Fujifilm and Rite Aid have announced that entries are currently being accepted for the 7th annual Picture Perfect Halloween Photo Contest. From now until 8 November 2011, entrants (from the USA only) can submit Halloween-themed photos and vote for their favourites in seven categories: Best Pumpkin, Cutest Baby Costume, Best Kids Costumes, Best Teens and Adults Costumes, Best Pets, Spooktacular Decorations and Best Make-up. To enter, head to the website below. As always, we suggest that you read the rules before entering your work.

Sony has released firmware updates for the Sony Alpha SLT-A65 and A77 digital cameras. Version 1.03 cuts down on the time it takes for the camera to switch from the LCD to the EVF and vice versa, improves the responsiveness of the control dials and the Fn button, and adds support for the HVL-MT24AM macro twin flash. You can download the firmware upgrades from the websites below.

Website: Sony SLT-A77 Firmware Upgrade - Windows | Sony SLT-A65 Firmware Upgrade - Windows

Website: Sony SLT-A77 Firmware Upgrade- Mac | Sony SLT-A65 Firmware Upgrade - Mac

Panasonic has issued firmware updates for its Lumix DMC-G3 and GF3 compact system cameras. Version 1.2 (for both models) optimises the operation of regular Four Thirds lenses when mounted to these cameras via the appropriate adapter. You can update your camera’s firmware by following the instructions on the website below.

Website: Panasonic Japan

Lomography has expanded its La Sardina range of 35mm film cameras with the addition of two new models, named ‘Beluga’ and ‘Czar’. These “metal edition” cameras feature gold-tone designs and metallic bodies, and come packaged in a wooden La Sardina box. Each camera is equipped with a matching ‘Fritz the Blitz’ flash, and the scope of delivery also includes a special-edition book entitled ‘The Caviar Diaries’, chronicling the adventures of Lomographer wil6ka as he searches for the origins of caviar through Europe and the Caspian Sea with his La Sardina camera. The cameras cost €149 each and are available from the website below.

Canon today announced further details about the Pro Solutions show held on 25th and 26th October 2011 at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London. This year the show will feature a live professional film set hosted by digital cinematographer Phillip Bloom and remote location filmmaker and photographer Phil Coates.  The live demonstrations will feature Canon’s latest XF range of professional camcorders, Canon broadcast lenses and EOS DSLR cameras. Additionally, the show will feature a large-scale panorama of London shot on the EOS 5D Mark II with an EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens using a GigaPan Epic Pro moving head. The seminar schedule has also been finalised, and can be found at the website below.

New York’s leading architectural and aerial photographer, Evan Joseph, is making his gallery debut at Tachi Gallery on 27th October. Over the last year Evan has transitioned into fine art photography with the release of his book, New York City At Night. The exhibition on Oct. 27th at Tachi will pick up where the book left off as he will include some never before seen images of New York City that were not published in the book. The “Evan Joseph at Night” exhibition blends these aerial photographs, which were taken from a helicopter several hundreds of feet in the air, with amazing skyline views from some of the most exclusive vantage points in the city. Tachi Gallery is located at 414 Washington Street, New York.

Fotolia and Silicon Publishing have released an extension to Adobe Creative Suite (CS) that allows designers to access Fotolia’s library of over 14 million images, directly within Adobe Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator. “We are thrilled with the new CS Extension technology from Adobe. It’s evolved into a robust solution for developers wanting to extend Adobe’s multiple creative applications with a single development effort. It’s enabled us to use Adobe Flex to create a single CS Extension that connects Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator to Fotolia assets,” said Olav Martin Kvern of Silicon Publishing. You can download the extension from the website below.

Photographer, film-maker and writer Zeke Kamm has launched a Kickstarter project to fund the development of a new photography accessory called the Nice Clip. Realising that photographers often run into the problem of not knowing what to do with their lens caps when they are not on the lens, Kamm has created the Nice Clip that “sticks to your lens cap so you can clip your cap to your strap, camera bag, pocket, shirt, hat - wherever you want”. To learn more about the project and the Nice Clip itself, check out the website below.

Website: The Nice Clip on Kickstarter

Ballistic Case Co. has launched a new universal belt pouch that is suitable for carrying a variety of camera phones and digital cameras. The Ballistic Sport Rugged Pouch is made of a tough ballistic nylon material and features an easy-to-open Velcro strap and a durable belt clip. Available in black, the Ballistic Universal Sport Rugged Pouch retails for $29.99.

