Really Right Stuff have announced the PG-01 compact gimbal head. This patent-pending modular head is perfect for shooting both single- and multi-row panoramas. The PG-01 is designed to support smaller camera setups, such as CSCs or SLRs with lenses up to a 70-200mm f/2.8 tlezoom. An option for an integrated levelling base makes it the smallest, complete gimbal system for its load capacity. Depending on configuration, the Really Right Stuff PG-01 Compact Pano-Gimbal Head retails for $180-$435.

Toshiba have announced the European availability of high-speed microSDHC and microSDXC cards designed for use in action cameras and mobile devices. The Exceria PRO M401 microSD cards are water, shock and x-ray proof, and work across an operating temperature range of -25°C to +85°C and can safely store data at temperatures from -40°C to +85°C. Supporting write speeds of up to 80MB/s and read speeds of up to 95MB/s, the new microSD cards comply with UHS Speed Class 3 specifications and come in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities.

Olympus Ambassador and Principal Educator Damian McGillicuddy will open four Academies around the UK. The McGillicuddy Training Academies are situated in Gateshead in the North East, Royston in the East, Birmingham in the Midlands and Chester, the flagship Training Academy which is Damian McGillicuddy’s own studio, in the North West. The Academy courses have been created around a practical, hands-on experience, designed for all skill levels and held in a working studio. The courses and workshops cover a range of genres from still life to beauty, traditional portraiture to studio lighting. One of the important aims of the McGillicuddy Academies is to make sure that everything learnt during their workshops can be repeated as soon as photographers get back to their home or studio. To celebrate the launch of the McGillicuddy Training Academies, Olympus will run a special promotion on all new OM-D cameras - £100 off the 'Get to know your OM-D' workshop, now only £49. Promotional vouchers will be included in all OM-D camera boxes, with full terms and conditions.

Polar Pro have launched their PowerGrip H2O, the World’s first underwater-charging, battery-integrated extension pole system for GoPro (pictured); and the compact three-in-one hand grip, extension pole and mini tripod dubbed the Trippler. Initially funded through a Kickstarter campaign, the PowerGrip H20’s built-in 6,700 mAh Lithium battery provides up to 12 hours of shooting and with the add-on Waterproof Live Charging Kit users can even live-chargean action camera down to 99 feet underwater. Carrying an MSRP of $99.99 for the base model, and $149.99 with the underwater live-charge kit/LED light combo, the PowerGrip H2O is available via PolarPro’s website. Originally offered as a stretch goal for the PowerGrip H2O Kickstarter campaign, the Trippler is a lightweight, three-on-one accessory for smartphones, GoPro or other compact cameras. In its base configuration, the Trippler functions as a compact hand grip small enough to fit into just about any purse, camera bag or backpack, but with a with a simple twist, the telescopic extension turns the Trippler from a 7.5 inch grip to a 28 inch selfie stick. The Trippler is retailing for $49.99.

Luna is a tiny, easy-to-use camera designed to capture and share 360° footage. Only 6cm in diameter and weighing a little over 180g, Luna's form factor can be best compared to that of a golf ball. Its dual-fisheye-lens design, and single button operation makes 360° video accessible to everyone. With a built-in gyroscope and an IP-68 waterproof rating, Luna is designed with the adventurous videographer in mind. Luna is available for pre-order on IndieGoGo for the early bird price of $199. Delivery is expected within seven months.

The completely unique Light L16 camera, a new kind of imaging device sporting 16 camera modules, is now available to pre-order. Roughly the size of an iPhone 6S Plus in a case, the Light L16 has 5 cameras with 35mm equivalent lenses, 5 modules with 70mm equivalent primes and 6 units boasting 150mm equivalent telephoto lenses. Each camera module utilises a small imaging chip of the kind typically  used in smartphones. The 35mm equivalent units have a traditional, vertically stacked optical arrangement, whilst the 70mm and 150mm equivalent ones utilise a folded-optics design. When taking a picture, 10 of the cameras fire simultaneously and the resulting images are then "computationally fused" to create a clear, highly detailed final photograph (up to 52 megapixels when shooting at the 35mm or 70mm focal lengths). When working at the 150mm end, there is no superresolution advantage - the final images will be13 megapixels, which is the native pixel count of the individual sensors used - but having multiple cameras take the same shot at the same time still helps with keeping noise levels down and producing HDR imagery even for moving subjects. Additionally, the Light L16 uses depth mapping to allow for post-capture adjustment of the point of focus and depth of field. If you order before 1 January 2016, you get a ￡100 discount, otherwise the camera will cost ￡1199.99.

The completely unique Light L16 camera, a new kind of imaging device sporting 16 camera modules, is now available to pre-order. Roughly the size of an iPhone 6S Plus in a case, the Light L16 has 5 cameras with 35mm equivalent lenses, 5 modules with 70mm equivalent primes and 6 units boasting 150mm equivalent telephoto lenses. Each camera module utilises a small imaging chip of the kind typically  used in smartphones. The 35mm equivalent units have a traditional, vertically stacked optical arrangement, whilst the 70mm and 150mm equivalent ones utilise a folded-optics design. When taking a picture, 10 of the cameras fire simultaneously and the resulting images are then "computationally fused" to create a clear, highly detailed final photograph (up to 52 megapixels when shooting at the 35mm or 70mm focal lengths). When working at the 150mm end, there is no superresolution advantage - the final images will be13 megapixels, which is the native pixel count of the individual sensors used - but having multiple cameras take the same shot at the same time still helps with keeping noise levels down and producing HDR imagery even for moving subjects. Additionally, the Light L16 uses depth mapping to allow for post-capture adjustment of the point of focus and depth of field. If you order before 1 January 2016, you get a ￡100 discount, otherwise the camera will cost ￡1199.99.

