Just Posted: Our (much-awaited) in-depth review of the Olympus E-5. The E-5 is the company's range-topping DSLR and successor to the popular E-3. The company's third-generation flagship DSLR is built around a weather-sealed body and offers a 12MP Live MOS sensor, 3.0" 920k dot LCD, Live View with Contrast AF, HD video recording and shutter speeds of up to 1/8000th sec. Click on the link to read how it stacks up to the competition and how it fared in our studio tests. (00:24 GMT)

JVC has announced the GC-PX1 hybrid camcorder that records 1080p60 Full HD videos at 36Mbps and 10MP stills. It incorporates a 10x zoom lens, a 1/2.3" back-illuminated CMOS sensor, 3.0" tilting touchscreen LCD and the company's latest 'FalconBird' processor. Features include P/A/S/M shooting modes, 32GB of internal memory and up to 300fps continuous shooting. It will be released end of February in Japan at a price to be confirmed, we have no details of US plans. (18:49 GMT)

Ricoh has announced it is developing a lens mount module for its GXR interchangeable camera system. The module will combine a 12.9MP APS-C CMOS sensor with a Leica 'M' mount, allowing the use of a large variety of classic rangefinder manual-focus lenses. Details are limited at present but a mock-up is to be shown at the CP+ trade show in Yokohama on Feb 9-12. The company has also reasserted its plans to make non-camera modules for the system. (15:54 GMT)

Sony has announced another two Cyber-shot compacts using its latest 16.2MP back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor. Both the GPS-enabled DSC-HX100V and DSC-HX9 are capable of recording full 1080p60 HD videos and offer 10fps continuous shooting. The HX100V superzoom with 30x (27-810mm equiv.) zoom lens and the DSC-HX9 compact superzoom with 16x (24-384mm equiv.) zoom both offer 921k dot 3.0" LCDs, can shoot high resolution panoramic images and generate 3D images. (04:00 GMT)

Sigma has announced a price drop for its 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM lens to $1,399, down from $1,699. The company says 'the reason the price went down is to remain competitive in this category and incent sales for this very popular lens.' The lens was amongst the first to incorporate Sigma's FLD glass element. It is currently available for Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony Alpha and Sigma DSLRs. (20:15 GMT)

Pentax is offering a free service to users of K-5 DSLRs that have been affected by the widely reported 'stained image sensor' issue. The company believes the problem occurred during the manufacturing process of the first batch of K-5's and cannot be resolved by ordinary sensor cleaning methods. Affected camera owners can contact the company's customer service center to send their cameras for the repair. (19:42 GMT)

Phase One has updated its Capture One PRO 6 and Express 6 Raw workflow software. Version 6.1 brings additional features and extends RAW support to cameras including the Canon PowerShot G12, Pentax K-5, Nikon D3100, and the latest Panasonic Micro Four Thirds cameras. The update is available for immediate download from the company's website. (18:09 GMT)

Topaz Labs has updated its ReMask 3 masking plug-in for Adobe Photoshop a month after its release. Version 3.1 enhances processing speeds and adds new menu items amongst other improvements and bug fixes. Compatible with Windows and Intel-based Mac OS, it is still available at an introductory price of $49.99 till February 18. (01:57 GMT)

Just Posted: Our review of the Olympus XZ-1. The company's latest enthusiast compact represents its return to the top end of the compact camera market. The impressive set of features builds around a 28-122mm equiv. F1.8-2.5 lens and includes a 3.0" VGA-equivalent OLED screen, high-sensitivity 10MP CCD sensor and dual control dials. The XZ-1 enters a competitive segment of the market but its specifications suggest it can hold its own. Does use in the real-world support that impression? (20:38 GMT)

Ricoh has unveiled the CX5 compact superzoom with Hybrid AF. It represents the re-introduction of an AF system that combines a distance sensor with more conventional contrast detection method to offer focus times of as little as 0.2sec regardless of focal length. Beyond this, it offers the same 10MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor, 10.7x (28-300mm equiv.) zoom lens, 920k dot 3 inch LCD and 720p HD video recording as the CX4. It's not clear how the AF system differs from the one used by the company up until 2007, but it is claimed to almost double the speed of the CX4. Other new features include 'Super-Resolution' context-sensitive image processing and three additional scene modes. (06:00 GMT)

