Samsung Digital Imaging today announced the arrival of the ultra slim, 12.2-megapixel ST550 and ST500 compact cameras, which boast a ‘world first’: front and back LCD display technology for easy self-portraits. The hidden 1.5” LCD located on the front of the camera allows consumers to take accurate portraits using the front image as a guide – whether it’s a group shot with friends or a snap of yourself on holiday. There is no need to even press the shutter button – a big smile is enough to trigger the cameras to take the picture. On the reverse, the Samsung ST550 features the world’s highest resolution 3.5” wide touch screen LCD. A Smart Gesture User Interface with built-in orientation sensor, means a simple tap or hand gesture allows users to access key features quickly. Furthermore, the ST550 and ST500’s One Touch Auto Focus feature allows you to focus on a user-defined part of the frame by simply touching the desired area. Both the ST500 and the ST550 come with a 27-124mm equivalent zoom lens. 720p video recording at 30 frames per second rounds off the feature set of the new cameras, the difference being that only the ST550 also features HDMI connectivity via an optional adapter. The ST500 will be available in silver, red and blue colours, and the ST550 will come in black, gold, orange and purple from late August. The US versions of these cameras are called the Samsung TL220 and the Samsung TL225, and will hit the shelves in September priced at $299.99 and $349.99, respectively.

Samsung has issued a firmware update for its GX-20 digital SLR camera. Version 1.03 improves the accuracy of the mechanical shake reduction system. You can download the Samsung GX-20 firmware update from the website below.

Website: Samsung GX-20 Firmware
Review: Read our in-depth review of the Samsung GX-20

The new Phantom Miro eX series from Vision Research offers users a custom-designed CMOS sensor capable of shooting 500-1,200 frames per second, and is available in resolutions of 640x480 (Miro eX1, Miro eX2) and 800x600 (Miro eX4). The Phantom Miro eX also offers super-fast exposure times as low as two microseconds (1/500,000 second), allowing users to freeze fast-moving objects and eliminate blur from their video. Maximum sensitivity is ISO 1200 for colour capture and ISO 4800 for monochrome. The Miro eX features a conductive fiber filled polycarbonate body, which reduces the camera’s overall weight to 1.5 pounds (without lens). Vision Research also redesigned the grip to allow the camera to be more comfortable in the hand. All controls are accessed directly through the Phantom Miro eX’s advanced 3.5 inch touch-screen LCD. A built-in triggering system allows users to program the Phantom Miro eX to automatically begin recording as soon as motion is detected within a specific point in the frame (available on Miro eX2 and Miro eX4). The Phantom Miro eX will be available with options of 1GB, 2GB or 4GB of internal memory (1GB only on Miro eX1) and is also compatible with CompactFlash cards. The Phantom Miro eX1 model is priced at less than $10,000 - or you can rent it for two days for $750 - and is available for online ordering only at the website below.

Website: Vision Research

Shoot it!, LLC, today announced the launch of its postcard messaging application for the iPhone. Available on the iPhone App Store, the shoot it! application allows users to take a picture, create a personal message and have it mailed as a real postcard from anywhere to anyone in the world (US & Western Europe open now - other countries soon). Available for 99 cents at the iPhone App Store, shoot it! comes with one free postcard.

Adventure Collection, an alliance of ten premium adventure travel companies has launched an adventure travel photo contest, “Adventures of a Lifetime”. The competition celebrate the launch of the alliance’s new website, AdventureCollection.com.  Grand prizes include five extraordinary trips - Adventure Collection journeys for two to Tibet, the Czech Republic, the Galapagos and other locations around the world. All adventure travellers are invited to enter their best adventure travel photos at Adventures of a Lifetime Photo Contest. Five contest finalists will be selected each month from August through November by popular vote. The winner will be chosen by a panel of distinguished travel journalists, editors and photographers, including Conde Nast Traveler consumer news editor Wendy Perrin, renowned photographer Robert Holmes, Jim Benning, founder and editor of the Travel Channel’s WorldHum.com, Los Angeles Times travel editor Catharine Hamm, and Adventure Collection editor in chief Don George. We recommend that you read the rules thoroughly before entering.

