Nikon has issued an important service notice to owners of the Nikon D5000 digital SLR camera. Apparently, an electronic component related to power control in some Nikon D5000 units does not meet factory specifications and may, in certain circumstances, prevent the camera from turning on. Service related to this issue, including the cost of shipping affected D5000 cameras to Nikon, as well as their return to customers, will be free of charge. On 23 July Nikon will post the serial numbers of affected cameras at the website below.

Website: Nikon D5000 Service Advisory
Review: Read our in-depth review of the Nikon D5000

PhotoShelter has enhanced its Virtual Agency feature, which gives like-minded photographers a platform to band together and create niche agencies and collectively market their photos online. The recent updates enable photographers to brand their Virtual Agency with a custom name or logo, and introduces a simple navigation and background template. This provides a more consistent user experience for Virtual Agency visitors while maintaining the agency’s branding. PhotoShelter also welcomed WILD Photography, a new Virtual Agency which combines the work of legendary outdoor photographers Art Wolfe, Thomas Mangelsen, and David Doubilet. Each has embraced direct-to-client sales of stock photos instead of the traditional agency model, says PhotoShelter.

Architectural Photography by Adrian Schulz is a new book from Rocky Nook. It is a step-by-step guide to architectural photography both for the aspiring amateur photographer interested in architectural photography and for the professional photographer wanting to expand his skills in this domain. Adrian Schulz, both an architect and a photographer by training, uses real world projects to teach and illustrate how to capture outstanding images of buildings, inside and out, choose the right equipment and use it effectively, compose architectural shots, work with ambient and artificial light, and process images in an efficient workflow. The book is available for $44.95/£34.50.

PocketWizard has released the latest ControlTL firmware update; version 4.300. This update addresses several performance issues, especially with the Canon 5D Mark II camera and is recommended for all MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 owners. To install this update, simply connect your product to the PocketWizard Utility and click “check for updates” under the “maintenance” tab. If you do not have the Utility installed on your computer, it can be downloaded for free at www.PocketWizard.com/support/downloads.

Ricoh has issued a firmware update for its GX200 digital compact camera. Version 1.25 addresses minor issues related to the display of images in playback mode and the recording of orientation information when using long exposure times.

Website: Ricoh GX200 Firmware Update Service
Review: Read our in-depth review of the Ricoh GX200

This Saturday, 18 July 2009, over 900 photo walks will be held worldwide. Out of these, 33 will take place in the UK and Ireland. The event is organised by the National Association of Photoshop Pros (NAPP), and co-sponsored by Adobe. Participating photographers can post their images, provided they are processed in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, to the NAPP site for a chance to win a grand prize.

Website: Worldwide Photo Walk

Along the Water’s Edge, published by the Gallery of the American Landscape, is a volume of exceptional photographs made over the past twenty years by medium/large format photographer Timothy Wolcott. The author is a fine art landscape photographer and pioneer in pigment photography, who has captured images of rivers, streams, waterfalls and oceans like you have never seen them. Many of the original photographs comprising the book’s 79 images have been exhibited in museums, private corporations and fine art galleries worldwide. Along the Water’s Edge is available now in three versions via the web site at: http://www.galleryoftheamericanlandscape.com/book.html.

Verbatim has announced its new SureFire line of portable combo FW800/USB2 hard disk drives. Available now with capacities of 250GB, 320GB and 500GB, the rugged palm-sized drives combine power, convenience and the reliability of the Verbatim brand with a compact, sleek design, says the company. The bus-powered drives are equipped with one USB 2.0 port, and one FireWire® 800 port to deliver high-speed transfer rates of up to 800MB/s for FireWire 800 connections and 480MB/s when connected with USB 2.0—without requiring an AC power adapter.  Ready to use right out of the box, all cables are included. Verbatim SureFire Portable FW800/USB HDDs are ready to use with Mac OS X Leopard’s Time Machine™ backup application and can be easily reformatted for PCs. The suggested retail pricing is US$109.99 for the 250GB version, US$139.99 for the 320GB version and US$179.99 for the 500GB drive.

Ohanaware, specialists in photo editing software, announced the immediate availability of an update to their flagship product “Funtastic Photos”.  Funtastic Photos is allegedly a user-friendly photo editor for the Macintosh platform, with advanced effects engine and sharing capabilities. This update, which is free to existing customers, features a multitude of bug fixes and more built-in creativity, Ohanaware claims. Funtastic Photos, which requires requires a Power Macintosh G5 or Intel based Macintosh computer, running Mac OS X v 10.4 or later, is available today for the price of $34.99 USD before taxes.

