The Olympus mju 1050 SW is a new shockproof, waterproof and freezeproof digital camera. Shockproof to 1.5m, waterproof to 3m and freezeproof to -10°C, the 10 megapixel Olympus 1050 has a newly-developed TAP control interface that lets you adjust settings and review images on the 2.7-inch LCD screen by tapping your finger. The 1050 SW also offers a 3x, 38-114mm zoom lens, Advanced Face Detection and xD-Picture Card and microSD Card compatibility. The Olympus mju 1050 SW will be available in a choice of Dolphin Grey, Pacific Blue, Midnight Black or Misty Rose late September for £259.99 / $299.99.

The new Olympus mju 1040 digital camera measures just 16.5mm at its thinnest end. With a 3x optical zoom equivalent to 38-114mm, the Olympus 1040 also offers a 2.7-inch LCD screen, Advanced Face Detection, Shadow Adjustment and the brand new Intelligent Auto mode which detects the five most commonly-used scenes and automatically adjusts camera settings including focus and exposure. The Olympus mju 1040 will be available in Starry Silver, Midnight Black, Magma Red and Melon Yellow from September 2008 for £149.99 / $199.99.

The new Olympus FE-20 digital camera offers 8 megapixels and a 3x optical zoom lens. The FE20 also features a 2.5-inch LCD screen, Digital Image Stabilisation, Face Detection, xD-Picture Card and microSD Card compatibility and measures just 21.5mm in depth. The Olympus FE-20 will be available in September and comes in silver or black for £119.99.

Canon China have leaked the full specification of a new DSLR camera, the Canon EOS 50D, successor to the popular 40D model (pictured). The eagle-eyed editors over at Photography Bay quickly copied and pasted all the details of the Canon 50D before the product page was pulled down. Apparently the EOS 50D will be a 15 megapixel DSLR with a 3-inch, 920,000 dot LCD screen and ISO range of 100-12800 (rivalling Nikon’s recent DSLRs). Other standout features of the Canon 50D include a magnesium alloy body, new Digic 4 image processor, 6.3fps continuous shooting, and Live View mode.

Website: Photography Bay - Canon EOS 50D

The Epson V300 Photo is a new film scanner with low power consumption. The V300 Photo has a 4800 dpi scan resolution and a built-in transparency unit for scanning 35mm films and slides. It’s also equipped with ReadyScan LED technology which means the unit has low power consumption and requires virtually no warm up time. The Epson V300 Photo costs £69.99 / $99.99 and will be available from 1st November 2008.

Ricoh have released a new firmware update for the Ricoh R8, a 10 megapixel digital camera with a 7.1 wide-angle zoom lens. The new firmware update, version 1.25, improves the gradation reproducibility of high-intensity part in an image.

Website: Ricoh R8 Firmware Update 1.25

Vauxhall has launched an annual arts bursary programme called the Vauxhall Collective. Every year it identifies up and coming creatives in various sectors, including photography, and gives them a commission. The new Style Council is made up of industry opinion leaders, who were asked to put forward names of young creatives they felt would be worth considering for the commission. The Style Council will make their final decision on who should get the commission and the result will be announced in mid September. The winning photographer will then be commissioned to create a series of photographs based on the theme of the Great British Road Trip.

Canadian based Lightbox Photo is officially launching its photo gallery software into the UK. Lightbox Photo allows users to create their own stock photo libraries or online proofing systemseither as a stand-alone website or seamlessly integrated into an existing website. Lightbox Photo is available as a Standard, Professional or Enterprise Version priced from $399 (approx. £200).

PhotoShelter have announced a limited-time opportunity to purchase a selection of prints from The PhotoShelter Collection. Handpicked by PhotoShelter’s team of editors, the prints reflect the wide aesthetic range of images contributed by PhotoShelter’s global photographer community. PhotoShelter Prints are available today through until October 1, 2008. PhotoShelter may formally launch a PhotoShelter Prints line which would then be open to participation from the full PhotoShelter community of photographers.

fotocommunity is inviting Americans to go on staycation. “For the photography-minded in the US, fotocommunity may be the best summer travel deal of all–an instantaneous and inexpensive connection to like-minded people anywhere in the world without spending one penny on fuel.” says Andreas Meyer, founder of fotocommunity. Registration on fotocommunity is free, although free visitors can post only limited photos. Membership starts at a basic level of 6-USD.

DigiCamReview have reviewed the Canon EOS 450D / Digital Rebel XSi, a 12 megapixel compact DSLR camera.

