HP has announced the HP EliteBook 8560w notebook, which has a built-in CFast memory card reader. According to Engadget, the HP EliteBook 8560w is the first laptop ever to feature a CFast slot. CFast memory cards - such as the ones announced by Pretec, Super Talent and Transcend - combine a fast SATA interface with the form factor of a Compact Flash card. Offering transfer speeds that are several times higher than that of a 600x CF card, CFast memory cards have the potential to become the storage media used by future generations of professional digital SLR cameras, although we are not aware of any current camera models supporting this medium at present.

Via Engadget

EyeSee 360, the company famous for its GoPano Plus optic that lets a DSLR or video camera capture a full 360° panoramic image in a single take, has announced the GoPano micro for the Apple iPhone 4. Where the GoPano Plus was a rather large piece of kit that was designed to work with digital SLR cameras and lenses, the GoPano micro is a much smaller unit that attaches to the iPhone 4. Currently existing in prototype form, the GoPano micro allows users to capture 360° panoramic images or video with the help of the iPhone 4’s built-in camera and the GoPano app. “The GoPano micro will record everything around you simultaneously,” the company says. “You can go back to the recorded video and choose to view any perspective, any angle at any point in time.” Click through / scroll down for a video demonstration.

JP Distribution, the exclusive UK distributor for Westcott, has just launched the new Spiderlite TD6 constant light source. Billed as the industry’s most powerful compact fluorescent lighting system on the market today, the Wescott Spiderlite TD6 is able to house up to six 50-watt fluorescent lights, with an optional Tungsten Halogen 6-pack also available. The low-profile switches on the back of the Spiderlite TD6 operate 2 lamps per switch and can be easily turned on and off to control light output. An inline cord switch allows for powering on and off the main unit when lights are placed up high and difficult to reach.  The built-in adapter ring allows for quick and easy mounting of a variety of softboxes and stripbanks. For example, you can shoot at a shutter speed of 1/60th of a second, aperture of f/8 at ISO 400/27° when using the 6-pack Westcott 50-watt Daylight Balanced Fluorescent Lamps and a 24” x 32” softbox. The price of the Spiderlite TD6 complete with a tilter bracket is £500.

In his flagship US boutique, British jewellery designer Stephen Webster will host a never-before-seen exhibition of prints by renowned UK photographer Duffy. Together with Terence Donovan and David Bailey, Duffy is recognised as one of the innovators of “documentary” fashion photography, a style that revolutionised the fashion industry. He produced an extraordinary body of work but destroyed most of his negatives in 1979. Fortunately, many of his pictures survived the destruction, and now, after nearly three years of painstaking archival of the surviving images, Duffy’s photographs will be shown and available for purchase. A private cocktail reception on 2nd May will open the exhibition, featuring hors d’ouevres created by award-winning chef and food writer Mark Hix. Approximately thirty photographs will remain on public display at the Stephen Webster Rodeo Drive boutique (02 North Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills) through the end of May. These extremely limited prints will also be sold, both framed and unframed, for the very first time in the United States.

Beauty CULTure is a new exhibition at the Annenberg Space for Photography. Featuring works from iconic photographers such as Albert Watson, Bert Stern, Herb Ritts, Man Ray, Jean-Paul Goude, Guy Bourdin, Horst, Melvin Sokolsky, Matthew Rolston, Philippe Halsman, Lauren Greenfield and Tyen, Beauty CULTure “encourages a social dialogue about the allure and mystique of the pursuit of female beauty, as well as the cult-like glorification and multi-billion dollar industries that surround it”, the organisers say. The exhibition opens to the public in Los Angeles on 21st May and runs through 27th November 2011. The Annenberg Space for Photography is located at 2000 Avenue of the Stars, Century City, and is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11am - 6pm, closed Monday and Tuesday. Admission is free.

Cinevate, in partnership with Tenba, has introduced a new collection of custom-built cases for their Core and Simplis Rigs, plus Atlas and Pegasus Camera Sliders.  Each new case is designed to protect Cinevate gear in various sizes and configurations, along with accompanying DSLR, video and filmmaking systems. The new “Protected by Tenba” collection will launch with hard-sided cases for the Core Rig and Atlas and Pegasus linear tracking systems, plus hard and soft-sided rolling cases, backpacks and shoulder bags for the Simplis Rig. The new cases will begin shipping in May at suggested retail prices between $189.95 and $369.95.

Photo-games site Phoozl.com has launched the Spring edition of the “Alphabetography Photo Challenge: the Four Seasons” contest on Facebook. The challenge runs for approximately 45 days to its conclusion on May 22. The concept is the following: photo enthusiasts submit photos that apply or relate to the current letter that’s in play. So during the “S” letter period, for instance, participants upload photos that are associated with a word starting with the letter “S”. When the gameplay moves to “P”, “P” photos are submitted. And so on through the six letters of the word “Spring”. Contest participants need only a Facebook account to enter, and they must be at least 18 years old. Photo submissions are acceptable from anywhere in the world, and there are no restrictions on when photos are taken or if they have been manipulated.

