DxO Labs have announced a >30% discount on their DxO OPtics Pro software, including both full licenses and product upgrades. DxO Optics Pro Standard Edition is now available for €99 instead of €149, while the Professional Edition can be had for €199 instead of €299. The program can be purchased online in the DxO Labs Shop. The discount offer is valid until 25th December.

Focal Press has announced the publication of the second edition of Plastic Cameras: Toying with Creativity by Michelle Bates. This volume brings together the world of toy camera photography, including the history of their use, exhaustive instructions, tips and tricks for getting the most out of Holgas and other choice cameras, advanced camera modifications, darkroom and presentation information, and resources for continued research and sharing. The new edition includes the latest toy cameras including the Pinhole Wide Holga, the Stereo Holga, and the all-new Blackbird, Fly. The 288-page paperback is available for $29.95.

Photographs of some of the biggest names in 20th century English literature by Mark Gerson, are for auction at Bonhams. In a career that spanned 40 years Gerson photographed all the great names in British literature including William Golding, Walter de la Mare, Roald Dahl, John Osborne, and Salman Rushdie.  Photographs of all these figures are in the sale together with one of the American writer James Baldwin (above). The photographs are all signed by Mark Gerson and are priced variously at between £400 and 1,500. The auctioneer’s Books, Maps and Manuscripts sale will be held in London on 23 November.

The Levi’s Photo Workshop kicks off a week-long celebration of sports through the lens of photography on Sunday. The We Are All Fanatics exhibition will open at 11am on Sunday. In a tribute to the world of sports photography, the Levi’s Photo Workshop will transform itself into a super fan fantasy world, with an opportunity to learn about the fine art of sports photography from the Workshop staff. The exhibition itself, running from 7-13th November, will feature photographs by renowned photographers Naomi Harris and Richard Kern. Entry is free. The Levi’s Photo Workshop is located at 18 Wooster Street, New York.

Wood’s 100 Old Navy Rum has launched a nationwide search for photos of life on board over the Christmas period, offering entrants the chance to win £500 worth of gardening and power tools. In addition to the winning prize, the first 3 runners up and the first 3 entries will win a bottle of Wood’s 100 Old Navy Rum. Open to Uk residents, the competition runs until 5th December. As always, we recommend that you read the terms and conditions (found in the press release below) before entering your work.

Want to see exactly how the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 compact system camera compares to the Panasonic GF1, Panasonic LX5, and Samsung NX100?

Then check out our hands-on photo gallery of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 compact system camera alongside its predecessor, compact camera sibling and one of its main rivals.

Want to see exactly what the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 compact system camera looks like?

Then check out our hands-on photo gallery of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2, the World’s smallest compact system camera.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 is the World’s smallest and lightest compact system camera. Successor to the popular GF1, the new 12 megapixel Panasonic GF2 is 19% smaller in size and 7% less in weight than than its predecessor. The DMC-GF2 has a touch control 460,000-dot LCD screen and a new Graphic User Interface (GUI) and full HD movies at 1920 x 1080 at 60i (NTSC) / 50i (PAL) in AVCHD format. Available in black, silver and, red, pink and white, in the UK the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 will be available in January 2011 with either the 14-42mm lens for £599.99, 14mm lens for £629.99 or a 14-42m / 14mm twin lens kit for £729.99.

Hamrick Software has released an update to VueScan, which adds the ability for Photoshop to import scans directly from the scanning software itself. Version 8.6.66 also adds support for TWAIN drivers for importing images from a scanner into other programs. “This means that importing images using other programs is a lot faster and easier, and also uses less memory when scanning,” says Ed Hamrick, president of Hamrick Software. VueScan is available in two editions, Standard ($39.95) and Professional ($79.95). The Professional Edition adds unlimited free upgrades, advanced IT8 color calibration and support for raw scan files.

Findaphotostore.com is a new website launched today to help people find their local photo retailers. Essentially a photographic search engine, the website lists all photographic retailers in a given UK location and where possible directs you to their website. The site also helps independent photo retailers, who otherwise might not have the time or staff in house, to build a presence online. It offers an easy entry to on line trading by supplying a trading web site if the retailer needs one, based on the latest Cloud technology.

