Lytro have released their newest updates for the ILLUM light-field camera. Lytro ILLUM 2.0 includes a new design and user interface with full screen views and improved focus aids, full living picture playback interaction in-camera, as well as an improved auto focus that is up to three times faster. Lytro Desktop 4.3 provides faster processing and more outputs including 3D lenticular prints and stereoscopic side-by-side 3D animations, which can be used with virtual reality headsets like Google Cardboard and Samsung Gear VR.

Schneider Kreuznach have released two new leaf shutter lenses for medium-format cameras. The Schneider Kreuznach 35mm LS f3.5 ultra-wide lens has an angle of view of 89° when mounted to a 645 format camera body, making it equivalent to a 22mm lens in a 35mm system. The optical formula comprises 11 elements in 8 groups. The Schneider Kreuznach 120mm LS Macro offers a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:1, allowing users to capture a subject as small as 56x42mm on a standard 645 format camera. This lens is constructed of 9 elements in 8 groups, and offers a minimum focus distance of 37cm / 1.3ft. Both lenses allow photographers to use flash sync speeds up to 1/1600s.

Serif's professional image editing app for the Mac, Affinity Photo, is now available on the Mac App Store at a special introductory price of $39.99 / €39.99 / £29.99. Originally launched as a public beta in February, Affinity Photo (read review) offers raw image processing, PSD import and export, 16-bit-per-channel editing, colour management,camera lens and exposure corrections, accurate adjustments, live filter layers, high-end controls for channels and masks, advanced layer handling, and built-in frequency separation editing. “The performance of the product is what we are most proud of,” said Tony Brightman, head of Affinity development. “We take full advantage of all the latest... technologies like OpenGL, Grand Central Dispatch and Core Graphics. What this means to the user is whether it’s a 100 megapixel image or a complex composition with 1000s of layers, you can still pan and zoom at 60fps and see live views of all adjustments, brushes, blend modes and filters with no compromise." Do note that after 23 July 2015, the price will be raised to $49.99 / €49.99 / £39.99.

Canon today announced the achievement of a new lens-manufacturing milestone with the production of the company’s 110-millionth EF-series interchangeable lens. Over the past 28 years, since the launch of the company’s proprietary EF lenses and EOS SLR cameras in March 1987, Canon has developed a wide range of innovative technologies and world’s firsts, such as the lens-based Ultrasonic Motor (USM), Image Stabiliser (IS) technology, and a multi-layered diffractive optical (DO) element. Recent innovations have seen the EF range extend into new fields, with the launch of the company’s EF Cinema lenses for digital cinematography in January 2012, and EF-M lenses for its compact system camera, the EOS M, in September 2012. More recently, Canon’s EF 11-24mm f/4L USM (pictured) became the world’s widest rectilinear zoom lens for 35mm full-frame cameras.

Responding to customer demand to provide more lenses for mobile phones, Lensbaby have announced a new Creative Mobile Kit featuring the LM-20 and LM-30 lenses, a new magnetic kickstand, an iPhone Mount and an improved iOS app for iPhone 5 and up. The new LM-20 lens is designed for LM-10 shooters that desire a larger sweet spot of focus, surrounded by subtle, gradually increasing blur. Lensbaby's new LM-30 creates images with a sharp centre image surrounded by reflections. Shooters can use the lens to transform interesting details into intriguing, abstract patterns, create a surreal mood or make a unique visual frame within a photo. The included kickstand is great for options such as taking a timed selfie, hands free viewing of photos or videos and propping up the phone on a desktop or airplane. The improved iOS app makes it easy to move the sweet spot of focus in both still and video mode. Photographers can also lock exposure and white balance, adjust sharpness, and more. The Creative Mobile Kit is available for $89.95, while the original LM-10 costs $59.95

The Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT is a new system flash featuring a built-in radio receiver for wireless TTL operation. Other improvements - compared to earlier models of the 430EX range - include shorter recycling times and quicker firing, as well as a marked reduction in size and weight. The Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT also includes an SCF-E2 Colour Filter which helps balance colour temperature when shooting in incandescent lighting, an SBA-E2 Bounce Adapter that helps soften light while helping suppress shadows, a built-in Catchlight panel, illuminated dot-matrix LCD, new control dial, light distribution options, multi-camera sync shooting, and remote shutter release. The guide number is 43/141 at ISO 100 (in metres/feet, respectively). Auto zooming from 24-105mm, Hi-Speed Sync and Second-curtain Sync round off the features list. The Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT is available for an estimated retail price of £249.99/€349.99/$299.99..

The theme of the 7th Edition of the Carmignac Photojournalism Award is Libya, a North African country that is experiencing an unprecedented political, military and humanitarian crisis. The Carmignac Photojournalism Award has resolved to support a photojournalist in the implementation, production and dissemination of an in-depth project on this country from which we now receive little to no images. The Jury of the 7th Edition of the Award, chaired by Brett Rogers, Director of The Photographers' Gallery (London), will meet on 13th November 2015 in Paris. The Panel comprises Reza, Patrick Baz, Janine di Giovanni, Thierry Grillet, Mikko Takkunen, plus the winner of the 6th Carmignac Photojournalism Award whose name will be revealed in September. Photographers must submit their applications before Sunday 11th October 2015 at 12am (GMT) via the online application process.

The Societies - including the Society of International Wildlife Photographers, the Society of International Commercial and Industrial Photographers, the Society of International Travel and Tourism Photographers, the Society of International Sport & Leisure Photographers and the Society of International Fashion and Glamour Photographers - have launched five photo competitions for the month of July. These include a panoramic photography contest, a "people watching" competition, a boudoir photography contest, an aerial photo competition and a sports photography contest looking for images that depict decisive moments in sports. Click through / scroll down for the complete list.

