Fotodiox today introduced the RhinoCam, a camera/lens adapter system designed to put “the power of a full-size 645 medium format back into the hands of virtually any photographer.” Via an interchangeable lens mount, the RhinoCam couples either a Pentax 645, Mamiya 645, or Hasselblad V medium-format lens with a Sony NEX series camera. The lens remains firmly in place while the RhinoCam’s moving platform positions the NEX sensor for multiple precisely-positioned exposures. The built-in Composition Screen enables photographers to preview the composed shot. After the capture process, it takes seconds to merge the multiple exposures into one larger image using automated stitching functionality built into recent versions of Adobe Photoshop and other software offerings. RhinoCam also mounts directly onto a 4x5 board to open up additional possibilities with wider angle lenses, tilts, shifts, bellows systems and more. The RhinoCam precision system is priced at $499.95 (excluding camera and lens) and available for order today from the website below.

PictoColor has released new versions of its iCorrect color correction and photo enhancement plug-ins for Photoshop Elements. The lowest priced and simplest of the new plug-ins is iCorrect OneClick PSE ($19.95), which features 1-click color correction that rivals or surpasses other smart fix or auto correction tools. iCorrect Portrait PSE ($29.95) also features a point-and-click interface with auto color correction tools plus PictoColor Software’s critically acclaimed skin tone technology which perfects every skin tone with a simple click. The company’s flagship and most versatile plug-in, iCorrect EditLab Pro PSE ($29.95), features HueSelect Control Point Technology for precise, global and selective color control.

Boinx Software has launched version 3 of its You Gotta See This! photo collage app. This edition utilises new algorithms to improve image capturing, with updated parameters for all supported devices’ cameras. You Gotta See This! is now available as a free download from the iTunes App Store.

Tamron USA will host an in-the-field photographic workshop series at eight state parks in 2013. “Tamron USA is uniquely positioned to help novice and enthusiast photographers harness the beauty of these natural resources to improve their own landscape and nature photography skills,” says Stacie Errera, Tamron USA’s Chief Marketing Officer. “Plus, because the state parks on this tour, as well as the other parks in the system, are so accessible and conveniently located, workshop attendees have a great venue to go back to season after season to continue honing those skills.” Photographers participating in Tamron’s state park photography workshops will be able to borrow Tamron lenses to take out in the field. Workshop leaders will conduct an instructional seminar during the included lunch; optional sunset sessions may be available at some locations. Click through / read on for the detailed workshop schedule.

SmugMug’s little photo app, Camera Awesome, has just turned one year old. This app enables users to capture images faster, and offers features like a built-in electronic level and the ability to focus on one spot and set exposure on another. Additionally, it allows for a wide range of one-tap adjustments including filters, borders and special effects. Photos can then be shared via email, or uploaded to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, SmugMug, Flickr, Picasa and Photobucket. According to SmugMug, the free app has been downloaded from iTunes by nearly thirteen million people

Issue 14 of David Noton’s Chasing the Light eZine is now available. This edition sees the launch of a new series called Seeing the Light, with David kickástarting his exploration of light by contemplating exactly what it is as he stands surveying the stunning night sky in Utah, USA. Issue 14 also includes the second part of David’s account of his trip to Myanmar (Burma), a video tutorial introducing readers to his editing process, a guest feature on celebrity portraits by Clara Molden, and much more. Do note that the full contents of Chasing the Light eZine is available to f11 subscribers only.

The Fresh Awards have named the Hitcase Pro - a waterproof, mountable case that transforms the iPhone into a POV camera - “one of the most innovative new consumer technology products of 2013.” As part of the premier channel event Distree EMEA, the Fresh Awards provide a first look at new technologies, giving distributor, retailer and e-tailer delegates access to new and innovative products about to hit the market in the European, Middle Eastern and African regions. Award winners are selected by Distree executives and the Sightline Group, a technology consulting group that soecuakuses in emerging companies. Hitcase Pro is a waterproof, shockproof case that includes a built-in wide-angle conversion lens that allows the phone to capture an angle of view of 170°. A patent-pending ShockSeal design protects the phone from the elements while shielding it from shocks and drops. The Hitcase Pro’s Railslide system makes it easy to mount the case to just about anything with its auto-locking functionality and one-button trigger release. The case is available for $129.99.

Manfrotto and Kata have launched two new promotions in the UK. Running between the 3rd and 31st March 2013 and applicable to all products purchased on the Manfrotto UK website - including tripods, LED lights and a host of other accessories -, the Manfrotto promotion allows customers who enter the coupon code focus2013 to receive a 15% discount. The same promo code is also valid on purchases made through the Kata UK website in the same period. These promotions are valid for United Kingdom residents only and apply with a minimum purchase of GBP £20.00 inc. VAT per order.

Nikon has posted five full-resolution sample photos (and an additional four resized ones) plus a video shot with the new Nikon Coolpix A large-sensor compact camera. The Nikon Coolpix A samples were all taken at relatively low sensitivity settings - ranging from ISO 100/21° to ISO 320/26° - so they do not tell us much about the “high-ISO” capabilities of the camera but they do demonstrate what the 18.5mm (28mm equivalent) f/2.8 lens is capable of when used wide open and stopped down a notch (f/3.2) or two (f/5.6). As far as the sample movie is concerned, it has been converted to Flash video format and downsized to a decidedly non-standard 717x403 pixels.

