Panasonic has a large and spacious booth at Photokina, and we were there to show you what’s on display. The new Panasonic GH2 is of course the centre of attention, along with the three new lenses announced yesterday. The 14mm f/2.5 pancake is an extremely tiny affair that makes Panasonic’s other pancake lens - the 20mm f/1.7 - look bulky in comparison. By contrast, the 100-300mm telezoom is a rather hefty piece of glass - at least for a Micro Four Thirds lens. One does have to remember though that this is a lens that covers a focal range similar to that of an imaginary 200-600mm lens in 35mm format - with that in mind, it does not look all that big, actually. The third new lens - the Lumix G 12.5mm f/12 - is the first 3D offering for the Micro Four Thirds mount. This is a tiny and very exotic-looking lens that allows the Panasonic GH2 to take 3D images that can be played back on 3D television sets and viewed with the help of special glasses.

The Canon stand dominates Hall 3.2 at Photokina, with the imaging giant using an origami theme to showcase its latest products, Chief among them is the EOS 60D DSLR and the usual array of super-telephoto lenses, along with the recently announced G12, SX30IS and new lenses. Canon are also providing an interesting glimpse into the way they develop products with a display of EOS 7D concept drawings and early mockups, along with an exploded internal view of the G12. As you’d expect video is also featuring prominently, alongside new PIXMA printers and the ever-popular expert techniques sessions that always draw big crowds.

At Photokina, Pentax is showing off its brand new K-5 digital SLR camera alongside the recently announced K-r and the company’s medium-format offering, the Pentax 645D. Also on display is the older Pentax K-x, which is available in a dozen different colours. The company is not neglecting its compact camera range either, the various Optio models are being showcased just as prominently as the manufacturer’s SLR cameras. The highly customisable Pentax Optio RS1000 has been given extra attention, with an eye-catching display of its own. Those of you who plan on attending the show in the coming days will find the Pentax stand in Hall 2.2, just behind Nikon’s exhibition area.

Nikon says it has created its most spectacular booth ever for this year’s Photokina. Located in Hall 2.2, the Nikon booth will play host to a series of talks from the world’s leading photo visionaries including award-winning commercial photographer, Chase Jarvis, who will be making a keynote speech on the first day of the show. The company’s new star products ranging rom the D3100 to the D7000 digital SLR cameras will be on display, while a daily programme of movies, stills and product films will be playing on the Nikon Video Wall, showcasing work by Nikon Pros from all over the world including Vincent Munier and Bill Frakes. At the heart of the stand will be a giant, interactive installation which enables people to get hands-on with Nikon’s latest products and innovations. Called the Nikon Key Cube, this installation symbolises the past, present and future of the company.

Kodak will celebrate its 125th anniversary at Photokina next week. New and current products on display will include the Kodak Nexpress Photo Platform, Picture Kiosk and APEX systems, the Kodak D4000 duplex photo printer and the recently announced Kodak Professional Portra 400 film (pictured), which is claimed to be the world’s finest grain 400 speed colour negative film. Of course Kodak will also showcase its existing range of digital cameras, inkjet printers, pocket video cameras and digital photo frames.

A group of works by German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans goes on public display at the Walker Art Gallery from 18 September to 12 December. Caroline Douglas, Head of the Arts Council Collection, Southbank Centre says: “We are delighted to be able to debut this outstanding new acquisition at the Walker Art Gallery.  The project is emblematic of the kind of imaginative collaboration the Arts Council Collection can have with important museums in Britain. The exhibition demonstrates that art is a continuum, across centuries, a conversation that goes on beyond generations and one that we are all a part of.”

Mute is an upcoming exhibition of haunting dog portraits by Martin Usborne at East London gallery theprintspace. The collection consists of eight large-scale prints of dogs looking out of car windows. theprintspace’s Cathy Eck said, “This exhibition is an unusual treat for dog lovers and photography fans alike, with a really impressive collection of images. The mournful look in the dogs’ eyes really stops you in your tracks, a must-see.“ The exhibition opens on 21 October 2010 and runs until 9 November.

