Nikon has issued a firmware update for the Android-powered Nikon Coolpix S800c digital compact camera. According to the company, Version 1.1 incorporates the following improvements and fixes:

“Support for Hindi and Arabic has been added.

When a memory card inserted in the camera was ejected while an Android app saved to the camera’s internal SD card storage (internal SD card space) was running, operation of the Android OS sometimes became unstable. This issue has been resolved.

When the camera was turned on and then off, icons for Android apps saved to the camera’s internal SD card storage (internal SD card space) sometimes disappeared. This issue has been resolved.

An issue that sometimes caused unexpected termination of Wi-Fi connections has been resolved.

An issue that sometimes caused the camera to stop functioning when multiple Android apps were running has been resolved.

DPOF-compatible printers were sometimes unable to recognize information specified with print orders (playback menu>Print order). This issue has been resolved.”

Website: Nikon Coolpix S800c Firmware Update 1.1

InfoTrends’ recently completed study entitled The 2012 U.S. Interchangeable Lens Camera Market explores the growth of the digital interchangeable lens camera market and provides a five-year sales forecast for the United States. This market is divided into DSLR cameras and compact system cameras (which the report calls “compact interchangeable-lens cameras”). The demographics of DSLR and CSC owners look very similar: photo enthusiasts, knowledgeable about photography, weighted to males, affluent, and early adopters. Future CSC owner demographics reflect a more mainstream buyer, who may be stepping up from a point & shoot camera. Vendors and retailers should begin preparing to adjust their messages to accommodate this shift, the company says. For more information on the report visit the website below.

Funjet Vacations have launched a photo competition/promotion searching for travellers’ favourite vacation memories. Entrants first need to “like” Funjet Vacations’ Facebook fan page before they can submit their photographs. All entries will go through a round of judging and the top 15 pictures will be chosen as finalists. Fans will have the chance to vote for their favourite finalist photo, and one randomly selected voter will also receive a trip to the Riu Palace Punta Cana. Note that you must be at least twenty-one years of age at the time of entry and a legal United States resident to enter. The submission deadline is Friday, 16 November 2012.

Triggertrap has updated its Triggertrap Mobile app to allow wireless functionality via a Wi-fi network. With Triggertrap Mobile’s new Wi-Fi triggering mode, photographers can now trigger their cameras via a Wi-Fi enabled “slave” device that interfaces with the camera through the Triggertrap Dongle, while controlling the camera functionality from a “master” iOS device. The “slave” mode is included both in the iOS and Android app, while currently only an iOS device can act as a master. The new wireless functionality is now available as a free upgrade for existing Triggertrap Mobile users and will come standard with any new purchase.

The first UK show of photographer Philippe Shang, ‘Saint-Tropez To London’ is now on display at the ImiTate Modern gallery in London. “Aimed to provoke unexpected emotion in it’s audience, ‘Saint-Tropez To London’ offers a fascinating visual cocktail of drugs, sex and death, immersed in provocative colour,” the organisers say. “It’s first the shock of the photos, then the surprise of the controversial themes that captivates the eye. After the surprise, various details unveil themselves…his pieces are like watching a movie in seductive technicolour!” The Imitate Modern gallery is located at 27a Devonshire Street, London W1G 6PN.

The EyeTime 2012 competition finalists have been announced. Sixteen finalists have been selected in each category: Emerging Talent and Future Voices..To view the finalists and contribute your “EyeTime” now for your favourite entrant, you need to download the EyeTime iOS app from the website below.

Samsung UK has announced a new promotion. Those who buy a camera from the new Samsung “Smart” NX range (the NX1000, NX210 and NX20) between 9th November and 9th January will be rewarded with a free 7” Galaxy Tab 2 tablet. The offer will run in conjunction with the current Samsung Smart range cash back deal, offering £50 cash back on the Samsung NX1000 and £100 on both the Samsung NX210 and Samsung NX20. Note that you must be a UK resident in order to be eligible to participate in the promotion.