Canon have developed a new 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor specifically for video recording. The new Canon 35mm CMOS sensor enables the capture of Full HD video even in exceptionally low-light environments. The newly developed CMOS sensor features pixels measuring 19 microns square in size, which is more than 7.5-times the surface area of the pixels on the CMOS sensor incorporated in Canon’s top-of-the-line EOS-1D X DSLR.

Want to see exactly what the new Nikon Coolpix A compact camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our extensive hands-on gallery of 48 photos of the Nikon Coolpix A compact camera, including a side-by-side comparison with the new P330 model.

The new Nikon A has the potential to be a street photographer’s dream camera - proven DX-format 16 megapixel sensor, fast f/2.8 28mm lens, an optional optical viewfinder, all housed in a compact body that easily fits in a jacket pocket. The auto-focus on the pre-production Coolpix A that we briefly tried was a little sluggish, but we’ll reserve judgement until we review a final sample in a few weeks time.

Want to see exactly what the new Nikon Coolpix P330 compact camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our hands-on gallery of photos of the Nikon Coolpix P330 compact camera, including a side-by-side comparison with the new Coolpix A model.

The Nikon Coolpix A is a premium compact camera for professionals. Featuring the same DX-format 16.2-megapixel CMOS sensor as the Nikon D7000 DSLR but with no optical low-pass filter, the Nikon A has a fixed wide-angle 18.5 mm f/2.8 lens (28mm equivalent). The Coolpix A also offers an ISO range of 100-25,600, an optional optical viewfinder (DF-CP1), 14 bit compressed RAW files, 3-inch 921k dot LCD monitor, Full HD (1080p) movie recording, and 4fps burst shooting. The Nikon Coolpix A will be available in the UK on 21st March 2013 for £999.99 / €1199.00. In the US it will be available for a suggested retail price of $1,099.95 in March 2013.

The Nikon Coolpix P330 is an advanced compact with a 1/1.7-inch back-illuminated 12-megapixel CMOS sensor, /1.8 NIKKOR 5x optical zoom lens, Full HD movie recording, RAW (NRW) data processing and Wi-Fi compatibility. The Nikon P330 also features a a built-in Global Positioning System, ISO range of 100-6400, 10 fps burst shooting, and a 99-point autofocus system. The Nikon Coolpix P330 will be available in the UK on 21st March 2013 for £349.99 / €419.00. In the US it will be available for a suggested retail price of $379.95 in March 2013.

The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR is a new FX-format telephoto zoom lens. An updated version of Nikon’s immensely popular AF 80-400mm telephoto lens, the new AF-S 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR telephoto zoom boasts an improved optical construction, Nikon’s Vibration Reduction system which allows up to 4-stops of compensation, and a greatly improved autofocus mechanism. The new Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR will go on sale in the UK on 19th March 2013 for £2,449.99 / €2,999.00. In the US it will be available in early April 2013 for a suggested retail price of $2,699.95.

The Nikon Coolpix L320 is a new super-zoom camera with a 26x lens. The L320 also offers a 16-megapixel CCD image sensor, 720p movie recording, four different automatic anti-blur functions, and is powered by convenient AA batteries. The Nikon L320 goes on sale in the UK on 21st March 2013 for £199.99 / €239.00.

Multiblitz USA has added Maryland advertising photographer Roy Cox to the Multiblitz Professional Team. “We are thrilled to have such a household name in advertising and fashion photography like Roy Cox on the Multiblitz Professional Team. His body of work and track record speak for itself. He will help bring Multiblitz a step forward, especially in the Mid-Atlantic region.,” said Veit Wulms, president of Multiblitz USA. “It’s no coincidence that big names like Under Armour and The University of Maryland are among his clients. With his innovative and sophisticated style he embodies everything the Multiblitz brand stands for. Roy is the perfect fit.”

Canon UK has announced the upcoming release of the CanoScan 9000F Mark II scanner. Capable of scanning reflective originals as well as up to twelve 35mm film strips, 4 mounted slides or 120 format up to 6x22cm, the CanoScan 9000F Mark II is a flatbed scanner with a white LED light and a built-in transparency adapter. Maximum hardware resolution is specified at 9600x9600dpi for film, and 4800x4800dpi for prints. New to the CanoScan 9000F Mark II is the included My Image Garden software, which provides effortless navigation between scanning functions, and features a number of photo organising capabilities including face recognition. Canon’s Scan to Cloud feature allows users to scan to Evernote or Dropbox cloud services with a touch of a button, while Stitch Assist enables large A3 documents and photos to be scanned in two parts and stitched seamlessly together. The CanoScan 9000F Mark II is available in the UK and Ireland from April 2013 with an RRPof £219/€240. (Canon U.S:A. announced this scanner in December 2012, with an MSRP of $199.99.)

Epson has announced a continuation of its “Finish Strong” advertising campaign with a new photography contest. “Photographers have an uncanny ability to pre-visualize amazing photographs,” said Richard Day, group product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America, Inc. “This contest provides the chance for anyone to see their concept of a Finish Strong ad come to life.” The winner will receive either an opportunity to attend an actual photo shoot with world-renowned photographer Joe McNally or a $5,000 cash prize. More information, including the submission form and previous “Finish Strong” print advertisements, can be found at the website below.