Nikon have announced the addition of four new photographers to their ambassador programme. The newest additions include wildlife photographer Joel Sartore (pictured), celebrity and portrait photographer Matthew Jordan Smith, Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Deanne Fitzmaurice and commercial and portrait photographer Joey Terrill. “Nearly three years after the foundation of the programme, Nikon Ambassadors have worked to educate and empower photographers while continuing to celebrate their passion and love for photography through the power of visual storytelling,” said Mike Corrado, NPS Manager, pro relations and product marketing, Nikon. “These new additions all define what it takes to be considered one of Nikon’s most elite photographers, with unparalleled commitment to both their craft and the imaging industry.”

Lomography has introduced a new lens for its “art” range of lenses designed to work in conjunction with digital cameras.

The Daguerrotype Achromat, like several other Lomography lenses will be launched via a Kickstarter campaign to get it launched before becoming available for regular purchase in shops once the required funding has been achieved.

It is based on an optical design dating back to 1839, where a Chevalier Achromat lens was mounted on a Daguerrotype camera. The main characteristic of the lens is that at wide apertures it produces a soft effect.

The new lens has a focal length of 64mm, making it ideal for a number of subjects including portraits. The maximum aperture is f/2.9, and it will be available to buy in Canon EF and Nikon F mounts - you can also use it with other cameras via mount adapters.

Lenses bought via Kickstarter are likely to start shipping in August, with availability in normal shops some time after that.

The Lomographic Society has launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the commercialisation of its new Daguerreotype Achromat 2.9/64 Art lens. 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 OR 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. The Daguerreotype Achromat 2.9/64 Art Lens is available through Kickstarter, where in addition to exclusive offers and prices, backers can secure their own Daguerreotype Achromat Lens from the first-ever batch – estimated to start shipping in August of this year.

Manfrotto has won five accolades and an honourable mention at the 2016 Red Dot Awards. The award winning products include the XPRO Monopod, Pixi Evo, Lykos LED, Compact Xtreme and Digital Director, with the honourable mention going to the D1 Drone Backpack (pictured).

Lexar today announced their Professional XQD 2.0 USB 3.0 reader. With its compact, portable design, the new memory card reader can easily slip into a pocket or bag, and offers a simple plug-and-play design with a USB 3.0 connector so content can be securely transferred on the go. For versatility, the reader is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 devices at USB 2.0 speeds. The Lexar Professional XQD 2.0 USB 3.0 Reader will be available in late April with a MSRP of £29.99.

Harman Technology, owner of the Ilford brand, is opening a new ordering window for Ultra Large Format (ULF) photographers. “This programme enables us to further support the world of film photography that uses and values our conventional products” said Giles Branthwaite, Director of Sales and Marketing at Harman technology. “Through running the ULF programme each year, we are able to satisfy the strong demand for specialist film formats. Whilst manufacture is not easy, we have been rewarded by increased demand year on year ensuring we will continue to address and care for this market.” Films available for this year are Ilford FP4 PLUS, HP5 PLUS, and Delta 100 Professional. Orders must be placed no later than Friday 27th May.

Panasonic has introduced a new compact system camera which sits in between the GX(single digit) and the GF ranges in terms of who it is aimed at.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX80 features a 16 million pixel sensor and a Venus Engine was has been tweaked to work specifically in this camera. For the first time in a G series camera, the optical low pass filter has been removed which boosts the sensor’s capability to record fine detail.

As with several other Lumix cameras recently released, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX80 features the ability to record 4K video which also facilitates 4K photo modes.

The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GX80 is a new interchangeable lens camera that combines modern design and 4K performance. The GX80 (also known as the GX85 in some regions) offers a range of innovative features, including 4K PHOTO and 5-Axis Dual I.S. (Image Stabiliser), plus a sturdy ergonomic grip. The LUMIX DMC-GX80 features a 16 megapixel sensor with no low-pass filter. The Panasonic DMC-GX80 is available in Black, Silver and Tan and will be available from May 9th 2016.

Tamron USA announced that its new Mobile Learning Center Tour will commence on 14th April in Fairfield, NJ. The new fully-equipped and customised Tamron vehicle will travel around the USA through December 2016, making over 70 official stops at authorised Tamron retailers. The Tamron vehicle will pull into the parking lot and set up for a full day of education to help people with their photography questions, see the latest in Tamron products, and provide valuable tips and tricks on subjects attendees frequently photograph. Each day will feature team members leading free seminars under the Tamron Mobile Learning Tent - "Travel & Nature Techniques," "The Art of Macro," and "Light Like a Pro." Attendees are encouraged to bring their cameras so that after each seminar, they can try out Tamron lenses on subjects such as birds of prey or other animals brought to the event by local conservationists and sanctuaries.

Think Tank Photo have just released a new addition to their Retrospective camera shoulder bag line. The Retrospective 6 fits a DSLR or gripped DSLR with short lens attached, one to two additional lenses and an 8” tablet or flash in the front pocket, or one to two Compact System Cameras with lenses attached, one to four extra lenses and an 8” tablet or flash in the front pocket. Weighing in at 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg), the Retrospective 6, is now available in Sandstone, Black, and Pinestone, priced at $154.75. In addition, the existing Retrospective 5, Retrospective 5 Leather, Retrospective 7, Retrospective 7 Leather, Retrospective 10, Retrospective 20, Retrospective 30, and Retrospective 30 Leather are also available in the new Sandstone colour.

