Smugmug has added native iPad support to its Camera Awesome app. Billed as “the only free iPad app that combines professional-grade camera capture and editing functions along with simple sharing,” Camera Awesome for iPad supports the newly-released iOS 6 and takes full advantage of the device’s high-resolution display and features. Camera Awesome is available now on the iTunes App Store.

DxO Labs have released an update to DxO Optics Pro, adding support for raw files generated by the Canon EOS-1D X and the new Nikon D600 (pictured), as well as for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 and DMC-LX7. Furthermore, almost 400 new camera/lens combinations have been added to the library of DxO optics modules, thereby providing support for additional Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Sigma, Tamron, Tokina, and Zeiss lenses for Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, and Sony cameras. Do note that the 1D X and D600 support is available in the Elite edition only.

Review: Read our in-depth review of the Nikon D600
Review: Read our in-depth review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5
Review: Read our in-depth review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

DxOMark has launched new measurements dedicated to camera performance data for cellphones, smartphones and tablets. The new service, DxOMark Mobile, aims to help consumers analyse and compare the still and video performance of mobile devices, the company says. “Mobile phone image quality has also made considerable progress - for example, the image quality of the Nokia 808 PureView, in first place in the DxOMark Mobile rankings for still photos, is superior to that of a 5-year-old compact camera,” Frédéric Guichard, Chief Scientific Officer for DxO Labs said in a statement. “And as for video, the best mobile tested in this category, the Samsung Galaxy SIII, outperforms the Canon Powershot 100.” DxOMark Mobile measures many attributes of mobile camera image quality such as color, exposure, texture, noise, and autofocus, in both still photo and video modes. In all, DxOMark Mobile analyzes 14 attributes, assigning each one a score between 1 and 100. An overall DxOMark score lets users rank and make comparisons between camera-equipped mobile devices, as well as between mobile cameras and compact cameras.

Custom SLR has announced the upcoming availability of the M-Plate Mini, a universal quick-release tripod plate offering compatibility with most Arca-Swiss and ManfrottoTM RC2-style tripod and head systems. Designed and developed in the USA from aerospace-grade aluminium, the M-Plate Mini comes in a black anodised finish for a sleek profile when attached to the camera’s tripod socket.  The M-Plate Mini can serve as a cost-effective alternative to the mono-tasking tripod plates on the market, and its modular design will allow it to function along with planned Custom SLR attachments currently in development such as video rigs and flash brackets. The M-Plate Mini carries an MSRP of $49.95, and photographers can preorder the plate directly from Custom SLR at the website below.

The Long Exposure is a new e-book written by Belfast-based landscape photographer David Cleland. “The aim of this e-book is to offer an introduction to the process of capturing long exposure photographs,” the author says. “It documents the simple steps I employ each time I embark on a long exposure photo shoot.” Priced at $5, the book comes in PDF format that can be read on computers, smartphones and most tablets.

Here are seven Full 1080 HD movies taken with the new Panasonic GH3 compact system camera using the MOV, AVCHD and MP4 formats, including 72Mbps in ALL-I.

They’ve all been uploaded onto Photography Blog’s Vimeo HD channel where you can watch them at their native size. Note that these are fully representative of the Panasonic GH3’s final video quality when it ships next month.

A major retrospective exhibition of work by Czech photographer, Jitka Hanzlová, will have its only UK showing in The Robert Mapplethorpe Photography Gallery at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery this autumn. The exhibition - on show from 17 October 2012 to 3 February 2013 - brings together around 100 works spanning her career from the early 1990s to the present day.

The Royal Photographic Society’s 155th International Print Exhibition will be at Rook Lane from Saturday 17th November 2012 – Saturday 5th January 2013. The exhibition showcases a wide range of genres and styles of photography, with cutting-edge prints being shown alongside traditional work - from the artistic to documentary, from portraiture to natural history. The exhibition features professional, student and amateur photographers from around the world. The prints have been selected by a panel of well-qualified photographers from different backgrounds. Rook Lane Arts Trust is an arts venue and exhibition space in the heart of Frome, Somerset. Housed in a grade 1 listed former chapel (pictured), Rook Lane offers a year round programme of visual arts, music and education events.

