Want to see exactly what the new Panasonic GH5 compact system camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our extensive hands-on gallery of photos of the Panasonic GH5 compact system camera and the three new Leica lenses. Panasonic are also showing early prototypes of an audio accessory and a battery grip for the GH5.

Hasselblad has unveiled a new modular concept camera with a 75-megapixel square-format sensor. Part of the company's 4116 Collection which celebrates Hasselblad's 75th anniversary, the Hasselblad V1D 4116 Concept is described as "a study created to explore the Hasselblad heritage to find new ways of designing innovative cameras for the future." Inspired by the classic Hasselblad V, the new camera can be outfitted with displays, viewfinders, external controls, hangrips and other accessories. With the V1D being completely modular, left-handed photographers can also configure the camera perfectly for their needs, with the rotary dial controls for aperture and shutter speed placed on either the left- or right-hand side. Given that the Hasselblad V1D currently exists as a concept model only, there is no word on availability or pricing.

Fotospeed is launching a selection of square-format inkjet papers. Available from October, the papers come in three sizes, 8"x8", 10"x10" and 12"x12"; and three finishes, Fotospeed PF Lustre 275, Fotospeed Platinum Etching and Fotospeed Platinum Baryta. “We are committed to encouraging photographers to print their images,” says Toby Herlinger, Sales & Marketing Director at Fotospeed. “Fotospeed truly believe in the power and difference that a printed image makes. Getting images out of social media and giving strangely shaped images a way of getting printed easily, makes sense to us. We’ve done the same with panoramas in the past, and we’re excited to give photographers an easy and cost effective way to print high quality, square images.” The square paper format will provide medium format users with a cost effective solution to having to cut from larger sheets of paper, will give Instagram users the chance to print their images easily, and will enable anyone whose photo would be better suited to a square an easy way to create that print without any wastage. Pricing for the new papers has yet to be confirmed.

Fotospeed, the UK’s premier photographic paper brand, is launching a new fine art paper. Offering a wide tonal range and deep blacks, the water-resistant. instant-dry Platinum Gloss Art Fibre 300 will be added to Fotospeed’s existing Fine Art range, and will be available in Octobere in A4, A3, A3+, and A2 sizes and in 24”, 36”, and 44” wide 15-metre rolls. Made from 100% alpha-cellulose pulp, Platinum Gloss Fibre 300 is a heavyweight exhibition quality paper, and lends itself particularly well to black-and-white shots or shots with very vibrant colours. Fotospeed will be attending Photokina from 20-25th September 2016. A first look at the Platinum Gloss Art Fibre 300 paper will be available at their stand A035 in Hall 3.1.

Want to see exactly what the new Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G80 compact system camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our extensive hands-on gallery of photos of the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G80 compact system camera.

Want to see exactly what the new Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ2000 compact camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our extensive hands-on gallery of photos of the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ2000 compact camera.

Want to see exactly what the new Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LX15 compact camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our extensive hands-on gallery of photos of the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LX15 compact camera.

The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G80 is a compact system camera featuring 4K technologies, improved 5-Axis Dual Image Stabilisation and a splash/dust proof design. ThePanasonic DMC-G80 (also known as the Panasonic G85) features an updated Image Stabilization system – the 5-axis Dual I.S. MK II. By incorporating new gyro-sensor technology, the O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer, 2-axis) and B.I.S. (Body Image Stabilizer, 5-axis) are able to work in perfect harmony and with outstanding accuracy. The 16.0-megapixel Digital Live MOS Sensor and new Venus Engine combine to allow users to shoot vibrant, true-to-life high quality images with excellent resolution, high contrast, impressive colour reproduction and max. ISO 25600 high sensitivity. To withstand the demands of heavy field use, the DMC-G80 adopts rugged design with a full die-cast magnesium front frame. It also features splash and dustproof construction thanks to the careful sealing on every joint, dial and button.

