The Canon EOS 5D Mark III is a 35mm full-frame digital SLR camera with a 22-megapixel sensor, 61-point auto focus system, enhanced weather sealing and Full HD video with manual control. The EOS 5D Mark III’s movie mode has been refined to offer an enhanced range of high bit-rate video compression options, with intraframe (ALL-I) and interframe (IPB) methods both supported. Variable frame rates range from 24fps to 60fps, and the incorporation of SMPTE timecode support provides greater editing flexibility and easier integration into multi-camera shoots. The addition of a movie mode switch, recording button and headphone socket offers greater usability. Other highlights include a native sensitivity range of ISO 100-25,600 (expandable to ISO 102,400), a 63-zone metering system, stills shooting at up to 6fps, a new Creative Photo button, dual CF and SD memory card slots, a silent shooting mode and a continuous silent mode. The Canon EOS 5D Mark III will be available from end of March 2012, priced at £2999.99 / €3569.99 / $3499.95.

Designed for use with the new Canon EOS 5D Mark III digital SLR camera,.the BG-E11 battery grip doubles the battery life with two additional LP-E6 batteries, with the added flexibility of using AA batteries as an emergency back-up. Duplicate AF start, Focus point and AE-lock controls in addition to a second Multi Controller and Control Dial make shooting in portrait orientation more comfortable and intuitive. Made of durable magnesium alloy, the Canon BG-E11 offers the same high standard of weatherproofing as the EOS 5D Mark III.

The Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT is a weatherproof TTL flash unit with integrated radio-frequency triggering. Using one master 600EX-RT or the new ST-E3-RT radio-frequency wireless Speedlite transmitter, up to 15 600EX-RT flash units - positioned up to 30m away - can be remotely triggered. Importantly, the Speedlite 600EX-RT also retains support for standard infra-red wireless flash control. The zooming flash head covers a similar angle-of-view range as a 20-200mm lens, and the 600EX-RT boasts a guide number of 60 (in metres at ISO 100/21°) at the 200mm setting. The Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT ships with a bounce card, a diffuser that allows the flash to be used with ultra-wideangle lenses down to 14mm, a new colour filter adapter and two colour gels. Powered by four AA/LR6 batteries, the Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT features a bounce-and-swivel head and a range of custom flash coverage options.

The Canon Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT is a weatherproof radio-frequency flash trigger for reliable off-camera flash control. With the ST-E3-RT, photographers can control compatible Canon Speedlite flashguns -  such as the new 600EX-RT - over distances up to 30m, even without direct line of sight. Additionally, the transmitter can also be used for camera triggering - any EOS camera fitted with a Canon ST-E3-RT can be triggered from a second unit or from a compatible Speedlite flashgun. Part of the E-TTL II flash system, the Canon Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT features an easy to read back-lit LCD control screen and is powered by two AA/LR6 batteries.

The Canon WFT-ET7 is a new wireless file transmitter for a wide range of EOS models. For those who need to transfer their images quickly and easily, for example, photojournalists or sports photographers, the new Canon WFT-E7 provides enhanced versatility through high-speed Wi-Fi and support for wired connectivity over Gigabit Ethernet. Additionally, the WFT Server function of the WFT-E7 allows the camera settings to be accessed and controlled through a web page on any internet-enabled device, such as smartphones, tablets or laptops. Camera settings can also be changed remotely via EOS Utility, allowing photographers to control and trigger the camera over a wired or wireless LAN connection.

The new Canon GP-E2 hot-shoe mounted GPS unit is compatible with the Canon EOS-1D X, EOS 7D (via cable only)  and new EOS 5D Mark III digital SLR cameras. Capable of tagging photos with longitude, latitude and altitude data as well as the direction in which the shot was taken, the Canon GP-E2 also features a GPS logger function that allows photographers to track their route by downloading GPS data at regular intervals, whether the unit is attached to the camera body or stored in its case. For improved accuracy and precision when recording the time of image capture, photographers can also synchronise the clocks of their cameras with the global atomic clock via UTC information downloaded from the satellite. The Canon GP-E2 is powered by a single AA battery.

