Exposure 5 is now available to purchase. Developed by Alien Skin Software, Exposure 5 enables digital photographers to achieve accurate film simulation, using a wide range of creative effects. “With Exposure 5, a photographer’s vision is the only element separating an ordinary image from an extraordinary one. Creative control and increased productivity were essential design objectives,” said Terence Tay, designer of the new Exposure 5 software. “It’s now much easier and faster for photographers of all levels to find the right look for their photographs.” Exposure 5 is now available for $199.

Nikon has posted firmware updates for all Nikon 1 system cameras plus the GP-N100 GPS unit and the FT1 lens adapter. The camera firmware updates add full support for the Nikon 1 Nikkor 32mm f/1.2 lens, new features for the Playback mode, support for continuous auto focus when an AF-S lens is attached to the camera via the FT1 adapter (when the adapter's firmware is updated to version 1.10). Also, the precision of time synchronization when the GPS Unit GP-N100 is attached to the camera and the Use GPS to set clock option is set to Yes has been increased. Note that the GP-N100's own firmware also needs to be updated to version 1.02. Click through / read on for the details.

Sigma has released firmware updates for the Sigma DP1 Merrill,DP2 Merrill and DP3 Merrill large-sensor digital compact cameras. In addition to fixing bugs, these updates incorporate a number of enhancements and improvements. Click through / scroll down for the complete list.

Epson today launched a series of videos celebrating the black-and-white print. Looking back to the traditional Black-and-White darkroom for inspiration, the new tutorials offer unique insight into the latest digital black-and-white printing workflows for both novice and more experienced photographers. These movie clips are now available on Epson's website.

Olympus has issued firmware updates fora range of cameras that adds support for the new, high-resolution VF-4 electronic viewfinder. Affected models include the Olympus XZ-2, OM-D E-M5, E-P2, E-P3, E-PL1, E-PL2, E-PL3, E-PL5, E-PM1 and E-PM2. If you own one of these cameras, you can update its firmware using the free Digital Camera Updater utility.

Sigma has announced pricing and availability details for its 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art lens. Billed as the first zoom lens ever to achieve a maximum aperture of f1.8 throughout the zoom range, the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM is designed for digital SLR cameras with APS-C size sensors, and offers a focal range equivalent to 27-52.5mm in the 35mm format. The lens will arrive in the United States early July for the street price of $799. The UK RRP will be £799.99 including VAT. This new lens will be available in Canon and Sigma mount in early July with Nikon mount following towards the end of July. Availability for Sony and Pentax mount is to be announced at a later date.

Independent iOS developer Jeffrey Sun has released version 1.6 of his Modern Photo Editor app. "The key differentiating feature of Modern is that it allows users to save their edited photo at three resolution options: 1 Mpx, 3 Mpx, or 8 Mpx (full)," Jeff says. "In addition, every edit is recorded in a history log, and selecting a previous edit will revert the image to that point in time. Undo/Redo buttons facilitate this as well. As a safety measure, the history log is saved to the device's hard drive so that the app can recover in case of a crash." Modern Photo Editor 1.6 is 

The Konstruktor is a new, do-it-yourself film camera from Lomography. Priced at £29, the Lomography Konstruktor takes about 1-2 hours to build. "This innovative, self-crafted SLR camera will reward you with impressively sharp and typically Lomographic shots on regular 35mm film," the company claims. The Konstruktor takes interchangeable optics, and the kit includes a 50mm f/10 lens.

Wilkinson Cameras are opening a brand new flagship store in Liverpool. Taking on the premises of the failed high street retailer, Jessops, the new shop is located at 51 Lord Street, in the heart of the city centre. "The new Wilkinson Cameras store in Liverpool is a great step for us – for a long time we’ve looked at having a presence in the city – and the demise of Jessops has only increased the importance of having an experienced photo retailer in town to support the photographic community," said Wilkinson's managing director David Parkinson (pictured). This latest store opening will mean Wilkinson Cameras takes its number of shops to 10 in the North West – making it the largest independent photo retailer in the region.

Akvis has released a new frame pack for its ArtSuite, with 55 hand-painted designs. "These admirable designs will take you into the world of magic," the company says. The so-called Akvis Fantasy Pack is available for $15. The program itself sells for $69.

