The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS5 is a new entry-level 14 megapixel compact camera. The LS5 features a 5x optical zoom with a 26mm wide-angle setting, fast F2.8 brightness and Optical Image Stabilizer. The Panasonic LS5 runs on AA batteries and can record HD movies in 1280 x 720p at 30 fps. Pricing and availability of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS5 are still to be announced.

Olympus UK has announced the suggested retail price and availability of the Olympus PEN E-PL3 compact system camera. The Olympus E-PL3 boasts ultra-fast auto-focus, a new 12-megapixel FourThirds format sensor, tiltable rear screen, flash hot-shoe, accessory port, in-body image stabilisation and compatibility with the full line of Micro Four Thirds lenses. Also called the PEN Lite, the Olympus E-PL3 will be in the shops from late summer in black, white, silver or red; priced at £549.99 with the 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II R zoom lens.

Photos: Check out our hands-on photos of the Olympus PEN E-PL3 compact system camera

CodeCrop’s Snap camera app for iOS devices has been updated with a new interface. The application allows users to snap a photo, jot down as many notes as they want, move them over the image and save the photo with the notes overlaid on it. Version 1.40 brings a new interface to add notes directly on the image with live changes. Snap Camera! 1.40 is available now on iTunes for $0.99.

Western Digital has commenced volume shipments of its WD Scorpio Blue 9.5 mm, 2.5-inch mobile hard drive with 1 TB capacity. Targeted at photographers and videographers on the go, the WD Scorpio Blue features low power consumption, WhisperDrive technology for quiet operation and improved long term reliability due to reduced head wear. The drive is available for $139.

Mac OS X 10.7 Lion is now available as a download from the Mac App Store. Nikon has already announced that it is testing a number of its own applications for compatibility with the new operating system. Programs being tested include Capture NX 2, ViewNX 2, Camera Control Pro 2, WT-4 Setup Utility/Thumbnail Selector, and PC-PJ Transfer. Nikon will announce its plans regarding full compatibility once testing is complete. The Japanese company has expressly stated that it would not provide compatibility with older versions of these programs. Older applications, such as the Nikon Scan series, will not be updated either.

Photogenic Professional Lighting has announced a full line of new lighting kits, including the Solair, PowerLight, and StudioMax III series. Each kit includes at least one monolight with reflector and a softbox, while multi-light kits also include an Eclipse umbrella. Many Solair and PowerLight kits come with PocketWizard receivers built into the monolight housing, and all Solair and PowerLight kits include Photogenic Heavy Duty Air-Cushioned Stands. There are six new Solair kits, eight new PowerLight kits and ten new StudioMax kits in total.

Samsung has launched a new range of high performance SDHC and micro SDHC memory cards. All of the cards in Samsung’s memory line-up, divided into Essential and Plus, now provide fast read speeds of 24MB/s. The premium ‘Plus’ range have the highest available class 10 speed rating, offering a class-leading write speed of up to 21MB/s. Pricing ranges from £7.99 for the 2Gb Essential SDHC card to £38.99 for the 16Gb Plus SDHC card.

Corbis Images today announced the acquisition of Splash News. Founded in 1990, Splash News is a leading independent entertainment news and photography agency with more than 3,000 active photographers in entertainment hubs throughout North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific. “With the addition of Splash, Corbis will provide our customers the most comprehensive, unique and differentiated offering in the high-growth entertainment sector—from candid celebrity to high-end portraiture to motion,” said Gary Shenk, CEO of Corbis.

X-Rite today announced the Colour Perfectionists Unite photo contest. Photographers are invited to submit original photos based on each monthly theme through the end of 2011. Each monthly winner will also be featured on the X-Rite Photo blog and will receive one of X-Rite’s new display solutions – either a ColorMunki Display or an i1Display Pro – and a ColorChecker Passport (pictured). To submit your photographs visit the website below.

Black Rapid has rolled out a revised version of its RS-5 camera strap. Manufactured from ballistic nylon rather than the ripstop nylon of the previous version, the new BlackRapid R-Strap RS-5 features expanded storage, increased organisational features and enhanced closure. The RS-5 is priced at £75.00/$64.95.

Nikon today announced its headline sponsorship of the world-renowned Getty Images Gallery in London. Founded in 1996, Getty Images Gallery is London’s largest independent photographic gallery.  The Gallery’s aim is to showcase the most memorable as well as rarely seen imagery, through its programme of exhibitions which are all open to the public throughout the year. Adrian Murrell, Senior Vice President, Getty Editorial said: “We are delighted to welcome Nikon as headline sponsor of the Gallery.  We are very excited about the forthcoming opportunities to partner together and showcase iconic content.”

