The Laowa Zero-D 12mm f/2.8 from Venus Optics is a new ultra wide angle lens for 35mm full-frame cameras. Available in Canon ,Nikon, Pentax and Sony E mounts, the Laowa Zero-D 12mm f/2.8 is comprised of 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 121.96°, 7 aperture blades, minimum focusing distance of 18cm, and an aperture range of f/2.8 - f/22. The lens is so new that we don't have an official picture yet (we've shown you the Laowa 15mm f/4 Macro lens instead), and the scheduled release date is "more likely to be August rather than July", according to distributor UK Optics Ltd.

ADATA have launched the AI910 Lightning Card Reader Plus, a memory card reader which works with iOS-, Android-, and Windows-based devices. Featuring SD and microSD slots with support for up to 256GB capacity, the AI910 is a “three-way” device, allowing users to backup, read, and share content across multiple platforms. It has a Lightning connector (MFi certified) and ships with microUSB/USB cables to ensure seamless connectivity out of the box. Data transfer speeds through the Lightning connector to iOS devices are up to 30MB/s read and 20MB/s write.

Xara has announced a new release of Xara Designer Pro X. Billed as the ultimate all-in-one creative software that provides all the tools for illustration, photo editing, web graphics and desktop publishing; Xara Designer Pro X365 contains major enhancements for both web and graphic design, and a new delivery model that gives access to new updates as they happen in the 365 days after purchase. The photo editing tools have been enhanced with two new W3C standard transparency blend modes and a new ultra-easy way to rotate, scale / pan and crop images. The photo editor provides vector based, editable, non-destructive photo editing so the user can return to the original image at any time. Additinally, there are two new types of photo grids. ‘Static’ Photo Grids are simple, fixed, visually attractive grids of photos onto which users can drag & drop their own photo. ‘Smart’ Photo Grids smartly resize to fill the rectangles as photos are added or deleted, and users can swap the positions of the photos, adjust the number of rows and columns and the border / gap between all the photos.Xara’s new Update Service means that users will no longer have to wait a year between releases to access new features and content. Users will have access to new features and content as Xara develop them, at any time during the year after their purchase. An enhanced Online Content Catalogue will also be included free for one year as part of Xara’s new Update Service. The catalogue will provide access to a new library of over 500,000 quality royalty-free, high quality, high-resolution stock photos, provided under a CC0 license. Xara Designer Pro X365 is available for £219.

The 36exp Photographers' School has announced the 2016 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 5th Base Gallery in East London. The event, which will run from September 28th and October 2nd 2016, will present amateur and professional photographers a chance to display and sell their prints, enter competitions and network with industry contacts. Event organiser Andrew Mason commented: “With the London Photo Show, we wanted to give those people the chance to experience the buzz of presenting their work in a central London gallery, and allow them to get their work seen – for some this could even be the start of a whole new career, helping to turn a passion into a profession. For others, it’s a chance to gain valuable feedback, and to mingle with like-minded people.” Exhibition space is available from £55 - £155.

Really Nice Images today announced the immediate availability of RNI All Films 4.0, a film simulation package for Adobe Photoshop / Camera Raw and Lightroom. Containing 58 film stocks and over 300 presets organised into 5 categories including Negative, Slide, Instant, BW and Vintage; this completely revised version of RNI All Films features customised camera profiles for a wide range of cameras and a lot of major improvements. RNI All Films 4 is available now in tw versions; Pro ($122) and Light ($59).

Southampton-based Hungarian amateur photographer Tímea Kónya-Valentényi has been chosen as the second winner of Jessops’s Share your summer competition; winning the opportunity to exhibit her work across 52 Jessops store windows. On her win, Tímea said; “I couldn’t be happier to have been selected as the second share your summer winner. It’s an incredible feeling to know that my photo is being viewed up and down the country right now. Visiting my local Jessops store in Waterlooville to see my photo on display was just brilliant.” On top of a week-long window display, Tímea will also be invited to show off her work in the Olympus-sponsored Project Space Gallery in Bermondsey, London from 8th – 14th August.

XP Distribution, the specialist distributor for X-Rite’s range of colour management products, has announced their debut attendance at IBC 2016, the premier annual event for filmmaking professionals engaged in the creation, management and delivery of entertainment and news content. At the show, X-Rite’s team of colour management experts will be on hand to explain the benefits of the ColorChecker Video range and monitor calibration, and the company will be teaming up with professional filmmakers to demonstrate how the products fit into their workflow. X-Rite will be on Stand LP8, in Hall 9 at IBC, RAI Amsterdam from 9-13 September 2016.

