The final submission deadline of the DK Travel PhotoBritain competition is getting closer and closer, so enter your photos while you can. The competition spans 4 categories; Iconic, Heritage, Wild, or My Britain and it encourages UK photographers to submit photos that showcase what Britain has to offer. Submissions close on 31st May.

Website: DK Eyewitness Travel PhotoBritain

Panasonic has announced that it will launch new SDHC memory cards with Class 10 speed specification in Europe and other markets from the end of May, 2009. Class 10 is a new speed specification standardised by SD Card Association as part of SD Card Specification Ver.3.0 to meet the requirement for higher resolution consecutive shooting and large-sized high definition video shooting. The Panasonic GOLD line series are set to become the world’s first memory cards to adopt this new speed class. A large volume of AVCHD Full HD video data fully written on a new Gold card can be transferred to a PC approx. 40% faster compared to the current Class 4 card, Panasonic says. The new cards will be available in the UK from June 2009.

Adobe has released its Photoshop Camera Raw 5.4 Release Candidate, available immediately as a free download for existing customers of Photoshop CS4, Photoshop Elements 7, Premiere Elements 7 and Photoshop Elements 6 for Mac. The Camera Raw 5.4 Release Candidate extends raw file support to an additional 26 camera and camera back models including the Canon EOS 500D (EOS Rebel T1i), Epson R-D1x, Kodak EasyShare Z980, Nikon D5000, Olympus E-620, Olympus E-450, Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1, Sigma DP2 and 18 Hasselblad models.

Website: Adobe Camera Labs

Samsung have released the Samsung SPF-87H, an ultra-thin digital photo frame.  The Samsung SPF-87H is only 23mm thick and features an 8-inch wide screen and 1GB of internal memory plus an SD slot for expanded storage. The screen boasts a contrast ratio of 500:1 and a resolution of 800x480 pixels. In addition to running photo slide shows in a variety of formats, the SPF-87H can be linked to a computer and serve as a secondary mini-monitor. With its Power Saving feature, the photo frame runs on minimal power through its USB cable. With an MSRP of US$129, the SPF-87H is now available from Fry’s Electronics and Amazon.com.

Gitzo has announced its support for the Wild Wonders of Europe - a photographic project set to reveal the amazing natural treasures of this continent to over 700 million people worldwide. The project celebrates the joy of wildness, reminding us all about why nature matters in our lives, and why we need to protect it. 66 European photographers are participating in Wild Wonders and they will complete very different missions before the conclusion in 2010 which will then see the launch of informative books and outdoor exhibitions that will tour Europe. Gitzo has provided a number of the photographers, who are based in various countries including Italy, Sweden, Russia, Norway, Hungary, Spain, UK, Holland, France, Poland and Germany, with equipment ranging from tripods and ball heads to apparel.

Rocky Nook has published a new book entitled Mastering the Nikon D700. This book is another title in the Nikonians Press series—the new, joint venture between Nikonians and Rocky Nook. Co-authored by information engineer and avid photographer Darrell Young and technical writer / Nikon photographer James Johnson, Mastering the Nikon D700 explores the features and capabilities of the D700 in detail, surpassing basic user manuals by providing step-by-step menu setting adjustments coupled with illustrations and logical explanations for each option. Frequent references to user manuals provided by Nikon (complete with specific page references) are included. The book is distributed internationally by O’Reilly Media and costs US$39.95.

Olympus has announced a prize draw for new owners of certain Olympus products, giving them an opportunity to win a limited-edition Olympus Space Kit. The kit comprises two transparent lens caps (ø 67 and 72mm), an earthgreen camera strap and an exclusive Olympus Space Project 2009 card with Space Project logo. In the course of the Olympus Space Project, the Japanese astronaut Dr. Koichi Wakata took an Olympus E-3 and a range of Zuiko Digital lenses to the International Space Station ISS to shoot images of the Earth. Only new owners of an E-3, E-30, 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD or 11-22mm f2.8-3.5 lens are eligible to enter, by way of registering their new camera or lens. The promotion runs from 20 May until 30 June. Click through / read on for details.

