Nik Software today announced that its Complete Collection, which bundles all of the company’s digital imaging software tools, is now also available as a Lightroom Edition. The Complete Collection for Photoshop has been updated to include Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 support as well and also includes installers for Adobe Photoshop and Apple Aperture. Current registered owners of the Photoshop versions of Nik Software products can download and install the Lightroom compatible versions free of charge at www.niksoftware.com/lightroom. For new users the bundle costs €299-95 incl. German VAT and is available from Nik Software and through specialty camera retailers..

The Olympus E-P1 is the first Micro Four Thirds camera from Olympus, featuring a 12.3 megapixel DSLR sensor in a compact and retro-styled body with interchangeable lenses. Inspired by the Pen series of cameras which were launched in 1959, the ultra-compact hybrid Olympus EP1 has been unveiled here at the European press launch in Berlin, Germany. The EP 1 offers the same 6 Art Filter effects familiar from the E-620 DSLR camera, and can record HD 720p quality movies with continuous auto-focus and control over depth of field. The Olympus EP1 is compatible with all Micro Four Thirds lenses and, via an adapter, the full range of existing Four Thirds lenses. Adapters are also available for OM lenses and those made by other manufacturers. Available in silver and white, the Olympus E-P1 will be available in July. Two new lenses, the 17mm 1:2.8 Pancake (34mm*) and 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6 (28-84mm*), have also been announced, with a total of 6 different camera kits available on launch.

In the UK the Olympus E-P1 standard kit is priced at £699.99 with the 14-42 lens. In the US the E P1 is $749 body only, $799 with the 14-42mm lens, and $899 with the 17mm lens and VF-1 external viewfinder.

We’ll bring you a selection of full-size sample images and videos from a production Olympus E-P1 camera later today, rainy German weather permitting…

Kodak has announced that NASA’s soon-to-be-launched Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) will have three custom-built cameras on board, each equipped with a Kodak CCD image sensor. “The selection of KODAK CCD Image Sensors for this mission is a testament to the Kodak teams who design and manufacture all of our CCD devices, making them suitable for use in the demanding environment of space,” said Michael Miller, manager of Kodak’s CCD Image Sensor Business. The orbiter’s Wide Angle Camera will provide a “big picture” view of the moon by capturing images with 100-metre resolution. Two Narrow Angle Cameras on the orbiter will capture high-resolution images of the moon’s surface at 0.5 metre-per-pixel using KODAK KLI-5001 Image Sensors, providing the same level of detail as the highest resolution satellite images of Earth commercially available today. As it fulfills its primary mission to map the surface of the moon, the LRO will also fly over landing sites from the historic Apollo missions, allowing these high-resolution cameras to capture the first images of Apollo-era artifacts from lunar orbit.

Panasonic has issued an important notice to the owners of numerous Panasonic digital still cameras. These include a number of FX, FT, TZ and ZS models as well as the G1 and GH1 interchangeable-lens digital cameras. Panasonic claims that if you use third-party batteries instead of genuine Panasonic battery packs, overcharging, internal heating or short circuit may occur, possibly leading to personal injury. The company has therefore issued a firmware update to all of these cameras that enables them to tell if a non-genuine battery is inserted, and to refuse drawing power from it. This of course means that after updating your camera’s firmware, you will not be able to use third-party batteries any more.

Website: Panasonic Firmware Downloads

Kingston has just announced the world’s first 128-Gigabyte USB Flash drive. It is a member of the new DataTraveler 200 family, which also includes 32GB and 64GB models. The large capacity along with password protection gives users the flexibility to carry critical data with them at all times in a very small form factor, the company says. The Kingston DataTraveler 200 features a capless design to protect the USB connector when not in use and is enhanced for Windows ReadyBoost™. It is available in 32-, 64- and 128GB capacities. The 128GB drive is build-to-order only. Customers who wish to purchase it can place an order through normal channels (e.g., e-tailers or resellers). The DataTraveler 200 pen drives are backed by a five-year warranty and 24/7 tech support. The 32GB version retails for $120, the 64GB variant costs $213, while the made-to-order 128GB DataTraveler will set you back $546. These are MSRPs and are valid in the U.S.A. only.

A new iPhone app debuting today instantly turns photos taken on an iPhone into personalised postcards—and then prints, stamps, and mails them for you. Created by HazelMail, the app is free to download, and comes with a credit for one free postcard. HazelMail also launched a feature that allows users to pre-purchase a dozen postcards for $12 (vs. $1.50 per individual postcard) in order to avoid the hassle of entering credit card information while atop the Eiffel Tower or Great Wall of China. In addition, a personal address book feature enables travelers to easily access the addresses of friends and family no matter where they are in the world. To ensure that postcards get to their destinations quickly, HazelMail utilises a global network of printers based in North America, South America, Europe and Asia which print and deliver postcards from the location closest to the recipient. To download the app and start sending postcards from your iPhone, go to www.hazelmail.com/iphone.

Avanquest Software has announced that the teams responsible for developing its Avanquest SendPhotos all-in-one photo-sharing solution have incorporated the most important changes suggested by the SendPhotos user community. The Avanquest SendPhotos free photo sharing solution is driven by convergence between the Web, PC/Mac and mobile, combining the SendPhotos.com Internet site with a Mac plug-in, a PC client and a Mobile client with certified support for more than 160 telephones, including iPhone and Blackberry. Some of the most important changes include a complete revision of the Web client interface, the acceptance of the iPhone and the creation of a specific plug-in for iPhoto, and native management of the leading social networks including Facebook, MySpace and Picasa.

