British Photographic Industry News April 2018

Photographic British

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APRIL 2018 • £3

Putting the photo trade in the picture for over 30 years

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SPECIAL PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW REPORT – INSIDE! P

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IN THIS ISSUE…

THE BIG INTERVIEW

BPI AWARDS FINALISTS

CONFERENCE REPORT

BUSINESS ADVICE

MD Robin Whetton of paper specialist PermaJet on thriving in the current print market

Who deserves your vote for Product of the Year & Promotion/ Campaign of the Year?

BPI News shares must-read retail advice from Fujifilm’s annual dealer network day

How to get your photo business fit enough to withstand forthcoming rule changes

Try before you buy!

FULFILMENT

Use our new large format ChromaLuxe® fulfilment site and offer a stunning new product to your customers

Tetenal is proud to announce that we are now an Official Distributor for ChromaLuxe, the world’s leading manufacturer of high definition sublimatable print media.

product will look. You have the ability to then make edits before confirming your order. Delivery can be made direct to end customer under white label packaging.

To enable our trade customers to offer these high margin, stunning aluminium panels without the initial outlay of purchasing the production equipment, we have created a full service fulfilment lab within our Leicester premises and are now producing a range of aluminium panels inhouse for your convenience.

Finished panels are supplied with the suitable hanging solution to suit the size.

Our metal fixing brackets are perfect for the smaller sizes, whilst aluminium subfames are used for bigger panels, ensuring they remain perfectly flat.

• 29.8cm x 29.8cm (11.7” x 11.7”)

To use this new service, simply register via www.tetenalfulfilment.co.uk where you can place your order directly with us online.

• 40cm x 40cm

(16” x 16”)

• 51cm x 76cm

(20” x 30”)

• 50.7cm x 60cm

(20” x 24”)

• 60cm x 60cm

(23.6” x 23.6”)

• 60cm x 80cm

(23.6” x 31.5”) - A1

You can send your files through our dedicated trade-only fulfilment website, where our online software will set your image into the print area, showing you a clear representation of how your final

With this service we are covering UK and Ireland, offering turnaround times of two to five days.

- Tetenal have created a new fulfilment website where trade customers can upload images to have printed on a stunning ChromaLuxe aluminium panels

Choose from a range of different aluminium panel sizes: • 28cm x 35.4cm

(11” x 14”)

• 29.5cm x 39.4cm (11.8” x 15.75”) - A3 • 40cm x 60cm

(15.75” x 23.6”) - A2

• 40.5cm x 50.7cm (16” x 20”)

Discounted samples are available for customers that sign up to the fulfilment service and promote it as a new product range through their own business.

For more information on this fulfilment service visit

www.tetenalfulfilment.co.uk TEL: 0116 289 3644

| www.tetenaluk.com

| marketing@tetenal.uk.com

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A SPRINGBOARD FOR THE TRADE S

Photographic British

Industry

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Published monthly by

EDITOR Gavin Stoker Tel: 020 8274 0578 Tel: 07990 974 367

Gavin Stoker, Editor

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Insurance and carriage of products submitted for inclusion in reports rests with the owner. News, data, prices, interviews and opinion are printed in good faith E&OE. Content including advertising artwork created by Legacy Media Ltd or its agents is ©2018 Legacy Media Ltd. ISSN: to be advised.

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Editorial | April 2018

COVER IMAGE: Around 30,000 visitors were expected to have swamped the Birmingham NEC for The Photography Show last month.

Were you there? If not (and even if you were!) turn to page 6 for our full report.

pring is in the air and, after a chill start to the year, green shoots of growth are popping up everywhere.

It would be easy to draw parallels with the photo trade, seeking to harness and continue the positivity of four days at The Photography Show last month, as we head into the new season. Traditionally, around about now, photographers are breaking equipment out of storage as the weather improves and might, conceivably, be looking to upgrade their camera or buy a new lens, bag or accessory for their hobby – as well as taking stunning images they may in turn print – so use contacts made at the NEC as a springboard for your own business. For anyone who didn’t join the buzzing crowds in Birmingham last month, we’ve a full debrief for you on pages 6 and 7 of this special ‘TPS’ report issue.

Additionally, last month we attended Fujifilm’s Digital Imaging Services Conference at the National Conference Centre, a taxi ride from Birmingham International on the same weekend as the big show. This was a chance for us to both observe and drill into the nitty gritty of what it means to be a specialist retailer for whom print is a large part of your

business. As well as hearing from Fujifilm on how they are helping trade partners, we got a chance to listen to retailers themselves as part of a panel discussion, as each one shared a story of how they’re choosing to run their own business in the current climate and marketplace. Turn to page 20 for our report on that, which should make for interesting reading, whether you’re a Fujifilm partner or not.

While also at The Photography Show we awarded nominees in our BPI News Awards for 2018 with commemorative certificates, as our list is whittled down to 17 finalists. We highlight them all on pages 16 and 17, as part of a pictorial report, so if you’ve not yet voted – either for yourself or your peers – this is the very last chance to do so before we draw our two winners – for Product of the Year and Promotion/Campaign of the Year – on April 20th. So no grumbling after the votes are counted that your favourite didn’t win… you have fair warning!

