Pentax has announced the development of a 15mm F4 lens and a 1.4x rear converter. The Pentax DA* 15mm F4 ED AL Limited is an ultra-wide lens designed for exclusive use with Pentax DSLRs. The Pentax 15mm F4 Lens will be available in Spring 2009. The Pentax-DA 1.4X RearR Converter SDM is the first rear converter equipped for autofocus operation of Pentax DSLRs. A marketing date has yet to be announced, along with pricing for both products.

Capture One 4 Pro allows photographers to enhance and develop RAW digital files with excellent color and detail reproduction. New features include lens enhancement tools, Skin Tone tool, and a redesigned Styles feature. Capture One Pro customers can upgrade to Capture One 4 Pro at no extra cost. For new customers, it is 399 USD and 299 EUR. Phase One have also unveiled a new lineup of high-quality lenses, including 28mm f4.5, 45mm f2.8, 80mm f2.8, 120mm f4.0, 150mm f2.8, and a 75-150mm f4.5 zoom. A new 80mm leafshutter lens, vertical grip, and additional accessories for the Phase One 645 camera system will be available in Spring 2009.

The Ricoh R10 is a new 10 megapixel digital camera with a 7.1x, 28-200mm wide-angle zoom lens. Improvements when compared to the previous R8 model include a larger 3 inch HVGA LCD screen, electronic level to ensure straight horizons, Easy shooting mode for beginners, addition of a Function button, the ability to alter the flash intensity, and Auto level compensation. The R10 retains the same Smooth Imaging Engine III image processing engine, CCD-shift vibration correction, face recognition and 1cm macro mode. Available in silver, bronze or black, the Ricoh R10 will be available in mid-October 2008 in the UK for £199.99.

Update: We have a gallery of photos of the Ricoh R10 - click the continue link below…

Lensbaby are launching an entire new system of selective focus lenses - the Composer, Muse, and Control Freak. The Lensbaby Composer is based on a ball and socket configuration that delivers smooth selective focus photography with greater precision. It retains its position after being bent and is easy to use even with one hand.  Photographers do not squeeze the lens to focus, but can simply tilt the lens to a desired angle and then focus with a barrel focusing ring. The new Muse and the new Control Freak replace the current Original, Lensbaby 2.0, and Lensbaby 3G lenses, which will be phased out immediately. In addition, each of the three lenses features the new Lensbaby Optic Swap system. The Lensbaby Composer costs $270 / £164.99, the Control Freak will cost $270 / $170, and the Lensbaby Muse $100 / £64.99 with the Plastic optic installed.

Update: We have a gallery of photos of the Lensbaby Composer - click the continue link below…

Tamron have announced the development of a 15x, 18-270mm digital SLR zoom lens, providing the world’s biggest zoom ratio. The new Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO has an equivalent focal length of 28-419mm on cameras with APS-C sized image sensors, and is equipped with a Vibration Compensation (VC) mechanism. The 18-270mm Di II VC allows close focusing down to 0.49m (20 inches) from the subject with a maximum magnification ratio of 1:3.5. The Tamron 18-270mm lens will be available in Canon and Nikon mounts. Availability and price are to be confirmed.

Update: We have a gallery of photos of the Tamron 18-270mm lens from Photokina - click the continue link below…

The Leica D-Lux 4 is a new 10 megapixel compact camera with a 24-60mm lens. Sound familiar? It should - the Leica D-Lux 4 is essentially a re-branded version of Panasonic’s DMC-LX3 camera. The only difference seems to be a more square-looking optical viewfinder (an optional accessory). Otherwise the Leica D-Lux 4 offers all the things that we liked about the LX3, but only available in black and costing substantially more at £590.

Update: We have a gallery of photos of the Leica D-Lux 4 - click the continue link below…

The second re-badged Leica compact introduced today is the C-Lux 3, essentially a Panasonic DMC-FX37. The Leica C-Lux 3 is a 10 megapixel camera with a 5x, 25-125mm zoom lens, and diminutive metal body. The Leica C-Lux 3 retails for £420 and will be available from October 2008.

