The new 1.6 versions of Affinity Photo and Affinity Designer are even faster, smoother and more powerful than before. Also, for a limited period, buyers of Affinity Photo and Affinity Designer will be able to claim a bundle of creativity-boosting extra goodies totally free of charge. The v1.6 update is available free of charge to existing owners of the Affinity desktop apps.

Digital Film Tools have released Film Stocks v3.0, which adds 8 Black & White Films, Polaroid presets, 12 Faded - Color presets, 5 Faded - Black & White presets, and 16 Motion Picture Film presets. 89 color-grading presets from Academy Award nominated movies are also provided. The Film Stocks photo plug-in is available now for $50 USD, while the  Film Stocks video/film plug-in is available for $95.00 USD.

Win a 25x Zoom, 20 Megapixel Canon Camera! That's right, with Autumn fast approaching here in the Northern Hemisphere, we've decided to cheer you all up by giving away a fantastic Canon PowerShot SX620 HS Camera Bundle (Red)!

The competition has now closed. And the lucky winner is Gyur! Congratulations! (we'll in touch to arrange delivery of your prize)

The brand new Tenba Solstice backpack range are designed to ensure all-day carrying comfort, with security-minded rear access for the travelling photographer.

Panasonic is offering up to £100 (€120) cashback when purchasing a Lumix or Lumix G-Series camera and £100 (€120) off Panasonic and Panasonic Leica Lenses. All cashback is available from 25^th October 2017 – 30^th January 2018 from participating retailers.

For a limited time only, Olympus UK is offering a cashback bonus of up to £200 on selected OM-D cameras and M.Zuiko lenses.

Tenba today launched the DNA 15 Backpack. Stylish and discrete as a camera bag, the new DNA backpack provides lightweight (just 1.7kg) flexible protection for an array of photographic kit. With two main compartments – a roll top section for general outdoor gear, plus a removable camera insert for hardware, the backpack can also accommodate a laptop (up to 15 inch) and features an easy access front pocket perfect for accessories including batteries, media cards, phone and keys. The Tenba DNA 15 Backpacks are available now for £165.

To celebrate their 40th anniversary, Tenba have announced the addition of two Special Edition versions of their DNA 8 & DNA 15 Slim messenger bags. The Tenba Messenger DNA 8 (£80) holds a compact system camera, 2-3 lenses and a tablet such as an iPad Mini. Capable of carrying a mirrorless or DSLR camera with 4-6 lenses, the much larger Messenger DNA 15 Slim (£120) is able to take a DSLR with 70-200mm f2.8 lens attached – PLUS 15 inch laptop or tablet. Both of these limited-edition bags are available now from selected retailers.

Macphun (Skylum) today announced Luminar 2018. This edition offers everything a modern photographer needs for photo editing, including new filters powered by artificial intelligence, major speed improvements, a dedicated RAW develop module and a forthcoming in 2018 digital asset management platform. Users will also benefit from the new intelligent Sun Rays filter, LUT support and real-time noise removal. Luminar 2018 has been re-built from the ground up for dramatic performance boosts. Existing filters deliver richer colors and depth in less time. A brand new streamlined user interface speeds up working with presets, filters, and masks. With full support of pro options like layers, masks, and blending modes, complex repairs and photo composites can be easily accomplished. Luminar 2018 will become available in November 2017, and in 2018 a free update will provide a new image-browser / digital asset manager to help photographers manage their image libraries. Pre-order for Luminar 2018 will run from November 1 until November 16. New users will be able to purchase Luminar 2018 for $59, and current users of Luminar may upgrade at a special price of $39.

Leica today announced a Silver Anodized version of the Leica Q full-frame compact camera. "A silver top plate, silver baseplate and silver lens create a striking appearance for this new version of the Leica Q, while the rear of the camera is a sleek and refined black – achieving a modern take on the classic silver and black two-tone look," the company says. The technical specifications of the silver Leica Q are identical to those of the standard black model. It has a 24.2-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor with no optical low pass filter, an image-stabilised Leica Summilux 28mm f/1.7 lens with 11 lenses in 9 groups (including 3 aspherical lens elements), FullHD 1920x1080 video at 60/30fps in the MP4 format, and a touchscreen 3-inch LCD screen with 1,040,000 pixels and 100% field of view. The Leica Q in Silver will be available at Leica boutiques, stores, and dealers at the end of November.

The Polaroid photo booth kit is an all-in-one instant-set-up photo booth that brings the party everywhere you go. From after-school events to celebratory office gatherings, the Polaroid photo booth kit cranks up the fun atmosphere and keeps everyone entertained for hours by providing a dramatic red background, oversized (28.0"x17.5") retro Polaroid picture frame, erasable coloured markers and dozens of props for unique photo snapshots. The picture frame is large enough for group shots and can be customised with colour designs and entertaining captions. The erasable picture frame enables multiple re-use opportunities when used with the included set of brightly coloured markers which come in five colours. The Polaroid photo booth kit is available now for $39.99.

Manfrotto have announced their 2017 festive giveaway promotion. Available on selected products across the Manfrotto and Lastolite by Manfrotto range, the Christmas promotion starts on the 23^rd October and will run to the 31^st December 2017. The offer spans a range of products and is available from all qualifying Manfrotto dealers in the UK. Click through / read on for the full list of free gifts available on the Complete Christmas offer.

Peak Design have launched the smallest bag in their Everyday line. The new Everyday Sling 5L, which can be used as either a fanny pack or - as its name suggests - a sling, can accommodate a CSC kit, a DSLR with a single lens, or a DJI Mavic/Spark drone (though obviously not all of them at the same time). A weatherproof zip provides quick inner access without removing the bag from your body. FlexFold dividers allow customisable organisation and protection. A padded tablet sleeve holds most tablets up to 11" and the inner flap compartment contains 4 small stretchy pockets for batteries and cards. The Peak Design Everyday Sling 5L bag is available for $99.95.

Via DPReview

Nikon today announced that operations of their consolidated subsidiary Nikon Imaging China (NIC) will be discontinued. In practice, this means the closure of a factory in Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, which used to manufacture digital compact cameras, as well as lens units. Nikon says, "due to the rise of smartphones, the compact digital camera market has been shrinking rapidly, leading to a significant decrease in operating rate at NIC and creating a difficult business environment." In future, the Nikon will focus more on high value-added products - which probably means DSLR cameras, flashguns and interchangeable Nikkor lenses. The closure of the Wuxi City plant is effective today. Nikon Imaging (China) Sales Co., Ltd. (NICS), the company’s sales subsidiary in Shanghai, continues in full operation as normal.

This November, Proud Galleries will present Picturing Prince: Photographs by Steve Parke, a collection of rare and intimate prints to coincide with the recent launch of Parke’s acclaimed photobook. Prince and Parke met in the late 80s at the artist’s renowned private estate and recording studio, Paisley Park, described by the latter as a ‘mecca of creativity’. Their partnership was consolidated when Prince requested Parke to be his official photographer, a creative alliance that produced an extensive archive of over 500 photographs. Impromptu shoots from around the Paisley Park site offer a glimpse into life off the stage and the drive behind Prince’s ambition. Whilst an employee, Parke was also a trusted companion of the icon and it is evident throughout the shots that the pair shared a unique connection. Proud will be commemorating the genius of a man whose creative expression continues to unfold. Picturing Prince (9th November – 3rd December 2017, Proud Central 32 John Adam Street London WC2N 6BP) will be accompanied by the fully illustrated book published by Parke in collaboration with Octopus Publishing Group.