The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ2000 is a new flagship hybrid bridge camera. Incorporating a 20x optical zoom lens, a 1.0 inch MOS sensor and unlimited 4K video recording in MOV/MP4, the Panasonic FZ2000 (also known as the Panasonic FZ2500) offers high-performance photography and outstanding video recording. The LUMIX FZ2000 features the newly-developed LEICA DC VARIO-ELMART lens system which has a 20x optical zoom (35mm camera equivalent: 24-480mm) and F2.8-4.5. The LUMIX FZ2000 boasts exceptional video recording performance which has never been seen in a bridge camera. It is capable of unlimited  4K video recording (Cinema 4K: 4096x2160 / 24 fps and QFHD 4K: 3840x2160 / up to 30 fps) in MOV/MP4  and Full HD video at an ultra-high bitrate of 200 Mbps (ALL-Intra) or 100 Mbps (IPB). The LUMIX FZ2000 incorporates a 1-inch High Sensitivity MOS Sensor with 20.1-megapixel high resolution. This large MOS Sensor improves S/N ratio, resulting in dramatic reduction of noise – even when shooting at ISO 12800.

The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LX15 is a premium pocket-sized 4K camera with a fast lens to capture sharp images anytime, anywhere. The new Panasonic LX15 (also known as the Panasonic LX10) camera offers an exceptional F1.4 high-speed lens and a 1-inch large MOS sensor; all in a sleek, stylish pocket-sized body. The LUMIX LX15 includes the newly-developed F1.4-F2.8 LEICA DC VARIO-SUMMILUX lens system with 3x optical zoom (35mm camera equivalent: 24-72mm). The 1-inch MOS sensor with its 20.1-megapixel resolution realises high-quality image recording with stunning details. Taking advantage of 4K technology, users can enjoy both 4K PHOTO and 4K VIDEO. The 5-Axis Hybrid O.I.S. + (Five Axis Optical Image Stabilizer Plus) effectively compensates for handshakes occurring in virtually any direction, enabling smooth photo and video recording.

Panasonic have announced that they are developing the successor to the GH4 compact system camera. The Panasonic GH5 will be released in the first half of 2017. The Lumix GH5 will feature 6K/30p 18mp, 8mp/60fps burst photo, 10-bit 4:2.2, 4K/60p and more. In collaboration with Leica, 3 new lenses will also be released - the 8-18mm, 12-60mm, 50-200mm Hybrid f2.8-4.0 Leica Zoom Lens series.

Dr Andreas Kauffman from Leica appeared onstage to elaborate upon Leica's long-standing relationship with Panasonic. He commented that “We have learned how to become friends during the last 15 years”. Leica and Panasonic renewed their partnership in 2016, and are working on many new products, including the three new lenses that have been announced today.

Profoto and Sony today announced their collaboration to expand markets for professional photographers and serious amateurs. This cooperation promises enhanced compatibility across Profoto flashes and light-shaping tools and Sony's interchangeable-lens cameras. “Profoto is very pleased to enter into this partnership with Sony, a front runner of groundbreaking digital imaging. This collaboration between two industry leaders in photography and light shaping provides a unique platform that will enable future innovations for the world’s best and most ambitious photographers. We are happy to announce the first step, the highly sought-after Profoto AirTTL for Sony α users,” says Anders Hedebark, CEO of Profoto. The Profoto Air Remote TTL-S (pictured) is a small, wireless radio transmitter that can be attached to your Sony camera’s hotshoe. The remote offers full TTL and HSS capability with Profoto’s Pro-10, D2, B1, and B2 flashes. The Air Remote TTL-S will be available in early 2017.

The Samyang XEEN 16mm T2.6 is a new professional video-cine lens. The 16mm is a specific angle that is loved by most of the directors of photography around the globe for its usage for wide, yet emotional, scenes in film and videos. Samyang has released XEEN 16mm T2.6, inheriting the renowned image quality of Samyang’s wide angle series. This launch expands the XEEN line up to seven lenses from 14mm to 135mm.

