Bits&Coffee has released PhotoMarks, a watermarking solution for Mac, Windows and iOS. The desktop version can completely customise the appearance of text and logo marks, as well as perform additional edits like resize, rename, auto rotate, or decorate photos with frames. PhotoMarks for iOS can easily apply multiple layers of text and logos on the image with just a few taps, the marks are completely customisable, and the resulting images can be saved with no loss of quality, the company says. PhotoMarks for desktop runs on Mac OS X Mountain Lion, Lion, Snow Leopard as well as Windows 8, 7, Vista, and XP. One license costs $29.95. PhotoMarks for iOS runs on iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch with iOS version 5, and 6. For more information, visit the website below.

Arca-Swiss has launched its new Monoball Z1g+ tripod head. Improving on the well-known Monoball Z1g, the Arca-Swiss Z1g+ boasts a newly engeneered Motion Related Gravity Control (MRGC) mechanism, while being 30% smaller and lighter than its predecessor. Described as "a higly sophisticated device designed to simultanously give a strong hold while allowing smooth and accurate positioning of the camera," the Arca-Swiss Monoball Z1g is priced at $749.

Winners and runners-up from the International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) and RHS Photographer of the Year competitions will be exhibited together for the first time at the RHS's flagship garden Wisley in Surrey. Free with normal garden entry, the exhibit will display the winning images of both competitions as well as the category winners and finalists of: The Beauty of Plants, Beautiful Gardens, Wildlife in the Garden, Bountiful Earth and Wildflower Landscapes from IGPOTY as well as People in the Garden, Abstract and Details, Plant Portrait and Wildlife in the Garden from the RHS Photography Competition. The displayed works will be on show in the Glasshouse Gallery at RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey from 21 June to 11 August 2013, with the exception of 25 & 26 June.

Datacolor has teamed up with onOne Software for a three-month promotional offer. Beginning today and running through September, purchasers of a Datacolor Spyder4ELITE monitor calibration device will receive a free download of onOne Perfect Effects 4 Premium Edition software. For more information and for additional details about the promotion visit the website below.

Canon has posted a service advisory for its EOS 1D C and 1D X cameras. The company says that in some units, there is a possibility that focus hunting and inability to lock focus may may occur due to wear caused by insufficient lubrication within the camera’s driving mechanism. Furthermore, the viewfinder image may also become blurry or unsteady. Potentially affected products include Canon EOS 1D C units whose serial number's sixth digit is "1" and Canon EOS 1D X cameras whose serial number's sixth digit is either “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, “5”, “6” or “7”. Potentially affected cameras will be inspected and repaired free of charge.

After the success of the first Big Photo Show event in Los Angeles this past May, PMA has announced that The Big Photo Show will return to the Los Angeles Convention Center in 2014, on May 17-18. “The purpose of The Big Photo Show is to grow the imaging industry by increasing people’s passion and enthusiasm for photography,” said PMA President Allen Showalter. “We accomplished that goal in a major way with the first Big Photo Show in LA this year. PMA is excited to build on that great momentum with another LA show in May of 2014, with additional Big Photo Show events and locations yet to come.”

InFocus is a new native iPad photography magazine, published by Custom Made Media Australia. Created and written by photographers, for photographers, InFocus offers tips and techniques to improve readers' knowledge and skills as well as interviews with Australia's top shooters, as well as regular reader competitions. Issue 3 is available right now as a free download from the Apple Newsstand.

From now until 15th September Olympus UK are offering a bonus M.ZUIKO 17mm f/2.8 pancake lens with the purchase of any PEN E-PL5 or E-PM2 body or kit from authorised stockists. The offer will be promoted throughout the Olympus dealer network, both in-store and online, with artwork provided by Olympus user and street photographer Adam Thirtle. His shot entitled CCTV (above) "perfectly illustrates the off-the-cuff style achievable with the pancake lens and an eye for a photo opportunity," Olympus says. For more information, visit the website below.

Yorkshire Gallery, Creation Fine Arts, has announced a new competition opportunity for photographers in the Yorkshire and Humber region. "“There is a statistic, often quoted, which states that 25% of all rainwater falling on England is discharged through the mouth of the Humber," says Nigel Walker, owner of Creation Fine Arts. "We don’t know if that’s true but it prompts the question - Where does it come from? This year’s challenge to photographers therefore is show us!" All submissions must be at the gallery by 5pm on Saturday 26th October 2013. Selected photographers will be asked to confirm their willingness and ability to show their pictures in the gallery. For more information, visit the website below.

