UK Optics have annpunced the Novo Excel Pro UV filters. These water- and oil-repellent, scratch resistant, nano multi-coated filters are manufactured from 'Super White' German Schott glass, thus offering a light transmission greater than 99.3%. The new Novo Excel Pro UV filters are available in sizes ranging from 40.5mm to 86mm.

Flints Auctioneers specialising in cameras, scientific & medical instruments as well as early technology has now opened for business in London. The new auction house will hold at least four Fine sales a year offering cameras from the earliest wet plate examples through to modern 35mm ones, and antique scientific and medical instruments. In addition, three annual Collectors sales will offer more affordable pieces as well as group lots. The auctions will be held in London at Stoke Newington West Reservoir Centre, Green Lanes, London N4 2HA.

Fantasea Line have introduced a selection of products designed to enhance lighting of underwater images and videos, including LED Strobe Triggers, Fiber Optic Cables and a powerful video light. Featuring an ergonomic design and a built-in YS connector, the Radiant 3000F Video Light (pictured) offers a variety of operation modes, which make the light suitable to light a wide range of classic and creative compositions. Operation modes include flood light (100 degrees), spot light (15 degrees), red light, Ultra Violet (UV) & Blue light and two flashing modes (constant and SOS) that can serve for signaling / SOS purposes. Depth rated to 100 metres/330 feet, the Radiant 3000F makes use of 3 powerful LEDs for red light, 4 LEDs for UV & blue light, one X-PL LED for spot light and a new Cob (chip-on-board) LED array for flood light, which provides an impressively bright, wide and even beam. The FA-1 LED Strobe Trigger and the FA-2 LED Strobe Trigger  trigger underwater strobes and flashes to fire in sync with the camera using fiber optic cables, such as the Fiber Optic Cable A1 and the Fiber Optic Cable B2. Click through / read on for the details.

The first Historic Photographer of the Year Awards is now open to amateur and professional photographers around the world. Celebrating the very best historic places and cultural sites across the globe, the Historic Photographer of the Year Awards is a joint venture between two cultural brands, Trip Historic, the leading online travel guide to the world’s historic sites, and History Hit which brings unique content and insight from some of the UK’s best known historians and academics. Judging all entries will be a panel of experts including broadcaster and historian Dan Snow, All About History Magazine Editor-in-Chief James Hoare and David Gilbert, Chair of Creative United. Commenting on the Awards, Dan Snow said: “‘All of us on the panel of judges want to be wowed! We want to see images that astonish, evoke emotion and inspire people to visit new, exciting and fascinating places, not just in the UK but all over the world. The best advice I can give is that your shots should be original, beautiful and unique. Above all, we want you to tell the story of the world’s ancient landmarks through your sensational photography.” By taking part, photographers will get the chance to win a prize of £2,500 and have their winning image showcased across the media.

Canon today unveiled an exciting new urban art exhibition at London’s Pop Brixton as part of a Europe-wide initiative that highlights the importance of photojournalism in telling the stories that need to be told. The exhibition documents the trials and tribulations of being a Grime artist in London, a genre enjoying a breakout period following its recent success scooping a Mercury Prize in September. The story was captured on the EOS 5D Mark IV, by Reuters award-winning photojournalist, Paul Hackett. To bring the images to life, Canon has teamed up with art installation group, Remain Different. Through their work, Paul’s unique story is shared with the public by incorporating his powerful imagery with Pop Brixton’s unique architecture including shipping containers, concrete arches and staircases.. The exhibition is on display from 5th –  16th July.

TH Swiss have announced the official launch of their Irix Edge series of screw-in filters, including UV & Protector, Circular Polariser and ND filters with various densities. The Irix Edge UV & Protector (€76) filter offers extraordinary light transmission thanks to its high-quality optical glass and multi-layer anti-reflective coating. Its additional waterproof Nano coating helps keeping the glass surface free of stains and water droplets. Irix UV filter also provides decent protection of the front lens under extreme circumstances. The Irix Edge Circular Polariser (€105) reduces reflections from non-metallic surfaces, emphasizes details and increases colour density of the pictures. Thanks to the slim and ultralight aluminium frame with knurled edges, filter is easy to operate through filter window and causes no vignetting on the Irix 15mm f/2.4 lens. Last but not least, the Irix Edge ND filters (€115-€117) are available in 3-stop, 5-stop, 7-stop and 10-stop versions.

LockCircle have announced their PRO M.95 system - a kit of 95mm three Front Mount Cinema Standard adapter rings - for the Zeiss Otus 28/55/85mm lenses. The PRO M.95 adapter rings are CNC machined from billet aluminium and anodised to match the lenses' surface finish. The kit also includes graphic coded front and rear caps. The PRO M.95 system is available now at prices starting from $149 + shipping.

