Getty Images buys iStockPhoto.com

Getty Images has purchased iStockPhoto.com for $50 million. According to Photo District News, the acquisition makes Getty Images the first major stock agency to offer a low-cost "micro payment" service. iStock sells photographs at minimal prices to individuals and companies with small scale image requirements.

While photographs from iStock retail typically at less than a dollar per image, a large sales volume makes the picture agency favourable for photographers. Getty will reportedly continue to operate iStock separately rather than to envelop it in the Getty brand.

Sony has introduced the W-series of ultra-compact digital cameras, an announcement which marks the end of the popular "P" series (and the original chunky W series), reports Digital Photography Review. The W30 and W50 models will be the first in the new range. Both cameras offer 6MP resolutions, and promise low noise levels even at high ISO settings.

The W-series is aimed at people who "prefer the look and feel of a traditional camera, but without the bulk", said James Neal, director of digital imaging products at Sony Electronics. In addition to a large LCD screen, these cameras also offer an eye-level viewfinder, a feature which will prove useful to fans of typical film camera viewfinders.

The winners of the prestigious world press photojournalism awards have been announced, and may be viewed on the world press photo website.

Canadian photographer Finbar O`Reilly won the photo of the year prize. The winning image was taken at a feeding centre in Niger, and is a stark portrayal of a starving child`s hand placed on the mother`s lips.

South African photographer Joao Silva won a second prize in the Contemporary Issues category for a striking image taken at a Malawi prison. Part of the so-called "Bang-Bang Club", Silva attained international acclaim as a war-photographer covering pre-1994 political violence in SA.