Ricoh have released the fifth firmware update, v1.50, for the Ricoh GX100 digital camera. Version 1.50 includes the following improvements:

1. Supports the TC-1 (the optional tele-conversion lens). The detailed information is available in a PDF document.
[Note]
• Requires the HA-2 (the hood & adapter) in order to attach the TC-1
• Use the lens in the tele-end position to use the TC-1. If you use the other lens positions, the vignetting will appear.
• If you use the internal flash with attached the TC-1, the vignetting will appear.

Website: Ricoh GX100 Firmware Update 1.50

Casio are releasing a new firmware update, version 1.10, for the EX-F1 digital camera. Available on July 8th, version 1.10 will add Casio’s unique “Prerecord Movie” function to the camera, allowing recording to commence 5 seconds before the user presses the Movie Button. The EX-F1 camera features ultra-high speed burst shooting at 60 still images per second in high resolution, 6.0-megapixel quality.

TrustedReviews have justed tested the Ricoh GR Digital II, a new 10 megapixel compact digital camera with a 28mm, f/2.4 fixed focal length lens.

“Picture quality is also a crucial consideration, and it is here where the original GR Digital excelled, although some commentators criticised it for image noise at higher ISO settings. Since the new model uses the same lens optical quality is unchanged, and is still superb, with virtually no barrel distortion and very good edge-to-edge sharpness. The final images are slightly soft in default mode, but adjusting the sharpness either in the menu or afterwards in editing produces better results. Shooting in Raw mode and converting images in Photoshop, as most serious users will prefer to do, overall picture quality is excellent with good colour depth and above average dynamic range for a 10MP camera.”

Website: TrustedReviews - Ricoh GR Digital II Review

Website: Read our Ricoh GR Digital II Review

Northlight Images have reviewed the Epson 4880, a new large format printer featuring Epson’s UltraChrome K3 ink with Vivid Magenta and improved image processing.

“Print quality is excellent from this printer and the supplied printer profiles were very good. It would have required quite a bit of work on my part (with top quality profiling software and hardware) to improve on them. I’ve looked at the Epson ABW (Black and White) printing mode before and found it good, but not always quite good enough (for my own use). This time, I found that the prints produced were generally good enough for me to be happy with, without any further adjustment or additional B/W profiling tricks. This isn’t to say they couldn’t be improved, but it would take some real effort compared to the ‘out of the box’ performance.”

Website: Northlight Images - Epson Stylus Pro 4880 Review

Iconic Britain is a photographic competition that aims to find 100 images that define Britain. Powered by Microsoft Live Search, a new image sourcing network, you can win prizes both by submitting a photo and voting on other people’s entries, with Nikon Coolpix and D60 DSLR cameras on offer. The Iconic Britain competition is open to residents of the United Kingdom, and it runs from 19th June to 14th August 2008. A panel of experts will choose the category winners and their favourite British icon. You can enter and vote in the contest at http://www.iconicbritain.com

Adobe are offering 50% off Photoshop CS3 to all licensed users of Photoshop Elements. This special offer begins on 1 July, 2008 and ends at 11:59 p.m. 31 July, 2008. It’s available only to licensed users of Photoshop Elements 1.0 - 6.0 and Adobe Photoshop Elements plus Adobe Premiere Elements bundle who purchase the full version of Photoshop CS3 directly from Adobe. the discount is available from the Adobe.com store and by calling 0800 0280148 (press Option 1 and mention the promotion code: 3HAE) and is valid in the United Kingdom only.

The four winners of Canon’s The Assignment photo contest have just been announced. The final four winners are the UK’s Ivan Hoo (Portrait), David Bernard of the Czech Republic, (Sport) France’s Alan Laboile (Macro) and Dave Derbis from Germany (Landscape). A total of 43,404 images were submitted, and voted for by 192,127 registrants on the competition website. The winners will now have the chance to plan and follow their own personal ‘dream assignment’ – each of which will be filmed for broadcast across Europe later in the year.

The new Super High Grade Digital Filters fro Marumi are specifically designed for digital photography. Each filter uses the Digital Super Coating, an ultra-low reflection coating to minimize internal reflection off the camera’s built-in CCD and CMOS Sensors. The Super High Grade Digital Filters are available as either Lens Protection - which are colourless, so there is no degradation of image - and also Polarising. They are available in the following sizes: 49mm, 52mm, 55mm, 58mm, 62mm, 67mm, 72mm, 77mm and 82mm. Kenro is the official UK distributors for the range of Marumi photographic accessories.

Steves Digicams have reviewed the Casio EX-Z80, a new 8 megapixel digital camera that’s designed to be “easier” and “more fun”.

