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IN THIS ISSUE…
PHOTO NEWS
LOCAL HEROES
PRINT MASTER
TALK OF THE TRADE
Olympus sells off imaging division, Nikon closes London School, The Photography Show goes virtual for 2020 & much, much more
How Fujifilm Photo Print Services’ new ‘shop local’ campaign is encouraging your customers to make the most of their nearest minilab
Canon’s new EOS R5 & EOS R6 cameras & ImagePROGRAF PRO-300 printer get put through their paces by one of the world’s top wedding photographers
We catch up with some of the photo trade’s longest established retailers to find out how they’ve managed the re-opening of their stores & new safety measures
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Get ws e N I P B to d e r e v deli or & o d r u yo ust j r o f x in-bo £3y0 r! a e r e p Part of the glue that binds together our industry, British Photographic Industry News has been with you through the thick and thin of the past 40 years, covering seismic shifts for the trade; including the transferal from film to digital and the changing face of retail, as the high street presence has expanded to involve a more multi-platform sales push. With a lot of misinformation out there, a curated approach to the developments of the day and exclusive input from industry leaders is what continues to ensure the relevance of a trade-focused magazine. As we seek to guide you through choppy waters, you in turn can lend your support from just £30 per year. Simply click through to www.paypal.me/bpinews to send your £30 subscription direct, or get in touch via gavin@bpinews.co.uk or info@bpinews.co.uk if you’d prefer to pay via bank transfer.
Photographic British
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Editorial | July / August 2020
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ONWARDS & UPWARDS H
ope this issue finds you well in the continued unprecedented circumstances we find ourselves in these days – both as regards our own families and the ‘extended family’ of the photo industry. I want to start off by extending our thanks to everyone who has supported our subscription drive this past month – and those who, Gavin Stoker, if feeling they couldn’t quite stretch to Editor the £30 per annum being asked, kindly gavin@bpinews.co.uk dug their hands in their pockets and @GavinStoker bought us a virtual coffee to keep us in publication. You can still do both of those things by pledging £30 or £3 via www.paypal.me/bpinews While I wouldn’t pretend we’re out of the woods yet, your support (as well as that of the advertisers featured within these pages) has enabled us to return to the printed edition we hope you’re holding as you read this. We’re continuing to push the online version too – June’s digital-only ‘lockdown special’ received tenfold the number of readers who normally digest our regular digital editions, with advertisers telling us they were very happy with the response. So double the reason to get involved with BPI News as the last and only remaining photo trade publication; a key part of the glue that binds our industry together. If you missed our s.co.uk w previous edition in e in p ww.b REW’ up at w B h c A t a S C W BPI NE us in & ‘BUY to keep 3 £ g in g by pled tion via publica ews e/bpin m l. a p y a www.p
ED MISSE ’S JUN IS SUE? L A DIGIT
the hubbub of lockdown easing and stores re-opening, you can of course find it in our digital archive at www.bpinews.co.uk. Plus, we’ve updated and re-printed our business advice feature from last month on page 16 of this issue, as not only is most of the advice still fiercely relevant, but we wanted to have a physical record of the industry coming together to combat the effects of the pandemic on livelihoods. Like all national publications, copies of BPI News are sent to and stored by the British Library – so it would be heartening to think that future generations may one day look us up to find out how we coped. Our main news this month is, unsurprisingly, a mixed bag. On the upside, there are the latest welcome product launches from Canon, Sigma, Fujifilm, Panasonic, Leica and more to indicate that we are getting back to some sort of normality. Set against this is the sell-off of Olympus’ imaging division, the closure of Nikon’s Central London ‘school’ and The Photography Show going online-only for 2020; though of course if we squint hard enough we may be able to find positive spins on these stories too. Our next scheduled edition is our September 2020 cover, with a copy due date of August 25th. As I said at the start, your support to ensure BPI News can continue to be published is gratefully received and appreciated. So feel free to reach out to us. As one industry veteran kindly noted last month: “the trade needs BPI”.
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SCHOOL’S OUT FOR NIKON
It’s always said that face-to-face is best when it comes to education and learning new skills. Post Covid-19 of course, that has had to be re-thought – with Nikon being the latest to tear up the rulebook with the permanent closure of its Central London Nikon School (formerly its Centre of Excellence, which opened in 2013) and the plan to move its activity online; something the manufacturer has already been doing during lockdown, albeit initially as a temporary measure. Naturally the brand is seeking to put a positive spin on the closure of its physical space. The official line is that it believes the quality of its courses had not been diminished by being online-only – and because photographers from all over the country can now receive tuition and improve their skills from home, it potentially gives the school a wider audience. Nikon tells us
there have been no jobs lost in the shutdown. Head of Marketing Julian Harvie, who landed in the role just prior to lockdown and the retirement of Jeremy Gilbert, adds: “We no longer require a physical classroom to educate and inspire when there is so much out there we want to capture. We know that the limitless potential of online will be central to our success. We will also be working on new ways to support our professional photographers so that they continue to be provided with the highest level of support.” While initial online courses during April this year were free to access during the pandemic, the manufacturer is looking at a new pricing structure. Training Manager at Nikon School Neil Freeman hopes that photographers “will invest in us once again, so that we can continue to invest in you.” https://online.nikonschool.com
Photography Show ‘online only’ this September Due to Covid-19 restrictions, and the potential health situation arising from up to 30,000 visitors amassing in one place, unsurprisingly this year’s Photography and Video Show has been moved from its already re-scheduled September 2020 slot at the NEC to a full year later and a new date of September 2021. Tickets for the original cancelled March 2020 show will remain valid for the new dates of 18-21st September next year. To keep both exhibitors and attendees on board and engaged in the meantime
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IN MEMORIAM
NORMAN HARRINGTON: 1938-2020 Sad news for the photo trade, as word reaches us that Intro 2020 founder and Chairman Norman Harrington passed away on July 13th, following a short illness. He was 82. Norman started the business as ‘Introphoto’ with Hoya Filters in 1970, after working for the Rank Organisation. He subsequently built Intro 2020 to become one of the leading photo, video and optical distributors in the UK. Norman was also a keen and competitive sailor, having raced everything from dinghies to ocean going yachts. Needless to say, the team at Intro 2020 admits “he will be sadly missed.” General Manager Keith Ruffell adds: “Norman was a big character in the industry, more so behind the scenes for the last few years, but he’s left the company in good hands and we will work to honour and his legacy.” idealtirelessly for holidaymakers content www.intro2020.co.uk creators alike, here we get a 20x optical zoom, 1/2.5-inch Exmor R CMOS sensor and again Bionz X processor. Availability is from July at £600 SRP. www.sony.co.uk
however, it is aiming to host a series of related events online this September 20th and 21st. The Internet-only version, will, organisers at Future tell us, host an exhibition hall, a schedule of talks, plus ‘various other networking events’. The virtual show will also be free to attend. www.photographyshow.com
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OLYMPUS SELLS OFF IMAGING DIVISION Though rumours about Olympus’ future as a big name photo brand have been swirling for some time, last month’s big news that its imaging division was being ring-fenced and sold off to private equity firm Japan Industrial Partners (JIP) – to prevent, BPI News understands, it being snatched-up by a non Japanese company, took most industry watchers by surprise. Olympus admits not turning a profit on its cameras for the past three years – with, predictably, the rise of smartphones and the shrinkage of the dedicated camera market being blamed. However Olympus UK has been quick to reassure that, despite the news out of Japan, it’s business as usual locally, with a re-focus on what constitutes Olympus’ ‘brand DNA’. Marketing Manager Mark Thackara adds: “It is important that we let all our very loyal customers know that it is business as usual after the predictable
