DJI today announced the Zenmuse Z3, DJI’s first aerial zoom camera optimised for still photography. Incorporating a 3.5x zoom lens (plus a 2x digital zoom function), the DJI Zenmuse Z3 is compatible with the Inspire 1, Matrice 100 and Matrice 600 drones and uses the company’s dedicated HD video downlink, Lightbridge and Lightbridge 2, providing up to 3.1 miles of HD transmission range. Weighing in at 263g, the Zenmuse Z3 has a 22-77mm (eq.) f/2.8-5.2 lens and features the same 1/2.3"-type Sony sensor that's found on the DJI Phantom 4. It can shoot still images at 12 megapixels with additional Adobe DNG Raw Support for maximum editing options in post- production. The camera also records video at up to 30 FPS in 4K resolution. Flight time with the Zenmuse Z3 is up to 19 minutes on the Inspire 1. Pilots can extend flight time up to 30 minutes with the dual-battery-equipped M100 and up to 39 minutes with the M600. Available soon, the DJI Zenmuse Z3 is priced at $1,000.

Tether Tools today introduced the new TetherBoost Pro System, billed as "the first streamlined solution for common USB 3.0 tether connection challenges." The TetherBoost Pro System alleviates a common problem among USB 3.0 camera and digital back users who frequently experience dropped tethering connections or are unable to get a tethered connection started at all. The core issue is that computer manufacturers, often in an attempt to be as efficient with power as possible, are either under-powering or dynamically-powering their USB 3.0 ports. The TetherBoost Pro regulates the power from a computer to DSLRs and digital backs, eliminating these limitations and allowing a tethered connection to operate up to full USB3 speeds for connections from 15 to 65 feet without any loss in signal. To achieve this distance, multiple TetherBoost Pro devices can be added to base USB and active extension cables. Included in the TetherBoost Pro kit is a JerkStopper Extension Lock, an effective locking device that keeps cable ends protected from frustrating disconnects, damage, and electrical hazards. The JerkStopper Extension Lock comes with two included rubber washers that waterproof your connection, further protecting your connection and holding the cable in place. The TetherBoost Pro System is now available at the website below.

AKVIS have just released Refocus 6.0, a program for improving the sharpness of out of focus images and adding lens blur effects to your photos. This release brings a time-saving batch processing feature, a modernised graphical user interface with support for Ultra HD displays, advanced print options, and other improvements. The product is available as a standalone application and as a plug-in for Adobe Photoshop and other image editors.

Leica has announced the opening of the first-ever Las Vegas Store, located in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, 3500 Las Vegas Blvd. South. The Leica Store Las Vegas offers visitors and locals the opportunity to experience the entire Leica camera line through product demonstrations and advice from a highly-trained staff. Guests can visit the store from 10am-Midnight on Friday and Saturday and 10am-11pm Sunday through Thursday.

April Donnelly from Coventry has been chosen as the the third winner of the Jessops Share your summer competition, winning the opportunity to exhibit her work across 52 Jessops store windows. On top of a week-long window display, April will also be invited to show off her work in the Olympus-sponsored Project Space Gallery in Bermondsey, London from 8th – 14th August. The exhibition will be open to the public and anyone can visit to see the images that were taken during the campaign.

Canon today unveiled two new All-in-One PIXMA inkjet printers – the PIXMA MG3050 and PIXMA MG2550S. Using Wi-Fi connectivity, the PIXMA MG3050 enables wireless printing from laptops and PCs as well as smartphones and tablets using the Canon PRINT app. For creative inspiration, the PIXMA MG3050 and PIXMA MG2550S include My Image Garden for Mac or PC, which organises all photos in one easy-to-use location before creating unique photo layouts automatically. The PIXMA MG3050 series is available from September with an RRP of £69.99/€79.99. The PIXMA MG2550S is also available from September with an RRP of £44.99/€49.99.

DJI and Hasselblad today announced a fully integrated high-end aerial camera-platform bundle made up of the 50-megapixel version of Hasselblad’s aerial medium-format camera, the A5D, and DJI’s M600 flying platform. The A5D-M600 bundle is the first joint product following DJI’s recent investment in Hasselblad. ‘Combining best-in-class aerial optics with the world’s most powerful aerial platform is a natural development for DJI and Hasselblad. We are delighted to provide this unique bundle to professional photographers, surveyors and mappers’, said Perry Oosting, CEO of Hasselblad. Pricing and availability have yet to be communicated.

