Leica Camera today introduced a collection of premium accessories called the '0.95 Collection'. As an homage to the Leica Noctilux-M 50 mm f/0.95 ASPH. – the world’s fastest aspherical lens – the name 0.95 represents Leica’s commitment to technical excellence. For the 0.95 Collection, Leica has partnered with S.T. Dupont, the French manufacturer of premium luggage and accessories, to create a series of elegant pens, a stylish gas lighter and a distinctive key ring pendant. Each product in the ‘S.T. Dupont for 0.95’ Collection is manufactured exclusively from the finest materials, and embellished with a hand-engraved ‘0.95’ logo. A limited edition of 95 of the special Leica Noctilux-M 50 mm f/0.95 ASPH. lenses will also be released globally to celebrate the launch of the new 0.95 brand. The lenses are distinguished by their unique engraved, white-filled ‘0.95’ motif, denoting the maximum aperture, while all other engravings are highlighted in dark grey, blending discreetly into the matt-black anodised finish. Unique design features include distinctive knurling and gloss-finished elements on the lens barrel and front lens cap. The collection is available exclusively from selected Leica Stores

Leica Camera has introduced a new model in its compact camera range – the Leica D-Lux ‘Solid Gray’. Styled in a two-tone finish, with silver lens and control elements complementing the gray enamelled body; the Leica D-Lux Solid Gray is a variation on the current black D-Lux. Offering the same specifications as the standard model, the D-Lux Solid Gray includes an extensive feature set within its compact body, combined with intuitive handling. Key highlights include a fast, Leica DC Vario-Summilux 10.9–34mm f/1.7–2.8 ASPH. lens, a 13-megapixel FourThirds sensor, a high-resolution electronic viewfinder, Wi-Fi connectivity and 4K video recording capability. Included with the camera is a Leica CF D flash unit, also finished in silver, and a specially-designed, matching carrying strap. The Leica D-Lux Solid Gray will be available later this month for £825/$1,095.

Moleskine have launched their newest handcrafted leather albums. Handbound in quality Milano leather, these beautifully made albums are available in black or ivory and created individually to order on the Moleskine + MILK online platform. At 13.5 x 10.26” / 343 x 261 mm, the Moleskine Leather Album comes in 20-, 30-, and 40-page versions; and launches tomorrow, 11th November. All purchases made before 21 November 2015 will receive Moleskine’s new Classic Leather Backpack free with every album.

Pakpod, an "adventure-friendly" tripod that is lightweight, nimble and can attach to virtually any surface, has finished its Kickstarter campaign with $123,937 in funding - more than four times its original pledge goal of $27,000. Designed by a freediving filmmaker in Maine, Pakpod is a durable, waterproof, freezeproof tripod that weighs in at less than a pound and is notable for its patent-pending staking feet. Not only can Pakpod stake into and onto almost any surface, its independently swiveling legs and one-handed locking mechanism make it easy to mount on fences, trees, signposts, ceiling fans, car hoods, kayaks, rock walls, bicycles, hammocks and more. After hitting its goal more than 4 times over, the Maine-based company has announced that pre-orders for its tripods are now being accepted on the website below.

Apple's new iPad Pro will become available to order online on Wednesday, 11th November. Featuring a 12.9" Retina display with 5.6 million pixels, the new tablet comes with a powerful new 64-bit A9X processor, while still offering up to 10 hours of battery life. An optional accessory called the Apple Pencil - also available from Wednesday -allows for extremely precise photo editing when used in tandem with the new Photoshop Fix app. Running on iOS9, the new iPad Pro features an 8-megapixel iSight camera, and can be paired with Apple’s new Smart Keyboard for increased productivity. The iPad Pro starts at £679/$799 for the 32GB with Wi-Fi model and £899/$1,079 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular 128GB model.

Macphun and Trey Ratcliff have announced the launch of their codeveloped photo editing software, Aurora HDR. "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 will launch worldwide via the Mac App Store at an introductory price of $39.99. Aurora HDR Pro will be available at a discounted price of $89.99. Both versions of the program will be available from 19th November.

Lytro Immerge is the world’s first professional Light Field powered virtual reality rig. The product captures Light Field Volume – all the data from all directions at any location within a given volume – allowing virtual views to be generated from any point, facing any direction, with any field of view. Built from the ground up to seamlessly blend live action and computer graphics, it features configurable capture and playback options. “VR is the next wave in cinematic content, and immersive storytellers have been seeking technology that allows them to fully realize their creative vision,” said Jason Rosenthal, CEO of Lytro. “We believe the power of Light Field will help VR creators deliver on the promise of this new medium.” For more information, visit the website below.

Iridient Digital has released Iridient Developer 3.0.6 for Mac OS X. This update adds support for the Canon EOS M10, PowerShot G5 X and PowerShot G9 X, the Sony DSC-RX1R II and the Leica SL (Typ 601) cameras. Additionally, this release fixes several bugs including a crash on load with some DNG images converted automatically on import by recent versions of Adobe Lightroom, an issue with clipped highlight handling for some DNG images that use gain map opcodes and sporadic issues with serial number validation. This update is free for all previously registered users who purchased a new or upgraded license after 14 April 2013.

The Fujifilm Student Awards 2016 are now open for entries. Submissions are invited from all UK students, not just those undertaking courses involving photography. All images must be taken on Fujifilm film and submitted via the website below. Entry is free and students can enter as many photographs as they wish. The closing date for the competition is 31 March 2016.

Hasselblad and DJI today announced a corporate partnership through DJI's acquisition of a strategic minority stake in Hasselblad. "We are honoured to be partnering with DJI, the clear technology and market leader in its segment," said Perry Oosting, Hasselblad's CEO. "DJI and Hasselblad are equally enthusiastic about creativity and excellence, and we are looking forward to sharing technical expertise and paving the way for future innovations." Hasselblad and DJI will each focus on their individual strategic directions and related growth opportunities, with marketing and branding platforms continuing to delineate the two companies. Hasselblad cameras and equipment will continue to be handmade in Sweden, and DJI will continue to make products in Shenzhen, China.

Issue 46 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 takes readers to the Alto Adige region of the Dolomites where he discovers the region’s photographic, and culinary, delights. In How It’s Done, he sheds further light on the important subject of location searching, while in the final instalment of his Bizz mini series, he sounds out the opinion of colleagues within the photo industry for their take on the state of stock photography. In Hoddinott’s Hangout, Ross Hoddinott takes a practical look at achieving impactful shots through a simple composition, primarily by manipulating backgrounds. Then in Sense of Space, Jeremy Horner goes island hopping around the Mediterranean on a short timescale and low budget. And in this edition’s Guest Feature, professional travel photographer Sean Caffrey presents a travelogue around the religious centres of Ethiopia. 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.

Sony will release a firmware update for their A7 II cameras on 18th November, adding uncompressed 14-bit raw image capture and activating the 117-point focal-plane phase-detection autofocus sensor on the camera for A-mount and third-party AF lenses. In addition to these feature upgrades, the MOVIE button can now be assigned to a custom button. The new firmware, version 2.0, will be available for download through Sony’s e-support website.