The HTC U Ultra is a new phablet with a 5.7" quad-HD display and a 12-megapixel main camera unit. Other photography-related features include an f/1.8 lens, optical image stabilisation, laser-assisted phase-detect auto focus, dual-tone flash, 4K video recording with 3D Audio, slow-motion video recording in 720p at 120fps, HDR and raw image capture. The front-facing camera has a 16-megapixel BSI sensor and offers UltraPixel technology (a form of pixel binning) and Full HD video recording capabilities. The phone is powered by a 64-bit, quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 CPU and has 4GB of RAM plus either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage, expandable via a microSD memory card. Availability is slated for February. Pricing to be confirmed.

MMD, a brand license partner for Philips Monitors, announced the BDM4037UW, a 40-inch Philips Brilliance 4K Ultra HD LCD monitor. This screen is the largest 4K curved computer monitor currently on the market and features a 10-bit panel with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels and 178°/178° viewing angles. Connectivity options include a DisplayPort, four USB 3.0 ports, two HDMI connectors and a VGA port. The new Philips BDM4037UW display, with an RRP of £589, is available now.

Leica have announced the expansion of their Leica Akademie programme for 2017, including the inaugural international Destination photography trips to India and Myanmar. The workshops will feature instruction from master photographers and meticulously planned itineraries, designed to provide more time for photographic exploration. Destination trips are open to all photographers, not solely those with Leica cameras, though each trip allows attendees to use the latest Leica cameras for their projects. Destination India will take place from 9-20 October 2017, while the Destination Myanmar workshop will be held from 2-17 November 2017. These Destination workshops complement the established Leica Masterclass Series and an expanded line up of “Leica in the Landscape” workshops. Click through / scroll down for the full schedule.

We're revealing our favourite products from last year in our annual awards, looking back at the essential photography kit that helped to define 2016.

The Compact Camera of the Year 2016 award goes to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000.

"The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000 builds on the previous FZ1000 model and turns it into a mini-GH4, offering almost all of that camera's video capabilities in a convenient super-zoom format. If you want a non-interchangeable lens camera that will cover all your still and video requirements, the new Panasonic FZ2000 is the one to buy."

Read our Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000 Review

Congratulations to Panasonic!

Communication Arts magazine has issued the call for entries for its 58th annual photography competition. With an acceptance rate of less than 5%, the Communication Arts Photography Competition is the most exclusive major photography competition in the world. Selected by a nationally representative jury of distinguished designers, art directors, photo editors and photographers, the winning entries will be featured in the Communication Arts Photography Annual, in print and on the iPad. As a service to art buyers, a comprehensive index will carry contact information of the photographers represented. The deadline for submissions is 10 March 2017.

Continuing its long-standing partnership with the renowned Amsterdam-based NOOR collective of documentary photographers, Nikon Europe has announced the 2017 Nikon-NOOR Academy programme of masterclasses for aspiring photojournalists. This year’s programme offers the chance for photographers to work intensively with NOOR tutors closer to home, with workshops being held in Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris and Manchester. Photographers who are resident in the countries where the classes take place will be eligible to attend. Each workshop has only 15 participants, who will be guided by their NOOR tutors through portfolio reviews, developing and editing their photographic stories, and learning how to navigate the international photo market. Click through / scroll down for dates, locations and more details.

The SureColor P5000 is a new professional 17-inch, 10-colour inkjet printer for photographers. Leveraging the advanced Epson PrecisionCore TFP printhead and UltraChome HDX ink set, the SureColor P5000 delivers outstanding output with an increased colour gamut gamut, higher-density blacks and twice the print permanence than the previous generation. The printer can support two different ink configurations. The SureColor P5000 Standard and Designer editions leverage Light Light Black ink for twice the overall print permanence, smooth and neutral tonal transitions and support of the Epson Advanced Black and White print mode. The Commercial Edition includes Violet ink, in place of Light Light Black, for an expanded colour gamut. The printer is available for $1.995 (both editions).

We're revealing our favourite products from last year in our annual awards, looking back at the essential photography kit that helped to define 2016.

The Lens of the Year 2016 award goes to the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art.

