Pentax has posted firmware updates for the Pentax K-5, K-r and 645D digital camera models. The updates were necessitated by the launch of the new Pentax O-GPS accessory. In order for the cameras to work properly with the O-GPS unit, users need to download the respective firmware upgrade from the website below.

Website: Pentax Firmware Updates

The MAC Group has announced the collaboration of Mamiya, Leaf, Phase One and Schneider Kreuznach in the US market. New Mamiya DSLRs and digital backs range from 22 megapixels up to the exciting 80 megapixel version. Mamiya / Leaf digital backs, also available separately, are compatible with Mamiya 645, Mamiya RZ, Hasselblad V and H series, Contax 645 and most view cameras. Camera bodies and lenses are manufactured by Mamiya, digital backs are manufactured by Leaf under the Mamiya/Leaf name, Capture One software is made by Phase One, and new leaf shutter lenses are designed and certified by Schneider Kreuznach. Both customer and repair service for Mamiya and Leaf products will be provided by factory-trained technicians at MAC Group.

Canon U.S.A. has launched the Canon EOS Rebel T3 + EF 18-55 IS II Lens Kit in three new colour variations - red, brown and metallic grey, in addition to the standard black version. Available exclusively at the Canon Online Store, the new kits are priced at $599.99, but an $50 instant rebate lowers the price to $549.99.

Hasselblad has announced a bonus incentive plan for customers buying a new Hasselblad H4D series camera or a CFV-39/CFV-50 digital back. Anyone buying one of these cameras or backs before the end of July will be awarded a Bonus Cheque worth 10% of the net MSRP of the product they have purchased. The customer then simply redeems the Bonus Cheque with their Hasselblad dealer, spending the total value on any photographic item of their choice. The offer is not restricted to Hasselblad products - the Bonus Cheque can be .used toward any photo equipment the dealer sells. Click through for more information and a list of participating retailers.

Pentax UK has announced the availability of the Pentax K-r DSLR in five new colours. These include yellow, pink, blue, purple and metal chocolate. The new colours will be available to purchase from July, in a standard K-r kit which includes the K-r body plus a DA-L 18-55mm lens. The recommended retail price is £529.99.

The Sony A35 is a new, lightweight 16.2-megapixel system camera featuring a semi-transparent mirror and full-time continuous auto-focus. The SLT-A35 also boasts two continuous shooting modes - 5.5 frames per second at full resolution and 7 frames per second at a 1.4x crop for sports shooting. In addition to stills photography, the Sony Alpha A35 allows you to record HD videos in AVCHD format. A range of new ‘Picture Effects’ is available for both stills and video, including Retro Photo, High-key, Toy Camera and Posterisation. Weighing in at 415 grams, the Sony A35 is compatible with 32 A-mount lenses and comes with an integrated Xtra Fine EVF with 1.15 million dots and 100% frame coverage. The Sony ?35 will be available this August with an 18-55mm kit zoom for about $700. The body (without kit lens) will sell for about $600.

Available beginning 20th June, a firmware update for the Sony ?33 and ?55 cameras adds several creative and operational enhancements. Support for the ‘Picture Effect’ function featured on the new ?35 model has been added. High-speed synchronisation is now supported during wireless operation with a compatible external flash (Sony ?55 only). The firmware upgrades also bring revised menus and a new mode that lets users switch shooting parameters overlaid on-screen for clear, uncluttered composition. The Sony A33 and A55 cameras’ Digital Level Gauge can also be displayed when shooting via the optional CLM-V55 external LCD monitor. Frequently used features can now be custom-assigned to the D-RANGE button.

The upgrades can be downloaded beginning 20th June from www.esupport.sony.com

From Monday 6 June, Australian consumers will have the opportunity to snap up one of just 2,000 limited-edition “red” EOS 1100D digital SLR cameras. The camera bodies come with the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5–5.6 IS II and EF-S 55-250mm f/4–5.6 IS lenses, a red strap and a custom-made aluminium travel case. The kit can be yours for AUD 1,199.

Source: Canon Australia via 1001 Noisy Cameras

Nikon has announced a new summer cashback promotion offering customers in the UK and Republic of Ireland up to £65 /€75 back on purchases of the Nikon D3100, starting today. Customers are entitled to claim £40/€50 cashback on purchases of a new Nikon D3100 body or single lens kit, or £65/€75 cashback on purchases of a new Nikon D3100 body with two or more lenses until 31st July. All claims must be received by 31st August to apply. For more information, visit the website below.

Nikon has unveiled that its latest DSLR commercial was shot entirely on a Nikon D5100. Award-winning cinematographer Matthew Libatique, who filmed the ‘Man of Action’ TV spot for the Nikon D5100 in Full HD, said: “The D5100 is a consumer camera that delivers excellent HD video quality. It was fun working with it on a commercial shoot and it delivered on giving the piece a new look.” In the USA, the D5100 campaign will air on the ABC and FOX networks. The commercial, starring Ashton Kutcher, can also be seen on a number of prime cable networks, including Bravo, Food Network, History Channel, National Geographic Channel and HGTV. Additionally, you can check it out at the website below.

