Samsung today announced the Samsung Portable SSD T3, a premium, palm-sized, external solid state drive that offers multi-terabyte storage capacity. Equipped with the company's proprietary Vertical NAND and SSD TurboWrite technology, the T3 drive is currently on display at Samsung’ booth (#11906) during CES 2016. Available in 250GB, 500GB, 1TB and 2TB capacities, the Samsung Portable SSD T3 offers sequential read and write speeds of up to 450MB/s with a USB 3.1 interface. The new SSD will be first launched in February, 2016 in countries including the United States, China, Korea and select European countries.

ShooTools have launched their latest joined solution, the Slider ONE eXtension Track 240. Joining three 80 cm tracks through a junction plate, the Slider ONE eXtension Track 240 is a handy, portable soluion for time-lapse photographers and videographers. The ShooTools Slider ONE eXtension Track 240 is available now for € 1,390.00 + VAT.

We're revealing our favourite products from last year in our annual awards, looking back at the essential photography kit that helped to define 2015.

The Printer of the Year 2015 award goes to the Epson SureColor SC-P600.

“The Epson SureColor SC-P600 has plenty to offer the photographer in quality terms and will no doubt satisfy the most demanding user.”

Read the Full Review

Congratulations to Epson and the SureColor SC-P600!

Adorama is now taking pre-orders for the Flashpoint StreakLight TTL, a 360Ws TTL barebulb strobe designed for on- and off-camera use on Canon or Nikon models. Evolved from the original Flashpoint StreakLight, it produces all of the TTL functions of a proprietary flash, including exposure bracketing, high-speed synchronisation, ratios, remote manual control and more. The StreakLight TTL also features a built-in R2 radio system for manual or TTL control of other R2-enabled units or TTL flashes mounted on an R2 receiver. With more than 30 channels, it allows for interference-free shooting regardless of other photographers or equipment in the area. Its internal transmitter ranges 300+ feet for larger venues. The Flashpoint StreakLight 360 TTL retails for $489.95.

Following its European launch, the Kodak PixPro SP360-4K Action Cam is now available worldwide. Billed as the World's first and most complete 4K recording device to capture 360° immersive videos and still images without the need for multiple cameras, the 4K capable version of the PixPro SP360 camera captures 360-degree field of view in multiple directions via its dome shaped lens design and can be panned not only 360-degrees horizontally, but also up and down with a host of different vantage points and views for playback post capture. Newly added features include time-lapse video, 12-megapixel stills capture and a burst mode. Like its predecessor, the new Kodak PixPro SP360-4K comes with a wide range of attachments from a waterproof housing (up to 60m) to a flat adhesive suction mount and remote control. The Kodak PixPro SP360-4K is available for purchase online now starting at $499.

MindShift Gear today launched three UltraLight series photo daypacks. The UltraLight Sprint 16L ($116.99), UltraLight Dual 25L ($169.99), and UltraLight Dual 36L ($199.99) side-panel designs allow quick access to cameras, lenses, and accessories without first having to take off the bag. The backpacks also offer generous space for personal belongings, tablets/laptops and hydration reservoirs. Additional features include an integrated tripod mounting system and highly breathable shoulder straps. Click through / scroll down for the details.

Seagate has launched the Seagate Backup Plus Ultra Slim, the World's thinnest 2TB mobile hard drive. At just 9.6mm, the Backup Plus Ultra Slim external drive employs Seagate’s latest 2.5-inch HDD technology, making it more than 50 percent thinner than other 2TB drives on the market. The new drive comes with 200GB of free Microsoft OneDrive cloud storage for two years, which lets users share and access their favorite files anywhere. The Seagate Backup Plus Ultra Slim gold and platinum finishes will be available this quarter.

Lexar have announced the Lexar Professional 1800x microSDHC and microSDXC UHS-II cards. Offering read transfer speeds up to 270MB per second, the new cards are designed for sports camcorders, aerial cameras, tablets and camera phones. Available in 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB capacities, Professional 1800x microSD cards leverage Ultra High Speed II (U3 technology) to provide faster capture, playback, and transfer of high-quality videos and photos. The cards are currently available with an MSRP of £65.99 (32GB), £109.99 (64GB), and £219.99 (128GB).

