Lensbaby has introduced a new system of selective focus lenses - the Composer, Muse, and Control Freak. The new Muse and the new Control Freak replace the current Original, Lensbaby 2.0, and Lensbaby 3G lenses, which will be phased out immediately. In addition, each of the three lenses features the new Lensbaby Optic Swap system.

Product Specs and Pricing:

Hasselblad has introduced the 50 megapixel H3DII-50,The new H3DII-50 features Kodak’s 50 Mpixel 36×48mm sensor, measuring twice the physical size of the largest 35mm DSLR sensors. Hasselblad also announced a new HCD 35-90mm f4-5.6 lens and the HTS 1.5 Tilt/Shift adapter.

Hasselblad H3DII-50 Key Specs:

• Integrated 50 Mpix capture units with 3″ LCD display
• Ultra-Focus: integral optimization of digital lens performance
• Hasselblad Natural Color Solution
• Integrated CCD cooling sink for lower noise
• Direct ISO/WB control
• Thumbwheel control of digital menus
• GPS accessory option
• Full Digital APO Correction for improved image sharpness and detail

Price and Availability:

Joby has announced the new Gorillapod Focus, another unique, bendable tripod which supports weights up to 11 lbs. This means you can attach SLR cameras with large telephoto lenses or digital video cameras. Gorillapod Focus will be available immediately with a price tag of $150.

Gorillapod Focus Press Release:

Tokina announced that they will be putting autofocus motors to its Nikon-mount version lenses thus enabling Auto focusing with the D40/D40x/D60 bodies. The first lens to benefit from the in-lens AF motor will be AT-X Pro SD 12-24mm F4 (IF) DX wideangle zoom. A motorised version of this lens is being exhibited at Photokina, and more lenses are expected to be updated soon.

Sigma has announced a new HSM version of its 24-70mm F2.8 EX DG lens. Featuring 14 elements in 12 groups, including three aspherical, one ELD and two SLD elements, the new HSM version is more compact than its predecessor. The 24-70mm F2.8 EX DG also promises fast and silent focusing coupled with full-time manual focus, thanks to the new HSM focusing motor. The lens will be available in Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony mounts.

Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 EX DG HSM Specifications:

Adobe today announced Adobe Photoshop CS4 and Photoshop CS4 Extended, the highly anticipated, new editions of the professional industry standard software for digital imaging. We just got used to the CS3 and here comes the new one. Well I don't complain, with every new version of Photoshop, things are getting easier and faster with more options offered. I like Photoshop, what else can I say...

Pricing and Availability
Photoshop CS4 and Photoshop CS4 Extended for Mac OS X on Intel based and PowerPC based systems and for MicrosoftWindows XP and Windows Vista platform are scheduled to ship October 2008. Estimated street price for Adobe Photoshop CS4 is US$699 and US$999 for Photoshop CS4 Extended. Upgrade pricing is also available.

For more detailed information about features, upgrade policies and pricing, please visit: www.adobe.com/photoshop.

Adobe CS4 and CS4 Extended Press Release:

Pretec strengthens its world leading position in CF card size with the introduction of two new CF cards: Pretec 64GB and 100GB CF. These are 233X CF cards with access speed of up to 35MB/s.

Pretec also introduced the fastest CF cards in the world: Super high speed 333X 32GB and 50GB CF cards capable of running up to 50 MB per second of Read/Write speed.

Price, Availability and Press Release:

The new 10x zoom (24-240mm) Samsung HZ1 is revealed. Offering one of the widest focal range lens amongst all compact digital cameras, HZ1 will definitely be a very popular option for wide angle lovers.

Samsung HZ1 Main Features:

• 10-MP 1/2.33" image sensor
• 24-240mm (10x) lens
• Dual Image Stabilization
• 30 fps 720p HD Video Recording
• 2.7" LCD
  
  

The greatest pre-photokina news so far in my opinion has come from Leica. Leica has announced a brand-new digital photographic system in its new S-system.

The Leica S2 with its 37-MP sensor which is 56% larger than those used in 35mm full-frame DSLRs, is aimed at the top-end professional photographer shooting advertising, fashion and other commercial work. The official announcement of the new Leica S2 is expected be aat the Photokina trade show

“We realised that many professionals work with medium format but also keep another camera – a Canon or a Nikon – for location work,” said Leica UK’s David Bell. “We wanted to make something to occupy that middle ground -- a camera that would give the quality of medium format and the handling and flexibility of 35mm.”

"We have a stunning line-up of nine lenses in the S-system. Some will have leaf shutters to enable flash sync at fast shutter speeds, other will be smaller and rely on the S2’s built-in focal plane shutter,” said Leica product manager Maike Harberts. “We expect the S2 to be able to perform twice as fast as Hasselblad H-series cameras and put in a better performance at high ISOs too.”

Leica S2 Specifications:

We haven't even solved the noise problem in 2D yet, and now comes the 3D? What is going to happen, will the 3D grains attack the viewers while pixel-peeping? I personally don't want to to get in to too much details of this technology, since I am having enough problems with my current setup. I have to admit the twin-lens camera concept looks cool though, although I hope they keep at the compact size, I don't want to have to carry a camera with two 300mm F2.8 attached at the same time for 3D birds in flight.

Anyway, Fujifilm has announced the development of the FinePix Real 3D System that is built around a newly-developed 3D processor and a twin-lens camera concept. According to Fujifilm, this system features not only 3D capture, but 3D printing and display with a selection of new technologies. Nothing in the way of product as yet.

The 3D camera depends heavily on a newly developed chip called the ‘Real Photo Processor 3D’ which synchronizes the data passed to it by both sensors, and instantaneously blends the information into a single high quality image, for both stills and movies.

There is no product or a prototype yet, but the possible future possibilities according to Fujifilm are listed below:

• Simultaneous Dual Image Shooting: (Telephoto and Wide Angle)
• Simultaneous Dual-Image Shooting (film modes)
• Ultra-Wide Panoramic Shots Shooting
• Movie-Still Simultaneous

Press Release: