Phase One today announced the Phase One 645DF+ camera platform, with support for more than 50 different digital medium format digital backs and 80 different lenses from leading brands, and featuring a new high-powered rechargeable Li-ion battery enabling up to 10,000 captures on a single charge. Billed as “the world’s most versatile camera platform for high-end photography,” the Phase One 645DF benefits from an enhanced auto focus system with an all-new custom adjustment feature, and offers support for both focal-plane and leaf-shutter lenses. Its range extends from exposures of up to 60 minutes to as fast as 1/4000s. It facilitates flash synchronization speeds of up to 1/1600s with leaf shutter lenses from Schneider Kreuznach. The Phase One 645DF+ camera body is priced at €4290 / $5990 without a digital back.

Also today, Phase One announced the Schneider Kreuznach 28mm LS f/4.5 Aspherical lens. With edge-to-edge sharpness, an angle of view of 102°, a minimum focusing distance of only 35 cm / 1.15 feet, it is ideal for interior, land- and cityscape as well as architectural photography. The Schneider Kreuznach 28 LS lens is priced at €4290 / $5990. Both the camera and lens are available for ordering now; volume shipping begins in October 2012.

Within the past few days, both Nikon and Canon have announced new “full-frame” - or “FX format” in Nikon speak - digital SLR cameras (namely, the Nikon D600 and the Canon EOS 6D) that are more affordable than any other comparable and currently manufactured model in the two manufacturers’ line-ups. In order to help you get a clearer picture of how they compare to each other specifications-wise, we’ve compiled a handy little table summarising the key differences between the two models, based on information available to us at the time of writing.

Panasonic delivered an interesting presentation to the assembled press at their press conference held today in Cologne, Germany. Much of the presentation was, of course, dedicated to the new, dust- and splashproof Panasonic Lumix GH3 Micro Four Thirds camera but it also contained interesting tidbits about the compact system camera market in general, and the company’s future plans in particular, including two new lenses scheduled for launch sometime in 2013/2014.

At the Photokina trade show held in Cologne, Germany, we had an opportunity to lay our hands on a prototype M.Zuiko Digital ED 17mm f/1.8 lens. This is an interesting moderate wide-angle lens that features both a distance scale and DoF marks, making it suitable for zone focusing, much like the existing (but considerably wider) 12mm f/2 lens. In order to show you what the M.Zuiko Digital ED 17mm f/1.8 “street photography lens” looks like in the flesh, we have compiled a hands-on gallery of 22 images.

Want to see what the new all-black Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12mm f/2 Special Edition looks like in the flesh? We have put together a hands-on gallery for your perusal

Want to see exactly what the new Panasonic LUMIX G X 35-100mm F2.8 lens looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the premium Panasonic LUMIX G X 35-100mm F2.8 lens, then take a look at our Panasonic LUMIX G X 35-100mm F2.8 Photos article to see the image quality that it can produce.

The Panasonic GH3 is a dust- and splashproof Micro Four Thirds camera with a new 16.05-megapixel Live MOS sensor, three-inch OLED screen, built-in Wi-Fi, 1080 50p Full HD recording in a range of video file formats - with all footage indexed - and sockets for professional grade equipment. Aimed at both photographers and professional filmmakers, the new Lumix GH3 allows users to capture AVCHD video with a bitrate of 28 Mbps or MOV1 movies with 72Mbps in ALL-I. For still photography, the Panasonic GH3 offers burst shooting of up to 6fps at 16 megapixels and up to 20fps in 4-megapixel mode, plus a 1,744K OLED EVF and a sync socket for studio lighting rigs. Like the G5, the Panasonic Lumix GH3 features a completely silent electronic shutter in addition to a conventional focal-plane shutter. The camera will be available for £1100 body only, £1600 in a kit with the 14-140mm lens, or £2000 in a bundle with the Lumix G X 12-35mm f/2.8 high-performance standard zoom.

The Panasonic Lumix G X 35-100mm f/2.8 is a fast, 70-200mm equivalent telephoto zoom lens for Micro Four Thirds system cameras. The lens incorporates Panasonic’s Power O.I.S. optical image stabiliser, which makes it easy to shoot clear photos, even in low-light situations, by suppressing the blur caused by shaky hands. The optical formula comprises 18 elements in 13 groups including 2 ED and 1 UED lens elements, and an iris diaphragm with seven rounded blades. Additionally, the Lumix G X 35-100mm f/2.8 is treated with the manufacturer’s Nano Surface Coating technology, minimising reflection across the entire visual light range. The lens will be available from 19th November for £1100.

Samsung has expanded its NX lens line-up with an 18-36mm equivalent wide zoom and a fast, ~70mm equivalent telephoto lens. The Samsung NX 12-24mm f/4-5.6 ED zoom lens features an optical formula comprising 10 elements in 8 groups, including 2 aspherical and 1 extra-low-dispersion element, plus an iris diaphragm with seven rounded blades. It allows you to attach standard 58mm filters such as polarisers, ND grads, and more. At 208g, it also remains compact and light for easy portability. The small and fast Samsung NX Lens 45mm f/1.8 is constructed of 7 elements in 6 groups, takes tiny 43mm filters, and weighs in at a mere 115 grams without the supplied hood. Additionally, the 45mm lens is compatible with Samsung’s i-Function system that allows users to easily adjust shutter speed, aperture and ISO settings. Pricing and availability of the two new lenses have yet to be confirmed.