Update: We have a gallery of photos of the Leica C-Lux 3 - click the continue link below…

The JOBO photoGPS is a small and lightweight GPS receiver that fits directly on any digital camera’s hot shoe. The photoGPS allows for automatic geo-tagging by capturing raw GPS data and time, which it stores in its own internal memory. “JOBO’s new photoGPS has been designed to be easy-to-use and extremely compact allowing it to be a travel-friendly accessory for people wanting to share the joy of their adventurous lifestyle with others. Other mostly organizer-based geo-tagging solutions can be both expensive and/or cumbersome.” said Johannes Bockemuehl-Simon, JOBO’s CEO. The JOBO photoGPS will cost €159,00 / £159.99 and will be available for Windows operating systems in November 2008. Mac OS versions will be released by the end of 2008.

Update: We have a gallery of photos of the JOBO photoGPS - click the continue link below…

The Casio EX-FH20 camera has a continuous shooting rate of up to 40fps and records movies at 1000fps. Following on from the the world’s fastest digital camera, the EX-F1, the new Casio FH20 is a 9.1 megapixel model with a massive 20x zoom lens (equivalent to 26-520mm). The Casio EX-FH20 will be available from October for £399 / $599.

Update: We have a gallery of photos of the Casio EX-FH20 - click the continue link below…

The 60 megapixel Hasselblad H3DII-60 camera will be launched in 2009. Speaking at Photokina this week, Christian Poulsen, CEO of Hasselblad commented “The H3DII-60 will feature a 60 megapixel sensor that provides 94% full-frame, 645 coverage. We feel that it’s important to emphasize the 94% coverage, because, although we hear the phrase ‘full-frame’ being used quite frequently, no manufacturer has yet achieved true medium format full-frame.” Priced at $27,995, the 50 megapixel H3DII-50 (pictured) is available for immediate delivery and the H3DII-60, which will be priced at $35,495, will be available in April 2009. As well as the H3DII-60 and H3DII-50 cameras, Hasselblad is also launching a new versatile zoom lens, the HCD 4.0-5.6/35-90mm, and a HTS 1.5 Tilt and Shift Adapter.

The Sigma DP2 is a new compact camera with a 14 megapixel Foveon X3, APS-C sized sensor. Virtually identical to the Sigma DP1, the DP2 has a 41mm lens rather than 28mm, and it has an aperture of f/2.8 (f4 on the DP1). The other significant improvement offered by the Sigma DP2 is the new “TRUE II” image processing engine, which promises to speed up the operation of the camera.

Sigma UK’s Paul Reynolds demoed the camera to us at Photokina. Due for release in February/March 2009, the DP2 has a larger 41mm lens which protrudes further than the 28mm version on the DP1. Although the new TRUE II will “definitely speed up the general operation of the camera”, according to Reynolds, the auto-focus speed will only be slightly improved, because of the inherent problem with physically moving such a large lens. The Sigma DP2 will be sold alongside the older DP1 model, which won’t be upgraded with TRUE II - so you’ll need to choose between different focal lengths, and perhaps equally importantly if you want the speed advantages of the image processing engine. A more minor change is the new QS button, borrowed from the Sigma SD14 DSLR and standing for Quick Set. This will provide quicker access to four key features (ISO, White Balance, File Quality and Exposure Compensation). In terms of accessories, the DP2 will have a different viewfinder and larger lens hood, but will be able to use the same external flash-gun and close-up macro filter as the DP1.

Update: We have a gallery of photos of the Sigma DP2 - click the continue link below…

Sigma have added their HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) technology to the 24-70mm standard zoom lens. The Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 EX DG HSM lens is more compact than the previous model with an overall length of 94.7cm /3.7inch. This lens has a minimum focusing distance of 38cm/15in and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:5.3. The Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 EX DG HSM will be available in Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony mounts, available for £799.99. This new lens will be sold alongside the current Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG lens.

Update: We have a gallery of photos of the Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 EX DG HSM lens - click the continue link below…

Tokina have unveiled the ATX 16.5-135mm f/3.5-5.6, a new versatile 8x zoom lens. Providing an equivalent focal length of 26-216 on a Canon APS-C DSLR, the Tokina ATX 16.5-135mm f/3.5-5.6 will initially be available for Canon and Nikon cameras. Price and availability of the Tokina 16.5-135mm lens are still to be confirmed. Tokina also announced an updated version of the 12-24mm F4 wide-angle lens for Nikon DSLR cameras without a built-in AF motor (the D60, D40x and D40).