BUILT has announced the expansion of its line of stylish and protective neoprene accessories for cameras and laptops, and debuts four new accessories at IFA including the Cargo Travel Organizer, Cargo Camera Bags, and Large Soft Shell Camera Case. “Shutterbugs have a reason to rejoice with the debut of the Medium and Large Cargo Camera Bags,” the company says. “They’ll love the cool designs, but these bags don’t coast on good looks alone—they’re big enough to hold a large range of SLR cameras and accessories. The two layers of neoprene provide extra protection to keep equipment safe, and the removable Velcro dividers allow for customisation every time it’s used.” BUILT has also announced a Large Soft Shell Camera Case that provides easy access — and extra protection — for long zoom cameras. You can see the new camera bags at the upcoming IFA show in Berlin, in Hall 12, Stand 101.

The new TwinLink flash radio trigger kit from Seculine comprises a 16 channel radio transmitter and receiver, which use a combination of both radio and IR technology to ensure the reliability of the triggering mechanism, whilst also giving a range of up to 150ft indoors and 600ft outside. The system can be used with studio flash systems from most manufacturers and incorporates a facility to attach the receiver magnetically to the case of your studio flash head or generator. The receiver also has a built in flash hot shoe so that it can be used to attach and trigger your standard camera flashgun, while being mounted directly on a tripod head – or even maybe a Gorillapod. The Seculine TwinLink T2D Radio Flash Trigger will be available at the end of August at a suggested retail price of £119.99 including VAT.

Kubota Image Tools has announced the newest addition to the Kubota Lightspeed Workflow family – new Kubota RPG SpeedKeys for Lightroom 2. Kubota RPG SpeedKeys for Lightroom 2 is a wireless USB keypad with 1-button access to: essential adjustments such as brightness, exposure, fill light and more; the most popular Kubota Lightroom presets; and advanced tools such as paint with light, burn, soften skin, and hand-colour. The Kubota RPG SpeedKeys comes loaded with 29 Kubota Lightroom Presets. As a bonus, the SpeedKeys comes with the entire collection of Kubota Lightroom Presets v3, which includes develop, export, print, filter and more. The system requirements are a PC or Mac running Adobe Lightroom 2 or higher, and an available USB 2.0 port. The Kubota RPG SpeedKeys for Lightroom are available for purchase at: http://www.kubotaimagetools.com/ for $349.

In this year’s Summer Sale Pixum offers the most popular photo prints sizes, 4”, 4.5” and 5”, with up to 54% discount. The greatest novelty of this Summer Sale is that customers do not need to enter a voucher code – all prices are reduced automatically. The special Pixum Summer Sale prices are: 4” prints for 4p, 4.5” prints for 6p and 5” prints for 8p. Customers only need to upload their pictures to Pixum and order prints in the sizes they wish to receive for reduced rates. The Summer Sale ends on 31 august 2009.

Nikon Corporation has announced the winners of the Nikon Photo Contest International 2008-2009. One of the world’s largest and most prestigious photo contests, the Nikon Photo Contest International, held since 1969 and staged every other year, provides an opportunity for photographers around the world to communicate and enrich photographic culture for professionals and amateurs alike. This year’s theme was Nikon’s brand statement, “At the heart of the image.” Peter G. Allinson, M.D, of Kingsville, MD, received first place in the “My Planet” category, for his work, entitled “Friends.” The Nikon Photo Contest International also recognised Danny Ghitis, of Brooklyn, N.Y., as one of four “Emerging Talents.” The full list of winners, along with their works, can be seen on the Nikon Photo Contest International website.

Website: Nikon Photo Contest International

Several sources have confirmed that Apple now offers an antiglare option for the 15-inch MacBook Pro. Such an option has already been available for the 17-inch MacBook Pro for some time, but the 15-inch variant has hitherto been offered with a high-gloss screen only. Given that glossy monitors, while trendy, are impractical to use anywhere but a darkened room; this is definitely good news for MacBook Pro users. Moreover, matte screens are allegedly better at displaying colours accurately, which is an important point for photographers. The antiglare option for the 15-inch MacBook Pro is available as a $50 / €45 upgrade from Apple.

