The Moto G Plus is a new smartphone with a 1/2.4"-type 16-megapixel image sensor plus, f/2 lens, dual LED flash, laser-assisted focusing and on-sensor PDAF. Powered by Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the new phablet has a 5.5" Full HD display, 2 gigabytes of RAM and an octa-core CPU. In a nod to enthusiast photographers, the pre-installed camera app allows users to set shutter speed, white balance, ISO sensitivity and a range of other shooting parameters manually. And with a fingerprint reader, a touch is all you need to instantly wake up your phone and start snapping away. The Moto G Plus will be available starting today in Brazil and Moto G Plus will be available starting today in India. Both versions will arrive soon in various countries across North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific. Pricing to be confirmed.

X-Rite has announced partnership with SmallHD, the creator of durable production monitors for creative professionals. Within the framework of this partnership, SmallHD will bundle X-Rite OEM i1Display Pro (pictured) with their first-ever line of daylight-viewable, FullHD display models 1703HDR, 2403HDR and 3203HDR. “We are very excited to have our OEM i1Display Pro bundled across the new line of SmallHD Production-Monitor displays to enhance viewing accuracy. The announcement aligns with SmallHD's recently released larger daylight-viewable HDR production monitors,” said X-Rite Vice President of Product Marketing Chris Winczewski. “The partnership with SmallHD demonstrates our focused commitment for the expansion of X-Rite’s photo and video products into the video, filmmaking and broadcast markets.”

Duo-Pisces have released PSMania 1.0, their new photo editor for iOS devices. Perfect for photo enthusiasts, PSMania allows anyone to apply interesting image processing effects to their images. There are more than thirty different image filters to choose from, and most offer a slider to adjust the filter parameters in real time. PSMania is free and available through the App Store in the Photo & Video category.

Samsung have issued a firmware update for the Samsung NX1 compact system camera. Version 1.41 resolves a Bluetooth connection issue with smartphones running on Android 6.0. You can download the firmware upgrade from the website below.

Website: Samsung NX1 Support

Samsung have posted a firmware update for the Samsung NX500 compact system camera. According to the company, version 1.12 fixes a Bluetooth connection problem with smartphones running Android 6.0 Marshmallow. You can download the firmware upgrade from the website below.

Website: Samsung NX500 Support Page

LockCircle has announced a special cinematic production cage for the Leica SL (Typ 601) camera. The Metal Jacket features an exclusive “Asymmetrical Cage Design” and offers multiple mounting options for accessories like viewfinders, 4K HDMI Recorders, monitors and more. The Metal Jacket cage integrates the MultiPort HDMI / USB 3.0 / Audio / Controller Interface port savers for camera protection, and comes in “Classic Black” anodised finish, hard anodised “Dura-T (Tactical Grey)” and “Dura-K (Kant Titanium Brown)” versions. Weighing in at 225 grams (7.9 ounces), the LockCircle Metal Jacket for the Leica SL (Typ 601) has several threads to mount the AC tape measurement (titanium pin) hook at the exact sensor focal plane.

Canon U.S.A. has just released its inaugural Photography Trends Study. This survey of 1004 adult U.S. consumers has revealed a surprising degree of self-confidence among amateur photographers, with 80% of respondents claiming to have "good-to-excellent" photography skills, and 62% boasting that their snapping skills have improved in the past two to five years. Food photography appears to be one of the favourite genres, with more than half of consumers taking food photos to show off a personal creation or new recipe. More than one in four respondents admit they share photos of food to brag and to give friends and family "FOMO" (Fear Of Missing Out). The survey has also revealed that more people take photos of their pets than of themselves, even as 57% confess to taking selfies on a regular basis. Less surprisingly, the majority (80%) are capturing photos during family gatherings and holidays. Interestingly, photos at the gym are only taken by 16% of U.S. consumers.

COOPH has added a new garment to its catalogue of specialist photography gear – the Field Jacket. Made from EtaProof, a 100% cotton fabric from Swiss weaving mill Stotz, the COOPH Field Jacket holds a variety of inner and outer pockets to stash photographic accessories and even has a quick access pocket to store a smartphone. Ulrich Grill, founder of COOPH and a professional photographer himself, said: “We are pretty stoked to add this all-year jacket to our growing range of photography apparel. The Field Jacket is hardwearing and feature-packed, but it doesn’t look like your typical photographer’s vest. That was planned. We partnered with the finest mill in Europe to help realize our idea – and I’m eager to see people wearing the jacket.” The COOPH Field Jacket is available for €398.

Fantasea Line has launched the new FG9X underwater housing for the Canon PowerShot G9 X camera. The housing provides full access to all camera buttons with clearly labeled controls and features a new touch-screen technology, providing access to essential contact points on the camera's touch-sensitive screen. Depth rated to 60 metres, the Fantasea FG9X offers a moisture detector, double O-ring protection and an M67 thread on its lens port. The Fantasea FG9X housing is now available for $400.

