Panasonic has announced two new Micro FourThirds mount adaptors, the M Mount Adaptor DMW-MA2M and R Mount Adaptor DMW-MA3R, developed under support of Leica Camera AG. They make it possible to attach Leica M and R lenses, respectively, on Micro FourThirds cameras such as the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 and GH1. These adaptors also allow users to use the movable MF assist function, which enlarges the selected area when focusing manually. Pricing and availability to be confirmed.

Epson has introduced the Epson Artisan 50, an affordable single-function ink jet printer designed for printing digital photos and everyday projects. The main features include printing on in jet printable CDs and DVDs, auto photo correction, red-eye removal, two-sided printing (if supported by the operating system), individual ink cartridges and MicroPiezo ink technology. The Epson Artisan 50 will be available in June through major computer, office and electronic superstores, a variety of retail stores, mail order, PC manufacturers, the Internet, and Epson’s own retail site, www.epsonstore.com, at an estimated street price of $99.99.

ExposureManager has announced a new Two-Image Group Package template for event photographers. Photographers using ExposureManager can now offer their customers a range of package options when selling both group shots and individual portraits. For photographers, the monthly price to subscribe to ExposureManager’s premium package is $24.95 and the yearly price is $249.00. Features include unlimited image uploads and storage plus a range of e-mail marketing tools. The Event package features unlimited image uploads and storage for $12.95 a month or $99.95 annually. Finally, the Art package offers 1 GB image uploads and storage for $6.95 a month or $64.95 a year.

Website: ExposureManager

Photographers working for Our Place World Heritage, a global photographic initiative to document the sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list, now use the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 worldwide. Geoff Steven, Director and Assignment Editor of Our Place, claims that the low weight, portability and discreetness of the Panasonic G1 are great advantages to their photographers. To see images from the OUR PLACE World Heritage Collection, go to www.ourplaceworldheritage.com

Kodak Ektar 100, a new finely grained, highly saturated, medium-contrast colour negative film from Kodak, is now available in 120 size in the UK. Ektar 100, which had originally been released in 35mm format only, was announced for medium format earlier this year, with US shipments commencing in April. Now the Kodak Ektar 100 120 Pro Pack is also available in the UK, from at least two dealers, Silverprint and Firstcall Photographic. Special thanks to Rachelle M. and Rachel Z. Rayns of photo.net for letting us know.

The Pentax K-7 is a new mid-range DSLR with a number of novel features. New to the Pentax K7 are functions like video recording, in-camera HDR and automatic horizon correction. The dustproof, weather and cold-resistant Pentax K-7 also features a new shutter designed for 100,000 actuations, a top shutter speed of 1/8000 second, a through-the-lens optical viewfinder with approximately 100% frame coverage and 0.92x magnification, and a new Natural-Bright-Matte III focusing screen designed to improve focusing accuracy during manual-focus operation.

The Pentax K-7 has a continuous shooting rate of 5.2 frames per second for up to 40 JPEG images, a newly developed DR II dust removal system, a new 77-segment matrix meter, a new-generation SR mechanism for improved shake-reduction, a 3” LCD monitor with approximately 920k dots, Live View with Face Recognition AF, a new 11-point wide-frame AF module with 9 cross sensors and 2 line sensors, a multi-exposure function and automatic compensation of lens distortion and lateral chromatic aberrations with DA and DFA lenses.

The Pentax K7 also offers all the well-known Pentax goodies like the RAW button, Shutter/Aperture priority and Sensitivity-Priority modes, Hyper Programme and Hyper Manual functions. In line with what Gabrielle Remmers, Marketing Communication Manager of the Division of Imaging Systems of Pentax Europe, recently said about the “sensible resolution limit” having already been reached, the new Pentax K-7 has the same pixel count as its predecessor the K20D, although the sensor is a newly developed CMOS that allegedly offers “greatly reduced” noise levels.