One of our finalists – namely PermaJet, represented by MD Robin Whetton – features in our Big Interview this issue, and we also speak to JP Distribution, Canson, The DPS Group, MAC Group, Canon, PhotoXport and more to get an overview on new product and feedback from TPS, while our Business Advice article rounds up recent developments and changes that will affect the retail community (see pages 28 and 29). In short, there’s a lot to digest in this packed edition of BPI News. In fact, you may be reading it right up until our subsequent May edition drops through your letterbox. Enjoy!

STAY INFORMED ABOUT YOUR INDUSTRY: SUBSCRIBE TO BPI NEWS Don’t get left in the dark. Make the most of real world advice and news about your trade and have 10 issues of BPI News delivered to your door for £50 including postage (UK mainland only). Contact us now to place your order, or to enquire about overseas rates, via info@bpinews.co.uk

"If growth continues like this for us, then we will definitely consider taking@bpi_news on a second lab next year."

BPI News | April 2018 3

METAL GURU: TETENAL OFFERS ALUMINIUM PRINT SERVICE As seen at The Photography Show, the Leicester based distributor has partnered with ChromaLuxe to give you the ability to offer your customers the chance to have their images printed onto a stunning aluminium panel. To facilitate this, Tetenal has created a fulfilment website, with the finished item shipped directly to the customer under white Lumix National Trust POS label packaging. Tetenal wants to encourage trade partners to offer their customers Complimentary 12 month national trust membership with the lumiX FZ200 or FZ72 more luxury products, with the longer-Description • Complimentary National Trust Membership Manager Craig Bird. “The stumbling term view potentially being the purchase of Campaign POS block was always the initial outlay equipment to produce the panes yourself. required to purchase the equipment.

“We’ve long been impressed by the We decided to help our customers get amazing quality of the ChromaLuxe a feel for the size of the business they aluminium panels and wanted to find a way could tap into, by offering a fulfilment to encourage our customers to offer them service to gain traction with the product to their end users,” explains Marketing range. Eventually we hope that our customers will invest in their own equipment, once they have realised A3 Poster how profitable this can be for them.”

Tetenal are offering discounted Wobbler samples for all customers wishing to sign up for the service and promote it as a new product range through their own business. For more info visit www.tetenalfulfilment.co.uk or e-mail marketing@tetenal.uk.com ©National Trust Images/Matthew Antrobus

News

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www.leica-camera.com

to take a speCial piCture you need to go to speCial plaCes Now you and your family can discover hundreds of new special places with the National Trust and capture every stunning detail with the award-winning new LUMIX FZ200 or FZ72.

Promotional period: 22/08/2013 – 31/12/2013. Promotional terms apply, please see panasonic.co.uk/promotions *Leica is a registered trademark of Leica Microsystems IR GmbH. ELMARIT is a registered trademark of Leica Camera AG

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21/08/2013 13:54

Complimentary 12 month national trust membership with the lumiX FZ200 or FZ72

©National Trust Images/Matthew Antrobus

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Leica 0-series camera no.122 (below), one of a series of 25 prototypes originally manufactured back in 1922 which fetched a whopping 2.4 million Euros (roughly £2.1 million) at auction in Vienna, in mid March. All parts including the paintwork were original and it included a matching lens cover and original folding finder. The camera was bought by a private collector from Asia and is believed to be the most expensive historic camera auctioned to date.

The premium camera manufacturer has unveiled what it’s calling the Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) ‘Stealth Edition’ (right)– notable for its lack of the brand’s attention-drawing iconic red roundel on the front. The design stems from its collaboration with Marcus Wainwright, the founder and owner of New York fashion label ‘rag & bone’ and features fluorescent engraved highlights that glow in the dark. It’s also perhaps befitting for a camera aimed at black and white photography lovers to come in a jet-black, matt paint finish that is claimed to be scratch resistant.

Otherwise the core features of the camera are identical to those of the standard model. Available now, SRP is a cool £13,000.

Spare a thought however for the purchaser of a unique

©National Trust Images/Matthew Antrobus

nth national trust lumiX FZ200 or FZ72

LIMITED LEICA FOR STEALTHY SALES

to take a speCial piCture you need to go to speCial plaCes Now you and your family can discover hundreds of new special places with the National Trust and capture every stunning detail with the award-winning new LUMIX FZ200 or FZ72.

