Photoinduced.com has launched “Let’s Do Lunch”, a photo contest that asks you to take pictures of your midday meal and help feed the hungry. Participants are invited to log on to letdolunchcontest.com and submit their photos for any of four categories: Friends and Family- meals on a more personal level; Down to Business - lunch with a purpose; Street - delicacies only available on the boulevard; and Solo - meals on your own. The contest is now accepting paid online submissions from photographers. A grand prize winner and winners in each of the four categories will be selected by a panel of photography and food professionals. One Grand Prize winner and first place winners in each of the categories will receive a selection of prizes from HP, ThinkTank Photo, Adobe, NAPP, Nikon, Blurb.com. and more. Additionally, there will be a special Student Prize and a Peoples Choice winner.

Website: Let’s Do Lunch

Sigma Corporation of America has highlighted the work of four elite photographers - Chip Forelli, Paula Lerner, Stephen Mallon and Sean Perry - in its online photo gallery, “Our World: Awe-Inspiring Images.” All four photographers were given a Sigma DP2, with which they were not familiar and were encouraged to produce images that pay tribute to the camera’s image quality. The results are currently available on the company’s Web site for public viewing.

Website: Our World

Swiss Data Group has announced the launch of SnapHaven, an online photo storage site that guarantees the safety and security of members’ photographs for life. Users can import photos quickly through the SnapHaven Easy Photo Uploader desktop application, access them online at any time, and easily share them with family and friends. SnapHaven has no minimum purchase requirements and no recurring subscription fees. It costs three cents per picture for lifetime storage, and the first 100 photos uploaded are free. For more information on SnapHaven, visit the website below.

Website: SnapHaven

Joby, makers of the famed Gorillapod line of innovative tripods, have launched an iPhone app called Gorillacam. The application, which was actually created for Joby by a company called AppTight, endows the Apple iPhone with a range of standard camera functions such as a self-timer, an unlimited continuous shooting mode at up to 1.6 frames per second, and auto-saving of your photos in the background; but also adds a few advanced features such as a shooting grid overlay, a time-lapse function and a two-way electronic bubble level. Those wishing to take a photograph of themselves will appreciate the option of turning the whole iPhone screen into a shutter release, while anyone whose portraits have ever been ruined by the subject’s blinking will applaud the 3-shot burst feature that allows the iPhone camera to take three photos in rapid succession, at a single tap. The Gorillacam app is a free download from the Apple iPhone App Store.

Website: GorillaCam

Samsung has introduced the Samsung 800P, a new 8” digital photo frame with an 800x480-pixel backlit LCD panel. Other highlights include Bluetooth 2.0 support, 2 gigabytes of internal memory, microSD compatiblity and a remote controller. For now, the Samsung 800P is launched in the Korean market only, at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of 199,000 KRW. Currently there is no information on international pricing and availability.

Via Engadget

The Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) has announced the launch of a new trade show, called CP+.  The first exhibition of CP+ is scheduled to be held in “Pacifico Yokohama” of Yokohama-city, Kanagawa, between March 11th and 14th, 2010. The goal of CP+ is to create a new international photographic industry exhibition, something comparable to Photokina in Germany or PMA in the USA, which proves to be an ideal platform for camera equipment manufacturers, component/device suppliers and software developers alike to present their products/technologies on a global scale and to search for untapped business opportunities.  There will also be numerous lectures, seminars, galleries, panel discussions and speeches to facilitate and nurture further development of the photographic society at large.

Website: CP+

Olympus Europe has announced a limited-time offer on the Olympus E-P1, whereby every new buyer of the camera receives an FL-14 flash for free. The promotion starts on 12 December in the UK and on 15 December in continental Europe, and runs until the end of January 2010. This is strictly a European offer, and applies in each country to locally purchased stock only. The flash will be sent out direct to your home address, once you have registered online and sent in your receipt and barcode, which you need to do before 28 February 2010.

