Blackmagic Design has released an update to its Blackmagic Camera utility, bringing in-camera formatting to the Blackmagic Cinema Camera and the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera (pictured). The new disk formatting feature allows customers to format SSDs and SD cards in-camera so they don’t need to use a computer to prepare disks for recording. This new disk formatting feature is unique because unlike computers that format disks for general storage use, the Blackmagic Cinema Camera and Pocket Cinema Camera can format disks optimised for high-performance video use. When formatting the camera confirms the brand of disk and other disks parameters and then formats for highest speed video data recording and playback for that specific type of disk, the company says. You can download the firmware upgrade from the website below.

HTC has announced its first dedicated digital camera, called RE. Featuring a 1/2.33"-type 16-megapixel CMOS sensor and an f/2.8 lens with an angle of view of 146°, the HTC RE has an unusual shape and no viewfinder, LCD screen or physical controls except for a shutter release - however, it can be remote controlled wirelessly with most smartphones. In addition to capturing 16-megapixel stills, the RE camera can also record Full HD videos at 30 frames per second and 720p HD movie clips at up to 120fps. Other highlights include time-lapse photography, Bluetooth, USB and Wi-Fi connectivity and waterproofing (to 1m underwater, out of the box). RE’s built-in grip sensor instantly activates the camera as it’s picked up, eliminating the need for a power button. HTC's first camera will be available in the US from late October, with other markets following later.

The Polaroid Cube lifestyle action video camera is now available to purchase. Offered in a variety of eye-catching colours, the lightweight, affordably priced Polaroid Cube features a distinctive square design and a range of fun mounts and accessories. The eye catching camera has a wide angle lens with 124° of coverage and can capture high definition video at 1080 or 720p and still images at 6 MP with a simple one-button operation. The camera supports up to 32 gigabytes using a microSD card and allows for up to 90 minutes of video thanks to the high capacity battery. Additionally, the Polaroid Cube is weatherproof and features an integrated microphone and LED-light for usage at night or in the dark. The Polaroid Cube lifestyle action video camera is available for $99.99.

HTC has launched a teaser campaign for a new action/sports video camera due to be launched on 8th October. The company has set up a dedicated website and published a movie that was apparently filmed with the new device. Based on some of the scenes in the teaser video, the new HTC action cam will likely be waterproof and capable of shooting slow-motion footage with an ultra-wide lens. Click through to view the clip.

The Contour ROAM3 action camera is waterproof up to 30 feet without a case and features a quick-photo mode that can be set for single frame or multiple burst shots. Other product highlights include a rugged, impact-resistant aluminum housing, a 270-degree rotating lens, Full HD movie recording at 30 frames per second or 720p at 60fps, a built-in laser level, and a locking switch that keeps the camera from turning on or off accidentally. It comes complete with a fully charged lithium-ion battery, an 8-gigabyte memory card and two low-profile mounts. The ROAM3, priced at £189.99, is now available at retailers worldwide.

Want to see exactly what the new, high-end Blackmagic URSA digital motion picture camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the recently launched Blackmagic URSA camera.

Heavily advertised throughout the show, the Blackmagic URSA is a new high-end digital motion picture camera featuring a user upgradable sensor and lens mount. Built to handle the ergonomics of large film crews as well as single-person use, the Blackmagic URSA has multiple accessories built in, including a massive 10 inch fold out on-set monitor, Super35 size 4K image sensor and internal dual raw and Apple ProRes recorders.

Want to see exactly what the new RED Epic Dragon 6K cinema camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the RED Epic Dragon 6K cinema camera.

Sony today launched the PXW-FS7, the first 4K XDCAM camera to feature a Super35 CMOS sensor. Capable of shooting in 4K Quad Full HD (QFHD) and super slow-motion Full HD, the latest member of the XDCAM family has an 11.6 million-pixel Super35 ‘Exmor’ CMOS imager and can record QFHDi with 4:2:2 10-bit sampling up to 600 Mbit/s, with support for a variety of recording formats including XAVC Intra, Long GOP, MPEG HD422 and Apple ProRes 422 available early 2015 by firmware update.  The new camera features 2 XQD card slots that support simultaneous recording and relay recording. It also includes a low-pass video filter, progressive pixel reading and advanced camera processing.  The supplied grip, easily adjustable viewfinder and fully-sealed, die-cast magnesium chassis have been designed to provide robust usability in dusty or humid environments and for ‘run and gun’ applications. The PXW-FS7 features Sony’s α Mount System, which benefits from Silent Focus Technology and Electrical Iris Control. The camera will also be available in a bundle with the new FE PZ 28-135mm F4 G OSS power zoom lens.

