Nikon has announced the return of the Nikon European Film Festival in association with Raindance and, this year, director Asif Kapadia (pictured) as Chair of the Jury. The contest challenges enthusiasts and film professionals alike to create a short film of up to 140 seconds in length around the theme ‘Everyday Moments’. Entries can be submitted online from 13th October until 15th January 2016.  Asif Kapadia commented: “With modern technology helping more people realise their filmmaking ambitions than ever before, this is an exciting initiative to be a part of... As Chair of the Jury, I’m particularly keen to see how entrants differentiate themselves and fully showcase their ambition and technical capabilities within the confines of 140 seconds.” The Grand Prix winner, as selected by the judges, will receive a Nikon D810 and an all-expenses-paid, one week networking trip to the Cannes Film Festival in May 2016 as the special guest of Raindance. Click through / read on for the details.

The Memento Smart Frame by Memento Electronics is a large wall-mountable digital photo frame with an Ultra HD panel. Available in 25" and 35" sizes with an aspect ratio of 3:2, the Memento Smart Frame features a proprietary optical sensor that dynamically adjusts the frame’s brightness to match the room’s ambient lighting; making it virtually impossible to tell it is an electronic display. Memento is accessed through Wi-Fi using a dedicated application on your smartphone, tablet or PC. You can pre-order the Memento Smart Frame right now at deep discounts through the company’s Kickstarter campaign.  With limited quantities available, Kickstarter prices start at $499 for the 25” frame and $649 for the 35” frame with delivery expected in February 2016.

Profoto have today released a new firmware upgrade for their B1 and B2 off-camera flashes, adding workflow improvements and enabling TTL metering with the Canon EOS 5DS and EOS 5DS R cameras. When launched in November 2013, the Profoto B1 (pictured) was the world’s first off-camera flash to offer TTL functionality for both Canon and Nikon cameras. Earlier this year, the B1 was followed by the smaller and more portable Profoto B2, which offers the same TTL functionality as the B1. This latest firmware upgrade brings a series of improvements, including AirTTL compatiblity with the Canon EOS 5DS and EOS 5DS R cameras, improved Canon integration for faster shooting in Manual mode, an option to deactivate Auto Power-off on all units, an improved display sleep function on air remotes, plus a number of minor bug fixes.

The Nexus 6P is a new Huawei-built phablet with a twelve-megapixel primary camera, f/2 lens, broad-spectrum CRI-90 dual flash and laser-assisted auto focus. Other highlights include a 5.7-inch WQHD AMOLED display with a resolution of 518 pixels per inch, USB Type-C connectivity, 4K video capture at 30fps, reduced-resolution movie recording at up to 240fps for slow-motion playback, and a front-facing camera with an 8-megapixel imager and an f/2.4 lens. Running on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the Nexus 6P will be available in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB editions, with prices starting at £449/$499 for the 32GB model.

The LG Nexus 5X is a new smartphone featuring a 12.3-megapixel main camera with an f/2 lens, broad-spectrum CRI-90 dual flash, laser-assisted auto focus and 4K movie capture. The phone also boasts a 5.2" Full HD LCD screen with a resolution of 423ppi, a USB Type-C connector and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera with an f/2 lens. Running on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the Nexus 5X is available to preorder for £339/$379.

Zeiss have unveiled their new online platform, Lenspire. The website's content is grouped into six categories; Photographic Genres, Spotlight, Ambassadors, Gear, Know-How and Live. "With Lenspire, we are pursuing an educational approach by emphasising professional dialogue and direct contact between Zeiss experts and the user as well as between the users themselves," says Nicole Balle, the Marketing Manager for the Americas at Zeiss. "It's important to us to not only explain different applications, but also to present our ambassadors as mentors and to help users take advantage of their expertise."

Ricoh has announced the Ricoh WG-40 and WG-40W waterproof compact cameras. Both models are designed to be waterproof to a depth of 14 meters, shockproof against falls from a height of 1.6 meters, and freeze-proof to temperatures as low as -10°C. They also provide a range of features to facilitate all types of still-image and movie shooting, including approximately 16.0 effective megapixels and Full HD movie recording capability. In addition to these features, the Ricoh WG-40W comes equipped with a host of Wi-Fi functions. A smartphone can be used to release the camera's shutter and set various functions from a distance, browse and download recorded images, and upload them to social networks and other websites. Do note that the Ricoh WG-40 and WG-40W will be marketed in Japan only.

Corel today released Pinnacle Studio 19 Ultimate (£99.95/$129.95), Pinnacle Studio 19 Plus (£79.95/$99.95) and Pinnacle Studio 19 (£49.95/$59.95). New features include a Multi-Camera Editor that enables you to edit footage from 2 cameras in Pinnacle Studio 19, 4 cameras in Pinnacle Studio 19 Plus, and 6 cameras in Pinnacle Studio 19 Ultimate; and align clips automatically with Audio Syncing. Other highlights inlcude support for 6th Generation Intel Core i7 processors, enhanced HD processing and improved 64-bit playback performance. The 'Plus' and 'Ultimate' versions additionally feature Audio Ducking to lower background sound and keep dialogue and narration clear.

Phantom Glass has launched its first tempered glass screen protectors designed specifically for digital cameras. Made with the same technology as clear Phantom Glass, the tempered glass camera protectors are designed to cover the LCD screens of various models from Sony, Nikon, Canon and Leica. With zero image distortion, the screen protectors do not affect how users view their photos. All models feature a silicone nano-adhesion layer and an oleophobic nano-coating that allows fingerprints to wipe off with ease. The new Phantom Glass camera screen protectors are available now ofr $34.95 each.

The Camslinger Streetomatic by CosySpeed is a next-generation camera bag combining the speed and convenience of a sling strap with the safety and spaciousness of a traditional camera bag. Currently raising funds on IndieGoGo, the Camslinger Streetomatic can be worn comfortably around the hip or like a traditional sling bag over the shoulder. Designed for compact system cameras but also suitable for DSLRs and superzooms, the new bag comes in blue, khaki and black colours. The black version is branded Thomas Leuthard Edition, with the signature of the popular street photographer stitched onto the front of the bag. The blue and khaki versions are available for $55 during the crowdfunding campaign (retail price: $69), and the Thomas Leuthard Edition can be had for $65 (regular price: $79).

GoPro has announced its new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled HERO+ camera. At $199.99 MSRP, the HERO+ is waterproof and mountable as well as compatible with GoPro's line-up of mounts and accessories.  It captures 1080p60 and 720p60 videos, as well as 8-megapixel photos at up to 5fps. WiFi connectivity allows it to connect with GoPro's mobile app and benefit from convenient tools such as a Trim & Share feature that allows the user to quickly create and share short video clips across leading social media channels. Waterproof to 40m, the GoPro HERO+ is available for $199.99,

Briefly Seen: New York Street Life is a new title from Schiffer Publishing. Containing 172 timeless black-and-white photographs taken by Harvey Stein between 1974 and 2014, Briefly Seen is the last in Stein's trilogy of books about New York. The first monograph, Coney Island 40 Years (Schiffer Publishing, 2011), documents the photographer's ongoing fascination with the eccentric and exuberant aspects of this famous Brooklyn beach community. The second title, Harlem Street Portraits (Schiffer Publishing, 2013), is a series of more formalised environmental portraits of the people who live in this historically significant African American neighborhood. In Briefly Seen, Stein turns his lens on some of the most densely populated areas of the city -- midtown and downtown Manhattan. The book is available for $45.