Shortcut Software has announced the availability of Silkypix Developer Studio 4.0. While Silkypix is produced by a Japanese company called Ichikawa Soft Laboratory, the international distribution of the program has been managed for the past two years by Shortcut Software, which is headquartered in the US. Features new to version 4.0 include watermarking, editing of IPTC properties, history management, multi-CPU support, printer profiles and options, and more. Batch processing, shortcut keys and the cropping control panel have been improved. Silkypix Developer Studio 4.0 is available now for $149.

On 15 October, Peartree is organising a special Open Day, an event designed to introduce all the key members of Leaf, Phase One and Peartree by showcasing the latest digital technology. Guests will have the chance to discover the new Leaf Aptus II series, which is an open platform high-end digital back with resolution of up to 56 megapixels. Peartree will have both medium and large format cameras on display as we demonstrate the versatility of Leaf’s new range, which is able to connect to over 70 cameras. Not only will you get to test the latest camera systems, you’ll also get to work through Leaf Capture and understand the finer details of the software. You can register by emailing [email protected] or calling 020 7033 7371.

The Samyang 14mm f2.8 is a new ultrawide, full-frame manual-focus lens that will be available in Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony/Minolta mounts. According to the official Samyang Poland website, the lens has 14 elements in 12 groups, including two ED- and two hybrid aspherical elements. The angle-of-view is 114 degrees on full-frame and film bodies, and about 2/3rds of that on cropped-sensor DSLRs. Samyang Poland has made available three Nikon D3x raw images for download, all of which were apparently shot using this lens. Availability of the Samyang 14mm f2.8 is slated for November 2009. The site indicates a suggested retail price of PLN 999, which translates into less than $360 / £220.

Website: Full-sized Samyang 14mm f2.8 Samples

Via 1001 Noisy Cameras

GigaTribe announced today the availability of GigaTribe Version 3 free file sharing software - a solution for online social communities to securely share unlimited amounts of photos, videos, music, and other files with their “tribe” of friends, in a private, fully-encrypted peer-to-peer environment. Version 3 offers the following features for online communities: GigaTribe’s interface can be branded with the online community’s logo and colours, communities can push their messages through a news page that is displayed each time GigaTribe is launched, GigaTribe users can get a list of all the community members who are also using the customised version of GigaTribe, an ‘Add Contact’ button will provide search features restricted to community members only, while large communities will receive special discounts on licenses of GigaTribe’s “Ultimate” version, with more advanced features. GigaTribe version 3 “basic” is available for free, while GigaTribe version 3 “Ultimate” is priced at $4.99/month or $29.95 a year.

Website: Gigatribe

Apple will be hosting a webinar, complete with an interactive Q & A section, delivered by sports and fashion photographer Mark Newton. The webinar takes place between 7 and 8pm on 24 September 2009, at the Apple Store UK website. Mark will talk live about how Apple Aperture has extended his creativity and about the tools he uses to create great images on location, plus you get to see a video showing him at work, and finally, you can also chat wit him in an interactive question-and-answer session. The webinar is free to attend, but advance registration is required. You can register at the website below.

Website: Meet the Expert: Mark Newton, Photographer

Acronis has launched Acronis True Image Home 2010, the latest version of its consumer backup and recovery software. Taking a full backup image with Acronis True Image Home 2010 prior to moving to Windows 7 provides the ability to quickly and easily recover the entire PC, including the operating system, applications, updates and files, if a roll back is necessary.The new Acronis Nonstop Backup feature offers users total system and data protection through automatic, incremental backups, allowing complete roll back to any point in time. According to Acronis, users can have complete confidence that their entire computer – photos, music, email, and family data as well as operating system, applications, and settings – are protected around the clock. Acronis True Image Home 2010 is available for download at www.acronis.co.uk and is also available through major retailers. Recommended retail price is £39.95.