Just in time for Amazon Prime Day, YI Technology is launching the YI 4K Action Camera. Billed as the industry’s first action camera to combine 4K/30fps video recording, integrated touchscreen, and up to two hours of battery life, the YI 4K Action Camera is built with Sony’s 12MP IMX377 CMOS image sensor and the latest A9SE75 processor from Ambarella, allowing users to capture and share moments with increased speed and lower power consumption. “Today’s action videographers demand both long recording times and the best image quality,” said Sean Da, Co-Founder and CEO of, YI Technology. “That’s why we’ve packed the YI 4K Action Camera with the best components the industry has to offer, to deliver truly outstanding performance at an affordable price.” A Bluetooth 4.0 remote control is available for shooting from a distance. And the accompanying apps for iOS and Android allow people to not just shoot, but also edit and share pictures and videos on the fly. The YI 4K Action Camera will be available on July 12 in Night Black, Pearl White, and Rose Gold for $249.

A diverse speaker line-up for this year’s Digital Splash event - a photography show which takes place in the Liverpool Echo Arena on the 15th and 16th October – has been unveiled. Attendees will be able to listen to several presentations delivered by acclaimed photographers Jonathan Critchley, Michael Freeman, Faye and Trevor Yerbury, Tim Wallace and husband and wife wildlife team Ann and Steve Toon. In addition to the workshops and seminars from these top pro photographers; the weekend-long event will also include live shoots & demonstrations, photo-walks and inspiring exhibitions. Visitors will also be able to see all of the major photographic brands under one roof including Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, Olympus, Fujifilm, Pentax & Ricoh, Sony, Sigma, Tamron, Lowepro, Manfrotto and more, with their teams of experts on hand. Those registering in advance on the Digital Splash website will be able to enter Digital Splash 2016 free of charge, and will also be sent a 25% discount code to use against any talk and workshop bookings.

Ashampoo have released Ashampoo Slideshow Studio HD 4 for Windows. New features and enhancements include several new transition effects; support for Apple, Android, Sony and Microsoft devices; and new output formats including MKV, VP9 and MP4. A new wizard helps beginners create slideshows with ease. Other additions include faster encoding with NVENC and Intel Media support, as well as support for 4K resolutions. The program is available now for $39.99.

Want to see exactly what the new Sony Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA lens looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Sony Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA lens.

The price of the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS has now been confirmed. Available from July, the new Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS lens will cost £2,500 in the UK and $2,500 in the US. In addition, the new 2x and 1.4x teleconverters will cost £550 each and also be available in July.
 

Sony today announced the availability of a new radio-controlled lighting system. Designed for compatibility with Sony’s Alpha interchangeable lens cameras and external flash units, the new lighting system will include the FA-WRC1M wireless radio commander as well as the FA-WRR1 wireless radio receiver. The new system will start to ship in September 2016 with the FA-WRC1M Remote Commander priced at approximately €420 and the FA-WRR1 Remote Receiver priced at approximately €240.

The Sony Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA is a new full-frame lens for their E-mount camera system. This 50mm prime lens features a large F1.4 maximum aperture that offers impressive contrast and outstanding resolution that are hallmarks of the ZEISS brand. The new FE 50mm F1.4 ZA lens will ship this July and will be available across Europe for approximately €1,800 and in the UK for £1,500.

Wrekenton, Gateshead-based amateur photographer Lee Stoneman has been selected as the fourth winner of Jessops’s Share your summer competition; winning the opportunity to exhibit his work across 52 Jessops store windows. Lee’s stunning shot of the Tyne Bridge cleverly plays on natural light. On his win, Lee said: “I’m over the moon to be picked by Jessops to display my work in 52 store windows. I love the quayside at Newcastle, especially early morning when this image was taken. I captured this image just as the light was shining through the trees onto the leaves and illuminating the dew. The tide was turning which gave some great reflections. I hope my photo being on display will inspire people to look at Newcastle in a different light – and start taking more pictures of it!” On top of a week-long window display, Lee will also be invited to show off his work in the Olympus-sponsored Project Space Gallery in Bermondsey, London from 8th – 14th August.