In the UK, the Pentax K-7 will cost £1,199.99 body only, £1,229.99 with the 18-55mm kit lens, and £1329.99 with the 18-55mm + 50-200mm double kit lens. In the US, the K-7 body only will ship in July 2009 for $1,299.95 USD. The D-BG4 battery grip also will ship in July 2009 for $229.95. The newest weather-resistant lenses will be priced at $199.95 for the DA 18-55mm and $249.95 for the DA 50-200mm. These products also will ship in July 2009.

Along with the Pentax K-7 DSLR camera, Pentax have also announced two weather-resistant zoom lenses. Intended to be used on Pentax’s environmentally sealed digital SLR bodies, the smc PENTAX-DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6AL WR and the smc PENTAX-DA 50-200mm F4-5.6ED WR lenses feature a newly designed, simplified weather-resistant construction and Pentax-original SP coating on the front lens element. Other features include a Quick-Shift focus system for instant AF/MF switching, a metallic lens mount and a lens hood included as a standard accessory. The DA 18-55mm will cost $199.95 and the DA 50-200mm $249.95, shipping in July 2009. Click through / read on for the main specifications of both lenses.

CT Media/Photography Institute (CTPhoto Workshops) has moved to Farmington, Connecticut and offers inaugural workshops from 5 July -  August. Located in the brand new facilities on the campus of Tunxis Community College, these one-week courses will focus on the “total experience” of digital photography. Joint teaching sessions provide interrelated instruction in digital photography, lighting, digital manipulation and digital printing. Note that these courses are for intermediate to professional-level students that already have an understanding of manual camera functions including f/stop, shutter speed and ISO film speeds. Students taking digital lab courses should also have a basic working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop CS3+ and Adobe Lightroom. Address all questions to David Archambault, Director of the CT Media/Photography Institute workshops at: [email protected]

Website: CTPhoto

Cosina is planning to release a Voigtländer branded 50mm f/1.1 lens for the Leica M mount. The Voigtländer Nokton commemorates the 10th anniversary of the launch of the Bessa series of M mount 35mm rangefinder cameras, which are also being marketed under the Voigtländer brand. The new Nokton is constructed of 7 elements in 6 groups, has a 58mm filter diameter and weighs 428 grams without a lens hood. The glass used for the manufacturing of this lens is claimed to have an ultra-high refractive index. The projected retail price is ¥ 125,000 without taxes. There is no word on pricing / availability outside Japan.

Via The OnlinePhotographer

Website: Voigtlaender Nokton 50mm f/1.1 Product Page (in Japanese)

The German Voigrländer site is now showing the Nokton 50mm f/1.1 on its home page, saying it is going to be available in Europe from early summer, at a price of €999.

Epson has unveiled four new all-in-ones in its affordable Stylus NX line. These include the entry-level Epson Stylus NX115 ($69.99, pictured), Epson Stylus NX215 ($89.99), Epson Stylus NX415 ($99.99), and the flagship of the series, the Epson Stylus NX515 ($149.99). The Epson Stylus NX215 is apparently the industry’s first all-in-one at its price point with memory card slots and a 1.5-inch color LCD screen for standalone photo printing. The Epson Stylus NX415 boasts a 2.5-inch color LCD, claimed to be the largest at its price point, as well as card slots and PictBridge® support. The Epson Stylus NX515 is allegedly the fastest printer in its class (at least for printing black text in default mode) and offers Wi-Fi printing with a simple four-step setup process so users can print wirelessly. The prices quoted are estimated street prices. Availability is slated for June, but Amazon, BestBuy, Fry’s Electronics and Epson’s retail site are already taking pre-orders.

Panasonic has released the Panasonic HDC-TM10 and HDC-SD10, claimed to be the lightest AVCHD format full-HD camcorders in the world. Common features include a 16x optical zoom, touch screen control, iA with AF tracking and Advanced Optical Image Stabiliser. The SD10 and TM10 differ only by their recording format – the SD10 records to SD/SDHC Memory Card, while the TM10 offers 8GB built in memory on top of SD/SDHC Memory Card recording. Moreover, the HDC-TM10 features a Relay Recording function. When the built-in memory being used to record images becomes full, this function automatically switches the recording media to the SDHC/SD Memory Card to provide uninterrupted recording. When using a PC/DVD burner, the data can be automatically merged and saved onto a DVD. The two camcorders will be available from June.

