A new and revised edition of The New Art of Photographing Nature by Art Wolfe and Martha Hill is going on sale on 4th April.  Against a backdrop of more than 250 photographs of nature, wildlife, and landscapes, they share insights and advice about what works and what doesn’t, and how small changes can take an image from ordinary to extraordinary. Throughout, all-new tips from digital imaging expert Tim Grey show readers how to make the most of digital technology, whether by choosing the right colour space, understanding sensor size, or removing distracting elements in post-processing. The 224-page paperback is priced at $29.99.

Nikon has posted a firmware update for the Nikon 1 V1 compact system camera. Version 1.21 addresses the following issue: Immediately after the camera was turned on after attaching a lens, shooting display in the camera monitor or electronic viewfinder (view through the lens) sometimes appeared to move. You can download the firmware upgrade from the website below.

Website: Nikon 1 V1 Firmware Update 1.21

The new Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.5 Aspherical VM is the improved edition of a classic M-mount rangefinder camera lens. Described as an “inexpensive” alternative to the faster Nokton 50mm f/1.1 VM, the improved Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.5 Aspherical is constructed of 6 elements in 5 groups and comes equipped with a 10-bladed iris diaphragm. The closest focusing distance is 70cm, a 20cm improvement over the lens’ predecessor. Available in black and silver, the new Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.5 Aspherical VM lens takes small 49mm filters. The exact launch date and pricing have yet to be confirmed.

Cosina Voigtländer have announced an ultra-fast manual-focus portrait lens for Micro Four Thirds (MFT). Equivalent to a 85mm f/1.9 lens (in terms of angle of view and depth of field), the Voigtländer Nokton 42mm f/0.95 comprises eleven elements in eight groups and comes with a stepless 10-blade diaphragm. The lens takes standard 58mm filters and focuses down to 23cm. Availability is slated for Summer 2013, with pricing to be communicated.

Sports Illustrated photographer David Bergman and Josh Lehrer have created a zoomable 3.8-gigapixel photograph during Super Bowl XLVII. Madeup of 220 photos captured in a matter of 38 minutes, the composite image boasts a resolution of 101,800 x 37,419 pixels. To view the Super Bowl Gigapan, head for the Sports Illustrated website.

Website: Sports Illustrated

The new Sirui P-324X and P-424X photo/video monopods have three fold-down support feet for combining the stability of a tripod with the convenience of a monopod. When not needed, the support feet fold flush and lock in place against the monopod leg, allowing it to be used as a conventional monopod. The large, slip-free rubber foot lets you work on any surface, the company says. The Sirui P-324X monopod ($274.95) weighs 2.6lbs and offers a load capacity of 22lbs. The Sirui P-424X ($299.95) weighs a bit more - 2.9lbs - but holds up to 33lbs. Sirui products are distributed in the USexclusively by Argraph, and are available from photo retailers nationwide.

Sigma has posted forty-two full-resolution sample photos taken with the Sigma DP3 Merrill large-sensor compact camera. Evidently aimed at demonstrating resolution, accutance and colour, all of these official Sigma DP3 Merrill samples were taken at low sensitivity settings (ISO 100/21° and ISO 200/24°). You can download the sample images from the website below.

Website: Sigma DP3 Merrill Sample Images

Sony has posted firmware updates for the Sony NEX-F3, NEX-5R, NEX-5N, NEX-6 and NEX-7 (pictured) compact system cameras and a couple of E-mount lenses. Fast Hybrid AF lens support for Sony’s NEX-5R/6 cameras has expanded to include six new lenses. The NEX-5N firmware upgrade also expands its Exposure Bracketing range and updates its raw format version. The upgrades for the NEX-F3/5N/7 cameras add auto compensation for use with the 16-50mm power zoom lens. New E-mount lens firmware for the E 30mm f/3.5 Macro and the E 50mm f/1.8 OSS lenses enable Fast Hybrid AF with the Sony NEX-5R and Sony NEX-6 cameras. You can download these firmware updates - along with those released for the Sony A37, A57, A65 and A99 - through the website below.

