Sony has posted a firmware update for the Sony A77 II digital SLT camera. Version 2.00 brings improved AF speed and enables shooting movies in 50p/25p (PAL mode) and 60p/30p/24p (NTSC mode) in XAVC S format. You can download the firmware upgrade from the website below.

Website: Sony A77 II Firmware Update 2.00 for Mac
Website: Sony A77 II Firmware Update 2.00 for Windows

Samsung has announced the premiere of a new short film created by renowned actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt and his open collaborative production company, hitRECord. ‘In a City’ was shot entirely on the Samsung NX1 compact system camera (pictured) in 4K resolution. “This emotive short film is testament to both Joseph’s exceptional talents as a director and the outstanding technology within the Samsung NX1,” said Younghee Lee, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, IT & Mobile Division at Samsung Electronics. “The NX1’s advanced features make it ideal for filmmakers in search of a camera with 4K UHD capabilities, to wow their audiences with exceptional beauty and clarity in every shot.” Click through / scroll down to watch the movie.

Adobe Camera Raw 8.7.1 is now available as a final release for Photoshop CS6 and Photoshop CC. This update adds support for the Sony Alpha A7 II (pictured) and also includes a bug fix related to issues with chromatic aberration specific to the Samsung NX1.

Website: Adobe

Alien Skin has announced Exposure 7, the latest version of its flagship photography effects software. As a standalone program, Exposure 7 will now allow you to work on raw image files from a wide range of cameras from all manufacturers without having to convert them to a TIFF or JPEG first. Also, Exposure 7 now provides rapid folder and file browsing right within the same UI when working in standalone mode. Other highlights include non-destructive editing, new film emulation presets, textures and easy-to-use Crop and Rotate panels. Alien Skin Exposure 7 is now available for $149. Owners of any version of Exposure may upgrade for $69.

Toshiba has launched the Canvio AeroCast, an HDD storage device with Wi-Fi connectivity. This new addition to Toshiba’s Canvio storage range lets you share and back-up media from mobile devices, as well as cast entertainment directly to an HDTV. The Canvio AeroCast creates its own wireless LAN network, so you don’t have to be connected to the Internet to access your content. Offering 1TB of storage, the portable Canvio AeroCast can be accessed by six devices simultaneously. With the dedicated Toshiba Wireless HDD app for Android and iOS devices, browsing, streaming or saving files on your mobile devices is even easier. The Canvio AeroCast creates its own wireless LAN network, so you don’t have to be connected to the Internet to access your content. The Canvio AeroCast wireless HDD is compatible with Microsoft Windows 8.1, 8 and 7, Mac OS X 10.7, 10.8 and 10.9, iOS version 6 to 7 and Android version 2.3 to 4.4. It runs on USB 3.0, as well as supporting older USB 2.0 connections.

The new ACDSee Ultimate 8 software is billed as the first all-in-one digital asset manager and layered photo editor. "Until today, photographers would have to run multiple, expensive applications to edit and achieve professional results," the company says. "Now, professionals and sophisticated amateurs can rely on one product for an unparalleled number of creative graphic and image composition needs." ACDSee Ultimate 8 combines layers, GPU-accelerated image processing and support for 32-bit and 64-bit transparency with all of the photo adjustment and management capabilities available in ACDSee Pro 8 and ACDSee 18. The program is available for $149.99.

First announced a month ago, Tiffen's new XLE filters are now available in the United States. These long-exposure filters allow stills photographers to capture extreme long exposure images without incurring the red colour cast that occurs when photographers use high-density ND filters to shoot long exposures during daylight hours. Many camera sensors are sensitive to infrared wavelengths when they are exposed for prolonged periods and record this light as a slight warm red tint on some sensors, to an extreme red tint on other sensors in very bright conditions. The Tiffen XLE series comprises 3 different 10-stop reduction filters with varying infrared-cut characteristics, ranging from nothing in the XLE aXent ($37.99 - $98.99), to moderate in the XLE advantiX ($70.00 - $266.67) to complete infrared suppression in the XLE apeX ($170.00 - $366.67). These new screw-in filters are available in sizes ranging from 40.5mm to 82mm.

Creative Flash Photography by Tilo Gockel is a new title from Rocky Nook. In this book, Tilo uses 40 lighting workshops to teach his methods for producing impressive flash shots in portraiture, fashion, macro, food, still life, and high-speed photography. The richly illustrated, easy-to-understand workshops are filled with recommendations and instructions for flash setups, detailed lighting diagrams, and tips and tricks on how to achieve the look of high-end studio shots using simple, accessible equipment, even in your own home. The 304-page softcover is available for $44.95.