Think Tank Photo has released the largest rolling photography equipment case on the market. Designed to hold an immense amount of gear, including lighting equipment and large light modifiers, one photographer will now be able to transport what it used to take up to at least two assistants. “Pro photographers usually travel by car or van to where they are going to shoot,” said Doug Murdoch, Think Tank’s CEO and Lead Designer. “Once a shoot is completed the set needs to be torn down and moved to the next location. Often times, there can be a time crunch where all the gear has to be loaded quickly. Carrying these bags up and down stairs and over rough terrain can be very cumbersome and often takes two people. The Production Manager 50 makes this time-sensitive, cumbersome process easier and quicker.” The Think Tank Photo Production Manager 50 is available for $599.75.

Case Logic has launched a new Compact DSLR Backpack. The unique fold-out camera storage has dedicated loading for an SLR camera plus two accessories whilst side zippered pockets store an extra battery, cables, lens cap, or small accessories. The Compact DSLR Backpack also boasts a dedicated padded iPad compartment with handy side opening for easy access. Available in Black, Indigo and Anthracite, the backpack sells for £34.99.

Ricoh have announced their second annual developers contest. The competition is looking for new apps and gadgets that utilise the Ricoh Theta camera, which takes 360°, fully spherical images or videos in one capture. Winners of the contest will receive a trip to Tokyo, Japan, for the awards ceremony and the first prize winner will be awarded a cash prize of one million yen. Applicants have until 31st August 2016 to submit their final app and gadget designs.

MMD, and brand license partner for Philips Monitors, has announced a new display with UltraClear 5K resolution. Offering no less than 14.7 megapixels(5,120 x 2,880), the Philips 275P4VYKEB displaypacks four times as many pixels as Quad HDand over 50 percent more than Ultra HD. The new 27" display is also equipped with PerfectKolor Technology, which ensures factory-calibrated 99% Adobe RGB and100% sRGB colour space coverageand one billion colours. Thanks to 12-bit internal processing, colours are re-created smoothly and naturally, without gradations or the nuisance of banding effects. With advanced PLS technology, the display also features extra-wide viewing angles of 178 degrees. The new Philips 275P4VYKEB display, with an RRP of £1,169.99, will be available at the beginning of April.
 

Fotodiox has announced the Wonderpana FreeArc XL - a comprehensive filter system for the Canon 11-24mm lens. Its aircraft-grade aluminium alloy lens collar allows photographers to attach a custom series of 186mm filter options including neutral density filters and polarisers. Additionally, photographers can add the WonderPana WP80 Filter Brackets to the WonderPana FreeArc XL to mount one or two square graduated filters at the same time as a round filter. Measuring 200mm x 260mm, the WonderPana FreeArc XL's square filters are the largest commercially available in the industry today. The WonderPana FreeArc XL retails for $229.95.

Canon is celebrating its 13th year at number one in the interchangeable-lens digital camera market. The success story began in 2003 with the introduction of the EOS 300D, the first affordable digital SLR camera that combined a competitive price with a compact, lightweight design and captured the top global market share upon release. The entire EOS series is supported by Canon’s extensive EF lens collection, with production surpassing the 110 million unit mark in June 2015, and currently comprises a total of 98 models.

80 at 80 is an exhibition of 80 portraits by Olympus Visionary John Nassari. Celebrating the 80th anniversary of Olympus cameras, the photos give a glimpse inside one of London's most celebrated 5-star hotels. Shot on the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II, the photographs will be exhibited for the first time on 15 April 2016 in the Ballroom of Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park at an exclusive invite-only, one-night showing; before travelling to the Art Bermondsey Project Space for public view from 3-7 May 2016. The exhibition is free to view and will be open 11am to 6pm Tuesday to Friday, Saturday 11am to 4pm.

Sony today launched the Cyber-shot RX10 III bridge camera featuring a 1"-type 20.1-megapixel imager and a 24-600mm (eq.) f/2.4-4 lens. Other highlights include a silent shutter, Fast Intelligent AF, an electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 2.36 million dots, 4K video capture at upto 100Mb/s, 1000fps movie recording for super-slow-motion playback, plus Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity. The Optical SteadyShot algorithm has been optimised for the lens design of the RX10 III and delivers up to 4.5 stops of image stabilisation. Additionally, with a minimum focusing distance of 72cm at a fully extended 600mm(0.49x maximum magnification), the new lens is capable of producing highly detailed tele-macro images. The aperture unit has nine blades that are designed to create a near-perfect circle in the f/2.4 to f/11 aperture range. The Sony RX10 III will be available in the UK from April priced at £1,250.

Sony have announced a new full-frame standard prime for their E-mount camera system. Weighing in at 192 grams, the lightweight FE 50mm F1.8 lens features a new optical design with an aspherical element that effectively compensates for all forms of aberration, plus a circular aperture diagram. The new FE 50mm f/1.8 prime lens will be available in April for £240.