Eizo has announced two 24.1-inch monitors with a resolution of 1920x1200 pixels. The ColorEdge CG2420 is the professional-level model for use in photography, design, print, and post-production. It features a built-in self-calibration sensor for hassle-free monitor maintenance that ensures optimal color reproduction and image consistency throughout the creative workflow. The ColorEdge CS2420 includes many of the advanced features of Eizo’s ColorEdge lineup while meeting the different needs and budgets of hobbyists and prosumers. Both monitors feature a wide-gamut IPS (in-plane-switching) panel with 10-bit display from a 16-bit LUT and 99% Adobe RGB colour space coverage. The ColorEdge CG2420 and CS2420 monitors from Eizo will be shipping from February. The date of availability varies by country.

Corel has launched VideoStudio Ultimate X9 and VideoStudio Pro X9. New features in both editions include Multi-Camera Editing, enhanced Audio and Balancing controls, support for HEVC (H.265), Multi-Point Motion Tracking, user interface updates and optimised performance including support for the new 6th generation Intel Core i7 processors. Corel VideoStudio Ultimate X9 takes video editing further with support for up to 6 cameras in the Multi-Camera Editor, the ability to work with additional formats including MXF (XAVC), and adds a premium effects collection featuring 11 apps from NewBlue, Borris Grafitti and ProDAD. Corel VideoStudio Pro X9 sells for $79.99/€69.99/£59.99. VideoStudio Ultimate X9 is available for $99.99/€89.99/ £79.99.

Today Monument Labs launched their Kickstarter campaign for Monument, the first-ever desktop device that uses artificial intelligence to create a secure, instantly organised repository for photos and videos. The device uses standard USB disk drives to create a “personal cloud” accessible from anywhere in the world via a smartphone, tablet or PC. The advanced AI algorithms automatically sort content according to time, location, even people. Facial recognition software identifies individuals who can then be browsed and/or recalled whenever desired. The Kickstarter campaign aims to raise $60,000 from backers to put Monument into production.

Ricoh has announced the Ricoh GR II Silver Edition to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the company. This exclusive package consists of a silver edition of the GR II large-sensor digital compact camera and an exclusively designed camera case. The camera body has a high-grade, silver-color leather-tone finish, featuring an elegant, grained texture, and the shutter release button and the ring cap also boast a silver finish. Additionally, the lens descriptions are engraved on the front ring using a diamond-cutting process and the GR logo’s color on the camera’s front panel has been changed to white. The Ricoh GR II Silver Edition is limited to 3,200 units worldwide.

The Panasonic Lumix GF8 is a new compact system camera aimed at selfie enthusiasts. Offering the same core specifications as the existing Panasonic GF7 - such as a 16-megapixel FourThirds sensor, Micro FourThirds lens mount, tiltable 3" 1040K-dot touchscreen, integrated Wi-FI and Full HD movies -, the new Lumix GF8 comes with a variety of beauty functions including Soft Skin, Defocusing and Slimming. After shooting, you can even put on make-up or retouch in camera with the Beauty Retouch function. Available in certain markets only, the Panasonic GF8 is not planned for release in the UK or the US.

Zhongyi Optics have released an improved version of their first f/0.95 lens, the Zhongyi Mitakon Speedmaster 35mm f/0.95. Delivering improved sharpness and better control of chromatic aberration, the new edition is a lot more smaller and lighter (460 grams vs. 680 grams) than its forebear. Available with a Fuji X / Sony E / EOS-M mount, the Zhongyi Mitakon Speedmaster 35mm f/0.95 Mark II has an image circle covering APS-C sized sensors and an optical formula comprising 11 elements in 8 groups (including one extra-low dispersion element, two extra-high refractive index elements and three high refractive index elements. The new lens is now available for $599.

The Royal Photographic Society's International Print Exhibition will open for entries on 1 March 2016. Now in its 159th year, the contest has a reputation for showcasing a wide range of genres and styles of photography. Entry to the competition is initially online and submissions will be reviewed by an influential panel of prominent photographers and photographic professionals who will individually shortlist work. The selectors will create a shortlist with the final selection of 100 images being made from prints. The selected images will be shown at the opening exhibition at London's Old Truman Brewery. Selected photographers will be eligible for several cash prize awards (totalling £4,250 + Metro Imaging 12-month mentorship programme) aimed at helping support future photographic projects. Those entering their work before 31 March 2016 will get a chance to win a signed copy of Don McCullin: The New Definitive Edition.

