The Lomographic Society has introduced two new editions of the Lomo'Instant film camera. These little cameras feature a built-in wide-angle lens plus close-up, fisheye and portrait lens attachments, and works with the widely available Fujifilm Instax Mini film. The Lomo'Instant Oxford offers a dark, olive green design, effortlessly combining clever creativity and classic British style; whilst the Lomo'Instant Yangon is reminiscent of the beautifully preserved glittering domes and pagodas that spread over the ancient city. Pricing starts at £79/€89.

Google has released an official sample video recorded on the new Google Pixel 2 smartphone. The Pixel 2 - and Pixel 2 XL - uses a combination of optical and electronic image stabilisation in video mode that results in impressively smooth footage even when shooting hand-held. (No wonder the Google Pixel 2 has received the highest DxOMark Mobile Video score to date.) Click through / scroll down to watch the official sample video.

Google Clips is a lightweight, AI-enabled hands-free camera that captures spontaneous moments of your daily life automatically. "You can set the camera down on the coffee table when the kids are goofing around or clip it to a chair to get a shot of your cat playing with its favourite toy," Google says. Machine learning capabilities built right into Google Clips allow the camera to learn who is important to you and what sorts of pictures you tend to keep. The device can also capture short clips or "motion photos" that last several seconds (without audio) and transfer them to your smartphone. The companion app, which will be available for Android and iOS, can also be used to operate the camera remotely. You can view and organise anything you’ve saved in Google Photos (or your favourite gallery app), and if you’re using Google Photos, you can backup unlimited clips for free. Google Clips is going to be available in the US "soon" for $249. 

Google today unveiled its Google Pixel 2 and Google Pixel 2 XL smartphones. The Google Pixel 2 has a 5" Full HD OLED touchscreen with a resolution of 441 pixels per inch and a contrast ratio of 100,000:1, whilst the Google Pixel 2 XL comes with a 6" wide-gamut display with a resolution of 538ppi and an integrated polariser. The main camera unit boasts a 12-megapixel, 1/2.6"-type sensor and an f/1.8 lens with optical image stabilisation. Dual Pixel technology enables phase-detection auto focus as well as depth mapping, which is used - together with machine learning - to create a realistic shallow DOF effect in Portrait mode, with no need for a second camera. The phones offer an HDR+ mode as well as combined optical and electronic image stabilisation for videos. The Google Pixel 2 camera has received a DxOMark Mobile score of 98 (99 for photos and 96 for videos) - the highest-ever score awarded to a smartphone camera. The Google Pixel 2 comes in three colours with prices starting at $649, whilst the Google Pixel 2 XL will be available in two colourways, priced from $849.

From 6^th to 9^th October, 100 talented young photojournalists will come together for the annual Eddie Adams Workshop, which is celebrating its 30^th anniversary this year. Since its inception, Nikon has been a sponsor of the workshop that offers a unique learning environment for young photojournalists while honouring the legacy of Eddie Adams himself. The workshop, which is also known as the “Barnstorm” due to its location at a rustic upstate New York farm, continues to be the only tuition-free forum of its kind, inviting 100 students specially selected from around the world based merely on the quality of their photos. Many alumni of the programme have been awarded with the industry’s most prestigious accolades from Pulitzer Prizes, honours from the Overseas Press Club, World Press Photo, ICP and many more. In addition to sponsoring the Eddie Adams Workshop, Nikon will award one deserving-student with top-of-the-line professional Nikon equipment suited for a modern-day photojournalist. The winner will be determined by a panel of judges who will select based on the work that the students create during the four-day workshop. This year’s kit will include the new Nikon D850 DSLR, SB-5000 Speedlight as well as the AF-S NIKKOR 20mm f/1.8G ED, the AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR, the AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR and the AF-S NIKKOR 105mm f/1.4E ED lenses.

Adobe today launched Photoshop Elements 2018, which offers a number of new features and improvements over Elements 15. "This release focuses on enhancing the experience even further for memory keepers with hassle free organization, automated editing and some fun new Guided Edits that walk you through how to edit and create," says Bob Gager, Product Management Team Leader for Photoshop Elements. Adobe Elements Organiser 2018 now automatically curates your photos based on quality, faces, subjects etc., and allows curated photos to be turned into dynamic slideshows with just one click. The program offers a number of new Guided Edits and adds a brand new Auto Selection tool that makes precise photo selections easier than ever. Plus, Adobe Photoshop Elements can now "open closed eyes like magic," meaning that the program can automatically copy the open eyes from one photo and blend them into another to create the perfect shot. Adobe Photoshop Elements 2018 is available now for $100.

