Photo sharing service Jalbum has just announced a new collaboration with world-renowned photographer Jack Hollingsworth. In a series of events, the Jalbum community of photography enthusiasts will gather around a common theme, lead and tutored by Jack Hollingsworth. Each event will include a blog post introducing the subject, a competition element and a user group on Jalbum.net where anyone can participate. The first theme is close-up photography.

Website: Close-up with Jack Hollingsworth

Adobe today released final versions of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.7, Adobe Camera Raw 5.7 and Adobe DNG Converter 5.7. The updates add raw file support for nine new cameras and digital backs, including the Canon EOS 550D, Kodak Z981, Leaf Aptus-II 8,  Leaf Aptus-II 10R, Mamiya DM40, Olympus E-PL1, Panasonic G2, Panasonic G10 and Sony A450. Lightroom 2.7 is available as a free download for Lightroom 2 customers, and Photoshop Camera Raw 5.7 is available as a free download for Photoshop CS4, Photoshop Elements 8 and Premiere Elements 8 customers. The DNG Converter 5.7 is also available as a free download for all.

Website: Adobe Updates

WD today introduced its WD Photos photo viewer, an iPhone / iPod Touch app for use with WD’s My Book World Edition and WD ShareSpace network drives. Users can view up to 250,000 pictures on their iPhone or iPod touch by simply copying their pictures into the “Shared Pictures” folder on their My Book World Edition network drive. A unique application that runs directly on these WD network drives automatically creates optimised versions of users’ photos ahead of time, enabling fast viewing on an iPhone or iPod touch without having to wait for the photos to load. Available now at the Apple iTunes App Store, the WD Photos photo viewer app is free for anyone to download. Registration with MioNet, WD’s secure remote access service (included with My Book World Edition), is also free and required to use this app.

Canon UK has announced a cashback offer on the Canon Powershot G11 and S90 digital compact cameras. Customers purchasing either camera before 22 June can claim £30 / €35 back by 26 July 2010. This promotion starts today. The offer is available to legal residents of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland only.

Website: Terms & Conditions / Claim Form

Canon UK has announced a new cashback offer on the Canon Powershot SX1 IS, SX20 IS, SX 120 IS and SX 210 IS models. Those purchasing one of these cameras before 22 June are entitled to a cashback of £20-£50 / €25-€55 depending on model. The promotion, which is available to residents of the UK and Ireland only, starts today. Claims must be received by 26 July 2010.

Website: Terms & Conditions / Claim Form

Panasonic is going to release firmware updates for the first three of its Micro Four Thirds (MFT) cameras, including the G1, GH1 and GF1 models. All three cameras will be given a new menu option for image stabilisation when the new Lumix G Vario 14-42mm lens is attached, and all three models will benefit from improved auto-focus performance with other manufacturers’ MFT lenses. Additionally, the G1 and the GH1 will see improved flash exposure accuracy, whilst the GH1 will also benefit from improved auto-focus performance in movie mode with the Leica DG Macro-Elmarit 45mm f/2.8 ASPH. / MEGA O.I.S. lens. Plus, firmware version 1.3 for the GH1 enables auto-focusing in Full HD mode with regular Four Thirds lenses that are compatible with contrast-detect AF. The new firmware updates will be available worldwide at GMT 8:00 on 10 May 2010 at the website below.

Website: Lumix Customer Support

Leica has just launched the Leica V-LUX 20, a 12.1-megapixel digital compact camera with a 12x zoom and on-board geotagging. Featuring a Leica DC Vario-Elmar 4.1-49.2mm f/3.3-4.9 ASPH. zoom lens with a 35mm equivalent focal range of 25-300mm, the V-LUX 20 allows the user to take both high-resolution still photos and HD videos. The geotagging function - a first on a Leica - lets photographers to record the exact geographical co-ordinates of their location automatically, and makes archiving and organising photos quick and easy. Styled in a matt black finish, the V-Lux 20 provides a complete range of manual shutter speed and aperture settings. The suggested retail price of the LEICA V-LUX 20 is £495. The optional brown leather case has an SRP of £70.

Website: Leica V-LUX 20 Specifications

Panasonic has announced the suggested retail prices of the Panasonic LUMIX G2 and LUMIX G10 Micro Four Thirds cameras. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2, the world’s first mirrorless interchangeable-lens system camera featuring a touch-sensitive screen, will be available priced at $799.95. The Lumix DMC-G10, billed as the lightest interchangeable-lens camera with an EVF, can be had for £499/ $599.95. Both cameras come outfitted with the new Lumix G Vario 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH/MEGA O.I.S. lens.

Review: Read our in-depth review of the Panasonic G10

Kubota Image Tools are reminding interested photographers that the next Digital Photography Bootcamp workshop is less than a month away. Held from 16-21 May, the 2010 Digital Photography Bootcamp is a 5-day workshop for professional photographers designed to supply all of the technical know-how to run a successful digital portrait/wedding studio. Topics covered include raw shooting, editing and archiving, workflow using Photoshop and Lightroom with Kubota RPG Speedkeys, printing, slideshow creation and business skills. The cost is $2,895 including accommodation and meals.

