The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ72 has a 60x optical zoom, the highest of any compact camera. Offering a focal length of 20-1200mm, the 60x optical zoom of the FZ72 can be increased to an incredible 102x optical zoom using the 1.7x Tele Conversion Lens DMW-LT55, enough to capture the cratered surface of the moon. The Panasonic FZ72 also has a 16.1-megapixel High Sensitivity MOS sensor, full-HD 1,920 x 1,080 60i/50i videos, 9fps burst shooting, P/A/S/M modes, and a hotshoe. The Panasonic DMC-FZ72 will be available from August, price to be announced.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS3 is an ultra-slim and super-stylish compact camera. Just 14mm thick, the DMC-XS3 has a 14.1-megapixel High Sensitivity MOS sensor, a fast F2.8 24mm wide-angle lens, and offers 920 x 1080 full HD video recording. The Panasonic DMC-XS3 will be available from September in a choice of two colours, price to be announced.

Nikon has released updated lens distortion control data for a number of its DSLR cameras including the Nikon D4, D90, D600, D800, D800E, D3100, D3200, D5000, D5100, D5200, D7000 and D7100 (pictured). Version 1.009 is now available from the websites below.

Website: Nikon Lens Distortion Control Data for Mac
Website: Nikon Lens Distortion Control Data for Windows

Wacom held its 30th anniversary celebration party on July 12, 2013 at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo in Roppongi, Tokyo. “Wacom continues to work with the world’s most creative people, both professional and enthusiast. We... believe that creativity exists in each and every one of us and that every idea is precious, whether it is small or potentially life-changing, personal or shared for the world," said Masahiko Yamada, Wacom’s President & CEO. "Creating, sharing, developing and finally bringing ideas to life brings joy and puts a smile on the face of the world. We want to contribute to the world by supporting a lifecycle of ideas.”

A new campaign, shot exclusively on the new Nokia Lumia 925 camera phone, aims to open the UK’s eyes to some of its hidden nightlife. The company travelled the length and breadth of the UK with photojournalist Nick Ray, to photograph the hidden lives of people at night. The images reveal a homeless community sleeping rough on the urban streets of Liverpool city centre, nurses tending unwanted pets looked after around the clock at an RSPCA animal shelter in Stoke Newington, burlesque performers in Soho getting ready to bring Soho to life, and more. The Nokia Lumia 925 has an 8.7-megapixel  camera with Optical Image Stabilisation and Carl Zeiss optics.

TNM Digital Media has just released the fine art photography eBook A Darker Sun from photographer/editor Dean Brierly. Carol McCusker, Curator of Photography, Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida, offers this description of Brierly’s photographs in A Darker Sun: “Balanced between abstraction and representation, the subconscious and the urban zeitgeist, they reflect a photographer and historian of 20th century art, cinema, literature and music, who manifests, in richly textured visual shorthand, a carnivorous curiosity and intelligence.” The interactive eBook is available today in the Apple iBookstore.

The 11ers, a team of ex-DreamWorks employees with extensive expertise in film animation software, today released Photospector, a real-time photo-editing app for iPad that processes images at full camera resolution. While existing apps require several seconds to load a single adjustment to brightness, exposure, or color, Photospector makes all of these changes instantly in full screen as the user drags a finger across the controls, the company claims. "It's a truly 'wow' moment when you slide your finger across the screen and you see you're in complete control of every aspect of your photo," says the app's lead developer Daniel Wexler. "You can take a 1,000 MP image and zoom in down to the pixel." Photospector is currently free and available through the App Store in the Photo & Video category.

Peak Design have revealed their latest product, Capture Camera Clip v2 and CapturePRO. The San Francisco-based photography gear company describes the new Capture as a completely revamped and reimagined version of their original camera clip. An alternative to the standard camera strap, Capture is a compact aluminium clip that allows active photographers to rigidly carry their cameras on any backpack strap, belt or bag. The new version additionally converts to a quick-release clamp for a tripod or monopod, works as a GoPro mount with an optional accessory, and adds compatibility with a wider range of photography gear, like sling-style camera straps and tripod heads (ARCA-type and Manfrotto RC2). There are two versions available, the standard Capture ($59.99) for hobbyists/beginners, and the fuller-featured CapturePRO ($79.99) for professional phofographers. These products are available for preorder at a limited-time discount on Kickstarter until 23rd August.

On 23rd July, Fuji will release major firmware updates for its Fujifilm X-Pro1 and X-E1 compact system cameras. Version 2.00 for the X-E1 and Version 3.00 for the X-Pro1 shall deliver improved AF speed on most existing XF lenses, an improvement of focus precision in various scenes, a new focus peaking function, an improvement to the method to change magnification during manual focus, and enahnced optical image stabilisation when recording video with the Fujinon XF18-55mmF2.8-4 R LM OIS lens.