CANON CLAIMS 15YEAR REIGN AT NO.1 Despite various shake-ups in the marketplace in recent months, there is one story of consistency. Canon is claiming it has now been in the market leading position for interchangeable lens cameras (which it defines as DSLR and compact system cameras) globally for a straight 15 years. This stretches back to 2003, which it calls ‘the dawn of digital SLR’, and the original EOS 300D camera, right up to the launch of the EOS 6D Mark II last year (pictured). Looking forward, Canon says it is now opening up new avenues of expression, ‘where texture, three dimensionality and a sense of realism can be recreated in both still images and videos’. For feedback from the brand’s tenure at The Photography Show this year, see also our page 10 report this issue. www.canon.co.uk

Hang Tag

Photographic Promotional period: 22/08/2013 – 31/12/2013. Promotional terms apply, please see panasonic.co.uk/promotions *Leica is a registered trademark of Leica Microsystems IR GmbH. ELMARIT is a registered trademark of Leica Camera AG

21/08/2013 13:56

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A4 Cling

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Items shown are for reference only and are not to scale

4 April 2018 | BPI News

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Print News

WOT A PICTURE EXPANDS BUSINESS IN-STORE AND ONLINE UNDER THE KODAK BRAND We spoke to business owner Penny Bird to find out how joining the Kodak Express network and expanding their photo printing services online has changed her business.

The Kodak Express name continues to attract photo stores who want a brand which offers real customer recognition.

Framing and photo retail store Wot A Picture was established in Street close to Glastonbury in 2003 by husband and wife team Penny and Keith Bird as a general photographic studio and shop.

Expanding photo services online Starting as a camera shop the business has changed its core service over the years to framing. Penny and Keith recently decided to expand their photo printing services in-store and online by becoming a Kodak Express network member.

Store owner Penny Bird explains their decision: “We have always done photo printing in store but never had the benefit of online services, The

Kodak brand was simply the most recognisable name for the purpose and also gave us the advantage to generally benefit from trading under the Kodak name in store."

Attracting new customers "The Kodak Express website is not only a great online tool to use for our existing customers to order from home but also gives us a general web presence and higher chances for new customers to find us online,” Penny adds.

At Tetenals Open Day last September Penny took the opportunity to get a better understanding of Kodak’s APEX Photo Lab and how it would benefit her business alongside the Kodak branding.

Penny explains: “The visit to Tetenal before committing to join the Kodak Express network was very reassuring

because we could meet the team and also take a closer look at the Kodak equipment in Tetenals show room."

Increased photo business After the first few months with their new equipment in production, Penny looks back: “It has been a great start for us. In the first 3 months of our current trading year we had an increase of 90% on our instant printing service. Before we simply had one Kodak Print Station in-store, the Kodak APEX now links to our new G4XL kiosk which allows us to manage the print flow from online and in-store orders much more efficiently. In addition, we received great support from Tetenal in terms of adding Kodak branding to our business. We now have dedicated signage as well as Kodak branded graphics throughout the store, giving our business a nice fresh look.”

"In the first 3 months of our current trading year we had an increase of 90% on our instant printing service."

Penny Bird Wot a Picture

Contact Tetenal to discuss joining the Kodak Express Network TEL 0116 289 3644 www.tetenaluk.com

GERMANY • FRANCE • UNITED KINGDOM • POLAND

Store owner Penny Bird with her grandson at the Tetenal Open Day © 2015 Kodak Alaris Inc. The Kodak and Kodak Moment trademarks and Kodak trade dress are used under license from Eastman Kodak Company.

Managed in the UK by Tetenal Ltd | TEL: 0116 289 3644 | www.tetenaluk.com

Report

SNOW MUST GO ON! Freezing temperatures and a white-flecked start to the Sunday couldn’t dampen photographers’ enthusiasm as thousands of visitors and hundreds of exhibitors entered Hall 5 of Birmingham’s NEC over four consecutive days for The Photography Show’s fifth annual staging. BPI News reports back

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his year’s exhibition represented the first opportunity for many photographers to get hands on with cameras, lenses, accessories (and more) announced in the first couple of months of 2018. Canon, Olympus, Sony, Panasonic and Fujifilm had all launched major new products and chit chat at the show naturally revolved around the likes of the X-H1 and A7 Mark III, both covered in last month’s BPI News, as well as concept products fresh from Canon Japan. These took the form of intriguing palm-sized cameras – small enough to potentially be wearable and which can be set to capture photos at will, independent of any user actions; ideal for family occasions, the manufacturer suggested.

The staging of the MCM Comic Con in nearby Hall 3 of Birmingham’s NEC also ensured that photographers had just as much chance of encountering Darth Vader as they did, say, Nikon’s D850. While the start to the Sunday was beset by weather conditions resembling the opening to The Empire Strikes Back – in reality it was the last icy gasp of the ‘Beast From The East’ – The Photography Show’s regular haunt of Hall 5 was soon back to its buzzing self.

The Monday was certainly very busy indeed, with aisles veritably heaving with bodies. Enthusiasm and spirits remained high among those exhibitors we spoke to on both days we attended. People had come to spend, and the stands of retailers Cameraworld, LCE and WEX all appeared as busy as ever, with visitors keen to pounce on money saving deals.

Sony’s stand was bigger (or rather longer) this year too, with its latest E-mount Alpha series cameras, including the most recently launched Alpha 7 Mark III, getting visitors particularly excited – so much so that it was reported retailers had sold out by the Monday.

Like the others, the electronics giant employed a bit of theatre – in this case it was bicycle tricks – to attract the crowd.

“It’s been another fantastic Photography Show with the Sony stand busier than ever,” said Sony UK’s Head of Imaging Arnaud Gutleben, afterwards.