Pond5 — the world’s largest marketplace for royalty-free HD and 4K video — and the Filmmakers Alliance have teamed up to host a short-film challenge with more than $4,000 in prizes. To take part in the contest, entitled "How Will You Tell Your Story," entrants need to create a short film (2-5 minutes) incorporating footage from the Pond5 collection (available to participants free of charge for use in the competition). The top 10 films entered will be screened at the awards ceremony, which will take place at the Montalban Theater on 8th November. The Grand Prize is $2,000 plus an annual Pond5 membership (worth $499), with additional prizes for first and second place winners. As always, we suggest that you read the terms and conditions before entering your work.

Adorama will be showcasing select photography gear and accessories from Adorama-exclusive brands Flashpoint, Orlit, 3Pod and Glow at PDN PhotoPlus Expo 2017. Only sold at Adorama, Flashpoint is known for its budget-friendly studio flash solutions. Attendees to the PhotoPlus Expo can visit the Adorama booth for a demo of the newest monolights, including the Studio 400 and Studio 300, the XPLOR 600 HSS TTL battery-powered monolight (pictured), the eVOLV 200 TTL Pocket Flash and the Rapid 600 HSS monolight with built-in radio remote system, alongside additional Flashpoint accessories. Orlit offers a lineup of TTL and HSS studio monolights designed for Canon RT, Nikon and Sony photographers looking for powerful lighting with wireless control. PPE attendees can get demos of the Orlit RoveLight RT 610 TTL monolight, the ORLIT RoveLight RT 601 HSS battery-powered monolight, and the ORLIT RoveLight RT 800AC TTL studio monolight with integrated RT radio remote.

Sigma will showcase its full range of Sigma Global Vision lenses, including a brand-new addition to the line, at the upcoming PDN PhotoPlus Expo 2017 Expo held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City from 26-28 October 2017. The company will also have on hand its Sigma Cine high-speed Primes and Zooms as well as the Foveon sensor-based sd Quattro and Quattro H cameras. Last but not least, a distinguished line-up of Sigma Pro speakers will take to the Sigma stage and offer attendees a behind-the-lens look at the techniques and technology that captured some of the year’s most outstanding photographs in the areas of aviation, editorial, glamour, landscapes, travel and weddings (click through / scroll down for the schedule). PPE 2017 attendees who visit Sigma at booth 837 will have a chance to enter and win a Sigma grand giveaway – a 24-70mm F2.8 Art lens – an MSRP value of $1299.

ON1 today announced a new version of ON1 Photo RAW coming at the end of the month. Key new features will include HDR exposure blending with automatic frame alignment, pano stitching, a number of new masking tools, selective noise reduction, an updated and more modern graphical user interface, and more. The free free ON1 Photo for Mobile app enables users to take their best photographs with them on the go in order to help them share their portfolios. It can also sync new photos taken on phones back to the desktop so those photos are ready for editing. THe developers have also added support for the Nikon D850, Olympus EM-10 III and Panasonic DMC-G85 cameras, plus a number of new lenses. ON1 Photo RAW 2018 will be available for download as a free public beta on 6th October. The final version can be pre-ordered for $119.99. Previous owners of any ON1 app (or ON1 plug-in) can upgrade for $79.99.

The full line-up of professional photographers and product ambassadors appearing at CameraWorld LIVE 2017 has been announced. On Saturday 28th Oct, London’s Biggest Camera Show will welcome David Noton, Ross Grieve, Simeon Quarrie, Jay McLaughlin, Jeremy Martin, Rob Pugh, Andy Astbury and Jakob Gronkjaer, along with just over 50 brands of cameras, accessories and photo imaging hardware. Additionally, Fujifilm Ambassador Damien Lovegrove will be offering a very limited number of one-to-one GFX 50S studio sessions where attendees will experience the raw power of the GFX’s 51.4 MP medium-format sensor. Matt Hart, Fujifilm X Photographer, will be leading photo walks around the Spitalfields Market and Brick Lane areas focusing on street photography, whilst Phottix experts will be leading 2 photo walks during the day where they will be demonstrating their latest lighting products.

The World Press Photo Foundation has just launched its new 6x6 Global Talent Programme. This new initiative will identify six under-recognised visual storytellers from each of the world’s six continents, and connect them to a global audience. World Press Photo is compiling a diverse group of nominators, working in visual storytelling on a public level around the world, to nominate candidates for review from each global region. World Press Photo is actively seeking suggestions or applications to become a nominator. Once nominated, candidates from the current region will be asked to submit a portfolio of recent work. There is no age limit for nominees, a range of visual storytelling – including photography and film – is encouraged, and creative processes are not limited. The first region to be included in the programme is Southeast Asia and Oceania. Acknowledging the importance of local experience and knowledge, the two selectors from the current global region are Ng Swan-Ti, photographer and managing director of PannaFoto Institute (Indonesia); and Heidi Romano, photographer and festival director (Australia).