Hama is introducing three remote shutter releases – a cable version, a timer version and a wireless version – for digital cameras. The remote shutter release itself is the base to which a specific connection cable is attached, which is available separately for all popular camera modules with a remote control interface. If the camera is ever replaced, or if several models are in use, only the cable has to be swapped. The wireless version consists of a transmitter (operated by the photographer) and a receiver with a specific connection cable for the camera. The base unit of the simple wired remote release costs €14.99, while those of the timer and wireless versions are priced at €59.00 each. The adapter cables are €7.99-9.99 depending on camera brand and model.

Pentax Imaging Systems is offering a cashback promotion on two of its new digital SLR cameras. Those buying either a Pentax K-r or a Pentax K-5 between now and 15 January 2011 are entitled to a cashback of £70-£120 (€80-€150) depending on model and configuration. All claims must be made by 31 January 2011. Note that you have to be over 18 and a resident of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland to participate in this promotion.

Canon UK has announced three cashback promotions for consumers. Those who purchase an EOS 7D or 5D Mark II between now and 31 January 2011 can claim up to £100 / €120 savings on selected EF lenses. The second offer concerns those who buy an EOS 500D digital SLR camera or one of three selected PowerShot models before 13 January, while the third is for consumers purchasing either a Pixma Pro9000 Mark II or a Pixma 9500 Mark II between now and 27 January. All of these offers are open to 18+ residents of the UK and Ireland, and valid on purchases made in one of these two countries.

Sixtyone North founder Dave Taylor has just announced a new photo tour to the heart of the Alaskan wilderness. The tour, titled “Aurora Borealis, Winter Landscapes & Wildlife” will kick off on 26 March 2011 and end on the 31st. Participants will be staying in a lodge deep in the wilderness of Alaska, just south of the Alaska Range. As the name of the tour suggests, the northern lights will be the main focus of the tour, in addition to landscapes and Alaskan wildlife. The cost per participant is $2250; which covers 5 nights of accommodation in the lodge, meals and transportation while on tour, and tuition. Transportation to Anchorage is not included. The first $1150 is payable upon registration, while the remaining $1100 is due on 1 February 2011.

Adobe today announced that the Adobe Certified Associate (ACA), an existing certification in entry-level skills for Adobe Dreamweaver, Flash and Photoshop, has been added to UK awarding body OCR’s Creative iMedia suite of qualifications. OCR (Oxford Cambridge and RSA) is a leading UK awarding body, providing a wide range of qualifications, including AS/A Levels, GCSEs, OCR Nationals, Key Skills, Entry Level qualifications, NVQs, and more. Mark Young, from Academy Class comments on today’s announcement; “Without ACA, an employer has no way of judging how good an interviewee’s skills are in the most popular Adobe packages… So it’s absolutely fantastic that the ACA credential is now recognised by OCR and gives it an even better reputation with both students and industry”

Burrard-Lucas Photography has launched a new travel photography contest. They are looking for your most interesting and striking travel photographs. You are not limited to any subject matter in particular; travel photography can portray many things such as an area’s people, cultures, customs, history or landscape. The submission deadline is 5 January 2011. Entry is free, and prizes to be won include a Canon EOS 7D digital SLR camera, a Lensbaby Composer and a SmugMug Pro account.

Eye-Fi and Flickr have partnered with Amazon for an exclusive promotion. Those who purchase an Eye-Fi Explore X2 or an Eye-Fi Pro X2 card by 14th November on Amazon will receive one free year of Flickr Pro. Originally priced at $99.99 and $149.99, respectively, these 8GB SDHC memory cards are now available for $89.00 and $135.99 on Amazon. Along with the promotion, Eye-Fi has also posted a few tips on how to make the most of its cards - you can find them on the company’s blog.

Website: The Eye-Fi Blog

The President’s Photographer: Fifty Years Inside the Oval Office is a new book published by National Geographic Books. The book, written by John Bredar, is the companion volume to a new National Geographic Television Special, “The President’s Photographer: 50 Years Inside the Oval Office,” airing on PBS on Wednesday, 24th November 2010. The 255-page hardcover is available now, priced at $35.