round of clickbait headlines. Yes there is uncertainty, but there always is in business. What we do know is that products and development will continue and we can build on the reputation we already have for bringing the joy back into photography for many, many people. “We know that Olympus owners are passionate about the reasons they chose us so what is Olympus’ brand DNA? Risky question? I don’t think so, which is why we’ve started to ask our customers what it is they love about Olympus using the “whyiloveolympus” hashtag. There is something about cameras that gets people really argumentative and emotional; more so that most other hardware.” BPI News understands that JIP has a strong track record in supporting ‘strategic carve outs’; being the same investors that bought up Sony’s Vaio computer business back in 2014. At the time of writing it is being suggested that Olympus and JIP are aiming to tie up a legally binding agreement by the end of September and that Olympus products already in the pipeline remain unaffected. As to the long-term fate of Olympus
cameras as a brand, it looks for now like we’ll just have to wait and see, but both manufacturer and equity firm have stated that they are “committed to providing our stakeholders with full transparency about our intentions as plans solidify.” In related news, Olympus updated its lens roadmap in early July, saying that the M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm f/4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO lens (above), originally announced in January 2019, is now estimated to arrive this winter, while in a related move it’s adding ‘bird detection’ to the Subject Detection AF on the OM-D E-M1X. Also on the roadmap are an updated M.Zuiko Digital ED 8-25mm f/4.0 PRO lens plus an as yet unnamed macro lens. www.olympus.co.uk
SIGMA BEATS THE BUGS, LAUNCHES LENSES The third party lens specialist is back in the news with a plethora of new optics and accessories this month. These include a new ‘Contemporary’ series lens for full frame mirrorless E-mount and L-mount cameras in the Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS (£899.99 SRP), while there are three further L-mount only lenses in the compact and lightweight Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN (£449.99 SRP), 30mm f/1.4 DC DN (£329.99 SRP) and 56mm f/1.4 DC DN (£399.99). L-mount users also get both
Sigma TC-1411 1.4x and TC-2011 2x teleconverters at a suggested £369.99 and £399.99 respectively (turning the 100-400mm, for example, into the equivalent of a 140-560mm or 200-800mm). Finally, there’s a new Sigma USB dock in the UD-11 (left) for use with both the L-mount and EF-M mount. This is a very affordable £39.99
SRP and is also released for July. In addition the company has released a Version 2 firmware upgrade for its full frame Sigma fp camera which, it claims, both fixes some bugs (including flickering in dark areas when shooting video) and enhances the unit’s functionality and ease of operation; introducing improvements to AF and image quality, in-camera ‘cinemagraph’ creation and playback, plus HDR video recording. Direct your customers to the following URL to download the fix: www.sigma-global.com/en/ download/cameras/firmware/
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FUJI WIDENS GFX SERIES’ APPEAL AS STORE RE-OPENS Late July sees the release of a new wide angle, weather-resistant Fujinon GF 30mm f/3.5 R WR prime lens, equivalent to 24mm on a 35mm camera, destined for Fuji’s GFX large format system. Designed to be able to resolve detail from 100 million pixel sensors, construction consists of 13 elements in ten groups. Measuring 99.4mm with a maximum diameter of 84mm, the lens weighs 510g. It has an internal focusing system, offering swift and silent AF, while ‘focus breathing’ has been reduced to just 0.05%, making this a great lens for shooting video too, believes its manufacturer. Price was still to be decided at the time of writing. At the same time, Fuji has released a new firmware updates for all three GFX cameras in the GFX 50S (Ver. 4.00), GFX 50R (Ver. 2.00) and GFX 100 (ver. 2.00) – said to bring with them ‘substantial advances’ in image quality, autofocus performance and expandability that it claims essentially transforms them into ‘completely new cameras’. For starters the number of Film Simulation modes for all three models have been increased, with ‘Classic Neg’ mode being added to the trio, plus ‘Eterna Bleach Bypass’ for the GFX
100, which simulates the film processing technique of the same name. The GFX 50S and 50R receive the ‘Eterna’ mode, meanwhile, which emulates the colours and tonality of Fuji’s motion picture film. On top of this the GFX 100’s Smooth Skin Effect is added to the two other cameras, while the GFX 100 in turn receives a ‘Colour Chrome Blue’ effect. AF performance is also improved, with the GFX 100 able to use phase detection AF in low light conditions down to -5EV. The Low Light Priority AF-S mode newly given to the 50S and 50R is said to improve AF accuracy in low light. Increased drone and gimbal support – allowing users to start/stop video recording, specify video settings and make manual focus adjustments – is also among the updates, with several companies including Zhiyun announcing an intention to offer compatible products. Finally there is Apple ProRes Raw video output support offered, enabling the GFX 100 to output maximum 4K, 29.97 fps 12-bit Raw video data via HDMI to an Atomos Ninja V, thereby allowing for exposure and colour adjustment in post production (new firmware for the Ninja V will be released by Atomos itself this July).
Direct your customers to: https://fujifilm-x.com/global/support/ download/firmware/cameras/ Finally, Fuji’s Central London House of Photography store-come-experiencecentre re-opened to the public on July 9th, having closed its doors a full week before the official government-ordered ‘lockdown’ began at the end of March. The manufacturer says that the essence of its emporium remains unaffected, although there is now a pre-booking system for customers who want to get hands-on with a product, or have a 1-2-1 appointment with its product specialists, while use of hand sanitisers, protective masks and screens for staff, cashless transactions and a queuing system outside the store have all been implemented. www.fujifilm-houseofphotography.com
Swains joins the dots for the trade The Ultra HD 8K ready Irix Cine lens line up – as distributed by Swains – has received a Red Dot award for product design. As regular readers will know, around 15,500 projects from over 80 countries compete for the awards each year, which makes for intense competition. Highlighted by the judges were the 150mm T3.0, which, in addition to its 8K capability, promises a macro magnification ratio of 1:1, almost zero chromatic aberration and ultra low 0.1% distortion. The 11mm T4.3 was also in
the spotlight for its ultra wide-angle field of view and low distortion, while the 15mm T2.6 caught the experts’ eyes for its combination of fast aperture and low distortion. Lastly, the Irix 45mm T1.5 also received praise for its weather sealed construction and beautiful ‘bokeh’. The above lenses are all available in Sony E, Canon EF, MFT and Arri PL mounts. For more on Irix’s award winning Cine lenses, speak to your local Swains rep via sales@swains.co.uk or dial 01485 536200. www.swains.co.uk
STOP PRESS! Nikon announces Z5, Nikkor Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3, TC-1.4x & TC-2.0x teleconverters & firmware upgrades coming late summer
6 July / August 2020 | BPI News
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Over 80 years of experience in photography goes into every camera we make. It’s part of what makes the FUJIFILM X Series special
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BPI News Extra
PANASONIC’S G100 TARGETS ONLINE ‘VLOGGERS’ Aimed at the next Joe Wicks and other content creators, the new Lumix G100, claimed as the smallest mirrorless model with a free angle LCD screen, arrives with a wealth of video expertise…
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anasonic may not be known primarily as a vlogging brand, but its Lumix camera range does have a long and distinguished heritage. And, bringing things bang up to date, the manufacturer tells us fitness guru Joe Wicks, the breakout YouTube star during lockdown, uses its GH5 model. Given the above, it’s no surprise a new dedicated video blogging – or ‘vlogging’ – option in the compact Lumix G100 arrives at the end of July. This is a market witnessing massive growth, with, claims Panasonic, 80% of Internet traffic directed at video content and 61% of photographers saying that they share an interest in shooting video alongside stills. This new 20-megapixel Four Thirds sensor model competes with the likes of Sony’s ZV-1, and is, Panasonic claims, the smallest mirrorless model with a free-angle LCD screen. With its potential audience most obviously anyone upgrading from a smartphone the new camera is quite minimal looking in terms of its scarcity of buttons. Keeping operation simple, a dedicated ‘send to smartphone’ button is provided on the camera. Although it’s geared towards those who are into blogging, it’s maker claims that it’s nonetheless also ‘a cracking stills camera.’ Headline features include 4K video recording at up to 30fps, with ‘social media frame markers’, including a portrait format vertical video option, provided so users can create content specifically for online sharing. A video selfie mode –automatically setting depth of field and featuring face detection auto focus – is provided along with five axis on-board ‘hybrid IS’ image stabilization for smooth shooting while walking. A brand new tripod grip accessory in the DMW-SHGR1 is available as an optional extra.