The 13th issue of the online Landscape Photography Magazine is out now. This edition offers inspirational articles by Mike Bell, David Hay, Jon Gibbs, Guy Tal, Dimitri Vasileiou and Tim O’Neil. The magazine also features some exceptional landscape photography sent in by the readers. Note that the full contents of Landscape Photography Magazine are available to subscribers only. The annual subscription is £6.00/$9.50.

PhotographyBB has announced the release of the 49th edition of the downloadable, free PhotographyBB Magazine. The 49th edition marks the 4 Year Anniversary for PhotographyBB, and to celebrate, there are several prizes for readers to win. This edition explores the topics of how photographers can discover and define their own artistic style, techniques for shooting at dawn, how to build a solid file-backup strategy, and more. PhotographyBB Magazine is available for free download through the PhotographyBB website.

Kodak has announced that it has entered into an agreement with Shutterfly for the proposed sale of certain assets of its Kodak Gallery online photo services business for $23.8 million. The terms of the agreement include the transfer of customer accounts and images in the US and Canada to Shutterfly. “This sale is consistent with our objective of focusing Kodak on a core set of businesses in which we can most profitably leverage our technology and brand strengths, and provides a well-proven mechanism for ensuring that Kodak receives maximum value from these assets,” said Pradeep Jotwani, President, Consumer Businesses and Chief Marketing Officer. Kodak will give customers who do not want their photos transferred to Shutterfly the opportunity to opt out of the transition process. Those customers could then retrieve their images through free downloads or by purchasing DVDs from Kodak Gallery.

CyberLink has released PhotoDirector 3, a photography application designed to provide all the features photographers need to manage large batches of photos, adjust images, and showcase work in their own style, in a single package. This version introduces several new features, including precise editing tools that accurately remove objects, people or backgrounds from images as if they never existed and a complete set of tools to create professional portraits by smoothing out skin whitening teeth, removing wrinkles, and more. Additionally, PhotoDirector 3 provides new adjustment features including curve-based levels. The program is available today and can be downloaded from the CyberLink online store for $149.95.

Delkin has launched a range of Compact Flash cards with a 700x speed rating. Engineered and manufactured in Delkin’s Poway, California-based facility, these UDMA 6 compliant cards offer transfer rates up to 105MB/s and write speeds of 67MB/s. Available now, the Delkin CF 700X cards come in 16GB ($54.99), 32GB ($99.99) and 64GB ($224.99) capacities, with a 128GB version shipping within the month.

Kodak has announced the discontinuance of three colour reversal (transparency) films. Blaming “a steady decrease in sales and customer usage, combined with highly complex product formulation and manufacturing processes,” the company is retiring its Kodak Professional Ektrachrome E100G and E100VS, as well as Elite Chrome Extra Color 100 emulsions. In essence, this means that Kodak is practically handing the slide film market over to Fujifilm (although Kodak’s E-6 chemicals will continue to be available). Film aficionados should, however, take note that Kodak Professional colour negative films - including the Ektar 100, Portra 400 and Portra 160 emulsions introduced over the past three years - and Kodak Professional black-and-white films will continue to be manufactured and sold worldwide.

Canon UK has announced the upcoming launch of a pair of new premium All-in-One printers, the Canon Pixma MX715 and Pixma MX895. Replacing the Pixma MX885 and Pixma MX870, the new Pixma models produce ISO speeds of 12.5ipm for black and white documents and 9.3ipm for colour prints. A 1pl ink droplet size and 9600dpi print resolution produces documents and images with smooth gradations and fine detail. Additionally, both models feature a flatbed scanner, boasting 2400dpi high-resolution scanning. Built-in Wi-Fi capability allows for scanning and copying from virtually anywhere in the office, and with Canon’s Easy Photo-Print App, PC-free printing and scanning from mobile iOS or Android devices is also possible. The MX895 features a 7.5cm display whilst the MX715 has a 6.2cm display. Both new Canon Pixma printers will be available from April 2012.

Sony has released a firmware update for the Sony NEX-5N compact system camera. Version 1.01 improves the AF response in certain situations, enhances stability when operating the camera using the [Lens Compensation: Distortion] “Auto” and [Picture Effect] “Miniature” settings at the same time, and improves camera operations when using the [Exposure Compensation] and [Intelligent AF] settings.