“...we can whole-heartedly recommend the new Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM as a brilliant short telephoto prime lens that delivers superb results.”

Read our Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art Review

Congratulations to Sigma!

The winners of the 3rd International Landscape Photographer of the Year (ILPOTY) competition have been announced. From 2394 entries, the winner of the third International Landscape Photographer of the Year (based on a folio submission of at least 4 images) is Alex Noriega from the USA, while the winner of the third International Landscape Photograph of the Year (awarded for a single image) is a picture by Hougaard Malan, from South Africa (reprinted above), who also won the Waterfall Award. Runners-up include Kath Salier, Peter Poppe, Simone Cmoon and Eberhard Ehmke. The Black & White Award went to Guy Havell, the Dominant Sky category was won by Leonardo Papèra, the South America Award was given to Kalan Robb, while the Squarial (square aerial) Award was won by Ignacio Palacios.

The Leica Oskar Barnack Awards are returning for the 37th time this year. Opening for entries on 1 March 2017, the Leica Oskar Barnack Award is one of the industry’s most prestigious photographic competitions. The winner in the main category will be honoured with a cash prize of 25,000 euros and Leica M-System equipment (a camera and lens) valued at an additional €10,000. Photographers interested in taking part can submit their applications and photographic projects online, with a closing date of 10 April 2017. The winner of the Newcomer Award will receive a cash prize of 10,000 euros and will also receive a Leica rangefinder camera and lens. In addition to the two main categories, a further ten submissions to the competition will each be honoured with prizes of €2,500.

We're revealing our favourite products from last year in our annual awards, looking back at the essential photography kit that helped to define 2016.

The Printer of the Year 2016 award goes to the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000.

“Just when we thought printers couldn't get any better, along comes the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 with print quality that will blow your mind.”

Read our Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 review

Congratulations to Canon!

JK Imaging have announced pricing and availability for their new Kodak Pixpro 4KVR360 camera, a compact device targeting the rapidly growing 360° VR video consumer market. The 4KVR360 adopts a minimalist approach to an all-in-one 360° VR camera, with two 4K fixed focus lenses housed on either side of the futuristic camera body. The lenses are designed to work in tandem, to capture full 360° 4K Video and easily upload 360° content to Facebook and YouTube via the camera’s Smart Device App. “The decision to continue expanding our award winning 360° VR camera line up with the new Kodak Pixpro 4KVR360 was a natural progression,” said Mariame Cisse, Marketing Director for JK Imaging Ltd., Europe. “We are committed to the interactive 360° video format and want to give yet another option to consumers when it comes to choosing a quality 360° VR camera based on their specific needs.” The 4KVR360 will feature a 20-megapixel CMOS sensor and use a Micro SD card (up to 128GB) to record 360° content. The 4KVR360 camera will incorporate Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth connectivity compatibility for Smart device APPs to control and view the camera remotely. JK Imaging anticipates availability of the new 4KVR360 in the first quarter of 2017. The 4KVR360 base model will retail for €499, and the company will continue to provide their customers with optional bundles that will include useful accessories and software designed to work in tandem with the 4KVR360 camera.

Insta360 have announced the launch of their new Insta360 Pro professional VR 3D camera. Insta360 Pro records up to 8K 360-degree videos and leverages 6 independent, high-definition lenses. It captures 60-megapixel 360° 3D stills and supports both HDR and raw image file formats to bring out levels of detail and low-light performance unprecedented in a 360-degree camera of this size. When recording 4K video, the camera supports up to 100fps. In addition, the VR time-lapse mode adds a new dimension to videos and the live preview function allows users to get the best angle before shooting. As a standalone camera, it can be used with both the dedicated Insta360 Pro iOS and Android apps and connects via WiFi, Ethernet or 4G, ready to livestream any event or share instantly on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. The Insta360 Pro's recommended retail price is set to be around $3000 and will be available later this year.

Over the next 6 days we’ll be revealing our favourite products from last year in our annual awards, looking back at the essential photography kit that helped to define 2016.

Kicking things off is the Software of the Year 2016 award, which goes to Macphun Luminar.

“If you do delve deeper into all the different options, you’ll find that there’s a lot to like about the editing software, with it capable of producing some excellent results. You’re unlikely to find a piece of software that is as extensive as this for the same kind of value.”