Expoimaging has announced the expansion of the Honl Photo Speed System line of professional products. The expanded line, which includes new colour correction filters, colour effects filters, and a Honl Photo products carrying bag, provides photographers with enhanced options for creating studio-quality lighting effects in the field. The Honl Photo Color Correction Filter Kit is designed to match the colour temperature of the light emitted by flash units with a range of lights, including tungsten, fluorescent or cool daylight lighting. The kit retails for $29.95, and contains two of each of the following filters: 1/2CTB, full CTO, 1/2CTO, 1/4CTO, and Full+Green. The Honl Photo Color Effects Filter Kit can be used to add artistic and theatrical colour to images, whether lighting a subject or a background. This kit also retails for $29.95, and contains two of each of the following filters: Yellow, Bright Red, Just Blue, Moss Green, and Heavy Frost. Finally, the Honl Photo Speed System Bag is made to carry the entire line of Honl Photo flash tools and again, retails for $29.95.

Pentax has announced a $100 instant rebate programme effective 12 June - 20 June 2009 on the K20D body and two lens kit configurations. These include a kit with the 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 lens and another kit with the 16-45mm f4 lens. With the instant rebate programme, there is no need to submit or track claims or wait several weeks for a rebate cheque. More information about the programme and all of these products is available at: www.pentaximaging.com.

Kopin Corporation today announced that it had achieved a full-colour VGA display in a 0.27” diagonal size, which is by far the smallest VGA colour-filter LCD in the world. This is hailed by the company as “an important achievement in our previously announced goal to create a 2048 x 2048-resolution display in a size smaller than a typical postage stamp”. These tiny displays are likely to play a major role in future interchangeable-lens system cameras with high-resolution electronic viewfinders.

Hasselblad have released version 1.2 of Phocus, their software solution for tethered shooting, image export and processing. The new version offers increased speed, new navigator and gray scale tools, improved viewer sharpness and improved print functionality.The Windows version is coming later this month, featuring the same functionality as Phocus 1.2 for the Mac platform.

Swarovski Optik has announced the innovative and compact UCA universal camera adapter, which makes it possible to use Swarovski Optik telescopes for photographic purposes. The UCA can be used with SLRs and compact cameras alike, although some restrictions apply. Namely, only SLRs with a 50mm lens and compacts with a maximum 4x zoom are compatible with this solution. Using the adapter is simple: you only need to set the camera’s position relative to the telescope once - after that, you can take it off the telescope and put it back again without any further adjustments. The price will be around 300 euros and shipments will commence on 1 July.

Website: Swarovski press release (in German)

Fantasea Line has released a range of new BigEye wide angle lenses for underwater photography. According to the manufacturer, the BigEye Lenses are based on the latest patent-pending lens technology, which allows for excellent wide angle images at economical prices, as yet unavailable at the market. The new technology uses air instead of glass as an optical element and enables recovering 100% of the camera lens optical properties underwater. This patented technology was specially designed for underwater photography and therefore the lens should only be used when the system is submerged in water. The BigEye lenses are available now from www.fantasea.com, starting at $164.95.

Mamiya Digital Imaging has announced three new M series digital backs for the Mamiya 645AFDIII medium-format camera. Through use of the specifically designed digital back adapter HX701, the backs can also be attached to the RZ Pro IID. The M18 has a resolution of 18 megapixels, capture rate of 1.25 frames per second and a CCD size of 44.2 x 33.1mm. The M22 has a resolution of 22.1 megapixels, frame rate of 0.7fps and a CCD size of 48.9 x 36.7mm while the M31 (pictured) has 31.6 megapixels, capture rate of 0.8fps and a 44.2 x 33.1mm CCD. All of these backs feature a live preview delivered on a 2.2”, 230,000-dor monitor. Each digital back can be purchased separately or in a system kit with the Mamiya 645AFDIII camera and Sekor 80mm F2.8 D lens.

Online photo site snapizzi has announced that its newly upgraded IZ tag technology was successfully used to provide a personalised photo gallery for each participant at the 2009 Vision 5K held at Boston College on June 7. Participants in the Vision 5K, a unique annual event featuring world-class blind and visually impaired athletes competing with sighted runners, each wore a bib imprinted with a small, customised IZ tag (essentially a barcode).  With the IZ tag technology, photos uploaded to the snapizzi website were automatically associated with that participant and sequenced.  In this way, the photographs of multiple photographers shooting from numerous positions were automatically merged into an instant private photo gallery for each individual participant.

Website: Vision 5K
Website: Snapizzi

Magix has released Photo & Videoshow Premium Sounds 5, a collection of diverse sound files that can be used for audio dubbing. Audio dubbing is the process of adding sounds and music to videos and slideshows, which underlines the overall effect of the movie or show. With Photo & Videoshow Premium Sounds, Magix offers private users the possibility to add professional sounds to their projects, particularly to those that are difficult to record outdoors. To complement the Photo & Videoshow Premium Sounds collection, Magix offers Video & Photo Soundpool, a compilation of several instrumental soundtracks. Photo & Videoshow Premium Sounds costs £19.99 including VAT.

Unified Color has announced an upgrade to its imaging software, HDR PhotoStudio Version 2.12 improves the product features and incorporates new operations of colour tone equalizer, colour tuning and white balance. Moreover, the new HDR merge works directly with TIFF and JPEG files. The price of the program is $149.99, and there is a 30-day free trial available from http://www.unifiedcolor.com/.