Macphun have revealed a sneak peek at Aurora HDR 2017, which introduces a number of new tools and improvements including batch processing, reworked Tone Mapping and Bracket Merging technologies, a Polarise Filter, plus new presets created by HDR professionals. Additionally, the rendering of raw files will now be much faster. Aurora 2017 will officially launch on 29th September, and will be available for pre-order from 14th September.

Panasonic have announced that their Lumix GX80 compact system camera will be used by official photographer, Warren Little, to capture images at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Having worked for Getty Images for 18 years, Warren is now covering the games with the GX80 and a selection of Lumix G lenses suitable for capturing a wide range of scenes. The camera features a 16-megapixel Live MOS sensor, 5-axis Dual Image Stabilisation and Panasonic’s 4K Photo technology, which lets you take a complete 4K video of an event and then select a single still frame from the footage. Images taken by Warren using the GX80 will be showcased on Panasonic’s social media platforms and across Panasonic’s website

Samyang have just introduced a new ultra-bright, ultra-wide manual-focus prime lens for full frame DSLR cameras. Featuring an optical construction comprising 13 elements in 12 groups - including 3 extra-low-dispersion and 2 aspherical glass elements - and an iris diaphragm with 7 rounded blades, the Samyang 20mm F1.8 ED AS UMC offers an angle of view of 94.8° and a close-focus point of 20cm/8". The lens will be available in Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K, Sony Alpha, Canon M, Fujifilm X, Samsung NX, Sony E, FourThirds and Micro FourThirds fit; at a recommended retail price of €499.00.

Hama have launched a three-in-one lens set for smartphones and tablets. The Hama Uni set comprises a 180° fisheye lens, a 0.67X wide-angle lens and a macro lens. Thanks to the universal lens clip, the lenses fit all smartphones and tablets with a lens diameter of up to 13 mm. The new three-in-one set is available for €12.99.

Sony have issued a firmware update for the Sony A6300 compact system camera. According to the company, Version 1.10 "improves stability in picture shooting mode by optimizing temperature control" - i.e. addresses the camera's widely reported overheating issue - and improves overall operational stability. You can download the firmware upgrade from the website below.

Website: Sony eSupport

Canon’s team of over 70technicians and support staff will be in Brazil for nearly a month to support professional photographers and broadcasters covering the Summer Olympics. “Canon is proud to offer professional photographers and broadcasters high quality image-making solutions that are thoughtfully designed and versatile so that they can capture sharp, clear, detailed images and video,” said Elizabeth Pratt, director, Professional Client Development and Support, Canon U.S.A. “Knowing that iconic images will be captured, seen and shared by people around the world really drives Canon to provide professionals with not only high quality equipment but the customer support they need to help ensure they never miss a beat if anything happens to their equipment.”

Manfrotto has announced the addition of four new camcorder cases to its Pro Light Collection. This new Manfrotto bag range fits all the most popular camcorder models on the market. The special shaped foam contained in the internal Manfrotto Camera Protection System (CPS) safeguards the equipment stored inside the bag. It closely surrounds the camera, lenses and accessories, providing softer cushioning that also functions as strong storage protection. The Manfrotto Flexi divider enables users to make the most of the space available inside the bag and create multiple configurations according to the specific camera and accessories they are using. Prices for the new Manfrotto Pro Light camcorder cases start from £119.95.

The Laowa 12mm f/2.8 from Venus Optics is now available via Kickstarter. Billed as, the "World’s Widest f/2.8 Lens with Close-to-Zero Distortion," the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 lens comprises 16 elements in 10 groups, including 2 aspherical elements and 3 elements made of glass with anomalous dispersion. This manual focus lens offers a field of view of 122°, 7 aperture blades, minimum focusing distance of 18cm, and an aperture range of f/2.8 - f/22. The recommended retail price is $949.00. Along with the new Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Lens, Venus Optics also announces the Laowa Magic Shift Converter which is able to enlarge the full frame image circle to provide a sufficiently large image field for shift movements. It will transform the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 lens into a 17mm f/4 Shift Lens with +/- 10mm shift capability for Full-Frame E-mount cameras.

