Leica has released a new firmware update for the Leica S (Typ 007) medium-format dSLR camera. Registered camera users can now login to the Leica owner’s area of the Leica Website and download the firmware update, version 2.0.0.1, or take their camera to a Leica Store for a free update. The new firmware upgrade improves auto focus, speed and precision, particularly in low ambient light, ensuring consistently reliable and precise focusing – even in unfavourable lighting conditions. In addition to this, firmware version 2.0.0.1 offers optimised white balance with manually entered colour temperature values.

X-Rite's new ColorChecker Video and ColorChecker Passport Video calibration targets are now available in the US. These novel products reduce video editing time, improve colour balance control, make it easier to match multiple cameras and simplify editing for mixed lighting conditions. The pocket-sized X-Rite ColorChecker Passport Video ($149) 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 ($129) 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.

CompositingStock.com is a new stock photo site designed specifically photographers and designers who create composite images in Photoshop. With the help of a collapsible safety cone, CompositingStock.com has solved one of the biggest challenges with compositing: determining how big your subject should be in relation to the background. “Many stock photos just don’t work for compositing because they just aren’t taken at the best angle and there’s no sense of scale.” says Dave Cross, Founder of CompositingStock.com. “With our safety cone system, our backgrounds are shot specifically with compositing in mind.” The site provides free compositing tutorials and the option to download sample images to try out the safety cone compositing system. Photographers can join the site as a Contributing Photographer and start earning commission on the sale of their images, with royalties starting at 40%.

Lytro have announced Version 5.0 of their Lytro Desktop software. According to the company, this new edition features breakthrough depth editing capabilities that are not currently possible with any other camera on the market. The Lytro DepthFX tool makes chroma keying for background replacement unnecessary and enables depth-based adjustments to exposure, contrast, colour, hue and saturation. The Lytro Desktop 5.0 update for Lytro Illum is free and will be available for Windows users on 8th December.

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Booq will be offering customers a 20% discount over the upcoming Black Friday weekend. From 27th - 30th November, customers can get 20% off using the code BOOQSALE at Booq Europe on Amazon. Booq products on promotion include the Booq Cobra Brief (priced at £220 – £176 with discount), the Booq Boa Shift backpack (£120 – £96 with discount, pictured) and the Booqpad for iPad Air 2 tablet case (£40 £32 with discount).

Olympus are set to issue the latest function-enhancing firmware updates for the OM-D E-M1 and E-M5 Mark II compact system cameras on Wednesday, 26th November. Firmware version 4.0 for the E-M1 (pictured) will add a new focus stacking mode, optical viewfinder simulation, a focus bracketing mode, synchronised PCM audio recording with movie capture, and the ability to disable snapshot focus / MF Clutch from the menu. The company is also releasing a similar firmware upgrade for its OM-D E-M5 Mark II camera adding, on top of these features, a new "Flat" Movie Exclusive Picture Mode. Both of these firmware updates will be available for download from 26th November 02.00 GMT.

DxO has released an update to the DxO ONE iPhone app. Version 1.2 adds new ways to view and interact with advanced photo info, and provides more control over the entire photo and video capture process. The manual focus mode now provides one tap access to hyperfocal distance, and the ability to reposition the magnification loupe for critical focusing. At the request of pro photographers, the shutter speed range has been expanded for capturing even faster motion (1/20000) and longer low-light exposures (30s). Users can now capture video with full manual control of aperture, ISO, white balance and more. DxO ONE selfies are now available in every capture setting and mode, including the ability to record high quality video selfies, ready to share with the world. There’s even a new companion app that lets users remotely trigger a DxO ONE camera with their Apple Watch.

Aurora HDR for Mac is now available for pre-order. "Aurora HDR is like no software I've ever used and I think it's gonna blow people's minds,” commented Trey. "Over the past 10 years I've been trying to find the ultimate HDR software, and it wasn't until Macphun came along in this amazing partnership that I was able to finally build my own." Available for Mac OS only, Aurora HDR is available either as a standard version through the Mac App Store, or a pro version direct from the website below.

Akvis have released version 8.0 of their NatureArt software for Windows and Mac OS X. This update adds a new Aurore Borealis effect along with an assortment of ready-to-use presets, plus a new optional dark interface style and minor bug fixes. Version 8.0 is a free upgrade for everyone who purchased a NatureArt license within the past 12 months.

Transcend has expanded its memory card line-up with 64GB microSD wide-temperature solutions to meet the industrial-grade applications. Manufactured using high-quality MLC flash chips, Transcend industrial-grade microSD cards can operate effectively from -40°C to 85°C and provide transfer rates of up to 20 megabytes per second. Additionally, the cards feature built-in an Error Correction Code, and deliver peak performance under harsh environmental conditions. The industrial temperature microSD Class 10 cards are offered in 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities, and carry Transcend's Two-year Limited Warranty.

Sigma Corporation of America has announced its Black Friday deals on five of the company’s most popular lenses. During the promotion, which starts today and ends on Cyber Monday, the Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art lens is available for $849 instead of $949. The Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM can be yours for $299 (originally $549), the 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM now sells for $419 (instead of $669), the 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM can be had for $1,149 (originally $1,399), and the Sigma 105mm F2.8 Macro EX DG OS HSM is being offered for $669 (regular price: $969).

Panasonic have announced an upcoming firmware update for their Lumix G7, GX8 (pictured) and FZ330 digital cameras, which enables photographers to select whichever part of the image they want to be in focus post-capture. Operation of the Post Focus function is straightforward and easy: turn on the feature, compose and take your picture. Then, while reviewing the images simply touch the area you want the focus to be and a new image with the selected focus area will be produced as a separate photo. Post Focus has been made possible by combining the high-speed, high-precision DFD (Depth from Defocus) auto focus technology and Panasonic’s 4K technology (burst images in 4K resolution are shot at 30 fps while detecting up to 49 areas of a frame for focus points at different depths of field). The Post Focus firmware update will be available at 01:00 GMT on 25th November, 2015 on the LUMIX Global website.