Iridient Digital has released an update to Iridient Developer for Mac OS X. Version 2.3.4 includes a complete overhaul of the image caching architecture and gives greatly improved loading performance when accessing previously viewed images. Additionally, it adds compatibility with the Phantom Vision FC200, the Nokia Lumia 1520, the Samsung NX30, the Fujifilm FinePix S1, the Sony ILCE-6000, ILCE-5000 and ILCE-3500, as well as the Nikon D4S, D3300 and P340.

Datacolor has announced its spring 2014 line-up of free colour management webinars. These online seminars enable participants to communicate directly with the speakers to get first-hand advice about video reference display calibration and photo and video editing techniques. Registered attendees will receive discount codes for Spyder products and/or products from co-sponsors, as well as automatic entry for a chance to win products from Datacolor or co-sponsors. Each webinar will be hosted by David Saffir, Datacolor expert and noted landscape and fine art photographer. Click through / scroll down for the details.

American and Asian customers will be able to purchase the exotic LomoChrome Purple film starting next Wednesday. Available in 120 and 135 formats, Lomography’s LomoChrome Purple 400 is a speciality film that transforms “every green element of your photo into radiant purples.” Although inspired by Kodak’s discontinued Aerochrome emulsion - an infrared-sensitive, false-colour reversal film -, the LomoChrome Purple 400 is actually a C-41 process negative film with a sensitivity rating of ISO400/27°, allowing it to be used in virtually any weather conditions with no need for filtration at the capture phase. European customers can already buy the film in the online shop.

Wildlife photographer Dan Suzio is going to lead a photography workshop in Ecuador, focusing on tropical birds. The 12-day, 11-night tour will include a pre-dawn hike to photograph the mating display of the elusive Andean cock-of-the-rock, visits to the historic city of Quito and the Otavalo Indian market, providing an introduction to Ecuadorian culture, and a day of looking for Andean condors on Mt. Antisana. Interested photographers are encouraged to register as early as possible, as the trip is limited to six people. Cost is $3,495 per person based on double occupancy. Photos, a detailed itinerary, and other information can be found online at the website below.

Nest has released several additions to its popular Explorer range of bags, including a collection of stylish shoulder and toploading bags. There are two new shoulder bags in this collection, compact and designed to accommodate CSCs together with essential photographic accessories. Specifically, the EX25 the smaller of the two, will fit a camera plus compact zoom lens attached and an additional telephoto lens. The larger volume EX50 will fit a CSC with lens attached and a further one or two lenses and a e-reader / tablet. Alternatively the EX50 is large enough to accommodate a DSLR with compact lens attached and an additional lens or flash. The new toploaders are available in two forms, the EX5 and EX10. The EX10 is the largest case designed to fit a large DSLR (with compact or telephoto zoom lens attached) while the EX5 will accommodate a small DSLR (with compact lens attached) or a CSC (with compact lens attached). Prices start from £24.99.

The rotation180° Panorama backpack by MindShift Gear has won a Red Dot Design Award. Designed for hikers who carry cameras, binoculars, GPS devices, nature identification books, maps and more, the rotation180° Panorama’s beltpack rotates to the front for quick gear access and without first having to take off the backpack or even stop hiking.  It has additional room for a jacket, hat, gloves, lunch, and more. The removable beltpack can be worn separately for shorter outings. The breathable padded airflow harness with daisy chain includes an adjustable sternum strap and load lifters. And, at its design core, it has a pre-curved back panel with single aluminum stay for pack stability.

Sweden-based Marcel Pabst has become one of the first photographers to test shoot the brand new Hasselblad H5D-50C medium-format camera. For the session Marcel decided to invest in a new spacesuit for his five year old son Elmer and explain to him that the two of them were going on a mission to discover a new planet and shoot a few pictures. “I got myself set up and I tested a couple of smoke grenades to see how that might look – as part of a plan to create a mystical feel and look to the images," Marcel says. "Then I tried a shot at ISO 400 – a ploy I just would never have attempted with my old Hasselblad camera. It was then it really struck me how ‘super good’ the 50c really was.”  

Zeiss will launch the Compact Zoom CZ.2 15-30/T2.9 at this year’s NAB Show. Offering full-frame coverage, the CZ.2 15-30/T2.9 complements the manufacturer's already available CZ.2 28-80/T2.9 and CZ.2 70-200/T2.9 lenses. It does not only offer extreme angles of view, but also fulfills all the requirements for motion picture zooms, the company says. The Zeiss Compact Zoom CZ.2 15-30/T2.9 lens will be available from August for €17,900 / $23,900.

