Samsung today announced a cash back initiative for customers purchasing a camera from the Samsung SMART range. The offers available include £100 cash back upon purchasing a Samsung NX20, the Samsung NX210 also comes with £100 cash back and the Samsung NX1000 comes with £50. The Samsung MV900F and the Samsung EX2F also come with £50 whilst the Samsung ST200 and DV300F come with £20, the Samsung QF20 camcorder comes with £30. Once a SMART camera has been purchased, a pre paid visa card loaded with cash will be sent back to the customer via post.

Sony has posted a firmware update for the Sony NEX-7 compact system camera. The update allows users to disable the movie record button to avoid the risk of accidental operation during still shooting; and adds wider 1EV, 2EV and 3EV steps to the list of exposure bracketing options. Further enhancements include improved auto image review, improved image quality with wide-angle lenses and improved indication when setting Flexible Spot AF Area. Registered owners of the Sony NEX-7 compact system camera can download the firmware update from the website below.

Last month, Samsung issued a call for every Briton called David Bailey to meet up in London and take part in a photography project. The initiative was successful as 142 David Baileys came together to meet their namesake, iconic fashion and celebrity photographer David Royston Bailey. The company gave all participants the new Samsung NX1000 camera (read review) to test the theory that “it’s so good that it lets everyone take photos like the world’s best photographer.” For more information, visit the website below..

Here are seven Full 1080 HD movies taken with the new Panasonic GH3 compact system camera using the MOV, AVCHD and MP4 formats, including 72Mbps in ALL-I.

They’ve all been uploaded onto Photography Blog’s Vimeo HD channel where you can watch them at their native size. Note that these are fully representative of the Panasonic GH3’s final video quality when it ships next month.

Olympus UK has announced an upcoming consumer promotion. Those purchasing an Olympus OM-D E-M5 compact system camera between 15th October and 31st December can claim a 45mm (90mm eq.) f/1.8 short telephoto lens absolutely free by redemption. This offer will only be valid for the UK and the Republic of Ireland and only through authorised stockists. You will need a valid UK/ROI VAT receipt to claim your free lens, subject to the promotion’s Terms and Conditions, which will be posted at the website below, starting 15th October.

Website: Olympus United Kingdom | Sales Promotions
Reviews: Olympus O-MD E-M5 | M.Zuiko Digital 45mm f/1.8 | Olympus OM-D E-M5 vs Nikon D7000

We have collected the most interesting digital cameras announced at (or just before) Photokina 2012. They are not necessarily the “best” cameras out there - some of them are indisputably ground-breaking, others rather controversial - but they are all intriguing in one way or another.

Want to see exactly what the new Canon EOS M compact system camera looks like in the flesh? We have compiled a hands-on gallery for your perusal.

At Photokina, Fujifilm delivered a presentation about the new Fujifilm X-E1 compact system camera, the Fujinon XF18-55mm and XF14mm lenses and the XF1 premium compact camera.

Want to see exactly what the new Hasselblad Lunar compact system camera looks like in the flesh? We have compiled an extensive hands-on gallery for your perusal. Updated!

Want to see exactly what the new Panasonic Lumix GH3 compact system camera looks like in the flesh? We have compiled a hands-on gallery for your perusal. Updated and expanded!

The Hasselblad Lunar is an E-mount, Italian-designed ‘ultimate luxury’ mirrorless, interchangeable lens camera. Planned for an early 2013 launch, the Lunar can be used in fully automatic or fully manual mode and is described as “a camera for both serious photographers and enthusiasts who aspire to shooting with a Hasselblad.” The right-hand grip is claimed to offer “unparalleled ergonomics,” while the camera itself comes equipped with an APS-C 24.3 MP sensor, 25-point AF system, OLED electronic viewfinder and TriNavi control system. (In other words, it has the internals, control system and lens mount of the Sony NEX-7 in a newly designed body.) The Hasselblad Lunar will be priced at around €5000 and will be available in a choice of standard models plus a variety of exclusive hand grips and precious materials on special order.

Want to see exactly what the new Pentax Q10 compact system camera looks like in the flesh? We have compiled a hands-on gallery for your perusal.

Want to see exactly what the new Fujifilm X-E1 compact system camera looks like in the flesh? We have compiled a gallery of hands-on photos for your perusal.

Panasonic delivered an interesting presentation to the assembled press at their press conference held today in Cologne, Germany. Much of the presentation was, of course, dedicated to the new, dust- and splashproof Panasonic Lumix GH3 Micro Four Thirds camera but it also contained interesting tidbits about the compact system camera market in general, and the company’s future plans in particular, including two new lenses scheduled for launch sometime in 2013/2014.

Want to see exactly what the new Panasonic LUMIX G X 35-100mm F2.8 lens looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the premium Panasonic LUMIX G X 35-100mm F2.8 lens, then take a look at our Panasonic LUMIX G X 35-100mm F2.8 Photos article to see the image quality that it can produce.

The Panasonic GH3 is a dust- and splashproof Micro Four Thirds camera with a new 16.05-megapixel Live MOS sensor, three-inch OLED screen, built-in Wi-Fi, 1080 50p Full HD recording in a range of video file formats - with all footage indexed - and sockets for professional grade equipment. Aimed at both photographers and professional filmmakers, the new Lumix GH3 allows users to capture AVCHD video with a bitrate of 28 Mbps or MOV1 movies with 72Mbps in ALL-I. For still photography, the Panasonic GH3 offers burst shooting of up to 6fps at 16 megapixels and up to 20fps in 4-megapixel mode, plus a 1,744K OLED EVF and a sync socket for studio lighting rigs. Like the G5, the Panasonic Lumix GH3 features a completely silent electronic shutter in addition to a conventional focal-plane shutter. The camera will be available for £1100 body only, £1600 in a kit with the 14-140mm lens, or £2000 in a bundle with the Lumix G X 12-35mm f/2.8 high-performance standard zoom.

Want to see exactly how the new Olympus E-PL5, E-PM2 and XZ-2 cameras compare with each other?

Check out our hands-on gallery of side-by-side comparison photos of the Olympus E-PL5, E-PM2 and XZ-2.

Want to see exactly what the new Olympus E-PL5 compact system camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Olympus E-PL5 compact camera.

Olympus have transferred the impressive Live MOS sensor from its award-winning Micro Four Thirds O-MD flagship to the new PEN Lite (or E-PL5), which combines best-in-class image quality with the stand-out styling that has made PEN a must-have for fans of iconic product design. The new sensor teams up with another O-MD component - the TruePic VI image processor - to power FAST AF, which makes the autofocus on the new PEN Lite duo comparable to the lightning-quick O-MD E-M5.

Want to see exactly what the new Olympus E-PM2 compact system camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Olympus E-PM2 compact camera.

The E-PM2 PEN Mini has in-body IS that ensures blur-free recording with any lens, 12 easy access Art Filters and a direct wireless link to social media for sharing images via smartphone. In spec terms, the diminutive PEN mini is very nearly as strong as the Lite and in the style department it’s more than capable of holding its own.

Want to see exactly what the new Olympus 15mm 1:8.0 Body Cap lens looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Olympus 15mm 1:8.0 Body Cap lens.

The superaffordable and ultra-slim 15mm (30mm*) 1:8.0 Body Cap lens is all about shooting on the fly, ideally with a PEN.