The Sony NEX-VG900 is the first Handycam with a 35mm full-frame sensor. The VG900 has a 24.3 megapixel Exmor full-frame CMOS sensor, Full HD 50p/25p/24p progressive movie recording, XGA OLED Tru-Finder, 3 inch XtraFine touch panel LCD and is compatible with full-frame A-mount lenses via a supplied adaptor. The Sony NEX-VG900 will be available in November for around £3000 / $3,300.

The NEX-VG30 has a 16.1 Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor and can shoot Full HD video footage at either 50p, 25p or 24p. Available in December, the Sony VG30 costs $1800 body-only or $2700 with the new E PZ 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS Power Zoom lens.

Sony have launched no less than 10 new digital imaging products today, including three 35mm full-frame cameras. They are the:

- NEX-6, A99, DSC-RX1 cameras
- NEX-VG900, NEX-VG30 camcorders
- 10-18mm, 16-50mm Power Zoom, 35mm f1.8 (all E-mount), 300mm f2.8, Planar T 50mm F1.4 ZA SSM full-frame lenses

In early October 2012 M-Rock’s new line of camera bags, camcorder bags, lens bags, sling-backpacks and accessory items will be arriving in the USA, featuring the original Double Access Camera Bags. The company’s top and front opening Double Access Notebook Camera Bags 5000 series consists of four sizes; The Cascade 5020 for compact system cameras with a MSRP of $100, The Glacier 5040 and Grand Canyon 5060 for a regular SLR camera body with MSRPs of $107 and $112 respectively and the Everglades 5080 for a Pro SLR Camera or a regular SLR camera with battery grip attached with a MSRP of $118. The Cascade 5020 and Glacier 5040 include a rear pocket that can hold an iPad sized tablet and the larger Grand Canyon 5060 and Everglades 5080 can hold a small notebook.

Canon has issued a firmware upgrade for its EOS 7D digital SLR camera. According to the company, version 2.0.3 incorporates the following and fixes:

1. Fixes a phenomenon in which the camera stops working when the auto power off setting takes effect.

2. Fixes a phenomenon in which the maximum number of images that can be captured in a burst may be less than the actual number displayed in the viewfinder.

3. Corrects some errors in the message displayed on the LCD screen when saving RAW images developed in the camera (these errors do not appear in the Japanese and Korean language displays).

The fixes listed above are corrections for the phenomena experienced with firmware version 2.0.0. These phenomena will not occur in firmware version 1.2.5 or before.

Website: Canon UK

Manfrotto School of Xcellence as announced a new webinar hosted by Steve Gosling. Taking place from 4pm-5pm BST on Wednesday, 19th September, Imperfect Impressions will teach participants how to modify the truthful rendition of an image and create unique and captivating images through the use of toy cameras, plastic optics, long exposures etc. The webinar is free and open to all. For more details and to register visit the website below.

Akvis has released version 3.0 of Akvis HDRFactory Windows and Macintosh. This update adds the new Remove Noise parameter, provides compatibility with Mac OS X 10.8, fixes bugs, and updates the list of the ready-to-use presets. The Deluxe and Business variants offer a special feature - the Ghost Removal tool which helps repair the so-called “ghosts” that sometimes appear when creating an HDR image. Akvis HDRFactory sells for $69 for the Home version (either Plugin or Standalone), $99 for the Home Deluxe variant (Plugin and Standalone) and $189 for the Business edition.

Photodex has released its video slideshow app for the Apple iPad and iPhone, ProShow Web. The app lets users easily mix photos, videos, text and music together into professional-quality video slideshows. It integrates with popular photo sharing platforms so users can create videos by importing their photos from their Camera Roll, Instagram, Facebook, Flickr, 500px and SmugMug. The app is free to use for a 15-photo video. Unlimited, full-length videos start at $4.99/ month and plans can be purchased in-app. Photodex Proshow Web for iOS is available now on iTunes

Hasselblad celebrates this year’s Masters award winners with the unveiling of the Hasselblad Masters Book Vol. 3 - a portfolio collection of the work the award winners created during their tenure as Hasselblad Masters interpreting the theme “Evoke.” All eleven winners will be attending Photokina and will receive their awards at the Hasselblad booth (Hall 2.1, Stand A-021/B-020). The book will be available for €79.90/$95/£65.

Hasselblad’s ‘next generation’ H System camera series, the Hasselblad H5D, will be showcased at the company’s press conference at Photokina, Cologne, Germany. Featuring a modernised design and a complete new electronic engine, the Hasselblad H5D Series will be available in 40-, 50- and 60-megapixel editions as well as 50- and 200-megapixel Multi-Shot versions, and will start shipping in December 2012. The cameras offer the largest and brightest optical viewfinder in the market, simultaneous raw+JPEG shooting, True Focus II technology providing accurate focus and immediate focus confirmation, larger and more ergonomic buttons, new sealing for improved weatherproofing and an optional battery adapter for standalone operation. In addition to the Hasselblad H5D Series cameras, the company also announced the HCD 24mm f/4.8 H System lens. which is equivalent to a 17mm lens in a 35mm system.

Dutch tripod brand Redged will launch a range of new products at this year’s Photokina. The line-up includes the Redged TSB-527 travel and macro tripod, the Redged RTA-532 five-section tripod that extends to a maximum height of 2m, the RNB-360 ballhead made for panoramic photography, the ultra-compact RNB-0 ballhead with a maximum load capacity of 4kg and two “monopoles,” i.e. extra-long extendible,monopods with maximum heights of 4m and 6m. In addition, the company also announced the launch of its new website.

