SmugMug is launching a new film series that will provide a unique snapshot of the working lives of some of the world’s best photographers. Click through to view the trailer for the world premiere of the new series and subscribe to the SmugMug Films YouTube channel..

The winners of the Hasselblad Masters 2014 Competition have just been announced. "We're delighted with the number of entries the Hasselblad Masters 2014 competition attracted," says Hasselblad's Global Photographer Relations Manager Paul Waterworth. "The standard was extraordinarily high this time around, and the category winners can be truly proud of their achievement." The winners include Martin Schubert, Antonio Pedrosa, Rafael Rojas, Josheph Goh Meng Huat, Roman Jehanno, Bara Prasilova, Rafal Malesztyk, Hengki Koentjoro, Dmitri Ageev, Bryn Griffiths, Paul Gisbrecht and Chris Straley.

At CES 2014, Singapore-based start-up aKu is showcasing the prototype of a new device called "ladibird" that takes all of the essential optics and electronics of a large-sensor system camera and merges them into a phone casing for the Apple iPhone. The ladibird's image sensor is 7.5x larger than the average smartphone imager and 4x larger than the sensor of a typical compact camera. The ladibird camera is currently in the early stage of development with a prototype for the iPhone 5 - aKu has completed one successful round of Indiegogo funding, and is currently conducting its second round, which will go towards mass production of the camera. Prototypes of the device can be viewed at suite #621, tower 1 - on the 8th floor of the Signature at MGM Grand, Las Vegas.

Manfrotto has announced the KLYP+ photographic solution for the Apple iPhone 5/5S. Billed as the "first all-in-one photographic set for iPhone 5/5S to shoot extraordinary images," the Manfrotto KLYP+ includes a bumper case with a tripod mount, three different add-on conversion lenses and a brand new LED light. The KLYP+ is available now in Manfrotto's online shop.

The second issue of PhotographyBB's CLARITY eMagazine is now available for purchase. CLARITY is billed as the first lifestyle eMagazine for photography enthusiasts at all levels of experience. Volume 2  includes 85 gorgeous page spreads, 7 videos, a 43-minute podcast, and articles from leading photographic educators including: Kevin Kubota, Piet Van den Eynde, Lindsay Ostrom, Sean McCormack, Chris Corradino, Dave Delnea, Bill McCarroll, Peter Dorr, Jay Livens, Lee Sacrey, and Barry J. Brady. Single issues of CLARITY are available for only USD $6.99 each, or a subscription savings bundle for one-year (6 issues, published bi-monthly) for $29.99.

Canon has issued a firmware update for its EOS-1D X digital SLR camera. Version 2.0.3. incorporates the following improvements and fixes:

Tiffen is showcasing three new tripods from its Davis & Sanford brand at CES. These include the rugged, ultra-light and affordable Davis & Sanford Vista Attaras 4M 3-section tripod with a 11-lb capacity ball-head, the Magnum P336 tripod with a Powerball PB36-18 head offering a load capacity of 18 lbs, and the compact Steady Stick 3QR with quick release system. The Attaras 4M and the Steady Stick 3QR will go on sale in March. The Magnum P336 will be available later this month.

Datacolor will be hosting a new free-to-attend webinar in January. "Colour Accurate Retouching made simple - Highlights from the SWPP Convention" with Richard West and Bob Campbell of onOne Software will take place on 29th January, 8-9pm CET. The session will end with a chance for attendees to ask their questions to get tips and tricks on how to optimise their colour managed retouching workflow. You can register for this webinar at the website below.

Polaroid is expanding its line of high-definition action cameras with three new models at CES 2014. The Polaroid XS100i (pictured) builds upon the success of the XS100 model but adds Wi-Fi with iOS and Android apps so consumers can adjust settings remotely, watch video in real-time and share videos instantly. In addition, the Polaroid XS100i camera is shockproof and waterproof up to 30’ or 10m. The XS100i is now shipping and available at retailers for $179.99. The Polaroid C³ camera features a square design, 5-megapixel CMOS sensor and a lens that provides 120° of coverage. It can capture video in 720p and VGA resolutions, is waterproof up to 2m and, features a microphone and LED light. The Polaroid XS1000i model camera boasts a unique patent-pending quick-change mounting system, a 16-megapixel Aptina CMOS sensor and a lens offering 170° of coverage.

Toshiba has announced the development of “Bright Mode”, a CMOS image sensor technology that allows smartphones and tablets to record Full HD video at 240fps. CMOS image sensors incorporating “Bright Mode” can playback high-quality video in slow motion, giving smartphone videographers new creative opportunities. Sample sensors incorporating “Bright Mode” will be available in Q1 2014.

