The new Compact Zoom CZ.2 28-80/T2.9 is the second Compact Zoom CZ.2 lens from Carl Zeiss, complementing the Compact Zoom CZ.2 70-200/T2.9 presented in April. Thanks to the five different mounts (PL, EF, F, MFT and E), this new zoom lens can be easily adapted to numerous camera systems both now and in the future, for use on HDSLR cameras, HD video cameras and professional cine cameras. “Thanks to the interchangeable mount and the 36x24mm image-circle illumination, the new Com- pact Zoom CZ.2 28-80/T2.9 is highly versatile and a future proof investment,” says Michael Schieh- len, Director of Sales of the Camera Lens Division of Carl Zeiss AG. The recommended retail price is €14,900+VAT or US$19,900. Availability is slated for Q2 2013.

Want to see exactly what the new Samsung Galaxy Camera digital camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Samsung Galaxy Camera digital camera.

The Samsung Galaxy Camera is a sixteen-megapixel superzoom camera with a 4.8” high-definition capacitive touchscreen, 21x optical zoom, optical image stabilisation, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system with Wi-Fi and 3G/4G connectivity. The 4.1-86.1mm f/2.8-5.9 lens offers an angle-of-view range equivalent to that of an imaginary 23-483mm lens on a 35mm camera body. In addition to taking 16-megapixel stills, the Samsung Galaxy Camera can also record Full HD movies as well as slow-motion video at up to 120 frames per second. The remote viewfinder feature allows you to see what the camera sees on the display of your smartphone and take a picture from a distance - useful for shooting timid wildlife, for instance. The Samsung Galaxy Camera even offers voice control - you can command the camera to zoom in, zoom out and take a shot without touching it.

Want to see exactly what the new Sony NEX-5R digital camera looks like in the flesh?

The NEX-5R launches in October and replaces the NEX-5N, which is now discontinued. The NEX-5 series accounts for around 70% of NEX sales in the UK, so a lot is expected of the new 5R with Christmas just around the corner.

The Sony NEX-5R is a new compact system camera with Fast Hybrid AF, Wi-Fi and PlayMemories Camera Apps. The NEX-5R offers 16.1 effective megapixels, DSLR-like AF tracking for shooting at up to 10fps, built-in Wi-Fi with PlayMemories Camera Apps, and a 180° tiltable LCD touchscreen. The Sony NEX-5R compact system camera is available in the UK from mid-October 2012 in silver, black or white for around £670 with the 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS kit lens. In the US, the camera body will be available for around $650, and the NEX-5R+18-55mm lens kit will retail for ~$750.

PlayMemories Camera Apps is the world’s first application download service for cameras. It initially lets you install extra functions on demand to boost the capabilities of the new NEX-5R compact system camera, also announced today. New PlayMemories Camera Apps will be initially available in the UK from October 2012.

Sony have officially announced their HD sports video camera, the Action Cam HDR-AS10. Weighing in at approximately three ounces (with battery), the new Action Cam will ship with a rechargeable battery, adhesive mounts, and a ruggedised waterproof case featuring a universal tripod mount built to handle extreme environments. Within the case, the camera is waterproof down to 197 feet and has a shock resistance rating for up to five foot drops plus dirt and dust resistant seals that help make it impervious to mud, snow, rain, and grime. Sony will add a Wi-Fi® enabled version of the HD video action camcorder (HDR-AS15, pictured) to its new lineup as well. The HDR-AS10 and the HDR-AS15 will be available in September for about $199.99 and $269.99 respectively. In Europe, the HDR-AS-15 will hit the shelves in mid-October.

Canon has expanded its Cinema EOS line-up with two new cameras, the Canon EOS C100 Digital Video Camera and the Canon EOS C500 4K Digital Cinema Camera. As promised back in April, the Canon EOS C500 (pictured) is Canon’s high-end professional 4K (4096x2160-pixel) cinema camera capable of originating uncompressed raw output for external recording to meet the demands of premium cinematic productions and other top-quality production markets. The C100 digital video camera is a compact, “entry-level” model delivering Full HD video using the AVCHD codec. The C500 will be available in both EF- and PL-mount versions; while the C100 will be offered in EF mount only. The Canon EOS C500 and C500 PL 4K Digital Cinema Cameras are scheduled to be available in October for an estimated list price of $30,000. The Canon EOS C100 Digital Video Camera is scheduled to be available in November 2012 for an estimated list price of $7,999.

Canon today announced the development of two new cinema prime lenses, the EF 14mm T3.1 (pictured) and the EF 135mm T2.2. “Both the 14mm T3.1 and 135mm T2.2 cinema prime lenses will be engineered for exceptional optical performance for Canon’s latest large-format single-sensor 4K and 2K digital cinematography cameras,” the company said in a statement. “As part of the Cinema EOS System, the lenses will be compatible with standard sensor sizes including Super 35mm, the standard format in the motion picture industry, as well as HD-compatible EOS Digital SLR cameras using 35mm full frame, APS-H and APS-C image sensors.” The 14mm T3.1 and 135mm T2.2 EF cinema prime lenses are expected to be available in the first half of 2013, and will be showcased from 6-11 September 2012 at IBC2012 in Amsterdam.

