Jobo has announced the Jobo KeyFrame, a 2-in-1 mini digital frame and key ring. Featuring a 1.5-inch color display and an internal memory capable of storing up to 60 images, the Jobo KeyFrame is available in three colours – black, red and pink. Digital pictures can be easily transferred to the KeyFrame thanks to included software that is stored on the device’s internal memory. To upload images, users just connect the KeyFrame to a computer using the included USB cable. Also, the KeyFrame can display stored images in a slideshow presentation or as still images. The Jobo KeyFrame will be available at retail in November for: €15.95.

Jessops its new Jessops Carbon Fibre Major Tripod. The new tripod comes complete with a removable 3-way head, short centre column and carrying case. Weighing in at 1741 grams including the head, the Jessops Carbon Fibre Tripod boasts self adjusting flip locks on the tripod legs, rubber feet, retractable spikes to ensure a study position, leg warmers, spirit level and stabiliser hook. The height of the tripod when closed is 640mm and the maximum height it extends to is 1530mm. The Jessops Carbon Fibre Tripod is available for £149.

Tradeclips, billed as “the world’s first full-service video, audio, text and picture media sharing site for the communications industries”, has been launched. Tradeclips features include fast, secure upload of all digital media files, including video, audio, text and photo; an established database of every major UK news outlet; monthly hosting payment with no upload or download charges, distribution of multiple media files via Tradeclips’ “Packages” service and syndication of material to existing and new contacts at the click of a button. The service will officially be launched at an exclusive party at the newly re-furbished London Aquarium on 19th November 2009.

Toshiba has announced the launch of a new, back-illuminated 14.6-megapixel CMOS sensor offering enhanced sensitivity. Sampling of the new sensor will begin in December and mass production will follow from the third quarter of 2010. The sensor is of the 1/2.3” size, and the pixel pitch is only 1.4 microns, but Toshiba promises that it will “bring a new level of image quality to mobile phones”. The company says ir will “use the new sensor to promote its full-scale entry to digital camera market”.

Eye-Fi users can now wirelessly upload videos from their camera directly to Facebook without even turning on a computer. Plus, they can now alert Facebook friends via newsfeed updates anytime they upload photos or videos to more than 25 sharing sites. In celebration of these new services and Halloween, Eye-Fi today launched “The Eye-Fi Haunted Video Contest.” Beginning today, people can upload their best Halloween moment captured on video through the Eye-Fi Facebook page for a chance to win an Eye-Fi Share Video card and Eye-Fi connected Casio camera. Contestants can invite members of their social network to vote for the best video and on Friday, November 13 the winner will be announced.

Website: The Eye-Fi Haunted Video Contest

Panasonic Marketing Europe has announced a call for entries for the eighth annual online Lumix Award digital photo competition. The contest runs until 30 April 2010. Under the theme of “Visualise Music,” digital photographers are invited to submit each month one digital image that best captures the moment when music impacts our visual senses.  Each month, a winner will be chosen and awarded a Lumix DMC-ZX1 digital compact camera (pictured).  The overall winner of the Lumix Award competition – for the single best digital photo - will win a Lumix DMC-GF1 along with tickets to see the Blue Man Group. Two runner-ups will each receive a LUMIX DMC-FZ38 digital camera.

Website: Lumix Award

The Photographers’ Gallery today named the four shortlisted artists nominated for its annual Deutsche Börse Photography Prize (DBPP). The annual award of £30,000 rewards a living photographer, of any nationality, who has made the most significant contribution, in exhibition or publication format, to the medium of photography in Europe between 1 October 2008 and 30 September 2009. The four shortlisted artists are Anna Fox, Zoe Leonard, Sophie Ristelhueber and Donovan Wylie. Anna Fox has been nominated for her exhibition, Cockroach Diaries & Other Stories at Ffotogallery, Cardiff; Zoe Leonard for her her retrospective exhibition, ZOE LEONARD: Photographs, at the Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich; Sophie Ristelhueber for her retrospective, Sophie Ristelhueber at the Jeu de Paume, Paris; while Donovan Wylie has been shortlisted for his exhibition MAZE 2007/8 at Belfast Exposed. The winner will be announced on Wednesday 17 March 2010.

Barely larger than a tube of lipstick, the Minox NV mini II is one of the smallest night vision devices in the world. The Minox NV mini II amplifies the available residual light such as light frequencies from the brightness of stars or horizon radiation that are not perceived by the human eye. The multicoated lens system provides a brilliant and clear image of the object pointed to. The optical system also provides a 2 x magnification. The Minox NV mini II, which comes complete with a battery and a wrist strap, will become available at the end of this month.

The Hi-Touch P510K and 510S are two new dye sublimation event printers.The 510S is the smallest, lightest model weighing in at 13kg and incorporates a 3.5 inch high resolution display for standalone operation and user settings. The 510K has a larger 10 inch Touch Screen display giving greater flexibility, but does weigh more (18kg). Print speeds are just 12 seconds for a 6x4 inch print, 18 seconds for a 5x7, 19 seconds for a 6x8 and 21 seconds for a 6x9 inch print. Print media can easily be changed with a slide in design for both the paper cassette and ribbon cartridge giving photographers the versatility to swap between print sizes, even part way through a roll of paper or ribbon, and with the capability to produce up to 300 prints per hour at functions, customers can be served quickly and efficiently. Hi-Touch printers are distributed in the UK by Intro 2020.

