Research released today shows that people are turning to online platforms and services to record and share their digital photographs and avoid them slipping into the digital abyss. The online survey, commissioned by Blurb and carried out by YouGov, found that 44 per cent of respondents share at least some of their digital photographs using social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The emergence of social media has given rise to a generation of people who are sharing information about all aspects of their lives online, posting photographs of everything from the mundane through to nights out on the town, holidays, and significant life moments like weddings. This trend is particularly prominent amongst 18 to 24 year olds, where 83 per cent share their images on social media websites, while only 19 per cent of people aged over 55 do the same. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all online British adults (aged 18+).

The new Phantom Miro eX series from Vision Research offers users a custom-designed CMOS sensor capable of shooting 500-1,200 frames per second, and is available in resolutions of 640x480 (Miro eX1, Miro eX2) and 800x600 (Miro eX4). The Phantom Miro eX also offers super-fast exposure times as low as two microseconds (1/500,000 second), allowing users to freeze fast-moving objects and eliminate blur from their video. Maximum sensitivity is ISO 1200 for colour capture and ISO 4800 for monochrome. The Miro eX features a conductive fiber filled polycarbonate body, which reduces the camera’s overall weight to 1.5 pounds (without lens). Vision Research also redesigned the grip to allow the camera to be more comfortable in the hand. All controls are accessed directly through the Phantom Miro eX’s advanced 3.5 inch touch-screen LCD. A built-in triggering system allows users to program the Phantom Miro eX to automatically begin recording as soon as motion is detected within a specific point in the frame (available on Miro eX2 and Miro eX4). The Phantom Miro eX will be available with options of 1GB, 2GB or 4GB of internal memory (1GB only on Miro eX1) and is also compatible with CompactFlash cards. The Phantom Miro eX1 model is priced at less than $10,000 - or you can rent it for two days for $750 - and is available for online ordering only at the website below.

Website: Vision Research

Aerial photographers and videographers will be excited to see the newest product from Draganfly Innovations Inc. - the Draganflyer X4 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, a computer-stabilised, miniature airborne platform with a wireless video downlink and remote flight control. The four-rotor, 680 gram electric helicopter is a flying platform capable of vertical take-off and landing, and is classified as an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The Draganflyer X4 UAV helicopter carries a camera which captures high resolution aerial photographs and high definition video. This onboard camera features remote controlled zoom, tilt, and shutter. The viewfinder signal from the camera is transmitted wirelessly from the helicopter and received by an embedded video receiver in the handheld controller. This video can also be displayed on video glasses allowing the user to see what the helicopter sees. Availability is slated for Fall 2009.

The new Mamiya M18, Mamiya M22 and Mamiya M31 digital backs, which were announced two months ago, are now available in the United Kingdom. The M series digital backs have all been designed for compatibility with the Mamiya 645AFDIII medium-format SLR body, as well as the soon-to-be-released 645DF, which was recently show-cased at the 2009 Tokyo Photo Expo. Through use of the specifically designed digital back adapter HX701, the backs can also be attached to the Mamiya RZ Pro IID. The M18 has a resolution of 18 megapixels and a CCD size of 44.2 x 33.1mm. The M22 has a resolution of 22.1 megapixels and a CCD size of 48.9 x 36.7mm while the M31 has a resolution of 31.6 megapixels and a CCD size of 44.2 x 33.1mm. Each digital back can be purchased separately or in a system kit with the Mamiya 645AFDIII camera and Sekor 80mm F2.8 D lens (see picture). Mamiya Digital products are exclusively distributed in the UK by Johnsons Photopia.

Ritz Camera & Image have introduced their new “MY SHOW” DVD that allows customers to watch their digital photos and digital video clips on the family TV.  Ritz takes all of their customers’ photos and video clips from any digital media card, and puts them on a “MY SHOW” DVD.  The “MY SHOW” DVD service is available in 1 hour at all Ritz Camera, Wolf Camera, Inkley’s and Kits Cameras locations or may be ordered online at RitzPix.com and have it mailed back to your home.

The UK pricing and availability of the Leica S2 and a number of S system lenses have been unveiled! OK, sit down if you are not seated yet, take a deep breath… here we go: the body-only price is £15,996! And if you want a sapphire glass screen plus Platinum Service (whose details are to be announced), then expect to pay £19,092. The suggested retail prices of four Summarit-S lenses and their Central Shutter versions - which enable flash synchronisation at higher shutter speeds - have also been announced: they range from £3,096 to £5,160; with availability slated for October 2009. Read all the details after the break.

