The 39-megapixel Achromatic+ monochromatic digital back is in the focus of Phase One’s latest newsletter. While not exactly a new product, the Phase One Achromatic+ still counts as a rather unique offering: with no colour filter array, its sensor records 39 true megapixels of pure black-and-white data, with no interpolation of any sort. The range of sensitivity with the Achromatic+ back extends beyond the visible spectrum into the infrared wavelengths in a single product. Filters are used to limit the Achromatic+ back to specific bandwidths required for scientific study and process control. Interested readers can sign up for a camera demo via the Phase One website.

At Photokina 2010 in Hall 4.2 / Booth C-028 Sinar will introduce the Sinar eVolution86 H, a new high-resolution multishot digital back with 48.8 megapixels. In the 4-shot mode, the CCD sensor’s pixel matrix is shifted three times laterally or vertically by exactly one pixel width from one exposure to the next, so that every image point is covered by every primary colour (red, green and blue), with no need for Bayer interpolation. Like several other Sinar backs, the eVolution86 H features a unique adapter concept. With only a few flicks of the hand, these adapters easily allow the Sinar eVolution86 HY back to be mounted on almost any desired camera platform. Sinar offers adapters for Sinar p3, Sinar Hy6, Mamiya RZ 67, RB 67, 645 AFD Pro, Fuji GX 680, Contax 645, Hasselblad V and H. Due to ship in October 2010, the new multishot back is priced at CHF 24,800.

Olympus has updated its Micro four Thirds (MFT) and E-system lens roadmaps. Compared to the earlier MFT roadmap, which we published on 6 November 2009, the only novelty is the inclusion of the newly announced M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4-5.6 telezoom and 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 lenses, the latter of which actually featured in the original lens roadmap as a “Super Telephoto Zoom”. The three primes (fisheye, wide-angle and macro) that were promised for spring 2011 are still there, still marked as “Planned for spring 2011”. As to the E-system lens roadmap, the only change we were able to spot is that the elusive 100mm telemacro is now gone for good, and the chart now features existing lenses only (which makes one wonder why it is still called a roadmap). You can view both charts after the break.

Olympus UK has announced the new recommended retail price (RRP) of the Olympus E-PL1 single-lens kit. The camera bundled with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom lens is now priced at £449.99, which is approximately £100 pounds less than the initial RRP. The Olympus E-PL1 is a 12-megapixel Micro Four Thirds camera with a pop-up flash, one-touch HD video recording and sensor-shift image stabilisation.

Review: Read our in-depth expert review of the Olympus E-PL1

Hasselblad are set to unveil a new camera, digital back and lenses at this year’s Photokina show. According to the invite, the press conference will take place at Photokina on September 22, 2010 at 10am CET. Hasselblad’s CEO and chairman Dr. Larry Hansen will be hosting the press conference, where they will “announce exciting news for the entire photographic community including new lenses, software, digital back and camera.” No further details have yet emerged about the possible successor to the H4D (pictured) or other new products.

Olympus has announced two limited-edition E-P2 kits. The Olympus E-P2 Special Black EVF Edition comprises a black E-P2 body, a matching black Olympus 17mm f/2.8 pancake lens and a VF-2 add-on electronic viewfinder, while the Olympus E-P2 Special Black Flash Edition (pictured) offers a black FL-14 external flash alongside the black body and black pancake lens. Both kits feature retro styled lens caps imprinted with the original Olympus PEN F logo in silver. The Olympus E-P2 Special Black EVF Edition will be available for €1079.00, whilst the Olympus E-P2 Special Black Flash Edition can be yours for €1049.00/$999.99, come October. The retro lens cap can also be purchased separately for €49.90.

Canon has successfully developed the world’s largest CMOS image sensor, with a chip size measuring a whopping 202x205mm. This is approximately 40 times the size of Canon’s largest commercial CMOS sensors. Despite its size, which in the past would have meant slow signal readout speeds, the massive sensor meets the requirements of video capture. Thanks to its improved circuitry and exceptional light sensitivity, the new CMOS imager can be used to record video at 60 frames per second at a mere 0.3lux of illumination. Potential applications include the video recording of stars in the night sky and nocturnal animal behaviour.

Canon have developed a new 120 megapixel CMOS sensor that can shoot at 9.5fps and record Full HD movies. Nearly 7.5 times larger and offering a 2.4-fold improvement in resolution when compared with Canon’s highest-resolution commercial CMOS sensor of the same size, the 120 megapixel APS-H-size sensor has 13,280 x 9,184 pixels. The imaging area of the newly developed sensor measures approx. 29.2 x 20.2 mm. No word yet on exactly what Canon intend to use the new sensor for…

Leica has released a firmware update for the Leica M9 digital rangefinder camera. Version 1.138 improves automatic white balance in artificial light coming from energy-saving and traditional incandescent light bulbs and ensures better compatibility with SDHC memory cards. On top of that the new firmware update fixes bugs with user settings, date formats and the Auto Power Off feature.