Corel have released AfterShot Pro 3, which adds an all-new highlight recovery algorithm, comprehensive watermarking, layer-based blemish correction, as well as dynamic update abilities. "Collectively, we’re now capturing trillions of photos each year. Photographers need a simpler and more agile way to manage and edit their photos," said Greg Wood, Senior Director of Photo Products at Corel. "AfterShot Pro 3 is a faster and more affordable solution for photographers looking for high-quality results. It doesn’t lock you into catalogues or a subscription and is focused on photographers' common need: great images in less time.” AfterShot Pro 3 is available now for Windows, Mac OS and Linux for £69.99/€89.99 and existing registered users can purchase for the upgrade price of £49.99/€69.99.

Issue 52 of David Noton’s Chasing the Light Online Magazine is now available. This month David Noton kicks off with a Field Trial to evaluate the new Canon EOS 1DX Mark II. David also starts a new series entitled Photo Essentials, which is designed to refresh our basic photo skills – the first instalment begins a detailed exploration of camera settings. He then starts a new occasional series Location Report, this time giving readers his thoughts on Iceland as a photo destination. In Hoddinott’s Hangout Ross Hoddinott rediscovers polarising filters, whilst for this month’s edition of the Pipeline, we join Ben Pipe on his recent visit to Seville where he shot the Semana Santa festivities.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.

Canon U.S.A. is continuing its Rebel With A Cause campaign by launching a contest to find the next individual to "challenge the status quo in positive ways to further their passion, belief, or cause." Participants are encouraged to submit a photo or video essay to share what makes them a Rebel With A Cause. One Grand Prize Winner will be presented with the opportunity to have their cause brought to life with their own documentary production, similar to those of previous Rebels Nik Wallenda and Swizz Beatz. In addition, they will receive a Canon EOS Rebel T6i DSLR camera and lens package, $10,000 in cash prizes to support their cause, as well as press and media exposure. The deadline for entries is 17th June.

Samsung has unveiled its newest memory card globally – the EVO Plus 256GB microSD card. Offering the highest capacity for a microSD card in its class, the Samsung EVO Plus 256GB microSD memory card delivers fast speeds of up to 95MB/s and an expanded memory storage for use in premium smartphones and tablets, 360-degree video recorders, action cameras, and drones. Samsung will offer the EVO Plus 256GB microSD card with a limited 10-year warranty in more than 50 countries, including the USA, Europe, China, and other regions starting in June 2016.

Canon today announced the PowerShot SX620 HS, a compact superzoom camera with a 20.2-megapixel CMOS sensor and 25x optical zoom. Other highlights include Full HD movie capture with Dynamic Image Stabilisation, a range of creative effects and filters, as well as WiFi and NFC. For direct uploads and new ways of sharing, the PowerShot SX620 HS is also compatible with the Canon Connect Station CS100. The Canon PowerShot SX620 HS will be available from June with an RRP of £219.99/€299.99.

The Canon EF-M 28mm f/3.5 Macro IS STM is the world’s first autofocus lens which is capable of focusing at both infinity and at 1.2x magnification. With a close-focus point of 13mm, the lens may cast its own shadow on the subject, but counters this with a built-in Macro Lite, which can be controlled by a switch letting you change the lighting intensity and direction on one or both sides. Giving you the flexibility to shoot handheld without camera shake, Canon’s optical Image Stabiliser also corrects angular camera shake, usually seen when shooting macro. For smooth movies, near silent focusing from the lens’s STM removes the worry of noise interruption as you shift focus. The Canon EF-M 28mm f/3.5 Macro IS STM is available from June with an RRP of £289.99/€389.99.

Canon today announced two new accessories for the EOS system – the Speedlite 600EX II-RT flash (£549.99/€749.99, pictured) and the DM-E1 Directional Stereo Microphone (£279.99 / € 389.99). Firing up to 50% more flashes continuously compared with its predecessor, and a 100% increase when used with the new CP-E4N battery pack; the Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT has an improved heat measure technology which prevents overheating and allows longer bursts of flashes. A guide number of 60m at ISO 100 allows you to creatively light your subject over a wide range of distances and large areas, ideal for capturing the whole congregation at a wedding. Thanks to a wide lens coverage, from 20mm to 200mm, or to 14mm via the built-in adapter, photographers can easily control how light is spread across a subject. The radio control function provides further creative freedom. The DM-E1 is a compact stereo directional microphone featuring a classic shotgun design with three directional sound pick-up modes. Switching to the 90- and 120-degree modes provides stereo sound for sources that are spread over wider areas, such as an orchestra in a concert hall. Both new accessories will become available next month.