‘The Crossing’ is a one-day event that takes a look at the shifting terrain of the contemporary image world and what will be necessary for photographers to embrace to fulfill their creative aspirations and goals. Speakers include Michelle Sank, David Birkitt, Simon Roberts, Christian Payne, David White and Benjamin Chesterton. The seminar takes place on 23rd October at Toynbee Studios, 28 Commercial Street, London E1 6AB. Admission is £40. To book your place, visit the website below.

Website: Rhubarb Rhubarb Seminars

Like the Altek T8680 we wrote about a few months ago, the new Altek Leo is an Android-powered camera phone with a 3x optical zoom lens. The main difference is the sensor, which is a 14-megapixel CCD as opposed to the 12-megapixel imager found in the T8680; and the addition of 720p HD movie capture. The Altek Leo features a separate camera power button that allows its users to quickly switch it to camera mode without having to scroll through a mobile phone menu trying to activate the camera function. A shutter release button, zoom rockers, xenon flash, GPS receiver, blink and smile detection technologies and a suite of photo editing functions are also on board. At the moment, the innovative handset - which also includes a 3.2”, WVGA-resolution, multi-touch capable LCD screen - appears to be targeted at the Chinese and Taiwanese markets only, although some sources suggest that it may become available in Europe early next year.

Olympus has launched a new online photo service and sharing site called [ib on the net]. Initially [ib on the net] offers users two gigabytes of free space to share photos at full resolution, and to shop for digital photo albums, photo prints and other photo gifts. The service, which is currently in beta stage, also provides online photo backup to ensure that photos will be safe from mishap or disaster. Apparently, the service is only available to people residing in the US and Japan.

Website: [ib on the net]

Sigma has released Sigma Photo Pro 4.2 for Macintosh and Windows. The new version of the software adds support for raw files created by the Sigma DP1x large-sensor compact camera, and allows the preferred adjustment mode setting to be selected as default in the preference settings menu. Click through / scroll down for the download links.

InVisage, a Silicon Valley-based startup, has today announced QuantumShutter, a new technology that eliminates the “rolling shutter” effect which has plagued videos captured by CMOS sensors. Also known as “wobble” and “jello”, rolling shutter causes verical lines to bend, slant or skew when panning quickly while recording a movie clip with a digital camera. InVisage’s QuantumShutter solves this problem by using a portion of the silicon to store the image “charge” so the entire image is captured at the exact same moment. Initially targeting camera phone applications InVisage Technologies’ QuantumShutter will be available to manufacturers later this year.

Olympus has issued firmware updates for the three quiet-focussing SWD lenses in its E-system line-up. Firmware version 1.2 for the Zuiko Digital ED 12-60mm f/2.8-4 SWD prepares the lens to provide optimum performance with the new Olympus E-5 DSLR camera body, while firmware version 1.1 for the Zuiko Digital ED 14-35mm f/2 SWD (read review) and Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 SWD lenses improves continuous AF speed with other Four Thirds cameras too.

Phase One have announced an unprecedented new-product investment protection plan. Customers who wish to upgrade to a new product within 6 months of its official launch will receive 90 percent of their original purchase price against any new Phase One digital back launched at a higher price within 18 months of the original purchase date, 50 percent against any new Phase One camera body launched at a higher price within 24 months, and 50 percent against any new Phase One or Schneider Kreuznach lens for the Phase One 645 camera platform launched at a higher price within 24 months.

HUBBLE: Window on the Universe features over 200 super-sharp, close-up photographs of our solar system. With spectacular full page spreads, the book showcases the story of Hubble’s journey, explaining the anatomy of the telescope and optic specifics, the launch in 1990 and the very latest and most impressive discoveries that have changed the way we look at our Universe.  Key images include views of Pluto in unprecedented detail and the recent photograph of Carina Nebula taken by the Hubble 20th Anniversary team in April this year, for the telescope’s birthday.

The Pro Line Apollo 300 and Apollo 180 Creative Kits are two new all-in-one studio kits. The Pro Line Apollo 180 Kit is perfect for those who are new to photography, while the Apollo 300 kit is for those with a larger studio area, or who simply want more power. The Apollo 180 and 300 Creative Kit are available for £299.99 and SRP £499.99 respectively.

