Nissin is introducing the Nissin Di466 flashgun for Four Thirds and Micro Four Thirds cameras, boasting a fast recycle time of approximately 4 seconds. The Nissin Di466 sports the company’s original ‘My TTL’ feature, which essentially allows the user to fine-tune the default TTL light output level. The flash has a zooming head covering the angles of view of Four Thirds lenses ranging from 12mm to 53mm (24-106mm equivalent). With a guide number of 33/109 (m/ft, ISO 100/21°) at full zoom, the Nissin Di466 is about as powerful as Olympus’ FL-36 system flash, but thanks to being powered by four batteries rather than two, the Nissin’s recycle times are much shorter (4.5 seconds with fresh alkalines, 3.8 seconds with Ni-MH rechargeables, assuming a full-power burst). It also has a tilting head, with detents at 0°, 45°, 60°, 75° and 90°, but no swivel capability. The price of the unit has not been revealed, but if other versions of this flash are anything to go by, it should retail for about £89/$129.

Olympus is offering new limited-edition black leather accessory cases sporting silver studs, buckles, chains and the iconic Harley-Davidson motorcycle brand in four distinct styles. “Olympus consumers live active lifestyles and demand quality products,” said Nadine Clark, product manager, Olympus Imaging America Inc. “Whether you’re a two-wheeled novice, a seasoned road warrior or just enjoy the look, the new Harley-Davidson accessory cases are for you.”  The limited-edition leather accessory cases will be available from the end of this month, retailing for $29.99 each.

Created as an homage to classic photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Frank, Think Tank Photo has created five soft-sided shoulder bags in its new Retrospective series. The Retrospective series comprises three Retrospective Soft-sided Camera Shoulder Bags and two Retrospective Soft-sided Lens Changer Shoulder Bags. Their soft and supple fabrics conform to the body and feature two color options: Pinestone Cotton Canvas and Black Poly Spun Canvas. They might be retro in style, but are “filled with innovations for today’s professional photographer”, the company says. Clcik through / read on for all the details.

The Think Tank Logistics Manager is a giant rolling case designed to hold multiple camera bodies, several large lenses and lighting equipment. Measuring 40x76x29cm, the Think Tank Logistics Manager “provides the answer to a question often asked by working photographers, which is, how can I transport all of my gear into the field, have quick access to it, and secure it from loss or theft,” said Doug Murdoch, Think Tank Photo president and lead designer. A three-tier security system including a TSA combination lock, a rear security cable and combination lock plus a Security ID Plate with online plate registration is on board to help prevent theft and loss of equipment. Outfitted with replaceable wheels within protective housings, attachment points on both sides for tripods and light stands, and a number of pockets for cords, reflectors and other accessories, the Think Tank Logistics Manager comes with a lifetime warrant and is expected to hit the shelves in March priced at $599.

Reallusion has recently launched two iPhone applications. Photo Makeover is a face reshaping and beautification app, while 10x Camera Tools PRO provides a complete camera, album, photo geotagging and interactive photo action centre. Photo Makeover features5 selectable facial regions each with move, rotate and size controls and the ability to make thousands of subtle changes. Reallusion 10X Camera Tools PRO adds 7 camera modes to the iPhone camera, geotags your photos and allows you to record photo notes of up to 500 words. Password lock protection, full size image swipe and zoom preview, multi-photo select, edit and share are also among the app’s features.

Website: Reallusion

The recently announced Canon iPF8300, iPF6350 and iPF6300 large-format printers have been priced and will shortly be available in the USA. The imagePROGRAF iPF8300 is a 44-inch wide printer, capable of producing prints of up to B0 size, whereas the iPF6350 and iPF6300 are for prints up to 24-inch wide. Claimed to deliver improved ink ejection accuracy, these new imagePROGRAF printers from Canon offer a wider colour gamut with over 90% coverage of Pantone colours.  According to Wilhelm Research, an independent testing laboratory, the colour pictures of the new imagePROGRAF machines last up to 75 years, while black-and-white printouts last 200 years. Canon USA is displaying the new models at the Wedding & Portrait Photographer International (WPPI) Convention, MGM Grand in Las Vegas, March 8-11, 2010. The imagePROGRAF iPF8300/6350/6300 will start shipping in March for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $5,995, $3,995 and $3,695, respectively.

Hull Media has announced the Most Transporting Photo Contest, a promotion that encourages members to share their most compelling travel photos on WereYouThere. Entries will be judged on the overall quality, originality and creativity of the photo and accompanying caption. One Grand Prize winner will receive a 16GB iPod Nano; three First Prize winners will each receive an 8GB iPod Nano. Register at the website below to enter, then upload a travel photo along with a descriptive caption of least 100 words. Each submission must be the entrant’s own original work and may not have been published commercially elsewhere. Multiple submissions are allowed, provided each is unique. The contest continues through to Sunday, 14 March.

Website: WereYouThere Photo Contest

SanDisk has begun shipping the 64GB SanDisk Ultra SDXC card, the company’s highest-capacity Secure Digital memory card ever. With its 64GB capacity, up to 15MB/sec read speed and Class 4 speed rating, the new card is ideal for capturing and storing massive 1080p High-Definition video files and then transferring them quickly to a computer. The first SDXC compliant digital compact cameras have already been announced, and widespread adoption of SDXC is expected to occur across a range of consumer electronic products in the future. The 64GB SanDisk Ultra SDXC memory card is available immediately via SanDisk’s US e-commerce site with a price of $349.99.

