Casio today announced the 12.1-megapixel Casio EXILIM Hi-Zoom EX-H10, billing it as “the world’s thinnest and lightest camera” among digital cameras with a 10X or greater optical zoom lens. Casio also quotes a battery life of 1,000 shots according to the CIPA standard. Other highlights include a 24-240mm equivalent zoom, a 3” rear screen and CCD-shift image stabilisation, all in a body that is just 24.3mm thin. Apart from capturing twelve-megapixel still photographs, the Casio EXILIM EX-H10 can also record HD movies at 1280x720 pixels. In the UK the Casio EX-H10 will retail at £299, availability to be announced. In the USA the Casio H10 will be available in mid July in black for $299.99.

Aaduki Multimedia, an insurance company that offers a specialist service to photographers, has announced that it will be attending the DPI Show in London at the Islington Business Design Centre on June 18 and 19. Aaduki Multimedia has grown in the last 2 years to become one of the leading insurance providers of insurance for photographers, journalists and video makers, the company says. Aaduki will be offering special prices at the DPI Show.

The ninth Ricoh Photo Contest is now open for entries. The theme for the contest is “Laughter.” Since June 2004, Ricoh has been holding this contest for users who enjoy photography with Ricoh compact digital cameras. The application period lasts until 21st August, and the entries can be submitted via the contest website. A total of 50 photos will be chosen as winners from among the photos submitted, including a grand prize winner. Both professional and amateur works are accepted, as long as they have been taken with a Ricoh digital camera.

Website: Ricoh Contest Website

Idruna has announced version 6 of Pocket Phojo, its Windows Mobile software for real time digital photography transmission. Currently in use by newspapers, news agencies, military, and police forces around the world, Pocket Phojo can have a photo transmitted from anywhere in the world to where it is needed within moments of it being taken. Versioon 6 adds support for the newly announced Eye-Fi Pro card and comes loaded with new features. Pocket Phojo is available now from http://www.idruna.com/pocketphojo.html

Eye-Fi Inc. today unveiled the Eye-Fi Pro, a new wireless SDHC memory card for digital cameras that allows professionals and photo enthusiasts to automatically upload images straight from their camera to their computer and the Web. The Eye-Fi Pro also allows users to create an ad hoc connection through their computer or other mobile device to wirelessly upload media files while away from a wireless router. Like the Eye-Fi Explore Video, the new Eye-Fi Pro will automatically upload images and videos direct to more than 25 online photo and video sharing sites. It also lets users upload away from home at more than 10,000 Wayport and open hotspots, and will automatically geotag photos with information about where the images were taken. The Eye-Fi Pro is now available at Amazon.com and www.eye.fi for an MSRP of $149.

DxO Labs have released their new DxO Optics Pro version 5.3.4, which adds support to the Canon EOS 500D, Fujifilm S100FS, Nikon D5000, Pentax K200 and K-m, Sony A200 and A300 cameras. With these seven new models DxO Optics Pro 5.3.4 adds 155 new DxO Optics Correction Modules and now supports more than 1,400 camera body/lens combinations. The release of DxO Optics Pro 5.3.4 is accompanied by the publication of RAW sensor data and DxOMark Sensor rankings for the Canon EOS 500D and the Nikon D5000 on the dxomark.com website, along with reviews for both.

Website: DxOMark

Fantasea Line has released a new housing specifically designed for the Nikon Coolpix L19 and L20 digital cameras. The FL-19/20 Housing, depth rated to 60 meters/200 feet, is fully functional providing photographers with access to all camera functions. Like the simultaneously announced FA-480, the FL-19/20 has a double O-ring seal on all controls, anti-glare hood over LCD screen, removable flash diffuser and a 46mm threaded lens port. The FL-19/20 protects the Nikon Coolpix camera from water, sand, dust, and other damaging elements. It can be yours for $279.95.

Fantasea Line has released a new underwater housing specifically designed for the Canon PowerShot A480 digital camera. The FA-480, depth rated to 60 meters/200 feet, is fully functional providing photographers with access to all camera functions. It has a double O-ring seal on all controls, anti-glare hood over LCD screen, removable flash diffuser and a 46mm threaded lens port. The FA-480 protects the Canon Powershot A480 camera from water, sand, dust, and other damaging elements. It is available now for $279.95.

Review: Read our in-depth review of the Canon PowerShot A480

Photo Iconic has teamed up with Jacobs Digital Photo & Video to run a series of photo courses in the Pro Lounge at Jacobs’ New Oxford Street store, London. The first one is entitled “Shoot, Edit, Print”, and takes place on 10-11 July. This intensive hands-on two-day course guides you through the whole digital imaging process, from preparing to shoot to outputting images, for a fee of £325. Other courses include “The Perfect Travel Kit” (Saturday 18th July, 11am-1.30pm, £40) and “Shooting Travel Images That Sell” (Saturday 19th September, 11am-1.30pm, £40). To book your place on any of these courses, visit www.photoiconic.com.

At the time of the SELPHY CP790 announcement, Canon also revealed of the SELPHY CP780 ultra-compact printer. Available in pink, blue, silver or white, the SELPHY CP780 also offers fully portable printing with an optional battery pack. For enhanced ease-of-use, the SELPHY CP780 incorporates a user-friendly interface, plus large buttons with a straightforward layout. The SELPHY CP780 has three memory card slots and a 2.5” TFT LCD. The printer includes updated, easy-to-use software – SELPHY Photo Print – which now includes audio guidance, so when users are printing from a computer a voice provides spoken instructions. The SELPHY CP780 is available from mid June 2009 priced at £129.00 / €149.00 RRP inc. VAT.