Manfrotto has announced a new range of photo monopods. The new XPro range includes six models - 4 in aluminium and 2 in Carbon Fibre - that come in different sizes and with ¼” or 3/8” mounting threads. The PRIME Monopods provide the highest payload in the range and are able to support up to 10kg of weight. The OVER Monopods have increased the maximum height by 16% versus their predecessors. Extending the range further, the LAND Monopod is a 5 section monopod ideal for travelling. It folds down to 41.5 cm (32.6 in) for easy transportation and can be packed into a backpack or messenger bag. Prices start at £54.95.

Leica UK and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) have announced that all backstage reportage and portraiture at this year’s EE British Academy Film Awards will be captured exclusively by photographers using Leica equipment. “It is a massive coup for BAFTA to be able to fully realise its backstage photography with such an iconic brand,” said Janette Dalley, Photography Director, BAFTA. “These areas are at best ‘challenging’ for any photographer, and with the added time pressure involved on awards night, having the best possible start is paramount. I very much look forward to seeing the results.”

The Women in Photography panel at The Photography Show 2016 will bring together a dynamic collection of women, each with her own perspective and experience as a woman working within the field of photography. The panel will discuss a range of topics including the ways in which women should network and share to promote their work, how to engage and get ahead across multiple fields, and the all-important questions of whether or not breaking the ‘glass ceiling’ is still relevant. The Women in Photography panel session will be followed by a networking event, offering the audience a chance to continue the discussion with their peers. Tickets to The Photography Show are now on sale, and visitors will have the option to add additional sessions to their package, including the Super Stage, priced at £10 per session. Women in Photography is a free-of-charge session.

XP Distribution have announced that they will be debuting the new X-Rite ColorChecker Video Targets in the UK at this month’s BVE show at the ExCel London (23rd – 25th February). X-Rite’s ColorChecker Video Targets are available in two versions. The pocket-sized X-Rite ColorChecker Passport Video (£126) comes in a rugged hard case, and includes four different targets - a colour reference card, a white balance tool, a three-step greyscale target and a focus calibratio tool. The X-Rite ColorChecker Video (£110) offers a larger form factor and includes 2 series of greyscale patches, a range of skin tone patches, a series of saturated and desaturated chromatic colours, and a full-size white balance target on the reverse side.

The Photography Show today announced a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, in partnership with Training byLUMIERE, for one emerging talent to be fast-tracked into a pro career in the photography industry, winning a package worth £15,000. The competition will seek to find one talented individual, who wants to make the transition to becoming a professional photographer, with access to advice, six months of training, a brand, website and essential kit plus a real understanding of what it will take to make it as a professional photographer. Entrants are asked to submit a 60 second video demonstrating why they think they should win. The first deadline is 1 March 2016, after which a shortlist will be announced, and the winner revealed on site at The Photography Show on Tuesday, 22nd March.

Techart has unveiled the World's first autofocus(!) adapter for Leica M lenses that allow them to be used on Sony E-mount cameras. The Techart PRO adapter is able to driving the manual Leica M lenses using z-shift technology making the Leica M bayonet capable of extending and retracting in order to acquire focus. The mechanism is similar to the Contax AX system where the flange distance is changed for autofocusing. The Techart PRO has electronic contacts to communicate with the Sony A7II and Sony A7RII and uses its PDAF system to measure focus. The built-in motor will then drive the bayonet forward or backward as needed. The Techart PRO supports both AF-S and AF-C modes and it can also serve as a close focusing adapter capable of reducing the minimal focusing distance of the lenses. The recommended retail price is $349.

The new Sony A6300 compact system camera can shoot at 11fps in the Hi+ option with continuous autofocus, or a slightly slower 8fps in the normal Hi option - the key difference is that shooting at 11fps causes the electronic viewfinder to black-out.

Here are a couple of video clips showing the A6300 in action on both settings until the camera's buffer is full (using the Fine JPEG setting).

Want to see exactly what the new Sony A6300 compact system camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Sony A6300 compact system camera, including an exploded view of the magnesium alloy body.