The New York Underwater Photographic Society will be hosting “20,000 Bytes Under The Sea”, a special presentation by legendary National Geographic photographer and IMAX filmmaker, Emory Kristof. Kristof, whose innovative photography uncovers the heretofore-unexplored worlds of deep-sea animals, will recount the challenges and solutions encountered in bringing back striking images from miles down in the world’s oceans. The presentation will take place on 30 October 200, in New York’s Bleecker Street Theatre. Admission is complimentary, and since seating is limited, advance registration is mandatory to get on the guest list. Send an RSVP to [email protected], with the words “RSVP Special Event” in the subject line. In the body of the email, include your full name and your city and state of residence.

Futuresource, a specialist research and knowledge-based consulting company, says that while sales of digital compact cameras will definitely decrease in 2009, DSLRs will enjoy a healthy growth of 13% in Western Europe. These findings are part of a broader study of the portable consumer electronics market in Europe, which also covers pocket video cameras, smartphones, netbooks and mobile Internet devices. Allegedly, the market is growing fuelled by an expanding number of users, growing as it expands to include younger and older consumers, more females, and less affluent households. Meanwhile, consumers are also replacing their devices more quickly than they used to - as an example, average camera replacement has reduced from 6-8 years to 3-5 years.

Redrock Microsystems have announced a wide range of updates and new accessories to enhance DSLRs capable of shooting video. Firstly, all Redrock DSLR rigs are now shipping with carbon fibre rods, which are claimed to be 66% lighter than comparable stainless steel rods. Secondly, Redrock Micro have created theEvent DSLR rig for weddings/events and photojournalists, pitched as an affordable quality solution for handheld videography with maximum stability. Thirdly, they have introduced a convenient accessory to mount the Canon IR remote release for start/stop video recording on Canon DSLRs. Also, there is better support for DSLRs with battery grips, and improved viewfinder positioning for shouldermount rigs. The new Redrock Micro DSLR accessories are available for immediate ordering direct from Redrock and from select Redrock resellers, and are expected to ship before the end of September. Specific pricing depends on configuration and options.

Today LaCie announced the latest versions of its Portable DVD±RW Drive, design by Sam Hecht. The newest incarnation includes new multimedia burning solutions, allowing users to piece together sophisticated movie, music, and photo projects in a matter of minutes. Featuring two versions for easy setup and seamless compatibility, users can choose from the multimedia burning solution for Mac or PC. The Windows version comes with Creator Suite 10, while the combined Mac and Windows version comes with Toast 9 Basic, as well as Creator Suite 10. The LaCie Portable DVD±RW will be available in versions for Mac and PC, through the LaCie Store Online, LaCie Reseller+ and LaCie Corner, starting at the suggested retail price of $89.99 / £64.99 VAT included..

Minox has announced an addition to its Classic Camera Collection - the Minox DCC 5.0 White Edition. This is a miniaturised version of an 1950s rangefinder camera, which offers a resolution of 5 megapixels. The DCC has been designed in white for this new special edition and comes in a black, satin-lined wooden box with brass trim. There is an optical viewfinder on board, though there is no mention of an actual rangefinder being coupled to it. You can also use the 1.5” rear screen for composition and checking focus. The Minox DCC 5.0 White Edition has 128MB of internal memory but can also record images on SD or SDHC cards of up to 16GB in capacity. The lens is a 42mm-equivalent f/2 Minoctar. The camera is compatible with the Minox Classic Camera Flash. The MINOX Digital Classic Camera 5.0 White Edition is available from specialist dealers from October 2009.

We caught up with Pentax last week to have a look at their new K-x DSLR camera.

Seamlessly slotting in between the entry-level K-m and prosumer K-7 models, the Pentax K-x is largely based on the design of the former camera, but inherits many of the features of the latter. Pentax are aiming the K-x at users who want something more advanced than an entry-level DSLR such as the K-m, with its small size, light weight and ease-of-use making it ideal for the enthusiast looking for a compact yet sophisticated camera.