Light Crafts today announced several updates to Aurora, its photo editing, organising, sharing and storing software, including the availability of Aurora for Mac users - and as a summer gift, offers it for free for 24 hours only.  Consumers can download and own Aurora permanently, for free, by visiting www.lightcrafts.com/aurora, selecting “Buy Now,” and entering FREE24 at check-out. The 24-hour promotion begins on Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at 9:15 a.m. EST and ends on Thursday, July 16, 2009 at 9:15 a.m. EST. Following the free promotion, Aurora for Mac and PC will be available for $19.95. For existing customers, the latest version is a free update.

Please note: The 24-hour offer has expired. You can still buy Aurora for $19.95.

Plustek has released the new Plustek OpticFilm 7600i dedicated 35mm film scanner, which boasts an optical resolution of 7200x7200dpi, an infrared channel for hardware-based dust and scratch removal, and a new white LED light source for more vivid results and precise colour rendering. The Plustek OpticFilm 7600i offers 48-bit scanning, a dMax of 3.5, a fast preview time of around 8 seconds and USB 2.0 connectivity via a supplied USB cable. The scanner weighs in at just 1.6kg and comes with a carry bag and two film holders; one for film strips of up to six frames, and one for up to four mounted slides. The Plustek OpticFilm 7600i is compatible with Windows 2000/XP/Vista and Mac OS 10.3.9 and higher. The SE version comes bundled with SilverFast 6.6 SE Plus Multi-Exposure, while the AI variant ships with SilverFast 6.6 AI Studio IT8 Multi-Exposure and comes with a free IT8 calibration target.

The Plustek OpticFilm 7600i is already listed by some European online retailers, who quote around €270-300 for the SE version and up to €450 for the AI variant. In the U.S.A. the OpticFilm 7600i has not been released yet.

Website: Plustek OpticFilm 7600i AI

Adesso Albums have introduced a new line of Instant Photo Guest Books, specifically designed for Fujifilm Instax 200 instant photos. “The instant gratification and fun, interactive nature of instant film have timeless appeal,” said Adesso Albums founder Lesley Mattos. “When Polaroid discontinued production of their film and cameras last year, both became increasingly difficult to find. We are delighted that Fuji brought their instant product to the U.S. market and enabled us to continue to provide our customers with the ability to create Adesso Album Instant Photo Guest Books for their life celebrations.”

Electrophysics, a Sofradir Group company, has introduced a new high performance night vision module for use with Canon full-frame digital SLR cameras such as the EOS-1Ds Mark III and EOS 5D Mark II. When used with the new AstroScope 9350EOS-FF, these digital cameras deliver bright, high-resolution green images of night-time scenes. Because the night vision module fits between the camera body and SLR lens, all the lens electrical connections are maintained and important lens features such as optical image stabilisation remain fully functional even in night vision mode. The modules deliver optimum performance, sharp detail and highest quality full-frame images with no vignetting, a common problem with other night vision configurations, the company says.

Website: Electrophysics

Apparently, winning a prestigious prize might just be the beginning of something rather than an end unto itself - photographer Darwin Wiggett, winner of the Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) 2008 award, talks of a ‘dramatic upturn’ in sales and commissions since winning the prize. “My career has really taken off since the announcement of my win. Although I had decent images and a strong portfolio before winning, I struggled to get noticed and people were not banging down my door to buy my images. But after winning TPOTY it was like my work suddenly had legitimacy and a large audience,” Wiggett says. Entries for the 2009 awards are open until 22 September. Entry is via print submission or online image upload through www.tpoty.com, with entry fees starting at £10.

Ben Roberts, the latest winner of The British Journal of Photography’s Project Assistance Awards, run in partnership with Nikon, is the latest photographer to be featured at Nova Gallery. Ben’s photo, ‘Glen Feshie, 6:30am’, will be available from the 14th July 2009 as a limited edition print in three sizes. The smallest size is priced at £19. The photo is from his series, ‘Higher Lands’, a project about youth culture and growing up in the unique environment of the Highlands of Scotland. Nova Gallery was launched last month, with the aim of I) helping up-and-coming photographers gain some exposure and sell prints, II) making contemporary photography more accessible and collectable and III) utilising the power of photography as a catalyst for positive social change.

Website: Nova Gallery

Sony was today announced as the UK’s leading technology brand in the 2009/10 Superbrands list. The announcement follows an independent selection process which tapped into the views of over 2,100 British consumers. The annual Superbrands survey, now in its 11th year, has become a key barometer on the strength of brands across a wide variety of sectors. The selection process was independently administered by The Centre for Brand Analysis (TCBA) on behalf of the Superbrands organisation. As a Superbrand, Sony has been recognised by the British public as representing quality, reliability and distinction.

Nick Kelsh, renowned photographer and author of eight photography books is introducing an easy-steps DVD entitled “How to Photograph Your Baby”. It is a warm, entertaining, and poignant look at common photography mistakes and offers simple, fun and effective ways to instantly improve results with a few quick tips. “How to Photograph Your Baby” DVD is available now at http://www.howtophotographyourbaby.com for $24.95.