Take Great Digital Pictures in 24 Hours: The Complete Digital Photography Course by David Fairman is a new title from Over The Rainbow Productions. The author is a renowned photographer and film director whose bold, innovative style has seen his work exhibited in major galleries around the world and sold over 55,000 copies in poster format. Take Great Digital Pictures in 24 Hours features a unique and engaging LAP learning system to help the reader develop the skills quickly and effectively. Readers will Learn over 300 professional techniques, Appreciate stunning images from over 70 of the world’s top photographers, and Practice with whatever camera they own. The book sells for £32.50.

Akvis has released version 6.0 of its NatureArt software for Windows and Mac OS X. This update adds new presets to the Sun and Frost effects, improves performance under 64-bit versions of Windows, adds an option for Dropbox users to share their images directly from the program with no loss of quality, brings support for several new raw file formats, and fixes bugs. Additionally, the plug-in variant gains compatibility with Adobe Photoshop CC 2014. Registered users of NatureArt can upgrade to version 6.0 for free.

Xara has announced a new release of Xara Designer Pro. Billed as the ultimate all-in-one creative software that provides all the tools for: illustration, photo editing, web graphics and desktop publishing; Xara Designer Pro X10 supports multi-core processors for faster performance, and provides tools that might typically be required by professional designers such as PANTONE, CMYK, colour separations and PDF/X. Bundled with this release is a new Photoshop plug-in called PhotoLooks from Red Giant (previously sold by Red Giant for $199) for users wishing to intensify the mood of their photo via various colour and lighting effects or adding a popular film look from soft lighting to Hollywood drama. The plug-in includes over 100 presets inspired by real commercial projects, from wedding vignettes to popular cinematic looks. Xara Designer Pro X10 costs £249 with upgrades from £79.

BosStrap has just released a new product called the BosStrap Side Slide. Featuring a 1"-wide shoulder strap which hangs vertically off your right or your left shoulder, the BosStrap Side Slide connects to a camera strap lug rather than the tripod socket;t and includes a fully detachable, across-the-chest strap which prevents it from moving off your shoulder.  By adding a second Side Slide, two cameras can be worn, one on each shoulder, or the Side Slide can be worn while using a conventional neck strap for carrying a second camera. The BosStrap Side Slide is now available from BosStrap at an introductory price of $59.95.

The Notion of Family by rising photographer and 2014 Guggenheim Fellow LaToya Ruby Frazier is a new title published by the Aperture Foundation. Offering an incisive exploration of the legacy of racism and economic decline in America’s small towns, as embodied by her hometown of Braddock, Pennsylvania; this 156-page volume includes 100 duotone images and 32 four-color video stills. "With The Notion of Family, Frazier knowingly acknowledges and expands upon the traditions of classic black-and-white documentary photography, enlisting the participation of her family—and her mother in particular," the publisher says. Available from September, the book sells for $60/£40.

Blackmagic Design has released version 1.8.2 of its Camera software, which adds 3 new Apple ProRes file formats for the Blackmagic Cinema Camera, Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera and Blackmagic Production Camera 4K. The new formats include ProRes 422, ProRes 422 LT and ProRes 422 Proxy. This update gives customers using Blackmagic Design cameras the ability to get significantly smaller video file sizes allowing much longer recording durations on the same media card, all while preserving full frame 10-bit 4:2:2 quality. Selecting the type of ProRes format for recording can be set via the on-screen menus and all ProRes types can be played back instantly. The. Camera 1.8.2 update is available now free of charge from the website below.

Booq today launched the latest addition to their elegant Cobra collection, the Cobra pack. Cobra pack’s 1680 denier ballistic nylon exterior with water-repellent coating keeps items safe from the elements outside, while a smooth quilted lining ensures items stay protected inside. The main compartment features two open pockets and a slip pocket. A zippered mesh window pocket keeps passports, tickets and important items accessible and secure. The separate, densely padded laptop compartment provides quick access to a 15-17” laptop and features a  YKK water resistant back zipper opening. The Cobra pack is now shipping and is available for $295 at the website below.

