Pentax has released the Optio W90 rugged compact sporting a tougher body than its predecessor, the W80.

Pentax has released the X90 superzoom with 26x optical zoom lens. Featuring the same 12MP image stabilized sensor inherited from the previously released X70, it offers a slightly longer zoom range at 26-676mm equivalent, an electronic viewfinder with dipotre adjustment and a longer lasting battery

Samsung Electronics has confirmed its planned merger with Samsung Digital Imaging, which will bring the Korean conglomerate’s camera division under the same roof as its other consumer electronics businesses such as mobile phones and printers. From April 1, 2010, the camera business will become part of Samsung Electronics with an objective ‘to increase management efficiency of the digital camera business and to maximize synergy between businesses’

PMA 2010: Novoflex has unveiled a series of mount adapters for Samsung’s NX mirrorless cameras. The German manufacturer is showing nine adapters to various lens mounts, including Sony Alpha, Pentax K, Olympus OM and Leica R. There is also a Nikon F mount adapter featuring the aperture control ring the company includes on its Micro Four Thirds to Nikon F adapter

Samsung wants to ‘own’ the mirrorless camera sector, according to Seung Soo Park, Samsung’s Vice President, Strategy Marketing and Digital Media. This will include enhanced communication with customers and firmware updates for its cameras based on their requests, he said, in an exclusive interview with dpreview.com.

Future Nikon models will provide a better balance between resolution and high ISO image quality than in the recently launched D3S, according to Nobuaki Sasagaki, General Manager of the Marketing Department of Nikons Imaging Division, speaking in an exclusive interview with dpreview.com.

Olympus is still committed to the Four Thirds DSLR standard and will continue to develop it in tandem with its Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras, says the company’s US DSLR product manager. In response to press speculation, John Knaur told dpreview.com: ‘We still plan to develop full size DSLRs and both, side-by-side.’

Canon has posted a firmware update for its Rebel TLi / EOS 500D digital SLR. Version 1.1.0 brings improvements to live view shooting and fixes bugs in the English, Arabic and Swedish language menus. The firmware is available for immediate download from Canon’s website.

PMA 2010: Ricoh has announced the development of two more lens modules for its GXR interchangeable unit camera system.

PMA 2010: Lens maker Tokina is set to produce a 16-28mm F2.8 ultra wide angle zoom lens for full-frame DSLRs. The lens, called the SD 16-28 F2.8 (IF) FX is being shown in mockup form on the stand of US distributor THK at the PMA show in Anaheim, California.