Want to see exactly how the new Olympus E-P5 compact system camera compares to the flagship OM-D EM-5?

Check out our  hands-on gallery of photos of the Olympus E-P5 compact camera alongside the popular OM-D EM-5. We've included the E-P5 with the optional VF-4 electronic viewfinder fitted, which actually makes it larger than the EM5.

For the history buffs, there's also some side-by-side shots with the PEN F film camera, which was clearly a big inspiration for the design of the EP5.

The Olympus PEN E-P5 is a new compact system camera with a top shutter speed of 1/8000th second, 5-axis image stabiliser and built-in Wi-Fi; encased in an all-metal body reminiscent of the 50-year-old PEN F half-frame film camera. Other highlights include a Four Thirds sized, 16-megapixel "Live MOS" sensor lifted from the critically acclaimed OM-D E-M5, a tiltable 1.04-million-dot touchscreen, fast contrast detect auto focus with Touch AF functionality and a new Super Spot AF feature, a Focus Peaking option for manual focus enthusiasts, a 9fps continuous shooting mode, 1/320th second flash sync, and a remarkable 2x2 Dial Control system. The body is available for £899.99/$999.99 from the end of June 2013, or with a choice of interchangeable lenses and accessories. Kits start at £999.99 for the 14-42mm lens and £1349.99/$1449.99 for a bundle including a 17mm f/1.8  prime lens and new VF-4 high resolution, 2.360.000-dot viewfinder, which comes with the option to fit a distinctive real-wood grip at the time of ordering.

Although the new Olympus PEN E-P5 will not be available in stores till late June, Olympus UK will be holding exclusive preview events at selected stores throughout May, where you can see the camera, try it out and pre-order. Click through / scroll down for the exact dates and locations.

Fujifilm has received three awards from the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA). The Best Expert Compact System Camera award went to the Fujifilm X-E1, the Fujinon XF14mm f/2.8 R was named "Best Compact System Camera Prime Lens," while the Fujifilm X20 (pictured) received TIPA's Best Expert Compact Camera award.

Samsung has joined forces with David Bailey to create an online exhibition and auction whose proceeds will go to Marie Curie Cancer Care. The auction will feature twenty photographs, one taken by the David Bailey and the others taken by 19 of his namesakes who were recruited by Samsung back in October. Live from today, the charity auction will be open for one week until 8pm on Tuesday 14th March and will feature a range of images taken by the David Baileys on a Samsung NX300 (pictured). Each print will be available to bid on for the duration of the week-long auction, with bidders invited to identify the real David Bailey from his namesakes to be in with the chance of getting their hands on an original David Bailey print. Anyone wanting to take part in the auction should visit the website below.

The Olympus E-PL5 PEN Lite has just received a TIPA award in the Entry-Level Compact System Camera category. The jury of the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) praised the camera's in-body image stabilisation, tiltable 3-inch touchscreen, 8fps burst mode, full range of manual controls, Full HD movie recording capability and speedy AF system. The E-PL5 follows in the footsteps of its predecessor the Olympus E-PL3 PEN Lite, which won the same category last year.

Pentax Ricoh UK has just launched a cashback promotion across its range of digital SLRs, mirrorless and compact cameras. The cashback campaign will run from 4 May – 27 July 2013. Click through / scroll down for the list of eligible products and the amount of cashback you can claim on your purchases.

Canon has just launched its summer cashback offer in the UK. Eligible customers may claim up to £55 cashback on a range of selected products across digital SLR cameras and lenses, compact cameras, inkjet printers and camcorders. Plus, if you purchase two promotional products within the same transaction, you're eligible to claim one additional £30 bonus payment. Click through for the full list of participating products.

The Samsung NX2000 is a new stylish and slim compact system camera. The NX2000 features a large 20.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor, 3.7-inch WVGA Full Touch Screen, 8fps fast continuous shooting, built-in Wi-Fi connectivity and Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, and includes Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4. The NX2000 (MSRP: $649.99) will be available in white, black and pink from authorized Samsung retailers and at www.samsung.com

Olympus China has posted a teaser for a new PEN series Micro Four Thirds camera, According to the text, the new model will be on display at various trade shows held in four Chinese cities - including Shanghai - between 11th May and 1st June. The company has not revealed anything about the uocoming camera's specifications yet.

Source: Olympus China via Engadget

Panasonic has released a Full HD sample movie shot with the new Panasonic Lumix G6 MFT camera. The three-minute Panasonic G6 sample video is made up of 16 shots filmed in Peru, including a few takes demonstrating the built-in Miniature effect. Click through / scroll down to see the movie.

Want to see exactly what the new Panasonic G6 Micro Four Thirds camera looks like in the flesh? We have compiled a gallery of hands-on photos for your perusal.