Website: Leica M9 Downloads

Idan Shechter of DigitalPhotographyWriter has just posted two concept images of what Canon’s EVIL camera might look like, should the Japanese giant decide on launching one in the first place. “I have decided to become a concept design artist for one day, in order to try my photo editing software skills, and see what I can come up with,” Idan says. “I have tried to come up with a unique concept design that is based on current Canon DSLR models.” While we have no idea if / when Canon plans to enter the compact interchangeable-lens camera market, we have enjoyed reading about Idan’s efforts and seeing the results.

Website: DigitalPhotographyWriter

Futuresource has released a report on the Western European market opportunity for interchangeable-lens compact digital cameras, better known as EVILs. “In the short-term, whilst we are expecting significant growth for the Interchangeable Lens Compact market, it will still only reach shipments of 377,000 units across Western Europe in 2010, compared to expectations of 3.3m units for DSLRs,” opines James Wells, consultant with Futuresource. “Panasonic, Olympus, Sony and Samsung (with a 20% combined share of interchangeable lens camera shipments in 2009) are expected to promote this segment heavily in 2010, particularly at the Photokina show in September in the run up to the important fourth quarter period. The long term aim is to try to break Canon’s and Nikon’s stranglehold on the interchangeable lens camera market. Suffice to say this will be an interesting space to watch over the next two to three years.”

InfoTrends has recently conducted a multi-client survey to reveal insights into the needs of current and future owners of SLRs and other interchangeable-lens cameras. Entitled Digital SLRs and Other Interchangeable Lens Cameras: A Multi-Client Study, the report is based in part on a survey of over 6,000 consumers. This research indicates that future buyers of Digital ILCs will include current Digital ILC owners who are looking to purchase additional or replacement cameras, compact camera owners seeking to upgrade the quality and functionality of their cameras, and even a few digital camera non-owners who will purchase a Digital ILC as their very first digital camera. The greatest market potential comes from compact camera owners who are looking to upgrade, as compact camera owners greatly outnumber current Digital ILC owners.

The Mamiya DM22, DM28 and DM33 digital backs are now available worldwide, either as standalone products or in a bundle with a Mamiya 645DF body and Capture One software, at “affordable” prices. Do not rush to sell your DSLR just yet though - the term “affordable” is meant relative to other medium-format digital offerings. The Mamiya DM22 bundle, for instance, will retail for $9995/€6995 - some other products in the range cost even more. Meanwhile, the company - which has just turned 70 - has quietly changed its logo too (see image above), although many Mamiya websites around the world still carry the old one.

Leica has released a new firmware update for the M8 and M8.2 rangefinder cameras. Version 2.005 resolves the error message “Shutter fault”.

When shooting in C-Mode (Continuous) or taking several pictures consecutively in S-Mode (Single), the message “Shutter fault” may appear on the display. The new firmware 2.005 will solve this issue.

Please note:
a. After updating to the new 2.005 firmware the LEICA M8 with quiet 1/4000s shutter and LEICA M8.2 can not be „downgraded“ to the previous firmware.
b. User profiles will be deleted during the update process and will need to be recreated after the firmware upgrade process.

Leica M8 Firmware Update 2.005

Get $1,000 off a a new Mamiya RZ33 digital camera kit by trading in a RZ67 or RB67 camera body. The Mamiya RZ33 is a new large-sensor digital camera kit featuring a high performance 33 megapixel CCD sensor. This trade-in program runs in the US from July 2010 until September 30, 2010 with a limit of one trade-in per RZ33 purchased.

The Swann RemoteCam looks like a car remote control and stealthily records and captures both videos and still images. It records full colour AVI video files with a resolution of 720 x 480, or 1280 x 1024 JPEG still images at the push of a button. The 2GB micro SD card included will store up to 40 minutes of recording at 30 frames per second. The new Swann RemoteCam is now available at £49.99 in the UK from PC World.

Nikon is planning to release a “new concept” SLR camera according to President Makoto Kimura. Available either this year or in 2011, the new Nikon hybrid may use the same mirrorless structure as rival cameras from Panasonic, Olympus, Samsung and Sony. According to the interview by Bloomberg, Nikon’s entry into the hybrid market will also possibly “have an enhanced function for video recording”.

The Ricoh GXR S10 Kit is a new camera kit that includes the GXR body and S10 24-72 mm F2.5-4.4 VC camera unit. The GXR+S10 KIT is the second GXR and camera unit kit product, following the popular GXR+P10 KIT.

Have you ever wanted to know what one of the world’s biggest camera manufacturers thinks the future looks like? Wonder no more, as Canon have been showing off their Wonder Camera Concept at the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai. This hairdryer-like fixed lens camera will zoom all the way up to 5000mm, have a touch-sensitive interface and only shoot video. Don’t sell your DSLR kit just yet, as Canon’s Wonder Camera might be yours sometime around 2030. Click through to take a look at a video demo courtesy of Gizmag.

Olympus has released a behind-the-scenes video about the making of the PEN Giant stop-motion movie. Additionally, the creators of the video have launched a microsite where you can watch an interview with director Takeuchi Taijin, see some of his earlier projects and download the song from the PEN Giant video. Click through to watch the behind-the-scenes documentary.