Canon has issued a firmware update for the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV digital SLR camera. Version 1.1.0 incorporates the following improvements and fixes:

1. Improves writing/reading speeds when using UDMA 7-compatible CF cards.
2.Fixes a phenomenon where the ability to shoot movies may be stopped under the following conditions:
• When using high-capacity (32 GB or greater) CF cards with little available space remaining and the user attempts to start shooting movies; or
• When the camera’s battery is removed and reinserted into the camera and the user immediately attempts to start shooting movies.
3. Corrects misspellings in the menu screens displayed in Arabic and Portuguese languages (applies to models outside of the the Japanese market only).

Website: Canon

Canon has released a firmware update for the Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital SLR camera. Version 2.0.9 improves read/write speeds when using UDMA 7 compliant CF cards, fixes a phenomenon where the IS function will not work when custom function C.Fn III-2 is set to [5: IS start] and the lens attached does not have an AF stop button, and corrects misspellings in the menu screens displayed in Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish, and Thai.

Website: Canon EOS 5D Mark II Firmware Version 2.0.9 for Windows

Via Photography Bay

The Hasselblad H4D-200MS medium-format digital SLR camera, which is capable of creating 200-megapixel files thanks to its multi-shot technology, is now available. In 2008, the company announced its first integrated multi-shot camera - the H3DII-39MS - which was followed more recently by the H3DII-50MS and the H4D-50MS. As a further development of the H4D-50MS technology, the H4D-200MS utilises Hasselblad’s patented piezo frame module, which now captures 6 shots and combines them into a 200-megapixel file. Designed for studio photographers, the Hasselblad H4D-200MS is ideal for capturing images of stationary items such as cars, jewelry, artwork and other high-end products. The H4D-200MS is available now for €32,000+tax. H4D-50MS owners have the option of upgrading their systems for €7,000+tax.

Sigma has announced the availability and pricing of the Sigma SD1 digital SLR camera, whose first prototypes were shown at the Photokina trade show held last autumn. Featuring a new, 15x3-megapixel Foveon x3 sensor and a splash-proof body, the Sigma SD1 provides “high-end photographers with an alternative to very expensive medium-format cameras and digital backs”, the company says. The imaging chip has approximately 15.3 million photosites and three vertically stacked colour filters for a resolution that is claimed to equal that of an imaginary 46-megapixel Bayer sensor. In addition to the resolution hike, sensor size has also increased from 20.7x13.8mm in the SD15 and its predecessors to 23.5x15.7mm in the current model.  The Sigma SD1 features a 3” rear screen with a resolution of 460,000 dots and an autofocus system with 11 shifted twin cross type AF points. Available from June, the Sigma SD1 will sell for an MSRP of $9,700.00 in the USA. The UK price is £6,199.99 including VAT.

The Pentax 645D medium-format digital SLR camera has been selected as Camera of The Year at the Camera GP Japan 2011 Awards. The annual Camera Grand Prix Awards are one of the most prestigious camera awards in Japan and are sponsored by the Camera Journal Press Club (CJPC), a group of photography writers from the top 11 photo and camera magazines in Japan. The panel concluded that, as the first medium-format digital SLR camera launched by Pentax, the 645D represented “the perfect combination of many advanced and photographer-friendly features”, including an extra-large CCD image sensor housed within a highly dependable dust-proof, weather resistant body.

Canon has issued a firmware update for the Canon EOS 600D digital SLR camera. Version 1.0.1 clarifies the feature guide description of the digital zoom function for movie-shooting and fixes a bug which, in rare cases, prevented computers from recognising the camera when connected via a USB cable. The firmware upgrade can be downloaded from the websites below.

Website: Canon EOS 600D Firmware 1.0.1 - Mac Version
Website: Canon EOS 600D Firmware 1.0.1 - Windows Version

Jessops has launched a new, limited-time promotion on the Canon EOS 500D Twin Lens Kit. The kit, including the body, 18-55 & 75-300 mm lenses, will be available for a 20% reduced price of £599, together with a free Activity Camera (worth £50) and £50 of photo processing vouchers. The offer will run until stocks last.

Five months after discovering vulnerability in Canon’s Original Data Security System, ElcomSoft apparently found a similar problem with Nikon’s Image Authentication System. The system enables users to determine whether an image has been altered after capture, providing proof of image authenticity for the purposes of law enforcement, insurance, and so on. ElcomSoft claims to have identified a major flaw in the manner the secure image signing key is being handled, allowing forged images to pass validation with Nikon Image Authentication Software. “The signing cryptographic key can be extracted from the camera and used to sign any picture, genuine or not,” the company said in a statement, adding that “all past and current Nikon cameras supporting Image Authentication are affected, including Nikon D3X, D3, D700, D300S, D300, D2Xs, D2X, D2Hs, and D200 digital SLRs”.

Sony Czech Republic have published the full Polish manual for the new Sony SLT-A35 DSLR camera (again thanks to SonyAlphaRumours). The widely rumoured Sony NEX A35 seems to be essentially the same as the A33 model that it replaces, with a few minor improvements including longer battery life and video recording times.

The login details for the public download site are:
Username: czmanuals
Password: pooyaiD7

Download the Sony SLT-A35 Manual (Polish)

Canon has released a firmware update for the Canon EOS 7D digital SLR camera. Version 1.2.5 improves read and write speeds when using UDMA 7-compatible CF cards, and addresses various issues with custom function C.Fn 4-1, movie and still capture using certain CF cards, and menu screens displayed in Arabic and Portuguese. To learn more and to download the firmware update, visit the website below.

Website: Canon EOS 7D Product Page