Digital Film Tools have launched two new Android apps for photographers. Rays allows users to easily create stunning and realistic light ray effects in any creative project. Known as volumetric lighting in computer graphics, or crepuscular rays in atmospheric optics, this dramatic effect adds polish and style. reFine offers artists a new tool and technique for performing selective sharpening, detail enhancement, and edge-aware smoothing. The new apps are available now in the Google Play store for $0.99 each.

The Hasselblad H6D-100c digital back is now available as a stand-alone product. Tailored with photographers’ requirements in mind, the Hasselblad H6D-100c digital back's user-friendly interface works seamlessly with a wide range of technical and large format camera systems. Triggering by mechanical and electronic shutter units is also supported. At the heart of the digital back is a 100MP 53.4 x 40.0mm CMOS sensor, which delivers a staggering 15 stops of dynamic range and it captures 16-bit colour data using Hasselblad’s Natural Colour Solution to ensure maximum tonality and detail is captured every time. The H6D-100c Digital Back is available starting from today and retails at €22 000 / $26 495 / £19 900.

DJI launched a new Local Data Mode that stops internet traffic to and from its DJI Pilot app, in order to provide enhanced data privacy assurances for sensitive government and enterprise customers. “We are creating Local Data Mode to address the needs of our enterprise customers, including public and private organisations that are using DJI technology to perform sensitive operations around the world,” said Brendan Schulman, DJI’s Vice President of Policy and Legal Affairs. “DJI is committed to protecting the privacy of its customers’ photos, videos and flight logs. Local Data Mode will provide added assurances for customers with heightened data security needs.” Local Data Mode will be available in the next update on the DJI Pilot app on CrystalSky and for select Android tablets.

Oprema Jena today announced that it will add the Biotar 75-C to its line-up, promising to bring "the look and feel of the historic Biotar Cine lenses to 21st Century filmmaking." According to the company, the Biotar 75-C will offer film and video makers beautiful and natural focus transitions, authentic colour rendition, swirly bokeh and remarkable centre sharpness that is typical for the Biotar lenses, which were originally produced by Carl Zeiss Jena. While the new Biotar 75-C pays homage to the historic Biotar lenses, it has been redesigned and reengineered with modern sensors in mind. The Biotar 75-C will join the Biotar 75/f1.5 and the Biotar 58/f2.0 in the current campaign on Indiegogo. Backers will get the chance to pre-order the Biotar 75-C for $2,799 USD, about 44% off its expected retail price.

Entries are now open for the search for the next winner of The Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year. The competition, which was set up by photographer Stuart Low in 2013, aims to promote Scotland, its National Trusts, and its landscape photographers. Photographers can submit entries to a variety of categories – including landscape, seascape, urban, youth, and overall winner – until entries close at midnight on Tuesday 14 November 2017. Just in time for the opening of entries to this year's competition, Fotospeed announced their sponsorship of the Awards for the third year running. The sponsorship deal sees Fotospeed offering over £1,000 worth of prizes across the five categories. Click through / read on for the details.

Jessops have announced a one-day introductory course on the new GoPro HERO6 Black camera. The GoPro Academy Course has been developed by expert Jessops trainers directly alongside GoPro, and is GoPro certified to guarantee up-to-date information and hands-on training. The course will cover a range of need-to-know subjects, from understanding your GoPro’s modes, menus, settings and apps, to using your camera to capture ultra-high-definition footage. “Even though GoPro cameras are known for being incredibly easy to use to capture everything from extreme to mainstream, an intensive training can open new possibility to create immersive content. Thanks to a partner with such strong expertise like Jessops, participants will discover new perspectives and angles while also learning about the entire GoPro ecosystem and realise how easy every step from capturing to sharing content really is with GoPro. We are excited to see the resulting content”,” says Filip Good, Senior Director of Marketing EMEA, Go Pro. The Jessops GoPro Academy Course is £119 full price or £79.99 when purchased with the new HERO6 Black, a HERO5 Black or HERO5 Session.

Hasselblad have announced Phocus 3.3, the latest version of their image processing software. Thanks to extended GPU acceleration based on Metal/OpenCL on Mac/PC, Phocus 3.3 is now faster than ever, allowing users to export images quickly and easily while offering a quicker viewing experience when zoomed to 100% and above. In addition to the improved performance, the update also includes integrated control of WiFi-enabled broncolor flash equipment via Phocus 3.3 with the touch of the left or right cursor key.