Manfrotto have launched Version 2.1 of the Manfrotto Digital Director app, new Digital Director models compatible with iPad Pro 12,9“ and iPad mini 4, and a range of new accessories. Digital Director is the only Apple certified (MFi – Made for iPad) electronic device that connects your camera (select Canon and Nikon DSLRs) and iPad allowing you to shoot, check, edit, share and manage your pictures. The new Digital Director App V. 2.1 adds an intervalometer and time-lapse controls, bracketing, DoF preview, a simplified workflow, automated playback, the ability to download raw images for sharing via Wi-Fi web server, e-mail and FTP, and more. THe company has also launched a new semi- rigid case designed to organise and carry Digital Director for iPad Air 2, iPad Air, iPad mini 4, iPad mini 3 and iPad mini 2; a Sunhood for iPad mini 4, mini 3 and mini 2; plus a number of frame inserts for the iPad Air, Air 2, mini 2, 3 and 4, and iPad Pro 12.9”.

The exhibition 'Exile,' at Visa Pour L’Image Perpignan (29 August - 2 September 2016), will bring together work of 22 Magnum Photographers to present a visual representation of nearly 70 years of international migration and displacement. Providing a historic context to the current migration crisis in Europe, Exile will include images of civilians returning home following World War II by Robert Capa; Philip Jones Griffiths’ Vietnamese woman fleeing a US bomb attack; and John Vink’s documentation of the displaced in South Sudan. Presenting coverage of conflicts ranging from the Six Day War, Iraq, Rwanda and the Arab Spring the exhibition also includes work by Abbas, Bruno Barbey, Chris Steele-Perkins, Thomas Dworzak, Alex Majoli, Susan Meiselas, Paulo Pellegrin and Jerome Sessini amongst others. Alongside the exhibition, Magnum Photos and Canon are organising First Impressions, a free 5-day portfolio review event at Visa Pour L’Image for photographers wishing to gain an insightful and honest critique of their work.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is a new phablet with a 5.7" Quad HD Dual Edge Super AMOLED screen with Gorilla Glass 5, USB-C connectivity and a water-resistant chassis. In terms of photography-related features, the new Galaxy Note 7 gets the 1/2.5"-type 12-megapixel image sensor and bright f/1.7 lens of the Galaxy S7, combined with on-chip PDAF technology for fast and accurate focusing. There's also a front-facing camera with a 5-megapixel imager, a microSD memory card slot, a water-resistant S Pen stylus and an intriguing iris scanner. Additionally, the Galaxy Note7 can be used with the new high-resolution (3840×1920) Gear 360 camera, to capture, edit and share 360-degree images and videos on the go. These memories can then be shared with friends via platforms including YouTube 360 and Facebook.

The Priolite Ultra is the World’s smallest Li-ion battery powered, metal-body, metal-hardware, and metal-mount monolight for high-speed flash photography. The new flash enables Nikon, Canon, Pentax, and Sony photographers to synchronise their cameras with the help of the Priolite HotSync System at up to 1/8000th of a second; allowing them to shoot with wide-open apertures in sunlit environments, freezing motion of fast moving subjects. Unlike other solutions, the Priolite HotSync System works over the entire power range of the strobe. “Priolite offers the only solution for High-Speed Flash photography with up to 1000Ws per light, and is the only professional lighting manufacturer with HotSync support for Pentax medium format cameras and DSLRs from Sony, Canon, Nikon, and Pentax, but when I first saw Priolite Ultra, I was very impressed,” says commercial photographer Alex Munoz. “The ridiculously small size enables me to take multiple lights, even if I have to hike, drive, or fly. What's even more impressive is how Priolite was able to retain the metal body, metal hardware, and metal mount, thus not compromising on durability and quality.” Interested reeaders are encouraged to pay a visit to the Priolite Ultra's Kickstarter page.