INDUSTRY FIRST TECHNOLOGY As video creators will be aware, it’s essential to be able to record great sound in tandem. Here Panasonic has partnered
Bend it, shape it: The G100 is claimed as the smallest mirrorless camera with a vari angle LCD. A bundle deal also includes a handy shooting grip
with Nokia to provide ‘Ozo Audio’; described as ‘an industry first’ tracking technology that works in conjunction with the unit’s face tracking to follow the voice of the subject. The camera has a surround sound function, a dedicated front microphone mode, plus a ‘back mode’ to accommodate narration from whoever’s filming the scene whilst it’s being shot. Furthermore, slow and quick video modes allow creators’ imaginations to run riot, with the option of recording at 100fps or 120fps to allow for slow motion replay, or up to an 8x quick motion mode selectable via a top dial. Time-lapse shooting and stop motion animation are likewise possible via the G100. With the camera re-chargeable via USB, up to a whopping 900 shots are offered in eco mode; otherwise it’s a more conventional 250 images in regular mode. As mentioned earlier, retailers have the chance to make an extra sale with the G100 by adding
on the optional DMW-SHGR1 shooting grip (at £89.99 SRP), that comes with a dedicated shutter button and is likewise compatible with the manufacturer’s GH models. While the G100 body only is an affordable £589 SRP, there is a 12-32mm kit lens + body option at £679, or a bundle that adds the grip as well as lens for £719 SRP. Better still, alert your customers to the fact that until August 31st anyone buying the body or lens kit will get the shooting grip as a free gift. Given the above there’s no doubt you’ll want to speak to your local Panasonic representative as soon as possible. www.panasonic.co.uk
New from Panasonic for July: the 20MP Lumix G100 ‘vlogging’ camera, available as body-only or in two kit options 8 July / August 2020 | BPI News
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Tamron puts Sony users fully in the frame Affordable new Sony FE mount lenses exclusively available via Transcontinenta UK
Two new Tamron lenses for Sony FE Mount: 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD - user friendly large aperture zoom with quiet & quick ‘Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive’ (£1349.99 SRP)
Tamron’s Sony E series line up has always been a priority for us. With the new addition in the Tamron 28-200mm, we really feel we have the market covered.” Transcontinenta UK Tamron Category Manager, Jeremy Martin
28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD - ‘epoch making’ all-inone zoom as ideally suited to shooting video as it is stills (£799.99 SRP) These impressive new lenses form part of Tamron’s unified line up, each offering a 67mm filter size and complementing the already available 17-28mm f/2.8 RXD wide-angle zoom and 28-75mm f/2.8 RXD standard zoom.
CONTACT TRANSCONTINENTA UK now for Tamron stock via sales@transcontinenta.co.uk or call 0203 966 5947 Your key contacts at Transcontinenta UK Simon Coleman Interim Managing Director
Jeremy Martin Category Manager
Andy Loughlin National Sales Manager
James Finch Area Sales Manager
Tadgh Leonard Area Sales Manager
Tel: 0203 966 5947 Email: s.coleman@transcontinenta.co.uk
Tel: 07552 244129 Email: j.martin@transcontinenta.co.uk
Tel: 07919 148697 Email: a.loughlin@transcontinenta.co.uk
Tel: 07770 370828 Email: j.finch@transcontinenta.co.uk
Tel: +353 (86) 032 9680 Email: t.leonard@transcontinenta.co.uk
BPI News Extra
CANON’S DIGITAL DOZEN
While others have been conservative regarding product released during lockdown, Canon’s bucked expectations. BPI News finds out what’s new and why retailers should be stocking it
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here are 12 new products imminent from Canon, covering camera bodies, lenses, accessories and printers. While it says it remains dedicated to its EOS-M series, its full frame EOS R family sees two new additions in the much-teased 45 megapixel EOS R5, with the world first of 8K video, plus, less expectedly, a new 20 megapixel, 4K video EOS R6, sitting just beneath it in a range also comprising the EOS Ra, EOS R and EOS RP. The R5 and R6’s shared features include a Digic X processor similar to the 1D X Mark III, along with noncropped 4K, 60P video. Up to 12fps images via mechanical shutter or 20fps via electronic shutter can be shot. Inbody image stabilisation via a gyro sensor combines with lens IS to provide the equivalent of up to 8 steps (according to CIPA testing), while we also get dual card slots (CF Express and SD UHSII), a ‘Mark II’ version of Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology (marking its range debut and now with animal AF tracking), plus Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
‘Two’ tempting: though Canon has been drip feeding info on the pro-end R5 for ages, also releasing the more affordable R6 this month was a surprise
A FULL-BODIED APPROACH Described as a’ hybrid style of camera’, the weatherproofed magnesium alloy R5 features the same 3.2-inch touch screen as the EOS R, plus a 5.76 million dot EVF; the highest resolution on a Canon to date. A Dual Pixel Raw function, allowing for a portrait to be ‘relit’ in playback mode, also debuts. Likewise new is a LP-E6NH battery (available
Focused on full frame: Canon is all guns blazing this summer when it comes to new optics to support its EOS R cameras
separately at £114.99 SRP and offering a claimed 17% performance increase), which affords up to 490 shots per charge with the LCD or 320 images if using the EVF. R5 sales start July 30th at £4,199.99 SRP (body only). The R6 features a polycarbonate body and is described as an amalgam of the 6D and EOS 7D. Released on the 27th August, at £2,499 SRP (body only), or £2,849.99 with bundled 24105mm STM lens, its lower resolution, combined with an expanded ISO range of ISO 50-204,800 should give it a better light low performance. It offers 4K resolution video up to 60fps or Full HD up to 120fps. Attendant features include a 3-inch 1.6 million-dot vari-angle touch screen, a 3.69 million dot EVF, plus the same new LP-E6NH battery. Further optional extras include a new BG-R10 battery grip for both bodies at £419.99 SRP, plus a new WFT-R10B Wi-Fi adapter for the R5 only at £1349.99 SRP. Compatible lenses are coming thick and fast. The weather-sealed RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM promises up to 6 stops of stabilisation with the R5 or R6. At the time of writing availability was mooted from the end of this month, at £2,899.99 SRP. Looking for telephoto lenses with an even longer reach? July 30th will also see the launch of the RF 800mm f/11 IS STM and RF 600mm f/11 IS STM lenses at £929.99 and £699.99 SRP respectively. Canon customers have to wait until October, however, for a RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM lens (left), described as lightweight at 500g. It’s
capable, its maker says, of delivering macro shooting with impressive ‘bokeh’. With a 35cm minimum focus, SRP is £649.99. Working in conjunction with the RF 600mm, RF 800mm and RF 100-500mm lenses are a new pair of extenders in the RF 1.4x and RF 2x (above), at £559.99 and £699.99 respectively. Launch date for these was still ‘TBA’ as we went to press. Price and release date is also pending for the last of Canon’s 12 product announcements: the 10-ink ImagePROGRAF PRO-300 A3 printer. This replaces the Pixma Pro-10S and is said to be 15% smaller and lighter. It comes with Lucia Pro inks including a new special matt black for improved black and whites, features an LCD screen and is claimed as adept at borderless and fine art printing. See our page 14 advertorial for more on the cameras and printer. In the meantime, please speak to your local rep or visit www.canon.co.uk
BPI News is your mouthpiece to the photo trade, so use it! Send your press releases and news items direct to: info@bpinews.co.uk 10 July / August 2020 | BPI News
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BPI News Extra
NEW LEICA M10-R IS ‘STREETS AHEAD’ The manufacturer believes street photographers will be chomping at the bit for this compact bodied, rangefinder-styled camera with large, 40MP full frame sensor
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argeted at pro photographers and enthusiasts with a £7,100 price tag to match, the new Leica M10-R is all about the manufacturer finding that sweet spot where a large full frame sensor – uniquely designed for this model – finds a fit with a comparatively svelte body. That perfect marriage is the headline here, writ just as big as the 40.89 megapixel resolution offered its users. And, believes Leica UK Head of Marketing Lydia Beagelman, such a feat “opens up the M system to new customers.” UK MD Jason Heward adds: “The ‘M’ is at the heart of Leica, so is a significant product for us, with a surprisingly large share of the £5,000+ camera market. In light of the effects of Covid-19, which has resulted in sales probably being two thirds what they would have this time been last year – yet not as big a spanner in the works as we might have expected – the M10-R is going to help turbo charge recovery for the company.” Talking of which, Leica’s Mayfair and Harrods stores have re-opened, operating reduced hours, while its City Of London outlet presently remains closed.
