The new Fantasea Line FS-500 and FS-200 underwater housings for the Nikon Coolpix S500 and S200 camera are depth rated to 60 meters/200 feet. The FS-500 and FS-200 housings feature a double O-ring seal on all controls, anti-glare hood over LCD screen, and built-in diffuser. In the event of accidental water leakage, the camera is insured. The suggested retail price of the FS-500 and FS-200 is US $200.00 each.

Noise reduction software tool Dfine 2.0 from Nik Software is now available for sale. Dfine 2.0 now includes Nik Software’s patented U Point technology for selective editing control and a new auto camera profile system. “The complete re-design of Dfine takes simplicity and control of noise reduction to an entirely new level” commented Michael J. Slater, president and CEO of Nik Software, Inc. Dfine 2.0 is available now for $99.95.

Leica has announced four new Summarit-M lenses, all with a maximum aperture of f/2.5. The Summarit-M f/2.5 lenses cover the most popular focal lengths of 35mm, 50mm, 75mm and 90mm. “Corner-to-corner definition and brilliance over the entire visual field, maximum imaging performance already at full aperture and superior stray light reduction - this is what photographers like about their Leica lenses” commented Steven K. Lee, CEO of Leica Camera AG. Deliveries of the new Leica Summarit-M lenses are scheduled to begin at the end of November 2007.

Update 8th August 2007: We now have full details of UK pricing for all four lenses, accessories and various lens sets (which are a cheaper way of buying multiple lenses).

inCamera 4.5 from PictoColor is a digital camera and scanner ICC profiling plug-in for Adobe Photoshop. The new version of inCamera is fully compatible with Adobe Photoshop CS3 and offers native support for Intel-based Macintosh computers. inCamera 4.5 is available now for $199.95 as a software download.

The U.S. Library of Congress has awarded the Stock Artists Alliance (SAA) one of eight partnerships for preserving digital media. “With the Library’s support, we will be able to expand the reach and depth of our efforts to promote metadata best practices among professional photographers and across the image licensing industry,” says Betsy Reid, SAA’s Executive Director. SAA will develop online resources and professional seminars to promote the importance of metadata for the long-term usability of digital photographs.

CNET has reviewed the Kodak Z885 digital cameras, which boasts a 5x optical zoom lens (36-180mm) and 8.1 megapixel resolution.

“Kodak leaves style by the wayside and attempts to find a suitable balance between features and price in its EasyShare Z885. This 8-megapixel camera can be found for around $200, and while it’s not the prettiest Kodak on the market, it offers some surprisingly robust features and an above-average lens.”

Website: CNET - Kodak Z885 Review

Imaging Resource have reviewed the Olympus E-510 DSLR camera, which features a built-in image stabiliser in the camera body. The E510 also has a new image processing engine that offers excellent noise performance and 3fps with a seven image RAW buffer in burst mode.

“While their basic specs are quite similar, the E-510 really is a different camera from its smaller, lighter brother, the E-410. They both share the 10.0 megapixel image size, Live View, and the basic control and menu structure, but the E-510 has added functionality, a few extra buttons, and body-based image stabilization. Overall, it’s a better camera for the enthusiast photographer, a decision I came to reluctantly after using both in several different situations with some of Olympus’s other lenses and accessories. I love the E-410’s small size, but its lack of a sizeable grip make adding any accessories awkward. If you plan to expand your system beyond the 14-42mm and 40-150mm kit lenses, the E-510 is the better choice.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Olympus E-510 Review

Website: Read our Olympus E-510 Review

ePhotoZine have reviewed the Samsung L77 digital camera, which offers a 7x internal optical zoom lens equivalent to 38-266mm, a 7 megapixel sensor and 2.5 inch LCD screen.

“The camera isn’t a brilliant performer as a lot of fringing was evident on the wide and zoomed in images and to me the results looked the same as from a cheaper camera. The Portrait mode shot also looked virtually identical to the Program mode shot of the same portrait so there seems little point having the mode available at all. The macro mode is annoying as has been previously mentioned due to not being able to focus properly. I have never had a landscape test image so bad as the one from the L77.”

Website: ePhotoZine - Samsung L77 Review

Microsoft is showcasing several digital photography innovations at SIGGRAPH 2007. Image Deblurring with Blurred/Noisy Image Pairs enables digital photographers to generate high quality images by combining a blurred image with a noisy one. Photo Clip Art delivers a system for inserting new objects into existing photographs by querying a vast, image-based object library. Soft Scissors is the first interactive tool for high quality image matting and compositing. SIGGRAPH 2007 runs from August 5th to 9th at the San Diego Convention Center.