Successor to last year's Lumix G5, the new Panasonic G6 is a 16-megapixel Micro Four Thirds system camera with an OLED viewfinder, 3" free-angle LCD screen, new-generation Venus processing engine, ultra-sensitive "night-shot AF" mode and Wi-Fi/NFC connectivity. Boasting an improved sensitivity range of ISO 160/23° - ISO 25600/45°, several new Function buttons and 7fps burst shooting capability, the Panasonic G6 retains its predecessor's dual mechanical-electronic shutter, clever Function Lever, touchpad AF function and SLR-like appearance. In terms of video capture, the Full HD 1080/50p recording mode has been carried over, and a new 24p video mode has been added enabling users to capture moving images and play them back at a ‘cinematic’ 24 frames per second. The integrated Wi-Fi/NFC connectivity means that after the initial setup, tablets and smartphones for remote shooting can be connected with a simple touch without having to re-enter authorisation details every time. The new Panasonic G6 will be available at the end of May, in four options: body-only (£549), in a kit with the 14-42mm II lens (£629), in a double-zoom kit with the 14-42mm II and 45-150mm lenses (£799) and in a bundle with the new 14-140mm superzoom lens (£949). Do note that in the United Kingdom, the G6 will be sold alongside the G5, which remains in the line-up for the foreseeable future.

Canon today announced that the company’s interchangeable-lens digital cameras (including DSLRs and CSCs) have consistently maintained the No. 1 share worldwide in terms of volume within the interchangeable-lens digital camera market for the past 10 years. In 2003, Canon introduced its breakthrough EOS 300D Digital Rebel, which set the stage for growth in the digital SLR camera market. Since that time, the company has launched a number of models targeting advanced-amateur users - including the EOS 5D series, which paved the way for serious digital SLR video recording, starting with the 5D Mark II. In 2012, Canon celebrated the 25th anniversary of the introduction of the EOS camera system and marked its 10th consecutive year as the market’s world leader. During the year, Canon launched the compact-system EOS M, aimed at expanding the company’s entry-level user base, along with the EOS 6D, the world’s smallest and lightest digital SLR camera equipped with a 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor. This year, Canon introduced the EOS 100D / Rebel SL1 (pictured), which is billed as the world’s smallest and lightest DSLR camera equipped with an APS-C-size sensor.

Pentax Ricoh have posted a firmware update for the Pentax Q compact system camera. Version 1.12 corrects a bug related to the Smart Effect, "Tone Expansion." This effect is supposed to produce a dramatic, "quasi-HDR" image but users who have updated their camera firmware to version 1.11 when that update came out have found that the effect was no longer applied. This issue is resolved in version 1.12, which you can download from the website below.

Website: Pentax Q Downloads: Firmware Update

Panasonic has released a Full HD sample movie shot with the new Panasonic Lumix GF6 compact system camera. The one-and-a-half-minute Panasonic GF6 sample video is made up of seven sequences shot in a variety of outdoor locations. Click through / scroll down to see the movie.

The Nikon D4 FX-format digital SLR camera; the Nikon 1 V2, J3, and S1 compact system cameras and the Nikon Coolpix S01 digital compact camera have been awarded the “red dot award: product design 2013”, sponsored by Germany’s Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen. This year, 4,662 products from 1,865 companies in 54 countries were entered in the competition. Winners will be on display from July 2, 2013 to July 28, 2013 in the “Design on stage – winners red dot award: product design 2013” exhibition at the Red Dot Design Museum in Essen Germany.

Want to see exactly what the new Panasonic Lumix GF6 looks like in the flesh? We have compiled a hands-on gallery for your perusal.

The Panasonic GF6 is a new 16-megapixel compact system camera with a 180° tilting touchscreen, built-in Wi-Fi and NFC support, and improved low-light auto focus. Successor to the GF5, the new Lumix GF6 features the latest-generation Venus image processing engine (the same as that of the range-topping GH3), which promises better noise filtering and improved dynamic range utilisation. The hinged rear screen, which can be rotated approximately 180° to face the subject, boasts a resolution of 1,040,000 dots and delivers enhanced visibility in broad daylight. The integrated Wi-Fi module allows for features like remote shooting, instant image transfer and the ability to play back your photographs on a DLNA compliant Viera HDTV; while the novel NFC (Near-Field Communication) capability opens up new ways for the camera to wirelessly interact with your NFC-enabled smartphone or tablet. Other highlights include Full HD video recording, a Creative Panorama mode that enables you to apply a number of digital filters to your panoramic images, stop-motion animation, and a Clear Retouch function that allows users to clone out unwanted elements from a photo in-camera. The Panasonic Lumix GF6 will be available from the end of May, priced at £499 with the 14-42mm II lens and £649 in a double-zoom kit with the 45-150mm Mega O.I.S.

Panasonic and Rankin Film Productions (RFP) have released the first “GH3-minute movie,” entitled Hertz. Three weeks ago, we wrote that Panasonic had partnered with RFP to produce three 3-minute films using three Lumix GH3 cameras. The partnership represents a unique way of promoting the camera and aims to further demonstrate the credentials and benefits a CSC has for “harnessing the creative visions of up-and-coming talent,” Panasonic says. Click through / scroll down to watch Hertz, the first “GH3-minute movie” in the series.