The Samyang 35mm T1.3 AS UMC CS is a new cine lens for compact system cameras with APS-C sensors. Like the also-new 35mm F1.2 ED AS UMC CS photography lens, the Samyang 35mm T1.3 AS UMC CS features 9 elements in 7 groups including 1 extra-low-dispersion and 2 aspherical glass elements plus an iris diaphragm with 9 rounded blades. Other features include quiet and smooth de-clicked focus and aperture gear rings. Additionally, the distance scale and T numbers are marked on both sides of the lens barrel for convenience when filming. Pricing and availablity to be confirmed.

The Samyang 35mm F1.2 ED AS UMC CS is a new standard prime for compact system cameras with APS-C sized sensors. The bright f/1.2 maximum aperture allows users to isolate their subject from the background and enables hand-held shooting in low-light conditions. Available in Canon M, Fujifilm X, Sony E and Micro Four Thirds fit, the manual-focus Samyang 35mm F1.2 ED AS UMC CS has 9 elements in 7 groups, including 2 aspherical lens elements and 1 ED element, plus an iris diaphragm with 9 rounded aperture blades. The lens boasts Samyang's Ultra-Multi-Coating to minimise flare and ghosting, and takes 62mm screw-on filters. Pricing and availability have yet to be communicated.

The Nikon Coolpix W100 is a new shock-, dust- and waterproof digital compact camera with a 13.2-megapixel CMOS sensor. Equipped with a 30-90mm (eq.) f/3.3-5.9 lens, the Nikon Coolpix W100 is shockproof to 1.8m, cold-resistant to -10°C and waterproof to a depth of 10m. Utilising Bluetooth low energy (BLE) technology, the camera automatically transfers images to your smart device for easy storage and social sharing while on the go. Full HD movieswith stereo sound are recorded at the touch of a button, with Electronic VR keeping videos smooth and clear. The Nikon Coolpix W100 will become available on 8 September 2016, priced at £129.99 / €159.00.

Akvis have announced a major update of their most popular artistic plugins and standalone applications. The new versions - Akvis Sketch 18.0, OilPaint 5.0, AirBrush 4.0, Draw 4.0, Charcoal 2.0 and Points 2.0 - bring frames for artworks, new effect presets, an innovative user interface with support for Ultra HD displays, and a number of other changes. Customers who bought or upgraded their licenses during the last 12 months can update to the new versions for free.

Leica has announced Magnum photographer Ara Güler as recipient of the 2016 Leica Hall of Fame Award. Arguably Turkey’s most eminent photographer, Ara Güler is world famous for his incomparable black and white images of Istanbul and his work as a reporter and photojournalist covering political affairs around the globe. “In his own unique way, Ara Güler documented everyday life and captured moments of change, both big and small, in the only city in the world that sits astride two continents, and thus earned the nickname ‘The Eye of Istanbul’. The power of Ara Güler’s images of his city, and his photographs documenting important political events of recent history, clearly illustrate the decisive role he has played in the evolution of 20th century photography," says Karin Rehn-Kaufmann, chief representative Leica Galleries International. “We have therefore chosen to honour his notable and outstanding work as a photographer with the Leica Hall of Fame Award.” The Leica Hall of Fame Award will be presented to Ara Güler in Istanbul at the end of this year. Visitors to photokina 2016 will have the opportunity to view the exhibition celebrating the photographer and his work in the Leica Masters of Photography Gallery (Hall 1).

Ricoh have released "THETA+ Video" for Android, an Android version of the THETA + Video app for editing video captured with the Ricoh THETA 360° camera. This application makes it easy to edit and process 360° video captured with the Ricoh THETA S and RICOH THETA m15 and enables actions such as trimming, switching the view, changing colour tone, and inserting background music. Video can be cropped to the preferred angle then posted and shared on social media channels such as Instagram and Facebook. The "THETA+ Video" app is available as a free download from the Google Play Store.

Terence Donovan: Portraits is a new title from Damiani - the first book dedicated to the portraiture of legendary British photographer Terence Donovan. Along with his iconic portraits, this book features unseen work from Donovan’s archive, never previously published or exhibited. It also reproduces magazine spreads, contact sheets and pages from diaries -- rare ephemera that provide a unique insight into Donovan’s working practice. The 176-page hardcover is priced at €45 / $50.