Want to see exactly what the new Fujifilm X-A1 compact system camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our extensive hands-on gallery of photos of the Fujifilm X-A1, which includes all three colours (red, black and blue).

The Fujifilm X-A1 is an entry-level compact system camera with a 16-megapixel APS-C imager. Key features include a start-up time of 0.5 seconds, a shutter lag of 50 milliseconds, a continuous shooting speed of 5.6fps for a maximum of 30 frames, a control layout facilitating one-handed operation, dual command dials, a tiltable screen with a resolution of 920,000 dots, a built-in flash with a guide number of 7 (in metres at iSO 200/24°), Full HD video recording capabilities, Wi-Fi image transfer and a hotshoe for external flash units. The Fujifilm X-A1 will be available from October in a variety of colours, bundled with the XC16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS zoom lens, at a kit price of £529.99/$599.95. You can also buy the lens separately for £399.99. The Fujinon XC50-230mm f/4.5-6.7 OIS telephoto lens will also be available from October, priced at £429.99/$399.95.

Phase One today released Capture One 7.1.4, a software update that includes support for new cameras and new lens profiles. This edition adds support for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R and DSC-RX100 II, Fujifilm X-M1, Olympus E-P5 (pictured) and Ricoh GR, plus tethered shooting support for the Nikon D7100 and Nikon D5200 digital SLR cameras. Capture One 7.1.4 is a free update for all existing customers of Capture One 7.

Panasonic has issued a firmware update for its Lumix GX7 compact system camera. Version 1.1, which improves operational stability, can be downloaded from the website below.

Website: Panasonic DMC-GX7 Firmware Update 1.1

The management of Ilford Imaging Switzerland GmbH announced that it has identified a path forward for the company that ran into financial difficulties at the end of June. The Management Team, namely Paul Willems, Chief Executive Officer and Jean-Marc Metrailler, Chief Financial Officer, have acquired the Ilford Imaging and Ilford Property companies. A significant part of the land owned by Ilford Property is being sold and the proceeds will be invested into the ILFORD Imaging business. This investment will provide the Management with the necessary funding to execute the strategic business plan. In addition JetGraph, a distribution partner in the Japanese and Chinese markets, will enter into the share capital of the company in partnership with the Management Team.

Do note that Ilford Imaging, which develops and manufactures consumables for inkjet printing and other coated products, is not to be confused with Ilford Photo, a UK-based company that produces black-and-white photographic film, papers and chemicals.

Portfolio Three is a new publication from the Royal Photographic Society (RPS), showcasing the best of photography and imaging science associated with The Society over the past three years. Feature articles describe the 1826 Niépce plates in The Society’s Collection, photographic science and a celebration of The Society’s 160th anniversary; plus spotlights on areas of The Society’s activities including its special interest groups, regions and chapters. The book also contains interviews and photography from renowned photographers honoured by The Society: Jason Bell, Joe Cornish, Ken Lennox, Bob Martin, Rinko Kawauchi, Joel Meyerowitz and Albert Watson. The 240-page volume is available from the RPS at the website below, priced at £45 + postage.

The Manfrotto School of Xcellence has announced two UK local hero free webinar photo tutorials. The first one, Beyond the rule of thirds: themes and trends in landscape photography, will feature wildlife photographer Mark Bauer who will examine some of the common themes in the design of landscape photography, including the most important technical consideration, composition. This webinar will take place from 4pm on 19th September. The second session, Coastal landscapes – Light and Motion, will see professional landscape photographer Ross Hoddinott present his work and explore how motion and light play an important role in the success of seascapes, including exposure and filtration. This event will take place from 4pm on 24th October. Click through / read on to find out how you can register for these webinars.

PearlMountain has released CollageIt Free 2.0 for iOS, which offers brand new layout templates, text and photo effects, integration with Facebook, and more. Designed to help users create and personalise photo collages, CollageIt Free is billed as "the ideal app to make the photos shine as never before." The app is available now on iTunes.

Casio has posted firmware updates for the Casio EX-TR10, EX-TR15, EX-TR300 and EX-TR350. According to the company, Version 1.0.1 "improves microSD card reading." You can download the firmware updates from the websites below.

