Picmeta Systems have released version 5.2 of their Picture Information Extractor, which includes numerous new features such as batch editing of IPTC metadata. The new PIE 5.2 is allegedly the smallest photo browser and viewer available that integrates an editor for IPTC data with batch editing capabilities. Editing of metadata now works with all RAW formats. Many formats allow EXIF and IPTC metadata to be written directly into the file, thus no external database or sidecar file is required. The EXIFcare technology ensures that all information contained in the file is maintained. A free evaluation version of PIE 5.2 can be downloaded from the Picmeta Website. The software runs on Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP and Vista. The full version costs US$ 35. Licensed users are entitled to lifetime free updates.

Website Picture Information Extractor

Bogen Imaging has just announced a free webinar titled “Adventure Sports Photography: Round Table with Adventure Photographer Michael Clark.” This webinar will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT, on Friday, July 17th. Topics for discussion include adventure photography fundamentals, artificial lighting, photo equipment, outdoor gear and how to shoot rock climbing, mountain biking and whitewater kayaking. Webinar participants will have access to a number of exclusive benefits, including one?on?one interaction with the guest speaker, and will be automatically entered in a chance to win one of three Gitzo Traveler Series 2 Carbon Fibre 6X Monopods. To register for the free Bogen Café webinar and for additional information, please visit http://www.bogenimaging.us/webinar/

California Sunbounce has announced the Sun-Mover pop-up reflector, which uses their Perma-Tense technology for etra permanent tension. The original design, created by John Russell Ritson in 1977, has been “dramatically improved” by the California Sunbounce design team. „Perma-Tense“ is the new name for the synergy effect of the California Sunbounce frames and the elastic material, which keeps the reflective screen under permanent tension when in use. The Sunbounce oval Perma-Tense design has a screen just small enough to hinder the frame form reverting to this relaxed and comfortable position, keeping it alert and extremely tense. The Sun-Mover is available at California Sunbounce and its dealers. Suggested retail price for the original Sunbounce silver/white screen is €79. The zebra/white screen (pictured) costs €89.

Website: California Sunbounce

Chris Golson’s Photography Adventures have announced a new photo workshop set in the San Francisco Bay Area that will include a photo shoot aboard a Zeppelin in flight. This three day luxury immersion programme takes place September 27 - 30 in Half Moon Bay, a small coastal community located 24 miles south of San Francisco. Leading the three-day shoot will be acclaimed Dutch photographer Dirk Karsten and noted Silicon Valley technologist and photographer Chris Golson. The workshop is designed to deepen the practical skills and artistic groundings of the aspiring beginner and intermediate photographer, and will include a mix of interactive classroom seminars and outdoor photo shoots. Foremost among the assignments will be the airborne safari from a Zeppelin. This luxury comes at a price though: the course fee is $3,600 per person.

Mvix has announced the worldwide launch of the Mvix Ultio, a hard-disk based media centre capable of HD digital media playback with video output as high as 1080p. Ultio’s high-end video processing not only plays Blu-Ray quality video, it allows to store entire Hi-Definition media on its internal hard drive, plug it into a TV via HDMI and enjoy movies, digital music and family photos on large LCD or Plasma. It is also capable of playing AVCHD format (normally used in camcorder footage but also offered by new digital cameras such as the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1). Other supported codecs and formats include, but are not limited to, H.264, MKV, Dixv HD, MOV, VC-1 and FLV. Mvix Ultio is being launched in 2 flavours: the regular version (without a HDD) is priced at $169, whereas the premium version (bundled with a 1TB hard drive) will be available at $259.

Bits&Coffee, the creators of batch image converter program BatchPhoto, have launched an online application designed to perform common image processing operations on pictures.  The tool is designed to be easy to use and easily accessible from any computer connected to the Internet. This is a free, no-frills service offered by Bits&Coffee as a complement to its commercial image converter program, BatchPhoto.

Website: online.batchphoto.com

Zacuto has introduced the Zgrip iPhone PRO, a completely adjustable and quick releasable handgrip system for shooting stable video using the iPhone 3Gs. The iPhone 3Gs snaps into the Zgrip and you are ready to shoot. The handgrip fully articulates, and all of the red levers allow you to adjust every angle to get those interesting, creative and smooth shots. The Zgrip iPhone PRO is available now from the Zacuto Store, priced at $295.

The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) has announced that it has launched a newly designed website with expanded resources available for all members of the photographic community. ASMP’s recently expanded web business resources, available free-of-charge, provide a forum for training in important skills. These include an updated copyright tutorial “Best Practices Guide for Registering Your Images;” access to the ASMP daily blog, a forum for timely idea exchange and comments; and educational videos covering topics such as pricing, negotiating, copyright and marketing.

Website: ASMP

Jobo AG has unveiled two new, “entry-level” digital photo frames, the Jobo Curve 7 and the Jobo Curve 8. The numbers in the product names refer to the approximate length of the screen diagonal in inches. The 7” variant has an elongated 480x234-pixel display, whereas the 8” version features a conventional 4:3 aspect ratio with a resolution of 800x600 pixels. The Jobo Curve 7 has full-screen and thumbnail modes and can display the images as a slideshow with a limited set of transitions. The Jobo Curve 8 offers numerous extra image transition effects and user-selectable intervals, and features a clendar / clock function too. Both Jobo Curve frames have an SD card slot plus a USB OTG interface, and come in a choice of black or white. The Jobo Curve 7 costs €59, while its bigger brother is available for €89.