AOC has announced a new UltraWide QHD screen in 21:9 format. The AOC u3477Pqu is a 34" monitor with a 3440x1440-pixel IPS panel and various connectivity options including USB 2.0 and 3.0, DisplayPort and an integrated HDMI port with MHL functionality. Thanks to the Real 8-bit +FRC arrangement, more than 1 billion colours can be reproduced on the screen. Equally noteworthy are the picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture features, which allow watching images simultaneously from different sources.. The model will be available as of September 2014 at an MSRP of 499 GBP.

Sony unveiled the world’s first offshore gallery on the Southwark Lake today to mark the official launch of two new high-zoom cameras – the HX60V (read review) and the HX400V (read review). The work of ‘Where’s Wally’ creator Martin Handford appeared to float on the London lake where passers-by were encouraged to try to find the hidden Wallys in the artwork using the high zoom cameras 20m away on the shore, with  the quickest entrant winning the painting and camera. “We wanted to bring a bit of fun to the park experience this summer so we have partnered up with ‘Where’s Wally’ creators to make the ultimate family treasure hunt," Claire Beard, Product Manager for DSC, Sony UK said. "With the world’s first offshore gallery we hope to create the most interesting Wally search to date. Park goers will need to use the 50x optical zoom of the new HX400V to unearth the king of hide and seek.”

The Lomographic Society has released a limited-stock, ISO200/24° Tungsten balanced film. The Lomography Cine200 Tungsten is a colour negative film that was originally developed for motion picture production. "The great news is that we have now figured out a procedure for treating Tungsten Motion Picture Film so that it can be used in 35mm film cameras," Lomography says. " It can be processed normally in C-41 chemicals, just like standard colour negative film." There are only 4000 rolls available, so hurry up if you'd like to give it a try!

Microsoft Devices have started rolling out the Lumia Cyan software update to Nokia Lumia phones running Windows Phone 8. Among other improvements, the Lumia Cyan update incorporates an enhanced Nokia Camera app and renewed Camera Roll, as well as an updated Storyteller app and Living Images. If your smartphone hasn't alerted you to the update yet, you can perform a manual check by going to Settings -> Phone update. The update can be downloaded and installed straight from that screen.

Futuresource Consulting has just published the results of a new survey of the action camera market. According to the company, worldwide demand for action cameras reached almost 5 five million units in 2013 - which represented annual growth of 47%. GoPro continues to maintain its position as the dominant market leader, despite a growing number of vendors vying for market share, the report says. Futuresource expects the worldwide action camera market to continue growing out to 2018, by which point the number of units shipped will have reached 9 million per annum.

The Hasselblad CFV-50c is a new 'back to the future' CMOS sensor-based digital back, targeting V System photographers. The new CFV-50c, which will have an €11,000 price tag, is engineered to work on almost every Hasselblad V camera ever made. The sensor inside the Hasselblad CFV-50c digital back measures 43.8x32.9mm, has a resolution of 50 megapixels and a sensitivity range stretching from ISO 100/24° to ISO 6.400/39°, and captures 16-bit/channel raw files at a maximum continuous shooting speed of 1.5fps. The back itself offers simple operation without any external cables, a larger LCD, full-colour Live Video via Phocus software, compatilbility with 90° finders, a new menu system and button layout, and a new programmable button.

The Heart of Devon Tourism Partnership has launched a photography competition to find images this summer that capture the uniqueness of the ‘Heart of Devon’ be it a magical moment, special event or festival, well-known landmark or hidden treasure. The winning image will be used as part of a Rugby World Cup 2015 tourism promotional campaign for the region. The winner will also receive a £100 voucher for photography equipment and a half-day session working alongside Devon based professional photographer Tony Cobley. Running on Twitter @HeartofDevon and Instagram using the hashtag #myhodmoment, the Heart of Devon photo contest is open for entries until Monday 1 September 2014. As always, we suggest that you read the competition terms and conditions before entering your work.

Manfrotto has launched  the new Manfrotto 535 aluminium single-tube leg tripod and related systems. The tripod features four leg sections for maximum compactness and a 75/60mm half bowl for quick levelling. The new 535-aluminum tripod can also be purchased in a bundle with the 500, 502 and 504 Bridging Video Heads. The tripod retails for £269.95 and kits are priced from £437.95. Also available is the MVT535HH single-tube leg Hi-Hat, a simple yet sturdy solution both for ground level shooting, table tripod application and slider support (£203.95).