Via photoscala | cnet | AppleInsider

Aerial photographers and videographers will be excited to see the newest product from Draganfly Innovations Inc. - the Draganflyer X4 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, a computer-stabilised, miniature airborne platform with a wireless video downlink and remote flight control. The four-rotor, 680 gram electric helicopter is a flying platform capable of vertical take-off and landing, and is classified as an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The Draganflyer X4 UAV helicopter carries a camera which captures high resolution aerial photographs and high definition video. This onboard camera features remote controlled zoom, tilt, and shutter. The viewfinder signal from the camera is transmitted wirelessly from the helicopter and received by an embedded video receiver in the handheld controller. This video can also be displayed on video glasses allowing the user to see what the helicopter sees. Availability is slated for Fall 2009.

If you’ve been craving a Panasonic GH1 ever since it came out, now’s your chance to win one by joining Panasonic’s LivingInHD community and uploading your favourite summer photos or videos that meet the weekly theme of their End of Summer Celebration. Entrants can also include a caption that provides viewers with helpful information about the content’s subject. The photos and videos uploaded to the site will spark ideas for summer weddings, roadtrips, vacations and foods, while giving members the chance to win their choice of either the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 digital camera (valued at $1,499.95) or a 50-inch VIERA G10 Series Plasma TV (valued at $1799.95). The End of Summer Celebration Giveaway contest runs through 6 September 2009.

Website: LivingInHD
Review: Read our in-depth review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1

Lowepro has introduced the latest addition to its Classified Series, the Classified Sling.  Designed to quickly rotate from back to front allowing you to work out of the roomy and deep side-entry compartment, the Classified Sling is ideal to travel with and part of the discreet Classified range of protective camera bags, the company says. There are two sizes to choose from, the 180 AW and the 220 AW. The 180 AW offers a stabiliser strap with a sliding buckle to provide extra stability when on the move. It also features a pocket that fits a 7-9” netbook, while the 220 AW includes a tuck-away waistbelt to offer extra comfort and evenly distribute weight, plus a zippered padded pocket that fits up to a 15.4” widescreen laptop. Available in black the Classified Sling can be purchased from all good stockists priced from around £100.

Verbatim announced today its new TUFF-’N’-TINY family of ultra-portable USB drives with capacities of 4GB in emerald green and 8GB in royal purple (pictured). The new TUFF-’N’-TINY drives measure about 1-inch long, one-half inch wide and are the thickness of a penny. With support for Windows (2000, XP, Vista), Mac OS (9.x or higher) and Linux (kernel 2.6x or higher) systems, the TUFF-’N’-TINY USB Drives also provide true cross-platform compatibility and a convenient way to transfer files between systems. Verbatim’s new travel-tough USB drives include a key ring lanyard that can be clipped on a key ring, PDA or cell phone to ensure that the user’s data is always conveniently at hand. The new drives are available with retail prices starting at $30 for the 4GB variant and $50 for the 8GB version.

Epson America Inc. is offering a $40 instant rebate on two of its new all-in-one devices. Those buying an Epson Stylus NX415 or an Epson Stylus NX515 printer/scanner/copier until the end of this month will get the rebate right at the point of sale. The Epson Stylus NX415 and NX515 were announced in May and are currently available through major computer, office and electronic superstores, a variety of retail stores, mail order, PC manufacturers, the Internet, and Epson’s own retail site, www.epsonstore.com.

Imatronics have launched version 3.0 of Panorama Express, designed to make it easy for anyone to create, manage and publish spectacular virtual tour packages. Users can simply open their photos (standard or panoramic) and Panorama Express automatically creates a professional virtual tour complete with transition effects, attractive skin packaging, engaging startup screens and more. A free trial version can be downloaded from the website below.

Website: Panorama Express

Tiny Prints have teamed up with the photo book expert, MyCanvas.com, to launch a premium photo books service. With the premium photo books from Tiny Prints and MyCanvas, consumers can now take their favourite snapshots and create charming, one-of-a-kind photo books using fresh and modern design templates exclusively from Tiny Prints artists, while also adding a variety of borders, embellishments and more. For more information, visit the website below.

Website: Tiny Prints