Updated with the English-language press release.

Viewbook PhotoStory, a new contemporary photography contest opened its submissions today, encouraging all photographers around the world to submit their most compelling series of photographs. Viewbook PhotoStory 2009 challenges documentary and conceptual photographers around the world to create compelling stories with a linear series of photographs in an online gallery. Every professional photographer or emerging talent can easily submit their series free of charge using a 60 day, no obligation, Viewbook Pro account. The first prize winners receive international publications & lifelong subscriptions with a value exceeding $12,000. The best photo series get published in the Viewbook PhotoStory 2009 book. You must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Website: Viewbook PhotoStory

Nikon Systems, a subsidiary of Nikon Corporation, and Fujitsu Broad Solution & Consulting have established a new joint company, named “Nikon Imaging Systems Inc.”.The company will be solely responsible for the firmware development in Nikon digital cameras. Nikon Imaging Systems Inc., in which Nikon Systems holds 70%, will initiate operations in August 2009.

The winners of the June 2009 Photography Blog Competition have been selected by a panel of judges. The theme for June was “Texture” - you can view all of the entries in this gallery. Here are the 5 winners:

1st Place
mud pack man by danielle_t

Prize: ColorMunki Photo
Kindly donated by X-Rite
http://www.colormunki.com

VSO Software has released PhotoDVD 3, a major new version of its award-winning DVD slideshow software. With a new design, playlist management, menu and chapter creation PhotoDVD 3 offers features like a wizard-style interface to guide user through the steps of slideshow creation, photo enhancement tools, transitions, panning and zooming effects, three channels of text and music and a live preview to see the slideshow during creation. The software creates a DVD-like video of your pictures and music, with a menu complete with chapters, audio and subtitles selection. The complete version costs $25.99.

Website: VSO Software

Tamron has announced the pricing of the new Tamron SP AF60mm F/2 Di II Macro lens for the euro zone. The lens, which shall become available at retail a week from now, has a suggested retail price of €699 including VAT, according to a German-language press release issued in Cologne today. As we wrote earlier, main features of the Tamron SP AF60mm F/2 Di II Macro lens include 1:1 magnification, maximum aperture of f2, and a minimum focusing distance of 23cm. The lens is constructed of 14 elements in 10 groups, has 7 diaphragm blades and a filter diameter of 55mm. Other highlights include an internal focusing system and full-time manual control. Note that this lens is not meant to be used on full-frame DSLRs and 35mm film SLRs, because its imaging circle is smaller than that required to cover these formats.

Via photoscala.de

Manfrotto has completely renewed its i-Family range of remote controls. They improved the current firmware and the internal electronic components in order to make these new products more user friendly and cover all the new features of the newest Sony and Canon cameras. The 521Pro-i and 523Pro-i are compatible with auto focus and AF/MF switch functions of the latest video cameras. Moreover, the i-family top product, the 523Pro-i, features also the useful functionality of REC review. All of the new remote controls come with a longer coiled cord cable that allows a greater distance of the remote control from the video camera.

Ricoh has issued a firmware upgrade for the Ricoh CX1 digital compact camera. Version 1.24 fixes issues related to recording the correct orientation information when using slow shutter speeds and printing via certain PictBridge compliant printers.

Website: Ricoh CX1 Firmware Upgrades
Review: Read our in-depth review of the Ricoh CX1

Nikon UK is celebrating 50 years of its pioneering F-Mount lens system by offering up to £75/€90 cashback on D5000 and lens combination purchases. The promotion begins today, and runs until 31 August 2009. All claims must arrive by 30th September in order to qualify. The £75/€90 offer is valid for double-lens kits, whereas there is £50/€60 cashback available for single-lens kits. The promotion does not extend to body-only purchases.

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

Olympus has issued updates to its Olympus Master and Olympus Studio software packages. Versions 2.2 and 2.3 (respectively) bring about the following improvements: E-P1 raw support, art filter options for raw images, improved use of e-Portrait and Beauty Fix through possible function and level selection later on a computer, and a novel Video Editor.

Website: Olympus Software Downloads

Lexar Media, a subsidiary of Micron Technology, has introduced the Lexar Platinum II 32GB SDHC and the Lexar 16GB microSDHC memory cards, which utilise Micron’s new high-capacity 34nm NAND chips. The newly architected 32Gb multi-level cell (MLC) NAND chip is 17 percent smaller than Micron’s first-generation 32Gb chip. The 16Gb MLC NAND chip, at just 84mm², provides high-capacity in an ultra tiny package. Lexar is taking advantage of Micron’s new 34nm NAND products by delivering a 32GB SDHC and a 16GB microSDHC card, with plans to significantly expand the line by September. In addition to its high capacity, the new Lexar PLatinum SDHC card is speed-rated at 60x (Class 4), offering a minimum-sustained write speed of 9MB per second. The Lexar Platinum II 32GB SDHC card is available now from tne Lexar Online Store at $139.99. The Lexar 16GB microSDHC mobile memory card costs $99.99.