The Canon EOS C300 Mark II is a new 4K video camera featuring an advanced imaging engine with dual DIGIC DV5 processors, new professional codecs and outstanding dynamic range of up to 15 stops. Equipped with an 8.85 megapixel Super 35mm Cinema CMOS Sensor, the Canon EOS C300 Mark II uses a new Canon XF-AVC Codec that allows 10-bit 4:2:2 4K image data to be recorded internally. The new imaging sensor maximizes the amount of light that falls on each photosite through a wider pixel pitch, enhancing the EOS C300 Mark II camera's sensitivity, supporting ISOs up to 102,400.The Canon EOS C300 Mark II Digital Cinema Camera is expected to be available in September 2015 for an estimated retail price of $20,000.

Photographer Pascal Kulcsár has built an automated slide "scanner" using commercially available LEGO pieces. The impressive contraption comprises a motorised slide transport system, a lightbox, a tripod-mounted digital SLR camera and a laptop; and requires absolutely no user intervention. Using his invention, Mr Kulcsár successfully digitised a wealth of photographs captured by his grandfather who has recently passed away at the age of 94.

Color Confidence have announced Anthony Bower, from Stockport as the winner of their exclusive Photography Show prize draw. “The Photography Show prize draw was designed to help digital imaging enthusiasts to manage their colour workflow,” says Geoffrey Clements, Managing Director at Color Confidence. “We were very pleased with the turnout at this year’s show. The Color Confidence team were kept extremely busy, answering questions and providing information on the range of products that we had available.” The prize bundle includes £1,500 worth of products from X-Rite, NEC, DxO, ExpoImaging, Rift Labs, Macphun and Tecco. Color Confidence has also announced the winner of the BenQ ‘Photo of the Show’ competition, which took place at the photo-critique area. Steven Reid from Wiltshire was awarded a BenQ PG2401PT monitor for his image ‘Night at the Station’ (above).

Lensbaby today announced the Velvet 56, a new 56mm lens with a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:2 and maximum aperture of f/1.6. According to the company this lens "delivers a velvety, glowing, ethereal look at brighter apertures, and beautifully sharp but subtly unique images as you stop down." Velvet 56 enables photographers to move seamlessly from shooting an environmental portrait to capturing details in a subject's clothing or jewelry. Nature and macro photographers will also find it highly usable thanks to its excellent close-up capabilities. Boasting an all-metal construction, the Lensbaby Velvet 56 will be available in two colours, black and silver. As seen in the photo above, the silver edition features a clear-anodised finish with engraved aperture and focus markings. Velvet 56 retails for $499.95 (black variant) and $599.95 (silver edition). The lenses will be available in Canon, Nikon, Sony A and Pentax mounts beginning13th April at lensbaby.com, B&H, Adorama, and from select specialty photo stores worldwide. Mirrorless mounts including Micro 4/3rds, Sony E, Samsung NX and Fuji X will be available in early May. Click through / scroll down for a gallery of web-resolution sample images taken by Caroline Jensen, Pauline Putt, Rachel Schomsky and Victoria Hederer Bell.

Tamron USA has launched its fourth My Photo Exhibit photo contest. Offered exclusively to Tamron USA lens users, the My Photo Exhibit competition gives one lucky winner the opportunity to win one of three full-frame, image stabilised Tamron lenses (among them the SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD, pictured). Entrants will create a 3D virtual exhibit showcasing 8-14 of their best images in a travel theme on Tamron’s unique photo sharing exhibit site, MyPhotoExhibits.com. The deadline for submissions is 31st August.

Nikon has announced that three of its products have been awarded the prestigious "red dot award: product design 2015." The Nikon 1 J4 and Nikon 1 S2 (pictured) compact system cameras and the Nikon Coolpix S6900 compact digital camera all won accolades for their quality and design. Red Dot award winners will be on display at a special exhibition to be held from 30th June - 26th July at the Red Dot Design Museum on the premises of the Zeche Zollverein World Cultural Heritage Site in Essen, Germany.

Samyang has revealed a new full-frame telemacro lens. The Samyang 100mm f:2.8 ED UMC Macro is a manual focus lens with a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:1 and a working distance of 307mm. The optical construction comprises 15 elements in 12 groups including a high refractive index (HR) lens and extra low dispersion element (ED) to minimise colour aberration and unnecessary light dispersion in order to offer high resolution throughout the frame. The company's Ultra Multi Coating (UMC) and the included petal shaped hoodminimises ghosting and flare. The Samyang 100mm f:2.8 ED UMC Macro lens has a nearly circular, nine-bladed iris diaphragm for a pleasing bokeh. The lens will be available in 10 camera mounts: Canon EOS, Nikon AE, Pentax K, Sony A, Canon M, Fujifilm X, Samsung NX, Sony E, Four Thirds and Micro Four Thirds.

