Want to see exactly what the new Zeiss Loxia 21mm f/2.8 lens look like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Zeiss Loxia 21mm f/2.8 lens.

Wex Photographic will be hosting a celebration of staff talent at its third Wexhibition, taking place at the King’s Lynn Arts Centre from Saturday 7th to Saturday 21st November 2015 from 9am to 6pm. “We are very proud to demonstrate the photographic talent and passion of our staff to the public,” said Louis Wahl, Chief Customer Officer at Wex Photographic. “With the range of images on display covering such diverse subjects as portraiture, cityscapes, landscapes, animals, astro, sport, macro and abstract, there should be something for everyone.” Visitors to the exhibition can vote for their favourite image and be in with the chance of winning £50 of Wex vouchers. Entry to the exhibition is free to all.

At Photo Plus Expo, Ricoh Imaging Americas announced US pricing for the Ricoh GR II Premium Kit. Alongside the camera itself, the special package features a selection of exclusive items including an aluminium case, a GC-6 leather camera jacket with a matching GS-3 neck strap, GV-1 external viewfinder, GW-3 Wide-angle conversion lens and a commemorative pin badge. Limited to 1,200 units worldwide, the Ricoh GR II Premium Kit will be available for $1,299.99.

Ricoh Imaging Americas has announced the Medium Format by PENTAX Advantage Programme for the Pentax 645Z medium-format digital camera system. Designed to provide professional photographers with continuous access to gear in the event of a camera system failure, the programme provides three years of extended service and support from date of purchase plus loaner camera bodies and lenses, and a dedicated toll-free support number. The Medium Format by Pentax Advantage Programme packages can be purchased now at authorised Pentax dealers for $849.95 (Pentax Advantage Gold Service) and (Pentax Advantage Platinum Service).

Ricoh Imaging Americas has appointed Linnea Wolken as its new director of marketing for the U.S. and Canada. In this role, Wolken will manage all marketing activities for Ricoh and Pentax cameras and accessories, including the Pentax 645Z medium-format camera system; the newly available Ricoh Theta S and the complete line of digital SLR and compact cameras. “This is such an opportune time to join Ricoh Imaging, as it has just launched some ground-breaking cameras. Positioning the company to grow in multiple directions is such an exciting endeavour,” said Wolken. “I am inspired by the opportunities ahead, and am looking forward to working with everyone on the talented Ricoh team as well as its extended family of dealers, partners and photographers, including our Pentax Image Makers brand ambassadors.”

X-Rite is launching two new products in its ColorChecker series of calibration targets. The new ColorChecker Video and ColorChecker Passport Video reduce video editing time, improve colour balance control, make it easier to match multiple cameras and simplify editing for mixed lighting conditions. The pocket-sized X-Rite ColorChecker Passport Video ((£126)) comes in a rugged hard case, and includes four different targets - a colour reference card, a white balance tool, a three-step greyscale target and a focus calibratio tool. The X-Rite ColorChecker Video (£110) offers a larger form factor and includes 2 series of greyscale patches, a range of skin tone patches, a series of saturated and desaturated chromatic colours, and a full-size white balance target on the reverse side.

Epson has launched a new Legacy Paper line. Designed in collaboration with many of the world’s greatest artists, the Epson Legacy Paper line produces outstanding black density and colour fidelity, along with exceptional archival properties required for collectible works of fine art. “Collaborating with a team of the industry’s leading photographers and fine artists, Epson handpicked the finest papermakers to develop and produce this new line of paper,” said Jeffrey Smith, product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America. “Crafted in revered European paper mills, the Legacy Papers bring together all the treasured experience of old world handcraftsmanship with the latest technology, to produce the world’s finest, most beautiful papers.” The first four products in the new range include the Epson Legacy Platine, Legacy Fibre, Legacy Baryta and Legacy Etching papers, which are currently being shown in a gallery at Epson’s booth (#707) at PhotoPlus Expo at the Javits Center in NYC.

Shenyang Zhongyi Optics have launched version II of their Lens Turbo Adapters for Micro Four Thirds (MFT) cameras. Boasting a redesigned optical construction and improved lens coatings, the new adapter allows Canon's and Nikon's full-frame lenses to be mounted onto Micro Four Thirds cameras with a wider angle of view and faster aperture. With the adapter attached, the 2x "crop factor" of MFT cameras is modified by a factor of 0.762x for a combined figure of 1.524, causing these cameras to behave a lot like APS-C models. The new Nikon version of the adapter features a silver aperture ring, enabling users to control the iris of Nikon G lenses, which lack an aperture collar of their own. Priced at $149, the new Zhongyi Turbo Lens Adapter II will become available in November 2015.

LPA Design has announced the PocketWizard Plus IV Transceiver. 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 and Panasonic cameras and flashes. “Photographers love the Plus III, but they’ve expressed their desire for a Plus III with a top shoe,” says Heather Ambrose, PocketWizard Marketing Manager. “So we designed one. We took it a step further and added TTL pass-through for an on-camera flash, and a metal foot. It’s like a Plus III on its side, with the most-requested features added in.” When used as a receiver, you can easily mount and trigger virtually any speedlight in the shoe, set to a manual power level. The new Plus IV is currently on show at the PocketWizard Booth (#663) at PhotoPlus 2015. The product is expected to be available at retail in January 2016.