Just Posted: Fujifilm X100 first look. In amongst a flurry of of major camera announcements at Photokina 2010, one model stole the show - Fujifilm's retro-looking, large sensor, fixed lens compact: the X100. With its APS-C CMOS sensor and fast 23mm F2 lens giving a classic 35mm equivalent moderate wideangle view, this rangefinder-styled camera has traditional control dials plus an innovative 'hybrid' viewfinder that combines a large, bright optical finder with a high-resolution electronic display. We've been itching to get our hands on the X100 ever since it was announced, and Fujifilm has kindly lent us a prototype model for a first look. Click through to read more. (10:00 GMT)

Nikon has released a firmware update for the D3100 digital SLR that addresses a significant list of bugs and errors. Firmware v1.01 rectifies errors relating to autofocus, playback and noise reduction. This includes the reduction of a magenta cast at the bottom of still images captured at high ISO settings after using live view or movie shooting for a long period. The firmware is available for immediate download from Nikon's website. (18:07 GMT)

Panasonic has launched the DMC-ZS10 and DMC-ZS8 compact superzooms. The latest travel-zoom cameras increase their zoom ranges to 16x, still starting at a very useful 24mm equivalent. The ZS10 (TZ20 in Europe) incorporates a 14.1MP MOS sensor and GPS, and can record Full 1080i AVCHD format movies, generate 3D images and shoot full resolution images at 10fps. The simpler ZS8 (TZ18) comes with a 14.1 MP CCD sensor, shoots 720p HD movies in Motion JPEG format and misses out on both GPS and 3D capability. (05:00 GMT)

Panasonic has announced the Lumix DMC-TS3 rugged compact camera (known as the FT3 in Europe), with built-in GPS, altimeter, barometer and a compass. It sports a new body design and and better waterproofing upto depths of 12m as against 10m of its predecessor the TS2. Like the TS2 it is also dustproof, shockproof against a drop of up to 2m, and freezeproof down to -10°C. The 12MP CCD-based camera with a 2.7 inch LCD and 28-128mm equiv. lens features 1080i60 HD movies (from 30p sensor output) and comes with the company's latest 3D photo mode. (05:00 GMT)

Panasonic has released the Lumix DMC-FX78 ultra-compact with an F2.5-5.9 5x zoom lens starting at 24mm. The 12.1MP camera features a large 3.5" touch screen LCD with Touch zoom, AF tracking, shutter and playback capabilities. It also offers full 1080 HD recording in AVCHD format and a 3D Mode that produces a 3D photo in .MPO format by taking 20 consecutive photos and overlaying the two best into a 3D image. This can be played back on MPO-compatible equipment such as a televisions, digital photo frames and printers.  (05:00 GMT)

Phase One has released the IQ180, IQ160 and IQ140 medium format digital camera backs with 80, 60.5 and 40 megapixel CCD sensors respectively. All three backs feature 3.2" multi-touch rear screen the company describes as having 1.15 megapixel resolution (though it sounds more like what would usually be called 1.15 million dots). The IQ180 also features a USB 3.0 port for quicker image transfer and a FireWire 800 connection for faster tethered shooting. All three will be available from April 2011 at suggested retail prices starting from €16,990 /$21,990. (11:00 GMT)

Just Posted: An update to our recent group test of the the Canon Powershot S95, Panasonic Lumix LX5 and Nikon Coolpix P7000. Following the release of firmware V1.1 for the Nikon P7000, claimed to reduce RAW write times, we have retested the P7000 and updated the review accordingly. Is the increase in operational speed enough to make the P7000 score higher against the Canon Powershot S95 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5? Read our updated review to find out. (22:56 GMT)

Bibble Labs has announced version 5.2 of its RAW workflow software. This is the final version of the update posted as a 'release candidate' in December, and is now available for immediate download. The latest version provides RAW support to fourteen additional cameras including the Nikon D7000/D3100, Panasonic DMC-GF2, Pentax K-5 and Olympus E-PL2. Both the Pro and Lite versions of Bibble 5.2 also include improvements and bug fixes. (22:18 GMT)

Nikon has announced a delay in the launch of 'my Picturetown 3D', its Japan-only 3D imaging service. The service that was supposed to launch this month is now rescheduled for March 2011 due to production issues with the NF-300i 3D digital photo frame. The service allows online conversion of 2D and 3D images to the 3D format compatible with the NF-300i. (19:06 GMT)

onOne Software is offering more than 300 free album templates and layouts aimed at portrait and wedding photographers. After registering in the company's website, the templates can be downloaded and used in Adobe Photoshop, and do not require the use or ownership of any onOne product. (18:51 GMT)

