The Leica M Edition 100 is a special kit comprising a purely mechanical rangefinder camera for film photography – the Leica M-A, which is based on the currently available Leica MP – and a digital Leica M Monochrom, alongside three Leica Summilux-M lenses with focal lengths of 28, 35 and 50mm. Of these, the Leica Summilux-M 1,4/28 mm ASPH. is a completely new lens, designed specifically for the Leica M Edition 100 bundle. These cameras and lenses will be available exclusively as sets from Leica Stores and Boutiques and strictly limited to 101 sets.

Leica has announced a new version of the Leica M Monochrom digital rangefinder camera. "The design of the new silver chrome version is as discreet as the popular design of the black chrome version, with a uniform colouration and a minimum of details," the company says. "Naturally the black chrome version will still be available in parallel and besides the colour of outer parts, there is no technical difference between the two colour versions." The new model is planned to be available in limited quantities by the end of May, with an order no. of 10787 and RRP of £6,200.

The LYTRO ILLUM is a new light field camera for professionals. The LYTRO ILLUM camera features a 40-megaray light field sensor, 8x optical zoom lens (30mm-250mm equivalent) with a constant aperture of f/2, 1/4000 of a second high-speed shutter, extreme close-focus macro capability, articulating touchscreen and a flash hotshoe. The LYTRO ILLUM camera will ship starting July 2014 for a retail price of $1,599.

Sony has issued a firmware update for its DSC-QX10 and QX100 camera-lens modules. Version 3.00 enables users to focus with a half-press (and take a photo with a full-press) of the shutter release, and improves upon the "NFC One-touch connection." Note that this requires PlayMemories Mobile app version 4.2 or later.

Website: Sony UK

Research and Markets have released a new report entitled "United States Digital Camera Market 2014-2018 with Canon, Nikon, Sony, Samsung Electronics & Panasonic Dominating." According to the report, the digital camera market in the US is driven by many growth factors, one of which is the increasing demand for compact system cameras such as the Panasonic GX7 (pictured). The report includes information on segmentation, buying criteria, market challenges, trends, vendors and drivers of growth. Available in electronic format, the report is priced at $2500.

Canon has announced a new interchangeable-lens camera featuring an APS-C sized monochrome sensor and Nikon F bayonet mount. Don't get too excited, though - the Canon M15P-CL is an industrial camera rather than an SLR. In the market of interchangeable-lens industrial cameras, Nikon has very strong positions, which is probably why Canon - a newcomer to this segment - decided to introduce an F-mount model instead of trying to push its own EF-mount lenses. Pricing and availability have yet to be confirmed.

Source: Canon Japan

Fujifilm has announced its second collaboration with luxury British luggage manufacturer Globe-Trotter. Harrods Technology will be the sole retailer for Fujifilm’s exclusive X Series Globe-Trotter cases and camera sets. The kits include X-E2 in Beige and Navy Blue Lizard in a Globe-Trotter 16” Slim Attaché Case, with a Fujinon XF23mm lens, standard hand grip, EXF-20 flash, RR-90 Remote Release, leather half case, 23mm lens filter and ‘Harrods Exclusive’ luggage tag (£2999); the Fujifilm X100S in Red Lizard, a Globe-Trotter 9” Mini Utility Case in Black and Red and ‘Harrods Exclusive’ luggage tag (£1700); the X-Pro1 Yellow Lizard CSC kit (pictured), presented within a Globe-Trotter 16” Slim Attaché Case, with XF18, 35, and 60mm Fujinon lenses, a standard hand grip, an EF-X20 Flash, 3 lens filters, and a ‘Harrods Exclusive’ luggage tag (£4499) and the Fujifilm X20 in Brown Snakeskin Effect, in a Globe-Trotter 9” Mini Utility with a ‘Harrods Exclusive’ luggage tag (£1099). The range is now available to buy from Harrods Technology Department, Level 3.

The new Phase One iXU 150 is billed as the World’s smallest and lightest integrated digital medium-format aerial camera. The iXU's 50-megapixel CMOS sensor offers 8280 pixels cross-track coverage and a sensitivity range of ISO 100/21° to ISO 6400/39°. The Phase One iXU 150 utilises the central leaf shutters built into the wide range of compatible Schneider-Kreuznach lenses (28 mm, 55 mm, 80 mm, 110 mm, 150 mm and 240 mm). The camera is easily integrated into new or existing setups with its USB 3.0 connectivity for storage and control, and direct serial communication to GPS/IMU systems. The Phase One iXU 150 will be available in either visible light or Near-IR configurations. Available from July, the camera has a list price of €30.000 / $40,000.

Sony Australia has posted product images and full specifications for a new camera called the Sony α3500. Launching just half a year after the A3000, the new Sony A3500 promises better battery life and comes with a new Sony E 18-50mm f/4-5.6 (SEL1850) lens. Otherwise, its headline specifications appear to  be identical to those of the Sony A3000 (read review). The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) is AU$499.

Via PR

Sony has released a firmware update for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX10 and Cyber-shot DSC-QX100 lens-sensor modules. Version 2.00 changes the resolution of MP4 video files from 1440x1080 to 1920x1080 pixels and expands the ISO range to ISO 3200/36° on the QX10 and ISO 12800/42° on the QX100. Additionally, the Sony Cyber-shot QX100 gains a "shutter priority auto" shooting mode, enabling users to control shutter speed directly.

