A 320-gigapixel image of London taken from the top of the BT Tower has set a new record for the world’s largest panoramic photo. The picture, which is made up of 48,640 individual images, shows a full 360 degree view of London in incredible detail. To capture the source frames, 4 Canon EOS 7D cameras with EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM lenses and Extender EF 2x III teleconverters were mounted on Clauss company Rodeon VR Head ST robotic panorama heads and positioned in four secure locations around the 29th floor platform. The raw images were then processed over a multi-week period using Fujitsu Technology Solutions’ Celsius R920 workstation with 256GB of RAM and 16 cores at 3.1GHz, and Autopano Giga panorama stitching software from Kolor. The project was commissioned and financed by the BT Group, and completed by 360Cities.

Sigma has just introduced Version 5.5 of Sigma Photo Pro software. The update incorporates a new monochrome mode processing interface that features several new functions, including a channel-mixing palette, which allows users to control the level of red, green and blue within an image for better tonal separation and contrast. A new grain palette feature allows users to add or reduce the size and strength of grain within an image, producing a texture and dimension similar to that found in film photography. To download the latest Sigma PhotoPro software, visit the website below.

Earlier today, Nikon announced the Nikon D7100 digital SLR camera, a successor to the hugely popular Nikon D7000. The new model inherits the D7000’s viewfinder, shutter assebly, 2016-pixel RGB metering sensor, dual SD memory card slots, weatherproof body, EN-EL15 battery and core functionality; and adds a new 24-megapixel sensor with no low-pass filter, an Advanced Multi-CAM 3500DX auto focus module with 51 focus points, a new LCD screen and a number of new features including a “1.3x crop mode.” Note that as the Nikon D7100 is a DX camera with a “crop factor” of 1.5, the “1.3x” mode is in fact a 2x crop mode relative to 35mm full frame, essentially turning the Nikon D7100 into a 15-megapixel FourThirds camera while retaining the 3:2 aspect ratio and allowing for a slightly faster continuous shooting speed.

Canon have provided a rare opportunity to see into the minds of their product design team by providing early hand-drawn sketches for the innovative PowerShot N compact camera.

Four people from Canon’s Japanese team were responsible for the PowerShot N’s design. Miyabi Orihashi, Product Designer, Design Center, Canon Inc, and designer of the PowerShot N commented: “The PowerShot N is not only for consumers who want to record memories but also for those who are eager to capture beautiful, artistic photos for other people to enjoy. I hope people who don’t have a deep knowledge of camera functions and settings will find they are able to take a range of interesting and expressive images using this camera.”

Nikon has posted half a dozen full-resolution sample photos taken with the new Nikon D7100 dSLR camera. Shot with the AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/4G ED VR and AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/4G ED VR lenses in 12-bit and 14-bit raw formats, all of the Nikon D7100 samples can be downloaded as JPEGs. Note that these sample images were all shot at low sensitivity settings (ISO 100/21°and ISO 200/24°).

Website: Official Nikon D7100 Sample Photos

Want to see exactly what the new Nikon D7100 DSLR camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Nikon D7100 DSLR camera, including a side-by-side comparison with the previous D7000 model.

The Nikon D7100 is a new 24.1 megapixel APS-C DSLR camera. Key features of the D7100 include a 24.1-megapixel DX format CMOS sensor with no optical low-pass filter, EXPEED 3 image processor, ISO sensitivity of 100-6400, extendable to 25600, 51 focus points of which 15 are cross-type, 6fps continuous shooting, 1.3x crop function, 3.2 inch 1229k-dot LCD monitor, and 1080p movies up to 60i/50i and 30p/25p/24p.

The Nikon D7100 (Body only) will cost £1099.99 / €1329.00 / $1199.95, and the D7100 and 18-105mm lens kit retails for £1299.99 / €1579.00 / $1599.95 . Sales start in the UK on 21st March 2013.

The Nikon Coolpix S3500 is a new 20 megapixel compact camera with a 7x wide-angle zoom lens, 2.7 inch LCD screen, lens-shift vibration reduction, 720p video recording, and in-camera filter effects. Successor to Europe’s best-selling compact camera of 2012, the S3300, the new Nikon S3500 comes in eight colours: purple, silver, black, red, orange, pink, pink with lineart, and blue with lineart and retails for £129.99 / €155.00, available from 22nd February 2013. In the US it will be available in Silver, Red, Purple, Orange and Decorative Pink for a suggested retail price of $139.95 in March 2013.

Bowens has announced the spring launch of two new easy-to-use Limelite Mosaic lighting products – Tungsten and Bicolour LED panels. The rugged new panels are set to be showcased alongside a new HD Field Monitor, a range of DSLR camera rigs and a new Studiolite DMX fluorescent lighting range at four upcoming UK and international shows, including BVE (Broadcast Video Expo) at London’s Excel Convention Centre and Focus at the NEC, Birmingham.

PNY Technologies will showcase its latest products using Flash technology on its stand at the upcoming ‘Focus on Imaging’ trade show. Among these products is the Pro-Elite Plus High-Speed Class 10 Series. These cards boast read speeds of 95 MB/s, write speeds of 90 MB/s and are designed for the most demanding photographers. Ideal for sports and action photography, the cards’ speed and flexibility takes full advantage of a camera’s burst mode. Certified Class 10 and UHS-1 (Ultra High Speed), they are also ideal for full-HD video. PNY’s Flash expertise will also be on display through the company’s internal and external SSDs. The XLR8 Pro SSD offers functionality and capacities designed for amateurs and enthusiasts that rely on intensive applications, such as photo and video editing software, and work with high-resolution and full HD images and video.

