Canon is developing an APS-H-size CMOS sensor incorporating approximately 250 million pixels. With CMOS imagers, increases in pixel counts result in increased signal volume, which can cause such problems as signal delays and slight discrepancies in timing. The new Canon-developed CMOS sensor, however, despite its exceptionally high pixel count, achieves an ultra-high signal readout speed of 1.25 billion pixels per second, made possible through such advancements as circuit miniaturisation and enhanced signal-processing technology. Accordingly, the sensor enables ultra-high-resolution sequential shooting at a speed of five frames per second. Canon is considering the application of this technology in specialised surveillance and crime prevention tools, ultra-high-resolution measuring instruments and other industrial equipment, and the field of "visual expression."

WD has introduced the My Book Pro storage device featuring transfer rates of up to 435 MB/s. With capacity options including 6 TB, 8 TB, 10 TB and 12 TB, two 7200 RPM WD drives with Intel's Thunderbolt 2 technology and a hot-swappable hardware RAID controller, the My Book Pro carries an MSRP of $599 (6TB), $749 (8TB), $899 (10TB) and $999 (12TB).

Panasonic has launched its Lumix Ambassador programme. The first six ambassadors are Jonas Borg, Marco Crupi, Casey Gutteridge, Caroline Roxy, Ferdinand Wolf and Daimo Xanthopoulos. These photographers and cinematographers will host workshops across Europe and have their work, captured on Lumix cameras, displayed at the Panasonic Lumix Ambassador website.

JP Distribution have announced a £20/€25 cashback promotion on the ever-popular Sekonic L-308S Flashmate meter. The pocket-sized Sekonic L-308S Flashmate is designed to read ambient or flash exposures in either reflected or incident modes and it displays accurate exposure readings in full, half, or third-stop increments to mirror the exposure settings of today's DSLR and film cameras. Do note that the promotion is only available from authorised UK and Ireland resellers for purchases made between 1st September and 31st October 2015.

Toshiba has just launched a new SDHC card that combines Class 10 memory with TransferJet close proximity wireless transfer technology. The new 16GB SDHCTM card will enable users of digital still cameras or camcorders to quickly transfer photos and videos to mobile devices such as tablets, notebooks and smartphones equipped with TransferJet adapters. The new SDHC card joins Toshiba’s line-up of TransferJet adapters for USB and microUSB ports as well as Lightning ports for iPhone and iPad. Toshiba will be exhibiting its entire range of TransferJet devices at IFA 2015 in Berlin in Hall 12, Booth 106.

Toshiba has extended its range of EXCERIA memory cards. The new additions include a Compact Flash card, new SD and MicroSD cards, all of which combine large capacity and high read and write speeds. The EXCERIA PROC501 CF card features capacities of up to 128GB and a UDMA 7 interface that supports data transfer speeds up to 167MB/s and is rated to the VPG 65 standard, making it suitable for 4K video recording. Featuring capacities up to 128GB and read speeds of up to 48MB/s, the new mainstream EXCERIA MicroSD M301 product family comprises 3 cards for use in mobile phones (M301-EA), digital cameras (M301-EB) and notebooks and tablets (M301-EC). All cards meet UHS speed class 1 ratings and are fully compatible with standard MicroSD card readers. The series also features an adapter to make it compatible with UHS-I SD slots.  All members of the M301 family are shock, water, temperature and X-ray proof.

Toshiba today launched the Satellite Radius 12, the World’s first 12.5” 4K Ultra HD convertible laptop featuring a Technicolor-certified display aimed at imaging professionals. Designed with color accuracy in mind, the wide-gamut RGB display supports 100% Adobe RGB colour space reproduction, making it an ideal choice for mobile content creators. Lab tested and certified by the colour experts at Technicolor, this laptop’s display also meets the same strict standards for colour fidelity used in Hollywood movies. Powered by 6th-generation Intel Core processors, the Toshiba Satellite Radius 12 will be available in the fourth quarter of 2015.