The CompactFlash Association has announced the availability of the recently approved CF5.0 specification. The CF5.0 specification includes 48-bit addressing to allow capacities of up to 144 petabytes and more efficient data transfer, an optional Video Performance Guarantee to ensure quality recordings with no dropped frames, and other novelties. Mr. Shigeto Kanda of Canon and the CFA chairman of the board said, “The higher capacity and higher performance of CF cards enabled by the 48-bit addressing feature in the CF5.0 specification will further increase the value of DSLR cameras. The Video Performance Guarantee feature of the CF5.0 specification will help CF cards to expand into new markets such as high-speed movie equipment like professional video camcorders.”

Epson has released the free Epson iPrint application for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch. This app lets you print photos directly from your iPhone using a variety of Wi-Fi enabled Epson printers. The Epson iPrint app is available for free from the App Store in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and Portugese. Epson iPrint is compatible with iPhone and iPod Touch versions 2.2.1 and later.

Color Confidence today announced the launch of a freephone pre-sales and technical support phone line for ColorMunki in the UK. As the exclusive UK distributor of the ColorMunki range, Color Confidence has teamed up with X-Rite to introduce this line, which will provide simple advice and technical assistance for ColorMunki users. The service is available immediately by dialling 0800 197 2952.

Website: ColorMunki

Pentax is launching a limited-edition silver version of the Pentax K-7 digital SLR camera, intended as a perfect match for Pentax’s FA Limited lenses. The silver-coloured body comes with a “golden section ratio” focusing screen (see our image gallery below) installed. The body colour is identical to that of the company’s FA Limited lenses, while the rear LCD screen has been endowed with a highly scratch resistant glass plate. The silver Pentax K-7 ships with the latest firmware version, which provides automatic CA and distortion correction for FA Limited lenses. Production run is limited to 1,000 sets.

Via The Imaging Resource

Capture One 5.1 is the latest version of Phase One’s raw conversion, workflow and image editing application. The basic version now features both a simplified workspace and ‘pro’ image-editing options; Capture One 5.1 PRO comes with new tools for advanced noise reduction and image editing efficiency. Version 5.1 is free to existing Capture One 5.x/5.x PRO owners.

Sony is showing a number of concept cameras at PMA 2010. These include

- Concept model of an ultra-compact interchangeable lens digital camera system that packs the quality of a DSLR camera in an extraordinarily small body, along with interchangeable lenses
- Mid-range concept camera for advanced users (a successor to the ?700), as well as concept mainstream models, all complete with full 1080p AVCHD video capability
- Prototype of a Super Telephoto Lens (500mm F4 G) with class-leading optical performance
- Prototype of a Distagon T 24mm F2 ZA SSM, new Carl Zeiss wide angle lens for superior shots of landscapes and sweeping vistas

General Imaging have announced 9 new GE branded cameras for 2010. The waterproof GE G5WP features a sturdy metal design and 4x internal zoom lens, retailing for $179.99. The GE X5 offers a 15x zoom for $149.99, while the E1486TW and E1480W models have 14 megapixels and 8x zooms for $179.99 and $149.99 respectively. The GE J1455 features 14.2 megapixels of resolution and a 5x optical zoom lens, costing $129.99. The GE C1033 and C1233 are designed to be budget-friendly at $69.99 and $59.99, while the A1255 and A1455 models have 5x optical zooms and 2.7-inch LCD screens for $89.99 and $99.99.

General Imaging also unveiled the Create range by Jason Wu, a unique line of point-and-shoot cameras designed by the talented fashion designer. The Create collection includes built-in memory, battery, a retractable USB connector, and software for automatic backup and playback of pictures and video. GE’s Create line-up will be available next month for prices ranging from $179.99 to $229.99.

The Sigma DP2s is a new 14 megapixel compact digital camera with a 24mm F2.8 lens. Successor to the DP2, the DP2s incorporates a new AF algorithm, a Power Save Mode and a new rear design. The AF algorithm provides high speed auto focusing, ensuring convenient shooting. The DP2s’ Power Save Mode lowers the battery consumption, while the new rear design aids quick recognition of the controls.

The Sigma DP1x camera is an updated version of the DP1s incorporating the TRUE II image processing engine from the DP2 / SD15. The DP1x includes the TRUE II image processing engine, improving the image-processing time, as well as a new AF algorithm, providing high speed auto focusing. In addition, the user interface has been unified with the DP2 series by changing the Set Up Menu and adopting the QS (Quick Set) button.

The Sigma SD15 has been announced again, after it was first shown back at Photokina in 2008. Powered by the 14 megapixel Foveon X3 sensor, the SD15 incorporates the “TRUE II” image processing engine and features a 3.0 inch LCD monitor, 77-Segment AE sensor, 5-point AF system, and 3fps continuous shooting. The actual availability and price of the much-delayed Sigma SD15 haven’t been announced yet…

The Sigma APO 70-200 F2.8 EX DG OS HSM is a new fast telephoto lens. Equipped with optical stabilisation, the Sigma 70-200mm has a large maximum aperture of F2.8 throughout the entire zoom range. The lens incorporates HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor), ensuring a quiet and high speed AF as well as full-time manual focus capability. For digital cameras with an APS-C size image sensor, a dedicated hood adapter, which expands the length of the lens hood, is supplied.

The Sigma 50-500mm f5-6.3 DG OS HSM is an ultra telephoto lens offering a 10x zoom ratio. Incorporating Sigma’s original Optical Stabiliser function, the Sigma 50-500mm f5-6.3 offers the use of shutter speeds approximately 4 stops slower than would otherwise be possible. Four SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements provide excellent correction of colour aberration. The addition of the optional 1.4x EX DG or 2x EX DG APO Tele Converters produce a 70-700mm F6.3-8 or a 100-1000mm F9-12.6 MF zoom lens respectively.