Leica have unveiled their show activities for Photokina 2014. In addition to the unique exhibition concept in the Leica Galerie, the programme features further cultural highlights. For example, the world premiere of the new book The Haight: Love, Rock and Revolution from legendary photographer Jim Marshall (1936-2010). Talks and signing sessions with prominent photographers are also planned.

The CAMS Pro is a new camera strap system that makes it more comfortable to shoot with a vertical grip on a DSLR and telephoto lenses. The CAMS Pro line is aimed at the Event, Sport, and enthusiast photographer with the goal of providing the most comfortable and convenient way to carry, shoot, and mount a Pro bodied or gripped camera and telephoto lens. Early bird pricing is available with the standard pricing for a Pro Sling Strap and Camera Plate set at $95, the upgrade kit at $60, and the Pro Lens Plate at $45.

EISA have unveiled their photography award winners for 2014-15. Eleven different companies shared the 19 different awards between them, including the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH4 as the "European Photo & Video Camera", the Olympus OM-D E-M10 (pictured) as the "European Consumer Compact System Camera", and the Canon EOS 1200D as the "European Consumer DSLR Camera".

To see all the EISA award winners, visit this page.

Soviet Ghosts is a new book featuring a unique set of photographs by Rebecca Bathory. On a journey funded by Lowepro, Rebecca captured many abandoned locations, which were either part of the Soviet Union or its satellite states.  ‘I refrain from having personal opinions about the era and try to remain relatively neutral.’ Rebecca added: ‘Whilst the period had bad times, the people living in the communities still got on with life and also had good times, it was not a period of pure black and white and so my aim of the book was to just capture it as it is now. Some places would have been thriving and others horrible places to be and you can see this reflected in my book and some of the accompanying text.’ Priced at £19.95 the book is available via Rebecca’s website.

The RC-V100 Remote Controller, which enables users to remotely control the manufacturer's XF Series professional HD camcorders and Cinema EOS C500, Cinema EOS C300 and Cinema EOS C100 cameras, is now available for purchase. In addition to basic controls - start/stop, shutter/gain adjustments, zoom/focus/iris parameters, custom picture values, white balance, black gamma and more – the new remote can be used to adjust various menu settings. It also features illuminated pushbuttons with audible feedback to confirm each setting change. A SETUP mode lets you customise a number of key rotary controls, as well as user procedures and operating modes. The RC-V100 is powered from the connected camcorder via a 15-foot cable. A USB port enables the unit’s firmware to be updated to support future remote-control functions. The RC-V100 is priced at $2,999.

Adorama has launched the Flashpoint RoveLight 600Ws monolight. The compact Flashpoint RoveLight ($589.95) features a 22-step range of accurate regulated power from full to 1/128th power (7 stops in 1/3-stop increments), and can be controlled via the rear console or the included wireless controller. The self-contained strobe includes an interchangeable, high-energy 6600mAh lithium battery, rendering it capable of 500+ full power flash bursts on a single charge. The unit’s handy built-in LED modeling lamp conserves the battery’s energy reserve and also includes a special timer for auto shutoff when not in use. Extra lithium batteries are available separately. The RoveLight 600 package ($600.00) includes a Bowens mount for more reflector and light modifier compatibility.

The Samsung Galaxy Alpha is a new smartphone featuring a metal frame and a 12-megapixel camera module. Other photography-related highlights include a 31mm equivalent f/2.2 lens, a LED flash, 4K movies and a 4.7-inch 720p Super AMOLED screen. Built-in photo features include a panorama mode, selective focus and Beauty Face functions and HDR exposure blending. Powered by Android 4.4.4, the Samsung Galaxy Alpha comes with an octa-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, a fingerprint sensor, USB 2.0 connectivity and an 1860mAh battery.

Joby has released its Pro Series ‘UltraPlate’ as a standalone accessory. Providing photographers with a universal quick-release plate which enables them to mount their camera to any tripod, plus attach an additional camera strap, the Joby Pro Series ‘UltraPlate’ has two additional 1/4"-20 screw mounts, and allows access to the battery compartment on your DSLR camera. This means that you can enjoy one universal plate to which you can attach other styles of tripod plate and camera strap at the same time – enabling you to use both, without the need to ever remove either. The new JOBY Pro Series UltraPlate is priced at £18 and will be available to purchase from early Autumn.

