Lensbaby is teasing its Facebook fans with the promise that it will announce a brand new product on Valentine’s day. Claiming that their new optic[?] “will make you fall in love with photography all over again,” the company is encouraging photographers to submit their ideas on what they think Lensbaby should develop next. And if you care to share their announcement post on 14th February, you may even win a copy of their brand new product - whatever it may be.

Source: Lensbaby | Facebook

Sony has updated its roadmap for E-mount lenses. Currently, the NEX system offers seven Sony and Zeiss branded lenses alongside a few recently announced Sigma, Tamron and Kenko/Tokina products. As this is a relatively narrow selection of optics. especially when compared to the dozens of lenses available for the system’s main rival, Micro Four Thirds, Sony has decided to introduce eight new lenses in the course of less than two years. On top of the wide zoom, high-performance standard zoom and medium telephoto lenses that were already on the roadmap, the company has now added a new standard zoom, a new superzoom, a large-aperture standard prime, a “mid-magnification zoom” and a pancake lens. This should bring the total number of E-mount Sony/Zeiss lenses to 15 by the end of 2013.

The specifications of the new lenses have not been released yet.

Source: Sony Blog

Artensoft has announced Tilt Shift Generator, a Windows program that allows users to simulate the tilt effect achievable with a tilt-shift lens. The application uses a special algorithm to blur specific areas of the image by the right amount, and provides a number of control options and settings to achieve the desired effect. Tilt Shift Generator licences are available from $49.95 through the website below.

Nikon has released a new version of its Capture Control Pro software. Camera Control Pro allows the user to remotely control a camera from a computer using either a wired connection or a wireless connection if using a Nikon Wireless Transmitter with the camera. Version 2.10.0 adds support for the Nikon D4 digital SLR camera and its special features, and adds ‘Movie’ as a separate camera control tab. Additionally, the Macintosh version gains MacOS X 10.4 and 10.7 support. You can download the software update from the website below.

Website: Nikon Europe

Fuji has released a firmware update for the Fujifilm X10 digital compact camera. Version 1.03 addresses the blooming (“white disc”) issue that can sometimes be observed in EXR AUTO mode, adds compatibility with MacOS X 10.7, and provides a number of functionality upgrades and bug fixes, as outlined below.

Kodak has announced that it is ceasing production of digital cameras, pocket video cameras and digital picture frames. Due to take place in the first half of 2012, Kodak will instead expand its current brand licensing program, and seek licensees for cameras. Kodak will continue to honor all related product warranties, and provide technical support and service for its cameras, pocket video cameras and digital picture frames.

Fuji has posted a firmware update for the Fujifilm X100 large-sensor compact camera. Version 1.13 adds compatibility with MacOS X 10.7 and fixes the following bugs:

When VIEW MODE is set to EYE SENSOR activated mode, the camera may be frozen after changing OVF/EVF in certain shooting conditions.
After shooting images in A mode, if the mode dial rotated to another position and returned into A mode during data recording, the shutter of the camera may not work properly.

Website: FinePix X100 Firmware Update Ver.1.13

Ricoh has announced that Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company, which was established last October, will assume control of the design, development and distribution of all consumer-oriented imaging products, including all digital cameras. Ricoh’s other business unit, Ricoh Personal Multimedia Product Company - which has hitherto been responsible for the development, manufacture and sales of Ricoh branded cameras -, will now focus on security systems and imaging solutions for the B2B market. The changes will take effect from 1st April.

Nikon has released a firmware update for the Nikon 1 J1 compact system camera. Version 1.11 resolves an issue that sometimes caused images captured using the built-in flash to be over-exposed. You can download the firmware update from the website below,

Website: Nikon 1 J1 Firmware Update A 1.11, B 1.10

Nikon has issued a firmware update for the Nikon 1 V1 compact system camera. Version 1.11 contains fixes for the following bugs:

Images captured using the Speedlight SB-N5 were sometimes over-exposed.
When switching from framing photos in the monitor to using the electronic viewfinder, or vice versa, with focus mode set to MF (manual focus) and the display zoomed in, the camera sometimes did not function properly.

Website: Nikon 1 V1 Firmware Update A 1.11, B 1.10

Manfrotto will showcase a number of photographic products at the Broadcast Video Expo (BVE) 2012 trade show. Among these will be the latest professional video tripod heads - including the Manfrotto 519 Pro Fluid Video Head pictured above -, remotes, LED lighting solutions and a range of dedicated video bags from Kata. The Broadcast Video Expo is taking place from 14-16 February 2012 at Earls Court 2, London.

Swann has unveiled its latest digital video cameras – the HD PenCam and PenCam 4GB. Each device conceals a miniature video camera and DVR inside a real working pen. The HD PenCam ($99.99) is capable of recording high-definition AVI videos (1280x720 pixels) and high-resolution JPEG images on microSD memory cards, while the PenCam 4G ($69.99) shoots VGA movies and 1.2-megapixel stills and saves them in its built-in memory. Both versions switch between video and photo mode with a touch of a button, feature date and time stamping, and are compatible with PCs and Macs.

East London gallery and pro lab theprintspace is calling all photography enthusiasts to join its “World” competition on Facebook. As the official sponsor and print partner of the 2012 Sony World Photography Awards, theprintspace has teamed up with the World Photography Organisation (WPO) to offer the winners of the World Competition exclusive prizes. Interested photographers can upload one image which illustrates their perception of the world. Prizes range from tickets to the Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition at Somerset House, a Premium WPO 12 month membership, professional 20”x24” Dibond mounts and prints, a space in theprintspace’s annual SoShowMe Exhibition to features on theprintspace blog. The submission deadline is 20th February. You can read the rules and enter your work through the website below.

Ricoh has posted a firmware update for the Ricoh CX6 digital compact camera. Version 1.23 fixes a bug that has caused photos to be out of focus with Pre-AF turned on and the ADJ/OK button depressed. The firmware upgrade can be downloaded from the website below.

Website: Ricoh Global

The Sony 500mm f/4 G SSM (SAL500F40G) is a professional grade super-telephoto lens for A-mount SLR and SLT cameras. Billed as the longest fixed-focal-length G lens from Sony to date, the Sony G 500mm f/4 SSM includes 11 elements in 10 groups, including three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements. It’s also the first G lens from Sony to benefit from an advanced new coating process that ensures crisper, clearer images. Exclusive to Sony, the Nano AR Coating process is claimed to cut internal reflections “drastically”. The lens’ SSM (SuperSonic-wave Motor) features a new drive circuit that ensures rapid, responsive AF with significantly faster object tracking than conventional Sony lenses. Four focus hold buttons are spaced around the lens barrel for easy operation in any position. They’re complemented by a two-way DMF (Direct Manual Focus) mode button and focus range switch. Focusing ring and front/rear joints are protected by interlocking seals that ensure a high degree of protection from the elements. Built to order, the SAL500F40G super-telephoto lens from Sony is available in the UK from April 2012.

Want to see exactly what the new Olympus OM-D compact system camera looks like in the flesh?

Ushered into a blacked-out stretch limousine back at the CES show in January, we were wondering exactly what Olympus had in store for us. The surprise was the exciting Olympus OM-D, the company’s new flagship mirrorless camera.

Check out our extensive hands-on gallery of 40 photos of the Olympus OM-D camera.

Olympus gave us a detailed presentation of the impressive new Olympus OM-D camera and accessories at a secret CES event.

It includes a look at Olympus’s market share, how the OM-D fits alongside the current PEN range, technical aspects of the OM-D and the new lenses and accessories.

Click through for a gallery of all the slides.

Olympus has announced the development of two new prime lenses for the Micro Four Thirds system. The M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 is a telemacro lens with a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:1. Housed in a dust- and splashproof body, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Macro is designed to complement the similarly rugged Olympus OM-D camera (but can, of course, also be mounted to any other Micro Four Thirds body). The M.Zuiko Digital ED 75mm f/1.8 (pictured) is an ultra-bright telephoto lens with a full-metal exterior, designed primarily for portraiture, indoor sports and low-light photography. Mock-ups of both lenses will be on display at the CP+ Photo and Camera Imaging Show in Yokohama, Japan from 9-12 February. The prices and precise launch dates will be announced later in the year.

The dust- and splashproof, metal-bodied Olympus OM-D is a retro styled 16.1-megapixel compact system camera featuring a body-integral 5-axis image stabiliser, 1.44-million-dot EVF and best-in-class auto focus with 3D subject tracking. In sequential shooting mode, the camera is capable of capturing up to 9 frames per second (4.2fps with AF, when fitted with the M.Zuiko DIGITAL ED 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 lens). Also called the Olympus E-M5, the OM-D has an eye proximity sensor that allows automatic switching between the EVF and the articulated OLED touchscreen. The camera is capable of recording Full HD videos that benefit from the improved in-body image stabiliser, and can store them in either AVI or MOV format with M.JPEG or MPEG-4 encoding. The Olympus OM-D is available from April 2012 as a kit with the M.Zuiko DIGITAL ED 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 lens for £1149.99. Body only price to be confirmed.

Along with the OM-D camera, Olympus also announced a number of new accessories including the dust- and splashproof MMF-3 four thirds mount adapter, the HLD-6 power battery holder grip (also dust- and splashproof), and the FL-600R flash with a guide number of 36 (in metres at ISO 100/21°), improved recharge time as well as a wireless control option. Two new lenses, the weatherproof M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 macro and the M.Zuiko Digital ED 75mm f/1.8, are also under development.