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 2015.

Kicking things off is the Software of the Year 2015 award, which goes to Adobe Photoshop Elements 14.

“...for anyone new to image editing or the keen photographer who just wants to achieve a quick result, then Photoshop Elements 14 will not disappoint.”

Read the Full Review

Congratulations to Adobe and Photoshop Elements 14!

Lexar has revealed the Lexar Portable SSD, which is designed to deliver read transfer speeds up to 450MB per second. This compact and durable portable solid state drive features an LED capacity meter to easily gauge available storage space. The Lexar Portable SSD will be available in Q1 2016 with MSRPs of £120.99 (256GB) and £200.99 (512GB).

Sony is expanding its lineup of memory card options to include newer and faster XQD and SD media, as well as card readers for the XQD and SD formats, and an XQD USB adapter, all designed to support the latest high-performance DSLR cameras like Nikon D5 or D500. Sony’s XQD-M series provides users data transfer speeds of up to 440MB/s (read) and 150MB/s (write) for stable burst shooting, and the ability to backup 64GB of data in approximately 3 minutes when using Sony’s newest card reader. In addition, Sony’s newest SD cards, the SF-M series, are UHS-II supported media promising read/write speeds of 260MB/s and and 100MB/s, respectively. In conjunction with the new card options, Sony is introducing the World’s first XQD/SD card reader, the MRW-E90 (pictured), which supports, ultra-high speed data transfer to a PC from all XQD series and UHS-II SD cards, eliminating the need for multiple adapters and readers. The new card reader also supports SuperSpeed USB (USB3.1 Gen. 1).

Felleowes' ExoLens brand and Zeiss have announced their collaboration in the design and development of accessory lenses for camera phones. The companies presented the first jointly developed accessory lenses at the Fellowes booth (no. 31016) at CES 2016. The first three lenses – wide-angle, telephoto and macro (pictured) – are scheduled to be launched later this year. The new lenses can be used on the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S and 6S Plus with customised mounting brackets (the companies plan on releasing brackets for more devices in future). The ExoLens bracket features a standard tripod mount (1/4”-20) as well as a cold shoe for mounting accessories. All lenses incorporate the T* anti-reflective coating from Zeiss, which minimises reflections at the glass-to-air surfaces and improves the transmission of light.

At CES 2016, Kodak announced the launch of an initiative aimed at putting Super 8 cameras into the hands of a new generation of filmmakers. Showing off an early prototype of a new Kodak Super 8 camera that combines the classic features of a Super 8 with digital functionality, the company is providing an opportunity for visitors to shoot their own Super 8 footage and watch home movies on the Kodak CES booth (South Hall #20618). Kodak has engaged with Yves Béhar, design entrepreneur and founder of Fuseproject, to ensure that the new Kodak Super 8 camera design echoes the look and feel of the original Kodak Super 8 camera, while offering modern functionality such as a swivelling 3.5" colour display. However, the Kodak Super 8 Revival Initiative reaches far beyond the introduction of a new camera. The company has built a roadmap that includes a range of cameras, film development services, post production tools and more. “It is an ecosystem for film” said Jeff Clarke, Eastman Kodak Chief Executive Officer. “Following the 50th anniversary of Super 8, Kodak is providing new opportunities to enjoy and appreciate film as a medium.”

Sony today introduced their newest action camera, the HDR-AS50. The new model has an 11.1 megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor paired with a Zeiss Tessar lens, and features advanced SteadyShot image stabilisation which is especially effective against the kind of low-amplitude vibration that can occur when used with radio-controlled helicopters or drones. The new camera has implemented some changes based on customer feedback from athletes and other previous users and now comes with several new and improved user features. Adjustable and enhanced beep sounds as well as three tally lights on the top, front and back have been added to allow greater notice of camera conditions even when wearing a helmet and when mounted on handlebars or monopods. Divers and swimmers can now benefit from a supplied underwater housing, which allows footage to be captured down to 60m under water. Sony’s own in-built movie creator, Highlight Movie Maker now incorporates face detection and automatically assembles a highlight package which can be viewed and shared immediately. Sony’s new HDR-AS50 Action Cam will be available in February 2016.

