Iconify is a new way for photographers to turn their portfolio into a responsive website and a mobile app. Smart enough to work in any browser, on practically any device, Iconify portfolios can be easily viewed, downloaded and shared. The minimalist yet highly functional design also makes it easy for potential buyers to get in touch with the photographer via e-mail, phone, Facebook, Twitter or personal website. Those signing up for the service before 30th June at the website below will automatically receive 30 days of Pro Membership for free when the service launches.

As part of this year’s London Festival of Architecture (LFA), two creative companies - Space Syntax and Hype! - have teamed up to deliver a novel photo competition with a playful theme. PLOY: Public Life in the Olympic Year invites members of the public to look at the city with fresh eyes and, in doing so, to discover ways in which people are playfully engaging with places - and with each other. Participants are being invited to submit their photos via mobile phones & Instagram to the PLOY website, where they can also rate and judge other entries in a crowd-sourced voting process. The submission period runs from 23rd June to 1st July. Space Syntax and Hype! are planning to celebrate the project in association with the LFA on 5th July at 21 Brownlow Mews. This will include a screening of entries and announcements of winners.

The Summer edition (Issue 4) of tne British Journal of Photography’s bespoke iPad app is out now. Optimised for the Retina display of the latest iPad, it features the work of Thomas Ruff, Peter Fraser, Simon Roberts, Olivia Arthur, Maria Gruzdeva, and Julían Barón among many others. It also profiles four photographers, Owen Silverwood, Josh Cole, Seamus Murphy and Timothy Saccenti, who have made the move from still imagery to the world of music video. Issue 4 of the BJP app is available on the App Store for £6.99/€7.99/$9.99.  A 50-page preview is also available as a free download. A six-month subscription is available at the special price of £9.99/€10.99/$13.99.

CREATE has announced an upcoming exhibition of David Bailey’s East End photographs, taken over 50 years. Taking place from 6th July - 5 August in the Royal Docks, Newham, this retrospective is one of the highlights of the CREATE summer programme which runs from 21st June to the end of August. The photographs that will be displayed, many of them large-scale prints, document the changing physical and social landscape of east London showing streetscapes, characters and scenes of east London life. Bailey’s photographs also provide a visual record of the different groups of immigrants who have settled in this part of the city. The photographer says, “London’s East End is in my DNA and I’m thrilled to be able to return to my roots in Newham. Now the rest of the world will focus on an area I’ve been looking at all my life.”

Rollei has unveiled a 2-in-1 tripod / bag combination called the Rollei Fotopro TT-1. Comprising a compact X4i travel tripod and a waterproof, padded B1 bag, the Rollei Fotopro TT-1 kit is available for €199.95. Weighing in at 1kg including a ball head, the X4i aluminium tripod has a maximum load capacity of 5kg and a total height of 1.44m, folding down to 32mm for storage. The B1 bag, which can accommodate both the tripod itself and a small dSLR camera with two lenses and other accessories, has a scratch- and dustproof inner lining, and can be carried on your back as a rucksack or to one side as a holster.

Hot on the heels of the announcement of the Lomography Orca BW 100 110 film, the Lomographic Society has unveiled a new 110 format film camera, the Lomography Fisheye Baby 110. Available in two versions, the Fisheye Baby 110 Basic (€35) and the Fisheye Baby 110 Metal (€49), the new camera takes circular fisheye shots on 110 format film. The main difference between the two versions is that the Fisheye Baby 110 Metal comes with a PC flash adapter, whereas the Basic version lacks this feature.

Sigma has posted sixteen sample images captured with the new Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM lens. All of these sample photos are available at full resolution, but be aware that - somewhat surprisingly - they were all shot with the lens mounted to a Sigma SD15 rather than the newer and higher-resolution SD1. The photographs represent a range of genres including landscapes, portraiture, macro, wildlife, architecture and sports. You can download the Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM sample images from the website below.

Website: Sigma

The Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM is a new, compact superzoom lens for dSLR cameras with APS-C sized sensors. Compared to the existing 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM, the new lens offers a lighter and more compact design, better close-up capabilities with a maximum magnification ratio of 1:2.9, and incorporates a special Thermally Stable Composite (TSC) material that makes it ideal for use in circumstances where extreme variations in temperature cannot be avoided. The Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM lens is also equipped with Super Multi-Layer Coating to reduce flare and ghosting, a Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) to ensure fast and quiet auto-focusing, an Optical Stabiliser (OS) for better hand-held results and a rounded, seven-blade diaphragm for a pleasant rendering of the out of focus areas. The lens will be available in Sigma, Sony, Nikon, Canon and Pentax mounts, starting with the Canon version coming in July. Pricing and availability for other mounts have yet to be announced.

Wear Your Face is a new book of photographic portraits of men of varying ages, origin and character brought together in tribute to modern men. The heavy-weight book captures masculinity in the 21st century, showcasing over 200 portraits of men including famous faces such as George Clooney, Robert de Niro, Mickey Rourke, Jose Mourinho, Ryan Gosling and Mick Jagger by 45 iconic international contributors including Rankin, Michel Comte, Lars David Neill, Erwin Wurm, Martin Schoeller and Art Streiber. Rankin, who took part in the project, says: “To me the meaning of Wear your face is best captured by the look in an eye. Whether we are aware of it or not, eyes are what we naturally focus on when we look at faces – they are the real storytellers.” The book is priced at €39.90, with proceeds going to the United Nations Children’s Fund.

