megapixel camera module with an external white balance sensor and an f/1.8 lens. The LG G4 has a 1/2.6-type image sensor capable of recording raw images, and offers a wide range of manual adjustments including shutter speed, focus and ISO sensitivity, as well as optical image stabilisation, laser auto focus and a live histogram. Other photography-related features include a Gesture Shutter function, 4K movie recording, an 8-megapixel front-facing camera and a 5.5” IPS Quantum display.

The Lenovo VIBE Shot is new camera-smartphone crossover device featuring a 16-megapixel imager with an aspect ratio of 16:9 and a 6-element lens with optical IS. The camera's tricolour flash enables photographers to shoot in low-light conditions while matching the colour composition of the light emitted by the flash to that of the ambient light source. Another standout features of the Lenovo VIBE Shot iinclude an infrared AF system which is claimed to be "twice as fast as normal autofocus," a 5" Full HD display and a physical shutter release. The Lenovo VIBE Shot will be available starting in June, starting at $349.

Panasonic UK today announced that following a successful initial launch phase of its Android-based, raw-capable Lumix CM1 camera phone (read review), it will now be widely available nationwide from mid-April. The Panasonic CM1 is unique in that despite its slim profile, it packs a 1"-type 20-megapixel sensor and a Leica branded 28mm (eq.) f/2.8 lens with a physical iris diaphragm. The smartphone/camera hybrid will be available from CameraWorld, Dixons Travel, Harrods, Jessops, London Camera Exchange, Park Cameras, Warehouse Express and Wilkinson Cameras. Furthermore, Panasonic has revealed that the DMC-CM1’s current Android 4.4 KitKat operating system will be upgradeable to the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop OS in May, giving users access to many new features including notification control, battery management and extra security.

Olympus Japan has announced a Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled camera unit designed for use with smartphones. The Olympus Air features a Four Thirds sized 16-megapixel MOS sensor, a Micro Four Thirds lens mount, an electronic shutter with a top speed of 1/16,000s, an 81-point AF system, a shutter release and a tripod socket. Weighing-in at 147 grams, the Olympus Air can be controlled via a smartphone app. Going on sale on 6 March 2015, the Olympus Air has a recommended retail price of 36,504 yen. The product will only be available through the Olympus Online Shop, and there is no word on international pricing.

Asus has unveiled an 11.95mm thin smartphone with a 13-megapixel imager, 3x optical zoom and optical image stabilisation. The Asus Zenfone Zoom's rear camera features a 10-element 3x zoom lens and a "revolutionary" laser auto focus system, and comes with a camera app that allows the user to set shutter speed and ISO sensitivity manually. Other highlights include a 5.5" IPS screen with 1920x1080 pixels and a resolution of 403ppi, a dual-colour Real Tone flash and a 5-megapixel front camera with an f2 lens. The Asus Zenfone Zoom is powered by a 3,000mAh lithium-polymer battery and runs on Android 5.0.

The Panasonic DMC-CM1 smartphone will be available in the UK. The Panasonic CM1 was planned to initially launch in France and Germany only, but due to high interest a number of cameras will be available in the UK from 1st December. The CM1 will be available online through Panasonic Direct as well as selected retailers.