LPA Design has announced a major update to its ControlTL formware for the PocketWizard MiniTT1, FlexTT5, PowerMC2 and PowerST4 devices and minor updates for the Plus III and MultiMAX radios. The new ControlTL firmware, available as a free download using the Pocket Wizard Utility, provides compatibility with several new Canon and Nikon cameras, greatly improves the performance of PocketWizard’s exclusive HyperSync feature and resolves bugs in previous versions. The new firmware for the Plus III resolves some minor bugs.  The MultiMAX firmware, which has been available for a while in beta, adds two new features. Do note that PocketWizard Utility version 1.54 or newer is required before installing these updates.

The Samyang 300mm f/6.3 ED UMC CS is a small-size, manual focus, reflex lens for compact system cameras. The optical structure features 9 elements arranged in 6 groups, including one ED-type lens ensuring high contrast and effectively preventing chromatic aberration. Available from July for Sony E, Fujifilm X, MFT and Canon M mounts, the Samyang 300mm f/6.3 ED UMC CS has a suggested retail price of £289.99. In addition, the company has re-announced the Samyang 16mm f/2 ED AS UMC CS lens, which will be offered for £419.99 (or £459.99 for the Nikon version).

The Westcott Rapid Box is a new range of portable Speedlite Softboxes with adjustable flash bracket and carry case. Constructed from solid aluminium to minimise weight, yet retain durability, each Rapid Box opens and closes like an umbrella, with no need for support rods or adapter rings. The line-up includes two octagonal softboxes, a stripbox and a deflector plate, with prices ranging from £23 to £180.

Epson America has added a new "Small-in-One" device to its Expression line. This compact, sub-$100 Small-in-One allows mobile printing over Wi-Fi and uses instant-dry DURABrite Ultra pigment inks for smudge, fade and water resistant output. In addition to printing, the device also supports one-touch copying and scanning at up to 2400ppi. The Epson Expression Home XP-410 Small-in-One will be available later this month, priced at $99.99.

Want to see exactly what the new Pentax K50 / K500 DSLR camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our extensive hands-on gallery of photos of the Pentax K50 / K500 DSLR camera.

The Pentax K50 is an entry-level, weather-proof DSLR with an ISO range of 100-51,200, viewfinder with 100% field of view, 6fps burst shooting, 1/6000th second shutter speed and AA battery compatibility. The Pentax K500 is exactly the same, but without the weather-sealing. The K50 is positioned above the existing K30 model, which will continue production, and the K500 slots below it in the expanded range of 5 Pentax DSLRs.

Want to see exactly what the new Pentax Q7 compact system camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our extensive hands-on gallery of photos of the Pentax Q7 compact camera.

The Pentax Q7 is one of the world's smallest & lightest digital interchangeable-lens cameras. The Q7 has a larger 1/1.7 image sensor than the existing Q10 model, 1/2000th shutter speed, improved in-camera Shake Reduction, and faster operating response.

The Pentax Q7 is a small, 12-megapixel compact system camera with a new 1/1.7"-type back-illuminated CMOS sensor, improved low-light auto focus and an upgraded Shake Reduction mechanism. Compared to the existing Pentax Q and Pentax Q10 models, the new Pentax Q7 offers a larger sensor promising "the finest image quality in the Q series." Because of its larger sensor, the angle of view of any given lens is wider on the Pentax Q7 than on its sister models - for example, the Pentax-02 Standard Zoom Lens now covers a 35mm equivalent focal range of 23-69mm instead of 28-83mm as on the Pentax Q or Q10. Other highlights include Full HD movie recording, DR II dust removal system, in-camera HDR exposure blending, digital level function, Eye-Fi card compatibility, a multi-exposure mode and a 3-inch, 460,000-dot rear screen with an aspect ratio of 3:2.  A colour-to-order service allows customers to choose from 120 camera colour combinations (including three standard models). The Pentax Q7 will be available from August for $499.95. UK pricing tis still to be confirmed.

The Pentax-07 Mount Shield Lens is a 11.5mm f:9 body cap lens for the Pentax Q system. This product is the fourth model in the Unique-Lens series and features an angle of view equivalent to 53.0mm in 35mm terms when mounted on the new Pentax Q7 body (or 63.5mm on the older Pentax Q or Q10 models). Measuring a mere 6.9mm in length, the lens is thin and compact, allowing users to take it anywhere. The Pentax-07 Mount Shield Lens will be available from September for $79.95. UK pricing has yet to be confirmed.