We have a gallery of photos of the Tokina ATX 16.5-135mm f/3.5-5.6 lens - click the continue link below…

The Leica S2 is a completely new digital SLR camera system, offering a 37 megapixel, 30x45mm sensor that’s 56% larger than full size 35mm. Designed from scratch in consultation with professional photographers, the Leica S2 does not use a conventional medium format or 35mm platform. The S2’ bespoke Kodak CCD sensor has enabled the Leica designers to produce the smallest camera in its class, sitting between the Canon EOS 5D and 1Ds Mk III DSLRs in size. The Leica “MAESTRO” image processor developed with Fujitsu specifically for the LEICA S2, allows the camera´s lenses, firmware and sensor to function at their optimum, producing market leading processing time and the highest level of picture quality with minimal energy output. Nine new lenses will be developed for the new Leica S-system.

Update 1: We have a gallery of 20 photos of the Leica S2 and assorted lenses, including an exclusive side-by-side comparison of Leica’s new DSLR with a Canon EOS 5D, and we’ve also posted our initial impressions of using the S2.

Update 2: Find out why the S2 is not called the S1, which parts of the S2 have been developed exclusively by Leica, and if the R10 will ever see the light of day - just click the continue link below…

At a press conference hosted by Microsoft yesterday at 12:15 CET at Photokina, the Metadata Working Group (MWD) – an organisation which comprises industry giants Adobe, Apple, Canon, Microsoft, Nokia and Sony –  published a set of guidelines for handling image metadata. This new set of guidelines is intended to be a specification “designed to increase interoperability and preservation of metadata in digital photographs”.

The HP Designjet Z3200 expands HP’s professional printing portfolio for photographers. The Z3200 features new HP 73 Chromatic Red ink, which enables up to 95 percent Pantone coverage. Using the HP Quad-Black Ink set. the HP Z3200 produces high-quality prints with smooth transitions and true neutral grays. New to the Z series family, the HP Designjet Z3200 Photo Printer offers an enhanced HP Color Center tool that enables users to easily perform calibration and profiling tasks. Users can easily generate custom ICC profiles in-house under specific environmental conditions and create paper presets for easy sharing and importing to other HP Designjet Z3200 Photo printers. The HP Designjet Z3200 24-inch model will cost $3,395 and $5,595 for the 44-inch model. Both models are expected to be available in October 2008.

The HP Photosmart B8550 is a complete home printing solution producing large-format prints while still maintaining the versatility of an everyday home printer. The 5-ink B8550 can print in a wide range of sizes from 4 x 6-inches to 13 x 19-inches, producing laser-quality pigment ink black text and lab-quality photos. The HP Photosmart B8550 Photo Printer’s long-lasting, dual-drop-volume print head is comprised of 55 percent recycled plastic. The HP Photosmart B8550 costs $299.99 and is available now.

The HP Scanjet G3110 is a new photo scanner for creating high quality scans of photos, slides, negatives, documents and 3-D objects. The G3110 boasts 4800 x 9600 dpi and 48-bit color resolution scanning for optimum image quality. HP’s scanning technology allows users to enhance images by restoring faded colors, correcting flaws caused by dust particles and scratches, and removing red-eye from scanned images. The HP Scanjet G3110 costs $99 and is available now.

SanDisk have unveiled a 16GB Extreme IV high-performance memory card at Photokina, and also have boosted the speed of the entire Extreme IV range up to 45 megabytes per second. SanDisk Extreme IV CF cards have undergone internal testing with many leading manufacturers’ cameras and DSLRs, such as Canon’s EOS series, Nikon’s D300 and D3 cameras, the Sony Alpha A700, and the Olympus E500 and E3 cameras. Depending on the camera used, the increased performance of the SanDisk Extreme IV memory card line may help reduce the delay between shots, enabling photographers to take more photos overall. The 16GB SanDisk Extreme IV CompactFlash memory card is available now for $399.99 in the United States and €281 in Europe.

Geotate and SiGe Semiconductor are working on a GPS solution to bring photo geotagging to low-cost, mass-market digital cameras. The collaboration initially combines Geotate’s unique Yuma and Kato geotagging software with SiGe’s award winning front end SE4120 GPS radio chip. “This partnership provides an opportunity for the 150 million consumer cameras sold each year to automatically geotag images,” commented Geotate vice president sales and marketing Mark Terry.  “While there is a growing body of evidence that geotagging solution will help differentiate mainstream digital camera devices and accelerate sales, the cost of this solution raises the possibility that geotagging can become more than this.” The combined Geotate/SiGe GPS solution will be available in Q4 2008.