The first free beta version of Affinity Designer is now available for Windows. Designed to work on 64-bit Windows 7 and above, Affinity Designer is part of a trio of professional quality design software tools. Affinity Photo launched for Mac last year and will follow for Windows, while Affinity Publisher is expected early in 2017. “The beta launch of Affinity Designer on Windows is a huge step towards that, although it's important to remember that it's not the finished product at this stage,” says Serif Managing Director Ashley Hewson. “Our beta phase for Mac was exceptionally valuable in helping us to refine the software and now we’re excited to work just as a closely with Windows users, to deliver a brilliant end product.” The first full version of Affinity Designer for Windows is likely to go on sale in around three months, for direct download from the Affinity website. People can still sign up for the Windows beta at the website below.

EEF, the UK manufacturers’ organisation, is asking photographers to submit images that capture the essence of modern British manufacturing for the annual EEF photography competition. Photographs can portray any stage of manufacturing, from design, process and technology in action through to the finished product, and can cover traditional or high-tech sectors. Companies are being encouraged to open their doors to photographers in their local area to demonstrate what makes manufacturing so great. Winners of the EEF Manufacturing Photography Competition offers three categories to enter: professional, amateur and young photographer (under 20 at 30th September 2016). Entries will be shortlisted by a panel of photography and industry experts, with winners announced in December. The submission deadline is Friday 30th September.

Fotodiox Pro has announced the LED Studio-in-a-Box; a lightweight, fold-out kit for tabletop product photography. Available in four different sizes, the LED Studio-in-a-Box comes equipped with built-in LED lights and a removable diffusion panel. The kit includes four plastic, wrinkle-free “cyclorama” backgrounds in black, white, gray and blue, as well as a removable diffusion panel and an integrated ring of top-mounted LED lights. Pricing starts at $69.95.

Panasonic will be exhibiting at The Farnborough International Airshow public weekend, taking place in Hampshire on 16th and 17th July. With an array of products suited to enthusiasts and families alike, Panasonic will showcase a selection of their Lumix G & Lumix cameras and HD camcorders on their stand. Having only just been announced, this will be one of the first chances for consumers to see the new ultra wide-angle Leica DG Summilux 12mm f/1.4 ASPH. lens (read review) that has been created to satisfy professional needs for shooting landscapes. The Panasonic Lumix GX80 and a selection of Panasonic’s 4K camcorders will also be on the stand. For those interested in purchasing a product, Panasonic has teamed up with London Camera Exchange to give visitors the chance to secure exclusive show offers on the Lumix G, Lumix and camcorder range.

Leica are celebrating the tenth anniversary of the launch of the Leica M8, their first-ever digital rangefinder camera, with a special trade-in promotion. The Leica M8 marked the beginning of a new era, bringing the unique characteristics of Leica's rangefinder focusing technology into the world of digital photography. Later models, such as the Leica M9 (2009) – the first Leica camera with a 35mm full-frame sensor – further built on this success and repeatedly set new standards with innovative features and functionality, while always retaining the basic principles of the Leica M-System. Leica UK are celebrating the anniversary with a number of special promotions, available at any authorised UK Leica System Dealer, Leica Boutique or Leica Store. Among these is a trade-in offer allowing customers to trade in any camera for a new Leica M (Typ 240), M-P (Typ 240) or Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) and receive a special £500 bonus in addition to the value of the camera system traded in. The promotion runs until October 31st 2016.

Issue 54 of David Noton’s Chasing the Light Online Magazine is now available. In this month’s Field Trial article, David Noton Canon takes centre state, as David Noton explains why he chose the system, and why he sticks by his decision. Then in the Low Down, he turns his attention to the photographic inspiration to be found in photographing faces around the world, as he reminisces on the memorable portraits he has shot over the years. In an edition of Stepping Back, David takes readers to the Dalmatian coast of Croatia, revisiting the trip he made in 2008 and the location’s possibilities. And in this month’s How It’s Done, he shows us what’s in his photo backpack, a piece accompanied by a video link. Finally, David presents two of his popular Fundamentals of Post-Production Videos.Do note that the full contents of Chasing the Light Online Magazine is available to full f11 subscribers only. However non-members can purchase individual issues of the magazine at a price of £4.20.