Website: Casio EX-TR10 Firmware Update 1.0.1
Website: Casio EX-TR15 Firmware Update 1.0.1
Website: Casio EX-TR300 Firmware Update 1.0.1
Website: Casio EX-TR350 Firmware Update 1.0.1

Tomorrow, Ricoh will begin accepting preorders for its Theta camera, which captures fully spherical scenes in a single shot. The device, designed for consumers, was announced at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin, Germany. Available to preorder via the website below, the Ricoh Theta will be sold for a tax-inclusive price of £329 in the UK.

Website: Theta360

We don't usually publish edited sample images here at Photography Blog, but as it's Friday 13th, we thought we'd share 13 of our best photos taken at the recent launch of the Olympus OM-D E-M1.

Want to literally see inside the new Olympus OM-D E-M1 camera? Now you can, thanks to this exploded view of every single component that goes into making the E-M1.

Claimed to be Olympus' most reliable camera ever, the E-M1 has a rigid magnesium body with 60 gasket rings, as well as being dustproof, splashproof and freezeproof, and is guaranteed to work perfectly in temperatures as low as -10°C.

To demonstrate its ruggedness, Olympus demonstrated the E-M1 positioned in a lake with fast-moving horses running past, splashing water over the camera. We're told that it survived the test! An optional underwater case will also be available should you require waterproofness down to 45 meters.

One of the big selling points of the new OM-D E-M1 camera, at least according to Olympus, is its size in comparison with an equivalent DSLR. To illustrate this point, Olympus literally weighed the E-M1 and the Nikon D7100 on the same set of scales, together with three lenses each. The D7100 with the 24-70mm, 10-24mm and the 105mm lenses weighed in at 2765g, whilst the E-M1 and the 12-40mm, 9-18mm and the 75mm lenses came in at a mere 1348g, half the weight of its Nikon rival.

Food for thought if you're thinking of building a camera system, especially for street and travel photographers - but would the size difference be enough to tempt you to choose the OM-D E-M1 (or compact system cameras in general) with their smaller sensors, instead of a DSLR?

Lenovo has launched a new campaign aimed at inspiring the next-generation of entrepreneurial talent. Lenovo is also running a competition to win one of four all expenses paid trips to an inspirational location, plus £1,500 spending allowance and a brand new Intel-powered Lenovo Yoga 11S.

X-Rite has unveiled its schedule of free September webinars. The first session, entitled Portrait Retouching for the Artistically Challenged, will commence at 1pm EDT on 18th September. The second one, Colour Management: The Easy Way Out, starts on 25th September, again at 1pm EDT; while the third online seminar, Processing Ice and Snow Images, is scheduled for 25th September, 7pm EDT. Click through / read on for the details.

Registration is now open for six free Luminance seminars at Photoville NYC, organised by PhotoShelter. Taking place on the afternoons of September 26 & 27 in Photoville's pop-up photo destination in Brooklyn, the events feature a remarkable line-up of speakers including Deborah Dragon, Julie Grahame, Ben Lowy, Stephen Mayes, and Peter Yang.On Friday, September 27th at 5:30pm PhotoShelter is also hosting a Peer Review Happy Hour, offering some unbiased feedback on your and your peers' portfolios. You can register for the event at the website below.

Canon Europe is once again supporting the British Fashion Council at the September 2013 London Fashion Week and Vodafone London Fashion Weekend.The dedicated team of Canon Professional Services (CPS) technicians at the CPS centre at Somerset House will provide accredited professional photographers with advice, essential maintenance services, equipment loans and help with minor repairs. As part of its initiative to support fashion designers, Canon has been working with Henry Holland to bring unique imagery to his House of Holland show and print his actual catwalk stage using an Océ Arizona flatbed printer.  Canon will also collaborate with Ashish to create an instant Look Book about his eccentric and unique collection mixing Western and Eastern cultures, using Canon’s printing facilities.

Nokia and world-class National Geographic photographer Stephen Alvarez have partnered with Talenthouse to invite photographers to submit an image inspired by the spirit of travel, nature and adventure. Five lucky winners will be able to join Stephen on a mentoring road trip through Puerto Rico in January 2014. The round of submissions is open until 10 October 2013. Forty finalists will be provided with a Nokia Lumia 1020 ‘trial’ device in which to submit their final works. The overall winners will be selected to take the trip with Stephen, a Nokia Lumia 1020 and exclusive exposure across NationalGeographic.com/nokia website.