Rival manufacturers and exhibitors are equally pleased. “The Photography Show is so important to us as it is the most direct way we get to reach the real customer and get first-hand feedback,” says BPI News regular

6 April 2018 | BPI News

Thanks to its large raised stand next to the show’s entrance, Nikon (above) was able to immediately greet visitors braving the snow on the Sunday with goodie bags galore

Below: Free talks on the live stages again cleverly drew visitors through the hall and into its furthest reaches

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Report

Familiar names and faces: Editor Gavin catches up with Super Stage speaker Gered Mankowitz (middle), whilst for Ansmann’s Mike Barber (left, right of shot), this was a last official engagement before a well earned retirement

@bpi_news

David Parry, Product Specialist for Canon. “This year we made our stand even bigger and better than before and have reached a great variety of photographers with lots of varied needs.”

Nikon Senior Consultant, Rob MacNeice adds: “We’ve had another really successful year. The show is the best opportunity to speak to our existing customers and find new ones, as well as for the photographic community to come together.”

A sentiment that is echoed by EMEA Marketing Director for Kodak Pixpro, Mariame Cisse, who enthuses: “It’s been great to get Kodak out there to a wide audience, from students and beginners to seasoned pros. We’ll definitely be back next year!”

Official audited figures for 2018 for The Photography Show had not yet been announced as we went to press – though a figure of ‘over 30,000’ was quoted in a press release put out by the organisers shortly after. And we already have 2019’s show dates. Make a note in your diary now of March 16th to the 19th, 2019.

“We are delighted that so many people braved the snowy conditions to attend,” concludes Jonny Sullens, Head of Events at Future. “The event, as always, has been such an exciting and engaging place for visitors of all photographic abilities and we’ve had extremely positive comments already from our audience. We are already looking forward to 2019.” www.photographyshow.com

BPI News | April 2018 7

News

ROTOLIGHT SPOTLIGHTS NEW SALES MANAGER British LED light specialist Rotolight, a frequent visitor to these pages and also a finalist in our BPI News Awards 2018 (don’t forget to vote – details on page 16), has appointed a new UK Sales Manager in Danny Dullforce, who has been tasked with leading the UK sales team and driving brand awareness across the photography and broadcast sectors, as well as growing channels to market and sales revenues of the company’s LED line-up.

Danny joins Rotolight from a position at DayMen International Ltd, and, says Rotolight MD Rod Aaron Gammons: “Danny’s photography market expertise, combined with his professionalism and well-established relationships with our existing dealers, make him the ideal addition to our team. His appointment

couldn’t be better timed as 2017 was an incredible year for Rotolight, with three high profile product launches, and 2018 is shaping up to be the same, especially in light of recent award wins for our products.” www.rotolight.com

ONE BRIT SCOOPS TWO SONY WORLD PHOTO AWARDS A British photographer has done the double at the Sony World Photography Awards. Nick Dolding has been announced as being awarded top prize in both the Awards’ Open Portraiture Category and the UK National Award for his image ‘Emile’ (shown), taking inspiration from director Wes Anderson’s ‘The Royal Tenebaums’ movie. Beating hundreds of thousands of entries worldwide, Nick receives digital imaging equipment from the manufacturer as his prize. His shot will also feature in the 2018 Awards book and the London exhibition from April 20th until May 6th.

There are 10 Open category winners who now go on to compete for the Open Photographer of the Year. This photographer, along with the winners

3 YEAR WARRANTY

T: 0870 609 2233 8 April 2018 | BPI News

ANSMANN IN DRIVING SEAT FOR SALES

of the professional categories, will be announced in London on April 19th. www.worldphoto.org

As seen at The Photography Show, where Ansmann shared a stand with Cameraworld, is the battery specialist’s latest product in the in-car 2x2 USB charger, which comes with the peace of mind of a three year warranty. The new tool can charge up to four USB devices – including smartphones and tablets – and features intelligent charging control, which is claimed to automatically detect and use the highest possible charge current for your gadgets. It also features an integrated extension lead of 1.80m in length for back seat charging – or providing those in the rear of the car with a reliable energy supply.

For sales enquiries call 0870 609 2233 or email info@ansmann.co.uk www.ansmann.co.uk

3 YEAR WARRANTY

www.ansmann.co.uk

5 YEAR WARRANTY

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Print News

John Wilson Photography improves internal print production with Epson After switching to a new Epson SureLab D3000 last year, business owner John Wilson reviews the changes it brought into his business since.

John Wilson Photography Established in 1978 John Wilson Photography in Bellshill, Scotland, has been a family run business from the start and recently passed on from father to son. With increasing print demands, John Wilson Junior decided to exchange the business’ long-standing Noritsu wet lab for a dry lab from Epson, the SureLab D3000.

After a year in production with the new machine, he now looks at how it compares to the previous equipment.

Wide colour range “The Epson SureLab D3000 is simply a great machine, the colour range is much better compared to our previous wet lab. The colour accuracy is impressive, enabling us to provide excellent quality to our customers. We do a lot of photo

editing for our Fine Art Portraits and have seen a great improvement when printing these. It really makes colours and contrasts stand out," John explains and further adds how the Epson SureLab has improved the everyday work flow in his business,

for us and help us manage high print demands.”

