Fujifilm has just announced the AA battery powered Fujifilm FinePix S8400W long-zoom bridge camera, which features a 16-megapixel BSI-CMOS sensor, integrated Wi-Fi and 44x optical zoom. The 24-1056mm equivalent f/2.9-6.5 Fujinon lens has an optical formula comprising 17 elements in 12 groups, including both aspherical and extra-low-dispersion elements. Additionally this camera features a Super Macro mode enabling you to get as close as 1cm from your subject. At full resolution, the Fujifilm FinePix S8400W can shoot at up to 10fps for a maximum of 10 frames, with even higher continuous shooting speeds available at reduced resolutions. In the UK, the camera will be available exclusively from Curry’s, starting May 2013. Pricing has yet to be confirmed.

The Fujifilm FinePix XP200 is a new rugged camera with a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor, 5x optical zoom, 3” 920k-dot LCD screen and integrated Wi-Fi. Waterproof to 15m, shockproof to 2m, freezeproof to -10°C and dustproof; the Fujifilm FinePix XP200 boasts a new and improved Image Stabilisation system to help users get the most of its 28-140mm equivalent Fujinon lens. It also offers a 10fps continuous shooting speed at full resolution for a maximum of 9 frames. With the fast read-out and high speed processing of the CMOS image sensor and processor, the XP200 can record Full 1080i HD movies at 60fps (with high speed recording available at reduced resolution at frame rates of up to 360fps). The Fujifilm FinePix XP200 will be available in the UK from the end of April with a guide price of £229.99.

Ohanaware has released its latest photo enhancing application “Shine” for Mac OS X. The program uses lighting effects such as light rays and lens flare, as well as colour tinting and various other effects to alter a photo. Shine is available today, priced at $9.99, from the website below.

MindSmack has released Pixies, an iOS app which allows users to add illustrations and text to their photographs. “Pixies is an exciting boost to today’s photo editing options,” states MindSmack Founder and CEO, Sam Feuer. “We’re in an age where mobile photo editing is its own art form. We’ve taken away the confusion that typically accompanies editors and produced a fun and simple app that is accessible to all users. We’re excited for Pixies’ release and can’t wait for users to begin enjoying it.” Pixies is available for free on the iTunes App Store.

Cypress Innovations have launched Digital Negative, an iOS app which captures uncompressed images that retain all of the information recorded by the camera sensor and saves them in DNG format. Other interesting features include a real?time histogram, exposure compensation and shutter speed adjustments as well as flash, focus, and zoom controls. Additionally, Digital Negative can also record high?quality JPG images or uncompressed TIFF files. Digital Negative is now available for $2.99 on iTunes.

The Olympus VH-520 is a slimline compact camera with a stabilised 26-260mm equivalent lens, 14-megapixel CMOS sensor and a TruePic V processor originally developed for digital SLR cameras. Other highlights include a 3” rear display, iHS technology with HDR Backlight Adjustment, Magic Filters, Full HD movies with Multi-motion Movie IS and a High Speed Movie mode for recording video at high frame rates (240 or 120fps) and playing it back in dramatic slow motion. Available in brown, black, white, red, purple or blue; the Olympus VH-520 will hit the shelves in April at a suggested retail price of £129.99.

Canon has released eight full-resolution sample photos and four sample videos shot with the brand new Canon EOS 100D, also known as the EOS Rebel SL1. Taken at a variety of sensitivity settings ranging from ISO 100/21° to ISO 1600/33°, these EOS 100D samples were shot using an array of lenses including the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II, EF 40mm f/2.8 STM, EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM and the EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM. While the sample photos are available at the original 18-megapixel resolution, the sample movies have been downsampled to 960x540 pixels. Each sample video is accompanied by a behind-the-scenes movie showing how it was shot.

Website: Canon EOS 100D Sample Images and Movies

Canon has released eight full-resolution sample photos and twor sample videos shot with the brand new Canon EOS 700D, also known as the EOS Rebel T5i. Taken at a variety of sensitivity settings ranging from ISO 100/21° to ISO 1600/33°, these EOS 100D samples were shot using an array of lenses including the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM, EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM, EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM, EF 40mm f/2.8 STM, EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM and the EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM.  While the sample photos are available at the original 18-megapixel resolution, the sample movies have been downsampled to 960x540 pixels. Each sample video is accompanied by a behind-the-scenes movie showing how it was shot.

Website: Canon EOS 700D Sample Images & Sample Movies

Canon has unveiled the Canon EOS 100D (sold as the Canon EOS Rebel SL1 in North America), which is billed as “the smallest and lightest APS-C DSLR ever made.” Measuring just 116.8 x 90.7 x 69.4mm and weighing only 407g, the EOS 100D features a 3” ClearView II capacitive touchscreen, an 18-megapixel Hybrid CMOS AF II sensor and DIGIC 5 processor. The new sensor uses phase detection pixels spread across 80% of the sensor’s imaging surface to provide increased AF speed and tracking performance when the camera is in live view or when capturing Full-HD movies. The Canon EOS 100D is available from late April, with an SRP of £579.99 / €739.99 / $649.99.