Think Tank Photo have just announced Lily Deanne, the first camera bags they have ever designed specifically for women photographers. The new bags were created by the company's co-founder, Pulitzer Prize-winner Deanne Fitzmaurice, and long-time Think Tank designer Lily Fisher. The range comprises three models - Lucido, Mezzo and Tutto. The Lily Deanne Lucido holds one standard size DSLR with one to three lenses and accessories and an 8” tablet. The Lily Deanne Mezzo fits one standard-size DSLR with mid-range zoom attached, plus two to three additional lenses and a 10” tablet or 11” laptop. The Lily Deanne Tutto accommodates one gripped DSLR with mid-range zoom lens attached and two to five additional lenses and 2 flashes, or one standard-size DSLR with 70-200mm f/2.8 attached and two to five lenses in its main compartment and 2 flashes, and a 15” laptop.

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of its Explorers of Light Ambassador Programme, Canon U.S.A. is welcoming seven new ambassadors, including Lindsay Adler, David Bergman, Jimmy Chin, Charles Glatzer, Joel Grimes, Peter Hurley, and Roberto Valenzuela. These influential talents are constantly advancing their craft and helping to create new ways in which our world is visually captured and shared. The programme brings these creative individuals together to offer their expertise while also acting as a conduit of communication between Canon and various developing imaging markets, the company says. “Our world is constantly changing, and Canon prides itself on being at the forefront of change. For 20 years the Explorers of Light programme has enabled us to align with amazing professional photographers that educate and inspire, and now these new luminaries will help us to engage in meaningful two-way communication with exciting and emerging imaging markets,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A.

Panasonic UK are offering a range of promotions in time for the festive season. Those who purchase a qualifying Lumix camera or camcorder from a participating retailer before Monday 25 January 2016 will be eligible to claim up to £150 (€210) cashback. To take advantage of this offer, participants (aged 18 or over only) must complete the online registration form at the website below 28 days after product purchase.

Epson today announced that they are P-Series printers including  the 24-inch SureColor P6000 and SureColor P7000 and 44-inch SureColor P8000 and SureColor P9000. Equipped with Epson’s latest PrecisionCore TFP printhead and newly-developed UltraChrome archival ink technology, the new SureColor P-Series printers are designed for professional photographic applications. Available now for purchase through authorised Epson Professional Imaging SureColor P-Series resellers, the Epson SureColor P-Series printers are currently on display at PhotoPlus Expo at the Javits Center in NYC.

If you're interested in how the new Leica SL mirrorless camera compares in size to the Canon EOS 5DS R full-frame DSLR, then look no further, as we've compiled a gallery of side-by side product shots of the two cameras.

Lensbaby has announced the new Composer Pro II with Edge 50 Optic. Introduced at PhotoPlus Expo 2015, the Lesnbaby Composer Pro II with Edge 50 Optic is a high-quality, 50mm f/3.2 upgraded metal-bodied tilt lens providing a sharp slice of focus bordered by silky, smooth blur. The lens body swivels and tilts on a smooth metal ball and socket design, and is compatible with the Lensbaby Optic Swap System, allowing users to swap optics in and out of the Composer Pro II lens body to change effect and focal length. The Composer Pro II with Edge 50 Optic retails for $424.95 and is available for Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony Alpha A, Pentax K, Fuji X, Sony Alpha E, Micro 4/3rds, and Samsung NX.

Schneider Kreuznach's newest leaf shutter lenses are now available to purchase through Phase One photography partners worldwide. Like the 35mm and 120mm lenses introduced simultaneously with the Phase One XF System, these Schneider Kreuznach lenses - including the 55mm LS f/2.8, the 80mm LS f/2.8 and the 150mm LS f/3.5 - are built to a new and more robust quality standard. The new lenses feature a metal focusing ring and AF/MF selector ring of precision milled aluminium and a new metal lens hood with anti-skid rubber edging. The 55mm LS f/2.8 lens is available for €3.990 / $4,990, the 80mm LS f/2.8 costs €2.490 / $3,290, while the 150mm LS f/3.5 (pictured) sells for €4.490 / $5,990.
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Western Digital and SanDisk today announced that Western Digital will acquire all of the outstanding shares of SanDisk for a combination of cash and stock. The offer values SanDisk common stock at $86.50 per share or a total equity value of approximately $19 billion. "This transformational acquisition aligns with our long-term strategy to be an innovative leader in the storage industry by providing compelling, high-quality products with leading technology," said Steve Milligan, chief executive officer, Western Digital. "The combined company will be ideally positioned to capture the growth opportunities created by the rapidly evolving storage industry. I'm excited to welcome the SanDisk team as we look to create additional value for all of our stakeholders, including our customers, shareholders and employees."

Phase One today released the first major XF Camera System update. The update adds a Seismographic Vibration Delay function that ensures camera stillness at the moment of capture, introduces a BullsEye Level tool on the XF OneTouch UI to enable easy camera alignment, and adds a Hyperfocal Point Calibration feature, which allows photographers to use Capture One PRO to calibrate and store their perfect hyperfocal point. Additionally, Focus confirmation on the XF OneTouch UI now gives full focus control in the Waist Level Finder workflow, and Focus Step enables focus control directly from Live View in Capture One PRO for ultimate focus accuracy.