Panasonic are showing samples of the brand new Lumix G 42.5mm f/1.7 and 30mm f/2.8 Macro lenses to the press at The Photography Show. The Lumix G 42.5mm f/1.7 in particular has to be seen to be believed - it really is a tiny prime lens that's perfectly matched to the GM-series of cameras.

X-Rite are offering a one-year membership to Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan, worth £102, with all purchases of X-Rite’s ColorMunki Photo or i1Photo Pro 2. “When working in Lightroom CC, Photoshop CC or both, photographers need the confidence that they are seeing an accurate representation of their image. They need the reassurance that the adjustments they are making in these powerful applications will appear correctly on screen and in print,” commented Geoffrey Clements, Managing Director of X-Rite Photo Europe. “The ColorMunki Photo, i1Photo Pro 2 and i1Display Pro set the standard for accurate colour management technology. They provide users with the peace of mind they need to get creative with their images.” For more information, visit the website below.

Sigma are showing the Sigma dp0 Quattro compact camera for the first time in the UK at The Photography Show. The Sigma dp0 Quattro is a new compact camera with the Foveon X3 direct image sensor and a 21mm f/4 lens. Here are some hands-on photos of the new dp0 Quattro and the 150-600mm Contemporary lens that is also making its UK debut at the show.

Ricoh are exhibiting the Pentax full-frame DSLR mockup at the Photograph Show in Birmingham, UK. Scheduled for launch by the end of 2015, a very early prototype of the new full frame K-mount DSLR is being shown under glass. No additional details were forthcoming from the tight-lipped Ricoh staff...

Fantasea Line has announced the availability of the FG7X underwater housing for the Canon PowerShot G7 X digital compact camera. Manufactured to the highest professional standards, the Fantasea Line FG7X housing provides access to all camera essential functions with ergonomically designed and labelled controls. The FG7X has been successfully depth tested to 80 metres (240ft.) and is certified to a maximum depth of 60m (200ft.), which is well beyond the 40m (130ft.) dive limit of most compact housings. The FG7X was designed to be compatible with a complete accessory system including wide-angle and macro lenses, color correction filters, flashes, video lights and all necessary adaptors and connectors. The housing is now available and accepting orders.

Ashampoo Snap 8 is a desktop application that enables users to capture, edit and share screen contents either as single images or videos. This version comes with basic OCR/text recognition allowing users to convert e-mail addresses and text from photos, scanned documents or PDF files into editable computer text. Another addition is the picture-in-picture feature that includes output from your webcam in users' videos. The new capture controls allow you to pause your videos, add effects or apply timer-based time restrictions. The software is priced at £24.99, but you can currently purchase it for a discounted price of £12.49.

The Wapping Project Bankside (Top Floor, Ely House, 37 Dover Street, London) has announced Estonian photographer, Alexander Gronsky’s first exhibition with the gallery. Gronsky’s Pastoral series of large format photographs of Moscow’s suburban areas are reminiscent of the arcadian images created by 19th century landscape painters and he reconstructs them in a way that jars with the romantic representations of a bygone era. Also included in the exhibition are three works from Gronsky’s Reconstruction series that documents reenactments of historic Russian battles whilst simultaneously rendering them anachronistic with the inclusion of onlookers into the frame. The exhibition will be on show from 14 April - 29 May 2015.

Leica Camera UK are displaying their current line-up of products, including the Leica M-P and M-A, at The Photography Show. The company is offering visitors to their stand in Hall 5 an exclusive ‘complimentary 48 Hour test drive’ at participating dealers nationwide, normally £80. In the booth, Leica experts are on hand to demonstrate visitors the latest from Leica and answer any questions.Today's programme includes a demonstration by Wayne Johns, a conversation with Richard Seymour, and an opportunity to try out the Leica S-Sytem in a studio setting, with a professional model. Click through / scroll down for the detailed schedule.

NEC Display Solutions Europe has released its new SpectraView II calibration software for PA series desktop monitors. “The importance and benefit of colour accuracy and colour management is connected with the rise of large format display applications in which image content branding and corporate identities increasingly need to be respected,” says Christopher Parker, Product Line Manager Desktop Displays at NEC Display Solutions Europe. “Additionally, high-end photography is no longer limited to the professional studio, as ‘prosumers’ also seek more life-like results from their displays. We are delighted to welcome SpectraView II software to the European market, with full confidence that it will continue the success seen in North America.” The NEC MultiSync PA-SV2 Desktop Display Series will ship with the SpectraView II calibration program aas standard. The suggested retail price for SpectraView II software as a standalone product is €89.

Adobe has released the final version of ACR 8.8 and DNG Converter 8.8. This update adds raw image file support for the Casio EX-ZR3500, the Canon EOS 750D and 760D, the Fujifilm X-A2 and XQ2. the Hasselblad Stellar II, the Nikon D5500, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II, the Panasonic GF7 and the Panasonic Lumix ZS50. It also adds several new lens profiles and bug fixes.