Increased print speeds

“Tetenal invited us down to their offices and gave us an overview of the Epson SureLab D3000 which was really helpful. All in all, Tetenal simply provided us with all the information we needed which made it a smooth and straightforward buying decision for us.”

With the Epson SureLab D3000 Dual Roll unit John especially noticed that having two paper rolls available at the same time it helps to improve speeds: "With the wet lab, paper always had to be changed by hand, now this is all automated which makes it a much quicker process. We opted for the dual roll SureLab D3000 which allows us to switch quickly between types of paper as well as sizes. As we are doing around 50,000 prints per week improved speeds are a big win

Epson SureLab D300 Dual Roll

Before deciding on the new equipment John took the opportunity to visit Tetenals Epson show room in Leicester and test the equipment in a real print set-up, he explains:

future: “If growth continues like this for us, then we will definitely consider taking on a second lab next year. In addition to the great printer, Tetenals customer service has been excellent.

We also have an Epson P8000 and anytime we needed some advice the sales team were very helpful, so if we went ahead with a second machine it would be great to stay with Tetenal.”

Continuous growth Following the recent improvements the Epson SureLab has brought to the business we asked about future plans and where business owner John Wilson sees his business in the near

"If growth continues like this for us, then we will definitely consider taking on a second lab next year."

John Wilson. John Wilson Photography

Are you thinking about switching to a dry lab? Get in touch with Phil Barker, our Sales & Marketing Director: TEL 0116 289 3644 phil.barker@tetenal.uk.com www.tetenaluk.com

Tetenal Ltd

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TEL: 0116 289 3644

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uk@tetenal.uk.com

Report

SPRING DEALS FROM CANON IT’D BE UNNATURAL TO MISS! Currently running a seasonal storytelling-themed cashback on key products, the photo brand provides feedback from (and concept cameras at) a successful Photography Show, while we’re granted an audience with Canon EOS 5Ds R user and TV personality Chris Packham, who shares his experience of photographing wildlife at 50 megapixels…

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pring has sprung and not only does that mean the natural world is in a period of bloom and renewal – making our sit down with TV wildlife pundit Chris Packham, courtesy of Canon at The Photography Show, all the more topical – the same also applies to the photo trade, in aiming to make the most of the season. As a case in point, Canon has launched its latest cashback deals, which began mid March and now run until May 15th.

Under the tagline of ‘Find a New Story to Tell’ – subtly referencing its ‘Live For The Story’ campaign of last summer – the latest hook is up to £250 back against purchases of Canon equipment. Included in the deal are the Canon EOS 5Ds R (more on this below), along with the 5Ds, 5D Mark IV, 6D Mark II and 80D, plus the mirror-less EOS M5 and PowerShot G1 X Mark III, G5 X and G3 X. Video cameras covered by the spring scheme are the XC15, XC10 and LEGRIA GX10, while numerous PIXMA printers, binoculars and DSLR lenses and accessories are also included – a highlight here being the EF 1635mm f/2.8L III USM lens, which warrants the maximum £250 saving.

Full details for participating retailers can be found at www.canon.co.uk/springcashback

CANON AT THE PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW The leading brand was once again manning a massive stand towards the rear of Hall 5 at TPS last month and, as touched on in our page 6 news report, was showcasing a couple of neat concept cameras, fresh in from Japan. Named only as ‘Intelligent Compact Camera’ on the display boards, the idea here was that the palm-sized devices are both wearable and operate independently of user input – meaning that photographers can enjoy their party or picnic and let the camera itself do the image gathering.

Ian Barnard, Sales Director at Canon UK & Ireland says: “We found the show this year had a great mix of people,

Concepts across continents: West met East as Canon UK and Canon Japan displayed a handful of attention-grabbing concept cameras at The Photography Show last month.

Watch this space for more!

abilities and interests and we enjoyed hearing about how they use their kit to tell their stories. We were lucky enough to have two prototype cameras on our stand from Canon Inc. in Japan. For us, one of the key things about the show is the fact that you can speak directly to the customers. This year was no different and our colleagues in Japan were able to gain some valuable feedback on these new concept cameras, as well as our latest technologies. We were thrilled to show such innovation to UK customers.”

From among the four units on display, the dark blue and black webcam-like device we saw seemed the most ‘developed’. It’s claimed to be intelligent enough to distinguish scenes

and start taking pictures as you walk, whilst it can also be operated via voice command. Built-in image stabilisation and automatic adjustment of the angle of view combine to ensure it’s taking pictures of the scene before it, rather than a close up of what you’re wearing.

Canon’s blurb also adds that the longer you’re using the camera, the more it learns about your shooting habits and endeavors to meet your preferences.

The spec given for the dark blue webcam-like device we saw included a 110-degree vertical camera tilting mechanism, a 380-degree horizontal pan and tilt mechanism, 3x zoom, voice recognition and no screen. Ultimately the concept device has been designed

Take advantage of Canon’s spring cashback offer to encourage sales of its top end DSLRs, including the EOS 5Ds R, as favoured by 10 April 2018 | BPI News

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Canon advertorial with the thought that you just turn it on, take it with you, and the camera does the rest. Whether any of the concept products shown make it to production remains to be seen, but at least a talking point was provided at the show!