Just Posted: Our quick review of the Canon PowerShot G12 enthusiast compact. As the G12 didn't arrive in time to be included in the high-end compact camera group test, we've now had a chance to put together in our quick review format that looks at the differences between its predecessor as well as competitors. Inheriting most of the core features of the G11, The G12 sees the addition of an EOS-style front control dial, Hybrid IS, multi-aspect ratio shooting and 720p HD video recording. (19:43 GMT)

Scientists have successfully constructed a digital camera that can be flexed to focus an image, allowing its use with simple single-element lenses. Researchers from Northwestern University and the University of Illinois created a 16 x 16 pixel array on an elastomeric backing that can be distorted to correctly focus the image from a simple lens. In a paper to be published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), they combine this with a single-element, tunable lens to provide a camera with very simple optics capable of zooming. The technology could eventually provide 'studio quality' images from cellphone cameras, one of the lead researchers says. (17:26 GMT)

Promotions company Shoot Experience has announced the International Street Photography Awards. Launched in connection with the London Street Photography festival to be held for the first time between 7-17th July 2011, the competition is now open for entries. To participate, photographers need to submit 5-8 of their best street photography photos from past five years along with a £30 entry fee. The winner will receive an Olympus Pen camera, an all-expenses paid trip to London and £1000 cash. There is also a UK-only student award category open to students aged 18 and older. Submissions are open until 30 March 2011. (18:02 GMT)

Samsung tops off its day of announcements with the ST6500, a high-end style compact with touch-screen control. The 16MP camera features a 5x zoom starting at a very respectable 26mm equivalent (extending out to 130mm equiv). Beyond the inclusion of 720p HD movie recording and the fact that the body tilts at 7 degrees, specification for the camera, available in March, is rather thin-on-the-ground. Its recommended selling price will be $229. (15:30 GMT)

Samsung has announced a trio of style compacts in the form of the ST95, ST90 and ST65. The ST95 offers 16MP while the other make do with 14. The top two models offer 5x zooms starting at 26mm equivalent while the ST65 has 5x zoom starting at 27mm equiv. The ST95 features a 3.0" touch-screen interface, rather than the more conventional button-based interfaces of its sister models. The cameras will reach the US market in February, at respective target prices of $199, $149 and $129 the company says. (15:30 GMT)

Samsung has announced the ST30 ultra-compact digital camera. The 10.1MP camera has a 3x zoom starting at a usefully wide 28mm equivalent focal length. The camera is, the company says, around the size of an average mobile phone, giving a good idea of who the camera is aimed at. It has all the standard features such as Smart Auto mode and Perfect Portrait mode you'd expect in the budget sector and comes with a list price of $99.95. (15:30 GMT)

Sandisk has announced its UHS-I comaptible Extreme Pro SDHC memory cards are now available in 8GB to 32GB capacities with retail prices of $109.99 to $349.99. Complying to the SD 3.0 specification, the cards offer maximum read/write speeds of 45MB/s and adhere to latest UHS Class 1 video rating, offering 10MB/s minimum write speed for recording 1080p HD videos or 3D content. (18:08 GMT)

DxO Labs has updated its DxO Optics Pro raw converter for Windows and Mac. Version 6.5.3 extends Raw support to Panasonic DMC-GH2 and Sony SLT-A55 in both its Standard and Elite editions. It also includes 90 additional camera/lens optical modules. The latest versions are available at retail prices of $299 and $169 respectively or as a free upgrade to existing users. (06:00 GMT)

Pentax has released firmware updates for its K-7 and K-x digital SLRs. Similar to recent updates for the K-5, K-r and 645D cameras, they extend support to SDXC memory cards offering the format's greater capacity but not speed. Version 1.11 for the K-7 and v1.02 for the K-x are available for immediate download from the company's website. (18:46 GMT)

Nik Software has released version 2 of its Silver Efex Pro black and white conversion plug-in for Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom and Apple Aperture. The upgraded version includes a history palette and better control for adjusting detail, contrast, and tonality. It is available from February 2011 at a suggested retail price of $199.95 or $99.95 to version one users. (18:46 GMT)