Panasonic has announced a number of seminars being held this weekend with Hugh Hastings, the former Official Photographer for Chelsea FC. Held at Jessops London Oxford Street store on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st July, at 11am and 3pm, these sessions will cover Hugh's photography career and current work, working with the Chelsea Football Club, and reasons for Hugh's switch from a DSLR to the Panasonic GH2 and GH3 (pictured). The one-hour seminars are free to attend but spaces are limited so you are advised to contact the store directly on 0207 434 3586.

Sony have commissioned professional street photographers Aimee Turner & Lee Strickland to explore three of the UK's most vibrant cities using Sony' RX1 cameras. The expert compact, which boasts a 35mm full frame sensor with 24.3 effective megapixels, was used to capture street style photography in London, Birmingham and Bristol. Speaking about his experience shooting London and Birmingham with the RX1, Lee Strickland said “The RX1 is a great camera to shoot with, especially when shooting street photography from the hip. The main feature that really makes this camera stand out for me is its full size sensor, which gives you ability to shoot raw files with the picture quality of a DSLR.”

DxO Labs have added  a new exposure time measurement setup to DxO Analyzer 5, providing the first automated solution for measuring exposure time, shutter lag, ERS delay, vertical blanking, frame time, frame rate, and missing frames for both still and video CMOS-based cameras. All CMOS sensors feature an ERS, which introduces many kinds of artifacts and distortions that particularly affect moving objects, resulting in wobble or jello effects, skew, smear, or partial exposure. DxO Analyzer v5 uses advanced image processing technologies to deliver a precise characterization of ERS distortions. The new setup combines the DxO LED Universal Timer, shutter triggers, and software, all developed by DxO Labs to deliver automatic test shot processing.

Toshiba has announced its latest, UHS-II compliant Exceria and Exceria Pro SDHC and SDXC memory cards, which are claimed to offer the world's fastest write speeds of all currently available SD cards. The Toshiba Exceria Pro series will offer photographers a maximum data write speed of 240MB/s , while the "regular" Exceria series will offer write speeds of up to 120MB/s. Pricing and availability have yet to be confirmed.

Modelled after the successful ShootNYC event launched in New York five years ago, the inaugural ShootLDN event will be taking place at The Old Truman brewery in London on 2 and 3 October. ShootLDN will host a comprehensive programme of photography-related lectures and workshops run by leading industry professionals, including photographers; photo agencies; picture editors; model agencies and fashion houses. As part of the free and interactive professional seminar and product demonstration programme Hasselblad has arranged for one of the four original Hasselblad Lunar Surface  cameras (as used in training by astronaut teams, including Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin) to be available at ShootLDN. At the  two day show Hasselblad event partners, broncolor, Wacom, Adobe, EIZO and Epson will showcase  key products to assist photographers with every stage of workflow  and a  special Adobe Mini-Theatre will host hourly tutorials and demonstrations, covering Photoshop, Lightroom and the Adobe Creative Cloud.

Broncolor has launched a new range of easy-to-assemble softboxes and octaboxes. Marketed in a total of nine different shapes and sizes, embracing square, rectangular and octagonal shapes, or as a strip; the new light shapers are much easier to construct and dismantle than their predecessors – thanks to new coloured markings on the pre-assembled tensioning rods and support ring. According to the company, the new 35x 60cm Softbox will cost £110 (ex Vat) A 75cm Octabox will cost £140 (ex VAT).

Lytro has expanded its US distribution, with in-store availability at 44 Best Buy stores across the country, as well as at B&H's NYC superstore. Lytro is also currently available through international retail partners in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. This, along with today's UK launch, marks Lytro’s second international retail expansion, following the camera’s debut in Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, and Canada in October 2012. “As we continue to expand internationally, this is an opportunity to work with partners who share our vision for light field technology and support it across new markets. We look forward to seeing the kinds of living pictures our new European customers will create,” said Jason Rosenthal, CEO of Lytro.

This summer will see the return of the biennial landscape photography exhibition, ‘Masters of Vision.' Hosted by Southwell Minster Cathedral, Church St, Southwell, Nottinghamshire, NG25 0HD; the exhibition opens at 10am on Saturday 27 July and runs through 26 August.  This year's master photographer, Joe Cornish, will host a talk on the opening day where he will share his favourite images. Admission to the exhibition itself is free, while tickets to Joe Cornish's talk will be available from the website below.

Gulf Photo Plus has announced POP UP GPP London, an all-star photofest featuring world-­renowned photographers Zack Arias, Gregory Heisler, David Hobby and Joe McNally. Each instructor has developed a unique 3-­‐hour session, specific to his particular style and strengths that cannot be found anywhere else. One ticket buys access to a complete package of a 3-­‐hour session with each of the guest speakers over one photography-­‐filled weekend, 28-29 September 2013. The London event will be the first in series of worldwide Pop Up GPP events, with more destinations to be announced for 2014. Entrance to the event is $449 (approx. £290) or $399 if bought before 1st August. Tickets can be purchased online, at the website below.