The updated version of Think Tank Photo's TurnStyle sling bag series offers a new stabiliser strap that holds the bag steady while actively shooting and tucks away when not in use. The TurnStyle 5 ($74.75) fits a compact system camera body plus two to four lenses, and an 8-inch tablet. The TurnStyle 10 ($84.75) fits a standard size DSLR plus one to two lenses, and an eight-inch tablet. The TurnStyle 20 ($99.75) fits a standard size DSLR plus one to three lenses, and a 10” tablet. These new version releases come in the traditional Charcoal and in a new colour, Indigo Blue. “This new version of our popular TurnStyle sling bags reinforces their reputation as the ideal ‘grab and go’ camera bag,” said Doug Murdoch, Think Tank Photo’s CEO and lead designer. “One thing we’ve learned from serving professional photographers for so long is that they always need one, pre-conformed gear kit that gives them access to their core gear. The TurnStyle is that bag.”

Think Tank Photo has announced the new StreetWalker Rolling Backpack V2.0 ($299.75), featuring the ability to switch from a backpack to a roller. The bag will fit two DSLR bodies with lenses attached (including a 200-400mm f/4), and a 15” laptop, and offers a tripod mount on the front panel. Also released are upgraded versions of all three classic StreetWalker backpacks. The StreetWalker HardDrive V2.0 ($229.75) fits two bodies with lenses attached or a gripped body with a 200–400mm f/4 attached, a 15” laptop and a 13” tablet. The StreetWalker Pro V2.0 ($199.75) accommodates two bodies with lens attached or a 400mm f/2.8 unattached, and a 10” table. And, the StreetWalker V2.0 ($169.75) fits one gripped DSLR with 70–200mm f/2.8 attached, one standard DSLR with 24–70mm f/2.8 attached, a 16–35mm f/2.8, and a 10” tablet. “With the release of the new StreetWalker Rolling Backpack and the new versions of the three classic StreetWalker backpacks, we made three of the best pro-level backpacks in the photo industry even better,” said Doug Murdoch, Think Tank Photo’s CEO and lead designer. “The one thing we’ve heard over and over since they first launched is how comfortable and durable they are. Now, with the hybrid rolling backpack and the upgraded core backpacks, we’ve integrated even more photographer feedback to expand their functionality.”

As the first of its kind, the international E1|R1 Photo Award for professional photographers seeks the most beautiful and powerful photographs in the environment of the European long-distance paths, E1, for hikers, and R1 for cyclists. Entrants may submit photo series with at least three and at most four motifs to one of 4 categories including, “Culture and Landscape”, “Man and Nature”, “Sky and Earth” and “Animal and Nature”. The submission window opens on 1 December 2017 and closes on 31 March 2018. The winners in each individual category, the overall winner, as well as the winner of the prize for the promotion of young talent (chosen by the company Olympus) will be selected by a professional jury.

The Best of LensCulture, Vol. 1 is a new title from Lens Culture and Schilt Publishing. This book features 161 contemporary photographers from all over the world, discovered during of four of LensCulture’s annual competitions. Not only are these photographers geographically diverse, but their work encompasses many different genres — from portraits to street photography, photojournalism, personal stories, documentary, fine art, fictional narratives, poetic beauty and abstraction. The 288-page paperback is available for £22.50 | $29.95 | €25.00.

Apparent Software has released a new edition of ImageFramer, a well-known image framing application for Mac OS X. Version 4.0 introduces dozens of improvements, including an Adobe Photoshop Lightroom plug-in, batch processing, integration with Apple Photos, and the capability to export and import frames and design templates. "With ImageFramer 4, we focused on improving the workflow for photographers," said Jacob Gorban, Apparent Software's Founder. "We developed an Adobe Photoshop Lightroom export plugin, Apple Photos editing extension, and a built-in Batch Processing module. Additionally, exporting and importing of custom designs eases collaboration between ImageFramer customers." ImageFramer is available in three pricing tiers: US$29.95 for ImageFramer Lite, $39.95 for ImageFramer Standard and $69.95 for ImageFramer Pro.