Website: Sony QX10/QX100 Firmware Update 2.00 (Mac)
Website: Sony QX10/QX100 Firmware Update 2.00 (Windows)

Ricoh hasupdated the apps for the Ricoh Theta spherical image camera to allow users to post spherical images to Google Maps and Google+. Made possible through a collaboration between Ricoh  and Google, the Theta apps are now compatible with Photo Sphere XMP, Google's panoramic image standard. Users can also make use of the Constellations feature, which enables them to connect spherical images to make an original Street View. The apps are available for Android, iOS, MacOS and Windows - click through / scroll down for the links.

Hot on the heels of Hasselblad's announcement of the H5D-50c, Phase One has unveiled a medium-format digital back with a 50-megapixel CMOS sensor. With a sensor size of 44x33mm, the IQ250 offers 68 percent more image-capture real estate than a typical 35mm full-frame digital SLR camera, and delivers a claimed 14 stops of dynamic range. Additionally; it has an ISO range from 100/21° to 6400/39°, which is unprecedented for an MF digital back. "Fluid and responsive Live View is another key feature of the IQ250," the company says. Live View on the IQ250 offers great composition and focus assistance -- whether it is used directly on the digital back, connected via USB3 to Capture One on the computer, or displayed wirelessly on iPads or iPhones running Capture Pilot. The Phase One IQ250 system is available now, priced at €24,990/ $34,990:

Japanese company King Jim is set to launch a camera-equipped mouse on 31st January. The hybrid device is primarily aimed at computer users who need to illustrate documents and emails with images of a product or some other object, but we expect that a lot of "mouse photos" will also be taken for Facebook and Twitter as well. The photos are relatively small (up to 2 megapixels), and the mouse is capable of transferring them to your PC immediately after capture courtesy of the bundled software, which also offers basic editing functions. According to the company, the software works with the Japanese versions of Windows 7 and Windows 8. The camera-equipped mouse will retail for 4200 yen including taxes.

Epson has announced its second-generation Moverio “smart glasses” featuring a true binocular display and a built-in camera. Set to compete with Google Glass, the Epson Moverio BT-200 projects a stereoscopic virtual display with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a 23-degree field of view. A 360-degree panoramic experience is possible through third-party software that takes advantage of the glasses’ head-tracking features. A front-facing camera enables image and video capture, while a hand-held controller unit powered by Android 4.0 gives users access to a growing selection of augmented reality apps. The Moverio BT-200 smart glasses will be shipping from March 2014 with a MSRP of $699.99. For more information, visit the website below.

Silvershotz has made the transition from print to digital and is about to launch an interactive and multi platform visual experience. Originally known as the Black & White Enthusiast, Silvershotz was founded in 1998 by David Bigwood in Australia. The publication was later renamed Silvershotz and relocated to the UK, with distribution reaching 12,000 print run every 8 weeks. Last year, Silvershotz made its transition to digital, and is now ready to be relaunched as an interactive publication in March 2014. The new Silvershotz will be available for PCs, tablets and smartphones.

At CES 2014, Singapore-based start-up aKu is showcasing the prototype of a new device called "ladibird" that takes all of the essential optics and electronics of a large-sensor system camera and merges them into a phone casing for the Apple iPhone. The ladibird's image sensor is 7.5x larger than the average smartphone imager and 4x larger than the sensor of a typical compact camera. The ladibird camera is currently in the early stage of development with a prototype for the iPhone 5 - aKu has completed one successful round of Indiegogo funding, and is currently conducting its second round, which will go towards mass production of the camera. Prototypes of the device can be viewed at suite #621, tower 1 - on the 8th floor of the Signature at MGM Grand, Las Vegas.

JK Imaging has announced two new Kodak PixPro Smart Lens camera models, enabling users to outfit their existing iOS or Android smartphones with a snap-on camera module. Features on the Kodak PixPro SL10 ($199) include 1080p video, a 28-280mm eq. 10X zoom lens, optical image stabilisation, Wi-Fi and a microSD memory card slot. The SL25 ($299) boasts a 24-600mm eq. 25X zoom lens, wireless connectivity and a memory card slot. The Kodak PixPro Smart Lens devices will be available in spring 2014.

The Sinar p MF-L enables photographers to avail themselves of the unique quality characteristics of a Sinar view camera while using their Leica S high-end medium format camera body. In combination with the Sinar p system, Leica S owners gain access to perspective control, selective focus and the benefit of using high-resolution Sinaron lenses designed specifically for digital imaging. The Leica-specific mounting bracket ensures that the camera can be freely positioned along the optical axis. The Leica S functions are fully integrated into the Sinar CaptureFlow Leica software and therefore can be conveniently controlled from the computer.

Nokia today announced that in the UK, the Nokia Lumia 2520 tablet will be available exclusively through The John Lewis Partnership from December 4th. Priced at £399.99, the Lumia 2520 runs on Windows RT 8.1 and features 4G connectivity, a 10.1” Full HD display with a resolution of 218ppi, a 6.7-megapixel onboard camera with a 1/3.4-type sensor, quad-core chipset, multiple colour choices, 11 hours of battery life and super-fast-charging capabilities. Additionally, the Lumia 2520 includes Nokia Storyteller, a Nokia developed application that introduces a new way to curate and relive images and videos as a story on a map, as well as Nokia Video Director

Lytro has raised a $40 million round of financing to fund the expansion of Light Field photography with new products. “We are excited to partner with Lytro in building the next wave of interactive image capture and sharing,” said Jonathan Heiliger, general partner at Lytro's new investor North Bridge Venture Partners. “The fun you experience when using a Lytro camera comes from the ability to engage with your photos in ways you never could before. But powering that interactivity is some great software and hardware technology that can be used for everything with a lens and sensor.”