Read our Macphun Luminar Review

Congratulations to Macphun!

Dell have just announced the World's first 32-inch 8K display. Scheduled to hit the shelves in March, the Dell UltraSharp 32 Ultra HD 8K monitor offers a staggering 33.2 million (7680x4320) pixels, a resolution of 280ppi and a 10-bit panel with more than 1 billion colours and 100 percent Adobe RGB colour space coverage. Plus its near borderless display gives customers 32 inches of screen real estate in a highly compact package. The monitor boasts four USB 3 ports plus two DisplayPort 1.4 connectors. Available from 23 March 2017, the Dell UltraSharp 32 Ultra HD 8K monitor can be yours for $4,999.

ExoLens has announced the upcoming launch of the ultra-durable, dual-layer ExoLens Case. Allowing photographers and videographers to use the ExoLens PRO with Optics by ZEISS mobile photography lenses while protecting their devices from drops and scratches at the same time. Designed with high-end aesthetics and impact-resistant materials, the ExoLens Case serves as a low profile, highly protective solution even without the lenses. “After launching our line of ZEISS ExoLens mobile photography solutions earlier this year, consumers told us that they loved the mobile photography lenses, but also expressed a desire for a solution that protected their iPhone, while still providing the lens attachment capability,” says John Fellowes, Chief Executive Officer of Fellowes Brands. The ExoLens Case will be available for purchase Q1 2017.

Wacom have unveiled their new Intuos Pro and Intuos Pro Paper Edition of pen and touch tablets. Currently on display at the Consumer Electronics Show, the next-generation Intuos Pro is the slimmest of its kind and more compact than the previous version, offering the same sized active area in a smaller package. It comes equipped with anodized aluminium backing, a smaller pen stand with 10 nibs and a new pen case. Both sizes of the Intuos Pro, medium and large, use a TouchRing, Multi-Touch and eight ExpressKeys for the creation of customised shortcuts to speed up the creative workflow. The Intuos Pro Paper Edition boasts the same features as the Intuos Pro, but the Paper Edition model adds a Paper Clip, pressure-sensitive Finetip gel ink pen and the Wacom Inkspace App. The new Wacom Pro Pen 2 comes with the Intuos Pro and Intuos Pro Paper Edition, featuring four times the pressure sensitivity than the former Pro Pen, delivering 8,192 levels of pressure. The Intuos Pro Medium ($349.95, £329.99, €379.90) and Large ($499.95, £449.99, €529.90) will be available in January. The Intuos Pro Paper Edition Medium ($399.95, £379.99, €429.90) and Large ($549.95, £499.99, €599.90) will also be avaiable later this month.

LaCie today announced significant updates to their Rugged and d2 storage solutions. The LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt USB-C (pictured) combines Rugged toughness with USB-C compatibility and fast Thunderbolt speeds. Users can store even more footage, and so carry fewer devices, thanks to the industry-leading mobile HDD capacity up to 5TB. The LaCie Rugged features Seagate Barracuda drives for best-in-class reliability and performance. In addition, the 1TB SSD version delivers speeds of up to 510MB/s, a 30% increase over the previous SSD generation. The LaCie d2 Thunderbolt 3 is intended to be a companion to limited-capacity SSD-based laptops and all-in-one computers to expand storage up to 10TB for professional bandwidth-intensive creative applications. Featuring speeds of up to 240MB/s, a 10% improvement over the previous generation, photographers can spend less time moving files from camera cards into Adobe Lightroom. Dual Thunderbolt 3 ports mean the user can daisy chain dual 4K displays, a single 5K display or up to six total LaCie d2 drives—all through a single cable connected to their computer. It's even possible to power a compatible laptop such the latest MacBook Pro through a USB-C port. The new LaCie Rugged drive will come in 2TB, 4TB and 5TB HDD and 500GB and 1TB SSD capacities starting at $249.99. The new LaCie d2 drive will come in 6TB, 8TB and 10TB capacities starting at $429.99. The LaCie Rugged and LaCie d2 drives will be available at LaCie resellers worldwide this quarter.