The Pentax Optio M85 is a new simple and stylish digital compact camera. Offering a 12 megapixel resolution CCD sensor, 32-96mm 3 x optical zoom lens and 3 inch LCD screen, the Pentax M85 is only 19mm thick and weighs 128g. The Pentax M85 will be available in October 2009.

HDRtist is a new, free and easy-to-use HDR generator and tone mapper from Ohanaware. It creates a high-dynamic-range image from multiple exposures, and tone maps it in a single step. HDRtist features 4 different tone mapping techniques, and an intuitive method of switching between them. And, while HDRtist was designed for the creation of HDR images, you can use it on a single photo and it will still produce some great results. Basically you are just applying the Tone Mapping part in this case. Users of the company’s Funtastic Photos software can also export their HDR images to Funtastic Photos for further editing if they wish.

Website: HDRtist

German online photo agency Polylooks, which is backed by Deutsche Telekom, has launched its service in the UK. Polylooks already contains more than 35,000 UK-generated images alongside its extensive European portfolio and the site is looking to expand its British photo collection, including 20,000 from its UK partner Monkey Business Images. The microstock market is currently dominated by North American providers, the company said, meaning more European-specific content was needed to cater for rising demands this side of the Atlantic.Photographers who exclusively post their material on Polylooks receive 50 per cent of the net sale price and those with non-exclusive arrangements receive 35 per cent.

Website: Polylooks

Sony is launching a version of its MicroVault Click USB storage device with 32GB capacity. According to Sony, the new model will be welcomed by anyone who has to handle HD video or high definition still images in volume. Owners of sophisticated DSLR cameras will appreciate the ease and convenience of so much capacity at their fingertips when it comes to managing serious quantities of high resolution still images. The MicroVault Click can even go beyond the 32GB mark thanks to unique Virtual Expander data compression software pre-loaded onto each unit. This allegedly gives people the option of tripling capacity with a simple drag and drop function. MicroVault Click 32GB is available in September and is covered by a 5 year warranty.

Fodor’s Travel announced the latest in their series of travel photography contests, “Show Us Your Greece,” where North American visitors to Fodors.com will have the opportunity to upload and share their favourite photos of Greece with other visitors and the chance to win prizes, including Fodor’s guides.  One grand prize winner will have his/her photograph featured in Fodor’s Greece or Fodor’s Greek Islands and will receive a suite of Fodor’s latest full-color guides. Ten runners up will win two Fodor’s guides of their choice and all winning photos will be featured in an online gallery. Photo submissions will be accepted at www.Fodors.com/contest/Greece/ from September 14 to October 5, 2009. As with other Fodor’s travel photo contests, only US and Canadian residents (excluding those living in Quebec) are eligible to win. We encourage you to read the rules in full before entering your work.

International Medical Corps and Three Hawks Press announce the release of “A Thousand Words: Photos from the Field,” a photography book documenting the humanitarian crises of the last quarter century. The book was more than two years in the making. Those involved worked on a pro bono basis–donating their time, talent, photographs, and in some cases, dollars. While the images captured in the book reveal the devastation of war, famine and natural disaster, they also are a testament to the power of compassion, strength and innovation in helping people recover from crisis and rebuild their lives. Net proceeds from the book sales will be donated to International Medical Corps.

Website: “A Thousand Words: Photos from the Field” on Amazon

PhotoshopIsland.com offers exclusive designs and elements for anyone who works with Photoshop, from professional photographers to scrapbookers. Three collections are available at launch: Distressed Background Brushes, 2010 Calendar Brushes & EPS Files and Postage-Themed Brushes. To encourage visits during its launch, PhotoshopIsland visitors who sign up for its e-news have a chance to win an Epson PictureMate PM 260 photo printer. Plus, each visitor who signs-up gets a free set of 10 high resolution Photoshop brushes.

Panasonic has released a firmware update for the 45-200mm lens. The 1.1 update for the LUMIX G VARIO 45-200mm / F4.0-5.6 / MEGA O.I.S. lens improves the auto focus performance in AFC mode and the auto focusing and stability of the Optical Image Stabilizer while reducing noise of aperture control for taking movies.

Aurora Quick Fix is a free photo editing, sharing and publishing software application. In just a few clicks, Aurora users can Relight, Retouch, add Punch for color contrast, adjust color strength and warmth, tint, crop, straighten, zoom and adjust red-eye in a simple, intuitive and visual way. Aurora also includes sophisticated tools for organizing, publishing and sharing photos. The software is non-destructive as edited images are saved as a new file. Edited photos are saved at their original size and resolution. Aurora Quick Fix is available immediately at www.lightcrafts.com and is free to download for Mac and PC.

Hireacamera.com, one of the leading rental companies in the photographic market, has announced today that the Nikon D300s is now in stock and the company has a pre-order on the Canon 7D. The Nikon D300s has a range of features including 720p HD video recording, a 7fps continuous shooting mode and Dual Compact Flash and SD card slots.  A new quiet release mode allows the user to discreetly photograph subjects by allowing them to manage the mirror return manually. The D300s also features the same multi-selector as used on the D3 and D700. Hireacamera.com is based in Crowborough, East Sussex and dispatches rental equipment all over the United Kingdom.