Nik Software offers free webinars are facilitated by Nik Software’s product specialists and highlight all Nik Software products as well as special topics. Furthermore the attendees are invited to interact with Nik Software’s experts: subsequent to a 30-45-minute presentation there is a live chat for asking and discussing questions. The trainings are in English and German language and highlight all software products developed by Nik Software, including Dfine, Viveza, Color Efex Pro, Silver Efex Pro (pictured) and Sharpener Pro as well as Nikon’s Capture NX 2. The webinars are subdivided into beginners-trainings for photographers with little or no previous knowledge and advanced-trainings starting in October 2009.

Website: Nik Software Webinars

ACD Systems International has opened beta testing for its new ACDSee Pro Photo Manager for Mac, the first version of the company’s Pro Photo Manager software for Mac applications. Already, more than 2,800 devoted Mac users have signed on to participate in the beta period and provide feedback to ACD Systems developers. To further bring Mac enthusiasts into the development process, ACD Systems compiled an advisory panel of 50 users to solicit insights on key workflow features that professional and advanced amateur photographers want and need. Beta downloads of ACDSee Pro for Mac are available at www.acdsee.com/proformac and the final version is set for release in 2010.

Panasonic has announced two new Micro FourThirds mount adaptors, the M Mount Adaptor DMW-MA2M and R Mount Adaptor DMW-MA3R, developed under support of Leica Camera AG. They make it possible to attach Leica M and R lenses, respectively, on Micro FourThirds cameras such as the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 and GH1. These adaptors also allow users to use the movable MF assist function, which enlarges the selected area when focusing manually. Pricing and availability to be confirmed.

Epson has introduced the Epson Artisan 50, an affordable single-function ink jet printer designed for printing digital photos and everyday projects. The main features include printing on in jet printable CDs and DVDs, auto photo correction, red-eye removal, two-sided printing (if supported by the operating system), individual ink cartridges and MicroPiezo ink technology. The Epson Artisan 50 will be available in June 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, at an estimated street price of $99.99.

ExposureManager has announced a new Two-Image Group Package template for event photographers. Photographers using ExposureManager can now offer their customers a range of package options when selling both group shots and individual portraits. For photographers, the monthly price to subscribe to ExposureManager’s premium package is $24.95 and the yearly price is $249.00. Features include unlimited image uploads and storage plus a range of e-mail marketing tools. The Event package features unlimited image uploads and storage for $12.95 a month or $99.95 annually. Finally, the Art package offers 1 GB image uploads and storage for $6.95 a month or $64.95 a year.

Website: ExposureManager

Photographers working for Our Place World Heritage, a global photographic initiative to document the sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list, now use the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 worldwide. Geoff Steven, Director and Assignment Editor of Our Place, claims that the low weight, portability and discreetness of the Panasonic G1 are great advantages to their photographers. To see images from the OUR PLACE World Heritage Collection, go to www.ourplaceworldheritage.com

Kodak Ektar 100, a new finely grained, highly saturated, medium-contrast colour negative film from Kodak, is now available in 120 size in the UK. Ektar 100, which had originally been released in 35mm format only, was announced for medium format earlier this year, with US shipments commencing in April. Now the Kodak Ektar 100 120 Pro Pack is also available in the UK, from at least two dealers, Silverprint and Firstcall Photographic. Special thanks to Rachelle M. and Rachel Z. Rayns of photo.net for letting us know.

The Pentax K-7 is a new mid-range DSLR with a number of novel features. New to the Pentax K7 are functions like video recording, in-camera HDR and automatic horizon correction. The dustproof, weather and cold-resistant Pentax K-7 also features a new shutter designed for 100,000 actuations, a top shutter speed of 1/8000 second, a through-the-lens optical viewfinder with approximately 100% frame coverage and 0.92x magnification, and a new Natural-Bright-Matte III focusing screen designed to improve focusing accuracy during manual-focus operation.

