Tether Tools' Aero LaunchPad is a stable portable and elevated platform designed for drone enthusiasts. Easily attaching to tripods and stands, the Aero LaunchPad is made of lightweight T6 Aerospace aluminium. On takeoff it gives drone pilots peace of mind that dirt and grass won’t be sucked into the motor bearings, protects rotors from hitting grass and pebbles, and keeps the camera lens clean. The Aero LaunchPad is available to purchase for $229.99.

The Jessops Training Academy has introduced its first ever ‘British Wildlife Experience’; a new one-day course designed to provide wildlife and photography enthusiasts with the opportunity to capture animals in their natural environments. “This new photography experience provides an amazing opportunity to encounter a variety of wild and beautiful creatures that are often too difficult to even catch a glimpse of in person, let alone by camera,” says Ian Savage, Head of the Jessops Training Academy. “Delegates will be able to enter into many of the animal enclosures and get closer than ever.” The British Wildlife Photography Experience will run at the Westcountry Wildlife Photography Centre in Devon. The centre homes a variety of species from the rare Muntjac Deer, to the European Otter and Beaver, Polecats, Scottish wild cats, Pine Martin, Edible Dormice and many more. Priced at £125, the new course will run on various dates throughout 2016 and 2017, starting 3 July 2016.

DNP today introduced its new DS-RX1HS dye-sublimation professional photo printer. Boasting increased print speeds, the DNP DS-RX1HS allows users to produce 4”x6” prints in 12.4 seconds or up to 290 4”x6” prints per hour. It offers print capacities of 700 4”x6” prints and 350 6”x8” prints, with the ability to print 2”x6” photo strips. The printer also includes improved operational support with the addition of USB iSerial for printing to multiple DS-RX1HS printers and a new Status App for Windows OS for real-time monitoring, including media type loaded, prints remaining, printer status, total print count, firmware version, serial number and colour control data. The printer requires the new RX1HS media for printing, as current-generation RX1 media is not compatible. The DS-RX1HS printer and media set will be available in North America from 20th June.

Alpine Labs have announced the upcoming launch of their "Pulse" camera release. Offering a pocket-sized solution to wireless control of DSLRs and CSCs, Pulse facilitates remote control from your mobile device using Bluetooth connectivity and a free mobile app. Unlike other remotes that utilise a camera’s trigger port, the USB connection allows Pulse to wirelessly control ISO, shutter speed, aperture, start / stop video, preview images on the screen of your device, and boasts an operational range of up to 100 ft. Expected to retail for $99, Pulse is currently available to preorder via the website below.

Opening on 17th June at Gallery 7 – Pie Factory, 7 Broad St, Margate CT9 1EW; River Stories, Unseen Landscapes is an exhibition by London-based artist Mandy Williams. Work on display will be taken from her Riverbed Stories photographs and video which document the riverbeds beside the industrial areas of Erith, South London and Dartford, Kent, and show the environmental damage to these places of natural beauty. Williams will also be showing for the first time some photographs from Unseen Landscapes, which use Google StreetView as a starting point to create somewhere otherworldly.

Due to celebrate its 100th anniversary in three years’ time, Olympus has announced two versions of its latest digital audio recorder, the LS Pocket, that can also be hooked up to your digital camera (including its own PEN and OM-D models) for more professional audio when shooting video. Photography Blog was at the London launch to get hands-on and trial the device…

XPD have announced a cashback scheme on purchases of the X­-Rite ColorMunki Display calibrator. Customers will be able to claim £25 back on purchases of the product made between 8th June and 1st September 2016 with a valid receipt and qualifying box sticker. Cashback claims can be made at the website below.

Totally Rad! has launched PicTapGo Version 3.0. This update will bring new features to the iOS app, including fine-tune adjustments, new social-sharing options, faster speed and a unique filter pack. “We really think this is the best PicTapGo to date,” said Doug Boutwell, CEO and founder of Totally Rad! Inc. “When updating the app, we do our best to make editing and sharing easier, and to continue offering something unlike any other photo editing tool. With the improved functions and capabilities, as well as the new filters, we think existing PicTapGo fans and new users alike will really enjoy 3.0.” The update is free for current PicTapGo users.