The Arri / Zeiss Master Anamorphic MA 135/T1.9 is the 7th cine lens that completes the successful Master Anamorphic family. The lens, which will be exhibited at the NAB 2014 show hled in Los Angeles from 5-10 April 2014, offers a perfect combination of compact size, minimal weight, very high speed and exceptional optical quality. In addition to showing their latest cine lenses, Zeiss are bringing two experienced DoPs to the NAB show to serve as application specialists: August Bradley from the US and Den Lennie from the UK. Visitors are welcome to pose their questions and share their experiences with them, whether those experiences concern Zeiss lenses, the photography business in general, or how to gain a foothold in the film industry.

Canon has announced a new interchangeable-lens camera featuring an APS-C sized monochrome sensor and Nikon F bayonet mount. Don't get too excited, though - the Canon M15P-CL is an industrial camera rather than an SLR. In the market of interchangeable-lens industrial cameras, Nikon has very strong positions, which is probably why Canon - a newcomer to this segment - decided to introduce an F-mount model instead of trying to push its own EF-mount lenses. Pricing and availability have yet to be confirmed.

Source: Canon Japan

At the 2014 NAB Show, Canon will showcase its full line of professional, high-definition imaging equipment for motion picture, television production, video content creation, and still photography at booth C4325. The company will be showing a 4K Live Broadcast demonstration, highlighting how well HD broadcast footage can be captured, digitally rendered and cropped for live-action broadcast coverage using Canon’s Cinema EOS equipment. In addition, Canon will host a series of unique stage presentations with renowned cinematographers, broadcast specialists, and filmmakers.  These industry professionals will provide insight into the ever-changing field of optical and imaging technology and showcase their projects and works that were shot using Canon equipment. The 2014 NAB Show will be held from 5-10 April 2014 in the Las Vegas Convention Centre.

Ricoh has launched Spherical Report 360 (SR360), a fun and interactive competition which equips citizens with a free Ricoh Theta spherical camera and presents them with the unique opportunity to become a photojournalist by reporting on local news. The photo-submission contest will take place over the course of four months with a Most Valuable Photographer (MVP) being selected each month. The contest will end on 31st August, and images shared on the SR360 website will be judged by a panel of distinguished guests.  From the submitted images, one Grand Prize winner and two Gold Prize winners will be selected. Interested readers are encouraged to read the terms and conditions and register online through 10th April. Current Theta users are also invited to participate.

The Societies have announced that the next Digital Imaging Show will take place in Dublin on 6-7 April  Photographers who register in advance will be able to attend the trade show and a number of masterclasses held on the 6th free of charge. Masterclasses include Creating a magnetise business by Catherine Connor, Making more Money and More Profit from Photography by Charlie Kaufman and Let's Jazz It Up by Podge Kelly. On the 7th, there will be a one-day seminar by Richard P Walton entitled Passion not Camera Fashion, which costs €80 for members and €120 for non-members.

Corel today released the latest version of its flagship graphics suite. CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X7 features powerful fill capabilities, high DPI, multi-monitor and touchscreen compatibility, and more ways to share content. In addition, multi-core and native 64-bit support allows users to run multiple applications and process large files. New/enhanced features include workspace selection, built-in context exchange, fountain fills, pressure-sensitive liquid tools and camera effects in Photo-paint, and much more. CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X7 is now available for £399. The upgrade price is £179

Joby has launched a new accessory for photographers using off-camera flashes. "We often see awkward setups with off-camera flashes, such as people holding their flash in one hand while holding their camera with the other, or people wrestling with a light stand or pole," said Michael Jue, director of product design at Joby. The new Flash Clamp & Locking Arm innovates with a clamp that lets users quickly secure their wireless flash to any surface less than two inches in width. The locking arm also has two fully articulating ball joints that position the flash at any angle needed while providing a long-lasting hold. The Joby Flash Clamp & Locking Arm retails for $39.95.

Panasonic has joined the list of exhibitors at The Big Photo Show, which will take place in Los Angeles from 17-18 May. At the show, Panasonic will be presenting its entire line-up of Lumix camera products, including the new Lumix GH4 (pictured), as well as the company’s complete line of Micro Four Thirds compatible lenses for Lumix cameras. “Panasonic is excited to be exhibiting at The Big Photo Show and presenting our line of Lumix cameras and lenses, as well as our entire line of Adventure products,” said Thomas Curley, Business Development Manager for Panasonic North America. “Our camera products are of interest to professionals looking for the latest in hybrid imaging or video production gear, as well as photo enthusiasts seeking a great picture taking solution for family or fun – and we think the Big Photo Show is the perfect place to be.”

Zeiss has posted a firmware update for two of its X-mount Touit lenses (Touit 1.8/32 and Touit 2.8/12). Version 1.03 adds support for "higher camera auto focus speeds" and adds compatibility with the ‘Phase Detection AF’ function. You can download the firmware upgrade from the website below.

Website: Zeiss