JP Distribution has secured the rights to supply the Transcend range of memory cards into the UK photographic market. “We are excited that we have the opportunity to work with a brand that has its sights set to the future and is focused on providing high quality products with great sales opportunities to the photographic market,” commented Paul Roper, Sales and Marketing Director at at JP Distribution. “The brand perfectly complements our existing portfolio of high quality products for the discerning photographer and Transcend will be available to our customers through our established dealer network.”

The tenth issue of Adore Noir Magazine is now available for purchase. Adore Noir is a fine art photography magazine available exclusively in digital format. Featuring beautiful female nudes by Eric Kellerman, first-class street photography by Stan Raucher, an interesting essay by Chad M. Kushins, ethereal X-ray images of plants by Allan Gill, land- and seascapes by Alexei Krasnikov, a striking set of surreal photographs by Tommy Ingberg and portraiture by Russell Monk; this issue reinforces the magazine’s commitment to high-quality black-and-white imagery.. The latest issue of Adore Noir is available for $2.95 from the website below.

Website: Adore Noir

Manfrotto has announced US pricing for its KLYP iPhone accessory. The KLYP case has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $29.99, the KLYP case with compact ML120 LED light retails for $69.99, the case+ML120+Pocket-tripod combination sells for $89.99, the KLYP case with the larger ML240 LED light costs $99.99, and the kit comprising the KLYP case, the ML240 and the Manfrotto Pocket-tripod is priced at $199.99.

Getty Images has announced that its Flickr Collection has grown to 500,000 images. The half millionth photograph had been submitted by Jiangang Wang, a system engineer and photo hobbyist from Tianjin, China. The image, “Minato Mirai night view,” was captured from the vantage point of Osan-bashi in Yokohama, Japan, where Wang now lives, and shows the city skyline just after sunset.

Adobe has released version 1.4 of its Digital NeGative (DNG) specification. The industry-standard raw format has been expanded to include 1) a new lossy compression option, 2) a Default User Crop tag that allows the in-camera crop setting to be respected while enabling the photographer to “un-crop” the image, 3) new floating-point information storage that allows for a larger amount of dynamic range to be stored within a file, and 4) a Transparency option for “undefined” pixels around the edges of a panoramic image stitched in-camera.

The winners of the 29th AOP Photographers Awards have been announced. This year has produced another wonderful collection of diverse images across the 16 categories. Over 3,500 images and videos were entered, by almost 400 individuals. The following photographers won Best in Category awards: Richard Seymour, Julia Fullerton-Batten, Dylan Collard, Craig Easton, Jeroen Hofman, Robert Wilson, Wendy Carrig, Jim Naughten, Andy Rudak, Oliver Haupt (twice), David Ryle, Tif Hunter, James Day, Simon Norfolk and Adam Hinton. This year’s two Gold winners are Jeroen Hofman and Simon Norfolk.

AP Camera Systems have announced the launch and opening of pre-orders of the indie i5 tripod mount / camera case for iPhone 5 owners. While held securely in a black anodised precision CNC machined compartment behind a red anodised cover, the indie i5 offers easy access to the relocated headphone jack, redesigned dock connector, and front and rear cameras of the new iPhone 5. Both the body and cover of the indie i5 are manufactured from aerospace-grade aluminium. Pre-orders placed via AP Camera Systems website before the close of business 12 October 2012 can save 25% off the MSRP ($134.97 plus shipping and any applicable tax).

The renowned Dutch online photo and video specialist Foto Konijnenberg has been renamed ‘Photospecialist’ in the United Kingdom, France and Germany. In the near future Photospecialist will open online and physical shops in more countries in Europe, with the logistics, sales and marketing remaining centralised in the Netherlands. “Our ambition is to bring our service and range of products to more countries within Europe - we were already specialists by reputation, now also by name!” says Henk Konijnenberg, CEO. In The Netherlands and Belgium the company will continue to operate under name Foto Konijnenberg for the time being.