'Achieving Perfect Exposure and Profiles in Video' is a new free webinar hosted by X-Rite. Delivered by independent filmmaker and editor Ollie Kenchington, the webinar will cover a number of topics including the placement of a ColorChecker Video target in a scene, balancing a video shot with different picture profiles, how different gamma profiles affect our images and how our camera handles colour information. The webinar will be taking place from 5.30-6.30pm on 20th June. Advance registration is required.

Sun-Sniper have expanded their Sniper-Strap system with 7 new Rotaball camera straps. Each of the seven ROTABALL models now has a ROTABALL CONNECTOR and a BLOKKER. The stainless steel mono-multi ball bearing (a large ball turning in 32 small balls) allows the camera to pivot freely and without obstruction. The rubber washer with its SNAKESKIN structure provides the safest connection to the strap. And even more security is ensured by the BLOKKER: a newly developed pin that blocks the connector at the camera to prevent the camera from being unscrewed by anyone not authorized to do so. ROTABALL straps can bear loads of up to five kilos in camera and lens weight. "Our camera straps of course also pass tougher tests, e.g. applying loads up to 80 kg. But then we cannot guarantee the stability of the camera bodies," explains Peter Geller, owner and CEO of SUN-SNIPER. "When performing the stress test, we focused particularly on the fact that the weight of the camera multiplies significantly due to the up-and-down motion caused by running, even with the SHOCK ABSORBER providing compensation."

Leica has announced the expansion of the Leitz Park in Wetzlar. Over the next two years, the Company Group from Salzburg, Austria, headed by Leica chairman Andreas Kaufmann, will be investing in the construction of four further buildings that will expand the gross floor area at the complex by an additional 26,000 square metres. On completion of this third phase of construction in 2018, the Leitz Park complex will have been expanded by an attractive World of Leica Experience – featuring a museum, the Leica archives, a Leica Galerie and an outlet store – a 4-star hotel, a building for CW Sonderoptik GmbH and an office building. “We are very pleased to see how the Leitz Park is already accepted and appreciated by the citizens of the region and the employees of the companies on our site,” Kaufmann says. “Breaking ground for the start of the third phase now marks the next milestone in our ambitious project: the expansion of the Leitz Park to create the foremost centre of the optical industry in Germany. I am certain that this next phase of development will make the site even more attractive and further increase its international charisma.”

JP Distribution have announced the UK availability of a range of high quality audio systems from the Australian company MyMyk. The range consists of SmartMyk & SmartMyk Windshield, SmartLynk, SportsMyk and the MyMyk Connector Cable. The SmartMyk (£149) is a directional shotgun microphone which works by localising the sound to the image, rejecting background noise to concentrate on the sound from the subject. The SmartMyk Windshield (£59, pictured) is a slip-­on, open­-cell, reticulated foam with an integral fur cover providing excellent wind protection whilst safeguarding the SmartMyk in the most difficult of conditions. The SmartLynk two­-channel mixer, audio routing and monitoring device (£199) allows you to monitor your sound input prior to and during recording, block unwanted noise from the camera by overriding the camera’s built-­in Automatic Gain Control and record your audio track to an external device. It also features a removable cold shoe to reveal external 1⁄4” thread in the base, making attachment to a tripod, pistol grip or boom pole a simple process. The fully adjustableadjustable SportsMyk mini-boom microphone (£79) restricts unwanted noises normally associated with audio recordings on action cameras, while its flexible arm allows it to be positioned close to the mouth. Finally, the MyMyk Connector Cable (£16) enables yout to connect an external microphone to your smartphone or tablet, and can also convert the “APP Output” of SmartLynk to function as a standard audio output for connection to a separate audio recorder.