JK Imaging has announced two new Kodak PixPro Smart Lens camera models, enabling users to outfit their existing iOS or Android smartphones with a snap-on camera module. Features on the Kodak PixPro SL10 ($199) include 1080p video, a 28-280mm eq. 10X zoom lens, optical image stabilisation, Wi-Fi and a microSD memory card slot. The SL25 ($299) boasts a 24-600mm eq. 25X zoom lens, wireless connectivity and a memory card slot. The Kodak PixPro Smart Lens devices will be available in spring 2014.

The Kodak Pixpro AZ651 is a new superzoom camera boasting 65x optical zoom, image stabilisation and a 3" vari-angle display. Equipped with a 24-1560mm equivalent lens, the AZ651 is capable of shooting Full HD videos and comes with a proprietary lithium-ion battery. The AZ651 is scheduled to go on sale in spring 2014 at a price of $349.

The Wi-Fi enabled Kodak Pixpro S-1 - whose first mock-up was unveiled almost a year ago - is a Micro Four Thirds camera boasting a sixteen-megapixel CMOS sensor, a 3.0" 920,000-dot articulated LCD, sensor-shift image stabilisation and Full HD video recording capabilities. The Kodak Pixpro S-1 is priced at $499 for the entry-level single lens kit and $599 for a double lens kit. 

Tiffen today announced that its Steadicam Smoothee is now available for the iPhone 5S smartphone as well as the GoPro HERO3/3+, Drift Ghost-S and Drift HD Ghost action cameras. “The Steadicam Smoothee continues to hold onto its title as the most popular handheld camera stabiliser for action cameras and Apple iPod Touch and iPhone products,” comments Steve Tiffen, President and CEO. “As the perfect companion to some of the hottest consumer video capture devices on the market, CES is the ideal venue for showing off Steadicam’s latest Smoothee developments. Plus, with our booth located right next to GoPro, visitors can see first-hand how tremendous the movie making experience is when you combine the Hollywood shooting techniques of Steadicam with the action adventure capture of GoPro HERO.” The Steadicam Smoothee retails for $149.

Tiffen has announced the availability of its new Steadicam CURVE for Go Pro HERO camera stabiliser system. First seen at the NAB 2013 show, Steadicam Curve for GoPro HERO is a stealth camera stabilising system engineered for the rigours of extreme sports and events. Compact enough to fit in your back pocket, the new Steadicam Curve weighs in at 1/2 lb. with an ergonomic design for one-handed, smooth video capture. Steadicam CURVE for GoPro HERO is available today for $99.95.

Tiffen is showcasing at CES 2014 its latest ten-stop neutral density filter labelled Tiffen ND 3.0. Offering an incredible 10-stop exposure absorption, this high-density block allows photographers to add an additional layer of creativity to their work through the use of much slower shutter speeds or a wider aperture than would normally be required without the use of a filter. In this way, the photographer can employ a long exposure time to blur any movement within the scene or use a smaller depth of field for more selective focus through the choice of a wider lens aperture. Tiffen’s ND 3.0 is available in sizes 52mm to 82mm.

Tiffen is showcasing its brand new Domke Next Generation camera bag line at CES 2014. The new range includes the Journalist Series, the Adventurer Series, the Metro Series and Viewfinder Series. Each series offers several purpose-designed models, materials and colours. Shooters can customise their Domke bag using the new PocketFlex storage component system, an ingenious system of pockets, patches and pouches that keep accessories such as lenses safe and secure. The GearProtex system lets photographers organise bags into compartments of any size or shape using bendable, self-adhering separators. The bags are currently on display at the Consumer Electronics Show, booth C9143.

Adorama has recently released its new Flashpoint Budget Studio family of monolights and lighting kits. With options of 120, 160 and 300 watt-seconds, the AC-powered monolights recycle rapidly with little amp draw. The lightweight monolights can be used on household circuits without blowing fuses, and are compatible with Adorama’s new Flashpoint Power Station, making them the ideal on-the-go lighting solution for any photographer, the company says. All Flashpoint Budget Studio lighting kits come with the monolight with watt-seconds of your choice, a 40” white/black umbrella with removable black layer from Glow by Flashpoint, and a 6’ Flashpoint three-section light stand. Both the Flashpoint Budget Studio monolights and Flashpoint Budget Studio lighting kits include free shipping in the US as an added bonus. Flashpoint Budget Studio monolights and lighting kits are now available online at Adorama.com.

The Fujifilm Instax Share SP-1 printer enables easy creation of Instax prints using images sent wirelessly from a smartphone. The unit measures 101.6mm x 42mm x 122.5mm, weighs in at 253 grams, and produces a print in 16 seconds using standard Instax Mini film for its output. Together with the release of the printer, Fujifilm is also unveiling a free Instax app that is compatible with iPhones and Android models. The Instax Share SP-1 will be available in the UK from early March, priced at around £140-£150.