Website: Click here for our brief hands-on report and exclusive shots of the Leica S2

Kodak is launching a new Décor (D) series of digital photo frames. These digital frames have an interchangeable faceplate design, and can be customised with virtually any traditional frame, Kodak says. There are currently two frames in the D series, called the EasyShare D830 and the EasyShare D1030. The two frames differ from each other in their size; with the D830 being an 8” model, and the D1030 featuring a 10” display. Both will be available as of September, for £119.99 and £169.99, respectively.

Pandigital has announced the European launch of its PanTouch Clear line of digital photo frames, Measuring just a third of an inch in terms of width, these frames are allegedly the thinnest on the market. To create the perception of floating photos, the new PanTouch Clear frames feature an 800x600 display that appears to be floating in the surrounding glass. Customers can select and view their photos and control the frame’s functions with easy-to-understand icons that can be touched directly across the entire glass surface of the frame. The PanTouch Clear frames come in two sizes – 8 inch and 10.4 inch. The 8 inch model includes 1GB of storage and has an RRP £109, the 10.4 inch model offers 2GB and sets you back £149.

Hasselblad are inviting a limited number of photographers to join Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin Aldrin and their design team at the Kennedy Space Center for an exclusive, all expenses paid weekend to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first lunar photographs and the launch of the new Hasselblad H3DII-60. In order to be one of them, you need to purchase either a Hasselblad H3DII-50 or a H3DII-60 medium-format camera between 1 July and 21 August 2009. The weekend, taking place from 24-26 September, will consist of seminars, professional training, and “out of this world photography”, Hasselblad says.

Website: Hasselblad promotion

Olympus have created a fascinating stop-motion movie to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Olympus PEN series. For this project, they took over 50,000 still photographs and combined them into a three-minute clip. They also developed nearly 10,000 prints. We think the result is quite spectacular - check it out at the website below.

Website: The PEN Story at YouTube

Now’s your chance to test drive an Olympus Pen E-P1 for a week, free of charge. Olympus Europe has announced that any EU resident aged 18 or older can request a test unit by explaining their motives for wanting to try the new camera out. Allegedly, “the more creative the idea, the better the chances” that you will actually get one. Simply apply via the website below.

Website: Test-a-PEN

Hasselblad have introduced the Hasselblad CFV-39, a 39-megapixel digital back for their classic V system cameras. “Quickly and easily, the Hasselblad CFV-39 can transform a V System film camera into a high-performance digital camera,” says product manager Peter Stig. All V System cameras operate cable-free. The 202 FA, 203 FE, and 205 FCC are fully supported. Other 200 and 2000 series models can be used with C-type lenses only. There are two selectable image formats: square (29 megapixel, 5412x5412) and rectangular (39 megapixel, 5412x7212 pixels). The sensor has double the area of a full-frame 35mm DSLR imager, and ISO speeds range from 50 to 800.

Website: Hasselblad CFV-39

Jobo AG has unveiled two new, “entry-level” digital photo frames, the Jobo Curve 7 and the Jobo Curve 8. The numbers in the product names refer to the approximate length of the screen diagonal in inches. The 7” variant has an elongated 480x234-pixel display, whereas the 8” version features a conventional 4:3 aspect ratio with a resolution of 800x600 pixels. The Jobo Curve 7 has full-screen and thumbnail modes and can display the images as a slideshow with a limited set of transitions. The Jobo Curve 8 offers numerous extra image transition effects and user-selectable intervals, and features a clendar / clock function too. Both Jobo Curve frames have an SD card slot plus a USB OTG interface, and come in a choice of black or white. The Jobo Curve 7 costs €59, while its bigger brother is available for €89.

Updated with the English-language press release.

Panasonic has announced firmware updates to its Lumix DMC-G1 and GH1 cameras and Lumix G Vario HD 14-140mm / F4.0-5.8 ASPH. / MEGA O.I.S. lens. Firmware version 1.1 for the Panasonic GH1 camera allows faster burst shooting and improves control of shutter speed and the stability of AF in movie recording. Version 1.3 for the Panasonic G1 improves its compatibility with Micro Four Thirds lenses, whereas firmware version 1.1 for the Lumix G Vario HD 14-140mm / F4.0-5.8 ASPH. / MEGA O.I.S. lens improves optical image stabilisation in movie recording mode.and compatibility with Micro Four Thirds cameras.