A Denver-based startup called Lumenati is is launching a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the commercialisation of what they call "the world's first cinematic smartcase." The Lumenati CS1 "cinematic smartcase" will combine the technological features of a digital device (film-free shooting, instant sharing and an editing app) with the cool design, ergonomic ease and "natural narrative" of a classic Super 8 motion picture camera. The lightweight, portable unit allows anyone to frame and film a steady, stable shot with the pull of an intuitive trigger. A cold shoe allows filmmakers to attach lights, microphones and extra handles for sport shooting. The low-light, real-time viewfinder allows WYSIWYG capabilities even in bright light, a feature that is elusive to modern mobile devices. Conversion lenses can be swapped to shoot in wide angle, fisheye and telephoto. Going live on 13 July 2015, the campaign will enable early birds to buy the Lumenati CS1 at a 20% discount.

GoPro have announced HERO4 Session, which is billed as the smallest, lightest, most convenient GoPro yet. Fifty percent smaller and forty percent lighter than GoPro’s HERO4 Black and Silver cameras, HERO4 Session benefits from a durable waterproof design that eliminates the need for a separate housing, and features simple one-button interface. An expanded set of controls and settings can be accessed when using the GoPro App or Smart Remote. The new action cam captures 1080p60, 720p100 and 1440p30 video along with 8-megapixel photos in Single, Burst and Time Lapse modes. HERO4 Session is compatible with existing GoPro mounts and will retail for $399.99

Hasselblad has revealed its plans for this year's free shootLDN autumn imaging show. Originally established by Hasselblad USA in New York six years ago, the ‘Shoot’ event concept is an exciting, informative and inspiring event based on the premise of building a photographic community. The company's UK branch has now brought the ‘Shoot’ concept to London, labelled as ‘shootLDN’, following on from not only the original NYC events, but from other ‘Shoot’ events that have also previously been held in cities such as Los Angeles, Paris and Amsterdam. And for the first-time the interactive imaging forum (October 8/9) will be held in conjunction with The Association of Photographers who will use the shootLDN venue to host their annual awards exhibition and ceremony. Both shootLDN and the AOP Awards will still be regarded as separate events and maintain their own brand identities, but the two events have been arranged to coincide on the same dates at the same venue, Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane E1 6QL London, with adjoining rooms to join the events together. The Hasselblad seminar speaker list already includes Charlie Waite,, Tim Flach, Sean Conboy, David Stanbury, Nicola Selby and Karl Taylor. Event partners for the 2015 shootLDN show include: broncolor; Epson; AOP; EIZO; G-Technology; Metro Imaging; HardSoft Computers; Pro Centre; Lux-S; Linhof Studio; BeExposed; Datacolor; Professional Photo Magazine and Old Truman Brewery.

Kenro have announced the UK a new Sony fit for the Nissin Di700A with Commander Air1 Flash Kit (£239.94). The Nissin Commander Air1 can control 3 groups of Nissin Di700A flash (with a maximum of 21 NAS guns), making it an ideal controller for photographers who wish to simultaneously fire multiple strobes at various distances and without the need for cables. The Commander Air1 (pictured) is also available to purchase separately, for £59.94. "We're very excited about this new addition to the range," says Paul Kench, Kenro's managing director. "Sony is a major contender in the digital camera market - dominated by Canon and Nikon - and Nissin has recognized this by now making all their new flash systems compatible with Sony cameras."

Accessories being the lifeblood of the photography business, not to mention essential tools for photographers themselves, UK distributor Intro2020 offers a many and varied selection – covering 26 brands and product lines in all. Here’s part 2 of our round up of their new products for summer 2015…

Peak District Through The Lens by James Grant is a comprehensive photography guidebook that provides information on where and how to take the most beautiful photos in the national park. Due for release on 15th July, the book is designed to aid readers in everything from teaching photography to revealing some locations they you may not realise exist. Photographic walks will also be included, to allow readers to make full days out with the camera. The recommended price of the book is £23.95.

Photography Blog was recently invited to view a comprehensive new line-up of photo products hitting the UK market from all over the world – courtesy of UK distributor Intro2020, which currently looks after 26 different brands and product lines.

X-Rite have announced June’s winners of the global social competition 'Capture the Colour,' and also unveiled July’s theme colour. The winners are Carlos Robles, Tomasz Dzubia, Inga Linder-Kopiecka, Jarosław Godowski and Vito Netti. The theme colour for July is Pantone 14-0848 Mimosa. Best illustrated by the abundant flowers of the Mimosa tree and the sparkle of the brilliantly hued cocktail, Mimosa is a versatile shade that coordinates with any other colour and "translates to both fashion and interiors," the company remarks. Entrants can submit their photographs via X-Rite’s Facebook Competition page.

The Society of International Nature and Wildlife Photographers have announced the winners of Discovering Wildlife Photography Competition. Marc Mol from Laufen, Switzerland was chosen as the winner from over 325 images entered in to the competition. Marc tells us ''What a nice and welcome surprise! A herd of elephants cast incredible shadows across the dry Luangwa River floodplain as they journey to the refreshing waters of this dwindling river. The looming shadows of the herd led by the matriarch are clearer than the animals themselves, who seamlessly blend in the textured patterns of the sand below them. Captured from a microlight at early light over the Luangwa River floodplain in Zambia's South Luangwa National park." Marc used a Nikon D3S camera and an AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II lens to capture the winning shot. The runners up are Mario Gustavo Fiorucci and Karin Horstman.