Bowens has announced it is pulling out of The Photography Show, held from 19-22 March 2016 at the Birmingham NEC. “The decision to book 2016 show space was taken many months ago - after fulfilling our commitment at TPS 2015 to create the biggest ever presence by Bowens at any show or convention in almost seventy years,” says Alan Walmsley, Bowens sales and marketing director (left). “But this 2016 show judgement has been predicated on our full expectation to use the NEC event as the platform for introducing our new flash system products. Despite our all-out attempts to fulfil this ambition on schedule it is clear that the first models of our new ‘Generation X’ programme will not meet the required delivery deadline. This is a major disappointment for all parties and we apologise unreservedly to everyone who was looking forward to seeing us and our new products in Birmingham.”

The Nissin i60A is a new radio-controlled flashgun compatible with the Nissin Air System (NAS). Available in Canon, Fuji, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon and Sony versions; the Nissin i60A builds on the existing i40 unit offering a similar (albeit not identical) form factor and a higher guide number (60 in metres at ISO 100/21°) and a wider zoom range (24-200mm). The built-in radio receiver is compatible with the Nissin Commander Air1, a hotshoe-mounted 2.4GHz radio transceiver that links up to 21 Nissin Air System flash units (including the i60A and the Di700A models) in up to 3 groups. Other highlights of the Nissin i60A include TTL and HSS functionality, first- and second-curtain synchronisation, a recycle time of 0.1-5.5 seconds, a built-in LED light, a rear-mounted colour LCD panel and a tilt-swivel head. Available from May, pricing to be confirmed.

LG has unveiled the LG G5 smartphone, a slide-out battery and a modular type design. Featuring two rear-facing cameras - one with a 135-degree UWA lens and another with a 78° lens -, the phone features a collection of powerful photo effects including Pop-out Picture, Film Effect and Auto Shot. Pop-out Picture combines images taken by the standard and wide angle lens to create a picture-in-a-frame effect. Film Effect can apply nine different film emulators to an image while Auto Shot is an enhanced camera UX which automatically captures the perfect selfie shot when a face is recognised. The separate LG CAM Plus camera module can be attached through the battery slot to deliver a comfortable grip, an additional battery capacity of 1,200mAh and convenient control of a standalone camera. The LG CAM Plus provides physical buttons for power, shutter, record, zoom, LED indicator and comfortable grip. It also offers separate AF and AE Lock functionality.

SanDisk today introduced the World's fastest microSD memory card. Available in 64GB and 128GB capacities, the SanDisk Extreme PRO microSDXC UHS-II card delivers transfer speeds of up to 275MB/s and also includes a USB 3.0 card reader to conveniently offload files to a PC. The 64GB and 128GB SanDisk Extreme PRO microSDXC UHS-II cards will be available in Q2 at MSRPs of $179.99 and $299.99, respectively.

The Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD is the World's first image-stabilised 85mm f/1.8 lens for SLR cameras. Using LD (Low Dispersion) and XLD (Extra Low Dispersion) glass elements, the new lens is constructed with Tamron’s new SP design, incorporating a new look and feel which includes larger and more tactile switches, together with Tamron’s Moisture-Resistant Construction. VC (Vibration Compensation) is also included in the lens design to help reduce camera shake making it easy to take handheld photographs in low light. USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) focusing is also a key part in delivering sharp and precise focus every time, with full-time manual override for extra creative control. Avaiability is slated for 24 March 2016. Pricing to be confirmed.

Tamron have introduced a new version of their 90mm macro lens. The new Tamron SP 90mm F/2.8 VC USD MACRO 1:1 VC inherits many of the features of its predecessor, but boasts an enhanced VC image stabilisation system with XY-Shift compensation and improved near-silent USD focusing system. The construction of the lens now includes a newly designed all-metallic barrel, with larger switches reconfigured for smoother function. Tamron have incorporated a new standard of Moisture-Proof & Dust-Resistant construction, plus Tamron’s Fluorine coating which is applied to the front element to help repel water and oil. This new 90mm VC USD lens will also be the first Tamron lens incorporating the facility for users to update firmware, customise autofocus positions and adjust the mechanical setup and preferences of the lens by simply attaching it to the optional TAMRON TAP-in Console and connecting it via USB to a PC. Launching on Thursday, the new lens carries an SRP of £580 / $649. (This TAP-in console will be released in March.)

