Hasselblad have released a firmware update for their H6D-50c and H6D-100c cameras. Version 1.17.0 adds a grid overlay in Video Live View and recording, an HTS Infor overlay in Live View, and a clickable White Balance icon in Video Live View and recording; and fixes a number of bugs. Registered Hasselblad users can download the firmware upgrade from the website below.

Website: Hasselblad Support

Sony have released a variety of immersive 4K footage recorded by the Sony A7S II 35mm full-frame compact system camera on board the International Space Station (ISS). according to the company, this is the world's first commercial camera to be mounted outside of the ISS used to capture video in 4K. The videos showcase the Japanese islands from outer space with footage taken during day and night, showing off its majestic snow-covered peaks and metropolitan lights right down to the differences in colour tone. It also captured the well-lit cities of the US east coast by night.

Leica have issued a firmware update for the Leica TL2 compact system camera. Version 1.1 fixes the following defect: "When using the Leica TL2 with an external electronic viewfinder (Visoflex) a defect may occur that could stop the camera from working." You can dowload the firmware upgrade from the website below.

Website: Leica TL2 Firmware Version 1.1

The Moto G5S Plus is a new, affordably priced dual-camera smartphone from Motorola. The two 13-megapixel rear camera units enable the Moto G5S Plus to offer a range of features including a shallow DOF effect, selective-colour black-and-white images, and more. The dual rear cameras are complemented by a pair of colour-balancing LED flashes, while the 8-megapixel front-facing camera module boasts an f/2 wide-angle lens and comes with its own LED flash. In addition to capturing stills, the Moto G5S Plus can also record 4K videos and panoramic images. The included software enables photographers to set the shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, exposure compensation, white balance and focus manually. The Android-powered smartphone comes with a 5.5" Full HD display with a resolution of 401 pixels per inch, a 2GHz.octa.core CPU, 3GB RAM, and 32GB internal storage expandable via a microSD card. The Moto G5S Plus is available for €299.

Nikon Japan have announced the postponement of the release of their Nikon D5 100th Anniversary Edition. This commemorative model, which has a dark metallic gray finish and a stamp noting Nikon’s contribution to the study and exploration of space, was originally scheduled for release on 28th July. The company now says that the product will be available in "early August."

Palo Alto based startup Light has released a number of sample images - including a few ultra-high-resolution ones - taken with their unique L16 camera, a new kind of imaging device sporting 16 camera modules. Roughly the size of an iPhone 6S Plus in a case, the Light L16 has 5 cameras with 35mm equivalent lenses, 5 modules with 70mm equivalent primes and 6 units boasting 150mm equivalent telephoto lenses. Each camera module utilises a small imaging chip of the kind typically  used in smartphones. The 35mm equivalent units have a traditional, vertically stacked optical arrangement, whilst the 70mm and 150mm equivalent ones utilise a folded-optics design. When taking a picture, 10 of the cameras fire simultaneously and the resulting images are then "computationally fused" to create a clear, highly detailed final photograph. Additionally, the Light L16 uses depth mapping to allow for post-capture adjustment of the point of focus and depth of field. The official sample images were processed with Light’s Lumen app.

Website: Light

Elinchrom has announced availability and pricing for its new ELB 1200 battery-powered, on-location lighting solution. Weighing only 9.5 lb (4.3 kg), the ELB 1200 has been completely redesigned to meet the needs of photographers needing a combination of performance and portability. Featuring a lightweight, shock-resistant case and oversized cable connections for easier operating while wearing gloves, the ELB 1200 will become available at the end of August 2017, priced at $3499 / €3749 / £3299 (ELB 1200 To Go) and $3749 / €3999 / £3499 (ELB 1200 To Roll).

Sony has announced plans for its next-generation CineAlta digital motion picture camera system. This latest addition to the CineAlta family is being developed in close collaboration with creative professionals including Directors, Cinematographers and Digital Imaging Technicians. Key highlughts of the new product include a full-frame 36x24mm sensor exclusively designed for this Digital Motion Picture Camera, multiple aspect ratios, "exceptional" picture quality and compatibility with current and upcoming hardware accessories for CineAlta cameras (DVF-EL200 Full HD OLED Viewfinder, AXS-R7 recorder, AXS-CR1 and AR1 card reader, AXS and SxS memory cards). It will also maintain the workflow established with Sony’s 16bit RAW/X-OCN and XAVC.

Canon USA have announced a new portrait photography tour. Conducted by Canon Live Learning and featuring Canon Explorers of Light Parish Kohanim, Lindsey Adler, Bob Davis, Tyler Stableford, Michele Celentano and Roberto Valenzuela; the tour takes portrait photography from the professional photographers’ points of view and extracts learning opportunities that are helpful to enthusiasts and aspiring pros. It has six stops across the country, including Atlantam New York, Chicago, Boulder, Phoenix and Orange County. Each tour stop will showcase a different photographer, each with their distinctive style. The range of topics covers everything from posing and lighting to developing your style and overcoming bad light. Click through / read on for the details.