Leica have created a new Professional Business Unit, which has been designed to expand and combine integrated product solutions and innovative applications for professional photography and video production. From 1 September, Stephan Schulz (pictured) assumed the function of "Global Director Business Unit Professional" and is now responsible for the activities of this new unit, which combines marketing and sales activities in the business-to-business sector. This includes the Leica S medium-format system, the mirrorless Leica SL-System and the entire product portfolio of Sinar, a leading manufacturer of view cameras. In addition to this, the newly created business unit will also strengthen the strategic collaboration with Leica affiliate, CW Sonderoptic, which manufactures cine lenses for film and TV production that are marketed under the Leica brand name.

Within the next 18 months, Leica SL photographers can look forward to the expansion of the SL lens portfolio with the addition of an ultra-wide zoom and four prime lenses. The Leica Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4 ASPH. is scheduled to be available in January 2017 at a suggested retail price of £3,850 including VAT. This will be followed by the Leica APO-Summicron-SL 75mm f/2 ASPH. in Summer 2017. The Leica APO-Summicron-SL 90mm f/2 ASPH. and the Leica Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16-35mm f/3.5-4.5 ASPH. are scheduled for Autumn and Winter 2017 respectively, followed by the Leica Summicron-SL 35mm f/2 ASPH. in Spring 2018. Pricing will be announced nearer to each launch date. The Leica SL Handgrip is available now in the UK at a suggested retail price of £600 including VAT.

The PocketWizard FlexTT5 TTL Radio System is the first TTL radio system specifically for Panasonic ‘s mirrorless cameras. Panasonic photographers can now benefit from PocketWizard’s wireless transceiver radio technology for remote TTL flash and camera triggering. With the FlexTT5 for Panasonic, GH4 photographers can now trigger any number of remote flashes without line of site limitations. PocketWizard is also currently developing a remote camera cable which will allow Panasonic photographers to trigger a remote camera with their FlexTT5 or any other PocketWizard radio.  

The PocketWizard FlexTT5 Transceiver for Panasonic will be available at the end of October, 2016.  Photographers will have the option of purchasing individual radios or a set of two. The US MAP price of a single FlexTT5 for Panasonic radio will be $186.00 and a set of two radios which includes a PocketWizard G-Wiz Trunk bag will come in at $299.00 US MAP.

Hasselblad have announced that the Hasselblad X1D-50c camera is now shipping. The X1D is the World's first compact system camera with a medium-format sensor. In a tweet issued this morning, Hasselbald said "The first batch of #Hasselblad #X1D-50c has left our factory in Gothenburg, Sweden!".

Photokina 2016 is almost upon us, and Photography Blog has just arrived in Cologne, Germany to cover the biggest photography show on the planet.

Tomorrow is Press Day, with conferences from Panasonic, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm and Olympus running from 12.30 local time (CET) through to the early evening.

Then the show proper gets underway on Tuesday, with no less than 10 gigantic halls stuffed full of the latest and greatest photography gear.

So stay tuned to Photography Blog this week for all the news, previews and interviews that we can bring you!

The new BlackRapid Breathe range of camera straps that have been designed to deliver a higher level of comfort and performance. A new shoulder pad design allows for a better weight distribution and strap position across the body, and also features a removable underarm stabilising strap. The new shoulder pad also features an ‘airmesh’ grip layer, that fixes the strap’s position on the shoulder more firmly, and increased ventilation that means you can wear the strap for extended periods without compromising on comfort. BlackRapid Breathe camera straps are available from £40.

The Leica SL mirrorless camera has played an important role in NASA space mission. On 17 August 2016, a sounding rocket from the RockSat-X program launched from the NASA Wallops Flight Facility (Virginia, USA) – also on board was a Leica SL camera. The task assigned to the camera was the documentation of the flight in Ultra High Definition (4K) video. The special control algorithms required for the Leica SL on its mission were programmed in collaboration between the students and Leica Camera AG.