Warehouse Express, the company billed as “the largest independent online photographic specialist retailer in Europe”, has joined Twitter under the username WexTweets. Followers of WexTweets can expect to get real time updates on product deals, new releases and the latest information on stock levels. Additionally, there are Tweets on Warehouse Express events and seminars as well.

The SLIK 515QF is a new video tripod that features the new all-metal Digital Balance PRO head with long slide quick release plate. Allegedly, this long slide quick release is important to properly balance the camera with heavy batteries, lights, or other accessories attached. The SLIK 515QF uses the all-metal 515 legs that feature an adjustable and lockable mid-level spreader to keep all legs at the same angle and a crank centre column for easy height adjustments. Rubber anti-slide feet make the 515QF a more stable platform on smooth or polished floors. The SLIK 515QF is priced at $299.95.

Übermind has released Maperture Pro, a feature-packed professional version of Maperture, a geotagging plug-in for Apple Aperture 2. The Pro version adds several highly requested features, including: importing Tracklog data from a wide-array of GPS devices; altitude (Z-axis) tagging; support for reverse geocoding; options for customizable keywords; as well as the ability to copy and paste geotag data. Maperture Pro is now available for direct download from Übermind’s products page. You can try a fully functional version of the plug-in free for 15 days. Then, at any time, you can easily purchase a software license from within the plug-in for $39.95.

Website: Maperture Pro

Canon have issued a service notice for the Canon EOS 1D Mark III and 1Ds Mark III DSLRs. The service notice concerns the problem of ring-shaped spots appearing in photos taken with some of these cameras. The company claims that these spots are “images of oil lubricant on the surface of the low pass filter”. The oil is allegedly used to lubricate some of the camera’s moving parts, but can become scattered onto the surface of the low pass filter through normal camera operation if it is “applied too liberally when the camera is manufactured”. Customers who are encountering this phenomenon or, who have noticed that oil is visible on the surface of the back side of the mirror, are asked to contact a Canon service centre for a free cleaning of the mirror box.

Website: Canon Products Support

Kodak have just announced a global competition for videographers - a challenge to film their own Kodak ad. Aspiring videographers can compete to have their video broadcast on Kodak’s advertising display in Times Square, New York, meet Spike Lee at the Cannes Lions 2009 Advertising Festival and be on the set of his next production. Creative advice will be given via Twitter: www.twitter.com/MOFILMugc. In addition to high-profile exposure, the competition offers over $100,000 worth of prizes, including $1500 worth of Kodak digital imaging products. To participate, register at www.mofilm.com and refer to the Kodak brand brief for guidelines.

Sigma has just announced that the much-anticipated Sigma DP2 is now available in the UK. The Sigma DP2, whose first prototype was demoed to us at photokina, is a compact camera with a fixed 41mm equivalent f/2.8 lens and a nearly APS-C sized Foveon sensor boasting 3 x 4.7 million pixels. While the sensor is the same as the one in the Sigma DP1, the lens is new, as is the faster TRUE II processor and the QS (Quick Set) button that gives users quick access to the eight most commonly used options in the camera. The Sigma DP2 is available now for £599.99 (SRP). Two new dedicated accessories for the DP2 are also available. These are the VF-21 Viewfinder that carries a suggested retail price of £114.99, and the HA-21 Hood adapter with a SRP of £19.99.

HireACamera.com, a company that lets you hire cameras, lenses and video cameras has announced the full introduction of “flyaway Thursdays” across the whole product range. Any booking made between 1pm and 4pm on Thursday for the weekend will immediately get a 25% discount for this hire across the whole of the weekend. The introduction of this offer means that photographers and videographers will be able to hire equipment for the weekend, have it arrive on Friday lunchtime and not need to return it until Monday.

The newest update to Mac OS X Leopard, version 10.5.7, adds system-level raw support for 14 new cameras and digital backs. These include four Leaf cameras and backs, six DSLRs, two interchangeable-lens rangefinders and two advanced compacts. Click through / read on for the full list of newly added cameras and backs.

With a DxOMark Sensor score of 89 points, the 60-megapixel Phase One P65+ has taken the lead in the overall DxOMark Sensor rankings. DxO Labs claim that up until now, shooting in low light has been challenging for medium-format cameras when compared to other digital cameras, but thanks to a newly-revised binning implementation, the P65+’s low-light performance has helped close the gap. Its higher Low-Light ISO score, combined with excellent scores for both Colour Depth and Dynamic Range, has propelled it to the first-place slot among all cameras in the dxomark database, regardless of format.