Pompidoo is a new brand for stylish camera bags aimed at female photographers. Made of natural leather, Pompidoo bags sport a modern and elegant design and a well thought-out form, and accommodate an SLR camera with lens and other accessories. The bags are available for €284.99 through the website below.

Adobe today announced the immediate availability of Adobe Photoshop Elements 9 Editor in the Mac App Store. This is a special edition that comes without the Elements Organiser component included in the retail edition. “The powerful capabilities in Photoshop Elements 9 Editor complement iPhoto perfectly, for users who want to take their photos to the next level with advanced compositing and stunning effects,” said Winston Hendrickson, vice president of Digital Imaging Products, Adobe. “Photoshop helped pioneer creativity on the Mac, so it’s appropriate that this special edition of Photoshop Elements is Adobe’s entry into the Mac App Store.” The price is $79.

Olympus has quietly introduced a new add-on electronic viewfinder (EVF) for the XZ-1 compact and all PEN cameras equipped with an accessory port. The VF-3 has a resolution of 920,000 dots, which is somewhat lower than that of the existing Olympus VF-2 but much higher than the 202,000 dots of the Panasonic DMW-LVF1. The VF-3’s 0.97x magnification is also less than the VF-2’s value of 1.15x, but it still offers 100% frame coverage. Unlike the VF-2, the new VF-3 has a shoe-lock mechanism. Pricing and availability to be confirmed.

Source: Olympus America via 1001 Noisy Cameras

Keingart has released PhotoMixer HD for iPad 2, an app that allows users to apply random filters to their photographs. With dozens of different effects on offer, PhotoMixer HD comes with “extra photo improving algorithms” and a fun, animated graphical user interface. PhotoMixer HD is available now on iTunes for $4.99.

Fujifilm Professional has announced the winner of its 2011 Student Awards. The title of ‘Fujifilm Student Photographer of the Year 2011’ goes to Celia Maumene of Newcastle College, who has also won £200 worth of Fuji films, a trophy, plus a professional quality portfolio by Genesis Imaging, together with a 20"x16” Clamshell Portfolio box. The printing will be supervised by Genesis Imaging’s creative director, Mark Foxwell, who will mentor Celia for the next twelve months. Celia will also receive a PR package from the promoter of the Awards, WPS Media.

Blurb has announced a new integration that enables Instagram users to quickly and easily turn their photos into professional-quality books. The Blurb integration automatically increases the resolution of Instagram camera phone images if necessary, making them suitable for a 7x7-inch square-format book. To create a book, users simply sign into their Instagram account on the Blurb website. The most popular image, based on the number of Instagram “likes”, is added to the cover. The most recent photos are then autoflowed into a book that can be previewed and purchased or edited using Blurb’s online bookmaking tool, Bookify. Pricing starts at under £7 ($11).

Kenro has announced the release of a new-generation Benro Flip Lock Aluminium Monopod and Transfunctional Travel Angel Tripod range. The Flip Lock Aluminium monopod has been designed for fast set ups and to combine the quality and strength of a stable camera support in situations where it is not possible to use a normal tripod.  Features include flip lock lever design legs, a padded handgrip and a hand strap for additional security. A swivel foot pad, with a large base and flexible ball and socket is designed to give a good grip on difficult or uneven surfaces. It has a maximum load of 18 kilograms and has a recommended retail price of £67.00. The also-new Travel Angel Transfunctional Series Tripods range in price from £220.00 for the smallest to £259.99 for the largest.

DxO Labs have released their detailed findings on the Olympus E-P3’s new 12-megapixel sensor. The overall DxO Mark Sensor score is 51, which is surprisingly low, given that even the older and cheaper Olympus E-PL2 achieved a somewhat higher rating. The site puts raw dynamic range at 10.1 stops (at base sensitivity), which sounds like a lot but is actually among the lowest values they’ve ever published for a digital camera. The E-P3’s low-light ISO score of 536 is also quite low for a recent interchangeable-lens camera, although higher than that of the Panasonic GF2’s rating of 506. (Remember that these numbers measure raw sensor performance only, and tell you nothing about things like the cameras’ handling, focusing and operational speed, image processing, mechanical quality or overall ease of use.)

Website: DxOMark