If you're into photography... and probably even if you're not, we've entered a very exciting period. Photokina is underway. Photokina is the world's biggest trade show for photography, held in historic (and fragrantly smelly) Cologne, Germany. Attended by over 150,000 and featuring more than 1,500 exhibitors, manufacturers wait patiently for Photokina to spring their new products on the world.

You can get a quick read on just how much is going on by looking at the news section of DPReview.com. Instead of the usual few entries a week, DPReview is jammed with new gear. There are lenses and software and cameras and peripherals from all the big names and their smaller cousins. I'm in the market for a new lens and I'm looking every day.

So far the big news concerns Canon's new 5D Mark II which threatens to revolutionize what we expect from a DSLR (take a look at Vincent Laforet's 5D video short if you don't believe me), Adobe's forthcoming CS4, including a new version of Photoshop and Fujifilms "Look Ma, no dumb glasses," "Real 3D" system.

Photokina runs through the weekend, though you'll be feeling its effect on the photographic world for the next two years.