The Hasselblad Masters Award 2008 celebrates the best in both established and rising photographic talent. Submissions for 2008 will be accepted from both professional photographers using large and medium format cameras and up and coming photographers, regardless of length of time in the business or camera format used. Winners will receive the use of an H3D digital camera system for two periods during 2008. Applications for the 2008 Hasselblad Masters Awards are being accepted until November 1st, 2007.

The Kingston Mobility Kit includes a microSD card with dual miniSD and SD adapters and a USB card reader. “The combined convenience of miniSD and full-size SD adapters and USB reader lets users easily convert their cards to navigate between mobile phones, PCs, and other digital devices,” said Wendy Lecot, Flash memory marketing manager, Kingston. The Kingston Mobility Kit is available immediately in a 1GB card configuration for $27.00, with a 2GB version to follow.

The Pentax Photo Gallery (http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com) enables Pentax users to exhibit their work, share and gain resources within an artistic community, create an online portfolio, and more. “...the PENTAX Photo Gallery that offers 24/7/365 virtual access to the best photography captured by PENTAX photographers.” said Ned Bunnell, Vice President Marketing, PENTAX Imaging Company. The Pentax Photo Gallery already features more than 2,500 images submitted by more than 300 artists.

Colour Confidence’s “Red Hot Summer Savings” promotion features reductions of up to £600/€900 on popular products from X-Rite, Pantone and Kodak. Running from from 9am BST on Monday 6th August to 5.30pm BST Friday 10th August, there are also free monitor calibration devices on offer with every purchase of an Eizo CE240 or any CG monitor. “For customers looking to upgrade their colour management solutions, the cost can be a major hurdle. This promotion gives our customers an excellent chance to purchase high-end products that may otherwise be outside their budget”. commented Geoffrey Clements, Managing Director of Colour Confidence.

Nikon is teaming up with Wanderlust, the UK’s leading adventure-travel magazine, for the UK’s longest-running annual travel photography competition. Four winners from the Amateur category will win a trip to South Australia, while the winner of the new Portfolio category receives £5,000 cash. Full terms and conditions can be downloaded from http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/photocomp

The Library of Congress has made a major award to the American Society of Media Photographers to fund a project to promote digital photo standards, refined production workflows, archiving methods and best practices. “The Library is pleased to be able to bring together creators of such diverse content for the sake of saving our nation’s heritage, which is increasingly being created only in digital formats.” said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington.

The DXG “Short Shorts” YouTube online video contest invites you to submit a maximum 1 minute video to DXG using any DXG camera or camcorder. 2 Grand Prizes of a DXG-589V gaming camera and 6 Runner-up Prizes of thel DXG-506V will be awarded on October 2, 2007. Entries will be judged by a combination of originality, the number of YouTube views, ratings received, and number of favorites selected.

Digital Foci are offering a $30 rebate on the “Image Moments” digital photo album frame. Customers who purchased Image Moments from July 5, 2007-September 30, 2007 can mail in a rebate form. Image Moments lets you display and share photos directly from digital camera memory cards.

DPReview have reviewed the Ricoh GX100 digital camera, which features a 10.01 megapixel CCD, fast 24-72mm wide zoom lens and a removable electronic view?nder.

“To sum up, the GX100 isn’t quite as good a camera as it thinks it is, because great features and handling cannot make up for a noisy sensor and questionable processing. It is also certainly not a camera I’d recommend for everyone - unless you want the 24mm equiv. lens and manual controls there are plenty of better options at not much more than half the price.”

Website: DPReview - Ricoh GX100 Review

Website: Read our Ricoh GX100 Review

Sony have responded to recent comments about their upcoming Alpha DSLR cameras by starting a blog. Mark Weir, Sr. Technology and Marketing Manager for Alpha and Cyber-shot digital cameras, has published the first post.

“Many of you have asked for more information on the new Alpha cameras and lenses revealed last March at the Photo Marketing Association conference.  We would surely like to say more, but the competitive nature of the camera business doesn’t allow us to provide further detail just yet.  Even so, I want to assure you that the models are on schedule and that we are dedicated to fulfilling your high expectations for the Alpha system.”

Website: Sony Electronics Blog

Microsoft have teamed up with NASA to bring you unprecedented access to the space shuttle Endeavour using the power of Photosynth. You can see three-dimensional environments of preparations for the launch, with Endeavour on the launch pad, interior and surrounding area of the Vehicle Assembly Building. Thousands of photos intertwine to provide three dimensional, 360 degree perspectives of the shuttle. Photosynth takes a large collection of photos of a place or an object, analyzes them for similarities, and displays them in a reconstructed three-dimensional space.

Website: Microsoft Photosynth