Hartblei has announced the Hartblei CAM, which allows you to mate a Nikon F or Canon EF mount lens to a medium-format digital or film back. The Hartblei CAM uses a 35mm lens mount as an interface to support all lenses, no matter whether 35mm or MF. Hartblei claims that you can mount any of the currently available medium format backs, and points out that a combination of a 14mm lens and a Phase One P65+ back will give medium-format users an extremely wide 135-degree angle of view. The Hartblei CAM comes with a built-in shutter boasting a top shutter speed of 1/2000th of a second, and offers a motorised slider to move the back back and forth. The camera is available now at €4985 plus shipping and taxes.

Website: Hartblei

Adobe has released Adobe Camera Raw 5.5. The newst version of the ACR plug-in adds support for the Nikon D300s, the Nikon D3000, the Olympus E-P1, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 digital cameras. Please bear in mind that ACR 5.5 is not compatible with Photoshop versions earlier than CS4 or versions of Photoshop Elements earlier than Elements 6.0.

Website: Adobe Camera Raw 5.5 for Windows
Website: Adobe Camera Raw 5.5 for Macintosh

Adobe has issued a new update to Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. Version 2.5 adds support to several new digital cameras, including the Nikon D3000 and the Olympus E-P1, and fixes a few bugs introduced by previous Lightroom 2 releases. Note to existing users of earlier versions: Lightroom 2.5 will automatically remove the Lightroom 2.0, 2.1, 2,2, 2,3 or 2.4 executable and replace the Adobe Photoshop Lightroom folder with the Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.5 folder.

Website: Adobe Lightroom 2.5 for Windows
Website: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.5 for Macintosh

Mobile Mechatronics has announced the Blur tripod adapter and mini tripod for the Apple iPhone. The Blur tripod adapter allows users to mount their iPhone on any standard photographic tripod. The package offered by Mobile Mechatronics costs $14.99, and includes an ultra-portable mini tripod as well as the Blur tripod adapter. The Blur Tripod Software, an iPhone app that enables iPhone users to engage in time-lapse photography,will be available pending Apple’s approval.

Website: Mobile Mechatronics

Professional photographer and Photoshop educator, Stuart Little, has launched a brand new blog entitled ‘A Little Photoshop’. The new online publication is home to free articles, HD screencasts, training and inspiration based around the topics of Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, digital photography and off-camera lighting. Stuart Little is a professional photographer and Photoshop Trainer with over 18 years experience in the field. Over the past 7 years he has lectured in digital photography worldwide for Photo Training Overseas, Fujifilm, The Master Photographers Association and The British Institute of Professional Photographers. He splits his time between commercial, lifestyle photography, blogging, and training photographers worldwide.

Website: A Little Photoshop

Toshiba has introduced a new line of 1.8-inch HDDs with a capacity of up to 160GB on a single-platter, and a slim five-millimeter high profile targeting next-generation digital video cameras and other consumer electronics products. Toshiba’s new MK1634GAL family of 1.8-inch HDDs offers consumer electronics manufacturers a thin and light package with a class-leading storage capacity, best power consumption efficiency, highest durability and quietest seek operation of any HDDs on the market, the company claims. Shipping now to consumer electronics manufacturers, the compact 160GB model leads the MK1634GAL family with mass production of the 60GB, 80GB and 120GB models scheduled in late September.

X-Rite has announced ColorChecker Passport, an all-new solution for digital photographers working in a raw workflow to quickly and easily capture accurate colour, instantly enhance portraits and landscapes, and maintain colour control from capture to edit. The new ColorChecker Passport includes the Classic Target, a white balance target, a Creative Enhancement Target, a piece of software for camera calibration and a protective case. “With ColorChecker Passport, you can expect much faster image processing time, improved quality control, all in a cool little package that you can take anywhere,” said X-Rite Senior VP of Sales and Marketing Iris Mangelschots.

Website: X-Rite Photo

Famous French photographer Willy Ronis, a contemporary of Robert Doisneau and Henri Cartier-Bresson, died at the age of 99. Ronis, who originally aspired to be a composer, first got into photography when his father fell ill and he had to take over the family photo studio. After his father’s death, however, he gave up studio photography and became a photojournalist. He worked for a number of prestigious publications including Regards, Plaisir de France and Life. His work, along with that of Doisneau, Cartier-Bresson, Izis and Brassaï, was showcased at the Museum of Modern Art in New Yor City in 1953, as part of an exhibition entitled, somewhat misleadingly, “Five French Photographers” (neither Izis nor Brassaï was in fact French, though both worked in France at the time). Ronis rceived a number of awards, including the Gold Medal of the Venice Biennale (1957) and the Grand Prix des Arts et Lettres (1979). While predominantly a photojournalist and a master of street photography, Willy Ronis was also noted for his nudes and fashion shots. Upon hearing from his death, the office of France’s President Nicolas Sárközy issued a communiqué saying, “Willy Ronis has immortalised for us and future generations a popular and poetic France”.

Website: Obituary in The New York Times