On Thursday 20th June, renowned landscape photographer Steve Gosling will hold a one-hour lesson devoted to challenging the accepted ‘rules’ of photography. In this free webinar, attendees will learn how to ignore all the “do’s and don’ts” and how to feel less pressured to conform to a set of artistic expectations. The webinar, which is hosted by Manfrotto School of Xcellence, will be illustrated with a wide range of Steve’s landscape images in colour and black and white. To register for this webinar visit the website below.

Westcott`s new line of Pro softboxes are designed for use with hot lights, strobes or LEDs. Features include tent-style vents, double-layer heat shield diffusion fabrics with virtually no colour shift and sprung steel rods. The Pro softboxes come in three sizes, 16"x22" (£120), 24"x32" (£155) and 36"x48" (£200).

JVC has launched an interchangeable-lens 4K camcorder that takes Nikon F mount lenses. The JVC JY-HMQ30 comes with a "1.25-type" 8-megapixel  CMOS sensor, and is capable of shooting 4K Ultra HD videos at 24, 50 or 60 frames per second. Other highlights include quadruple SD card slots with SDXC support, four HDMI terminals and a "Full HD trimming function." Auto focus is not supported. The JVC JY-HMQ30 is available to pre-order for 1,700,000 yen in Japan.

The 2013 RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) Photography Competition is now open for entries. Amateur and professional photographers can submit images in six adult categories including seasons, wildlife and people in the garden as well as two categories specifically for under-18s. Prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each category from an overall prize fund of £5500. The competition is open until 1 November 2013. Entries can be submitted online at the website below.

Phase One and Profoto today announced that photographers can now link their Profoto studio light to the aperture or ISO settings of their DSLR or medium format camera system. While shooting tethered in Capture One Pro, any changes to the aperture on the camera will cause the light intensity of the studio light to automatically compensate an equivalent f-stop. For example, if the photographer switches from f/8 to f/5.6, the light will drop one f-stop, so that the image is not overexposed. The solution lets photographers easily define which groups of lights should be included in the linking. The Profoto Studio plugin download is available at the website below.

Canon has posted a firmware update for its EOS 650D digital SLR camera. Version 1.0.4 incorporates the following fixes:

1. Fixes the following phenomena which may occur when the camera is used in combination with certain lens models equipped with a stepping motor.
2. Affected lenses: EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM / EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM
3. The camera may freeze in rare instances if you try to shoot with a lens cap attached or meter a subject in  low contrast in Live View (or Movie) shooting.
4. Fine focus adjustment may not be possible in Remote Live View on the EOS Utility software.
5. Fixes a phenomenon in which some SD card products are not recognized by the camera.
6. Corrects some misspellings displayed on the menu screen.

Website: Canon EOS 650D Firmware Version 1.0.4

SIgma UK have teamed up with landscape photographer Lea Tippett and are giving away to one lucky winner a shiny new Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM lens and a two-day photo workshop in Dartmoor National Park. To enter this competition simply email your best landscape photo to [email protected] along with up to 80 words telling Sigma how you would benefit from a 2 day landscape photography workshop. Closing date for entries is 31st July 2013. The winner will be notified by email/phone by Friday 16th August 2013.  This competition is open to adult UK residents only. The workshop will take place on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th September 2013 and accommodation and meals on the nights of Friday 27th and Saturday 28th September will be included

Manfrotto Lighting is expanding the Lastolite RayD8 c5600 Continuous Lighting range. The Lastolite RayD8 c5600 range provides an entry-level studio lighting system for product and portrait photography. Featuring a high output compact fluorescent bulb (equivalent to 400W), this continuous light system offers colour corrected light at 5600 °K. Adding to the existing range of RayD8 c5600 products, Lastolite are now offering the product option of a single light head, extension tube, power cable and reflector (bulb not included) for£139.20.

Manfrotto Lighting has launched the new Lastolite Ezybox II Fabric Grids. The Lastolite Ezybox II Fabric Grids allow photographer to control light spill from a softbox, providig a controlled directional pool of light which can be positioned directly onto the subject without having to worry about light spilling on the background. The Fabric Grids are available in various sizes for the Ezybox II Square, Ezybox II Octa and Ezyboz II Switch. Pricing ranges from £44.10 to £130.00.

Digital Film Tools have released version 1.5 of Film Stocks, a film simulation plugin for Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Apple Aperture and Final Cut Pro. "We have been working hard over the last several months to produce a GPU accelerated version of Film Stocks and are finally ready to release it," the company says. "In most cases, you should see dramatic speed increases while rendering." Film Stocks offers users simulations of 288 different colour and black-and-white photographic film stocks, motion picture film stocks, and historical photographic processes. The Film Stocks photo plugin is available now for $95. The Film Stocks video/film plugin sells for $195.