The winners of the Red Bull Illume 2010 Image Quest were unveiled at a stunning exhibition in Dublin. We teamed up with Red Bull Reporter to send aspiring photo-journalist Mike Gamble over to capture the action and tell the story of the ceremony, which took place inside the historic grounds of Trinity College. Click through to read his report and see some of his photographs.

This is the latest assignment from Red Bull Reporter, the programme from Red Bull that sends aspiring writers, photographers, filmmakers and presenters to interview talent and go behind the scenes at music, culture and sports events all over the UK and beyond. Find out more at www.redbullreporter.com

Olympic Dreams is an exhibition by James Dodd that introduces viewers to the City of Sheffield Diving Team and their youth development programme, which works alongside the nations preparations to develop our sporting elite for the 2012 London Olympics. Presented by Bank Street Arts in partnership with Print 4 Sheffield, Olympic Dreams features 8 images presented in light-boxes within an atmospheric darkened gallery space. “For the series I decided to concentrate on a ‘non standard’ approach to documentary photography. Rather than simply showing a day in their lives etc,” says James Dodd. “I wanted to convey their dreams, something that obviously isn’t visible.” Running until the end of this month, the exhibition can be seen in the Bank Street Arts gallery, 32-40 Bank Street, Sheffield. There is an evening viewing with the photographer planned for 17th September, starting at 7pm, which is open to the public.

At Photokina 2010, the Manfrotto School of Xcellence will be offering participants a unique opportunity to listen, learn and talk with five top professional photographers. The School’s showcase will take place at the Manfrotto School of Xcellence Theatre in Hall 5.1 of the fair in Cologne, and will feature hourly presentations by photographers Bill Frakes, Joe McNally. These presentations will take place at 1pm on each day of the fair and then at 4pm on Sunday. In addition to this, at the School Booth in Hall 5.1 Bill and Joe will be giving portfolio reviews in the mornings - so aspiring photographers have the opportunity for a professional one-to-one critique of their work with feedback and advice. More portfolio reviews will be held in the afternoon, lead by another three highly respected photographers: Roberto Bigano from Italy, Uwe Statz from Germany, and Drew Gardner from the UK.

Website: Manfrotto School of Xcellence

The Royal Photographic Society (RPS) is celebrating the centenary of infrared imaging with a small international exhibition of infrared photographs and thermograms. Running from 1st through 28th October, ‘Infrared 100’ represents the work of photographers including renowned artists Abe Frajndlich, Elliott Landy and Simon Marsden, as well as Society members including Tim Rudman, Clive Haynes and Alan Lewis. The opening hours are 9.30am – 4.30pm, Monday to Friday; admission is free.

Canon will be present at IBC 2010 with a larger, redesigned stand and a range of professional imaging products. Canon has invested in a 220m² stand and additional space in the Production Village area. The stand highlights will include the newly launched XF100 camcorder, the EOS 7D and the XEED HD Theatre. The HD theatre will present showreel footage from Canon products, with projections in both 2D and 3D. Additionally, Canon will also display a 3D shooting rig using two newly-announced XF105 camcorders. IBC 2010 will take place in Amsterdam from 9th to 14th September.

Website: IBC

Leading British photographer and film-maker Brian Griffin returns to Birmingham for Face to Face, his first major retrospective in his birth city. Known for the extraordinary composition and lighting of his portraits, Griffin’s distinctive style was developed during his early career as a staff photographer at Management Today. Joining the magazine in 1972, Griffin’s unique approach, with his witty and surreal touches, changed the face of corporate portraiture, leading to a series of significant commissions for leading companies around the world. Opening on 30 September and running till 21 November, Face to Face will take place in two adjacent locations in Birmingham’s Colmore Business District. A large-scale outdoor retrospective will showcase Griffin’s portraiture over the last 38 years, including many of his most prominent portraits of leading musicians, politicians and celebrities. Two accompanying indoor exhibitions will feature Griffin’s award-winning series’ Team and The Water People.