Tom Mackie Images are introducing a two-week workshop within the greatest national parks in the Southwest of the U.S.A. Taking place from the 18th September 2010 – 3rd October 2010, the workshop is designed to support all photographers to take their landscape photography to another level. The workshop kicks off in Las Vegas, with participants departing for the Grand Canyon National Park the next day. Lake Powell, a reservoir on the Colorado River, straddling the border between Utah and Arizona will also be visited on the workshop. Other locations include Monument Valley Tribal Park, Arches National Parl, Deadhorse State Park and Canyonlands National Park, Devil’s Garden and Bryce Canyon National Park. Tuition, accommodation, breakfast, all park entrance fees and transport during the workshop is included in the fee. Flights, lunch, dinners and insurance are not included. Contact +44 (0)1603 465 292 for details.

We’ve updated our in-depth Canon PowerShot SX1 IS review with 12 RAW samples. The Canon SX1 IS can record .cr2 RAW files if it is updated with firmware version 2.0.0.0. Check our our Canon SX1 IS review to find out what the RAW quality is like from this super-zoom camera.

Website: Canon PowerShot SX1 IS Review

Olympus has released firmware updates for four of its Zuiko Digital ED lenses. These include the Zuiko Digital ED 90-250mm f:2.8, Zuiko Digital ED 8mm f:3.5 Fisheye, Zuiko Digital ED 18-180mm f:3.5-6.3 and Zuiko Digital ED 70-300mm f:4.0-5.6. The latest firmware versions allegedly improve unstable sequential shooting when using C-AF on the E-3 and E-30.

Website: Olympus Firmware Updates

MovieLocker.com is a new website that provides a unique online platform for storing, distributing and selling videos with no initial investment required. This means filmmakers can create their own online video store in less than 5 minutes for free and have guaranteed copyright control with advanced Digital Rights Management software. Users can set the price of their video material, show previews, and utilise MovieLocker’s payment processor to complete transactions.

Website: MovieLocker

Jalbum, a photo sharing service and personal web album creator, connects to bloggers around the world by introducing a brand new tool called Jalbum Blog Badge. Any blogger can now conveniently display their photo album news in the sidebar of their blog. The blog badge is automatically updated and shared when an album is published with Jalbum. The Jalbum Blog Badge was launched as Beta in March 2009. Since then, thousands of bloggers have already added the Blog badge to their sites. In addition to a general code to copy-and-paste into blogs, the Blog Badge also comes as plug-ins for leading blog services Wordpress and Blogger.

Website: Jalbum

The date and location of this year’s Retail Imaging Show have been announced. This trade show, which is targeted at minilab, consumer electronics, computer/software and AV retailers, will take place on 25 September 2009, in the London Marriott on Grosvenor Square. The 2009 show will include the Pixel theatre, an area which will deliver a timetable of presentations from key manufacturers & industry trend analysts throughout the day. The show timetable will include a complimentary lunch service from Gordon Ramsay & Jason Atherton’s Maze Restaurant. Tickets cost £17.50 each but early birds can take advantage of some ‘pre-paid’ tickets (remember though that this show is exclusive to those working in the imaging trade). Click through / read on for the details.

Fantasea has released the new Fantasea Eyes U/W Optics Line for underwater photographers. These include their BigEye wide-angle lenses, whose universal design and adaptor con?gurations provide a wide angle solution for large zoom lens compact digital cameras and most compact digital camera housings in the market, including Canon, Olympus, Fuji, Ikelite, Panasonic, Sea & Sea, Casio and more. Also belonging to the new underwater optics line are the SharpEye macro lenses, RedEye filters used to restore the red colour absorbed by the water, EyeDaptor adaptors and EyeGrabber lens holders.

Website: Fantasea Eyes