Plustek USA has announced end-of-year deals on a number of its scanners. Of photographic interest are the instant rebates on the Plustek OpticFilm 8100 (pictured), OpticFilm 8200i SE and OpticFilm 8200i Ai 35mm film scanners, which range from $60 to $90 depending on model. Expiring on 30th November, these deals are available online and from authorised Plustek value-added resellers across the United States.

A Day at Home is a new photographic series by Charlotte Colbert. With playful nods to Bourgeois’ “femme-maison”, the visuals of ruins and fairy tales, Colbert questions the daily insanity of being human, more specifically within the context of the home. Shot on location, in a derelict house in Bethnal Green, the ruins become a character in themselves, the murky mindscape from which one cannot escape. The series will be on display at Gazelli Art House, a commercial art organisation dedicated to providing a new setting for the creation of contemporary art, from 29th November – 12th December 2013. Gazelli Art House is located at 39 Dover St, London.

On 20th November, Phase One and Tether Tools will co-host a special free webinar on the specifics about how Capture One Pro and Tether Tools make tethered shooting easier and more reliable. The webinar is complemented by a limited-time offer on the Pro Tether Tools Kit with Capture One Pro 7. Until 24th November, the kit is available for $586.55, a saving of more than $100. To register for the event visit the website below.

Registration is now open for this year's International Nature Photography Contest, organised by Oasis. There are ten categories for adults, including Landspaces, Mammals, Birds, Other Animals, Storyboard, Underwater, People, Plants, Pets, and Lights, shapes and techniques. The Boys category is divided into two sections; Baby (for children up to 14 years) and Junior (for kids aged 14 to 18 years). The deadline for submissions is 25 December 2013.

PNY Technologies have introduced its new SDHC/XC High Performance memory cards. Available in four different capacities ranging from 16GB to 128GB, these Class 10 UHS-I cards offer speeds of up to 80MB/s. Prices start at £17.99.

Triggertrap's Redsnap accessory, a modular camera trigger for high-speed, camera-trap and time-lapse photography, has exceeded its funding goal of $50,000 on Kickstarter by nearly 6 times. Billed as "one of the fastest, easiest to use, and most affordable high-speed flash- and camera triggers money can't yet buy," Triggertrap Redsnap uses interchangeable sensor modules that you can snap on when you need them, and tuck away in your camera bag when you don't. It has three outputs, so you can hook up three cameras, three flashes, or a combination of both. It also has a special connector allowing it to talk to the Triggertrap Mobile App for iOS and Android. With over £288,000 pledged, Triggertrap Redsnap has exceeded all of its stretch goals, and will go into production in the first half of 2014.

Tucson, Arizona based photographer Spencer Boerup has launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund a new, magnetic system of mounting flash modifiers that works with almost any strobe. "For photographers, attaching a flash modifier is a chore," Boerup says. "Either you need a special mount designed just your flash, or you have to use velcro, elastic, or a whole slew of other materials just to get your modifiers to stay in place." Magmod promises to change it all. Each Magmod modifier attaches to your speedlight by magnetising to the MagGrip, an elastic,one-size-fits-all band that stretches around the flash head. The system is modular - in addition to the MagGrip, it currently includes the MagGrid honeycomb grid and the MagGel Kit, which comprises a gel slot and various colour temperature modifying gels. You can add as many modifiers as you want, simply stacking one on top of the other. Interested readers are encouraged to visit the project's Kickstarter page.

Optrix has announced two new products dubbed CycleX and PhotoX. The CycleX is billed as the first and only iPhone bike mount to offer portrait and landscape views while mounting in line with the bars to lower wind resistance and increase visibility. The PhotoX is a brand new, entry-level iPhone photography system featuring two all-glass lenses, bringing affordable pricing to the existing line of rugged, waterproof cases from Optrix. For more information visit the website below.

Olympus UK are offering a £100 Accessory Cashback voucher to anyone purchasing an E-M1 body or kit from authorised dealers. The offer is valid on any Olympus accessory worth over £199.99, and runs until 15 January 2014. For details visit the website below.

The 2014 Grant for Outstanding Personal Photography Project is open for submissions from photographers self-publishing on fotovisura.com. The grant aims to support personal photography projects and encourage the production and development of photography outside of the commercial realm, Members can submit a public or private album. The winner of the FotoVisura Grant will receive $2,000. The recipient of the Spotlight Student Grant will be awarded $1,000. The deadline for entries is 10 January 2014.

Momentage is a new social media platform where users can integrate photos, videos and SoundImages "to showcase a more artistic expression of reality." To craft a moment, users can select and edit photos and videos, or shoot photos and record up to 20 seconds of video. Once photos and videos are selected to be in a 'moment,' users can rearrange them by dragging and dropping each piece of media into a different area of the layout. Moments can be made public for general viewing by anyone on the app, or shared privately with just one person or a select group of followers. Momentage is currently available for iPhone and can be downloaded from the App Store.

In an open letter addressed to the Lomography community, Dennis Olbrich, president of Personalised Imaging at Kodak Alaris) has stated that Kodak will ‘continue to offer the full portfolio of photographic films and papers. "Whether you prefer shooting on the award-winning KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA films or an all time classic like the KODAK PROFESSIONAL TRI-X or you look 
forward to print your images on the unmatched KODAK PROFESSIONAL ENDURA Metallic paper – Kodak Alaris will continue to offer all you need," Olbrich says. The Lomographic Society responded: "As partners in the mission to keep a great selection of film available for analogue photographers, we at Lomography are thrilled by this news."

Delkin's Fat Gecko Kaboom promises to provide its users with hundreds of new and unique ways to record video from perspectives that were "never before possible." This carbon-fibre action camera mount utilises interchangeable sections that snap together to make up five different mounts in one. The Fat Gecko Kaboom kit includes a Self-Portrait hand held extension, a High Angle Boom, a Vehicle Mount (which requires two separately sold Fat Gecko suction cup mounts), a Tripod Extender, and a Helmet Boom. "The most impressive of the five set ups has to be the Helmet Boom," says Marketing Manager, Anna Lopez. "A regular helmet mount captures either whatever the user sees from a POV perspective, or a close-up shot of the user's face with minimal room left for anything else. Because the Kaboom puts the camera twenty or so inches off of the user's helmet, you're able to capture the entire body, the user's surroundings, and any obstacles or equipment that is involved in the activity." The complete kit is available at retailers worldwide for $129.99.

Casio Japan has announced the Exilim EX-10, a raw-capable compact camera with a 1/1.7-type 12-megapixel sensor, 28-112mm (eq.) f/1.8-2.5 lens, an articulated screenm a dual-variable bracketing mode, built-in Wi-Fi and a magnesium alloy chassis. The dual-variable bracketing function allows the camera to shoot nine bracketed shots in rapid succession, varying two exposure variables. The Casio EX-10 will be launched on 29th November, at a price of approximately 80,000 yen.

Source: Casio Japan