In total, Canon’s stand had over 200 products on display. “We had a lot of interest in our whole range,” Ian continues. “We received a lot of questions on the newly launched EOS 2000D and 4000D beginner DSLRs, as well as our first 4K mirrorless camera, the EOS M50. The staff on our Canon Professional Services (CPS) area were kept busy with questions on our full frame cameras and lenses. Lots of people were interested in upgrading to the EOS 5D Mark IV, 1D X Mark II and L series lenses and were also keen to hear about the Cinema EOS C200 for filmmaking.

Our professional printers including the

PIXMA Pro-10S and imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 were also in demand.

“We love to inspire people at the show via our Live Stage and Education Stage.

The former had some truly inspirational and at points emotional talks from pros including Brent Stirton who spoke about his World Press Photo winning ‘Rhino Wars’, highlighting rhino poaching. Rosie Hardy, a new Canon Ambassador, also moved the audience with her 365 Days of Creativity project, undertaken as a way of grieving for the passing of her partner. We were also fortunate to have Chris Packham on our Live Stage to talk about his use of the EOS 5Ds R and how it helps give his wildlife photography a different perspective. Overall the show was a success for Canon and we can’t wait to see what next year brings.”

A feather in your cap: Use Canon’s cashback promotion to really push its products to your customers this spring - and make that extra sale!

© Marina Cano, Canon Ambassador

FIND A NEW STORY TO TELL UP TO £250/€300 CASHBACK.*

EOS 6D Mark II

EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM

EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM

*To enter the cashback promotion, the Participant must purchase a Promotional Product from a Participating Retailer within the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland between 14.03.2018 and 15.05.18 inclusive. Claims must be submitted by fully and correctly completing the online claim form (including specifying a valid EEA product serial number) by midnight on 16.06.18. Full details at canon.co.uk/springcashback or canon.ie/springcashback

www.canon.co.uk

Chris Packham on why Canon’s EOS 5Ds R is a ‘natural’ fit Shooting on a 50-megapixel Canon EOS 5Ds R with a 500mm telephoto lens, long-time TV personality and wildlife specialist Chris Packham calls himself an equally long-time convert of the brand, having been shooting on Canon cameras as far back as the 1980s. As well as portraits of wildlife, Chris likes to shoot a lot of abstract images, sometimes zeroing in on a small feature of an animal that will, he says, tell you a lot about it. A fan of symmetrical framing, he favours a 50 megapixel camera for the fact that it gathers a lot of information – “the camera is remarkable for its level of detail,” he marvels – and also provides the advantage of being able to crop an image. Like most photographers, Chris likes to experiment and attempt to capture something that hasn’t been captured before – even if that means failure.

“Failure is apart of progress,” he notes.

“I’m using the 5Ds R for something it’s not really designed for,” he admits, referencing its relatively modest 5fps capture rate. “If you had a higher frame rate when tracking your subject you might get a few extra frames.” But, he says, having done his homework beforehand – “because it’s an enormous privilege to go to somewhere like Antarctica or South Georgia,” – he can now predict how his natural subjects will behave, so is able to hit the ground running, creatively, varying his camera settings between aperture priority and shutter priority.

Surprisingly for someone who

scissors with him for such a purpose.

Ultimately, though: “I want people to get into wildlife photography and connect with nature. Since I’ve started taking wildlife photos the quality of wildlife photos generally has really gone up. Those photos would not have been taken 30 years ago.” Much of that is testament to improvements in digital camera technology.

As well as his love for the 5Ds R and the opportunities it brings, Chris has another reason for choosing Canon. It’s been named by Ethical Consumer magazine as one of the most ethically responsible optics brands in the world, with zero links to the hunting industry, a decisive factor for a wildlife enthusiast like Chris.

“The ethical side of things is really important to me. Not only is the quality of Canon’s products, including its binos, great, but nothing is sold to the weapons industry. If you’re aware of this when you’re upgrading equipment, then you can make an informed decision.”

deals in images of the natural world, he will use Adobe Lightroom to make adjustments to his images, saying that it’s all part of his quest for perfection. “I try to be honest about it and let people make their own judgements,” he says, adding that “I’ll even trim the grass to get the perfect image,” if, say, a stray strand of foliage obscures an otherwise clear view of his prey. Such fastidiousness extends to Packham carrying a pair of

Wild about Canon: Presenter Chris Packham loves the 5Ds R DSLR for its incredible detail

Chris Packham. Also includes LEGRIA camcorders, PowerShot compacts, binos & lenses. For more see www.canon.co.uk/springcashback @bpi_news

BPI News | April 2018 11

The Big Interview

JET POWERING THE PHOTO TRADE With his company celebrating 35 years in business, BPI News quizzes Imaging Warehouse MD Robin Whetton on the heritage behind his brands, particularly the award-winning PermaJet inkjet media (a BPI News Awards 2018 finalist), his current view of the marketplace, ambitious expansion plans, plus what its trade partners can expect…

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rom its headquarters in picturesque Stratford-upon-Avon, the Imaging Warehouse is reaching out across the globe. With a long history of award winning products stretching back a notable 35 years, we thought it was time we grabbed MD Robin Whetton for a ‘Big Interview’ feature. In a far-reaching talk we discuss innovative products and award winning brands, including, most notably, PermaJet inkjet media, Nova Darkroom and Nova Digital, along with future plans, the state of the photo imaging market, and what the company can offer its retail partners.

although fine art papers were initially popular with pros, the market has grown exponentially, and we now sell this type of media to a huge spectrum of customers.