Gary Fong has announced the launch of its new Gamma Diffuser. Designed specifically for the Sony HVL-F43AM and HVL-F58AM flashes, both of which feature Sony’s Quick Shift Bounce system, the Gary Fong Gamma Diffuser softens the harsh light emitted by the flash for more pleasing results. Carrying a list price of $32.95, the Gamma Diffuser is currently available from the Gary Fong eStore for $29.95. Click through / scroll down for a video demonstration released by the manufacturer.

Research and Markets have published a new report entitled “Global Digital Camera Market 2011-2015”. Prepared by the analysts of TechNavio, the report forecasts that the global digicam market will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10 percent over the period 2011-2015. “One of the key factors contributing to this market growth is the increasing demand for digital cameras in emerging markets,” the company says. “However, the increasing smartphone penetration could pose a challenge to the growth of this market.” The report is available for purchase through the website below.

Schneider Kreuznach has announced its intention to enter the lucrative market of Compact System Camera lenses. “We are placing a strong focus on the innovative market for mirrorless system cameras with their interchangeable lenses and have appropriate developments in the pipeline,” said Schneider Group’s managing director Dr. Josef Staub. “Schneider Kreuznach will launch the first lens of an all-new range of mirrorless system cameras this fall.” According to Photoscala the first lens in the line-up, called the Schneider Kreuznach Super Angulon 2,0/14mm, will be available with a Micro Four Thirds mount for “less than 1500 euros.” Unusually for a Schneider Kreuznach lens, the Super Angulon 14mm f/2 will offer auto focus capabilities as well as diaphragm control via the camera body.

The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR is a new DX-format lens with an ultra-high 16.7x zoom ratio and a 27-450mm equivalent focal range. Complementing the versatile focal range is Nikon’s second-generation Vibration Reduction system, which is claimed to allow “substantially sharper handheld images across the zoom range.” The optical formula comprises 19 elements in 14 groups, including 3 aspherical and 3 ED lens elements. Offering a 45cm close-focus point at the 300mm setting, the Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR provides a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:3.2. An iris diaphragm with 9 rounded blades allows for a smooth rendering of the out-of-focus areas. Weighing in at 830 grams, the new Nikon 18-300mm lens comes with a CL-1120 soft pouch and a petal-shaped HB-58 hood. With availability slated for the end of June, the DX Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR is expected to retail at around £850/$1000.

Nikon has announced a new FX-format zoom lens with a 24-85mm focal range, compact build and Vibration Reduction. Weighing in at 465 grams, the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR features an inner focusing mechanism, with autofocus controlled by a Silent Wave Motor (SWM). The optical formula comprises 16 elements in 11 groups, including 1 ED and 3 aspherical lens elements. The minimum focus distance is 38cm from the focal plane at all focal lengths. Also featuring an iris diaphragm with 7 rounded blades for a pleasing bokeh, the AF-S Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR takes 72mm filters and comes with an HB-63 lens hood and a CL-1118 soft pouch as standard. Available from the end of this month, the new Nikon 24-85mm VR lens can be yours for £519.99/$599.95.

Nikon today announced that total production of Nikkor lenses for interchangeable lens cameras has reached seventy million. As the 60 millionth Nikkor was manufactured in April 2011, this means that Nikon produced no less than 10 million interchangeable lenses in a matter if just 14 months. Additionally, the company has reached another milestone by producing the 30 millionth lens equipped with a Silent Wave Motor (SWM).

The eighth issue of Adore Noir Magazine is now available for purchase. Now in its second year, Adore Noir is a fine art photography magazine available exclusively in digital format. Featuring beautifully haunting portraits of children by Deborah Parkin, city- and landscapes by Bill Schwab, captivating modern-day ambrotypes by Jody Ake, mystical portraits by Mukti Echwantono, world-class photojournalism by Olof Jarlbro an illustrated interview with Troy Colby, an in-depth look into the world of Helen K. Garber and a round-table discussion on the topic of influence versus inspiration; this issue reinforces the magazine’s commitment to high-quality black-and-white imagery. The latest issue of Adore Noir is available for $2.95 from the website below.

Website: Adore Noir

JP Distribution has announced the UK availability of the PermaAIR aerosol, which has been designed primarily to help maintain and keep inkjet printers dust free. “Fine art printers in particular will find this product extremely useful in removing loose fibres by air blowing directly over the surface of the material prior to use as there is a tendency to leave fibres within the printer or on the rollers - with PermaAIR the problem goes away,” the company says. Suitable for all desktop and wide-format printers, PermaAIR retails at £7.95.,

A copy of one of the largest books of photographs ever published was sold at Bonhams Book, Maps, Manuscripts and Historical Photographs sale. The book is made up of 20 photographic views of Egypt, Sinai and Jerusalem by Francis Frith each print measuring an enormous 30 inches x 21 (77cms x 55). The photographer and photo historian Helmut Gernsheim wrote. “This is the largest book with the biggest, un-enlarged prints ever published”. Originally estimated at £50,000-70,000, the giant book was sold at over £330,000.