Sony have expanded their PlayMemories Camera app lineup with Sky HDR, enabling users to independently control the exposure of land and sky and adjust different brightness levels in one picture. The application, which is compatible with a host of Sony cameras, also allows the user to set the white balance separately for the shadows and the highlights. After adjusting the exposure and white balance for land and sky the final image with its added effects can be created by pressing the shutter button. The Sky HDR app is now available to download for €9.99.

X-Rite and Pantone have announced that Color Finale from Color Grading Central is the first colour grading solution for video to fully support X-Rite’s new ColorChecker Passport Video target. When the target is included in shot setup, the Color Finale plug-in for Apple’s Final Cut Pro X can automatically perform colour corrections to adjust for color temperature issues, variances among cameras and other colour biases that can occur during video shoots. “We are very excited to be the first color grading solution for video to support the X-Rite ColorChecker Passport Video targets,” said Denver Riddle, President of Color Grading Central. “By simply inserting the ColorChecker Passport Video into the frame prior to the ‘take,’ Color Finale removes all of the guesswork from colour correction in post so that filmmakers can feel confident that they are achieving a good, colour-accurate starting point from which they can then apply a creative look.”

Adobe has released version 2.1 of Lightroom for iOS. This new version adds an array of new features including iPad Pro support and support for iOS 9's multitasking capabilities, new shoot-through presets in the Adobe built-in camera, a novel Point Curve mode for the Tone Curve and the Split Tone adjustments tool, support for 3D touch, and a new widget to launch the Adobe built-in camera from the iOS Notification Centre. You can download Adobe Photoshop Lightroom for iOS from the iTunes App Store.

Pixelmator have announced a major update to their Pixelmator app for iPhone and iPad. Version 2.2 fully supports the iPad Pro and the new Apple Pencil and allows you to open and edit 16K images. The update also adds 3D Touch support on iPhone 6s, a collection of artist-designed Basic brushes, a new Auto-straighten feature, and more. Pixelmator for iOS 2.2 is available today as a free update from the iTunes App Store.

Nevercenter has released Version 2.8 of  CameraBag, a Mac/Windows program which allows you to edit your raw images, add a variety of user-configurable filters to your photos and simulate the look of classic film stocks. New features in this update include five types of histogram, the ability to zoom and see your image at full resolution and an all-new Photos extension for OSX El Capitan users.

Ricoh have released the highly anticipated Pentax Tethered Capture Plug-In for use with Adobe Lightroom. Enhancing the tethered capture capabilities of thePentax 645Z medium-format dSLR camera (pictured), the new plug-in enables files to easily be uploaded into Adobe Lightroom during a studio session, where they can readily be viewed, shared and edited. “Since Lightroom is already the de-facto standard for many photographers to edit and develop their images, this new plug-in is especially welcome,” said Chris Knight, a New York-based portrait photographer. “Using Lightroom, I am able to quickly share photos with my clients, who are even able to view and comment from remote locations.”

Alien Skin Software has introduced Exposure X for OS X and Windows. Designed to streamline routine editing tasks, Exposure X is a digital imaging app that helps photographers quickly organise, edit, and enhance their photos. It can be used as a plug-in to Photoshop and Lightroom, or as a complete standalone photo editor. The program offers non-destructive editing, so a photographer’s original photo is never touched and changes can always be undone. Additionally, using proprietary algorithms Exposure X handles raw image files from a wide range of cameras. Exposure X is available now from Alien Skin Software for $149. Owners of any version of Exposure may upgrade for $99.

Adobe has released Lightroom 1.4 for Android, which is now available for free. The ability to use Lightroom for mobile without a paid subscription means that anyone can take advantage of all of the organisational, editing, and sharing abilities that the mobile app offers. Lightroom for Android supports raw DNG workflows making it possible to enhance images and take full advantage of all of the quality and details found in images captured on Android Lollipop powered devices. Signing up for a free trial of Adobe Lightroom CC adds the ability to synchronise files and edits with Lightroom on a desktop or laptop as well as with Lightroom Web.

Macphun have announced a major update to Aurora HDR Pro, their latest Macintosh software co-developed with Trey Ratcliff. The features of Version 1.1 include more extensive plug-in compatibility with host applications Adobe Lightroom and Apple Aperture, more versatile ghost reduction handling, performance improvements and a new preset category for photographers interested in more natural results. Aurora HDR Pro is available for $99.99.

Iridient Digital has released Iridient Developer 3.0.7 for Mac OS X. This update adds support for raw image files generated by the Leica M (Typ 262, pictured), resolves an issue with El Capitan, and fixes an issue where the Clarity adjustment was not being correctly saved to preset or settings files when the value was negative. This upgrade is free for customers who have purchased a new or upgraded Iridient Developer license after 14 April 2013.