Adobe has released Lightroom 1.4 for Android, which is now available for free. The ability to use Lightroom for mobile without a paid subscription means that anyone can take advantage of all of the organisational, editing, and sharing abilities that the mobile app offers. Lightroom for Android supports raw DNG workflows making it possible to enhance images and take full advantage of all of the quality and details found in images captured on Android Lollipop powered devices. Signing up for a free trial of Adobe Lightroom CC adds the ability to synchronise files and edits with Lightroom on a desktop or laptop as well as with Lightroom Web.

The winners of the EyeTime 2015 contest have been announced. EyeTime 2015 was assembled as a means to publicly promote the research, exploration and investigation currently happening amongst today's emerging talent. Winners include Javier Corso, Turjoy Chowdhury, Vanessa Vettorello. Jiawei Zho, Md Shahnewaz Khan, Felicia Simion, Holly Castillo, Yew Kiat Soh, Hans Rusine, István Juhász, Luca Laghetti, Anna Pietrzak and Emese Benkő.

The Event Photography Awards are now open for entries. Photographers, event professionals, venues, agencies and suppliers alike are all being called upon to submit their imagery in a variety of categories including Music Events, Cultural Events, Sporting Events, Corporate Events, Trade Shows, Private Events, Weddings, Experimental and Behind The Scenes.. Pictures by both amateur and professional photographers from any event which took place between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2015 can be submitted. The deadline for entries is 31 January 2016.

The new COOPH Rain Jacket has been designed specifically for photographers. Some of the one-of-a-kind features include a special quick-access zipper to grab the camera and an extended shapeable hood to cover the lens when shooting in stormy conditions. It also features elasticated cuffs for added protection when things turn nasty and a host of practical inner and outer pockets to store even a tablet. “The Rain Jacket allows photographers to get the shots they want, without worrying about getting wet or damaging their equipment,” Ulrich Grill, founder of COOPH and a professional photographer himself, said. “We hope photographers forget the weather and remember the moments.” The COOPH Rain Jacket is available for €398.

3Pod have announced a new line of tripods, monopods, ballheads and video heads for profesiional photographers and videographers. Available exclusively at Adorama, new products from 3Pod include the Orbit 3-Section Tripod and the Orbit 4-Section Tripod, a 4-Section Monopod with Fluid Base, a Table Top Tripod with Ballhead, a 3-Way Head with Quick Release, the M1 Mini Ballhead, a Pistol Grip Ballhead, the new T1 Tilthead with Quick Release, the Q3 Fluid Video Head and the Q2 Lightweight Fluid Video Head. Click through / read on for the details.

The 360fly is a new action camera that offers an angle of view of 360° horizontally and 240 degrees vertically. The camera features an acceleration sensor and orientation-identification, an image stabiliser, a multiple-element f/2.8 lens and a CMOS image sensor with a resolution of 1,504 x 1,504 pixels. Videos are stored in the unit's integrated 32GB internal memory. The 360fly communicates with Android and iOS devices over Bluetooth and WiFi. The camera will be available in January 2016 at an SRP of £429.

Manfrotto have launched the LYKOS portable LED light with Surface Mounted Technology (SMT). Available in Daylight and BiColor versions (the latter of which offers the option to change colour temperature from warm white to cold white), the LYKOS is capable of an output of 1600lux.Thanks to the new generation SMT technology, the LYKOS lights ensure long LED life, energy efficiency, consistent colour reproduction and flicker-free functionality. An optional Bluetooth dongle permits remote control through a downloadable iPhone app. Prices start at £299.95 for the LED lights and £75.95 for the dongle.

Jessops have opened the doors of their brand new shop in Exeter. Located at 235 High Street, the new store offers try-before-you buy product displays, one-to-one photography tuition, an on-site lab for photo products made in-store within the hour, and of course the latest cameras and photographic accessories. New services on offer at the Exeter store include the Jessops Rental Service, a Trade-In offering and sensor cleaning.

Issue 47 of David Noton’s Chasing the Light Online Magazine is now available. In this month's Behind the Lens feature and accompanying Video Blog, David continues his travelogue on his recent Dolomite trip,, then in How It’s Done David remains in the Dolomites to capture a panorama of the Cristallo with his Canon G1X Mark II camera. In Stepping Back, David time-travels back to the Great Wall of China at Simatai in 1998, a memorable visit for having at least part of the wall to himself for the day. Elsewhere in Art of Landscapes, Bas Meelker encourages his readers to grips with the weather, so we choose photos locations with the best light and creative potential. In Hoddinott’s Hangout, Ross Hoddinott presents his personal take on the impact on the photography profession of people selling their photos for free. Then in Sense of Space, Jeremy Horner revisits the magical Luang Prabang in Laos, reflecting on the wonderful photo opportunities this city on the Mekong River presents. Do note that the full contents of Chasing the Light Online Magazine is available to full f11 subscribers only. Non-members can purchase individual issues of the magazine at a price of £4.20.

Macphun have announced a major update to Aurora HDR Pro, their latest Macintosh software co-developed with Trey Ratcliff. The features of Version 1.1 include more extensive plug-in compatibility with host applications Adobe Lightroom and Apple Aperture, more versatile ghost reduction handling, performance improvements and a new preset category for photographers interested in more natural results. Aurora HDR Pro is available for $99.99.