Website: Phase One P65+ at DxOMark.com

Vassilis Spyrou presents his third solo exhibition “In.dust.rial” at Hoxton bar-gallery in Athens. The opening of the exhibition will take place on May 20th, 2009. In this project, Vassilis Spyrou focused on interior industrial scenes. The photographs were shot on location at the Ladopoulos Papermill, which used to be the greatest papermill of the Balkans in the past, employing over 1200 people for decades, but is now completely deserted.

Website: Vassilis Spyrou

Panasonic has just unveiled a limited edition of its Lumix DMC-TZ7 model, which sports an eye-catching red finish. Red was a favoured choice for a compact camera according to Panasonic’s recent international research. In line with this, the limited edition TZ7 boasts a vivid, vibrant red. Panasonic’s new DMC-TZ7 red is available now, for a limited period only.

Review: Read our in-depth review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7

The Master Photographers Association is reminding photographers that the first deadline for submissions to the 2009 Kodak Wedding & Portrait Awards is 31 May. The Awards are open to ALL professional photographers and are supported by Photologic. This popular consumer award is a joint initiative between Kodak and the MPA. The subject of each of the winning photographs receives £1,000 and a Kodak digital camera, and the winning photographers will be presented with a trophy and certificate to display in their studios. Publicity is a big part of the Kodak Awards package; the winning photographers will receive free publicity to help them promote their businesses in their local area.

Giotto’s have added two tripod and head kits to their range. The MTL9351B aluminium tripod, which features quick action lever leg locks, foam hand grips and a removable 3-D centre column, is offered in a bundle with the brand new, lightweight MH5011 3-way head, constructed from cast aluminium and featuring easy to use pan and tilt handles for precise camera positioning with spirit levels. This head can support a maximum weight of 4kg. The other kit - comprising an MTL9361B tripod and an MH5001 head - incorporates identical features, except the MTL9361B tripod uses larger diameter tubing for the legs offering improved stability with a maximum height of 185cm. The MH5001 3-Way head also has similar features to the MH5011, but can support a maximum weight of 6kg. The MTL9351 tripod and MH5011 head kit is available from around £135 and the MTL9361B tripod and MH5001 kit is available from around £160.

The Los Angeles Times has posted a number of interactive, 360-degree panoramas of the devastation caused by recent wildfires in California. Our attention has been brought to these panoramas by Hans Nyberg, who had been given permission to reproduce two of them at panoramas.dk. “Interactive panoramas are still not much seen in the large Internet media,” Hans comments. “However Bryan Chan, photo editor at the Los Angeles Times, would like to popularise them, and his first panoramas are from the recent wildfires in California.”

Website: The Los Angeles Times
Website: Panoramas.dk

Sam Street and Sean Miller, creators of Picli.com, have announced the beta launch of Twicli, a free service that allows users to upload both photos and videos through the Twicli platform and display them to their friends on Twitter. Users can upload photos and videos and comment on each, these comments are then broadcast on twitter via the means of @replies. Unlike many other apps, Twicli is built to support OAuth, an authentication platform used by Twitter for all upcoming apps. With OAuth Twitter users never need to provide their password, they simply click ‘Authorize’ which tells Twitter to allow Twicli read/write access to certain account functionality (i.e. posting tweets). Twicli is also ready to support iPhone 3.0.

Gemalto has launched YuuWaa, a new solution for securely storing, backing up and sharing all types of multimedia data from one single interface. YuuWaa combines a USB flash drive with software and secure online services. The solution offers two levels of storage capacity - “YuuWaa Go” is a 12GB option combining a 4GB USB flash drive with 8GB online capacity. “YuuWaa Plus” has 24GB, including 8GB on the USB flash drive and 16GB online. Both versions are available immediately from retail partners online and in stores for €19.99 (YuuWaa Go) and €29.99 (YuuWaa Plus).

ScanMyPhotos.com have launched ScanMyGrandparents.com, a service targeted at families striving to archive old photos. The package includes up to 100 photo scans on a DVD, a 20-page, double-sided Kodak Photo Book and free return delivery. Acceptable photo sizes are from 3"x3” up to 8"x10”. The service costs $49.95. Same-day service is available for an additional fee of $19.95.

Website: Scan My Grandparents

Wild Magnolia Design has announced the world’s first archival, eco-friendly wedding albums. Each album is made completely by hand and incorporates materials such as hemp canvas, vegan silk, and tree-free paper. The albums come in a variety of sizes and are available through select professional photographers, some of which are listed on the Wild Magnolia website. Wild Magnolia Design also offers eco-friendly photographic prints and graphic design services.