The Ricoh WG-M1 is an ultra-rugged outdoor camera with a 14.0-megapixel sensor, 160° lens and Full HD movie recording capabilities. The newest addition to the waterproof, shock-resistant WG series, the WG-M1 is waterproof to a depth of 10 metres, shock-resistant against a fall from a height of two metres, and cold-resistant to temperatures as low as －10°C. It also offers a host of convenient features that allow you to check real-time images during both still-image and movie shooting, including a 1.5-inch colour LCD monitor and a wireless LAN connection to a smartphone/tablet.. The camera's high-speed continuous shooting capability records subjects in a series of images at a speed of approximately 10 frames per second. The WG-M1’s large control buttons facilitate camera operation — including instant switching between still-image and movie modes — even wearing gloves. It also features a tripod socket on the bottom for the direct attachment of various accessories. The WG-M1 is available in black or orange at an SRP of £199.99.

Canon will be releasing free firmware1 upgrades for both the Cinema EOS C500 4K and C300 Digital Cinema Cameras, as well as Cinema RAW Development 1.3, an updated version of Canon’s Cinema RAW Development software, in November. Offering compliance with the ITU-R BT.2020 (Rec. 2020) colour space employed in the 4K TV broadcasting tests carried out earlier this year in Japan, the firmware upgrade for the EOS C500 and EOS C500 PL camera models facilitates the capture of high-resolution video supporting this next-generation broadcast standard. The upgraded Cinema RAW Development software features the addition of 3D-LUT (Look-Up Table) for converting from Cinema Gamut/DCI-P3+ to the ITU-R BT.709 (Rec. 709) and DCI-P3 colour standards, enabling efficient video editing while maintaining low-chroma colour gradation. Additionally, support for EDLs (edit decision lists) enables only necessary time code-designated segments to be converted to the DPX and ProRes formats suitable for editing, effectively doing away with the need to process unnecessary files.

Casio has announced a very unusual-looking action camera feaaturing a detachable monitor. The new Casio Exilim EX-FR10 "split camera" has a physical shutter release on the main camera body but can also be operated remotely via its detachable, Bluetooth-enabled wireless controller. Key specifications include a 14-megapixel, 1/2.3"-type CMOS sensor, 21mm (eq.) f/2.8 lens and a 2", 230,400-dot screen. Images captured with the Exilim EX-FR10 are recorded on microSD memory cards, and can be sent effortlessly to a smartphone or tablet via Wi-Fi. The camera will be available in Japan in three different colours; orange, white and green - priced at 50,000 yen (about £300) -, and comes with an assortment of accessories including various straps and attachments. Currently, there is no word on international availability or pricing.

The Canon Digital Learning Center has posted several new educational resources for videographers. These include, among other videos, an entire series of tutorials explaining how to use the top features of the XF200 and XF205 HD camcorders. The series discusses several key benefits of the cameras, including the optics and zoom range, how to quickly access features, and understanding all the tools that help control image quality, such as Wide DR gamma, waveform monitor and dynamic range. Another new video walks viewers through the new RC-V100 Remote Control Unit, which enables users to remotely control the manufacturer's XF Series professional HD camcorders and Cinema EOS C500, Cinema EOS C300 and Cinema EOS C100 cameras.

Sony Professional has launched a "business" camcorder with a 1"-type sensor and 12x optical zoom. Equipped with a 13.2×8.8mm, 20-megapixel Exmor-R branded CMOS imager and a 29-348mm equivalent Carl Zeiss T* lens, the Sony XDCAM PXW-X70 camcorder weighs in at 1.4kg and measures 180.9×287×130.3mm. Supporting multiple video recording formats, the Sony XDCAM PXW-X70 features an XLR terminal, dual memory card slots as well as HDMI and 3G-SDI interfaces, and records video at up to 1080p resolution at up to 60fps, with Sony promising 4K recording capabilities via a future firmware upgrade. In addition, the Sony XDCAM PXW-X70 has an integrated Wi-Fi module and supports NFC, making it possible to control the camera via your smartphone. Availability and pricing have yet to be confirmed.

