News / Other Product News

Cyber attackers breached Adobe's security recently, compromising data on 2.9 million customers. Data accessed includes 'customer names, encrypted credit or debit card numbers, expiration dates, and other information relating to customer orders,' according to a company blog post. The attack exposes a weakness in the company's new Creative Cloud subscription model, which omits the 'bits-in-a-box' distribution method in favor of faster access to software updates through a monthly subscription. Click through for more. 

Another contender has entered the relatively small ring of Raw converters that can work with Fujifilm's X-Trans sensors: Photo Ninja. The latest version of this already-capable image editor has added 'preliminary' support for X-Trans Raw, and early results seem promising. To see how this $129 software performs, click through to see side-by-side comparisons.

DxO Labs has released version 2 of its distortion-correction software Viewpoint. Designed to correct for perspective distortions such as converging verticals, Viewpoint can now also use DxO Optics Modules to correct for the lens's barrel or pincushion distortion. It can work both as standalone software and as a plug-in, which is now compatible with Adobe Photoshop Elements and Apple Aperture (as well as Adobe Photoshop CC and Lightroom 5). A one month free trial version is available to download now, and Viewpoint 2 is on sale at reduced prices until 20th October. Click through for more info and download links.

Adobe has released version 12 of its Photoshop Elements software for Mac and Windows. One of the highlights of the latest version of this consumer-friendly photo editor is 'Mobile Access', which uses Adobe's Revel cloud service to let users view and retouch photos on their mobile devices, keeping everything in sync. Other new features include 'Content-Aware Move', guided editors, and 64-bit support for Macs. Best of all, there's no monthly subscription fee. Read on to learn more about Elements 12, and if it may be a good substitute for its big brother.

Phase One has released the latest version of its Raw processing software, Capture One 7.1.4. This update offers support for more cameras and lenses, and also promises improved performance when working with large numbers of photos. With this version, Capture One 7 now supports the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 II, Fujifilm X-M1 and Olympus E-P5 among others, and adds 32 new lens profiles. Click through for the full press release.

Adobe has released Camera Raw 8.2 and Lightroom 5.2, as final versions of updates that were originally posted as 'release candidates'. ACR 8.2 is designed to work with Photoshop CC but, as promised, is also compatible with Photoshop CS6. It brings support for 16 additional cameras, including the Canon EOS 70D, Fujifilm X-M1, and Sony RX100 II, along with new lens profiles and bug fixes. For users of older Photoshop versions, Adobe DNG Converter 8.2 is also now available. Click through for more details and how to download.

Apple has released version 4.09 of its Raw Compatibility software for Aperture and iPhoto '11. This update adds support for the Olympus PEN E-P5, and also restores lens correction to the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100. There's an additional fix related to white balance for images from Nikon cameras that have been edited in third party software.

Cementing its commitment to the 'CFast' standard, SanDisk has introduced the Extreme Pro CFast 2.0 memory card, the first of its kind. The card boasts read speeds of up to 450MB/s and write speeds of up to 350MB/s, and will be sold with 60 or 120GB of storage. As a competitor to the Nikon-backed XQD standard, this first CFast 2.0 card is introduced alongside with an ARRI AMIRA documentary-style camera that records to internal CFast 2.0 cards. Click through for more details and full press release.

SanDisk has introduced a high capacity CompactFlash card with 256GB of storage. The card boasts write speeds of 65MB/s and transfer speeds up to 160MB/s. It's also rated with a VPG-65 Video Performance Guarantee, promising adequate speed for 4K video capture. As is the case with SanDisk's other Extreme Pro cards, it's designed to withstand shock, vibration and extreme temperatures. Click through for all of the details.

Cokin has announced a complete overhaul of the branding and packaging of its square filters. The existing different-sized ranges ( 'A', 'P', 'Z-Pro' and 'X-Pro') have been rebranded into a single 'Creative Filter System', with the four sizes relabelled 'S', 'M', 'L' and 'XL'. Gone are the old bulky plastic storage boxes too, replaced by a slimmer 'SlidePack' design which takes up half the space, and uses a microfibre-lined sleeve to help keep your filters clean. Photographers nostalgic for the good old days can breathe a sigh of relief though - old classics such as Tobacco Grads and Sunset filters are still in the catalogue.