The Pentax K-7 has a continuous shooting rate of 5.2 frames per second for up to 40 JPEG images, a newly developed DR II dust removal system, a new 77-segment matrix meter, a new-generation SR mechanism for improved shake-reduction, a 3” LCD monitor with approximately 920k dots, Live View with Face Recognition AF, a new 11-point wide-frame AF module with 9 cross sensors and 2 line sensors, a multi-exposure function and automatic compensation of lens distortion and lateral chromatic aberrations with DA and DFA lenses.

The Pentax K7 also offers all the well-known Pentax goodies like the RAW button, Shutter/Aperture priority and Sensitivity-Priority modes, Hyper Programme and Hyper Manual functions. In line with what Gabrielle Remmers, Marketing Communication Manager of the Division of Imaging Systems of Pentax Europe, recently said about the “sensible resolution limit” having already been reached, the new Pentax K-7 has the same pixel count as its predecessor the K20D, although the sensor is a newly developed CMOS that allegedly offers “greatly reduced” noise levels.

In the UK, the Pentax K-7 will cost £1,199.99 body only, £1,229.99 with the 18-55mm kit lens, and £1329.99 with the 18-55mm + 50-200mm double kit lens. In the US, the K-7 body only will ship in July 2009 for $1,299.95 USD. The D-BG4 battery grip also will ship in July 2009 for $229.95. The newest weather-resistant lenses will be priced at $199.95 for the DA 18-55mm and $249.95 for the DA 50-200mm. These products also will ship in July 2009.

Along with the Pentax K-7 DSLR camera, Pentax have also announced two weather-resistant zoom lenses. Intended to be used on Pentax’s environmentally sealed digital SLR bodies, the smc PENTAX-DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6AL WR and the smc PENTAX-DA 50-200mm F4-5.6ED WR lenses feature a newly designed, simplified weather-resistant construction and Pentax-original SP coating on the front lens element. Other features include a Quick-Shift focus system for instant AF/MF switching, a metallic lens mount and a lens hood included as a standard accessory. The DA 18-55mm will cost $199.95 and the DA 50-200mm $249.95, shipping in July 2009. Click through / read on for the main specifications of both lenses.

CT Media/Photography Institute (CTPhoto Workshops) has moved to Farmington, Connecticut and offers inaugural workshops from 5 July -  August. Located in the brand new facilities on the campus of Tunxis Community College, these one-week courses will focus on the “total experience” of digital photography. Joint teaching sessions provide interrelated instruction in digital photography, lighting, digital manipulation and digital printing. Note that these courses are for intermediate to professional-level students that already have an understanding of manual camera functions including f/stop, shutter speed and ISO film speeds. Students taking digital lab courses should also have a basic working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop CS3+ and Adobe Lightroom. Address all questions to David Archambault, Director of the CT Media/Photography Institute workshops at: [email protected]

Website: CTPhoto

Cosina is planning to release a Voigtländer branded 50mm f/1.1 lens for the Leica M mount. The Voigtländer Nokton commemorates the 10th anniversary of the launch of the Bessa series of M mount 35mm rangefinder cameras, which are also being marketed under the Voigtländer brand. The new Nokton is constructed of 7 elements in 6 groups, has a 58mm filter diameter and weighs 428 grams without a lens hood. The glass used for the manufacturing of this lens is claimed to have an ultra-high refractive index. The projected retail price is ¥ 125,000 without taxes. There is no word on pricing / availability outside Japan.

Via The OnlinePhotographer

Website: Voigtlaender Nokton 50mm f/1.1 Product Page (in Japanese)

The German Voigrländer site is now showing the Nokton 50mm f/1.1 on its home page, saying it is going to be available in Europe from early summer, at a price of €999.