Corel has released an update to PaintShop Pro X7. Service Pack 2 adds support for raw files generated by the Canon EOS 7D MarkII, PowerShot G7X and PowerShot SX60HS, the Fujifilm S1, X100T and X30, the Nikon D750, D810, 1 J4 and 1 S2, the Leica D-LUX (Typ 109) and V-LUX (Typ 114), the Olympus E-PL7, the Pentax K-S1, the Panasonic CM1, LX100, FZ1000, GH4 and the GM5, the Samsung NX3000 and NX1, plus the Sony ILCA-A77M2, A7M2, and A7S. The update also brings a wealth of feature enhancements and bug fixes.

California-based camera bag manufacturers CineBags have introduced their latest design, the CB26 GP Bunker. Designed for GoPro cameras and accessories, the CineBags CB 26 GP Bunker has a padded carry handle, removable shoulder strap, exterior pouches with over-sized zippers and a padded laptop compartment. The new CB26 GP Bunker will officially be introduced at the 2015 NAB show in Las Vegas and is available from B&H, AbelCine, Adorama, Express Video Supply, Studio Depot, Filmtools, and Amazon.
 

Modelled after its American parent company, MAC Group US, the new MAC Group Europe unit will bring the same unique line of products to the EU. "We believe in the old-fashioned way of selling, people-to-people," says MAC Group president Jan Lederman. "So our new sales team will be bringing that message, face-to-face, with our European dealers." Leading the foray into this territory from the company's new Wolverhampton headquarters will be Managing Director Nigel Fielden, who previously spent many years overseeing the European market for Lowepro and Manfrotto. The group's current brand portfolio includes Benro, Induro, MeFOTO, Tenba and Vü.

This year, Tiffen will be showcasing a large variety of brands that fall under the Tiffen umbrella, including Lowel Lighting, Steadicam, Domke and Tiffen filters, at The Photography Show. “Tiffen believe that today’s photographers are becoming increasingly creative and are thirsty for the knowledge and believe The Photography Show have addressed this need by offering invaluable talks, seminars and training sessions for visitors whilst they search for the best price on products and accessories to help them achieve such content". Daniel Waite, International Sales Manager Tiffen International Ltd says. “Tiffen have organised a number of such sessions with Damien Demolder, who will be hosting 45 minute presentations with the full range of XLE filters. These will take place, free of charge on Sunday, Monday & Tuesday from 2:30pm on the Tiffen stand - H61." The Photography Show will be taking place from tomorrow until 24th March at the Birmingham NEC.

Manfrotto today launched the 190 go!, a new product in the 190 tripod series. The 190 go! is the lightest and most compact 190 in the aluminium range, weighing just 1.7kg. Folding down to 45cm in length, the 190 go! is extremely compact, allowing more room for extra gear. Despite its compact size, the 190 go! extends out to a maximum height of 146cm. The new twist locking system allows the easy opening and closure of all sections at once with a single hand. The twist lock system adds to the 190 go!’s slim line profile making it even more portable. The 190 go! is available now and priced at £159.95.

The British Photography Industry News, a monthly trade magazine edited by regular PhotographyBLOG contributor Gavin Stoker, is celebrating the launch of The Photography Show with a one-off special consumer edition. With a print run of 6000, the magazine is being given away for free across the four days of the show. The electronic version, which includes a useful floorplan, is available online allowing you to plan your visit ahead of time.

Website: BPI News

The B-Grip UNO is an advanced multi-purpose camera holster designed specifically for compact system cameras. Fitting any backpack, belt or bag; the B-Grip UNO keeps the camera comfortably and securely connected to your body when you are active. Using the UNO, a camera attached on a backpack  is extremely stable when moving. The UNO main body is made of Durethan, the bolts are made of steel, and the ¼” screw of the quick release plate is made of solid brass in order to protect the camera tripod thread. Manufactured in the EU by CPtech, the B-Grip UNO will soon be available from photo specialty stores across the US.

Bits&Coffee have released PhotoMarks 2.0, a batch photo watermarking program for Mac and PC. Enabling photographers, web designers and families to protect their copyrighted images quickly and efficiently on any computer. Version 2.0 adds drag-and-drop support for the Logo, Text watermark filters, and also for the Resize, Crop filters, compatibility withOS X Yosemite, Retina support for Macs and an improved user interface. The program can completely customise the appearance of text and logo watermarks, as well as perform additional edits like resize, rename, auto rotate, or decorate photos with frames, all in the same session. PhotoMarks runs on Mac OS X Yosemite, Mavericks, Mountain Lion, Lion as well as Windows 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, and XP. One license costs $29.95.

X-Rite Coloratti Adrian Weinbrecht & Frank Doorhof will be leading live model shoots, photo walk and seminars at The Photography Show. “Securing two premier photographers to be live on stand F21, during the Photography Show is an exciting development and we expect their sessions on stand to be packed,” commented Geoffrey Clements, Managing Director of X-Rite Photo Europe. “In addition we have also created a fantastic opportunity for 20 lucky attendees to get one-on-one advice and guidance from Adrian, during a Photowalk in Birmingham during the show. We’re confident there’s no better line up at The Photography Show 2015.” During the exhibition, X-Rite’s team of experts will be demonstrating the capabilities of X-Rite’s colour management solutions, including monitor calibration, printer profiling , mobile device calibration and capture control with the ColorChecker Passport (pictured)