Website: Official Sony Blog

The new Strobo Starter Kits from Lastolite are designed to introduce photographers to the Lastolite Strobo system of light modifying products. These starter kits are stripped-down versions of the original Strobo Ezybox Hotshoe and Strobo Direct to Flash bundles. In addition to these kits, the company has now made the components which make up the Strobo system available to purchase individually, allowing the photographer to customise their own kits and modify their own existing equipment for use with Strobo. Click through / scroll down for the recommended retail prices.

VinylPlus has announced that a new photo contest has been launched on its Sustainable Thinking Platform. Running until 30 April 2013, the competition is open to young adults around the world, aged 18-30. All entries must address the question, “Smart, sustainable and inclusive growth for Europe and beyond. How do we make it happen?” Each participant may submit up to 3 pictures. The winner will be awarded with an Apple iPad mini tablet. You can enter the contest through the website below.

Website: Sustainable Thinking

British photographer David Bailey will be returning to his birthplace to exhibit intimate photographs of the East End at Walthamstow’s William Morris Gallery (pictured). East End Faces will run from 23 February to 26 May 2013 and complements Bailey’s recent East End exhibition that ran as part of the Create Festival in August last year. East End Faces will include previously unseen pictures from the 1960s, featuring streetscapes, characters and scenes of east London life. Visitors can also listen to David Bailey in conversation with Sandy Nairne, Director of the National Portrait Gallery, on Wednesday 13 March at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £12, with booking essential as places are limited (entry to the exhibition itself is free). The recently refurbished William Morris Gallery is located in Forest Road, London, E17 4PP.

LockCircle has announced the new Prime Circle XT-F prime lens series in Nikon fit. Built around the world-class optics of the Carl Zeiss ZF.2 lenses, the Prime Circle XT-F lineup spans focal lengths ranging from 15mm to 135mm. Prime Circle XT-F lenses are custom mounted ZF.2 lenses offering “in-house” assembling by professional and passionate technicians. Each Prime Circle XT-F lens boasts an ultra-lightweight Ergo-Focus gear for follow-focus, a Front Mount 95mm standard ring-mount for matte-boxes and cine-style accessories plus an aluminium cap with clear graphics displaying the lens’s focal length and maximum aperture. The X-Circle F-Mount stainless steel heavy-duty bayonet features “Side Index View” for focus and aperture scales on the side for comfortable focus-puller work. The lenses can be ordered now, with worldwide delivery within 3 to 4 weeks.

Intro 2020 has been appointed the sole UK importer and distributor of Samyang lenses. The Korean optics company currently manufactures a range of 25 lenses covering focal lengths from a 7.5mm fisheye to a 650-1300mm super zoom telephoto lens. Their newest product was announced just before Photokina 2012: the Samyang T-S 24mm 1:3.5 ED AS UMC is a wide-angle, full-frame lens fitted with perspective control and tilt-shift functions, making it an ideal tool for architecture and landscape photography with high-resolution full-frame digital SLR cameras. Like all other Samyang lenses, the Samyang T-S 24mm f/3.5 ED AS UMC is covered by a 3 year guarantee.

Sony has issued firmware updates for its range of “SLT” - Single Lens Translucent - cameras, including the SLT-A37, A57, A65 and A99. The updates add automatic distortion compensation for a number of lenses. Version 1.01 for the SLT-A99 additionally incorporates support for a range of Dual AF function compliant lenses. You can download the firmware updates from the website below (after specifying your camera model and operating system).

Website: Sony Support

Canon has issued a firmware update for the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR camera. Version 1.2.1 incorporates the following bug fixes and improvements:

1. The function to disable the Image size selection button has been added.
2. Fixes a phenomenon in which Err 70 and Err 80 may occur during certain shooting conditions.

Website: Canon U.S.A.

The 4th annual Photocrati Fund competition is now open for entries. The Photocrati Fund offers a $5,000 grant to one photographer each year to undertake an environmental or humanitarian photography project. At the completion of the project, the grant winner’s images will be displayed as a photo essay on Photocrati.com. Applications for the 2013 Photocrati Fund competition will be accepted through 30th April (11:59pm Mountain Time). To apply, submit a one-page project statement (including a rough budget) and biography, along with a link to an online portfolio of 20-30 themed images to: [email protected].  For complete Photocrati Fund rules and guidelines, visit the website below.