The Society of International Nature and Wildlife Photographers (SINWP) have announced the winners of the Creatures Great and Small Photography Competition. A photo by Michelle Howell from West Yorkshire, England was chosen as the overall winner. Shot on a Nikon D5100 with a Tamron SP 90mm F2.8 Di VC USD Macro 1:1 F004N lens, the winning image (reprinted above) is a macro shot of an Argentinean Ornate Horned Frog, taken in a reflection pool. Phil Jones, the Societies CEO said, “June's competition did not disappoint with the quality of images entered. Michelle's image of the horned frog captured the theme of the competition brilliantly.’’ Runners-up include Sheri Emerson from Newfoundland, Canada and Stuart Walker from Essex, England

Independent developer Alexey Khutorschikov has announced Desqueeze 1.5, an important update to his iPhone app that lets users re-format, re-size and de-squeeze a batch of photos and videos using presets or custom size up to 8192x8192 pixels and 4K, respectively. This update brings a number of improvements including a more streamlined graphical user interface, the ability to create, edit and use Templates, as well as enhanced stability and sharing options. Desqueeze 1.5 is available free of charge through the App Store in the Photo and Video category. Certain features require an upgrade to the PRO version, which is available as in-app purchase for $2.99.

Billingham have launched a new range of elegant travel bags. Carrying the signature Billingham logo embossed into leather on the front, these premium bags are built from weather-resistant FibreNyte canvas for exceptional durability and protection from the elements. The new Billingham Leisure Collection includes the Weekender and Overnighter bags and the Thomas briefcase/laptop bag. Each bag features solid brass fittings and is offered in a selection of classic colours with complementary leather tones, including Sage & Chocolate, Black & Tan, Khaki & Chocolate and All-Black. Designed for fast and efficient packing, the Weekender (£225) can be fully unzipped through its entire length using the strong double pullers, and the clever turnover top allows the sides to be peeled backwards completely to create the widest possible opening. Slightly smaller than the Weekender, and ideal for a short break or even as a smart gym or work bag, the compact Overnighter (£185) provides generous capacity for everyday essentials. Last but not least, the padded Thomas briefcase (£225) features multiple interior pockets to organise a host of accessories, and has been designed to accommodate most 15” laptops. All bags are available now from authorised Billingham stockists.

MindShift Gear have announced the launch of their new PhotoCross sling bags. Built to withstand the elements yet comfortable enough to wear on long days in the field, these bags stay out of the way when scrambling but offer quick camera access when ready to take the shot. They feature weatherproof zippers and abrasion-resistant materials, plus a carrying system for tripods or jackets. The PhotoCross 10 fits an ungripped DSLR and one to two lenses, plus a 10” tablet, or a compact system camera body and three to five lenses, plus a 10” tablet. The PhotoCross 13 fits an ungripped DSLR, two to four lenses, including a 70–200mm f/2.8, and some 13” laptops. The bags are available in two colour, Orange Ember and Carbon Grey.

The Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 is a brand new professional zoom lens for full-frame cameras. The new Dual MPU (Micro Processing Units) provide rapid autofocusing with improved accuracy and the highest vibration compensation performance of any lens in its class (a full 5 stops of image stabilisation according to CIPA standards). The use of specialised, high-quality glass materials assures accurate color reproduction and superior sharpness, perfect for today’s high-pixel-density cameras. The optical formula comprises 17 elements in 12 groups including 2 XR (Extra Refractive Index) elements, 3 LD (Low Dispersion) elements, 3 GM (Glass-Molded aspherical) and one hybrid aspherical lens element. Tamron’s exclusive eBAND Coating substantially curbs ghosting and flare, while a protective Fluorine Coating on the front element provides added convenience. The new lens also benefits from a moisture resistant construction a locking lens hood. In the UK, the Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 will be available in July, pricing to be announced. In the USA, the Tamron SP 24-70mm G2 in Nikon mount will be available in August and the Canon mount in September priced at $1199.

Akvis today released Refocus 8.0, an application designed to improve the sharpness of out of focus images and apply lens blur effects to your photos. This update adds the ability to save and load custom presets and improves on the Crop tool. Additionally, the Batch Processing feature is now available for all editing modes. The software runs on Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10; and on Mac OS X 10.7-10.11 and macOS 10.12, and is available as a standalone application and as a plugin to a photo editor. Prices start at $39.

Canon have published 11 high-resolution sample images and a reduced-resolution sample movie captured with their new EOS 6D Mark II full-frame digital SLR camera. Taken using a variety of Canon EF lenses including the EF85mm f/1.2L II USM, the EF24-105mm f/4L IS II USM, the EF35mm f/1.4L II USM, the EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM, the EF11-24mm f/4L USM, the EF24-70mm f/4L IS USM, the EF70-200mm f/4L IS USM and the EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM; these Canon EOS 6D Mark II samples were shot at sensitivity settings ranging from ISO 100 to ISO 800.

Website: Canon EOS 6D Mark II Sample Images & Sample Movie

Canon Japan have released nine high-resolution sample photos and a reduced-resolution sample movie captured with the new Canon EOS 200D digital SLR camera. Taken using a variety of Canon lenses including the EF-S18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, the EF-S18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM, the EF50mm f/1.8 STM, the EF-S35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM and the EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM, the Canon EOS 200D sample images were shot at sensitivity settings ranging from ISO 100 to ISO 3,200.

Website: Canon EOS 200D Sample Images