Weighing in at just one pound, the 9.8-inch Apple iPad Air is the lightest full-size iPad to date. It's also 20% thinner than the fourth-generation iPad, and comes with the same Apple A7 chip as the iPhone 5S and iOS 7 as standard. Otherwise it's very much the same as the previous model, with a 264ppi screen and a 5-megapixel camera on board. Pricing for the Wi-Fi only model starts at $499 for the 16GB variant. The Wi-Fi + cellular model has SRPs starting at $629 (again for the 16GB version). Both the Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + cellular configurations will be available in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB capacities as well, starting 1 November 2013.

Apple today announced the iPad mini with Retina display, which offers a 7.9" backlit IPS panel with 2048x1536 pixels for a resolution of 326ppi. The built-in "iSight" camera module has a 5-megapixel sensor and a five-element lens with an aperture of f/2.4. In addition to capturing 5-megapixel stills, the iPad mini with Retina display can also record Full HD videos. Unsurprisingly, the device comes with iOS 7 on board. Pricing for the Wi-Fi only model starts at $399 for the 16GB variant, with the 128GB version costing $699. The Wi-Fi+cellular models will cost from $529 to $829, depending on capacity.

Collins, in partnership with the Royal Observatory Greenwich, has published Astronomy Photographer of the Year, Collection 2. As the official publication for the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition 2013, this hardback photography book features all the winning and shortlisted images from the 2013 Astronomy Photographer of the Year, a guide to the competition, as well as the winning photographs from the first four years. The book is available for £25.

Giotto’s has unveiled four new special-edition Christmas kits including aluminium and carbon-fibre models. The four kits include the Giotto’s GT9223-5011N Aluminium Kit (£89), the Giotto’s GT8223-5011N Carbon Fibre Kit (£119), the Giotto’s YTL9254-5011N Aluminium Kit (£129) and the Giotto’s YTL8254-5011N Carbon Fibre Kit (£199). The GT kits will be available from independent retailers nationwide, while the YTL Kits will be sold through Jessops, Wex & Park Cameras. All kits will be available from 1st November.

Canon has announced plans to issue a major service upgrade for the Canon EOS-1D C 4K cinema camera. This update will enable Canon EF-mount Cinema lenses to store lens metadata in the video recorded by the camera. Furthermore, Canon EF-mount Cinema lenses will be supported by Peripheral Illumination and Chromatic Aberration Correction functions. Additionally - in response to user requests -, audio on the EOS-1D C camera will also be enhanced. Currently audio recording is limited to a MIC input, but the forthcoming service update will permit selection of LINE or MIC input, allowing use of a wider variety of external audio sources. The update for the Canon EOS-1D C digital SLR cinema camera is scheduled to be available November 2013. Do note that this service upgrade that requires the camera to be sent to an authorised Canon Factory Service Center.

Canon is planning to release a firmware update for its EOS-1D X digital SLR camera. The upgrade promises to deliver enhanced low-light performance through improved AF tracking. In addition the minimum shutter speed limit for ISO Auto will increase to reach 1/8000, and there will be a possibility to keep the exposure constant when zooming or changing lenses by altering the ISO or shutter speed manually. The firmware update, which is scheduled for a January release, will also bring flexibility for controls, including switching between one-shot AF and Al Servo AF.

According to a tweet by Nokia's Juha Alakarhu, the company is adding raw DNG support to the Nokia Lumia 1020 (read review) and Lumia 1520 camera phones. The Nokia Lumia 1020 (pictured) is a 41-megapixel smartphone with a fairly big, 1/1.5-type sensor and a 26mm (eq.) f/2.2 lens, while the new Lumia 1520 has a 20-megapixel camera module with a considerably smaller - although in camera phone terms, still sizeable - 1/2.5-type imager and a 26mm (eq.) f/2.4 lens.

In addition to the Lumia 2520 tablet, Nokia has launched two new 6" 'phablets' called the 1520 and Lumia 1320. The Nokia Lumia 1520's 20-megapixel camera carries the 'PureView' branding, although its 1/2.5-type sensor is considerably smaller than the 1/1.2-type imager of the PureView 808 or the 1/1.5-type sensor of the Lumia 1020. Other highlights include a Zeiss-branded 26mm (eq.) f/2.4 lens, dual LED flash with three selectable modes of operation, and a Full HD display with a resolution of 368ppi. The Nokia Lumia 1320 also comes with a 6" panel but features a lower resolution (1280x720 pixels, 245ppi), and a 5-megapixel camera with a tiny 1/4-type imaging chip. The Nokia Lumia 1520 will be available  for $745, whereas the Lumia 1320 can be had for $339 before taxes and subsidies.

