News & Announcements

https://xray-mag.com/magazines/125

Panasonic Announces Firmware Update to Improve the Shooting Experience and Sharing Functionality of LUMIX S5II and S5IIX.   S5II Firmware Version 3.0 / S5IIX Firmware Version 2.0   Enhancement of Production Workflows New Native Camera to Cloud Integration with Adobe’s Frame.io  Compatibility with Frame.io Camera to Cloud is now supported, enabling images and videos to be automatically uploaded, backed up, shared, and worked on jointly via the cloud. Recorded cont

Fujifilm has released updates for some of its X and GFX-series cameras including the X100VI plus the X-S10, X-T30 II, X-T3/X-T4 andGFX S50 II   Updates are available via Fujifilm's App available on the Apple App Store for IOS users and the Google Play Store for Android's.

Sony have announced major firmware upgrades for the a1, a9III, a7SIII and a7IV   According to the Sony press release, firmware v2.00 for the Sony a1 is perhaps the most extensive.    The Sony a7SIII and a7IV are upgraded to v3.00.   The Sony a9III will be upgraded to v2.00 which is expected to be available from 9 April. However if you live in the USA, availability is from April 9.

Nikon have announced firmware updates to their Z6ii and Z7ii cameras   According to the Nikon update page:   Changes from “C” Firmware Version 1.61 to 1.62   Changed the default values for the following settings displayed when connecting wirelessly: - Encryption keys - The password displayed after the camera's default settings are restored • Fixed the following issues: - In some cases, tapping the monitor woul

Nikon have just announced another firmware update for their flagship Z9 camera.   Although on the face of it, not especially helpful for u/w photographers, for sports and studio people, lots of interesting additions.   A full list is here: https://downloadcenter.nikonimglib.com/en/download/fw/516.html   Nikon's press release explains:   (Full details here: https://www.nikon.com/company/news/2024/0313_firmware_01.html)   TOKYO - Nikon Corpora

Nikon is aiming to broaden its presence in the cinematography industry. The company has disclosed its agreement to acquire Red, a cinematography camera manufacturer, which will operate as a fully-owned subsidiary of Nikon. Details regarding the terms and value of the acquisition were not revealed.   In its announcement, Nikon expressed its intention to utilize this acquisition to expand its footprint in the rapidly growing professional digital cinema camera market. By leveraging t

Edge sharpness with wide-angle lenses underwater  can be an issue especially for users of full-frame sensor camera bodies.   One solution to increasing edge sharpness, which has worked for some photographers, has been the Sea&Sea correction lens which came in 77mm and 82mm diameter options. But this lens disappeared from sale a little while ago.   Waterpixels member @Ido has been in contact with Sea&Sea and has been told that the company plan to make the lens availabl

The March/April edition of the excellent Underwater Photography magazine is now available    http://www.uwpmag.com/

On a live event, OM Digital announced three new products and a new lens road map. The most notable is the new OM-1 Mark II camera.   The OM System OM-1 Mark II is a Micro Four Thirds camera with a 20MP Stacked CMOS sensor, designed for high-speed performance. It serves as an updated version of the flagship OM-1, featuring various hardware and firmware enhancements. Set to launch on February 26th, the OM-1 Mark II will be priced at $2399, marking a $200 increase from the original m

The biggest trade fair for boats, diving (and underwater photography) in Germany traditionally takes place in January every year, BOOT in Düsseldorf. I can report on Nauticam (who shared the stand with PanOcean), Seafrogs, Seacam and GoPro, but of course only individual impressions. There were 3 Nauticam employees on site. One of the three FCPs currently available outside the factory was on display, along with the WACP-1, WACP-C and WWL-1b. I was particularly taken with this comparison.

https://xray-mag.com/magazines/123     https://xray-mag.com/magazines/123

Edition 136 of the excellent UWP Magazine is now available   https://www.uwpmag.com/?download=136

In these last months of 2023, underwater photography and video enthusiasts have witnessed a phase of particular excitement in the action cam market with the release of new models of video cameras, cases and other accessories. If in the camera sector GoPro has suffered an attack from the competition with the presentation of models suitable for 360° shooting or equipped with a larger and more high-performance sensor (the very recent INSTA ACE PRO with its 1" sensor), as regards accessories, G

The new edition of the DRT Show will be held in Hong Kong from 15 to 17 December 2023. DRT SHOW (Diving and Resort Travel Expo) stands as the premier diving expo in Asia, hosting events in various cities and regions such as Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Taipei, the Philippines, Okinawa, Malaysia, Singapore, and India. To date, the DRT SHOW has successfully organized 44 exhibitions worldwide, drawing a crowd of 450,000 professionals and enthusiasts from the dive and travel in

Marelux has announced the new Soft Lite today. This is a redesign using plastic which drops the weight by 190g over the past Soft Pro line which is now discontinued. I have attached the specs and photos. Smart Optical Flash Tube Lite (SOFT Lite) Patented Product Product Features Enables to narrow down beam coverage simply by attaching in front of strobe. The aiming light of SOFT-LITE can be changed between red and white. The aiming light of SOFT-LITE XW/XR is only

The winners of the HIPA Diversity 2023 photography competition have been announced. Hamdan International Photography Award (HIPA) is an international photography award, founded in 2011 under the patronage of the crown prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The Grand Prize was won by Massimo Giorgetta with an underwater photograph. Congratulation to Massimo! Protected Lives A night dive encounter with a magical 5 cm Jellyfish Tunicate in Lembeh Strait -

(image credits: Gopro) GoPro Hero 12 Black announced with external mic and dual-channel audio plus 1/4” tripod mounting GoPro has announced the Hero 12 Black, and this year, the ubiquitous action camera maker has its sights set on sound. The 12 Black’s headline upgrades include external microphone support and dual-channel audio capture, so you can record both camera and external mic tracks and then mix them in an edit. The latest GoPro also sports a handy ¼-inch thread between its flip

(image credits: Sony) Sony has unveiled the Sony A9 III, a full-frame mirrorless camera boasting a 24.6MP resolution and a global shutter. The global shutter functionality ensures simultaneous readout of information from each pixel on the sensor, eliminating distortion in both still images and videos of moving subjects. Employing a stacked design, the 24.6MP CMOS sensor, in conjunction with the latest Bionz XR processor, guarantees swift operational performance. The Sony A9 III, also r