The major updates to Adobe's Creative Cloud (CC) apps that were unveiled at Adobe MAX 2015 are now available to CC members worldwide. Describing their vision for Creative Cloud as a “connected creative canvas” where people create and share their work from anywhere, Adobe have added new Touch capabilities to their desktop applications including Photoshop CC, Illustrator CC and Premiere Pro CC. The recently launched Adobe Stock marketplace now supports the download and purchase of video content and enables users to search for and browse assets directly from Creative Cloud Libraries. Premiere Pro CC adds comprehensive native format support for editing 4K-to-8K footage, while Photoshop CC now allows you to customise your toolbar.

Phase One have today released Capture One Pro 9. This edition introduces many new image quality precision tools, including a completely updated contrast engine, a new brush pack, Luma curves, a battery status toolbar for tethered cameras, new asset management tools and more. Capture One Pro 9 is available now for Mac and Windows. New with this release, each license permits three activations to support on-location activation management as requested by photographers. New customers can purchase Capture One Pro 9 for $299 or €279. Owners of previous versions of Capture One Pro may upgrade for $99 or €99.

CompositingStock.com is a new stock photo site designed specifically photographers and designers who create composite images in Photoshop. With the help of a collapsible safety cone, CompositingStock.com has solved one of the biggest challenges with compositing: determining how big your subject should be in relation to the background. “Many stock photos just don’t work for compositing because they just aren’t taken at the best angle and there’s no sense of scale.” says Dave Cross, Founder of CompositingStock.com. “With our safety cone system, our backgrounds are shot specifically with compositing in mind.” The site provides free compositing tutorials and the option to download sample images to try out the safety cone compositing system. Photographers can join the site as a Contributing Photographer and start earning commission on the sale of their images, with royalties starting at 40%.

Lytro have announced Version 5.0 of their Lytro Desktop software. According to the company, this new edition features breakthrough depth editing capabilities that are not currently possible with any other camera on the market. The Lytro DepthFX tool makes chroma keying for background replacement unnecessary and enables depth-based adjustments to exposure, contrast, colour, hue and saturation. The Lytro Desktop 5.0 update for Lytro Illum is free and will be available for Windows users on 8th December.

Aurora HDR for Mac is now available for pre-order. "Aurora HDR is like no software I've ever used and I think it's gonna blow people's minds,” commented Trey. "Over the past 10 years I've been trying to find the ultimate HDR software, and it wasn't until Macphun came along in this amazing partnership that I was able to finally build my own." Available for Mac OS only, Aurora HDR is available either as a standard version through the Mac App Store, or a pro version direct from the website below.

Akvis have released version 8.0 of their NatureArt software for Windows and Mac OS X. This update adds a new Aurore Borealis effect along with an assortment of ready-to-use presets, plus a new optional dark interface style and minor bug fixes. Version 8.0 is a free upgrade for everyone who purchased a NatureArt license within the past 12 months.

DxO has released DxO OpticsPro 10.5.2, DxO FilmPack 5.5.2 and DxO ViewPoint 2.5.10 for Mac and Windows. These applications now support seven additional cameras - the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, the Pentax 645D, the Panasonic Lumix GF7, Lumix G7, Lumix GX8, and DMC-ZS50/DMC-TZ70 - and add 787 more modules to the DxO Optics Modules library, which now contains nearly 28,000 combinations. DxO OpticsPro, DxO FilmPack and DxO ViewPoint are available in the DxO online store and at photo resellers at a special discount price through 25 December 2015.

Magix have released the latest version of their slideshow creating application, Photostory 2016 Deluxe. This edition has a number of new features including beat-based editing, dynamic new editing templates, virtual tours in 360° recordings, improved travel route animation, new title templates, post-capture image stabilisation and compatibility with a range of new video formats. Magix Photostory 2016 Deluxe is available now for £69.99.

Eyefi has acquired OKDOTHIS, the mobile app that pioneered idea-sharing for photographers with its unique way of inspiring photographers to stretch their creativity. The app is designed to get photography out of the rut of taking the same picture over and over again by providing a “DO” - a specific idea of what subjects to shoot and what mood, topic, theme or attribute to highlight. OKDOTHIS encourages photographers to ‘stretch’ beyond their standard shooting styles. Photographers can simply browse, select a DO, and use their phone to take and post the photo on the spot. With the Eyefi Cloud integrated with the OKDOTHIS mobile app, photographers can now use photos from their digital camera (with a Mobi WiFi SD card) or their WiFi camera to submit a photo for one of the challenges. The terms of the Eyefi-OKDOTHIS transaction were not disclosed.

Macphun and Trey Ratcliff have announced the launch of their codeveloped photo editing software, Aurora HDR. "Aurora HDR is like no software I've ever used and I think it's gonna blow people's minds,” commented Trey. "Over the past 10 years I've been trying to find the ultimate HDR software, and it wasn't until Macphun came along in this amazing partnership that I was able to finally build my own." Available for Mac OS only, Aurora HDR will launch worldwide via the Mac App Store at an introductory price of $39.99. Aurora HDR Pro will be available at a discounted price of $89.99. Both versions of the program will be available from 19th November.