Sony has officially announced a 5-inch clip-on LCD monitor for tasks such as shooting HD video with interchangeable lens cameras. The CLM-V55 attaches to either a Sony or ISO-standard hot shoe and takes an HDMI input. The 1,152K dot (800 x 480 pixel) display features a tilt and swivel mount and a control wheel to adjust monitor settings such as aspect ratio, brightness/contrast and colour temperature.Other features include Pixel Magnification for accurate focusing and a 'Colour Peaking' function that highlights edges of focused subjects. (18:47 GMT)

Leica's Oskar Barnack Award 2011 international photo competition will be open for entries from January 15 with a first prize worth €14,500 (~ $19,000). For this year's prize the winner will receive an M9 rangefinder and lens in addition to the €5000 cash prize offered last year. To enter, participants need to submit a series of ten to twelve images expressing 'the interaction between man and the environment.' There will also be a Newcomer award open to photographers under 25 years. Submissions are open until 15 March 2011. (23:39 GMT)

Corel has released an updated version of its PaintShop Photo Pro X3 image editing software. The latest version improves overall stability and extends Raw support to additional cameras including the Canon EOS 60D, Olympus E-5, Pentax 645D and Panasonic DMC-LX5. The update is available for immediate download from the company's website. (18:43 GMT)

'We really can change the world' says Masashi 'Tiger' Imamura, President of Personal Imaging & Sound Business Group in an exclusive interview with dpreview.com. The company will try to bring together all its technologies to produce a worthy successor to the A700, he told us in a talk that also touched on the future expansion of the NEX system and the company's position on 'full frame' models. (19:41 GMT)

PMA has launched a new community website, and rebranded its tradeshow as CliQ 2011. Scheduled for September 6-11 this year, the tradeshow will be held in Las Vegas. The website aims to provide tools and content for photographers and videographers. Readers can subscribe to this service for an annual price of $25 (which includes entry to the expo). (16:48 GMT)

Lexar has released a behind-the-scenes YouTube video of its memory card production process. While the rather corportate-friendly video is unlikely to give you the ability to go out and make your own memory cards, it does provide some interesting information you might not have known. (18:42 GMT)

PocketWizard makers LPA Design has begun a patent infringement case against Hong Kong-based manufacturer Phottix. LPA Design claims patents covering aspects of its radio communication technology and the auto-switching transceiver technology introduced for the first time in the PocketWizard's Plus II wireless trigger are being infringed by Phottix. (02:12 GMT)

Dpreview.com is back from Las Vegas and returning to the job of turning our previews into full reviews. This year we brought you two camera previews, a samples gallery, more than 30 news stories, a report from the CES Digital Experience event, eight stand reports, and a roundup of some of the latest developments in camcorders - both conventional and 3D. We also published two brief interviews, and have at least one more on the way. (05:42 GMT)

Just posted: Olympus XZ-1 sample photos. While we were attending CES in Las Vegas, we were offered a production-standard version of the latest enthusiast compact from Olympus. The 10Mp camera with its 28-112mm lens and impressive maximum aperture range of F1.8-2.5 sounded too good to resist. We carried it with us everywhere we went and have prepared a sample gallery of shots including a range of ISO settings and apertures to help give an insight into the camera's performance. (07:44 GMT)

Pentax US has said it has not ruled out introducing a mirrorless interchangable lens camera. Chris Pound, Product Manager, Digital Imaging Systems said: 'if a product makes sense, and is feasible economically, we'll come out with it'. (22:18 GMT)

In an exclusive meeting with dpreview.com at this year's CES, Adrian Clarke of Fujifilm told us that the company has been 'surprised and delighted' by reaction to the X100 - the innovative, retro-styled high-end compact camera announced at Photokina 2010. Featuring a 12MP CMOS sensor and fixed, 35mm (equivalent) f/2 lens, the X100 also features a hybrid, switchable optical/electronic viewfinder. (21:09 GMT)

Pre-CES 2011: We've just returned from the extra-terrestrial themed pre-show 'Digital Experience' where we've seen a little bit of the future (or, at least, had a chance to get our hands on the products we'll be showing you in the coming days). The two most interesting cameras were undoubtedly the Olympus E-PL2 and Olympus XZ-1, both of which we've already had the opportunity to preview. However, they were far from the only new cameras that we saw tonight... (07:03 GMT)