“Most of the exposures outdoors were good, however, as we have seen in our Sample Pics taken with both the S10 and the Z80 the sky in the sample shots of the canon the clouds seem to be slightly overexposed. This is a problem as it causes the area to lose detail otherwise the colors look vivid and lifelike. The 3x optical zoom, with a 35mm equivalent of 38-114mm, it is very good for landscapes and portrait photography. The zoom is great for framing or singling out an individual from a group but is not enough to bring a distant object much closer. At the wide end of the zoom you will see some barrel distortion and slight edge softness as well as some chromatic aberrations throughout.”

Website: Steves Digicams - Casio EX-Z80 Review

The UK’s Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, has given the go-ahead for photography to be restricted in the UK. In a very worrying sign of the times, Smith wrote in a letter to the National Union of Journalists that “Decisions may be made locally to restrict or monitor photography in reasonable circumstances. That is an operational decision for the officers involved based on the individual circumstances of each situation.” No clarification was given of what might constitute “reasonable circumstances”. The Home Secretary went on to say “‘It is for the local Chief Constable, in the case of your letter the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Force, to decide how his or her Officers and employees should best balance the rights to freedom of the press, freedom of expression and the need for public protection.” Considering that the Metropolitan Police force have already targeted photographers in a prominent poster campaign earlier this year, this isn’t particularly good news…

Website: BJP - Home Secretary green lights restrictions on photography

Repeat digital camera buyers are driving the digital camera market, according to a new report by Infotrends. In 2007, 3 out of 4 digital camera buyers purchased a replacement or additional camera, and in 2008 almost 9 out of 10 digital camera buyers are expected to fall into that category. Repeat buyers also spend more, because they are likely to be hobbyists that own multiple cameras, and their purchases are triggered by new technology or simply the desire to own a new camera.

The Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 Digital Field Guide is a full-color portable guide to the Sony Alpha A700 digital SLR camera. This new book guides you through the essential controls, features, and functions of the Sony A700 using step-by-step instructions and full-color images of each menu screen. The Sony Alpha DSLR A700 Digital Field Guide also goes beyond camera settings to offer you a refresher guide to the principles of digital photography. The Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 Digital Field Guide is available now for 16.00 EUR.

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 1.22, improves the accuracy of the white balance.

Website: Ricoh R8 Firmware Update 1.22

TrustedReviews have reviewed the Olympus E-420, a compact new entry-level 10 megapixel DSLR camera.

“There’s very little to criticise the overall specification and performance of the E-420. I like it’s size - it’s ideal for travelling and is reminiscent of my old OM4 in some aspects of its handling. Images are generally good too, with excellent sharpness and detail. Colour is crisp and hough exposures are slightly underexposed to my taste, they do maintain good tonality throughout the range.”

Website: TrustedReviews - Olympus E-420 Review

Website: Read our Olympus E-420 Review

Leica are offering up to $800 off the price of a Leica M8 digital camera. From July 1, 2008 to September 30, 2008, customers can save $500 with the purchase of a brand new LEICA M8 or $800 for a brand new LEICA M8 and a new and current M lens. This promotion is valid for residents of the US, Canada, Central and South America. The mail-in rebate is not applicable to special edition lenses and cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion.

Nikon UK is offering up to £90 off a D60 kit and £60 off a D40 kit. From the 1st July, customers will be to claim up to £60 cashback for a twin lens D40 kit and £90 cash back on the D60 kit, which has now been extended to include the SB-400 and SB-600 flashguns. Full terms and conditions and information about how to claim the cashback can be found at http://www.nikon.co.uk/cashback . This promotion ends on 31st August 2008, and all claims have to be made by 30th September 2008.

Nikon have released a new firmware update, version 2.00, for the D3 DSLR camera. The most notable changes are improvements to the autofocus and auto white balance performance, and the resolution of an issue that caused the battery indicator to blink, regardless of the actual battery charge.

Nikon have released a firmware update, v1.03, for the D300 DSLR camera. This firmware update resolves an issue which, in rare cases, causes the battery indicator to blink whilst shooting regardless of the level of charge in the battery.

Sydney Opera House and HP are running a global photography competition called House in Focus. The lucky winner will have their best shot exhibited at Sydney Opera House, where thousands of visitors will see it every week, and also win a HP TouchSmart PC. Two runners up will each receive a large scale canvas of their image, a roof tile from Sydney Opera House (collected during the original construction) and a book, Building a masterpiece: the Sydney Opera House. You just need to upload your image of Sydney Opera House to enter the contest. Voting of the images is open to the public who can vote until midnight on July 30, when three winners will be selected by the judging panel.

Fujifilm have unveiled 3 fashionable, fitted cases for the Z-series compact digital camera range. “We’ve found that today’s stylish camera owners in tune with our Z-Series lineup want their cameras to be as fashionably dressed as they are,” said Melanie McNichol, product manager, Electronic Imaging Division, Fujifilm U.S.A., Inc. “With these new cases, Fujifilm customers will be able to accessorize and protect their camera according to their own personal style.” The Z camera cases will retail for $14.99 each and be available in August 2008.