DxO Labs have unveiled their findings and DxOMark Sensor Scores for the Fujifilm FinePix X100 large-sensor digital compact camera. According to their measurements, the X100’s sensor is essentially on a par with the Pentax K-x and the Sony A55 in terms of colour depth and dynamic range, and is significantly ahead of both in terms of high-ISO image quality in low light. The Nikon D7000 and the Sony A580, on the other hand, scored better on every front. (Remember that these numbers measure raw sensor performance only, and tell you nothing about things like the cameras’ handling, operational speed, image processing, mechanical quality or overall ease of use.)

Website: Fujifilm FinePix X100 on DxOMark

Addonics has announced the CF/CFast Drive, which lets you “create” a solid state drive with a high-speed SATA interface by simply using any CF card or a high speed CFast card. The CF/CFast Drive can be installed into a standard 5 1/4” drive bay of a desktop- or rack-mounted system to accommodate up to six CF/CFast media. They can be configured as six independent drives or combined into a RAID group. There are four models available, priced from $135 to $199 (cards not included).

Rollei has announced an add-on telephoto conversion lens for the Apple iPhone 4. With an angle of view of 16°, the manual-focus Rollei telephoto lens allows the iPhone camera to capture distant subjects in great detail. Focusing is by way of a traditional focus ring, and is helped by a distance scale that goes from 3m to infinity, with markings at 10m, 20m, 30m and 40m. Weighing in at only 45 grams, the Rollei 8x telephoto lens will be available in stores from the end of April for a recommended retail price of €34.95. The scope of delivery includes the lens itself, a miniature tripod with a mount for the Apple iPhone 4, a hard case for the phone and a cleaning cloth. Click through / scroll down for more information, and an image gallery of the product.

The 2011 FEP European Professional Photographer of the Year competition is now open for entries. There are six categories, including wedding; commercial; portrait; reportage; landscape and illustrative, plus there are separate sections for non-European photographers and students. The submission deadline is 31 July 2011. The competition is sponsored by Hahnemühle.

Website: Federation of European Professional Photographers

The new Cinevate Atlas FLT is a lightweight camera slider for video-enabled digital SLR cameras. Featuring a non-reflective, black satin anodised finish, full CNC aluminium/steel construction and stainless steel fasteners, the Cinevate Atlas FLT measures only 26 inches long and weighs in at less than 10 pounds. The slider is equipped with a 3/8” screw, making it compatible with any standard 3/8” threaded ball head. The new Atlas FLT is available now for $579.

The Cinevate Simplis DSLR Rig is a lightweight, “run and gun” support rig targeted at filmmakers, whilst the company’s Grip Sticks allow users to mount standard accessories with ¼-20 threads such as on-camera monitors and external audio recorders. Starting at just $399, Simplis give videographers the ability to customise and scale their rig as desired. Grip Sticks will be available in four variations starting 1 May 2011 throughout the US.

Kodak’s new EasyShare C1530 digital compact camera features a 14-megapixel imager, 3x optical zoom, a 3” monitor, and a wide range of file sharing options. All you need to do is press the Share button when in Review mode, choose your favourite from the list of destinations that include Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, Twitter, Orkut, Yandex, Kodak Gallery, e-mail or a Kodak Pulse Digital Photo Frame, connect the camera to your PC and your images will be automatically sent or uploaded to the chosen website. The Kodak EasyShare C1530 can be yours for $80.

Via 1001NoisyCameras

Fujifilm UK has announced the availability of the Fujifilm FinePix F550 EXR, a 16-megapixel digital compact camera with raw image capture and built-in geotagging; as well as that of the very similar F500 EXR that lacks these features but is offered at a more attractive price. Each model boasts a 24-360mm equivalent 15x optical zoom and a 16-megapixel back-illuminated Fuji EXR sensor with three modes of operation: High Resolution, High Dynamic Range and Pixel Fusion. Furthermore, both cameras record 1080p Full HD video at 30fps, with stereo sound. The Fujifilm FinePix F550 EXR is available now for £329 in black, while the F500 comes in a choice of five colours and carries a price tag of £279.

Kodak has just announced a new all-in-one printer, copier and scanner called the Kodak ESP Office 2170. Featuring simplified Wi-Fi set-up (802.11 b/g/n) and connectivity, the Kodak ESP Office 2170 enables mobile printing of photos from an iPhone, iPod touch, iPad or Wi-Fi enabled Blackberry device with the Kodak Pic Flick App. The ESP Office 2170 also offers important time-saving features, including an intelligent paper sensor that automatically adjusts printer settings based on paper size and type. The devicewill be available in the US by June 2011 for $149.99.

The Sony HVL-F43AM is a compact, dust- and moisture resistant external flash unit for Sony Alpha cameras, featuring Quick Shift Bounce adjustment and wireless ratio control. The company’s innovative Quick Shift Bounce system, which debuted on the more powerful HVL-F58AM of 2008, allows flash head position to be adjusted instantly when switching between horizontal and vertical compositions, maintaining consistent shadow positions regardless of camera orientation. Wireless Ratio Control, available on the Sony A900, A850 and A700, makes it easy to select light emission ratios for up to three separate flash units. The zooming head of the HVL-F43AM covers the angle-of-view range of a 24-105mm lens on a full-frame digital SLR camera, and the flash boasts a guide number of 43 (in metres at ISO 100/21°) at the 105mm setting. Powered by four AA type batteries, the Sony HVL-F43AM recycles in about 2.9 seconds after a full discharge, and is available to photographers worldwide from Spring 2011.