Canon has announced that its EOS 5D Mark II DSLR cameras were used for capturing crucial images in a key action sequence in Iron Man 2. The scene in question is the one in which the titular character’s alter ego Tony Stark drives a race car in the Historic Monaco Grand Prix and is attacked by super-villain Ivan Vanko. The Canon digital SLR cameras were used to capture moving background plates on location in the famous European principality and to provide crash-cam footage amid the scene’s high-speed auto race. “The new manual exposure firmware introduced during the shoot enabled us to expose 5D Mark II imagery more similarly to the film we were shooting,” cinematographer Matthew Libatique noted. “That was the sealer for us. Once that manual firmware was installed we knew that we were going to be using the 5D Mark II.”

Epson has announced the launch of its Signature Worthy line of high-quality fine art and photography media in the UK. The Signature Worthy range, which has been available for more than one-and-a-half years in the USA, includea Epson’s highest-quality cut-sheet media products. When used in combination with Epson’s Stylus Pro print technologies and UltraChrome inks, the Signature Worthy media will deliver Digigraphie-approved results allowing fine art and photographic artists to produce limited, certified editions of their original works. “We have a reputation for our image quality and Digigraphie capabilities and are confident that the new Signature Worthy brand will help reinforce our position as a leader in high-quality photographic and fine art image reproduction,” says Martin Johns, market development manager, Epson UK.

Fujifilm USA has launched the “Best Photo Book Promotion Ideas Ever” contest for professional photo-finishers. The aim of the contest is to share their unique, persuasive ideas for promoting photo books in order to drive trial. Whether the idea was already the centerpiece of a successful retail photo book promotion or a new idea that has not yet been promoted, all entries are encouraged. The contest runs through 31 October. One Grand Prize winner will receive a cash award of $2,500, the first and second place winners will each receive $1,000.  The winners, as chosen by a panel of business and marketing experts, will be announced in early December.

Website: Official Contest Rules

The winners of the first Carl Zeiss Nano Image Contest have now been selected. First prize in the SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) category was awarded to Heinrich Badenhorst with his image of a bizarre landscape made of graphite, captured with an ULTRA REM. With a total of 7000 points, his image received the most votes of all categories. Other category winners include Norman Hauke and Arne Laucht (category CrossBeam), Dr. Emile van Veldhoven (category Helium Ion Microscopy) and Dr. Andrey Burov in the category Transmission Electron Microscopy.

Ludwig Museum is going to host a large-scale exhibition of the works of Martin Munkácsi, one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century. The exhibit Martin Munkácsi: Think While You Shoot will be on display from 7 October 2010 until 9 January 2011. Martin Munkácsi - orignal name: Munkácsi Márton -, known for his original photo essays, documentary and fashion shots as well as his portraits of mid-20th century celebrities, was one of the most significant pioneering figures of modern photojournalism. Henri Cartier-Bresson claimed that it was Munkácsi’s iconic image from 1930, ‘Three Boys at Lake Tanganyika,’ (see above) that roused his interest in photography, causing him to dump his plans of becoming a painter. Working for publications such as Harper’s Bazaar and Life, Munkácsi “broke fashion photography out of the studios and set the static medium of photography in motion”. Ludwig Museum is located at Komor Marcell utca 1, District IX, Budapest, Hungary. Click through / scroll down for a selection of images from the exhibition.

Wiesbaden-based Foolography has released new GPS modules for the Nikon D3100, D5000, D7000 and D90, which enable these cameras to include location data captured by any Bluetooth GPS receiver in the EXIF. The Foolography Unleashed Dx000 module (pictured) fits into the GPS socket of the first three Nikons, while the Foolography Unleashed D90 attaches to the side of the Nikon D90. These small modules include Bluetooth 2.0 compliant radios that can receive data from Bluetooth GPS devices, and pass them on to the cameras for geotagging purposes. The new Foolography Unleashed modules are priced at €149 each, including 19% German VAT. This is €50 less than the price of the existing Foolography Unleashed D200+ module, which attaches to the front of the Nikon D200, D300 and D300s models.

Nikon has issued a firmware update for the Nikon Coolpix P90 digital superzoom camera. Version 1.1 resolves an issue with image capture that occurred in single-shot mode with manual focus and distortion control enabled. The firmware fix can be downloaded from the websites below.

Website: Nikon P90 Firmware 1.1 - Windows
Website: Nikon P90 Firmware 1.1 - Macintosh

Pentax has unveiled two new compact cameras with 720p HD movie recording capability. The 14-megapixel Pentax Optio LS1000 and Optio LS1100 feature an unusually boxy design, 3-inch LCD screens, 4x zoom lenses starting at a focal length of 27.5mm (in 35mm terms), Auto Picture mode and face detection with Smile Capture. Both cameras are listed on the Pentax UK website, but so far we have only been able to spot a few minor cosmetic differences between the two models. The price is £79.99.