Website: Panasonic firmware downloads

Jessops have announced that the new Olympus Pen E-P1 digital camera will be launched at Jessops New Oxford Street store on Thursday 25th June 2009. To celebrate 50 years since Olympus launched the first Pen camera, Jessops are holding an exclusive launch event at their London New Oxford Street store on the 25th June from 6.00pm onwards. The launch event is open to all customers and Jessops will be giving away a free Cross pen worth £300 to the first 50 pre-orders.

Mamiya Digital Imaging has announced three new M series digital backs for the Mamiya 645AFDIII medium-format camera. Through use of the specifically designed digital back adapter HX701, the backs can also be attached to the RZ Pro IID. The M18 has a resolution of 18 megapixels, capture rate of 1.25 frames per second and a CCD size of 44.2 x 33.1mm. The M22 has a resolution of 22.1 megapixels, frame rate of 0.7fps and a CCD size of 48.9 x 36.7mm while the M31 (pictured) has 31.6 megapixels, capture rate of 0.8fps and a 44.2 x 33.1mm CCD. All of these backs feature a live preview delivered on a 2.2”, 230,000-dor monitor. Each digital back can be purchased separately or in a system kit with the Mamiya 645AFDIII camera and Sekor 80mm F2.8 D lens.

Olympus is getting ready to launch its first Micro Four Thirds camera, and you can register online to hear first about opportunities to get your hands on one. Micro Four Thirds system cameras are similar to interchangeable-lens rangefinders in that they lack a mirror chamber, which frees engineers from the burden of having to employ complicated retrofocus designs to wide-angle lenses, and allows them to design smaller cameras and lenses without having to use smaller sensors. Recent technologies like live view make it possible to offer through-the-lens framing, whereas massive improvements in contrast-detect auto-focus promise SLR-grade focusing speeds. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 already caused quite a stir but came in for some criticism for not being much smaller than the smallest DSLRs out there. However, if the Olympus mock-up shown at last year’s photokina (pictured) is any indication, this time we can expect a truly compact system camera. If you would like to be among the first to learn more about it, register at the website below.

Website: Olympus Micro Four Thirds Registration Form

For the month of June, the Hasselblad H3DII-50 will be bundled with the new HCD 4.0-5.6/35-90 zoom lens at a price of $29,995 in the U.S.A. This special offer is said to represent savings of almost $3,000. The H3DII-50 is a 50-megapixel digital camera sporting a 36x48mm Kodak sensor. The Hasselblad HCD 4.0-5.6/35-90 zoom is a new, designed-for-digital lens that normally sells for $6,996 by itself. The bundle includes both the camera and the lens plus a viewfinder. The offer is available on orders placed for delivery from June 1-June 30, 2009, by citizens of the U.S.A. / Canada only

Transcend has introduced a new, feature-laden 7” digital photo frame called the Transcend PF730. Users can choose to view photos one at time, in customisable slideshows, or in a convenient tiled thumbnail view. Additionally, the PF730 has a bright, high-resolution (800x600) photo-friendly 4:3 screen, advanced NaturaTone user–selectable colour modes, and an Automatic Orientation Sensor (AOS). The Transcend PF730 has 2GB of internal memory plus an USB port, and is compatible with SD, SDHC and MMC cards and MemorySticks. Additionally, it functions as a full-featured MP3 player which allows users listen to music while viewing photos at the same time, and can also be used as an alarm clock. The price is to be confirmed.

In the run-up to the widely anticipated launch of its first Micro FourThirds camera, Olympus is running a teaser campaign that focuses on the 50th anniversary of its PEN series of half-frame 35mm film cameras. PEN cameras were the brainchild of Yoshihisa Maitani, whose aim was to design a high-quality photographic tool that did not cost more than a month’s wage and was as portable and easy to use as a pen. The PEN series used standard 35mm film but took frames that measured only 18x24mm, i.e. half the size of the most widespread frame size on 35mm film. This and other engineering solutions have made these cameras extremely small and lightweight, which contributed to their massive success (17 million units sold worldwide). The current teaser campaign makes it clear that the new Micro Four Thirds camera will be modeled on the PEN series, as far as its outer appearance is concerned.

Website: Olympus Teaser Campaign