Ricoh have just announced the shock- and waterproof Ricoh WG-50 digital compact camera. Developed as a standard-class waterproof digital compact camera, the WG-50 is waterproof to a depth of 14 metres, shockproof against falls from a height of 1.6 metres, and freeze-proof to temperatures as low as -10°C. It also provides a range of features to facilitate all types of still-image and movie shooting, including approximately 16 effective megapixels and Full HD movie recording capability. The camera also comes equipped with an outdoor friendly LCD screen whose brightness can be instantly adjusted to the lighting levels in a particular shooting situation. Ideally positioned around the circumference of the lens barrel for macro shooting, six LED Macro Lights allow the WG-50 to provide bright, uniform illumination on a subject when the Digital Microscope mode is selected. Available in black and orange colourways from the end of June, The Ricoh WG-50 carries a recommended retail price of £249.99.

DJI has launched the DJI Spark, an easy-to-use, fun-to-fly mini camera drone that lifts off from the palm of your hand. According to the company, Spark is the first drone that users can control by hand gestures alone, successfully removing the barriers between them and their camera in the sky. Even if you’ve never flown a drone before, flying Spark is easy because the only remote controller you’ll need is your hand. “Controlling a camera drone with hand movements alone is a major step towards making aerial technology an intuitive part of everyone’s daily life, from work and adventure to moments with friends and family,” said Paul Pan, Senior Product Manager at DJI. “Spark’s revolutionary new interface lets you effortlessly extend your point of view to the air, making it easier than ever to capture and share the world from new perspectives.” The DJI Spark houses a 1/2.3” CMOS sensor that captures 12 megapixel photos and shoots stabilised HD 1080p videos. The drone's 2-axis mechanical gimbal and UltraSmooth technology reduce shake and rolling shutter. The retail price of a DJI Spark, including an aircraft, a battery, a USB charger and three pairs of propellers, is £519 (€599).

MacPhun have announced the upcoming launch of their Aurora HDR and Luminar applications for the Windows platform. "Our Windows engineering team was formed in late 2015 and it has been working on core architecture and other behind-the-scenes tech since then, alongside our Mac developers," says Kevin La Rue, Vice President at MacPhun Software. "[T]he public beta of Luminar for PC will be available in July -  we’d love for you to give Luminar a test drive and help us make it as outstanding as it can possibly be." Interested readers are encouraged to pay a visit to the company's website to learn more.

Listening to requests and inquiries from their customers, TH Swiss today released updated correction profiles for their Irix 11mm and 15mm lenses to use with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. The update offers improved correction data for distortion and vignetting, and makes it easier to find the profiles within Lightroom.

Website: Irix Downloads

Kodak today announced the availability of a U.S. GSM version of the Kodak Ektra smartphone. The American launch coincides with a software update addressing requests for raw image file support, improved auto-focus performance, and optimisations auto-white balance and colour saturation. “Driven by the enthusiasm from customers in the UK, we are thrilled to bring Kodak Ektra to photo enthusiasts in the U.S.,” said Peter Stephens, CEO Bullitt Group, a Kodak licensee for mobile devices. “We are introducing new features and performance adjustments with today’s software update to help drive our customers’ creativity at an incredible value.” The Kodak Ektra smartphone is available for $399.99, sold unlocked and SIM free at retailers including B&H Photo Video, Best Buy and Amazon.

With the launch of Version 2.8, infltr has become the first smartphone app to allow editing of the four most popular types of visual media on iOS: photos, Live Photos, video & animated GIFs. Available in 22 languages and priced at £2.29, infltr boasts millions of filters. Users can change the filter throughout their recording, scroll through the finished video to find moments to filter, or play the video and change the filter at the same time. In the new infltr, 10 new adjustment & transform tools have been introduced to enhance all four types of media. Users can change the photo's saturation, brightness, contrast, filter intensity, crop, rotate, straighten, flip horizontally, flip vertically and change perspective horizontally and vertically. Users can combine these new adjustments with infltr’s original filters & vignette to create their own personal filters which are saved to their account on the cloud, and so accessible from any devices. These new editing capabilities have also been integrated in to infltr’s camera which allows users to capture filtered photographs and Live Photos The filter can be changed in camera mode in real time by touching the screen. Now saturation, brightness, contrast, vignette filter intensity can also be changed before shooting. Users can access and create their own personal filters directly from the camera.

The COOPH Photographer Apron combines art with craftsmanship, giving users a professional yet stylish look. The front pocket is perfectly designed to hold a light meter and the two side pockets are made for your lenses, or even just your hands. The rustic-style leather belts on the back ensure a rugged but fashionable look. They are worn across-the-body, which makes the apron very comfortable to wear on the neck. The COOPH Photographer Apron is available for €99 on the COOPH Store.