PLENTY OF ‘M’ APPEAL As the model name indicates, the German manufactured M10-R is compatible with Leica M lenses – in fact, photographers can now fully exploit such lenses’ potential because of the high resolution of the sensor provided. Leica R lenses can be used via an adapter too – though we’re told the camera’s ‘R’ suffix actually denotes ‘resolution’. It’s worth noting there are over 50 lenses in its current ‘M’ range, but in fact the brand has been making compatible lenses since 1954, as the M lens mount hasn’t changed since. It further advises that using aspherical lenses with the camera will ‘open up’ even more resolution. “This is a Leica camera reduced down
“This is a significant product for us… the M10-R is going to help turbo charge recovery for the company” Leica UK MD Jason Heward to the essentials,” states Leica Akademie tutor Robin Sinha, “illustrated by the three simple to use buttons at the back. At the same time we’ve increased the ISO performance – which here runs ISO100 up to ISO50,000 – to achieve state-of-the-art results, with less noise at higher settings.” The dynamic range is likewise improved, to the equivalent of 13.5 stops. “Leica has come up with a unique pixel ‘architecture’ to achieve these results,” Robin reveals. “The new high resolution sensor opens up cropping potential for photographers,” he continues, underlining once again that, new sensor aside, “this is the most basic camera that Leica makes – but that is the point of the range. It’s one of the most compact full frame system cameras on the market.” Essential to surreptitious street photographers, the new M10-R includes
the near silent mechanical shutter and touch screen operation of the earlier M10-P. It also shares the same processor. Long exposure times of up to 16 minutes have also been enabled, while compatibility is offered with the Leica Fotos smartphone app. “We’ve managed to maintain the quality of the M10-P but boost the resolution,” Robin Sinha concludes. “Lots of pros now need that higher resolution – whether for bigger prints or cropping so that the image is still usable for lots of different purposes. The higher pixel count has now become the norm.” A case in point – to round things off we were treated to a virtual Q&A session with Leica photographer ambassador Lucy Laucht who told us she considered the M10-R’s huge sensor to be “a game changer for me. It has a super sharp and clear LCD display and the dynamic range keeps detail in the highlights. “You can shoot commercial and fine art projects on this camera so I’ve moved away from traditional SLRs. Shooting Raw, I always get the colours exactly as I want them out of a Leica. Battery life is good and I don’t feel constrained by the fact that there’s only one SD card slot. But what I most love about the camera is the size of it. I love how small the camera is and I now don’t have to pack two Peli cases full of kit when I travel.” As the Leica M10-R proves, when big things come in small packages, that’s sometimes all you need. www.leica-camera.com
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BPI News | July / August 2020 11
Minilab News
FUJIFILM ‘SHOP LOCAL’ PROMO SUPPORTS RETAIL PARTNERS Fujifilm has launched a nationwide campaign to encourage its customers to support its re-opening retailer partners at a local high street level and help them ‘bounce back’ following the long period of enforced closure. BPI News finds out more…
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ff the back of positive reports of photo processing, photo gifts, prints and photo books doing a roaring trade during lockdown – as the baby boomers, Generation X-ers and new mums all finally found the time to dig through all those film negatives and digital files – Fujifilm is continuing to help boost the prospects of its retail partners now restrictions are gradually easing and we’re returning to what constitutes a ‘new nearly normal’. In fact, since photo retailers UK wide have been allowed to steadily re-open their doors from June 15th, Fujifilm tells us it has been advertising a ‘shop local’ message nationwide to try and help boost sales after the long period of enforced closure. It’s hoping
to inspire customers to rediscover not only the joy of photography, but also printing photographs, by visiting their local photo independent. As those in its dealer network will have been aware, the manufacturer had already offered a welcome degree of aid during lockdown, with the suspension of all Fujifilm partner fees until this August, free business development webinars, plus beautiful social content curated by stylist Harriet Langsbury. Together the manufacturer and Harriet created a series of videos to showcase the versatility of printed photographic products. In our BPI News April / May edition, published just as the lockdown was beginning to bite, Island Photo Centre’s Steve Brown – a
Local hero: Frosts Photo Centre owner Wendy Gray, pictured with her new postlockdown ‘uniform’ of precautionary PPE, believes that many people have been sorting through photo collections in lockdown, resulting in pent-up demand for print
previous Fujifilm ‘Shop of the Year’ winner – recognised these efforts as something of a lifeline, remarking that: “such help will be gratefully received in these difficult times.” Marketing Manager for Fujifilm’s Photo Imaging division Gloria McCann tells BPI News: “lockdown has allowed us to focus more on helping our retail partners. We’ve been plugging the ‘Fujifilm at Home’ message, Instagram has seen a huge push, we’ve had the business development webinars, Fujifilm has paused its fees, people have been ordering via the Fujifilm Imagine app, and the first two weeks since lockdown eased have been excellent.”