Website: Sony NEX-5N Camera Firmware Update | Mac
Website: Sony NEX-5N Camera Firmware Update | Windows

The winners of the fifth International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) competition have been announced. The title winner of the £5,000 prize for the best single image is Polish photographer, Magdalena Wasiczek for Upside Down (above). The Best Portfolio Prize is awarded to Joanna Stoga, also from Poland, for Qi - a collection of six incredible images created using x-ray imagery. The Young Garden Photographer of the Year title goes to 15-year-old Patrick Corning for his enchanting photograph of a male Grey-Tailed Mountaingem Hummingbird feeding from garden flowers in the Cordillera de Talamanca mountain range in Costa Rica.

Sony has just announced a new waterproof digital camcorder - the Sony Handycam GW55VE -, which features an Exmor R CMOS sensor and captures Full HD video at 50 frames per second. Dust resistant, waterproof to depths of 5m and shockproof to 1.5m, the Sony Handycam GW55VE comes with 10x optical zoom, 29.8mm equivalent wide angle and Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation technology. The new Handycam GW55VE waterproof camcorder from Sony is available in the UK from mid-May 2012.

The new Lensbaby Macro Converters, which were announced less than a month ago, are now available in the UK. These accessories are sold in a single kit containing one 8mm converter and one 16mm converter, which can also be stacked together to make a 24mm converter.  The existing Lensbaby Macro Kit (which features a +4 and +10 macro filter) can also be used in conjunction with the Macro Converters with the Double Glass, Single Glass, Plastic and Soft Focus Optic for an even closer capture. Distributed by Intro2020 in the UK, the Lensbaby Macro Converters carry a suggested retail price of £47.99.

Hasselblad and Adobe have signed an agreement to the effect that, beginning on the 12th March 2012, all newly purchased medium-format Hasselblad H4D cameras will include a fully functional copy of Lightroom at no extra charge. Chris Russell-Fish, Hasselblad Global Sales and Marketing Director said: “Integrating the Adobe platform with Hasselblad is a ground-breaking step. Changing platforms is always a challenge for time-starved photographers and digital operators but now all users can have the excellence of a Hasselblad image file married to the functionality and ease of use of Adobe Lightroom.”

Hasselblad was nevertheless quick to point out that it’ll remain committed to its proprietary Phocus software: “This new agreement is about providing choice for our customers,” Russel-Fish added.

Aimed at professional photographers, designers and artists, the Wacom Intuos 5 graphics tablet offers multi-touch gesture support, an Express View display and (optionally) wireless connectivity. The addition of multi-touch to the Intuos5 provides a complementary input method to the pen that is natural to use in the creative process. Not only is the Intuos5 able to recognize standard Windows and Mac gestures, but customisable gestures can be created in supporting applications to make navigational input easier and stress-free. Other highlights include a number of customisable ExpressKeys and one Touch Ring, with four-function toggle. Additionally, all sizes of Intuos5 can be converted to a wireless tablet by installing the Wireless Accessory kit, sold separately on Wacom’s e-store. The kit includes a rechargeable battery that charges through USB, a RF module that plugs into the tablet and a receiver that plugs into a USB port on the computer. The Wacom Intuos 5 comes in three models: Small ($229.95), Medium ($349.95) and Large ($469.95).

The Incase Camera Collection has been expanded and redesigned to include a full range of camera bags for professionals and hobbyists alike. For equipment-intensive photography, the DSLR Pro Pack offers photographers protection, storage and comfortable carrying for heavy loads. Its large main storage compartment features fully customisable modular dividers for camera bodies, lenses, flashes and other equipment. An additional storage area features a dedicated notebook compartment that fits up to a 15” laptop and a slip pocket for a tablet for easy on-location editing. The DSLR Pro Sling Pack boasts a quick-release harness system, adjustable padded dividers and multiple organiser pockets as well as a padded notebook compartment. Other options include a DSLR Sling Pack and DSLR Carrying Case. The collection is available from the website below, with prices ranging from $19.95 to $169.95.