The 100-megapixel Hasselblad A6D-100c is the latest evolution of Hasselblad aerial cameras. The A6D Aerial camera includes a feature that allows up to eight cameras to be synchronised within 20 μs. A simple bus-type cable connection is required between all cameras in the set-up. This feature completely eliminates any issues in post-production caused by un-synchronised exposures. The A6D camera is available with or without Infra-Red filter for infra-red captures from 750nm to 1000nm to serve the needs of aerial analysis, such as environment surveying and crop management. NDVI, CIR and NIR imaging is possible with third-party software. Product Manager Bjarne Hjörlund commented, “Available in 100 megapixel resolutions, the A6D camera combines the world’s best optics and sensors with a modern, compact design, resulting in a system that will ensure you attain the highest possible image quality. Hasselblad aerial cameras provide a range of important features that help deliver your imaging requirements”.

CyberLink have released MakeupDirector 2, the latest version of their virtual makeup software. The software has hyper-accurate auto face detection, with more than 50 adjustable feature points for applying virtual makeup, making the tool invaluable for makeup professionals and photographers for retouching and allowing them to avoid the cost of trying every shade or brand out in real life. New features in Version 2 include custom colour palettes for foundation, eyeliner, blush and more; step-by-step makeup tutorials and a revamped contouring tool. Additionally, further integration has been made with Perfect Corp’s beauty community Beauty Circle. “Applying virtual makeup should not be limited to traditional photo retouching, but should provide a method for perfecting makeup designs in real life as well,” said Dr. Jau Huang, CEO of CyberLink. “With Makeup Director 2 we have made this concept a reality, by adding interactive tools that are granting makeup artists and photographers the flexibility to ensure the highest quality results, regardless of the challenges faced in their projects.” The program is available for $49.99.

The 36exp Photographers' School has announced the 2017 London Photo Show; a 5-day long exhibition in which photographers from all walks of life have the opportunity to display their work at the Strand Gallery in central London. The event, which will run from 18-22 October 2017, will present amateur and professional photographers a chance to display and sell their prints, and network with industry contacts. Event organiser Andrew Mason commented: “After we received such a great response from the last show, we’ve got even bigger plans this year, giving more photographers the chance to display their art. It’s tough for photographers to get their work seen, but the London Photo Show offers them an amazing chance to put their work in a well-known, prominent, central London gallery. It’s just what these photographers need to build their profile and get noticed.”

In an exclusive event; the first of it’s kind, theprintspace in partnership with Magnum Photos, are inviting the global photography community to participate in Magnum’s 70th anniversary celebrations, by swapping prints with each other and the photographers of Magnum Photos. The project is inspired by the exhibition David Hurn’s Swaps, drawn from Hurn’s extensive photo collection, exhibited as part of Magnum’s official 70th ​programme during Photo London. Curated by Martin Parr, the 70-piece exhibition explores both photographers’ commitment to and interaction with the wider global photographic community. This free-to-enter event is open to international submissions between 17 May and 12 June. The selected images will then be exhibited at theprintspace gallery (74 Kingsland Rd, London E2 8DL) from 29 June - 11 July 2017.

Building on their extensive range of reskinned Polaroid 600 cameras, Impossible now offer their latest addition, in a distinctive bold colour palette. According to the company, the Two-Tone BW colourway "elevates the playful classic with a custom finish." It has an easy-to-use point-and-shoot type interface, with a built-in flash, fixed-focus lens and simple controls for adjusting exposure levels. The camera is available for €149 and uses Impossible 600 type instant film.

The team at Db has unveiled the Hugger; a lightweight backpack that will hold and organise everything you need on the go. The bag is unique in that it features an ultra-light rib cage which protects your photo gear while still providing quick access to your camera. In case you're booked for a longer trip, the Hugger is designed with a hook-up system that allows you to take multiple bags with ease. The entire front of the main compartment unzips completely in one motion, so you never have to dig for anything. There are mesh pockets on the side for organisation but the main compartment is big and open for any type of gear you need to carry.In addition to the main compartment, the Hugger Collection also features a top compartment with easy access to rail passes, camera lenses, wallets or keys. The water resistant exterior ensures the safety of any belongings you keep inside. THe total capacity of the backpack is 60 litres. The Db Hugger bag is available for €159.