As part of the inaugural season at The Met Breuer, the exhibition diane arbus: in the beginning will open on 12th July, featuring more than 100 photographs from one of the most influential and provocative artists of the 20th century. This landmark exhibition will highlight never-before-seen early work of Diane Arbus, focusing on the first seven years of her career, from 1956 to 1962, the period in which she developed the idiosyncratic style and approach for which she has been recognized, praised, criticised and copied the world over. "It is a rare privilege to present an exhibition this revelatory, on an artist of Arbus's stature. More than two-thirds of these works have never before been exhibited or published," said Thomas P. Campbell, Director and CEO of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "We sincerely thank the Estate of Diane Arbus for entrusting us to show an unknown aspect of this remarkable artist's legacy with the camera." The exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue which includes two essays: "in the beginning" by Jeff L. Rosenheim and "notes from the archive" by Karan Rinaldo, Senior Research Assistant. The book is published by The Met and distributed by Yale University Press (hardcover; $50).

Samsung has announced the industry’s first ultra-fast memory cards based on the JEDEC Universal Flash Storage (UFS) 1.0 Card Extension Standard. Coming in a wide range of storage capacities including 256, 128, 64 and 32 gigabytes; Samsung’s UFS cards provide more than five times faster sequential read performance compared to that of a typical microSD card, reading sequentially at up to 530MB/s. With a UFS card, consumers have the ability to read a 5GB, Full-HD movie in approximately 10 seconds, compared to a typical UHS-1 microSD card, which would take over 50 seconds with 95MB/s of sequential reading speed. When it comes to writing, the new 256GB UFS card attains a 170MB/s write speed. Do note that UFS-compatible devices have yet to be announced.

The new Fujifilm X-T2 compact system camera can shoot at 11fps with the with the VPB-XT2 battery grip attached, or a slightly slower 8fps if the grip isn't fitted.

The key difference is that shooting at 11fps is limited to 73 JPEGs / 30 Lossless Raws / 27 Uncompressed Raws, whereas at 8fps shooting appears to be unlimited, at least when the VPB-XT2 battery grip is fitted.

Here are a couple of video clips showing the Fujifilm X-T2 in action on both settings until the camera's buffer is full (using the JPEG setting).

Photography Blog attended the recent UK press launch of the Fujifilm X-T2 in central London. As one of the first people outside of Fujifilm to actually get their hands on the X-T2, here are my initial thoughts...

Fujifilm have updated their XF Lens Roadmap, with three new lenses scheduled for release in 2016 and 2017.

2016

XF 23mm f/2 R WR

2017

XF 50mm f/2 R WR

XF 80mm f/2 R LM OIS WR 1:1 Macro (this replaces the 120mm Macro lens that has previously appeared on the lens roadmap)

Want to see exactly what the new Fujifilm X-T2 compact system camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our extensive hands-on gallery of photos of the Fujifilm X-T2 compact system camera, including a side-by-side comparison with the original X-T1 model, the new VPB-XT2 vertical power booster grip, and the EF-X500 flashgun.

Want to see exactly how the new Fujifilm X-T2 compact system camera compares to the original X-T1 camera?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Fujifilm X-T2 and X-T1 compact system cameras.

Want to see exactly what the new VPB-XT2 vertical power booster grip for the Fujifilm X-T2 looks like?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the VPB-XT2 vertical power booster grip.

Want to see exactly what the new Fujifilm EF-X500 flashgun for the Fujifilm X-series compact system cameras looks like?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Fujifilm EF-X500 flashgun.

The Fujifilm X-T2 is the ultimate mirrorless digital camera that uses advanced technologies to achieve premium image quality, outstanding operability and beautiful design reminiscent of traditional cameras. The X-T2 offers outstanding image quality with FUJIFILM’s colour reproduction formulated over 80 years, advanced autofocus functions and 4K high definition video. The Fujifilm X-T2 will go on sale on September 8th 2016. In the UK, the Fujifilm X-T2 body only will cost £1399 / $1599 and the Fujifilm X-T2 with the XF18-55 lens will cost £1649 / $1899.