Pre-CES 2011: Olympus has announced the Micro Four Thirds PEN E-PL2. Sitting below the E-P2 in the company's PEN lineup, the E-PL2 boasts the same 12Mp sensor but adds a raft of improvements, including a restyled body, larger LCD screen and improved AF. The innovative Live Guide mode, first seen in the E-PL1 has been improved too, and the E-PL2 comes with a redesigned version of the collapsable 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens (which debuted with the Japan-only E-PL1s, last year). We've had a production E-PL2 in the office for a while - just long enough for us to prepare a full hands-on preview including studio comparison and real-world samples. (03:00 GMT)

Pre-CES 2011: Olympus has officially announced the much-leaked XZ-1 enthusiasts' compacts. The basic specs are impressive: 28-122mm equivalent lens with a F1.8-2.5 maximum aperture range making it the brightest in its class. It also features dual control dials and a 3.0" VGA-equivalent OLED screen. But the really impressive thing about the XZ-1 is how those elements have been integrated. We've been using the XZ-1 and have prepared a brief preview to give some insight beyond the bare specifications. (03:00 GMT)

Pre-CES 2011: SanDisk has unveiled the 128GB Extreme Pro, world's fastest high-capacity CompactFlash card with 100MB/s write speed. The card is designed for cameras with full HD video recording capabilities of up to 50Mbps bit rate and 4:2:2 color sampling, as well as full hi-resolution continuous shooting speeds. The card is available for pre-order from the company's website at a suggested retail price of $1,499.99. (23:42 GMT)

Pre-CES 2011: Kingston Technology has released the UltimateXX 233x SDHC UHS-I memory cards in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB capacities. They offer maximum read speeds of up to 60MB/s and up to 35MB/sec. of write speeds. The performance of the cards is optimized when paired with UHS-I compatible devices, and supports 3D and full HD video recording features of recently released cameras. (22:50 GMT)

Apple has slashed the price of its Aperture 3 raw-conversion and photo management software for Mac OS to $79.99 (originally priced at $199), when purchased as an app from its latest Mac App store. It is available for £44.99 in UK and €62.99 the European App store.
Update: Speaking to dpreview.com an Apple spokesperson would not comment on whether or not the Aperture 3 App store pricing is permanent, or part of a time-limited introductory offer. At present however, there is nothing to indicate either that the App store pricing is temporary, or that the version of Aperture 3 available from the App store differs in any way from the normal retail version. (18:17 GMT)

CES 2011: Sony has announced five 16.2MP CMOS sensor Cyber-shot compact cameras, including the DSC-TX100V with 60fps 1080p movies and OLED touch-screen controls. Along side it we have the DSC-HX7V with built-in GPS and compass and image stabilized 10x (25-250mm equiv.) optical zoom lens. Another T series model introduced is the DSC-TX10 rugged compact with a 3.0 inch LCD. Lastly we have the DSC-WX10 and DSC-WX9, both capable of 10fps full resolution continuous shooting speeds plus 7x and 5x optical zoom lens starting at 24mm equivalent. These latter four models are capable of shooting full 1080i HD movies. All five are the world's first compacts to allow 3D still image shooting with one lens and imager. (01:00 GMT)

Pre-CES 2011: Olympus has announced a new pair of Tough series compact cameras. Both the TG-610 and TG-310 come with 14Mp sensors, and are shockproof to 5 ft and freezeproof to 14 degrees Fahrenheit. The 610 is waterproof to 16 ft, sports a 920K dot 3.0" LCD and comes with a 3.6x (28-102mm equiv.) zoom lens, while the 310 is waterproof to 10 ft and features a simpler 230K dot 2.7" LCD and a 3x (38-114mm equiv.) zoom. Both cameras can shoot 720p HD videos and come with a 3D mode that can also be used underwater. They will be available next month at retail prices of $299.99 and $199.99 respectively. (03:00 GMT)

CES 2011: Sony has announced six entry level compacts. Top of the range with a price tag of $230 are the DSC-H70 and DSC-T110, featuring 16Mp CCD sensors, 3.0" LCDs (touchscreen for T110), 720p HD video recording plus 10x and 4x zoom lenses starting at 25mm. Then come four W-series models all powered by lithium-ion rechargeable batteries and priced between $110-$180 for a choice of 16Mp-12Mp sensors, 2.7"-3.0" LCDs or VGA and HD video recording. All W-series models feature Sweep Panorama mode and image stabilization. (01:00 GMT)