The new Carl Zeiss C Biogon T* 2,8/35 ZM lens is the perfect addition to your light, mobile photo equipment. Its moderate speed of 1:2.8 permits an exceptionally compact construction. The symmetrical Biogon construction with 7 lens elements in 5 groups allows for practically distortion-free images. The ZM lens series from Carl Zeiss is suitable for cameras with the M-bayonet, and will be available in mid 2008 for € 590.00 (excluding VAT).

The Sanyo Xacti CG9 is a new MPEG-4 digital camcorder with 9.1 megapixel still image capability. It features an advanced CMOS image sensor and supports the latest, high-performance MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video codec. “The Sanyo CG9 is a high-performance digital video and still camera in one sleek, compact package,” said Tom Van Voy, Vice President and General Manager of Sanyo’s Audio Video Division. “It offers great performance and exceptional value to those buying a camcorder for the first time and everyone who wants to easily capture their special memories and share them in a whole new way.” The Sanyo Xacti CG9 will be available in the USA. starting in mid-April 2008 in Silver or Black for $279.99.

The Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM is a new large aperture, standard prime lens for the latest digital cameras. This lens incorporates HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor), which ensures a quiet and high-speed AF as well as full-time manual focus override. It effectively becomes an 80mm medium telephoto lens on digital cameras with APS-C size image sensors. Price and availability of the Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM to be confirmed.

Point-and-shoot digital camera makers make many claims about their products, but few boast about the toughness of their snappers as Olympus does about its 7.1 megapixel Stylus 790SW ($239-$350). What sets this byteshooter apart from others in its class is its "take me into harm's way" attitude. It's shockproof, waterproof and freezeproof. With those kinds of features, you'd think the unit would look the part, but it doesn't. In fact, its demeanor is quite ordinary--more Chevy Aveo than Hummer.

Kubota Artistic Tools V.4 features over 40 new Photoshop image enhancement actions. Highlights include the 3-dimensional vividness of “Enter the Dragon” to the rich, cinematic palette of “300esque”, as well as cool new interactive black-and-white converters for the perfect tonal blend and richness. “These new Actions provide a fresh collection of modern image-enhancing tools for producing the hottest looks that are in demand in today’s marketplace. And the exclusive Kubota Action Dashboard provides photographers with a lightning fast way to search for one of our Actions and then launch it instantly.” said Kevin Kubota. Kubota Artistic Tools V.4 retails for $149.

Announced less than a year after its predecessor, the new entry-level Nikon D60 DSLR camera is virtually identical to the D40x model that it replaces. The D60 has the same external design, 10.2 megapixel sensor, ISO range of 100 to 3200, 3 point auto-focus system, 3D Colour Matrix Metering II, 3fps continuous shooting speed and 2.5 inch LCD screen as the D40x. All of the important changes are therefore internal. Nikon have implemented the same EXPEED image processing engine that all of their DSLR cameras now use, promising better image quality. There's also a refined dust-reduction system, with the new Airflow Control System using air-pressure to help prevent dust from reaching the sensor. Active D-Lighting can now be turned on before taking a shot, and the new Eye Sensor turns off the LCD screen when you look through the viewfinder. The ability to process RAW files in-camera, orientation of the LCD display to either portrait or landscape, and a rather curious stop-motion movie mode complete the list of improvements. With an ever-increasing list of entry-level DSLRs now available, Mark Goldstein finds out if the new Nikon D60 is worth considering.

Neocamera have reviewed the Canon A720 IS digital camera, which offers 8 megapixels and optical image stabilization.

The Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di-II LD Aspherical [IF] is now available in the Pentax mount. Designed for DSLRs with APS-C size sensors, the Tamron 17-50mm is a lightweight and compact, fast standard zoom lens that offers a focal length of 26-78mm. The Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di-II LD Aspherical [IF] is already available in Nikon, Canon and Sony AF mounts. Price and availability of the Tamron 17-50mm lens for Pentax to be announced.

The total prize pot of cash and vouchers for the International Garden Photographer of the Year 2008 competition is more than £25,000. “The prize fund of more than £10,000 cash recognises flower and garden photography as the equal of landscape, travel and natural history photography, which already have their own competitions.” said Andrew Lawson, Judge and Director of the Garden Photographer of the Year. Entries close on 31st January 2008 and participants can enter single images or themed portfolios in five different categories. The top 100 winning and commended images will be shown at a purpose-built outdoor exhibition in Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, London from May to September 2008.

Sony ultracompact Cyber-shot cameras are known for sporting innovative, minimalist designs and snapping great shots. Unfortunately, they're also known for high prices. The 8.1-megapixel Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T2 is no exception, and at $349.99 (direct), it's $50 more expensive than its sibling, the DSC-T70, which has a bigger and wider touch-screen LCD. And the T70 is already more expensive than competing cameras from other manufacturers. What sets the T2 apart is its 4GB of onboard memory, which is seriously spacious compared with the standard-issue 32MB or so you get with most point-and-shoots, so you won't have to spend any extra cash on memory cards. Add good looks, easy-to-use touch-screen controls, and impressive image quality, and you've got a camera that should please style-conscious snapshooters.

With Halloween just a couple of weeks away I thought it was time to update our Halloween Photography Tips article with some new information and examples.

Today while sorting through some old boxes I found a photo album filled with the first ever photos that I took as a young budding photographer. I was around nine years old when I first started using our family’s film point and shoot camera and I still remember my Dad’s ‘training’ on how to use it. Basically it consisted of this advice

A Rainbow is something that has the power to stop you in your tracks when it unexpectedly appears when you’re least expecting to see one. They’re beautiful - but how do you photograph a rainbow?

Here in Australia we’re coming out of Winter and into Spring. While this is something to celebrate for those of us suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder - it does bring some challenges with it - one of which is shooting outdoors in direct sunlight.

Tip 1: Miss the eyes and you've missed the shot. Getting the eyes in focus is key to capturing a photo of an animal. It's human nature to look at the eyes. It's how we determine emotion and how we connect. When I was in Homer, Alaska, I came across a moose on the move. Given it was early morning and the light was low I knew getting a fast shutter speed to freeze his movement would be tough, so I quickly adjusted my camera to lock the focus on his eyes, and took the shot. The majority of the picture was a bit blurry, but because the eyes are in focus, the shot was saved.