Eighty-seven photographs have been shortlisted for the Made in Britain Photography Awards 2012, a nationwide competition run by the EEF, the UK manufacturers’ organisation. The organisers received over 800 images that celebrated the best of British design and manufacturing in three categories: professional, amateur and young person aged 14-19. An overall winner from each of the three entry groups will be awarded £5,000 worth of photographic equipment by sponsor Canon at a National Awards Ceremony in Westminster on 4 December 2012.

Out There People have announced a new Mountain Landscape Photography course set in Eden, Cumbria. An Out There People mountain leader escorts photography enthusiasts into the mountains around Ullswater. Here, they spend two full days exploring and discovering vantage points and locations that would be inaccessible to most people. Priced at £229 per person including the course fee, course notes and a 12-month period in which to have e-mail questions answered by the tutor after the course has ended (but no accommodation), the course is described in detail at the website below.

Founder of enlight photo, James Madelin, has launched ioShutter for Nikon. A simple-to-use and versatile shutter release appcessory for SLRs, ioShutter connects the photographer’s iPhone, iPod touch or iPad direct to their SLR. The ioShutter app then offers extensive shutter control features, making long exposures and time-lapse sequences easy. ioShutter for Nikon is available now for $69.95. The ioShutter Light app is free, while the more versatile ioShutter Pro costs $9.99.

Switronix has released a new power cable for Nikon cameras. The XP-DSLR-EL15 cable can be used with any Switronix accessory or with a PRO-X series lithium-ion battery product. Featuring a regulated 9.2v battery paddle that fits all Nikon digital SLR cameras accepting the EN-EL15 battery, the cable also has an inline female P-Tap connector for 12VDC, housed in an enclosure. “We’re so excited to offer a Nikon power related product. We get calls everyday looking for Nikon power options, and it’s a segment of the DSLR video market that few have entered,” says Vinny Duwe, account manager, Switronix. “We’re talking HOURS of runtime from any V-mount or 3-Stud battery for your Nikon, with this cable.”

Happiness Engines have launched Colorized, a “social sketching” app for the iPhone. Colorized lets users snap a picture with their phone and then convert it into a pencil sketch. “Colorized helps turn that creative vision into a sharable sketch – to post to Facebook or Twitter, or to just share through the app itself in the stream of the community’s doodling,” the company says. “Colorized is the modern, social way to doodle. It lets you turn the world around you into a canvas or a coloring book, and more importantly prompts a great visual conversation with your friends.” The Colorized app is available as a free download from iTunes.

Magix has released PhotoStory on DVD Deluxe 2013. The software allows users to transform their photos and videos from digital cameras, smartphones and camcorders into movies easier than ever before, the company says. Novelties include automatic image optimisation, 500MB of online storage space in the Magix Online Album. The program is available at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of £69.99. Click through / scroll down for a comprehensive list of features and improvements.

Samyang Europe has announced the release date of the Samyang T1.5 85mm AS IF UMC lens. Featuring a fast maximum aperture, an internal focusing system and an optical formula that comprises nine elements in seven groups, the Samyang T1.5 85mm AS IF UMC is part of the manuafacturer’s VDSLR lens range. Like Samyang’s other VDSLR lenses, the aperture and focus rings have been designed in a way to ensure compatibility with professional follow focus devices. The Samyang T 1.5 85mm AS IF UMC will go on sale in late November / early December in Canon, Nikon and Sony versions. Those that wish to lay their hands on the new lens before the official launch can take part in a competition organised by Samysng Europe for a chance to win one of the first copies. For details visit the website below.

Adobe has posted Lightroom 4.3 and Adobe Camera Raw 7.3 as “release candidates.” These updates add full support for the Nikon D600, Canon PowerShot S110,
Canon PowerShot G15, Canon PowerShot SX50 HS, Casio Exilim EX-ZR1000, Casio Exilim EX-FC300S, Olympus PEN E-PL5, Olympus PEN E-PM2, Olympus Sylus XZ-2 iHS, Panasonic DMC-GH3, Pentax K-5 II, Pentax K-5 IIs and Pentax Q10 (pictured). Additionally, they incorporate various bug fixes and new profiles for one Canon, one Pentax and twenty-four Leica lenses. Furthermore, Lightroom 4.3 RC adds support for HiDPI displays within the Develop module.

Website: Adobe Camera Raw 7.3 RC
Website: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4.3 RC