Want to see what the brand new Canon EOS 6D 35mm full-frame digital SLR camera looks like in the flesh? We have put together a hands-on photo gallery for your perusal.

Want to see what the new Canon Powershot G15 premium compact camera looks like in the flesh? The new G15 features a relatively big (1/1.7-type) twelve-megapixel sensor, an extremely fast, 28-140mm (eq.) f/1.8-2.8 lens as well as built-in Wi-Fi. We have compiled a set of hands-on photos for your perusal.

Want to see what the new Canon PowerShot SX50 HS superzoom camera looks like in the flesh? Featuring a 24-1200mm equivalent lens, the PowerShot SX50 HS boasts the largest zoom factor (50x optical zoom) in the world. We have compiled a hands-on gallery for your perusal.

Want to see exactly how the new Olympus E-PL5, E-PM2 and XZ-2 cameras compare with each other?

Check out our hands-on gallery of side-by-side comparison photos of the Olympus E-PL5, E-PM2 and XZ-2.

Want to see exactly what the new Olympus XZ-2 premium compact camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Olympus XZ-2 compact camera, including a side-by-side comparison with the previous XZ-1 model.

Like the award-winning XZ-1 before it, the new Olympus STYLUS XZ-2 brings startling quality imaging to the pocket-sized camera category with the class-brightest lens right across the zoom range. Only this time it also boasts customisable controls that make it easier for ambitious photographers to get exactly the shot they want - and fast. That’s in addition to a new touch-sensitive tilt screen, the powerful TruePic VI image processor, Full HD movie recording and FlashAir compatibility for sharing images directly on your social network.

Want to see exactly what the new Olympus E-PL5 compact system camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Olympus E-PL5 compact camera.

Olympus have transferred the impressive Live MOS sensor from its award-winning Micro Four Thirds O-MD flagship to the new PEN Lite (or E-PL5), which combines best-in-class image quality with the stand-out styling that has made PEN a must-have for fans of iconic product design. The new sensor teams up with another O-MD component - the TruePic VI image processor - to power FAST AF, which makes the autofocus on the new PEN Lite duo comparable to the lightning-quick O-MD E-M5.

Want to see exactly what the new Olympus E-PM2 compact system camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Olympus E-PM2 compact camera.

The E-PM2 PEN Mini has in-body IS that ensures blur-free recording with any lens, 12 easy access Art Filters and a direct wireless link to social media for sharing images via smartphone. In spec terms, the diminutive PEN mini is very nearly as strong as the Lite and in the style department it’s more than capable of holding its own.

Want to see exactly what the new Olympus 15mm 1:8.0 Body Cap lens looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Olympus 15mm 1:8.0 Body Cap lens.

The superaffordable and ultra-slim 15mm (30mm*) 1:8.0 Body Cap lens is all about shooting on the fly, ideally with a PEN.

Want to see exactly what the new Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 60mm 1:2.8 Macro lens looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 60mm 1:2.8 Macro lens.

The new splash and dust-proof M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 60mm 1:2.8 (120mm*) Macro lens is ideal for use outdoors. Near- silent focusing and 1:1 magnification as close as 19cm makes this robust lens perfect for high-resolution close-ups of the natural world, but its imaging potential is impressive wherever you shoot. Beautiful circular bokeh, a practical Focus Limit switch and virtually non-existent spot flaring make it an extremely attractive addition for owners of the high-end O-MD E-M5, or of course a PEN.

The Olympus E-PL5 PEN Lite and the Olympus E-PM2 PEN Mini are two new compact system cameras featuring the same sixteen-megapixel “Live MOS” sensor as the flagship Olympus OM-D E-M5. The new sensor teams up with another O-MD component – the TruePic VI image processor – to power FAST AF, which makes the autofocus on the new PEN duo comparable to the E-M5. Compared to its predecessor the E-PL3, the Olympus E-PL5 PEN Lite (pictured above) offers a more flexible rear display with touchscreen functionality, while the PEN Mini remains the smallest compact system camera in Olympus’ line-up. Both the PEN Lite and Mini are available from late October with an M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 IIR lens. Bundled with a Flash Air memory card, the new Lite costs £599, the new Mini £499, and for £99 more there will be a double-zoom kit including a 40-150mm telezoom, PEN case and SD card.

Olympus is developing a new, fast moderate wide-angle lens for the Micro Four Thirds system, featuring a maximum aperture of f/1.8 plus depth-of-field and distance indicators. These come into play when the lens is set to MF mode, enabling users to utilise the time-honoured technique of zone focusing, which is great news for street photographers. More than a full stop faster than the existing Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 17mm f/2.8 (read review), the new M.Zuiko Digital ED 17mm f/1.8 features the faster MSC (Movie & Stills Compatible) auto focus mechanism and is expected to be of similar quality as the well-regarded Olympus M.ZUIKO Digital ED 12mm f/2 lens launched earlier this year. Note that this is currently at the development stage and more details will be announced nearer the launch.