An Austrian research team has developed an entirely new way of capturing images based on a flat, flexible, transparent, and potentially disposable polymer sheet. The new imager, which resembles a flexible plastic film, uses fluorescent particles to capture incoming light and channel a portion of it to an array of sensors framing the sheet. “To our knowledge, we are the first to present an image sensor that is fully transparent – no integrated microstructures, such as circuits – and is flexible and scalable at the same time,” says Oliver Bimber of the Johannes Kepler University Linz in Austria, “Our system works in the same way [as a computer tomograph], but where CT uses X-rays, our technique uses visible light.” The researchers are now considering attaching their new imager in front of a regular, high-resolution CCD sensor. This would allow recording of two images at the same time at two different exposures. Combining both would yield a high-resolution image with less overexposed or underexposed regions if capturing a high-contrast range.

In April, the Lee Miller Archives will be revealing over three thousand photographs of Elizabeth “Lee” Miller, internationally renowned war photographer, Vogue cover model and surrealist artist. Converted from the original negatives or vintage prints into digital format over half of the uploaded images will be available to view for the first time ever. Previously there have only been approximately just under 800 Lee Miller photographs in circulation in addition to her lifetime published work. These consisted of 150 images officially shown on the Lee Miller website, alongside other images published in books and exhibition catalogues about Miller or contributed to biographies and other publications that relate to the themes she photographed throughout her life. The public launch of the new online picture library on 23rd April will coincide with Miller’s 106th birthday.

London Camera Exchange (LCE) has announced the opening of a new store in Manchester.  Having acquired the large centrally located premises, previously part of the Jacobs chain of camera stores, the new LCE store will be opening on 26th February. The new address is: London Camera Exchange, 16 Cross Street, Manchester, M2 7AE.

Topaz Labs have just released Topaz B&W Effects 2, a major upgrade to their popular black-and-white image enhancement plug-in. Specifically designed to help photographers master the art of black and white photography, B&W Effects 2 offers adaptive exposure for HDR effects, a five-in-one edge-aware selective brush, an advanced grain engine, quad toning and over 200 presets for quick 1-click workflows. Topaz B&W Effects 2 is a plug-in that works with Topaz photoFXlab, Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Aperture, iPhoto, Lightroom and PaintShop Pro. It is compatible with Windows XP or later (32-bit and 64-bit) and Intel-based Macs running OS X 10.6 or later (64-bit only). The plug-in retails for $59.99. Version 2 is a free upgrade for all current users of Topaz B&W Effects

Fotodiox has released the Aputure V-Control for Canon DSLR cameras, a handheld USB host device offering comprehensive image and follow-focus control. “Perfect for dramatic rack focus shots, and for correcting focus when the camera is out of reach on a dolly or a crane, V-Control is the only device of its kind that enables photographers to easily switch between still and video modes, offering full hands-on remote control of the camera’s aperture, shutter speed, ISO and exposure compensation,” the company claims. Currently supported camera models include the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV, 5D Mark III, 5D Mark II, 7D, 60D, 600D/T3i/Kiss X5, 550D/T2i/Kiss X4, 500D/T1i/Kiss X3 and the 1100D/T3/Kiss X50. The V-Controller is priced at $179.95 and is available for order now at fotodioxpro.com and other online retailers including Amazon.

Hasselblad has launched a new trade-in offer for photographers interested in purchasing a high-end professional film scanner. Between now and 31st May, you can get €4500 off the price of a Hasselblad Flextight X5 scanner and €3000 off a Hasselblad Flextight X1 when you trade in your old scanner, regardless of make or model. These two models represent the pinnacle of CCD scanners, offering extremely high resolution and dMax as well as fast scanning speeds and multi-format scanning. “A vertical optical system allows the CCD to face downwards creating a glass-free optical path between the original and the lens,” the company says. “The patented virtual drum solution produces optimal focusing across the whole of the original and the flexible holder guarantees easy mounting combined with a safe and cautious handling of your originals.”

Calumet has reserved space for two stands at the 2013 Focus on Imaging trade show, and has spent months planning for the four-day event. Dozens of trained staff will showcase latest imaging products on Stands N1 and M10 and for the first time ever the company is also running all day seminar programmes throughout the show. Sian Hamer, Calumet marketing executive said: “M10 will be our product stand packed with all the latest state-of-the-art merchandise and offers from leading brands like Nikon, Canon, Fujifilm and Lowepro. We will also have product experts from top brands like Sony, Drobo and Hahnel on hand too. N1 will be our stand for demonstrations from companies such as Certon, Datacolor, Cambo and Epson.”

The recently launched Plustek OpticFilm 120 multi-format film scanner will be on display at the Focus on Imaging trade show held in Birmingham from 3rd - 6th March. Capable of scanning both 35mm and 120 format negatives and slides, the Plustek OpticFilm 120 boasts a custom-designed 8-element glass lens and a high-resolution CCD sensor; and comes complete with adjustable-pitch film holders that feature unique sliding inter-frame dividers to ensure optimal film flatness. The scanner’s hardware resolution - based on the specification of its stepper motor and the number of pixels on its CCD - is 10,600dpi, with the optical resolution (which also takes into account the resolving power of the optical system) specified at 5,300dpi. Other highlights include automated IT8 calibration and a motorised film transport for batch scanning.

Want to see exactly what the new Sony A58 DSLR camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Sony A58 DSLR camera, including a side-by-side comparison with the previous A57 model.