MAKING GLOBAL LOCAL The new pro-active ‘shop local’ initiative mentioned at the outset builds on the foundations of all of the above. “With over 30% of retail business with an ecommerce service reporting an increase in online sales during May – according to the Office for National Statistics – it is a clear indication of the appetite for consumer goods,”
To discover how Fujifilm can inspire ideas and help boost the profile and bottom line of your own store or minilab, 12 July / August 2020 | BPI News
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Fujifilm advertorial Fujifilm’s Gloria believes. “As a result, it is really important that we help photo retailers make the most of this demand as they re-open in order to have the best chance of business recovery.” She continues: “When customers shop local they are supporting businesses in their communities, as well as getting an amazing photo product. For those of us spending more time at home, deciding to purchase from a fantastic range of photography printing
possibilities, including personalised photo mugs, cushions and wall art, is a great way to refresh interiors or to give to someone as a special gift.” As we wrote in our June edition of BPI News, Fujifilm was indeed inviting those stuck at home to ‘join the home décor revolution’ last month, ‘tick a task off your list’ and turn a favourite photo otherwise locked on a smartphone into a poster, acrylic panel, aluminium print, photo cushion or personalised blanket. Fujifilm Business Adviser Wendy Gray – also a store owner herself, having taken over the running of Frosts Photo Centre, Sutton Coldfield, back in 2013 – is likewise taking a positive view on how business has been since restrictions have relaxed – and how it could look going forward as we adjust to a new economic landscape. “The customer response has been amazing since our re-opening,” Wendy confirms. “There has been a lot of demand, especially from customers who appear to have used the lockdown period to organise their photos for printing. Because of this, photo books, canvasses and panels have all been really
Wonder wall: Personalised photo gifts, panels and canvasses are all proving popular postlockdown with Frosts’ customers; and now is the time to work hard on your special offers and promotions, which Fujifilm can also help with
popular. Personalised photo cushions and mugs in the lead up to Father’s Day were also best sellers and we expect this to continue as more people seek unique photo gifts for all occasions. “Fujifilm is continuing to work to
for staff and shopping experiences for customers. It adds that its own operations and production team have led by example and have taken every precaution themselves to ensure compliance with the ever evolving government guidelines.
“With over 30% of retail business with an ecommerce service reporting an increase in online sales during May, it is really important that we help photo retailers make the most of this demand as they re-open.” Fujifilm Marketing Manager Gloria McCann generate interest in shopping locally and we’ve some great joint offers and promotions to help encourage future sales. The aim is always to inspire customers to make great photo choices for their home, family and friends.” The manufacturer itself adds that all retailers in its 170-strong network have been provided with Covid-19 safety advice to encourage both safe working practices
GET IN TOUCH To learn more about how Fujifilm Photo Print Services can help advise, inspire, improve and moreover support your business and turnover in these testing times, get in touch with Marketing Manager Gloria McCann now on photoimaging_uk@fujifilm.com and visit www.fujifilmphotoservices.co.uk
get in touch with Fujifilm Photo Print Services at photoimaging_uk@fujifilm.com or visit www.FujifilmPhotoServices.co.uk @bpi_news
BPI News | July / August 2020 13
Canon advertorial
‘Canon’s game changers are a quantum leap ahead…’ That’s the verdict of professional wedding photographer and Canon ambassador Sanjay Jogia (pictured below), who says the new EOS R5 and EOS R6 mirrorless cameras, plus ImagePROGRAF PRO-300 printer, are poised to transform his workflow
F
êted as one of the top six wedding photographers in the world, it’s crucial that Canon ambassador Sanjay Jogia (www.eyejogia.com) gets the best out of whatever equipment he’s using – freely admitting that he pushes his camera bodies, lenses and printers to the absolute limit. Previously shooting with a trusted combination of the EOS-1DX Mark II (now Mark III) and EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens, he was one of the first professionals to adopt the original EOS R. In fact, just a few short hours after he’d unboxed the camera, he was shooting the pomp and ceremony of an Indian wedding – displaying the resulting images in a nervewracking slideshow that same evening. “When you launch a new line of technology you expect there to have been compromises made, but in my opinion the EOS R outperforms the EOS 5D,” he marvels. Naturally then, Sanjay was “very, very excited” to witness where Canon has gone next, in not only launching the 45 megapixel EOS R5, with its world’s first ability to shoot 8K video at 30fps for up to 20 minutes continuously, but also the lighter weight 20MP EOS R6, which can capture 4K footage up to 60fps. The hybrid style performance of the cameras is essential for the photographer, as his business provides both stills and video to high-end clients.
INPUT THROUGH OUTPUT, CANON HAS IT COVERED Sanjay is also someone who prints his own images – regularly winning competitions held by the Society of Wedding & Portrait Photographers (SWPP) & WPPI – so, having previously used Pixma Pro-1 and ImagePROGRAF Pro-1000 printers, he leapt at the opportunity to extract 35MP TIFF files from a video sequence on the R5 and output them on the brand new A3 ImagePROGRAF PRO-300. “I’ve had the rare chance to go from input to output using wholly new technology,” he confirms. “The new PRO-300 isn’t intended to
While the ImagePROGRAF PRO-300 may not be intended as the new flagship in Canon’s range, that’s certainly how it comes across to the photographer
be the flagship in Canon’s range, but technology has moved on so much that it feels like it is. It’s also very quick in its highest quality setting – taking just a few minutes to output an A3 print that would have taken more than 10 minutes to achieve just a few years ago.” Recalling that during a recent online Q&A he was asked whether it would be suitable for event photography too, the photographer responded in the affirmative – even though that’s not the PRO-300’s primary objective – citing its lightweight build and operational speeds as a big advantage. “This is a great entrylevel professional printer,” he concludes.
The photographer’s relationship with Canon is such that he’s been able to provide feedback to its engineers – much of which seems to have fed into the development of the new EOS R5 and EOS R6 as well as EOS-1D X MKIII cameras. “I’ve been very excited about the EOS R5 in particular, because what’s important to me is Canon’s intent when it comes to what its lenses are designed for; in that the RF series lenses up to now have outperformed the bodies. Things have been taken to a whole new level with the EOS R5, even though I already had high expectations. Canon has really listened to its ambassadors, when we’ve talked
New EOS R5 & R6, ImagePROGRAF PRO-300 printer, LP-E6NH battery, BG-R10 grip, WFT-R10B Wi-Fi adapter (R5 only), RF 100-500mm
14 July / August 2020 | BPI News
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Canon advertorial about the ‘muscle memory’ of what we’ve demanded from our cameras in terms of controls and layout.” Having had the chance to use the EOS R5 during lockdown and even conduct a professional pre-wedding shoot – involving social distancing and mask wearing, naturally – Sanjay admits: “I’ve been blown away. I had high expectations of the EOS R5 and it’s exceeded them. In many ways, the R5 outperforms the EOS-1D X Mark III.”