Epson have announced a new, Wi-FI enabled A3+ professional photo printer. Combining a seven-colour UltraChrome HiGloss 2 ink-set and advanced connectivity features in one affordable package, the Epson SC-P400 boasts the smallest ink droplet size of any A3+ photo printer on the market today. For users who desire prints with a museum-quality appearance, the SC-P400 includes a fine art paper path that is extremely easy to use as it has a rear-loading tray. Printing on roll media is optimised with two roll paper holders that allow accurate printing on two-inch core media. If users require thicker photos, rigid media of up to 1.3mm are also supported. The SC-P400 will be available to buy from 1st November 2015.

Eyefi today added a 16GB model to their Mobi Pro product line. Billed as the most powerful WiFi SD card ever, the Eyefi Mobi Pro combines advanced wireless transfer features with photo apps and integrated cloud services. "By offering a 16GB version of our award-winning Mobi Pro WiFi SD card with one year of Eyefi Cloud membership, we’re enabling more photographers to benefit from the convenience and power of EyeFi Cloud,” said Laura Torres, VP of product marketing at Eyefi. “Eyefi goes to work the moment an image is captured, automatically creating a consolidated and intelligently organised photo library synced with all devices, securing photos in the cloud, and even archiving them to desktop computers. It’s like having a photo assistant with you on every shot.” Mobi Pro 16GB is available for £49.99 and comes with one full year of membership to Eyefi Cloud with unlimited syncing and storage - a £34.99 value.

Ricoh today announced the Ricoh Theta S, the newest model in their Theta series of spherical cameras. Unveiled today in Berlin at IFA, the camera features a resolution of nearly 14 megapixels, fully spherical photos and videos captured in one shot, a live preview function and even greater compatibility with social media platforms. It also comes with an enlarged image sensor and fast f/2 lenses. Spherical images can be uploaded to theta360.com, shared via Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr, and posted to Google Maps, Google+ and YouTube's360°Channel. Coinciding with the launch of the camera, Google Maps today introduced a new Google Street View app that offers the ability to shoot photo spheres and to connect to spherical cameras. The recommended retail price of the Ricoh Theta S is £299.99.

Manfrotto have launched a new range of sliders for videographers. Available in a 60cm and 100cm version, the sliders ensure an extremely smooth and accurate sliding movement thanks to their 8 high precision steel ball bearings. They will be available in combination with photo and flat base video heads: multiple standard attachments will allow users to combine the sliders with a variety of accessories and products. Prices start at £359.95.

WD have introduced significant enhancements to their family of My Cloud personal storage devices, including a new, redesigned My Cloud OS 3 operating system, a brand new SDK enabling enhanced app integration and a dual-drive My Cloud Mirror personal cloud storage offering increased memory and faster processing. My Cloud OS 3 features new photo and video capabilities via MyCloud.com and My Cloud Albums app. Additionally, My Cloud OS 3’s new WD Sync feature syncs data across multiple PCs and notebooks, and also allows users to set up automatic camera-roll backup of photos from smartphones and tablets. In addition to new software upgrades, WD has also introduced a new version of My Cloud Mirror personal cloud storage devices, featuring two hard drives set to Mirror Mode (RAID 1), ensuring content is stored on one drive and automatically duplicated to a second drive. My Cloud Mirror personal cloud storage - available in 4TB ($309.99), 6TB ($379.99) and 8TB ($429.99) editions - includes the new features announced for My Cloud OS 3 and an improved processor and 1GB RAM.

Throughout September 2015, Leica and The Photographers’ Gallery will be offering complimentary Associate Membership (for one year) to the first fifty customers who purchase a Leica camera or lens at the Leica Store Mayfair. The offer applies to all Leica lenses and cameras except for compact models. The value of the one-year membership is £175.

Canon is developing an LCOS projector capable of displaying video and still images at a resolution up to 4,096 x 2,400 pixels with 5,000 lumens of brightness. This device is being designed to support the projection of bright, high-definition content that exceeds the resolution offered by 4K digital cinema. It features Canon’s proprietary AISYS optical system and a newly developed 4K wide-zoom lens capable of projecting large images from a short distance, as well as an optical focusing function that enables the projection of images on curved-surface screens. Canon is developing the 4K projector as a new model within its REALiS series. Availability is slated for 2016.