MTF Services have designed brand new solutions to convert the new FujinonMK lenses to Micro Four Thirds and FZ mount systems. Fitting the new mount options for the Fujinon MK lenses will be offered as a service from the team at MTF Services. Simply ship your lens over to MTF’s London-based workshop (Unit 4 Kingfisher House, Trinity Park, Trinity Way, London, E4 8TD), and the team will fit your preferred mount before shipping back to you, fully tested, professionally adapted, cleaned and ready for use.

To coincide with the release of the ELB 1200, Elinchrom is providing current Elinchrom Ranger owners with a $1000 credit good towards the purchase of a new ELB 1200 when they trade in their old Ranger RX pack and head. The units do not have to be functional, but they do need to be complete ie: battery, pack, charger and a minimum of one head. Photographers ready to upgrade are encouraged to bring their qualifying Ranger equipment (Ranger RX, Ranger RX Speed or Ranger RX Speed AS with a minimum of one Ranger A or Ranger S Flash Head) to any authorised dealer to receive $1000 off their ELB 1200 purchase instantly. The trade in offer is valid on purchases made through 31 December 2017.

QuikStories are a new feature in the GoPro app that pulls footage from your HERO5 and creates a polished video on your phone, automatically. Complete with music, effects and transitions, your QuikStory is ready to share immediately or can be customised with text and titles, speed effects and more. “QuikStories is our biggest leap forward since the invention of the GoPro itself,” says GoPro founder and CEO, Nicholas Woodman.  “QuikStories is the simple storytelling solution our customers have been dreaming about for years.  It’s an absolute game changer.” QuikStories is now available for HERO5 Black and HERO5 Session users. To get started, download the new GoPro app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

The Lomographic Society has launched the Daguerreotype Achromat 2.9/64 Art Lens Brass, Chrome Plated edition. The Daguerreotype Achromat 2.9/64 Art Lens has been designed by Lomography’s technicians based on an 1839 design – and condensed into a bold brass lens for modern analogue and digital cameras – available in Canon EF and Nikon F mounts. "Photographers and videographers can delve into an extensive variation of moods and special effect: silky soft focus at f/2.9, crisp sharp shots from f/5.6 onwards, and a focal length of 64mm," the society says. The Daguerreotype Achromat Lens works with a Waterhouse Aperture Plate system, which allows full creativity with depth of field and bokeh effects. Now, the much talked about Art Lens is back with a brand new design: a sleek chrome plating for a classic, timeless look that protects your brass lens from wear and tear. Priced at just €499, the Chrome Plated Daguerreotype Achromat is available now from the Lomography Online Shop and Gallery Stores worldwide.

Today, PolarPro announced availability for their newest software offering, the Helios Cinematic Light Effects. With effects ranging from light leaks and lens flares to light transitions, Helios offers a variety of colours, styles and looks that can easily fit the mood of any video edit. As with the recently launched Aurora Cinematic Color Presets, the new Helios effects are compatible with most popular video editing platforms including Adobe products such as Premiere 9.0 or later, After Effects CC or later, as well as Apple Final Cut Pro 7 or later, and the Avid Media Composer. These simple-to-use effects can easily be dropped into any video composition to help streamline your post-production workflow.. Retailing for $29.99, the Helios Cinematic Light Effects are currently available at the website below.

Nikon today launched an exclusive content series in celebration of its 100th anniversary. Housed in Nikon’s Anniversary Hub, the series will be released throughout the summer and consist of iconic images, stories and advice from photographers all over the world, who have helped shape a century of imagination and the brand’s rich history. It will also offer a behind the scenes virtual tour of the Nikon Museum in Tokyo. Entering the world of Nikon, viewers will get an insight into Nikon’s technologies, products and key milestones in its history – including how Nikon has assisted bioscience, medicine and even space. Click through / read on for the details.

Nikon have announced the development of their newest full-frame digital SLR camera, the Nikon D850. "The D850 follows on from the D810, which was highly praised for its extremely sharp and clear rendering, and rich tone characteristics," the company said in a statement. "The D850 will be a powerful new full-frame FX-format digital SLR camera, engineered with a range of new technologies, features and performance enhancements that are a direct result of feedback from users over the years, who demand the very best from their camera equipment." Nikon have also released a 4K teaser video entitled "Hercules Rising," shot entirely on the new camera. Click through / scroll down to watch the movie.

Sponsored by Calumet, the Mastering the Creative Workflow masterclass recently took place at Pinewood Studios to offer professional and budding photographers and filmmakers the ultimate creative experience. The one day event was hosted by professional filmmaker and X-Rite Coloratti, Ollie Kenchington and professional photographer and BenQ Ambassador, Adrian Weinbrecht. Run in partnership with X-Rite, BenQ, Rogue Photographic Design and Rotolight, the workshop gave visitors an insight into how creative professionals make use of colour management solutions and professional lighting tools for their everyday projects. The day consisted of four sessions. Click through / scroll down to watch the sessions back.

To celebrate the launch of their new Instagram page, BenQ are offering one lucky follower the chance to win their SW2700PT monitor, worth £594. Designed to effortlessly and accurately showcase the creative vision of professional photographers, the SW2700PT is packed full of image enhancing features such as hardware calibration, 99% Adobe RGB colour space coverage and a 2560 x 1440 resolution IPS panel. To be in with a chance of winning a brand-new BenQ SW2700PT monitor, simply follow @inspiration_by_benq on Instagram by Monday 31st July 2017.