Canon has just introduced the SELPHY CP790 compact photo printer that allegedly makes it easier than ever to produce “lab-quality” postcard-sized prints. A large 3.0” LCD display and Canon’s Easy-Scroll Wheel makes it simple, quick and easy to set up and navigate. With an integrated carrying handle, storage basket and optional battery pack, the SELPHY CP790 also enables users to print wherever they are – no PC required. A built-in PictBridge port and memory card slots make it easy to print directly from a wide range of digital cameras and memory cards. Users can even produce prints directly from their mobile phones via Infra-red or an optional Bluetooth adapter. The SELPHY CP790 also includes a range of Automatic Image Correction functions, such as Red-Eye Correction, Skin Tone optimisation and Noise Reduction that automatically enhances the quality of the photos. The My Colors option also enables users to quickly add special effects such as Sepia, Vivid, Positive Film and Black & White to their prints. The SELPHY CP790 is available from July 2009 priced at £169.00 / €189.00 RRP inc. VAT.

Fotopedia is a new online photo encyclopaedia that lets photographers, curators, and visitors contribute, collaborate and enrich images to be useful to the whole community. The new site can be used to organise photos from personal storage, Flickr, Picasa, and other services based on subject or any user-defined index, alongside a mashup of contextual information. Unlike other photo networks, Fotopedia does not force users to store their files on its site. Rather, it creates a complete “ecosystem” around the pictures, regardless of where they are stored or hosted. Photographers build albums featuring their best photos, select Wikipedia articles that add context to the photos and are then nominated in Fotopedia. Anyone can start participating at Fotopedia today and help build the world’s first photo encyclopaedia.

Website: Fotopedia

PhotographyBLOG Editor, Mark Goldstein, was stopped and searched in central London yesterday for “taking photos of iconic landmarks”. Under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act, the Metropolitan Police are now conducting patrols along the South Bank of the River Thames, specifically targeting “individuals with cameras who are photographing famous buildings”. After informing the officer that I ran a photography website and giving her my business card, I was issued with Form 5090(X), with no actual search taking place. The whole process was somewhat undermined by two other officers posing for photos with tourists whilst their colleague completed the paperwork! I can only conclude that it was the bright pink Casio camera that I was testing at the time which attracted the police officer’s attention…

Have you been stopped by the authorities, legally or otherwise? Let us know by leaving a comment…

Western Digital has introduced its new 4 terabyte capacity My Book Studio Edition II dual-drive storage systems, which are designed to seamlessly work with Mac® computers. Compatible with Apple® Time Machine automatic backup feature and formatted for Mac computers, the new 4 TB My Book Studio Edition II external storage system’s dual-drive RAID 0 configuration and high-speed interfaces are said to deliver high performance for creative professionals, workgroups, small offices and anyone looking for fast data transfer. My Book Studio Edition II dual-drive storage systems are available now at select retailers and WD’s online store (www.shopwd.com). MSRP for My Book Studio Edition II with 4 TB is $649.99 USD.

Wedding and Lifestyle photographer Sofie Louca has been announced as the Annabel Williams Photographer of the Year 2009. The competition attracted almost 1000 entries, from as far afield as Australia and India, and boasted a total prize fund of more than £10,000. Sofie won the Teenagers/Adults category of the awards and was also runner up in the Wedding Album category, before going on to be awarded the overall Photographer of the Year award with her shot of a young couple on a beach.  On top of her category prizes, Sofie also scoops a Canon EOS 5D MkII camera and lens worth more than £2,500.

Fantasea Line has annouced the release of the new Remora Slave Flash, which has been especially designed for compact digital housings, and is depth rated to 55m. The flash features a guide number of 20, and therefore is compatible for both macro and wide angle shots. The power output can be manually adjusted to provide the most accurate amount of light in all conditions and a short recycle time ensures quick responsiveness, even when using the maximum power output, the company says. The Fantasea Remora Flash features 4 different pre-flash settings, to cover the needs of all compact digital cameras in the market, including Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus, Fuji, Kodak, Panasonic and more. The price is to be confirmed.

Website: Fantasea Remora Flash User Manual

Apple has announced the Apple iPhone 3G S, billed as “the fastest, most powerful iPhone yet”, with features like video recording and hands free voice control. Other highlights include a new operating system, improved battery life, support for 7.2 Mbps HSDPA, built-in GPS, and a 3-megapixel digital camera with an auto-focus lens. With the new “tap to focus” feature, you simply touch the display to select an object or area of interest and the camera automatically re-adjusts focus and exposure. Also, you can send photos and video by email or MMS and post them to MobileMe or YouTube with just one tap. The iPhone 3G S will be available in the UK on June 19th with pricing available at launch. The US price is $199 for the 16GB version, and $299 for the 32GB variant.

Olympus is getting ready to launch its first Micro Four Thirds camera, and you can register online to hear first about opportunities to get your hands on one. Micro Four Thirds system cameras are similar to interchangeable-lens rangefinders in that they lack a mirror chamber, which frees engineers from the burden of having to employ complicated retrofocus designs to wide-angle lenses, and allows them to design smaller cameras and lenses without having to use smaller sensors. Recent technologies like live view make it possible to offer through-the-lens framing, whereas massive improvements in contrast-detect auto-focus promise SLR-grade focusing speeds. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 already caused quite a stir but came in for some criticism for not being much smaller than the smallest DSLRs out there. However, if the Olympus mock-up shown at last year’s photokina (pictured) is any indication, this time we can expect a truly compact system camera. If you would like to be among the first to learn more about it, register at the website below.

Website: Olympus Micro Four Thirds Registration Form