Source: Sony Professional - Japan

Blackmagic Design has released version 1.9 of its Camera software which includes new “heads up display” on-screen metering that provides customers with histogram, peak audio meters and recording time remaining for the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K (pictured). The update is available now free of charge from the Blackmagic Design website. Existing customers can download this update now and install it onto their camera from either Mac or Windows computers using a simple USB cable connection to the camera. Once the update is complete, customers can view the new on-screen menus by simply swiping their finger up from the bottom of the capacitative touch screen.

VSN Mobil has unveiled its V.360° camera - the first device to capture 360 degrees of video in full 1080p high definition. “The V.360° camera finally makes it possible to capture life’s most astonishing moments at every angle simultaneously,” explained Matt Gordon, VP of Strategic Marketing for VSN Mobil. “This unprecedented device truly changes the game for anyone who wants to shoot videos or capture still images.” The camera features an f/2.8 lens, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC with a 2.3GHz quad-core CPU - and Wi-Fi connectivity, which enables it to be controlled through a free companion app for Android and iOS phones and tablets. The V.360° camera is currently on display at the Sin City: A Dame To Kill For experience at Comic-Con 2014, which is open from 9am-6pm every day until 27th July in the Petco Park car park by the footbridge leading to the Convention Center in San Diego.

Blackmagic Design has released version 1.8.2 of its Camera software, which adds 3 new Apple ProRes file formats for the Blackmagic Cinema Camera, Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera and Blackmagic Production Camera 4K. The new formats include ProRes 422, ProRes 422 LT and ProRes 422 Proxy. This update gives customers using Blackmagic Design cameras the ability to get significantly smaller video file sizes allowing much longer recording durations on the same media card, all while preserving full frame 10-bit 4:2:2 quality. Selecting the type of ProRes format for recording can be set via the on-screen menus and all ProRes types can be played back instantly. The. Camera 1.8.2 update is available now free of charge from the website below.

Futuresource Consulting has just published the results of a new survey of the action camera market. According to the company, worldwide demand for action cameras reached almost 5 five million units in 2013 - which represented annual growth of 47%. GoPro continues to maintain its position as the dominant market leader, despite a growing number of vendors vying for market share, the report says. Futuresource expects the worldwide action camera market to continue growing out to 2018, by which point the number of units shipped will have reached 9 million per annum.

As a limited time offer, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera is now available for £325/$495. With a normal recommended retail price of  £635/$995, this Summer Special represents a saving of  £310/$500 and is available until 31st August only. The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera includes powerful features such as a Super 16mm sized 1080HD sensor, super wide 13 stops of dynamic range, built in SD card recorder for Apple ProRes, lossless compressed CinemaDNG RAW capture and active Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Note that the current Summer Special price is subject to limited availability, after which the price will return to the usual RRP.

LifeLogger has elevated several of the features for its head-worn wearable camera. The camera has been made smaller due to the "grouping of GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth into one chip." The smaller chip cuts down power consumption and extends battery life by twenty-five percent. “We’ve also made significant progress in making hardware stabilisation, which is much better than any software stabilisation,” says Garner. “Hardware stabilisation uses a Gyro sensor and it is significantly better than software stabilisation which cuts parts of each frame to make it look smoother." Estimated availability for the LifeLogger camera is end of year 2014, with the first run of mass production anticipated to be sometime between October and November.

The Sony Action Cam HDR-AS20 is an all-weather video camera that records Full HD movies at a bit rate of 28Mbps. Key highlights include a CMOS sensor, an ultra-wide lens with an angle-of-view of 170° and built-in Wi-Fi that connects Action Cam with the wearable RM-LVR1 Live-View Remote. Available as an optional extra, this waterproofed wrist-mount accessory makes it easy to check shots and control up to five cameras with Action Cam mounted in hard-to-reach places. Battery life is approximately 130 minutes with Wi-Fi and 150 minutes without. The new HDR-AS20 Action Cam from Sony is available to pre-order now from Sony UK. Availability is slated for late June 2014.