Website: Olympus E-P1 Promotion

Nikon Europe today announced a new super telephoto lens to replace the AF-S VR NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G IF-ED. The new VR II version features the new generation of Vibration Reduction technology, providing the ability to shoot hand-held at shutter speeds up to four stops slower than normal, and a new A/M focus mode. The latter is an addition to the existing M/A and M modes that enables autofocus priority even if the focus ring is being handled during shooting. The optical system of the new AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II is unchanged from its predecessor. Measuring 124mm x 267.5mm and weighing in at 2.9kg, this lens is comparatively compact for its class. The lens construction features eleven elements in eight groups, including three ED glass elements and Nano Crystal Coat. The recommended retail price is £5099.99 / €6050. The AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II is expected to hit the shelves on 29 January 2010.

Nikon has introduced a new 2x teleconverter, the AF-S TC-20E III, claiming it to be the world’s first teleconverter with an aspherical lens element. The new AF-S Teleconverter TC-20E III is designed to provide a seamless fit with the NIKKOR range of compatible telephoto lenses, and features rubber seals for body mount, tough release mechanism for intensive use and an oversized button for fast removal with gloved hands. It comes with newly designed caps and a practical storage pouch to protect it when not in use. The teleconverter, which goes between the body and the lens, causes a 2-stop light loss but maintains the closest focusing distance of the lens while doubling its maximum reproduction ratio. Optically, it is quite a complex design with seven elements (including an aspherical one) arranged in five groups. Going on sale on 29 January, the new AF-S Teleconverter TC-20E III has a recommended retail price of £449.99 / €533.

Pentax has just announced the smc Pentax-D FA Macro 100mm F2.8 WR, a weather-resistant tele-macro lens for use on Pentax digital and film SLRs. This macro lens features a high-grade aluminium barrel, and its exterior design has been greatly refined from that of the existing Pentax D FA-series lenses. As the WR designation suggests, the lens features a simplified weather-resistant construction, protecting the lens barrel from moisture.  By mounting the lens on a Pentax weather-resistant digital SLR camera body, it offers greater durability and reliability when shooting in conditions such as rain or mist. Also, the Pentax-D FA MACRO 100mm F2.8 WR is the first Pentax interchangeable macro lens featuring a completely rounded diaphragm blade. A working distance of 13cm facilitates the shooting of timid or dangerous creatures, such as insects. The smc Pentax-D FA Macro 100mm F2.8 WR features 1:1 (life-size) magnification, Pentax-developed Quick Shift Focus system and an image circle accommodating the image size of 35mm film-format cameras. The new Pentax lens is expected to go on sale in December 2009 or January 2010, at a recommended retail price of £679.99.

Selected items from the Olympus E-System DSLR range are now available for hire at competitive rates via the Olympus UK E-System User Group, an online community and resource founded by Digital Photography Now editor Ian Burley. The hire stock of E-System lenses, camera bodies, and accessories, is being provided by Olympus UK, enabling the e-group to offer very competitive rates. “Probably the greatest attraction of the Olympus E-System is the range of Zuiko Digital lenses,” Ian explains, “and even if you could never justify the cost of owning one of the amazing Top Pro lenses, they are now accessible to many more E-System photographers.” For more detailed information on the e-group equipment hire service, visit the group’s website.

Website: Olympus UK E-System User Group

Shutterfly today announced Wink, a new service that combines real-time sharing with photo printing. Wink enables consumers to create and share printed photostrips using pictures from iPhones and social network sites like Facebook and Flickr. Creating and sending a photostrip in Wink takes just seconds: choose a template, add and adjust a few photos, and send to yourself and friends. Photostrips can be delivered anywhere in the world for $2.50 including tax and shipping, the company says. For more information, download the app from iTunes or visit the Wink website.