The Canon EOS 700D (marketed as the Canon EOS Rebel T5i in North America) is a new digital SLR camera with an APS-C sized 18-megapixel Hybrid CMOS sensor, DIGIC 5 processor and a 5fps continuous shooting mode. The EOS 700D’s advanced AF module consists of 9 cross-type sensors spread across the frame, and a new, simplified 360° rotating mode dial to provide easy and swift access to the camera’s various shooting modes. A 3” vari-angle Clear View LCD II touchscreen makes it easy for users to frame, shoot and review from a variety of angles. When shooting in Live View mode, the Hybrid CMOS AF system enables speedy and accurate autofocus for photos and video, the company claims. The Canon EOS 700D is available from late April, with an SRP of £629.99 / €799.99 / $749.99.

The Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM is a new standard zoom for the manufacturer’s APS-C digital SLR cameras, featuring near-silent STM technology optimised for focussing in live view and video modes. Other highlights include optical image stabilisation, an iris diaphragm with seven rounded blades, a non-rotating front element, Super Spectra coating and a close-focus point of 25cm. The EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM will be available from late April, at suggested retail prices of £239.99 / €299.99 / $249.99.

Canon today introduced two new PowerShot SX series digital compacts that combine Canon’s brand new DIGIC 6 image processing technology with 12-megapixel sensors and 20x optical zoom. The Canon PowerShot SX280 HS (£299/€359/$330) and the Canon PowerShot SX270 HS (£279) offer a similar feature set including enhanced Dynamic IS, Manual, Av and TV exposure modes, a 25-500mm equivalent lens, high-speed shooting and Full HD video recording at 60 frames per second. The Canon PowerShot SX280 HS additionally offers on-board GPS and Wi-Fi. In the US, only the SX280 HS model will be offered.

Calumet is offering UK photographers a chance to buy a high-specification external flashgun for just £149. The photographic retailer’s Genesis Speedlight SP692 for Nikon and Canon cameras is available now and boasts through-the-lens metering; a zooming head with 24-180mm coverage; an LCD panel and a recycle time of between two and five seconds. This flash can be used on-camera or as a master or slave unit in a wireless, multiple.flash system with both manual and TTL control. The Genesis Speedlight SP692 also benefits from thermal circuit protection which allows extensive use without overheating challenges and keys can be locked to prevent accidental settings changes. Additionally an external power pack can be connected to extend battery life and a PC socket allows the flash to be triggered via a sync cord. The guide number is 50 in metres at ISO 100/21° with the flash head zoomed all the way to the 180mm setting.

Ed Hamrick has released VueScan Mobile version 1.2 for Android – adding the ability to use the camera as a scanner. The new camera scanning function allows anyone with a camera phone to easily take photos and store them in a JPEG or PDF format. In addition to sending via e-mail and saving to the Photos App, VueScan Mobile also allows you to save scanned images to Dropbox, GoodReader and Evernote. VueScan Mobile for Android also allows anyone with a Wi-Fi enabled HP, Canon, Epson or Brother scanner to seamlessly scan documents and photos straight to an Android device.The full version at $4.99 supports document feeders, duplex, document management and multi-page PDF. The VueScan Mobile Free App and the full version for Android devices is available in Google Play Store and the Amazon Appstore.

The Little Black Gallery and The Estate of Bob Carlos Clarke have embarked upon a new Kickstarter project to raise the funds to make a short-film entitled “Darkroom - The Obsessions of Bob Carlos Clarke.” Directed by the award-winning female duo Bert & Bertie, the film is intended to be a tribute to the legendary photographer whom Terence Pepper, Curator of Photographs at the National Portrait Gallery, described as ‘one of the great photographic image-makers of the last few decades.’ “We have decided to go down the film route, rather than a TV documentary, because we want to produce a creative piece of work that will last in perpetuity,” the filmmakers say. “We also feel that Bob would have loved the fact that two women are making a film about him.” To learn more, visit the film’s Kickstarter page.

Ten years ago today, Phase One released the first version of its Capture One raw conversion and image editing software that added support for DSLR cameras. “
Born in the late 1990s to process raw files exclusively from Phase One’s first digital image capture devices, the software that would become Capture One was one of the first raw conversion solutions,” the company said in a statement. “Its general availability in 2003 helped support a growing DSLR market.” The latest iteration, Capture One 7, is localised for Simplified Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Spanish.

Canon has updated its next-generation photo management solution, Project 1709 beta, introducing version 1.1 with Flickr integration. This update makes it possible to publish images and comments directly to Flickr from within the Project 1709 interface, as well as to pull in images already stored on Flickr, and additionally offers new management and organisation features. Consumers interested in participating in the beta programme can register at the website below.

The Trygger camera clip, a detachable iPhone 5 accessory that incorporates a polarising filter, is now available for purchase. Funded through Kickstarter, the Trygger camera clip’s integrated polariser reduces glare and cuts out unwanted reflections off non-metallic surfaces, while delivering richer colours and superior contrast. Priced at $39.99, the Trygger camera clip is available through the BiteMyApple webshop in a choice of white and black.

Greg Dash, a graduate student from South Wales, has designed a tiny, 12-megapixel digital point-and-shoot camera with a 170° fisheye lens. “Originally, I designed the camera for myself after being unable to afford a good fisheye lens for my DSLR,” the inventor says. “After I began using the camera, people started to stop me in the street and ask where they could buy one – so I’ve decided to try to raise the funds to allow people to get their own little fisheye cameras.” To that end, Greg has launched a project on crowfunding website IndieGogo, and managed to raise nearly £17,000 in just two weeks - but in order for the project to succeed, he’ll need another £18,000. With 16 more days to go, that doesn’t seem unfeasible - so if you’ve fallen in love with the tiny lo-fi digicam - which also boasts a time lapse mode, HD video and microSD storage -, head to the website below.