Click through to read the full Pentax K-x preview…

The Pentax K-x is a new 12.4 megapixel mid-range DSLR camera. Featuring a newly developed CMOS image sensor, the Pentax Kx offers a wide sensitivity range between ISO 200 and 6400 (expandable to 100-12800), 2.7 inch LCD screen, Live View with three different focusing modes, and in-built Shake Reduction. Based on the compact and lightweight design of the K-m camera, the Pentax Kx can shoot HD movies at 1280 x 720 pixels at 24 frames per second, 4.7 still frames per second in high-speed continuous shooting mode, and has a high-precision 11-point AF sensor. The K-x is being launched in conjunction with the new smc PENTAX-DA L 55-300mm F4-5.8 ED super-telephoto zoom lens, which comes as part of a K-x twin lens kit package. The Pentax K-x will be available in black, white, red and blue in October for £599.99 / $599.95 with the 18-55mm DAL kit lens (also available in all four colours), and £749.99 / $849.95 with the 8-55mm DAL and 55-300mm DAL double kit lens. An additional kit with the smc PENTAX DA L 18-55mm lens and smc PENTAX DA L 50-200mm zoom lenses is available in the US for $749.95.

The Pentax Optio M85 is a new simple and stylish digital compact camera. Offering a 12 megapixel resolution CCD sensor, 32-96mm 3 x optical zoom lens and 3 inch LCD screen, the Pentax M85 is only 19mm thick and weighs 128g. The Pentax M85 will be available in October 2009.

HDRtist is a new, free and easy-to-use HDR generator and tone mapper from Ohanaware. It creates a high-dynamic-range image from multiple exposures, and tone maps it in a single step. HDRtist features 4 different tone mapping techniques, and an intuitive method of switching between them. And, while HDRtist was designed for the creation of HDR images, you can use it on a single photo and it will still produce some great results. Basically you are just applying the Tone Mapping part in this case. Users of the company’s Funtastic Photos software can also export their HDR images to Funtastic Photos for further editing if they wish.

Website: HDRtist

German online photo agency Polylooks, which is backed by Deutsche Telekom, has launched its service in the UK. Polylooks already contains more than 35,000 UK-generated images alongside its extensive European portfolio and the site is looking to expand its British photo collection, including 20,000 from its UK partner Monkey Business Images. The microstock market is currently dominated by North American providers, the company said, meaning more European-specific content was needed to cater for rising demands this side of the Atlantic.Photographers who exclusively post their material on Polylooks receive 50 per cent of the net sale price and those with non-exclusive arrangements receive 35 per cent.

Website: Polylooks

Sony is launching a version of its MicroVault Click USB storage device with 32GB capacity. According to Sony, the new model will be welcomed by anyone who has to handle HD video or high definition still images in volume. Owners of sophisticated DSLR cameras will appreciate the ease and convenience of so much capacity at their fingertips when it comes to managing serious quantities of high resolution still images. The MicroVault Click can even go beyond the 32GB mark thanks to unique Virtual Expander data compression software pre-loaded onto each unit. This allegedly gives people the option of tripling capacity with a simple drag and drop function. MicroVault Click 32GB is available in September and is covered by a 5 year warranty.

Fodor’s Travel announced the latest in their series of travel photography contests, “Show Us Your Greece,” where North American visitors to Fodors.com will have the opportunity to upload and share their favourite photos of Greece with other visitors and the chance to win prizes, including Fodor’s guides.  One grand prize winner will have his/her photograph featured in Fodor’s Greece or Fodor’s Greek Islands and will receive a suite of Fodor’s latest full-color guides. Ten runners up will win two Fodor’s guides of their choice and all winning photos will be featured in an online gallery. Photo submissions will be accepted at www.Fodors.com/contest/Greece/ from September 14 to October 5, 2009. As with other Fodor’s travel photo contests, only US and Canadian residents (excluding those living in Quebec) are eligible to win. We encourage you to read the rules in full before entering your work.

International Medical Corps and Three Hawks Press announce the release of “A Thousand Words: Photos from the Field,” a photography book documenting the humanitarian crises of the last quarter century. The book was more than two years in the making. Those involved worked on a pro bono basis–donating their time, talent, photographs, and in some cases, dollars. While the images captured in the book reveal the devastation of war, famine and natural disaster, they also are a testament to the power of compassion, strength and innovation in helping people recover from crisis and rebuild their lives. Net proceeds from the book sales will be donated to International Medical Corps.

Website: “A Thousand Words: Photos from the Field” on Amazon