Lexar has introduced a new 64GB MicroSDXC UHS-I card and a reader hub capable of copying data from four memory cards simultaneously. The new 600x MicroSDXC card is capable of 90MB per second transfer speeds, and will be sold bundled with a USB 3.0 reader. The card reader hub, called the 'Professional Workflow Reader Solution,' uses one USB 3.0 port to transfer data from four (separately sold) memory card readers. SDHC/SDXC UHS-I, UDMA 7 CompactFlash, and XQD card readers are available for the hub's four bays. Click through for more detail about the new card and reader hub.

Nikon has announced an LED movie light for its Coolpix and 1 System cameras. We could swear the LD-1000 was already available, but maybe that's because we've been seeing mockups of it attached to 1 System cameras at tradeshows for a couple of years. The lamp is fairly compact and uses LEDs behind a diffusion panel for soft, even light. Although it comes with a bracket to mount it onto compatible cameras, the LD-1000 can be hand-held for more control. It will be available next month at an MSRP of $99.95.

Adobe has added a new pricing tier to the Creative Cloud product, possibly in response to the negative response from the photography community when it announced that all Creative Suite products would require a monthly subscription. The Photoshop Photography Program gives users Photoshop CC, Lightroom 5, Bridge CC, Behance, and 20GB of storage for $9.99 per month. That price will never change, as long as you sign up before the end of this year. You must already own Photoshop CS3 or newer to be eligible for this offer.

Sony has announced a consumer 4K camcorder, the FDR-AX1 Handycam, which gives enthusiast videographers a way to capture four times the resolution of a Full HD camera. The AX1 is able to save the massive amounts of data gathered by a 4K, 60fps camera thanks to its XQD memory card. Its G lens covers a 20x zoom range equivalent to a 31.5 - 630mm, and includes Optical Steady Shot. Click through for more.

Corel has announced Paintshop Pro X6 'Ultimate', which improves on the previous version of PSP X6 with the addition of built-in automatic image correction by Athentech Imaging. The update to 64-bit architecture should result in better performance on modern operating systems, as well. Apparently, the new software was created after a research study indicated that 'more power, more speed and improved usability were the changes users most wanted to see in X6'. Who knew? Click through for the press release. 

Sony has updated its Action Cam with a new name, a lighter waterproof housing, and GPS. The Action Cam HDR-AS30V can capture an 11.9-megapixel still image on its back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor as well as Full HD footage. Its new waterproof housing is smaller and lighter than its predecessor, and also a little less rugged. Built-in Wi-Fi offers easy connectivity to a smartphone, as well as the new Live View Remote wristwatch. Click through for more details of this, and also the new 'Music Video Recorder' announced at the same time.

DxO Labs has released version 8.3.1 of its Optics Pro RAW conversion and image correction software, adding support for the Panasonic Lumix GF6 and G6, the Olympus PEN E-P5, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II, and the Pentax K-50. It also adds 490 extra camera/lens combinations to the library of optics correction modules. Click through for the full press release, including download links.

Back in April we posted about the GSS C520 - a five-axis gyro stabilized 4K cinema system being used by Teton Gravity Research to shoot a feature film about skiing. If the preview footage is any indication, it'll be pretty intense, putting the 4K rig to work in some impressive locations. The trailer is available online now - click through to see the preview footage in all its high-definition glory. 

Ricoh has announced the AF540FGZ II and AF360FGZ II Pentax-branded flash units. Both are updates to existing models, now boasting weather-sealed construction to match Pentax's line of weatherized DSLRs. The new flash units also feature built-in LED lights, intended for video recording. The AF540FGZ II offers a guide number of 54 at ISO 100/ft (178 ft) and the AF360FGZ II has a guide number of 36 at ISO 100/m (118 ft). Click through for the full press release.

RayFlash has announced a new universal ringflash adapter for DSLRs. Designed to clamp on to your own hotshoe flash, it utilizes the light from your existing flash unit and bends it through the circular structure around the lens of a DSLR. It's offered in two sizes - one fits most DSLRs (and the Olympus E-M5 O-MD) and another is configured with a longer neck for cameras with a higher body. It replaces the original adapter which could only accommodate a few Nikon and Canon flash units. Click through for more information.