Website: Wink

Cooliris has announced Cooliris Express, a free tool that lets non-technical users showcase their photo and video content in a compelling way. With Cooliris Express users can easily build and share fully customisable, cohesive, and immersive “walls” of photos and videos – not just a single photo or album – to websites, social networks, and blogs. With Cooliris Express users of all skill sets can pull any number of videos and photos from Flickr, Picasa, YouTube, or any media RSS feed; easily build a customised Cooliris Wall gallery for a supported social media site, their personal web site, or a business website and share it within seconds, the company claims.

Website: Cooliris Express

Sigma has issued a statement on the compatibility of its cameras and software with Microsoft’s new operating system, Windows 7. The company notes that the Sigma SD14, DP1, DP1s (pictured) and DP2 are recognised as a mass storage device by Windows 7, but the Sigma SD9 and SD10 are not. Users of these cameras can transfer their photos to a computer running Widows 7 via a Compact Flash card reader. Version 3.5.2 of the Sigma Photo Pro software can be used on computers with 32-bit Windows 7 installed, albeit with limitations that are to be solved by an upcoming software update. 64-bit operating systems are not supported.

Fotolia has announced that it now offers over eight million images for download. As the first microstock to offer extended licenses, Fotolia provides instant access to a diverse image library of royalty?free photos, vectors and videos starting at $1. Over 1.4 million professionals look to Fotolia for affordable, high-resolution images, the company claims. Founded in New York City in 2004, Fotolia spans the globe with websites in 10 languages and offices in 12 countries.

Website: Fotolia

DxO Labs have released DxO Optics Pro v6.1 for Windows, an update that adds RAW support for 3 new cameras - the Canon EOS 7D and PowerShot G11, and the Nikon D3000. For this new release, DxO Labs fixed several bugs and also made some improvements to the user interface, based on customer feedback and suggestions, including full-screen display mode for increased visual comfort, additional shortcuts for improved productivity and additional presets for increased flexibility. Furthermore, 56 new DxO Optics Modules are now available to DxO Optics Pro users, covering the Canon 7D, 400D, 450D, 500D, Nikon D3, D300, D300s, D40x, and D3000; the Olympus E-30, E-420, E-510, and E-620; and the Sony A300, A850 and A900. DxO Optics Pro v6.1 for Windows, both Standard and Elite editions, are immediately available from both DxO Labs’ e-store and selected resellers at a 30 % discount until 31 December 2009. This means the standard edition is now £69 instead of £99, while the elite edition can be yours for £139 instead of £199.

Website: DxO Labs

The TrekPod II, an easy to use, flexible camera stabilisation tool that quickly converts from monopod to a tripod to a hiking staff, is now available in the UK. The new TrekPod II with brushed nickel finish weighs only 0.79kg but can support 12.7kg. As a hiking staff and monopod, the TrekPod II adjusts from 43” to 62.5”. In tripod mode, the TrekPod II telescopes from 39” to 57.5”. With a suggested retail price of £79.99, the new TrekPod II now includes over £40 worth of free accessories, including a quick release ball head and a rugged carry-case. In the UK, the TrekPod II is sold by JP Distribution.

Website: Trek-Tech

Rocky Nook have announced the release of a new photography book, entitled The Portrait by Glenn Rand and Tim Meyer. The two authors “have avoided the single-style viewpoint common to so many books on portraiture and have crafted a definitive resource for professionals, as well as students and avid amateurs,” the publisher says. Topics covered include, among others, the mastering of lighting ratios, the quality of light, lighting patterns on the human face the importance and selection of backgrounds, composition in portraiture, eliciting the appropriate expression and more; including extensive coverage of lighting setups. The 170-page book sells for $34.95 / £26.99.

Website: The Portrait

Ricoh have issued a firmware update for the Ricoh CX2 digital compact camera. Version 1.14 addresses the following issue:

The startup time may take longer than usual when turning on the camera in a My setting mode in some combinations of the My setting registrations.

Website: Ricoh CX2 Firmware