Aurora Aperture today introduced the PowerXND 2000 variable ND filter family. The PowerXND 2000 offers eleven stops of light reduction capacity which previously has been only available in fixed neutral density filters. “ND filters are popular among landscape photographers and videographers for reducing amount of light,” said Jinfu Chen, founder and CEO of Aurora Aperture Inc. “Variable ND filters are useful as they can replace multiple fixed ND filters. However, the variable ND filters in the market today typically have 6+ usable stops, whereas users often demand more stopping power: such as 10 or more stops. Our PowerXND 2000 family of variable ND filters will be able to satisfy this requirement with additional benefits such as superior image quality that rivals fixed ND filters and a slim frame profile to prevent vignetting in wide angle lenses.” The Aurora PowerXND 2000 filter will be available through Kickstarter crowdfunding in February 2016, and to general public as well as dealers in Summer 2016. List prices will start from $159.

Sony has announced the commercialisation of a new Exmor RS imager billed as the World's first stacked CMOS sensor with built-in hybrid AF and "3-axis" image-stabilisation. The 1/2.6"-type Sony Exmor RS IMX318 has a pixel pitch of 1μm and a resolution of 22.5 effective megapixels. The dimensions and pixel size make this sensor suitable for inclusion into smartphones and ultra-compact cameras. Sony aims to begin shipments for this new CMOS image sensor in May 2016.

Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, LG will bring to Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2016 a new series of smartphones offering one exceptional feature at a price that rivals mid-range models. The first two handsets in the X series — X cam and X screen — will debut at MWC in Barcelona on February 22. The X cam and X screen are designed for customers who do not want or need all the bells and whistles that come with today’s high-end phones but still desire a great camera or advanced display. The X cam sports dual cameras on the rear and delivers "one of the most advanced camera experience in a mass-tier smartphone," the company says. What this means in practice remains to be seen - the only camera-related specifications LG has shared so far are the resolution figures (13 megapixels for the main unit and 5 megapixels for the front-facing camera). Visitors to MWC can see the new X series for themselves at LG’s booth in Hall 3 of Fira Gran Via from February 22-25.

Independent software developer, Reggie Ashworth, announced version 1.6.4 of VidConvert, his popular video converter for Mac OS X. New features include full compatibility with El Capitan, a refreshed GUI, full 64-bit support for the fastest possible conversion, compatibility with Retina displays, and much more. VidConvert 1.6.4 is available for $7.99.

An image by Budapest-based Australian photojournalist Warren Richardson has been selected as the World Press Photo of the Year 2015. Taken at night on 28 August 2015, the photograph (above) shows migrants crossing the frontier from Serbia into Hungary across a temporary razor wire obstacle deployed before the completion of a taller and more robust border fence. "I was exhausted by the time I took the picture," Richardson says. "It was around three o’clock in the morning and you can’t use a flash while the police are trying to find these people, because I would just give them away. So I had to use the moonlight alone." The 2016 contest drew entries from around the world: 5,775 photographers from 128 countries submitted 82,951 images. The jury gave prizes in eight categories to 41 photographers from 21 countries including Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Turkey, and the USA.

Jessops have announced a one-day workshop hosted by Italian fashion photographer Tommy Napolitano. Taking place from 10.30-16.30 on 28 February 2016 in the retailer’s flagship store on Oxford Street, London, the Jessops Commercial Fashion Workshop aims to provide an overview of the fashion photography trade and processes, from creatively interpreting a brief to selecting the final images. Priced at £249, the workshop will cover everything you need to know to co-ordinate your own commercial fashion shoot.

Canon have published four full-resolution sample photos and a reduced-resolution sample video recorded with their new EOS 80D digital SLR camera. Captured using a variety of EF and EF-S lenses including the Canon EF600mm f/4L IS II USM, EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM and EF-S18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM; these Canon EOS 80D samples can be downloaded as full-resolution JPEG images from the website below. Note that unlike the stills, the sample movie has been resized for the Web.

Website: Official Canon EOS 80D Sample Images & Movies

Ricoh have posted four full-resolution sample photos taken witht the new Pentax K-1 full-frame digital SLR camera. Captured using a variety of lenses including the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mmF4.5-5.6ED DC AW, the HD Pentax-D FA★70-200mmF2.8ED DC AW, the HD Pentax-D FA 28-105mmF3.5-5.6ED DC WR and the HD Pentax-D FA 24-70mmF2.8ED SDM WR; these Pentax K-1 samples were all shot at the camera's base sensitivity setting of ISO 100/21°.

Website: Ricoh Imaging Japan

Not content with launching 10 new photo products at CES, Vegas, at the start of the year, followed by the surprise announcement of the 1DX Mark II weeks later, photo stalwart Canon has launched a further five new products with May 2016 availability.

Want to see exactly what the new Canon EOS 80D DSLR camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Canon EOS 80D DSLR camera.

Want to see exactly what the new Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens.

Want to see exactly what the new Canon Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E1 looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Canon Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E1.

Want to see exactly what the new Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II compact camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II compact camera.

Want to see exactly what the new Canon PowerShot SX720 HS compact camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Canon PowerShot SX720 HS compact camera.