AS CAPABLE AT SHOOTING VIDEO AS STILLS Tending to shoot in full Raw mode for stills, the photographer was nevertheless intrigued to see what 8K resolution video footage was capable of, marveling that he was able to pull an 8K TIFF file off his camera and print it out on the new ImagePROGRAF PRO-300. “This camera and printer are going to change the way I work, as Indian weddings can be hectic and lively and action packed,” he enthuses. “I can switch to 8K video, extract a still from it and not miss a beat. That’s a game changer in that it allows me to capture the ‘moments between the moments’. Also, thanks to having image stabilisation built-in, I don’t need to stabilise the camera against my face and body. I can now hold the camera out in front of me and engage with my subjects.” Noting that “the auto focus is outstandingly good”, the EOS R5’s onboard gyro sensor (also found on the R6) has enabled Sanjay to continue to shoot hand held during the ‘golden hour’ at the day’s end, as well the ‘blue hour’
to experiment with the R6 to the same extent, he reveals that this more affordable alternative “does everything it that follows as natural light is failing. claims on the ‘tin’ and is lighter than the “What I had to do was shoot at ISO8000 R5, while again you get the advantage at f/2 and 1/60th sec on the RF 28-70 of dual card slots plus the fact that the f/2L USM, on my knees with the camera R6’s sensor is based on the EOS-1D X and panning from left to right. I had Mark III, so it can really be seen as the the bride and groom walking across the practical successor to the EOS 6D, but scene – something that may normally the spiritual successor to the 5D.” In conclusion, like many pro I’ve been blown away. I had high expectations of photographers the EOS R5 and it’s exceeded them. In some ways, Sanjay Jogia believes “the the R5 outperforms the EOS-1D X Mark III.” way forward is Pro wedding photographer mirrorless, and & Canon ambassador Sanjay Jogia Canon is at the heart of that. introduce motion blur – but the camera’s Because the mirror has been removed AF picked out the couple right from the it’s allowed more technology to be put edge of the frame. First the AF narrows into the chassis, less mechanical parts it down to the faces and tracks those, but means greater reliability, plus the new then it actually started to pick out the ‘geometry’ of the cameras has allowed for eyes, at night, and from a distance!” new lens design and for the engineers to The photographer divulges that even experiment. It’s all very, very exciting.” when shooting at ISO8000 “the files For more on all of the above, look incredible – with nowhere near the please speak to your local Canon level of noise reduction you’d need to rep or visit www.canon.co.uk apply in the past. It’s a quantum leap ahead of last year’s cameras. It’s small, light and I couldn’t really fault it.” Although he hasn’t had a chance
Left: Upping your game: wedding photographer Sanjay Jogia believes the EOS R5 and R6’s performance has taken things to ‘a whole new level’ for photographers shooting full frame mirrorless Right: The blue hour: the EOS R5’s on-board gyro sensor combined with ‘outstandingly good’ AF has enabled Sanjay Jogia to achieve sharp results shooting hand held late into the evening, as shown
f/4.5-7.1L IS USM, RF 800mm f/11 IS STM, RF 600mm f/11 IS STM and RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM lenses, plus RF 1.4x & RF 2x extenders
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BPI News | July / August 2020 15
Business Advice
TRADE UNITE IN COVID-19 FIGHT
For our digital-only ‘lockdown special’ last month – re-printed here – we took the temperature of the photo trade by quizzing its leading lights on how they’ve coped with lockdown, and just as importantly, how we deal with whatever comes next…
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ith non-essential retailers in England having cautiously re-opened from June 15th, while continuing to observe social distancing, we appear to be turning a corner in the fight against Covid-19. However, as the financial implications and effects of shuttering or mothballing the majority of our businesses for two and a half months gradually becomes clear, we’re not out of the woods yet. Feeling it important to chronicle these unprecedented times
Paul Reynolds, Sigma UK General Manager
and our own industry’s reaction to them – who knows, some of the ideas and opinions here may benefit your own business and show that whatever concerns you have are not just yours alone – we’ve asked leading lights in the photo trade to, essentially, write this article for us. So we’ll take a step back here and hand you over to your colleagues and peers. How has lockdown been for them and what can we learn from the situation to be able to better respond to and reassess whatever this ‘next stage’ brings?
Mark Baber, Sony UK Technical Marketing Manager, Photo Channel
“We have been working with all those retailers who are open and supporting them where we can with free dropshipping, special offers and online activity. It all helps! Clearly a strong online presence has been crucial over the last couple of months where retail shops have been forced to close. These strange times give us all a good indication of our strengths and weaknesses and how fast we can adapt to a new way of working and what we should be putting in place to be stronger if we ever find ourselves in a similar situation again.”
“Since lockdown the Photo Channel sales team have supported our UK retailers, including Wex, Park, Wilkinson, LCE and Jessops, with online marketing support. The team set up their homes as working studios including setting up our modular event stand in my house. We have been and continue to create content for product videos, become virtual assistants, carry out 121 customer sessions, Q&A webinars – both live and recorded in advance – wrapped up with advocate webinars highlighting their workflow and why they switched to Sony.”
We are all at the heart of how photographers document these times. Our way of working may have changed, but we all still play a part in providing great products which shape how amateurs and professionals create images.” Jeremy Martin, Transcontinenta UK
Got an idea for a photo trade-related business issue you’d like us to cover? Let us know direct via info@bpinews.co.uk 16 July / August 2020 | BPI News
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BPI News Rewind: Emerging from lockdown special Barnaby Sykes, Head of Category Marketing, Panasonic UK
Jason Mitchell, Cameraworld Managing Director “Despite our three shops being closed, our online presence has escalated with the help of a web development company. The first few weeks were troubling with low sales but we have grown our business to a level that we are happy with and that is manageable for the 10 of us remaining in the business. With 70% of our workforce on furlough, I’m having to work hard again! “We have also been able to streamline our inventory and focus on what customers actually want during
lockdown, which has been a mixture of macro photography products including lenses, extension tubes and continuous lighting. Binoculars have also been popular as well as entry level DSLR and mirrorless. Hiking backpacks and travel tripods have been a disaster however and we are over stocked! “We are all seeing people ignoring the rules and rushing to the coast so I think people have had enough of being cooped up and the period of lockdown has ended. When will we open our shops? Not for the foreseeable future, especially London which I think will be the last…”
(Editor’s note: Chelmsford & Stevenage stores are now open, while London remains ‘closed until further notice’)
“The imaging industry, like many others, has had to adapt to this unprecedented situation and find new ways to keep photographers, videographers and creators inspired at home. Many have utilised their strong online presence in order to do this, and others have taken this as an opportunity to further expand this side of their business to continue interacting with an engaged audience. I’m sure this online evolution will continue in the future to suit the needs of the customer as demand recovers and continues to grow. “The Lumix UK team have been keeping customers inspired at home through online events with our retailers, regular ambassador Q&A sessions on our social channels, and educational tips and tricks to get the most of out of your camera.”
Jeremy Martin, Category Manager Transcontinenta UK
Derek Fieldhouse, PhotoXport Managing Director With most of the photo retail business mothballed during the pandemic, an upbeat Derek has cleverly pivoted towards selling facemasks, hand sanitizers and even temperature detecting camera systems during the pandemic. He adds: “We’re very grateful that all our customers have stayed loyal and despite the difficulties that have arisen from this unprecedented situation
they’ve all paid their bills, so we’ve been able to pay our own. Our plan is to gradually re-open the business from June 1st and work towards having everything 100% operational in July. Our entire customer base has been loyal and supportive in that.”
“We’ve stayed operational and have been supplying the UK trade throughout the Covid-19 period. Whilst its consequences have been far reaching, and this has been both a tragic and difficult time for many, the virus can’t kill our passion for photography and imaging, which is what brings news alive and tells stories of times both good and bad. “We are all at the heart of how photographers document these times. Our way of working may have changed, but we all still play a part in providing great products which shape how amateurs and professionals create images for others to look back on and re-live these moments long into the future.”
The first few weeks were troubling with low sales but we have grown our business to a level that we are happy with. We have also been able to streamline our inventory and focus on what customers actually want during lockdown.” Jason Mitchell, Cameraworld
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BPI News | July / August 2020 17
Business Advice Julian Harvie, Head of Marketing Nikon UK “Nikon has seen a significant sales impact due to the effects of worldwide lockdown measures. Our priority continues to be the health and safety of our employees, customers and consumers, clearly involving change to our usual business operation. “However we have been amazed by the adaptability of our employees and many retail partners during these challenging times. Though overall sales are down, online sales have increased and, most excitingly, engagement in photography looks to be at an all-time high. At the onset of lockdown we launched a Europewide campaign to educate and inspire photography from home. In just a couple of months we’ve seen over 15,000 uses of the hashtag #CreateYourLight. “In the UK specifically, we’ve made Nikon School available for free online and have been blown away by the response. We now have almost 2,000 delegates booked onto courses and nearly 600 attendees to date. All this is to say that, though our supply chains and retail environments have been momentarily compromised, the passion and enthusiasm among our consumers has never been stronger. We’ve reopened our service centre and, whatever downturns we might currently be experiencing, this huge appetite for our industry gives us great hope for the future.” (Editor’s note: the Nikon School’s Central London premises are now permanently closed – see news this issue – with online activity continuing instead)
Gray Levett, owner Grays of Westminster
“Whilst we have never before closed our doors in 34 years, whatever the circumstances, our purpose has always been to give our customers ‘a sense of the joy of creation through photography’, and this single founding principle informs and guides everything we do. “With this in mind we have attempted to raise smiles and spirits through our Live Streams and Webinars. Through these, as well as our YouTube channel and e-newsletters, our clients can be certain that when all this is over they will have more photographic knowledge than before it started. Even in these extraordinarily challenging times, many people have contacted us to thank us for what we have been doing and it is very uplifting to hear how much people appreciate it. “Clearly every business has been impacted and the retail photographic trade is no exception. However, despite our shop being closed, with all the extra social media activity that we are engaged in, statistically our online sales and telephone orders are higher than each preceding week, six weeks in a row. “As the country moves towards easing Covid-19 restrictions, the health and well-being of our customers and our employees remain a primary concern. When this passes, and it will pass, we will be able to open the shop’s doors once again. I hope that we will, assuming Government guidelines approve, look to reopen in June.”