The Fujifilm EF-X500 is a high-end multi-function external flash. The EF-X500 is a hot-shoe mount flash with the maximum guide number of 50.  Its support for the FP mode (high-speed flash sync) means the flash can be fired at any shutter speed. The EF-X500 also supports multi-flash lighting. The Fujifilm EF-X500 will be avilable in September 2016 for £449.99 in the UK.

Fujifilm have announced a firmware update for the X-Pro2 camera to further enhance its performance. Firmware 2.0 for the X-Pro2 will add the new autofocus algorithm that is implemented on the new X-T2, incorporate compatibility with the new hot-shoe mount flash EF-X500, improve the parallax correction function, and add more Auto Power Off settings. The Fujifilm X-Pro2 Firmware 2.0 will be available for download in October 2016.

Fujifilm have announced the development of three new lenses for the X series of digital cameras. The latest Fujifilm lens roadmap adds three new lenses - the XF 23mm F2 R WR, XF 50mm F2 R WR, and the XF 80mm F2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro.

The Camera Lift Strap is an innovative camera strap that reduces the neck and back strain caused by the weight of your camera. "Our camera strap design clasps right onto to your backpack handle and keeps the weight of your camera distributed along the shoulders, one of the strongest parts of the human body," the company says. "It has the capacity to carry the heaviest of camera equipment with ultimate comfort, so you can experience the weightlessness of your camera like never before!" The Camera Lift Strap is available exclusively on Kickstarter in leather (red and black) or canvas (Midnight Blue, Fire Brick, Light Steel Blue, and Burnt Orange) versions.

Phottix have launched a new light modifier called the Spartan Beauty Dish. Easily assembled using flexible rods, the Phottix Spartan is more than just a beauty dish—it quickly transforms into a traditional octa softbox by replacing the metal diffuser with the internal baffle. Users can add an outer diffuser for even more softness and a grid to make the light more directional. Available in two sizes, 50cm and 70cm, the Phottix Spartan collapsible beauty dish is priced from $120.

Vienna-based master printer Tom Bates has launched a Kickstarter campaign for his project, Shots/on\Stone, offering hand-crafted and custom-made analogue prints on natural limestone that promise to "reignite the magic of tangible relationships with the photos we take." Each Shot/on\Stone is created using a rare process whereby the stone is hand-coated in photographic emulsion and hand-developed in a darkroom using traditional techniques. Finally, the photograph is painted with two coats of UV protective varnish to help ensure it lasts for many, many years. Each Shot/on\Stone tile measures 20x20cm (7.8”x7.8”) and weighs between 800 and 1200 grams. "When you look at a Shot/on\Stone, you aren’t just seeing a photograph, you are viewing something which has a real, living history and an image which has become fused with the natural patterns and markings of the stone," Tom says. "Since there is no frame around the stone, or glass covering it, you are instinctively drawn to establish a direct, tangible connection with the photograph by touching it and feeling the natural stone surface beneath." Shots/on\Stone are available now via Kickstarter with prices starting from €40.

Leica has announced that it is to become Sky Arts’ exclusive technical provider for Master of Photography, the first TV talent show dedicated to photography. Hosted by Isabella Rossellini, the programme will involve 12 young talents – either amateur or pro photographers – from all over Europe. During the eight episodes in the series, competitors will face challenges both in the studio and outdoors, touring several European locations from Rome to Ireland and London to Berlin. A jury comprising three globally-renowned photographers and experts, Oliviero Toscani, Simon Frederick and Rut Blees Luxemburg, will select the first Master of Photography, with the winner receiving a prize of €150,000.

Benro have added two new entry-level tripod kits to their video lineup. Both the Benro KH25N Video Tripod Kit ($199) and the KH26NL Video Tripod Kit ($249) are ideal for compact digital video cameras, HDSLRs and still cameras with long lenses weighing up to 11 lb (5 kg). These tripods feature an improved leg locking system as well as an improved fluid pan and fluid tilt head. An interchangeable pan arm allows both right- and left-handed use. The KH25N tripod extends from a minimum height of 28.9 in (73.4 cm) to a maximum height of 61.0 in (155 cm). The tripod can be folded to a length of 30.5 in (77.4 cm) for transport. The KH26NL tripod extends to a maximum height of 72.0 in (182 cm) and folds down to 35.2 in (89.4 cm). The KH Video Tripods will replace the AD71FK5 model which is now discontinued.