JP Distribution have announced the UK availability of the Syrp Genie Mini, an extremely compact and easy-­to­-use motion control device that allows you to create ultra­-smooth panning time-­lapse and real-­time videos. Controlled with the ​Syrp Genie App​ on your iOS or Android device, the ​Genie Mini​  is simple to set up and control, making it a perfect choice for beginners and experienced time-lapse enthusiasts alike. Additionally, the ​Genie Mini​  is fully compatible with the ​Syrp Genie​, giving you 2­-axis control to enable ever more complex movements in your video. The Syrp Genie Mini Motion Control Device is available for £250.

Think Tank Photo have launched a new protective backpack for users of DJI Inspire or other similarly sized quadcopters. The new backpack easily holds a DJI Inspire (parked with gimbal and rotors detached), Zenmuse gimbal with 3 lenses, 6x batteries, 2x controllers, 2 x 8” tablets, lots of extra propellers, and a 17” laptop and charger. The contoured tuck-away harness with lumbar support, cut-away air-channel, the adjustable sternum strap, and the removable padded waistbelt allow for extreme comfort while trekking into remote areas or simply pulling it from the car. The Think Tank Helipak for DJI Inspire is available now for $339.75.

Fotodiox have announced the LED100WB, a soft yet powerful LED light for photographers and filmmakers. Offering a compact form factor, the Fotodiox LED100WB draws a mere 100 watts while outputting the rough equivalent of a 400+ watt Tungsten light. A perfect tool for portraits, tabletop photography, video interviews, short films and even special effects like slow-motion and time-lapse capture, the LED100WB features a quick-release front mount compatible with Alien Bee accessories. Each LED100WB comes with a metal reflector, a diffuser and a portable folding softbox. The new Fotodiox product is available now as a single light ($299.95) or three-light kit ($999.95). The three-light kit additionally includes three light stands inside a custom-fit, luggage-style rolling case.

JP Distribution have announced the UK availability of several new Westcott Products including the pliable Flex LED light panels (pictured), the modular Scrim Jim Cine frame system and a new iOS app. The light-weight and 1⁄4” thin moldable framework of the dimmable Westcott Flex LED light panels allow you to shape the light in unique ways, delivering up to a 360° spread of light. Available in Daylight (5600K) and Bi­Colour (2800K-6000K) options, and in a range of sizes from 10”x3” to 2’x2’, the Westcott Flex LED panels produce an outstanding, consistent and flicker­-free light that is ideal for filmmakers and photographers. Scrim Jim Cine is an ultralight modular frame system that allows users to shape, block and modify light with more control than ever before. The Westcott Flex LED panel kits, including panel and Scrim Jim Frames, are available from £650­. Finally, the new Westcott App allows Ice Light 2 users to connect their iPhone or iPad to up to 10 individual Ice Lights and control them all via the app.

The PocketWizard Plus IV Autosensing Transceiver from LPA Design is now available to purchase in the United Kingdom. The new model includes all the features of the Plus III and adds key new functionality. When used as a transmitter, its top shoe provides on-camera TTL compatibility with most Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, Fuji and Olympus cameras and flashes. When used as a receiver, the top shoe pairs with virtually any speedlight for easy mounting and manual power adjustment of a remote flash. The new Plus IV is available for £150.

The Pentax K-70 is a new all-weather digital SLR camera featuring a hinged LCD screen, Hybrid AF system, a top sensitivity setting of ISO 102,400 and a 24.24-megapixel CMOS sensor with no anti-aliasing filter.  Other highlights include include a newly designed grip, redesigned mode dial and control buttons on the camera’s top and rear panels to ensure exceptional handling and operation. The Pentax K-70 even provides a range of advanced features, equivalent to those available on premium models, including the PENTAX-developed Pixel Shift Resolution System; an innovative AA (anti-aliasing) filter simulator with the same moiré reduction effect as an optical AA filter; an optical viewfinder with nearly 100 percent field of view; and a built-in shake reduction mechanism with a shake reduction effect equivalent to approximately 4.5 stops. The body-only price is £559.99, while the Pentax K-70 + 18-135mm lens bundle can be yours for £799.99.The launch date will be announced at the beginning of July.