Nokia has unveiled its first Windows tablet, the Nokia Lumia 2520. Offering a vivid 10.1-inch Full HD display with a resolution of 218ppi, which is designed to provide great outdoor and indoor readability, the Nokia Lumia 2520 sports a 6.7-megapixel onboard camera with a 1/3.4-type sensor and a Zeiss branded 26mm (eq.) f/1.9 lens. The tablet runs on Windows RT 8.1, and features both 4G LTE and Wi-Fi as well as USB 3.0 connectivity. Additionally, the Lumia 2520 includes Nokia Storyteller, a Nokia developed application that introduces a new way to curate and relive images and videos as a story on a map, as well as Nokia Video Director. The Nokia Lumia 2520 will be available in red and white in a glossy finish as well as cyan and black in a matte finish, and is expected to start shipping in Q4 2013 with an estimated price of $499 before subsidies. The separately sold Nokia Power Keyboard will be available alongside the Lumia 2520 for $149.

BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, has agreed a global five-year partnership with Getty Images. Under the agreement, Getty Images will represent BBC Motion Gallery, BBC Worldwide’s prestigious video clip sales business. “Our footage sales business is very successful, with over 100,000 clips available online and innumerable hours of content available through the BBC’s vast and rich catalogue. We now have an opportunity to grow BBC Motion Gallery even further by partnering with a truly international player,” said Marcus Arthur, Managing Director, BBC Worldwide UK & ANZ. “The deal with Getty Images allows us to tap into their wealth of experience and global footprint in this sector.”

Ricoh have unveiled a limited edition GR camera featuring new-colour body and exclusive accessories. The Ricoh GR Limited Edition will be available from mid-November 2013 for £699.99 in the UK and $899.95 in the US, with a limited quantity of 5,000 units worldwide.

The sixth annual International Loupe Awards are open for entries. Photographers entering the Loupe Awards select a competition stream – either Open or Amateur – depending on their photographic experience. Those entering the Open Award are eligible for cash prizes across categories, as well as a major award of approximately $15,000. Amateur Award entrants are offered prizes in photographic gear and equipment, courtesy of Kayell Australia. Regular entres for the International Loupe Awards 2013 will close on 31st October (late entries on 15th November). Category judging will take place from 8th to 27th November, with final judging between 2nd and 6th December. Winner announcements will commence from 9th December 2013.

Harlem Street Portraits by veteran New York street photographer Harvey Stein is a new title from Schiffer Publishing. This is the sixth monograph by Mr. Stein, and follows his critically acclaimed book on another iconic New York place, Coney Island 40 Years (Schiffer Publishing, 2011). This new volume presents a collection of black and white portraits of the people of Harlem taken over a period of twenty-three years. The photographs are accompanied by essays by African American activist, writer, and teacher, Herb Boyd, and writer and third generation New Yorker, Miss Rosen. The 192-page hardback is available for $45.

Anna Fox – Resort 1 is a new title from Schilt Publishing. or two years British photographer Anna Fox documented holiday culture at the iconic Butlin’s resort in the seaside town of Bognor Regis, West-Sussex. Butlin’s is a British institution and an established cultural phenomenon, with a very particular character, history and identity. Shot using large-format, Fox's deeply saturated colour photographs provide a fascinating update to a holiday icon most often associated with the golden era of British seaside culture, in contrast to the popular themed adult weekends now on offer and which will be the subject of Resort 2, the second book by Anna Fox planned to be published in 2014. The 104-page volume will be available for £45 | $60 | €50 from 31st October.

Analogue is the new exhibition from celebrated music photographer Tom Sheehan, opening 7th November at Lomography Gallery Store East. The exhibition is a collection of hand-printed images from his archive, including portraits of Tom Waits, Morrissey, Mick Jagger, John Lydon, Arthur Lee, Bruce Springsteen, Robert Smith, Thom Yorke , Echo & The Bunnymen, Coldplay and many more. “I love to shoot on film, it's a medium that people remain interested in,” says Sheehan. “The fact that it's printed by hand has a universal appeal to all creative people.” Lomography Gallery Store East is located at 117 Commercial Street, Old Spitalfields Market, London, E1 6BG.

Exhibtr, the social network for photographers, artists and writers, has partnered with Olympus UK to host a competition for students. The theme of the contest is “People & Portraits.” Students entering the competition have the opportunity to win an Olympus OM-D E-M5 kit including the camera body and an M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-50mm 1:3.5-6.3 lens. Two runners-up will be awarded the "soon to be announced latest high-end compact from Olympus," which sounds intriguing. To enter, simply sign up to exhibtr.com. Once logged in you may upload as many entries as you like. However, remember to ensure all entries you would like to be judged are tagged with the phrase “olycomp.” The competition is open from now until February 2014, to all UK students aged 16 or older.

The Photographer’s Guide to the Sony DSC-RX100 II: Getting the Most from Sony’s Pocketable Digital Camera is a new title from White Knight Press. This guide book explains all operations, features, menus, and controls of the Sony DSC-RX100 II camera, providing information about how to accomplish things with the camera as well as when and why to use certain features. More than 400 photographs illustrate the camera’s controls and menus and include examples of the photographs that can be taken using the RX100 II’s many options. In addition, the book goes beyond the realm of everyday photography with introductions to topics such as infrared photography, street photography, astrophotography, digiscoping, and macro photography. The book is available as a 455-page paperback for $25.95, and as an e-book priced at $9.99.