“The camera speed is excellent, with a good switch on time, fast focusing time, excellent shutter response, quick playback mode, quick menus, very good continuous shooting, and good flash recharge time. The camera has a wide range of features that should suit most people, such as numerous scene modes, macro mode and optical image stabilisation.”

Website: DigiCamReview - Canon EOS 450D Review

Website: Read our Canon EOS 450D Review

Microsoft PhotoSynth is a new, free service that transforms regular digital photos into a three-dimensional, 360-degree experience. With Photosynth, you can look up or down, pan from left to right, zoom in, or pull back to reveal the full sense of where you were. PhotoSynth was first unveiled by Microsoft 2 years ago, and has now been officially launched.

LightZone 3.6 adds RAW support for 13 more cameras. New models include the Canon 1000D, Nikon D700, Olympus E-420 and Olympus E-520. The Full version of LightZone is priced at $199.95, and the Basic version $129.95. Light Crafts have also joined the QuarkAlliance Partner Program.

Fine Art Printing: From Digital Camera to Print is a new DVD series from Luminous Landscape’s Michael Reichmann and Jeff Schewe. The Calumet DVD provides a detailed, conversational review of every step, from importing images onto your computer to a framed print. “We’re pleased to be a part of the Calumet Imagemaker DVD Series,” said Michael Reichmann, publisher and primary author of the Luminous Landscape website. “Calumet Photographic and Luminous Landscape are all about empowering the world of image makers.”

A recent InfoTrends study has revealed that moms tend to take, print, and share more photos than the general population. Mothers with children under age 12 reported taking 35% more digital camera photos. The survey also revealed that moms are less likely than other consumers to print at home, and significantly more likely to use retail methods including online net-to-retail and net-to-mail options. “Moms represent a very active consumer segment in the digital imaging space. There are significant differences in their digital imaging habits when compared to other consumers” commented Mette Eriksen, Director of InfoTrends’ Digital Photography Service.

DCResource have reviewed the new Kodak Z1085 IS Zoom Digital Camera, a high performance, 10-megapixel, 5x optical zoom camera with optical image stabilization.

“The Kodak EasyShare Z1085 is an inexpensive camera that offers a 5X zoom, optical image stabilization, and an easy-to-use interface, all in a fairly compact body. It also offers a high definition movie mode, which is impressive given the price of the camera. Unfortunately, the Z1085 has a host of flaws, including heavy noise reduction and redeye in photos, poor low light focusing, and below average battery life.”

Website: DCResource - Kodak Z1085 IS Review

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W300 is the latest top-of-the-range addition to Sony’s extensive line-up of W-series digital cameras. The W300 boasts a headline grabbing 13.6 megapixel resolution, scratch-resistant titanium coating and Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with stabilized, 3x optical zoom. On the back there’s a large 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD screen with 230,000 dots, and the DSC-W300 has a range of automatic modes to make life easier, including Smile Shutter, improved Face Detection, D-Range Optimiser and Intelligent Scene Recognition. Finally, there’s a HD Output connection that’s compatible with a PhotoTV HD BRAVIA television, great for showing off your winning shots. The Sony W300 is currently available for around £250 / $350.

Website: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W300 Review

The Olympus FE-370 is a new 8 megapixel digital camera with a 5x optical zoom. The FE370 also offers a metal body, 2.7” LCD display, Advanced Face Detection and Dual Image Stabilisation. Intelligent Auto Mode can automatically detect a range of common shooting scenes and then adjust settings accordingly. Photos can be stored to xD-Picture Card or – thanks to a bundled attachment – on microSD Card. The Olympus FE-370 will be available in September for £179.99 / $199.99.

The Olympus FE-360 is a new 8 megapixel digital camera with a 3x optical zoom. The FE360 also offers a metal body, 2.5” LCD display, Face Detection and Digital Image Stabilisation. Photos can be stored to xD-Picture Card or – thanks to a bundled attachment – on microSD Card. The Olympus FE-360 will be available in September for £129.99 / $149.99.

The Casio EX-Z300 is a new 10.1 megapixel digital camera complete with make-up mode. The Casio Z300 boasts 10.1 megapixels and offers new functions to the EXILIM camera range. The make-up mode airbrushes your photographs, removing even the smallest of blemishes giving you that look to make you the envy of all your friends. The Z300 also has a Movie Button, which lets users record H.264 movies at the touch of a button. The EXZ300 offers significant enhancements in function and performance whilst continuing to focus on style and design. A new body shape keeps height to a minimum and exudes a sense of premium design quality. The Casio EX-Z300 is available in three sleek colours; black, silver and gold, and costs £229.99 in the UK and $299.99 in the US.