Danny Williams, Swains, Managing Director
“We have taken a number of precautions to safeguard our staff. Currently we have 50% on furlough with 50% working from home from Monday to Thursday. In order to support those customers who are active online we have a small team that currently come into the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays to both take in goods and ship out much needed stock to customers. This has proved to be popular and those accounts that have been trading very much value our service. Our plan from June 1st was to extend this to include Mondays. So please help us by placing orders on a Monday, Tuesday or Thursday before 1.30pm and we will do our level best to get these shipped out the same day. Thank you to all our customers for their ongoing support and please stay safe.”
(Editor’s note: Grays is now open by appointment only, with trading also continuing via website or over the telephone on 0207 828 4925)
BPI News is your mouthpiece to the photo trade, so use it! Send your press releases and news items direct to: info@bpinews.co.uk 18 July / August 2020 | BPI News
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BPI News Rewind: Emerging from lockdown special Jason Heward, MD Leica Camera UK “The start of the pandemic was incredibly challenging, not just from a sales point of view. Leica is present in many touch-points of the customer journey – through our stores, gallery, Akademie and events – and we had to quickly adapt to digitally enabling a ‘new journey’. Our focus has been engagement and maintaining contact through our virtual programme #LeicaAtHome, including: tutorials, conversations with photographers, takeovers and setting creative challenges. Participation levels exceeded expectations and the adoption of all things virtual has been exciting; it has allowed us to diversify our audience. A crisis always presents opportunities and during this pandemic we have seen creativity flourish. We will open again from June 15th, albeit in a reduced way to begin with.” (Editor’s note: Leica’s Mayfair & Harrods stores are now open – see also page 11 – while the City of London branch remains shut)
Paul Kench, Kenro MD “Kenro has been in the fortunate position of being able to remain open throughout lockdown, supporting our customers who trade online. Our office staff have been able to work from home whilst remaining linked in to the Kenro software systems, and our warehouse staff have been adhering to strict social distancing guidelines and observing additional cleaning procedures. We’re looking forward to the high street reopening and we’re here for the retailers, ready to help them bounce back.”
Adrian Deary, Marketing & Communications Manager London Camera Exchange
“When we had to shut all the branches it was a massive shock to our system as our marketing is geared to driving customers in store, as we feel that is the best place for customers to make their purchase decisions. Thankfully once we got our act together we found online sales reaching new heights.” “We felt it was important to keep in contact with our customers and having one person in each store ensured that a customer could speak to somebody local rather than having to deal with a centralised call centre. We are very grateful to our loyal band of shop managers who rose to the challenge and have endured 8 or 9 weeks of working in solitary confinement, dealing with every call, email, order or delivery that has arrived. Fingers crossed we can soon embark upon a slightly more normal way of life and they might have someone to talk to other than their own shadow. “We also ratcheted up our social media and instigated a 21-day photo
challenge to keep people engaged and inspired. A number of suppliers have been very good in arranging Q&A sessions, 1-2-1’s and Facebook Live events which have run in conjunction with us on our platforms and have been very well received. “Secondhand and macro lenses have been popular; increased sales of long lenses and binoculars is perhaps more of surprise. The range and depth of accessory sales has been interesting and one can imagine customers with a bit of time on their hands going through their gadget bag and ordering things to fill the holes they find. Or are they responding well to the soft-sell customer engagement initiatives? Who knows. “We are assessing the possibility of re-opening and are doing risk assessments in the stores. Our drive will be to offer all our usual activities online and in store, as conditions permit, but ‘normal’ trade will be some way off.”
(Editor’s note: All LCE branches have now re-opened, albeit with appropriate safety measures)
Participation levels exceeded expectations and the adoption of all things virtual has been exciting; it has allowed us to diversify our audience. A crisis always presents opportunities and during this pandemic we have seen creativity flourish.” Jason Heward, Leica UK
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BPI News | July / August 2020 19
Business Advice Paul Genge, MD PhotoTEQ
“It’s time to turn the cameras on ourselves via livestreams, video tutorials, product unboxings and explanations. Stores are already full of the kit they can utilise to drive engagement and stimulate awareness. We all need to take on the position of spokesperson, and whilst some retailers have attempted this with their own channels, and some brands have done the same, until now it was largely piecemeal. I would go so far as to say that retailers need to prepare their own two minute explanatory videos and have them as part of their website listing for every product! “Retail will not be the same again, as few dealer locations afford even one metre clearance between perusing consumers. Currently, leaning against the counter and chewing the fat on a new camera and lens combo, passing the camera between you, is a complete no-no. Instead you need embedded in your website a ‘book a consultation slot’. Then have your expert store staff call the customer via Skype or similar platform, and talk them through it. That’s the best you’re going to get for a while without having to put your frontline staff in a position of risk of infection. “Thirdly we all need to get smarter with our already GPDR reduced databases and segment them to
be able to deliver more tailored, relevant emails to our customers. I am inundated by emails generically produced to hit the entire database, yet only featuring one brand. If I get too many it begins to become white noise and risks being deleted without opening, or worse still unsubscribed. “These past few weeks there has been a distinct shift in the approach taken by UK versus EU retailers’ communications. The former has bombarded me with big savings on expensive hardware, expecting people to spend huge sums, when I believe few can justify such a big expense. The EU messages, meanwhile, have focused on a particular subject, being informative and inspirational in order to sell complimentary kit to what the customer already owns. There’s a lower basket value, but a more approachable and motivational message to encourage spending. “We can also encourage add-on sales online. We all know store staff are primed at the point of retail to mention the extra battery, the case, the filter and the memory card. This now needs to be done online, and extended further with follow-up emails that are triggered automatically within a timeframe after the initial purchase. Given we can’t rely on folks returning to store anytime soon we need to keep them engaged at arm’s length. We all know the power of Amazon’s “customers who viewed this item also looked at these” or eBay’s “recommended for you” and “because you searched for”.
Tracey Fielden, Marketing Director Canon UK and Ireland “As we adapt to a new sense of normal, our aim is to support both our customers and retailers through multi-channel activity during these difficult times. In April, we launched Canon Connected, a brand-new free-to-access European content hub for photography enthusiasts, with exclusive video content produced by some of our world class ambassadors and a community of filmmakers, experts and influencers. The platform is designed to inspire, inform and entertain our community, whilst providing educational content that will help them develop new skills during the current lockdown period and beyond. “Locally we also launched Canon Live, a microsite promoting key initiatives including Canon Live Chat. This enables our community to connect directly with us to get the advice they would previously have received in-store from our team of experts. And, working with our retailers we’ve hosted a number of free webinars on vlogging, macro, lifestyle and portrait photography; as well as advising on setting up new cameras and general support. The current situation has certainly challenged us to think differently about the way we do things, not only in the short term, but in the long term too.”