Phase One have released Capture One 5 PRO, the latest version of their RAW converter and workflow application. Capture One 5 PRO has been enhanced with workflow accelerators to handle large volume shoots faster. Version 5 also adds support for additional DSLR models and RAW file support for selected Leaf digital backs. Capture One 5 is available in three versions: Capture One 5 ($129 / 99 EUR), Capture One 5 DB and Capture One 5 PRO ($399 / 299 EUR).

Hoya Corporation are saying they will “not shut down” the Pentax business, but admit they definitely need a strong electronics company as a partner. Pentax currently has ties with Samsung, but apparently Hoya are not sure if the Sourh Korean company would be the ideal partner for the future. Bloomber quotes Hoya’s Chief Operating Officer Hiroshi Hamada as saying, “I don’t know whether we’ll go with Samsung or somebody else, but I can say that we’ll have a deeper relationship with some electronics guys”.

Source: Bloomberg via Amateur Photographer

Canon has admitted that “in images captured by continuous shooting [with the Canon EOS 7D digital SLR camera], and under certain conditions, barely noticeable traces of the immediately preceding frame may be visible”, and said that they are planning to release a firmware update to address this issue. The company has not disclosed exactly when it would post the firmware update, saying only that it would be posted on their website.

International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) is reminding interested photographers that the submission deadline is getting closer and closer. You have until 30 November to enter your work. This year’s top prize is £5000 plus a Royal Photographic Society gold medal. Additionally - and uniquely among photography competitions - they offer every photographer who enters the chance to receive a personal email critique of their entry from the judges, once the winners are announced. There are seven categories, with awards for single images as well as portfolios. For more information and to enter, visit the website below.

Website: IGPOTY

Kodak apparently believes “It’s Time to Smile”, as this will be the tagline for its new, fully integrated marketing initiative. Citing recent research that has revealed relationships are suffering across America and people feel lonelier than before, Kodak has started a new campaign demonstrating “the brand’s dedication to strengthening and deepening relationships through sharing images”. The campaign began with social media activities supported by public relations in summer 2009. Kodak has announced three new social media applications that are making it easier and more fun to “share smiles” and photos. These include two Facebook applications, Kodak Konga Line and Kodak Smile Meter, and one iPhone app called Kodak Smile Maker.

Along with FocalPoint 2 and PhotoTune 3, onOne also announced today its new Plug-in Suite 5 for Adobe Photoshop. Plug-in Suite 5 includes both of the afore-mentioned plug-ins, plus PhotoFrame 4.5 Professional Edition, PhotoTools 2.5 Professional Edition, Genuine Fractals 6 Professional Edition and MaskPro 4. With support for Photoshop CS2, CS3 and CS4 the onOne Software Plug-in Suite 5 now includes the new onOne Panel which provides quick access to all products, Windows 64 bit support and the ability to access select plug-ins from within Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 and Apple Aperture 2.1. The new Plug-in Suite 5 will be available in November to new users for $599.95. You can, however, save $200 by pre-ordering the suite before 5 November 2009. Existing users of Plug-in Suite version 1, 2, 3 or 4 can upgrade to Plug-in Suite 5 for $199.95.

onOne today announced FocalPoint 2, an Adobe Photoshop plug-in for simulating selective focus and shallow depth of field. Photographers can create an allegedly authentic out-of-focus look with aperture shaped highlights with the new blur algorithm that accurately matches the blur a real lens would create, the company says. To assist photographers in getting the most out of FocalPoint 2, new lens presets are included that simulate desirable fast aperture lenses. FocalPoint 2 will be available in November to new users for $159.95 and can also be purchased as part of the new Plug-in Suite 5 for $599.95. Existing users of FocalPoint 1 (read review) can upgrade to FocalPoint 2 for $99.95.

onOne Software today announced PhotoTune 3, an Adobe Photoshop plug-in for optimising digital photos.  The improved PhotoTune Wizard walks new users through the optimising process in two steps with no need to understand colour theory or complex controls like levels or curves. PhotoTune 3 also offers access to advanced adjustments for pro users who want more control. New features include automatic correction featuring the imsense’s eye-fidelity technology, professional controls and intuitive balck-and-white conversions. Plus, PhotoTune 3 now supports integration with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and Apple Aperture so that it can be accessed inside the workflow applications used every day. PhotoTune 3 will be available in November to new users for $159.95 and can also be purchased as part of the new Plug-in Suite 5 for $599.95. Existing users of PhotoTune 1 or 2 can upgrade to PhotoTune 3 for $99.95 or can upgrade to the Plug-in Suite 5 for $499.95.

Canon has posted its seventh straight quarterly profit drop, Bloomberg reports. The extended profit decline is blamed on a strong yen, which has hit Canon particularly badly, given that about 80% of the company’s sales are generated overseas. Having said that, Canon is still optimistic about its fourth-quarter prospects, saying the profit decline is expected to turn into growth eventually. Bloomberg also remarks that the company’s profit losses have mainly stemmed from the business machines division, with the camera operations actually enjoying a growth of 5.5%. The problem is that Canon’s prosperous camera business is much smaller than its ailing business machines division, and the growth achieved by the former cannot offset the dramatic decline the latter is facing.

Via Bloomberg