The Sony Handycam FDR-AX53 is a new digital camcorder featuring a 4K Exmor R sensor and a newly developed, 26.8-536mm equivalent Zeiss lens. Thanks to its Advanced Aspherical (AA) and Extra-low Dispersion(ED) glass elements, the lens is very well controlled for chromatic aberrations, and the multi-layer film ZEISS T* coating reduces ghosting and flare. The FDR-AX53 is the first Handycam with an enhanced version of Sony’s own Balance Optical SteadyShot; a 5-axis image stabilisation system that brings you blur-free footage when shooting handheld and thanks to its new Intelligent Active mode, also ensures crisp footage whilst running. The FDR-AX53 records at a bit-rate of 4K 100Mbps, using the high-performing XAVC S recording format, and comes with the same Fast Intelligent AF algorithm as the A7S II compact system camera, which optimises communication between the lens and processor to achieve speeds up to approximately 40% faster than previous models.

The new Canon Selphy CP1200 wireless compact photo printer features an optional direct-attachable battery, Wi-Fi button, and the ability to print 54 photos per charge. With card-size printing options, users can create pass cases, messages, decorated albums, and more with the option of adding white or black borders to the layout. Users also have the ability to print postage stamp size sheets, featuring eight thumbnails or a combination of images. Features such as borderless printing and image optimisation can be used through adjustment on the printer itself or via a compatible mobile device. The estimated selling price of the AirPrint compatible Canon Selphy CP1200 printer is £129.99/€149.99/$105.99.

Canon are expanding their IXUS range of compact digital cameras with three new models. The Canon IXUS 175 (£99.99/€149.99) has a 20-megapixel CCD imager, a 28-224mm equivalent lens and a 2.7" rear screen, and is capable of capturing 720p HD videos. The IXUS 180 (£129.99/€179.99) has a similar sensor and display but comes with a 24-240mm equivalent lens, optical image stabilisation and Wi-Fi connectivity. The IXUS 285 (£169.99/€239.99, pictured) has a 20.2-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor, an optically stabilised 25-300mm equivalent zoom lens, a 3" screen, Full HD movie recording capabilities, and Wi-Fi with Dynamic NFC technology.

Olympus have revealed the suggested retail price and availability of their pro-grade 600mm equivalent Micro Four Thirds prime. The M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm 1:4.0 IS PRO lens, whose development was first announced at photokina 2014, is claimed to have the World's most powerful 6-step image stabilisation system (in combination with the matching Olympus camera models), and boasts the shortest focusing distance for telemacro photography in its class (1.4m). When mounted to an OM-D E-M1 or E-M5 Mark II, it achieves autofocus speeds of less than 300 milliseconds, while the dust-, freeze- and splashproof build makes this an ideal choice for nature and outdoor sports photographers. The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm 1:4.0 IS PRO will be available in black from early March 2016 for £2199.99/€2799.00/$2499.99.

The 16-megapixel Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 is a premium rugged camera with a 21-105mm equivalent lens 180-degree tilting 920,000-dot LCD screen, customisable front button, built-in Wi-Fi, next-generation GPS, and 13 Art Filters. The camera is waterproof to depths of 50 feet (15 m), freezeproof to 14℉ (-10℃), shockproof from 7 feet (2.1 m), crushproof to 220 pounds of force (100 kgf) and dustproof. The customisable button on the front of the camera can be programmed for several functions, including shutter release, video recording, monitor boost, LED assist and Super Macro Mode. The Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 will be available in April 2016 in Gunmetal Metallic, Metallic Green, and Pure White for $279.99.