The Panasonic Lumix G 25mm f/1.7 ASPH. is a new standard prime for the Micro Four Thirds system. Weighing in at 125 grams, the new 50mm equivalent lens features 8 elements in 7 groups, including 2 aspherical elements and 1 ultra-high-refractive-index element. The lens has an iris diaphragm with 7 rounded blades for a pleasing rendering of the out-of-focus areas. An inner focus drive system and stepping motor designed for smooth, silent operation work with the camera’s high-speed, high-precision contrast-detect AF system for both photo and video recording. The lens is currently available to preorder for $297.99.

Elinchrom has added four new Indirect Softboxes to its Litemotiv family of light shapers. Built with a new fabric that offers better light distribution, the new Litemotiv Indirects will sculpt and diffuse the light in a rich, and even way. The four new models include the Indirect Litemotiv Octa 190cm ($1,420), the Indirect Litemotiv Square 145cm x 145cm ($1,330), the Indirect Litemotiv  Recta 72cm x 175cm ($1,230) and the Indirect Litemotiv Strip 33cm x 175cm ($1,169). All Indirect Litemotivs are supplied with an external diffuser, internal diffuser and carrying bag.

The Tamron SP 45mm F/1.8 Di VC USD is the World's first full-frame standard prime with Vibration Compensation technology. Its optical formula comprises 10 elements arranged in 8 groups including two moulded glass aspherical elements and a low-dispersion element; plus an iris diaphragm with nine rounded aperture blades. The Vibration Compensation feature provides up to 3.5 stops' worth of image stabilisation for steady hand-held shooting. The Canon and Nikon versions will become available in October, with a non-VC model in Sony fit coming at a later date.

The Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 Di VC USD is a stabilised, moisture-resistant moderate wide-angle lens for full-frame SLR cameras, featuring a minimum focus distance of 0.2m and a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:2.5. The optical formula comprises 10 elements in 9 groups, including two moulded glass aspherical elements, a low-dispersion and an extra-low-dispersion element; as well as an iris diaphragm with 9 rounded blades. The front lens element boasts an oil- and water-repellent coating, while some of the other optical elements have been treated with eBAND and BBAR coatings to minimise flare and ghosting. The Canon- and Nikon-mount versions of the SP 35mm f/1.8 Di VC USD feature Tamron's Vibration Compensation technology, which provides up to 3 stops' worth of of image stabilisation when shooting hand-held. The lens will be available from October in Canon and Nikon fit, with a Sony version (sans VC) to be announced at a later date. Pricing has yet to be communicated.

At IFA 2015, Panasonic are showcasing the Lumix GH4R, an advanced version of the existing GH4 compact system camera. The photo/video hybrid now offers unlimited 4K recording (Cinema 4K: 4096x2160 / 24 fps and QFHD 4K: 3840x2160 / up to 30 fps in MOV/MP4) and V-Log L video capability. Taking full advantage of the Panasonic GH4R’s Four Thirds sensor, V-Log L boasts log characteristics with 12 stops, allowing videographers to capture the darkest scenes and avoid ‘bleaching out’ details in very bright environments. V-Log L is also available to existing GH4 users, via a paid software upgrade. By purchasing the DMW-SFU1 Upgrade Software Key and updating the camera’s firmware to version 2.3, users of the original GH4 can also enjoy the benefits of V-Log L functionality for a one off cost of £79. The new Panasonic Lumix GH4R will be available from 7th September 2015 and will retail at £1199.

BenQ has launched a new colour critical 27" monitor that offers photography professionals "unprecedented colour accuracy." Featuring a 10-bit IPS panel with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels, an adjustable 14-bit look-up table allowing hardware calibration without altering graphics card output data, and a 99% coverage of the aRGB colour space. An integrated controller enables users to quickly switch between 3 custom modes; Adobe RGB, sRGB and Black-and-White photo mode. The monitor achieves an average Delta E≤2 for both aRGB and sRGB. The SW2700PT display includes a variety of input terminals such as D-Sub, DVI-D, HDMI, DisplayPort, Mini Display Port, USB 3.0 together with a built-in SD card reader. The BenQ SW2700PT is available now, priced at £499.20.