Sunbounce will be presenting its newest innovation for creative lighting at the Photokina trade show held next week in Cologne, Germany. The Sunbounce Bounce-Wall is a compact system consisting of a supporting arm, flexible bracket and replaceable reflectors. It can be used not only with a hotshoe-mounted flash, as seen in the illustration above, but also with the sun as the light source. The Bounce-Wall is available from authorized retailers beginning 18th September, manufacturer’s suggested retail price €98.50.

Lowepro has introduced a range of funky pouches designed for those out and about enjoying the great outdoors with their camera. The Dashpoint series will accommodate everything from a point and shoot camera or pocket video in the smallest, to a CSC or GPS unit in the largest model. The pouches can be worn on the neck strap supplied, or affixed to a belt or backpack for convenient access to camera gear while on the move. Dashpoint pouches are available in three sizes and three colours - red, grey and blue. Prices start at £11.

PictoColor has released a new iOS app called iCorrect OneClick Color. Developed by FreshAir Software, iCorrect OneClick Color for iPad automatically corrects the colour and exposure of photos. The automatic correction can be fine tuned using sliders to independently adjust brightness, shadows, highlights, contrast, saturation, tint and colour temperature. iCorrect OneClick Color for iPad and iPhone are available on the App Store for $2.99.

Epson has announced an upgrade to its suite of free Epson Connect mobile printing solutions. This update makes it easier for users to print photos, e-mails, documents and Web pages from anywhere in the world using an Epson Connect enabled printer and a variety of mobile devices, such as a smartphone, tablet, desktop or laptop computer. Key features of Epson Connect include Epson Email Print, Epson Remote Print and the iPrint mobile app. In addition, new Epson printers incorporate Apple AirPrint and Google Cloud Print technologies. For more information, visit the website below.

The Pentax K-5 II is a sixteen-megapixel digital SLR camera with an APS-C sized sensor and a completely new Safox X AF module that remains operational down to -3EV. Coupled with an upgraded AF algorithm, the camera is claimed to deliver exceptional AF performance, including such features as a select-area expansion function, which automatically tracks the subject even when it moves away from a pre-assigned select point. Launched in conjunction with the Pentax K-5 II is the Pentax K-5 II s that comes without an anti-aliasing filter for superior resolution. The Pentax K-5 II is available from early October for £799.99/$1,199.95, while the Pentax K-5 IIs carries a body-only price of £949.99/$1,299.95. The K-5 II is also available in a kit with the 18-55mm WR lens (for £869.99/$1349.95) and in a bundle with the 18-135mm WR zoom (for £1,119.99/$1,549.95).

The Pentax Q10 is a tiny, raw-capable compact system camera featuring a new, 12.4-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, improved AF operation, Shake Reduction and a Full HD movie-recording function. Other highlights include 5fps continuous shooting (for up to five JPEGs), a small built-in auto flash with a guide number of 7 (in metres at ISO 200), an easy-to-access Quick Dial to simplify the application of creative visual effects, a three-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 460,000 dots and a sensor dust buster that incorporates a supersonic vibration mechanism. The Pentax Q10 will be available from early October in white, black and red. The single-lens kit (with the 5-15mm lens) will cost £379.99/$599.95, while the double-zoom kit (which also includes the new 15-45mm lens) will retail for £539.99.

The Pentax-06 15-45mm f/2.8 is an 83-249mm equivalent telephoto zoom lens for Pentax Q series cameras. Thanks to its retractable design, the lens is designed to be super-compact and ultra-lightweight, weighing in at a mere 90 grams. The optical formula incorporates two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements and one super-low dispersion element. The lens has a built-in mechanical shutter that offers flash synchronisation right up to its fastest shutter speed. The Pentax-06 Telephoto Zoom 15-45mm f/2.8 lens is also equipped with a built-in ND (neutral density) filter, which comes in handy when shooting with open aperture in bright locations. The lens will be available from mid-October, at a recommended retail price of £249.99/$299.95. Note that the bespoke PH-RBA 40.5mm plastic lens hood will be an optional extra.

Pentax is set to launch an adapter that allows K-mount lenses to be mounted on Pentax Q series cameras. This enables photographers to use 215 different lenses on their Pentax Q bodies, with a crop factor of 5.5 - this means that a 300mm optic becomes equivalent to a 1650mm super-supertelephoto lens. Auto focus is not maintained and the aperture can only be adjusted manually. The adapter incorporates a five-bladed mechanical shutter with a top shutter speed of 1/1000 second. The Pentax Adapter Q will start shipping in October, at a recommended retail price of £249.99/$249.95. An optional tripod collar will also be available.

The HD Pentax-DFA645 Macro 90mm f/2.8 ED AW SR is a new, stabilised short-telephoto lens designed for use with Pentax medium-format digital and film SLR cameras. Featuring Pentax-original HD coating — a newly developed, high-grade multi-layer lens coating — and the Pentax-designed, lens-installed SR (Shake Reduction) mechanism, this lens offers a focal length of approximately 71mm (or approximately 65mm when mounted on a Pentax 645 film-format camera body) in 35mm equivalence. The HD Pentax-DFA645 90mm f/2.8 ED AW SR doubles as a macro lens with a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:2. As part of the AW (All Weather) series, this lens also features a dustproof and weather-resistant construction with 11 environmental seals. The HD Pentax-DFA645 Macro 90mm f/2.8 ED AW SR will be available from early October, priced at £3,799.99/$4,499.95.