Topaz Labs have released Topaz Glow, a new program that uses state-of-the-art image processing techniques to produce illuminating light effects. “We took an extra step to push forward the processing technology in Glow to make it much faster with GPU acceleration, speeding up your creativity and empowering your imagination,” said Dr. Yang Yang, the research scientist who led the product development of Glow. “By developing a unique proprietary algorithm that extracts hidden light in an image, Glow gives the user freedom to produce both subtle and dramatic looks.” Glow works as a standalone editor as well as a plugin for Photoshop CS4+, Photoshop Elements 6+, Photoshop Creative Cloud and as an external editor for Lightroom. It is compatible with 64-bit Windows 7, Windows 8 and Mac OS X 10.8 and up. Though the standard retail price of Glow is $69.99, it is available at a special reduced price of $49.99 until the end of this year.

The C-Loop Mini by Custom SLR is a tangle-free camera strap mount for mirrorless and point-and-shoot cameras. Building upon the success of its first product, the C-Loop, which was launched through Kickstarter, Custom SLR designed the C-Loop Mini to have all the same functionality, with the added benefits of being lightweight and small enough to work perfectly with compact cameras. With its 360-degree swivel, the C-Loop Mini rotates to provide smooth panning and prevent tangled camera straps.  For tool-free installation, the device can be tightened by hand, and also features a slot where it can be tightened with a coin for added security. The C-Loop Mini is available for $24.95 on the website below.

Olloclip has officially launched its new website, designed to serve as a social hub for the mobile photography industry. The new website offers an integrated European web store which allows olloclip lenses to be shipped directly from within Europe. This allows local European customers to save up to 25% on their purchase and benefit from fast delivery within 48 hours from placing their order. “The olloclip brand was built on the idea of minimalism and ease of use while pushing the lines of innovation. Our mission is to continually extend the parameters of what is possible in mobile photography, but our website up to now did not reflect that,” said Patrick O’Neill, CEO and founder.  “There was a need to simplify the shopping experience while efficiently telling our brand story in an engaging and meaningful way. While the revamped site itself doesn’t introduce any new programming innovations, it is more responsive and visually appealing and functions easily on everything from a smartphone to a computer.”

With just over one month remaining for photographers to enter the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards, the World Photography Organisation has announced the Honorary Judging Committee for this year’s Professional competition. The jury comprises of industry leaders inducing: Joanna Milter, Deputy Photo Editor, New York Times Magazine (USA), Matthew Leifheit, Photo Editor, VICE Magazine (USA), Enrica Viganó, Curator and Writer (Italy), Xingxin Guo, Vice Director of New Media Department of Photo Center of Xinhua News Agency and Editor-in-Chief of CICPHOTO (China), Oliver Schmitt, Photo Editor, Spiegel Online (Germany), Maria Pieri, Editorial Director, National Geographic Traveller, (UK) and Sasha Erwitt, Picture Editor (USA). Entries to the Open and Youth competitions of the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards will close on 5th January 2015, followed by the deadline for the Professional competition on 8th January. All competitions are free to enter via the website below.

Adorama today announced the availability of the brand new Aries Blackbird X10, a professional, remotely controlled aerial quadcopter that captures photos and movies from up to 1,500 feet. With its on-board camera, the Blackbird X10 is capable of recording up to 1080P/30fps Full HD video as well as 16-megapixel still images. The drone features integrated flight and camera control, 6-axis gyro stability, GPS accuracy, advanced intelligent flight control systems, a weather-protected build, and a wide, stable landing base. Perfect for advanced hobbyist or professional photographers and cinematographers, the Aries Blackbird X10 features simple and flexible operating controls and a flight time of up to 25 minutes per charge. The Aries Blackbird X10 is available now for $799, exclusively from Adorama.

The shortlist for the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2015 has been announced. This year’s selection showcases a diversity of photographic approaches, which include video and object/text based works and encompass social documentary, portraiture and contemporary art photography. The shortlisted artists include Nikolai Bakharev for his exhibition at the 55th Biennale of Art in Venice, Zanele Muholi for her publication Faces and Phases 2006 – 2014, Viviane Sassen for her exhibition Umbra at Nederlands Fotomuseum, and Mikhael Subotzky & Patrick Waterhouse for their publication Ponte City. For more information, visit the website below.