Entries for the 2009 SONY PROFOTO AWARDS, presented by the Professional Photographers of Southern Africa (PPSA) and sponsored by Sony Alpha, officially open on 9 October 2009.

The 2009 SONY PROFOTO AWARDS will be a showcase of the best images of Southern Africa’s renowned and undiscovered professional photographers and photography students.

Both professional photographers practising in Southern Africa and photography students can enter images until 31 January 2010. The Southern African region includes South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. For the 2009 awards, the student competition has been expanded to include both full time students from accredited photographic institutions as well as part time photographic students.

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Registration is now open for the year-long Photojournalism and Documentary Photography Programme (PDP). Formulated with the support of Getty Images and the Open Society Foundation, the course is aimed at producing informed and curious African photojournalists and documentary photographers who also have high levels of technical competence.

Intermediate to advanced knowledge of photography is desirable for those wishing to enrol in the PDP, which combines theory and practice.

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The EOS-1D Mark IV Features a Completely Redesigned 45-Point Autofocus System, Fast 10 fps Continuous Shooting, 16-Megapixel Resolution, Outstanding ISO Sensitivity, and Full HD Video Recording at Selectable Frame Rates

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., October 20, 2009 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, is proud to introduce the next evolution in the EOS 1D series of cameras: the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Digital SLR camera. The EOS-1D Mark IV is a high-speed multimedia performance monster with a 16-megapixel Canon CMOS sensor, Dual DIGIC 4 Imaging Processors, and 14-bit A/D data conversion, all at 10 frames-per-second (fps), with the widest ISO range Canon has produced to date. This new camera also features 1080p Full High-Definition video capture at selectable frame rates packaged in Canon's most rugged and durable professional camera body. Also see:http://blog.vincentlaforet.com

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"Nikon officially announced the new 12.1-megapixel D3s digital SLR this morning. The camera adds high definition video capture but otherwise appears to be a relatively minor upgrade to the D3 which was released back in 2007. Though the D3s ($5,200) features the exact same image resolution as its predecessor, Nikon says the new camera has a brand new sensor, an FX-format (aka full-frame) CMOS chip which can shoot as high as ISO 102,400. The standard ISO range of the D3s is ISO 200-12,800. The three high ISO settings include ISO 25,600 (H1), 51,200 (H2), and 102,400 (H3). Individual pixel size for the 12.1MP image sensor is 8.45 microns." By Dan Havlik: Read full article at PDN

Earlier today in Hong Kong, The Summit Global Group, which was granted a license to produce certain Polaroid-branded products this past June, announced its plan to reintroduce certain iconic Polaroid instant cameras to the market in 2010. As part of their reissue of instant film cameras, The Summit Global Group have partnered with The Impossible Project, which plans to release black and white integral film under a new brand at the beginning of 2010, with color film to follow later in the year.

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The Hasselblad H4D series is the follow up to the H3D platform.  The first camera in the new H4D series is the H4D-60, which is a 60-megapixel, medium format camera.  The H4D series of cameras will feature Hasselblad’s True Focus with Absolute Position Lock technology, which ensures accurate focus during any recomposition after autofocus is initially achieved.

The H4D-60 should be available in January 2010 for 28,995 EUR or R320 000 at the current exchange rate.

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