Website: Ballistic

Apple has released iPhoto 9.2. This update supports compatibility with iCloud and iOS 5 and addresses the following issues:

Left and right swipe gestures can now be used to navigate between photos in Magnify (1-up) view
Previously imported photos are now displayed in a separate section of the Import window
Book/calendar themes and card categories can now be selected using a pop-up menu in the carousel view
Resolves an issue that could cause some pages of books to print incorrectly
Rebuilding a library now correctly preserves saved slideshows and books

Website: Apple iPhoto 9.2

Apple has released an update to Aperture 3. Version 3.2 adds compatibility with iCloud and iOS 5 and addresses minor stability, performance and compatibility issues. For a complete list of improvements and bug fixes, and to download the update, head to the website below.

Website: Apple Aperture 3.2

Lastolite has launched its new Ezybox Quad flash bracket. You can attach up to four flashguns and an umbrella or softbox to the Ezybox Quad to create a diffused light. The bracket can be used in conjunction with various flash triggering systems utilising one of the accompanying PC cables that allow you to connect four flashguns to a single receiver.The Ezybox Quad Bracket is available separately for £108 or in one of the three Ezybox Softbox Quad Kits (£160-220).

iDevelopersLab has recently released Camera PRO Nightshoot for iPad 2 and iPhone 4, an app that applies a “night shot” effect to photos taken during the daytime. Additionally, Camera PRO Nightshoot doubles as a photo editor featuring a range of adjustable effects. The app is available now on iTunes for $2.99 for the iPhone version and $4.99 for the iPad edition.

Sigma Deutschland has announced a limited edition Sigma SD1 that comes in a removable, hand-made wooden housing. “Over 60 hours of milling, sawing, grinding and polishing are needed to allow one of the finest and rarest woods of the world blend with the SD1,” the company says, calling the Sigma SD1 Wood Edition a “luxurious Christmas gift for photo enthusiasts”. To place an order for the €9,999 camera (without a lens), contact Sigma Deutschland directly. Not only do you have to dig deep in your pocket - you need to hurry up too, as there are only ten copies available for purchase.

Source: Deutscher Pressestern

Ocean Leisure Cameras have announced the addition of Panasonic’s DMW-MCFT3 waterproof housing to its range of underwater photography products. The Panasonic FT3 is waterproof on its own down to a depth of 12 metres, but this housing allows you to go down to 40 metres. Unlike some housings, the Panasonic DMW-MCFT3 case enables the use of all the camera controls including custom white balance. The Panasonic housing also has an accessory shoe mount for focusing lights or small strobes. You can buy the camera+housing in a kit for £519.95. If you already have the Panasonic FT3, you can purchase the housing separately for £219.95.

Rankin has announced the launch of his brand new biannual, THE HUNGER and its live, digital embodiment, THE HUNGER TV. The magazine will feature a selection of individuals from the worlds of art, design, fashion, drama, music and more, who have also pushed at the cultural boundaries in their own fields. “The Hunger is an idea that was born from the realisation that, more than two decades into my career as a photographer, I am still inspired by what I do every day,” .Rankin said “I named my first retrospective exhibition Visually Hungry – that’s how I felt. In a lot of ways, it is how I think I’ll feel until I die.” The first issue of the magazine will be available on 17th November.

iDevelopersLab has announced Camera Z for iPad 2 and iPhone 4. Camera Z is a photography app that allows you to take photos and apply a range of effects to them. The effects can be previewed and adjusted before being applied separately or in combination with each other. Camera Z is available for $2.99 in the iTunes App Store.

Mountain High: Europe’s 50 Greatest Mountain Climbs is an upcoming photography book on stunning but challenging mountain cycling routes. The book is a collaboration between photographer Pete Goding and leading sports journalist Daniel Friebe. Including over 250 specially commissioned photographs by the official photographer for the Tour of Britain and the Tour of Ireland, the book features Europe’s 50 greatest cycling climbs specially selected as scenes of sporting heroism, marvels of nature and spiritual places of pilgrimage. Published by Quercus and available in November, Mountain High: Europe’s 50 Greatest Mountain Climbs is priced at £20.

Arca-Swiss has announced its NEX kit for the Sony NEX-3 and NEX-5 compact system cameras, comprising a mini L-bracket and a viewfinder shoe for an optical finder. The Sony NEX L-bracket is fully compatible with the company’s monoball Fix and monoball Classic quick release systems. Allowing a fast change from landscape to portrait orientation and vise-versa, the Arca-Swiss NEX kit is available for €159.