Manfrotto's Pro Light photo bag collection is now available in the United States. The new bags feature Manfrotto’s CPS (Camera Protection System) which has been specifically engineered to provide maximum protection at the core of the bag by using 3D shock absorbing foam to give the highest level of safety and resistance. The collection also features  Manfrotto'sAdvanced Harness System and gecko EVA foam harness straps which allow the Pro Light bags to be extremely comfortable to wear. Furthermore, the anatomic shape is designed to perfectly fit the body of the camera, while the removable waist strap ensures stability. Manfrotto’s Pro Light Bags Collection includes a total of 28 product SKUs, including holsters, photo backpacks, video backpacks, rolling organisers, video cases, and accessories such as element covers and camera straps. The bags are available now at retailers nationwide, and range in price from $44.00 to $550.00.

iStabilizer has announced  the iStabilizer Monopod and Shutter Remote Bundle. The patent-pending iStabilizer Monopod and Bluetooth Shutter Remote captures photo and video selfies and group shots that fit everyone in without cutting off heads. The  Monopod works with virtually all smartphones, action cameras, and other digital cameras and camcorders.  At only about 1 foot when collapsed weighing ½ lb.for easy portability, the Monopod extends to over 3 feet for selfies and unique angles. The iStabilizer Shutter Remote completes the bundle and lets you snap steady photos and videos up to 35 feet away through Bluetooth 3.0 without reaching for the shutter. The kit is priced at $59.95 (20% off as compared to buying each product separately).

The UK branch of Buenos Aires based photography experience company Foto Ruta has announced that its Foto Ruta Clue – Shoot Shoreditch event will take place on Sunday 24th August, from 2 to 6pm. Described as "a creative and alternative way to see explore the city and learn about photography," Foto Ruta Clue -Shoot Shoreditch kicks off with a short creative photography workshop at The Forge, 154 – 158 Shoreditch High Street, London. Armed with a Foto Ruta map pack, a set of clues and your camera and/or smartphone you and your team will spend the afternoon uncovering and capturing on camera the visual delights of Shoreditch, one of London’s most colourful and creative neighbourhoods. Tickets are priced at £24. To book your place, visit the website below.

The Digital Imaging Show has announced a new three-day event to be held at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel in October 2014. Starting on 4th October, the new Birmingham photographic expo boasts over 20 speakers, 72 hours of Masterclasses and a free-to-attend two-day Trade Show. Over 40 leading photographic companies will be exhibiting and attendees can get hands-on with the latest products from top manufacturers. For more information on The Digital Imaging Show’s Birmingham photographic expo, visit the website below.

The USB 3.0 Promoter Group has announced the completion of the USB Type-C specification that defines the next-generation USB connector. This new cable and connector supports USB performance at SuperSpeed USB 10 Gbps (USB 3.1) and USB Power Delivery up to 100W. Key characteristics of the USB Type-C connector include an entirely new design with reversible plug orientation and cable direction and support for scalable power charging. The new USB Type-C plug and receptacle will not directly mate with existing USB plugs and receptacles (Type-A, Type-B, Micro-B, etc.); however, the USB Type-C specification defines passive new-to-existing cables and adapters to allow consumers to use the new connector with their existing products.

Koelnmesse GmbH has announced a new attraction for photokina 2014, called the Photokina Action Zone, which enables attendees to put the newest action cameras through their paces. There are three special fun attractions on offer: sky-shooting entails “adrenalin junkies” having themselves catapulted high above the exhibition area; Aqua Zorbing (pictured) allows visitors to compete against other action fans while stuck inside a well-padded, water-filled ball; while the bull-riding attraction enables them to find out how steady they are in the saddle, while capturing everything on camera. The Photokina Action Zone is sponsored by Google and SanDisk.

Manfrotto has launched its new Off Road collection. The new range features two new products; a pair of walking sticks with camera attachment and a lightweight tripod. The Off Road photographic walking sticks (£79.95) are some of the lightest poles in the market and have been designed for passionate hikers who wish to carry photographic equipment with them wherever they go. One of the pole’s features a rotating camera attachment on top, allowing the stick to easily convert into a monopod whilst walking. The monopod stick can carry a payload up to 2.5kg/5.51lbs with a max height of 132.5cm. The Off Road tripod (£119.95, pictured) is the lightest tripod in the Manfrotto range, weighing just 650gr/1.43lbs. The tripod has a diameter of just 5cm and is easily portable with a closed length of 55.5cm yet max height of 122cm. The ball head is made of aluminium and holds a payload up to 2.5kg/5.51lbs.

Younity today announced the ability to publish any photo stored on a computer directly to Instagram via the younity iOS app. Until now, Instagram users could only publish photos to the social network if those photos were stored on their smartphones. This release enables users to easily publish any photo, stored on any computer they own, directly to their Instagram account from their iPhone or iPad. "Posting old or remote photos to Instagram is easy," the company said. "Once younity is installed on your computers, it will discover all the photos stored on those computers and external hard drives. Then, simply open younity on your mobile device, browse to any photo you’ve ever taken and select the Post to Instagram button."

MXcamera has announced The Dark Knight, a Pro version of the Mitakon Speedmaster 50mm f/0.95 lens. The new lens features improved lens coating, a smaller 58mm filter thread and a new bayonet lens hood to minimise flare. For more information, visit MXcamera's Facebook page.