BPI News: To kick off, it’s perhaps worth filling us in on a bit of back story and history to the company, given that you’ve been going for 35 years, which is impressive for any business in this market…

Robin Whetton: We started in March 1983, so, yes, it’s exactly 35 years. We started by designing a piece of processing equipment, myself and Graham New. That came out of a meeting in a pub. I’d done design engineering at college and an engineering apprenticeship, so we got together, redesigned it, made it more commercial, patented it and started selling it. It was a ‘dip and dunk’ tank which we called a Deep Tank Processor, or Slot Processor.

We created a very narrow slot, so you used a lot less chemistry than people had previously been using. As you can tell it was all dark room in those days.

photographer – people who were essentially hobbyists, quite happy to work from home and work for less. This meant established pro photographers were getting hit hard and needed to either specialise or diversify their offering and specialist media was one way of doing that. Ironically,

Q: That begs the question as to what the pros have moved on to?

A: I don’t think the pros have moved on per se, I think they have graduated to offering a blended range of paper.

Often we will see sample books containing photographic, baryta, fine art and canvas offerings and this is reflected in our product range where we offer a solution for requirement. Specialist markets still exist however; for example galleries, who demand almost exclusively fine art papers.

Q: Who is a typical PermaJet customer, if there is one?

A: With over 30 papers in the range and a wide selection of accessories from albums

Q: When did the PermaJet brand first appear?

A: 1999. With the rise in digital I found myself spending a lot of time in America where a lot of new trends were taking place. Our initial foray into this arena was the idea of re-filling cartridges for inkjet printers using specialist, high quality inks.

We began importing inks and making inkflow systems, and this, in turn, led to us getting involved with fine art papers, which heralded the true birth of PermaJet. As we fast discovered, professional photographers were looking for something a bit special and unique to help their work stand out from Joe Public. At the time there were a lot of people setting up as a ‘professional’

Get in touch with Robin and the team at PermaJet on 01789 739200, email sales@permajet.com or 12 April 2018 | BPI News

www.bpinews.co.uk

The Big Interview Right: The PermaJet brand and Robin’s team once again had a big presence at The Photography Show, where it was debuting its new Photo Lustre paper (see over the page for more)

to varnish to ink systems I don’t think we have a typical customer. In the UK, in terms of end user we sell to a wide variety, from photographers, architects and artists, to further and higher education, local government, healthcare and defence.

These are all serviced by a strong network of resellers that we split geographically, who are looked after by our field sales teams. We also export worldwide and again we have a loyal network of overseas agents that represent our brand, many of whom we support on the ground in terms of trade shows and events.

Q: As you continue to export quite significantly to some 28 countries, I wonder how big a part of your business the UK still is?

A: It is still very significant. Since 1988 we’ve been exporting quite heavily, but the UK is always going to be home and you want to be as strong as you can be in your home market.

“Innovation in new products is something we pride ourselves on, we have a rich history of bringing market first products to the UK and will continue to do so.”

Left: Robin, seen here at a recent trade show in Holland, is keen that PermaJet supports its network of agents overseas as well as retailers back home

Right: Centrally located and exactly as described... The Imaging Warehouse is housed in an, um, warehouse, in sunny Stratford-upon-Avon

Q: What role does your relationship with photo retailers play in all of this? Because you’ve got a well-established brand and have grand plans to expand over the next few years.

A: Photo retailers form a strong backbone to our business and represent a large market share in terms of our photographic and dry lab products.

Many of these have traded with us for multiple years and as market conditions have become tougher some sadly have succumbed to the inevitable pressure the Internet has brought to bear. We try to help where we can by having a low minimum order value of £200 compared to the competition, offering additional margin opportunities in terms of dry lab media and bringing innovative products such as our true silver Titanium Lustre paper to market.

In terms of growth we have grown organically by over 50% in the last three

years but there is still much more we want to achieve. I took the decision to invest in the business last year and that has seen us double our warehouse capacity, take on new sales people and purchase new systems and equipment. In 2017 we completed our first acquisition and there will be more activity in this area over the coming 12 months.

Q: New products will undoubtedly play a part in that growth too. What are your plans there?

A: Innovation in new products is something we pride ourselves on, we have a rich history of bringing market first products to the UK and will continue to do so. We launched our new Photo Lustre product at The Photography Show (see over) and this has proved a great seller for those looking for a heavier weight media in our photographic range. We always have a number of new products waiting in the wings and my enthusiasm to launch them often has to be tempered by the product management team!