Clare Voyle, Marketing Product Specialist, Olympus UK “We are having a very busy time at Olympus, keeping photographers engaged through social media workshops and videos. We are doing everything we can to keep photographers inspired and improving their skills. We’re sharing all our expertise, advice, tips and tricks to help them get the most out of their Olympus cameras and use this time creatively.”
Working with our retailers we’ve hosted a number of free webinars on vlogging, macro, lifestyle and portrait photography; as well as advising on setting up new cameras and general support.The current situation has certainly challenged us to think differently about the way we do things.” Tracey Fielden, Canon UK & Ireland
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BPI News Rewind: Emerging from lockdown special Gary Sutton, MAC Group Europe MD
Theo Georghiades, General Manager Fujifilm UK “Business has been improving steadily. New products like X-T4 and X100V are in high demand and it’s encouraging to see that consumers are still willing to invest in new technology. We’ve also implemented some interim promotions on the X-T3 and X-T30, which have been quite successful. Combining our 48hr Free Loan service to allow customers to get hands on with some keen offers we’ve managed to sustain a good level of business during these past couple of months. Now the Government has advised nonessential retail can re-open from the 15th June, we are working on an outlined plan to open safely for both staff and customers. We haven’t set a reopen date as yet.” (Editor’s note: Fuji’s House of Photography in London is now open, albeit with safety conscious restrictions. See news this issue!)
Abi Symons, Marketing Executive, The Imaging Warehouse “The Imaging Warehouse – including PermaJet, Premier Ink, On-Line Paper and Nova Darkroom – has been working hard throughout lockdown to provide business as usual, whilst generating more online content than ever to keep customers engaged and entertained. We’re also running promotional offers and still meeting our Next Day Delivery guarantee. This is a concerning time for everyone and our priority is to ensure our customers can continue to get the print and darkroom materials that they need.”
“Zoom, no not the Fat Larry’s Band hit from 1982, but the video conferencing platform, has, along with Teams and Slack, been a key feature of our working lives at MAC Group since the middle of March. Obviously, I take the wellbeing of our staff very seriously and had been closely monitoring the spread of Covid-19 since the beginning of the year. Before the Government’s directive, we were preparing for people to work from home and video conferencing was identified as a key way to keep in touch. It has not only been used for meetings with the staff in the UK, but with our colleagues in the US and our many customers overseas. “As the company has 53 distributors in 44 countries, lockdown measures are impacting our customers at different times. The Benro factory in China had only just returned to full production in mid-February, when the virus hit Europe, so since the beginning of the year our business has been affected, and, like many, we took advantage of the Job Retention Scheme and initially furloughed all but four employees. However, we found that sales were better than expected and needed to bring an employee back to work to manage the orders. “To support our customers, we
Like many, we took advantage of the Job Retention Scheme and initially furloughed all but four employees. However, we found that sales were better than expected and needed to bring an employee back to work to manage the orders.” Gary Sutton, MAC Group Europe
have reduced our minimum order value and introduced a drop-ship delivery for end users, as well as offering some additional promotional activity. Fortunately, our warehouse in the Netherlands is operating as usual, so we have been able to maintain our delivery service. “As at MAC Group, many people are having to adapt to a new way of working and we have seen a huge increase in demand for our Saramonic products as people are needing high quality mics for their vlogging, online yoga, fitness and music classes, as well as video conferencing. Demand for tripods and camera bags whilst down, is generally better than expected and from the emails we are receiving, photographers are using their newfound time to research their next purchase. Whilst the lockdown has seen a reduction in sales, the appetite to create content has not diminished and it is likely there will be a need for better quality online content in the future. Consumer behaviour has changed over the past few weeks and as an industry we must be more innovative and adapt to cater for this.” “Nobody knows what the post covid-19 world will be like, however with the measures put in place, and the fact that I have a truly dedicated team, I am sure the business will get through this crisis and be in a good position to return to face the new challenges that lay ahead. Anyway, I have to leave it there as another Zoom call beckons! Take care everyone.”
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Talk of the trade: Post Lockdown
IS BUSINESS BOUNCING BACK?
Having surveyed the trade on how they reacted to – and survived – months of lockdown on page 16, we follow this with an update from two of its leading retail lights not included in our original piece, who tell us how business has been since restrictions were eased mid June. Can we hope for better before 2021?
W
ith industry events having been postponed, cancelled or gone completely virtual since lockdown began in the UK on March 23rd, plus a
degree of caution continuing even now stores have re-opened – with all customers being required to wear face masks by government decree when entering shops from July
24th – how is this affecting trading and footfall at our long-established retailers? Only one way to find out – ask ‘em!
DAVID PARKINSON, MD, WILKINSON CAMERAS: “2020 The Year That Is! It all started so well… political turmoil sorted, Brexit sorted, consumer confidence on the increase, and actual business was looking better too! Then came COVID-19, followed by fear and anxiety and stores being closed, insurance companies being taken to court by the regulators for not honouring the terms of their policy, mass unemployment and not a day passing without another bad news story about the High Street! “Despite all this, business has been very buoyant. The first stage of lockdown saw comfort spending, home photography projects and huge demand for anything that made working from the dining room table easier, all taking place online of course. Engagement with our customers was essential. An increase in communication, buoyed up by a raft of brandsupported virtual video and live events, kept us in touch with our loyal customers locally and beyond. So we were able to tick off ‘Phase 1’ as being successful. “Phase 2 has been the reopening of the stores. On 15th June we opened five stores, with a further two a week later and the final group due to open late July. We have exceeded our obligations with regards to
customer and staff safety, which I thought was essential to allay any fears of coming back to work or visiting as a customer. Our marketing strategy continues, with more online events to follow and enhanced promotional offers continuing through the summer as people start to adjust to the new normal. So far all appears to be working well, although the shortages of stock are now starting to impact. Fortunately the raft of new product lines from the top brands have been great in creating a buzz and, more importantly, a number of new orders. “Phase 2 will continue for some time I’m sure, during which we’ll quickly change and adapt all aspects of our business as required. We don’t fear change and we are financially strong, with a great team of people and all the ingredients needed to see us through to 2021 and beyond. Stay positive, test negative.”
ALEX FALK, OWNER, MR CAD: “For the past 58 years that I have been in business, the photographic retail sector and being behind the counter has been a delight and a pleasure. Within the period of the last 120 days, however, everything has changed, and not necessarily in a good way. I fear it’s not for the better. “Customers are not visiting central London to purchase cameras, films, lenses, film processing or accessories. Our fabulous student customers all went back home at the beginning of the lockdown and certainly are not returning at this moment in time. “We look very much forward to when the universities and colleges open up in September and October, as well as restoring customers’ confidence to use
public transport and come and visit us personally. “Fighting prices on Amazon, lack of footfall and a reduced profit margin of our own doing are all creating an atmosphere of doom and gloom, which I fear will affect the number of photographic retailers in the near future, as well as there being less suppliers. Therefore we must work together with our favorite suppliers to move the market forward and upwards, to make sure that we keep each other in business. Here’s to 2021!”
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It’s business as usual. Head to enjoy.photo and hit the blog to discover the latest lens roadmap with some exciting hints at imminent launches and future developments – Read about firmware plans for the mighty E-M1X – Check out the new WebCam software – Find out how you can book a virtual 1-2-1 session with one of our gurus when you try or buy a new OM-D – Apply for a Pro Loan – Grab some merchandise – Book onto a live tutorial or simply catch up on what our top photographers have been up to recently. The song remains the same: we are here to help you enjoy your photography. #whyiloveolympus Find out more at your local Olympus retailer or go to olympus.co.uk #breakfreewitholympus