Coinciding with the launch of the EOS C100 and C500 cameras, Canon has announced the addition of two new zoom lenses to its Cinema EOS system. Available in both EF- and PL-mount versions, the CN-E15.5-47mm T2.8 L S/SP wide-angle cinema zoom lens (pictured) and the CN-E30-105mm T2.8 L S/SP telephoto cinema zoom lens are engineered to deliver exceptional optical performance for the latest large-format single-sensor 4K and 2K digital cinematography cameras. The Canon CN-E15.5-47mm T2.8 L S/SP wide-angle cinema zoom lens is expected to be available in November 2012 and the CN-E30-105mm T2.8 L S/SP telephoto cinema zoom lens is expected to be available in January 2013, both for an estimated list price of $24,500 each.

Adobe has updated Revel, a set of photo viewing, browsing and editing applications and cloud-based storage service formerly known as Adobe Carousel, to version 1.5. “We’ve added many great improvements to Revel with this latest update, but the one we are most excited about is the addition of Albums,” Adobe said in a blog post. “You can now organize all the photos in your library by creating albums for family vacations, photos of the kids, or even random photos you take everyday.  And just like everything else in Revel, albums are synced automatically everywhere you have the Revel app.”

Canon has posted a firmware update for the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR camera. According to the company, Version 1.0.6 incorporates the following fixes:

1. Fixes a phenomenon in which the AF Microadjustment cannot be correctly carried out.
2. Fixes a phenomenon such that when using the camera with combinations of certain lens*1) and extender*2), the images captured become back-focused.

*1) EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM or EF200mm f/2L IS USM

When used with
*2) Extender EF 1.4x III or Extender EF 2x III

Website: Canon EOS-1D X Firmware Update 1.0.6 for Windows
Website: Canon EOS-1D X Firmware Update 1.0.6 for Mac

Datacolor has just announced a number of additional dates to their series of free monthly webinars on colour calibration. The next scheduled webinar in the series, taking place on 12th September from 3:00 PM to 4:15 PM EDT, addresses colour management for fine art reproduction. Other webinars will highlight such topics as calibration for display devices including iPhones and iPads, using Spyder technology for colour management, and holiday gift ideas from Datacolor. Click through / scroll down for a detailed list of webinar dates and times.

Extraordinary Everyday Photography by Brenda Tharp and Jed Manwaring is a new title from Amphoto Books. Encouraging amateur photographers to slow down, open their eyes, and respond to what they see to create compelling images; the authors teach readers how to use composition, available light, colour, and point of view to create stunning photographs in any environment. The 160-page paperback is available for $25.99 through the Random House website.

Verbatim today introduced a range of SDHC and SDXC Cards with UHS-I specificationand bus interface speeds up to 104MB/s. Conforming to standards set by the SD Association, the UHS-I SDHC and SDXC Cards from Verbatim offer read speeds of up to 600x (90MB/sec) and write speeds of 166x (25MB/sec). Verbatim’s UHS-I SDHC Cards are available to buy now and cost £24.99 for a 16GB card and £39.99 for a 32GB, while the UHS-I SDXC Card (pictured) will be released in 64GB capacity later this year.

Gary Fong has announced two new products; the Lightsphere Collapsible Snoot and the Colored Dome Kit. The Lightsphere Collapsible Snoot ($49.95 on its own or $59.95 with a PowerGrid) gives photographers maximum efficiency and directional control over strobe lighting when mounted off-camera, allowing one to create cutting edge, “fashion style” special effects, while the Coloured Dome Kit (pictured)includes a Red, Blue and Green Dome for creating special effects as well as a Gray Dome for white balancing. Compatible with the renowned Lightsphere Universal and Lightsphere Collapsible, the Coloured Dome Kit is available for $24.95.

Rollei has expanded its Powerflex series with three new digital cameras offering 5x, 8x and 36x optical zoom. The range-topping Rollei Powerflex 360 (€369.99, pictured) has a 22.5-810mm equivalent lens, 18-megapixel Sony 1/2.3” sensor and 3.0-inch TFT LCD screen. The Rollei Powerflex 550 Full HD (€129.99) comes with a 14-megapixel CMOS imager, 5x optical zoom and a 2.7” display, while the Powerflex 700 (€149.99) is equipped with a 12-megapixel sensor, 3-inch screen and 1 gigabyte of internal memory. All three cameras can shoot Full HD video at 30fps, with some models offering 60-, 120- and even 240-frame-per-second shooting at reduced resolutions.

The Rollei Bullet HD Pro camcorder is now available in Motorbike, Outdoor and Ski editions. The bullet-shaped Full HD action camcorder has a waterproof aluminium housing, a 170-degree fisheye lens and the capability to take stills at an (interpolated) resolution of 20 megapixels. The new Motorbike, Outdoor and Ski editions will be available from September at a recommended retail price of €229.99 each.