Meyer-Optik Goerlitz announced today the availability of its new portrait lens, the Trimagon f2.6/95. According to the company, the Trimagon 95mm lens uses a unique coating and design that delivers sharp images with minimal reflections. “While the Trioplan 100 restored Meyer-Optik’s long lens to the artistic photography market, the Trimagon 95 provides professionals a dynamic modern lens that delivers extraordinary portraits and natural-looking photographs,” said Dr. Stefan Immes, CEO, Meyer-Optik Goerlitz.  “The remarkable nature of the lens is its rendering of secondary light, specifically providing realistic reflections of the finest structures.” Handmade in Germany, the Meyer-Optik Trimagon f2.6/95 has an optical construction comprising 3 elements in 3 groups, an angle of view of 25°, and a 52mm filter thread. The Trimagon f2.6/95 is available for Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, Leica, Sony and Micro Four Thirds, priced at $1,699.

The USA Landscape Photographer of the Year contest will open for entries on 15th July. The contest is open to everyone and you can enter photographs across seven categories including Classic View, Black and White, Urban Landscape, Environmental Value and My USA. The Judging Panel consists of International photography greats including Antony Spencer, Art Wolfe, Brenda Tharp, Charlie Waite, Charlotte Gibb, Christopher Burkett, Ian Plant, Jim Patterson, Justin Reznick, Lori Kincaid, Marc Adamus , Marc Muench, Paul Sanders, Sarah Marino and Tim Fitzharris. The USA Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards celebrate the American landscape only, however you don’t have to live in the USA to enter. The submission deadline is midnight PST, 15 September 2016. Do note that entry fees apply.

The Travel Photographer of the Year exhibition is set to open on July 22nd at 10 Stockwell Street, the award-winning building at the University of Greenwich, within the Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site. The photographs going on display are the winning shots from the international Travel Photographer of the Year awards, one of the world’s leading photography competitions. Photographers from 114 countries have entered TPOTY, and these images give a beautiful, fascinating, entertaining and, at times, moving, depiction of life, cultures, wildlife and landscape all over the planet. Visitors can take home the winning images in the form of the latest TPOTY book, Journey Eight, which will go on sale at the exhibition. They will also be able to buy postcards and greetings cards featuring a selection of the winning images. Open seven days a week, this free-to-view exhibition runs to September 4th.

Filmmaker Anna Akana and Canon U.S.A. together announced that Akana will become the latest personality featured in the Rebel With A Cause initiative, which celebrates 25 years since the introduction of Canon’s first EOS Rebel film SLR camera. Following in the footsteps of American daredevil Nik Wallenda and Grammy Award winning record producer Swizz Beatz, Akana, a strong proponent of anti-bullying and suicide prevention, will be featured in a video dedicated to her own unique cause, debuting in September. Canon will conclude the year-long “Rebel With A Cause” programme in October with a consumer Rebel, whose cause will be chosen from the recently closed contest searching for the next great inspiration. In addition to a cash prize, the winner will have the opportunity to bring their cause to life with a documentary production, similar to those of the previous Rebels.
 

Western Digital today introduced a nduo of 256GB microSD cards, which includes the new 256GB SanDisk Extreme microSDXC UHS-I card – the fastest microSD card in its class – and the 256GB SanDisk Ultra microSDXC UHS-I card, Premium Edition. The 256GB SanDisk Extreme microSDXC UHS-I card delivers transfer speeds of up to 100MB/s, allowing users to save time transferring large files, as well as write speeds of up to 90MB/s for rapid capture of photos. The 256GB SanDisk Ultra microSDXC UHS-I card, Premium Edition, is ideal for smartphone and tablet users who don’t want to worry about running out of space on their devices. The new card features transfer speeds of up to 95MB/s. Built to perform in harsh conditions, the new cards are also waterproof, temperature-proof, shock proof, and X-ray proof. Additionally, the SanDisk microSD card line up is compatible with the SanDisk Memory Zone app for Android, giving users an easy way to manage and back up content on their device. The 256GB SanDisk Ultra microSDXC UHS-I card, Premium Edition, will be available worldwide in August 2016 with a UK MSRP of £129.99. The 256GB SanDisk Extreme microSDXC UHS-I card will be available worldwide in Q4 2016 with UK MSRP of £169.99.

Jessops are offering up to 1000 free prints upon the purchase of selected cameras from 9th June to 3rd August. The offer is valid on 6x4 prints only, ordered in-store, on a next-day service. "This offer ties in perfectly with Jessops’s recent Share You Summer campaign, designed to provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for photographers of all abilities to showcase an image they are proud of," the company said in a statement.