Understanding Motion and Emotion is a new sports photography webinar organised by the Manfrotto School of Xcellence. Taking place on 9th September from 2pm to 3pm EDT, this online seminar is hosted by Sports Illustrated staff photographer Bill Frakes, who will explore how action and feature images are made during actual games from little league tilts to the Super Bowl. Topics for discussion include properly positioning yourself in the right spot to best take advantage of the action and the light, different techniques that photographers should consider when photographing various sports, as well as some gear advice. To register for this free webinar, visit the website below.

Website: Sports Photography: Understanding Motion and Emotion

X-Rite has announced its inaugural Coloratti XritePhotoWalk event-taking place next month during Photokina 2010 in Cologne, Germany. Photographers of all levels are invited to walk in, learn about and photograph Cologne while also learning about photographic techniques and tips from world class professional photographers Vincent Versace, Natural Light Photographer (USA) and Jens Petersen, Fashion, Editorial and Lifestyle Photographer (Germany). The walks will take place at 7am on 22 and 24 September. The meeting point is Train Station Deutz. A German-language tour will also take place at 5pm on 22 September, with the meeting point being the Köln Tourism Information centre in front of the main entrance to the Dome.

Manfrotto Distribution has announced a new free webinar titled “Impact & Information: Understanding and using the visual language to create compelling, intentional photographs that express your vision”. The free webinar will take place on Wednesday, September 1st from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT. The host, Canadian photographer David duChemin, will discuss how to go beyond the technicalities of photography to create effective and unique stories with a camera. Topics for discussion include finding inspiration, vision, photographing people, places and culture, and utilising camera technology to tell your story. To register for this free webinar, visit the website below.

Website: Manfrotto School of Xcellence

Manfrotto School of Xcellence, a free resource for anyone who wants to learn more about photography, has announced a free webinar titled “The Right Exposure and the Proper Lens”. Taking place today from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT, the webinar will be hosted by Italian photographer Marc de Tollenaere. Topics covered include wide-angle lenses versus telephoto lenses, secrets behind a camera’s metering systems as well as the ins and outs of different camera modes. To register for the free Manfrotto School of Xcellence webinar and for additional information, visit the website below.

Website: Manfrotto School of Xcellence

Blurb will host a free webinar covering the company’s PDF to Book workflow. Topics covered include camera white balance and profiles using X-Rite’s Color Checker Passport, monitor calibration and profiling using ColorMunki Photo, creating and using custom printer profiles, soft-proofing in Adobe Photoshop, converting images to the Blurb CMYK profile, setting up InDesign for Blurb books, pre-flight and uploading a PDF book to Blurb. Webinar times include 1pm EDT and 3pm EDT today, plus 1pm and 3pm EDT on 2nd September.

Website: Blurberati Blog

PDN PhotoPlus International Conference + Expo has announced its 2010 seminar, keynote and special events schedule at the Jacob Javits Center in New York from 28-30th October. This year’s seminars, special events, and keynote presentations will be conducted by many of the world’s most respected and successful imaging professionals including Chase Jarvis, Mark Power, Jasmine Starr, Joyce Tenneson, Lauren Greenfield, Liz Von Hoene, Mark Seliger, Jim Garner, and Albert Watson. Click through / read on for a list of keynote presentations and special events.

Kubota Image Tools has announced details of the 20th iteration of its Digital Photography Bootcamp and launched an entirely new event to precede Bootcamp, called, SummitUp 2010.  The two events will run consecutively starting on 6th November 6 through 14th November 2010. The Digital Photography Bootcamp helps professional photographers refine their digital photography skill set and marry those key techniques with a core understanding of how to run a successful photography business, while SummitUp is a new, intensive two-day event during which some of the industry’s most business-savvy photographers will lead a curriculum for photographers to investigate technical and creative techniques, and learn new business-driving tactics. The Digital Photography Bootcamp will take place from 7th to 13th November at the Five Pine Lodge in Sisters, Oregon. Tuition, including all meals and lodging, is $3,200 for those that register before 1 September. SummitUp 2010 is scheduled for November 6-7, 2010, immediately preceding the Bootcamp and will also be held in Oregon. Reservations are available for $329.