Website: Kubota Image Tools

German publisher teNeues Verlag has launched a microsite for internationally renowned professional photographer Michael Poliza. The microsite offers exclusive, never-before-seen photographs from Poliza, author of such titles as Eyes Over Africa and Antarctic. The new teNeues site allows fans to interact with him and enter a contest to win one of his books.

Website: Michael Poliza

MagCloud is a new self-publishing web service and on-demand printing tool from HP that enables photographers to create, and sell, their own self-published magazines. With no minimum orders or start-up costs, copies are base-priced at 20 cents per page. Users simply upload a PDF of their magazine, set their price at or above the base-price, and then MagCloud supports the ordering, printing, and shipping process. When the issue is published, people can buy it on the MagCloud website. Every magazine is printed at the time of purchase using HP’s Indigo technology. This approach eliminates wastes and overruns. Interested PhotographyBLOG readers have been offered a 25% discount off the base-price for the first issue published, reducing the cost to 15 cents per page.

A number of Op/tech products, including SLR body covers, camera pouches and straps, now come in Nature / Camouflage. For camera and lens protection, all SLR Body Covers, D-Series Pouches, D-SLR Pouches and Hood Hats are now available in camouflage, and so are Pro Camera Straps, Tripod Straps, S.O.S Straps and the new S.O.S ‘Curve’ Strap. In the UK, these products are all sold by Newpro.

Website: Op/tech Products from Newpro

The Wild Wonders of Europe 2010 photography competition is set to launch in May. Last year’s winners, Janne Heimonen and Marcus Valeur were awarded the opportunity to hone their skills during a six-day adventure to the Cairngorms National Park and Alladale Wilderness Reserve in the Scottish Highlands, followed by a day at a special Epson print academy. Their winning images were selected from almost 11,000 images submitted to the competition by hobbyists, semi-pros and pro photographers from 23 countries. If you are interested in entering the 2010 contest, visit the website below.

Website: Wild Wonders of Europe

Crumpler’s new C-List Celebrity is a large, fully padded and thoroughly rugged laptop/camera bag. Rearward facing to avoid both dirt from the ground and shifty pickpockets from the underground, the Crumpler C-List Celebrity bag features a removable tripod holder, retro-reflective strips and comprehensive rain cover. Crumpler has also increased attention to ergonomics and comfort with wide hugging waist straps that direct the gear weight towards the hips and off the back to allow for better balance. The C-List Celebrity is now available in black and comes in 3 sizes to fit the range of Mac/Macbook/Pro line of Apple laptops as well as a large range of thinner PC laptops.

Website: Crumpler Bags

Jobo has unveiled two new versions of the award-winning GPS receiver photoGPS. The JOBO photoGPS is a small GPS receiver attached to the hot-shoe of a digital camera that captures location information instantaneously and automatically. Thanks to the included software, the geographical co-ordinates are translated automatically into real address data when connected to a PC or notebook and all images are tagged with this information. Both the photoGPS 2 and the photoGPS 4 models feature bigger storage capacities in comparison to the previous version. Coverage has also been extended by increasing the number of streets by 23%, municipalities by 42% and POIs (points of interest) by 27%. These new photoGPS models will be available by the end of April for MSRP € 99 (photoGPS 2) and €129 (photoGPS 4).

Adorama today announced the Grand Prize winner of its first annual iPhone Photography Contest. The Grand Prize winning entry titled “So Long & Farewell”  was created by Neville Black using an iPhone and three different imaging apps to edit the image. “Based on the success of this iPhone Photo Contest, Adorama is now planning additional contests to include the larger photographic community who are working with other mobile platforms such as the Google Android,” said Brian Green, Vice President of Marketing, Adorama.

Wilmotte Gallery at The Lichfield Studios is launching its 2010 contemporary art programme with new work by French photographer Marie Passa de Safar from 28 April. Marie Passa de Safar’s photography is closer to painting or charcoal drawing, with architecture, nature and still life all reappraised through her eyes and re-presented at the point where figuration and abstraction meet. This is the first UK show for Passa de Safar, who graduated in architecture and design and worked for many years at an international architecture agency before turning her attention to photography in 2007. Wilmotte Gallery at The Lichfield Studios is located at 133 Oxford Gardens, London, W10 6NE. The exhibition runs until 18 May.

Website: The Lichfield Studios

Remember Martin Hartley, the Arctic explorer who left the UK in February, equipped with a Leica MP 35mm film camera? Now’s your chance to win an original, signed print of one of his photographs. The spectacular photo has been flown back direct from the Arctic where Martin is currently on the ice with the 2010 Catlin Arctic Survey helping to investigate the effects of ocean acidification. For your chance to win this prize, and for more details on the prize draw, pay a visit to the website below.

Website: Catlin Arctic Survey