Transcend has launched a range of MLC-based, UHS-I Speed Class 3 compliant microSD memory cards for 4K action cameras. Available in capacities up to 64GB, these cards boast transfer speeds of up to 95MB/s in devices supporting the UHS-I specification. The cards are not only temperature proof, enduring extreme temperatures from -25°C to 85°C, but also waterproof, static proof, x-ray proof and shockproof. They all come with Transcend's exclusive RecoveRx software, which features a user-friendly interface that allows users to search deep within a storage device for traces of erased files that can be rescued. The UHS-I U3 (633X) microSD cards carry Transcend's Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Ohanaware have launched their latest photo enhancing application, Magic for OS X. The company's 7th generation real time effects engine is at the heart of the program, providing direct feedback to the user as options are adjusted and tweaked. Features include sixteen 1-click adjustments, a Yosemite inspired interface, and support for Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, Apple Mail, Messages, AirDrop, iPhoto, Aperture and Apple's new Photos application.Magic is available today from the Ohanaware website for $19.99.

Iridient Digital has released Iridient Developer 3.0.1. This version adds support for the Canon 5DS and 5DS R, the Nikon D7200, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II and SH-2, the Panasonic TZ71 and Samsung NX500. Additionally, it includes improvements to the new v3 noise reduction methods for Luminance and Luminance Grain Smoothness, particularly for images with high levels of speckle type noise in the deep shadows. The v3 Colour noise reduction methods are now both applicable to monochrome conversions and are now applied prior to monochrome conversion. New presets for Fujifilm X-Trans cameras with APS-C based sensors are also available. This update is free for everyone who purchased a new or upgraded license after 14 April 2013.

Street Photography: The Art of Capturing the Candid Moment by Gordon Lewis is a new title from Rocky Nook. The book includes discussions of why photographers are drawn to street photography, the various styles of street photography, and what makes a great street photograph. Lewis then goes on to explore how the choice of location can change a photographer’s approach to image capture: from city streets to fairs to beaches, Lewis discusses the impact different environments have on the process of street photography. The 144-page softcover is priced at $29.95. Street Photography is also available as a PDF e-book, for $23.99.

BeFunky has launched its next-generation online photo editing suite. The newest version processes images twice as fast as the previous iteration, and features a sleeker and intuitive layout. The company has also added new effects to its large library of current tools, many of which are exclusive to BeFunky. The editing suite is free to use, and for $4.95 a month, users can upgrade to BeFunky Plus, which offers access to hundreds of additional features.

Adaptalux is an adaptable, miniature portable lighting studio designed for macro and product photography. "This lighting system for macro photography is all about innovation and creativity, both in the product design and the incredibly creative pictures and videos it allows photographers to make without having to travel the world," says Martin Brenig-Jones, Co-Owner and Business Director, Adaptalux. "Macro photography subjects are everywhere and look amazing with the right lighting!" Adaptalux is split into three main parts; a control panel, a set of lighting arms and a set of effect components. Currently seeking funding through Kickstarter, the Adptalux project has already raised over £42,000, with 29 days left to go.

The Nikon 1 J5 (£349.99 / €439.00) is a Wi-Fi and NFC-enabled 20.8-megapixel compact system camera with a 1"-type CX sensor, advanced hybrid auto-focus and a tiltable 3in touch-screen. Other highlights include 4K video recording (at 15fps), Full HD movie capture at 60fps and high-speed filming in HD resolution at 120fps. For manual photography enthusiasts, the Nikon 1 J5 offers a full manual mode, raw image capture and a new control wheel. The 1 J5 is available in three colour combinations: all-black, silver-white and silver-black. The J5 alongside the 1 Nikkor 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 PD-Zoom lens will be available for a suggested retail price of $499.95 / £429.99 / €539.00, while a kit with both the 1 Nikkor 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 PD-Zoom lens and 1 Nikkor VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 will be available for $749.95 / £559.99 / €709.00. Additionally, the Nikon 1 J5 will also be kitted with the 1 Nikkor 10-100mm f/4-5.6 lens for $1,049.95.

The Copyright Zone: A Legal Guide For Photographers and Artists In The Digital Age, 2nd Edition is a new title from Focal Press. Written by Jack Reznicki and Ed Greenberg, The Copyright Zone provides specific information on the legal rights of photographers, illustrators, artists, covering intellectual property, copyright, and business concerns in an easy-to-read, accessible manner. This second edition covers: what is and isn’t copyrightable, copyright registration, fair use, model releases, contracts and invoices, pricing and more. The 352-page paperback is available for $34.95 / £20.99.

PolarPro will launch its newest POV action cam accessories at the 2015 NAB Show. The product line-up will include new hand-held and hands-free POV action cam mounts, battery-integrated carrying cases and lens filters specially designed for use with drones and quadcopters. Attendees of the upcoming 2015 NAB Show can visit PolarPro in booth #C12362 to demo the entire PolarPro range.

The Work, Rest and Play: British Photography from the 1960s to Today exhibition presents a survey of over fifty years of British documentary, fashion and fine art photography. Arranged chronologically, the exhibition explores British society through changing national characteristics, attitudes and activities over the last five decades. Work, Rest and Play: British Photography from the 1960s to Today will be the inaugural exhibition in the new C2 Space, Shenzhen OCT-LOFT, China. The exhibition will continue to tour to Beijing and Shanghai at dates to be announced.