Q: What’s your wider perspective on the print market?

A: I think it’s growing. An awful lot of people are trying to say it’s in decline, yet all we’ve seen is growth, so we have to speak as we find. The darkroom part of the business is seeing a resurgence, driven

by interest from a new breed of younger photographer and a return to the classic ways by an older generation. There are clearly people who have grown up with digital products who are discovering the analogue process and immediately getting hooked by it. In terms of paper we are seeing good growth across the board.

Fine art paper has become a lot more mainstream, photographic paper is driven by the broad choice on offer, and even canvas, which has shown a slow down in recent years, has picked up in the past 12 months. So there are opportunities.

As a nation, we are do’ers and don’t sit around waiting for the world to come to us. We’re very lucky that the international business language is English. It has done an enormous amount of good for our export ability and continues to do so.

Q: So when it comes to getting people printing more, there is a market out there, you’ve just got to find it?

A: For sure. A big part of what we do is getting out there and in front of people. We exhibit the product at trade shows large and small, we train our partners and communicate with them regularly. We also have a training school in Stratford-upon-Avon where we teach printing classes and offer courses on how to use Lightroom and Photoshop.

Our large base of ambassadors and lecturers also help to cover events run by our partners. I think the industry’s matured in terms of hardware – there are only so many things you really need – but what people are in need of is teaching and education. There is a thirst for knowledge. We started this 10 years ago and it’s a big and successful part of the business, because people come, learn and spend. That’s the very nature of the industry. www.permajet.com

visit the website to explore the full range of offerings at www.permajet.com @bpi_news

BPI News | April 2018 13

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PERMAJET’S NEW ‘LUSTRE’ IS A PAPER WORTH CHASING

The fine art inkjet paper specialist chose The Photography Show to launch its latest luxurious offering: Photo Lustre 310. Available in rolls or sheets, BPI News discovers how it stacks up…

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n the wake of its successful unveiling at the NEC last month, PermaJet has further new product to add to its award-winning line up of inkjet media, and to shout about to the trade: Photo Lustre 310. Described as ‘long awaited’, this is being pitched as a heavyweight inkjet paper with, as the product name suggests, a lustre surface.

The company is confident that the new paper will build on the recent success for its FB Mono Gloss Baryta 320gsm paper, launched only last year and which is already a Finalist in our very own BPI News Awards this issue for Product of the Year (see page 16 for how to cast your vote). It also picked up an award from Photography News at the show in the category of Inkjet Paper: Photographic Finish.

Finalists on paper: PermaJet’s TPS team with their BPI News Product of the Year nomination (see page 16). From L to R: Joseph Reiner, Steve Price, Abi Symons, Jeremy Pridgeon, Vij Solanki, Colin Hulley

THE ‘MISSING PIECE’ FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS “Photo Lustre 310 offers the missing piece that many photographers look for, with the heavily sought after lustre finish combined with a 310gsm weight, creating a high quality paper at an affordable price,” suggests Head of Direct Sales Vij Solanki. “This is a fantastic new addition to our range of inkjet media.”

Its properties include a bright white base that its manufacturer suggests helps to make colours leap off the page.

But it’s not just about presenting a wide

colour gamut. The white base and high ‘D-Max’ (maximum density) are said to also be excellent for monochrome images, with deep blacks, strong highlights and a vast tonal range provided.

Furthermore, the paper’s instant dry resin coating is enhanced with UV protection, plus a high degree of scratch, water and fade resistance, claims PermaJet. The scuff resistant properties are said to overshadow other surfaces

At a glance: PermaJet Photo Lustre 310gsm n Single sided coating with a highly pronounced lustre instant dry microporous, receiving layer n Primary features include water resistance, super colour and monochrome reproduction, plus exceptional ink absorption n Designed for use with dye and pigment inkjet systems. Tested for use with Epson, Canon, HP and Lexmark printers n Available in sheet sizes of 6x4inches, 7x5, A4, A3, A3+ and A2, plus rolls of 17, 24, 36 or 44 inches in width, 30 metres in length.

“Photo Lustre 310 offers the missing piece that many photographers look for, with the heavily sought after lustre finish combined with a 310gsm weight, creating a high quality paper at an affordable price.”

PermaJet Head of Direct Sales, Vij Solanki in the marketplace, making this paper suitable for many printing applications.

The finishing touch is that luxurious lustre surface, which is claimed to lend great depth and clarity to printed images.

This unique combination of qualities and weight creates a sound choice for photo retailers and labs looking for a lustre paper that’s a step above the rest. “Filling a gap in the digital inkjet sector, the superb end results will be sure to impress, whether for commercial applications, competition or hobby,” Vij Solanki concludes.

For the trade, the paper is available in sheet sizes of 6x4-inches, 7x5, A4, A3, A3+ and A2. It’s also available in rolls of 17, 24, 36 or 44 inches in width, which are 30 metres in length.

To add Photo Lustre 310 to your stock, get in touch with PermaJet yourself now via sales@permajet.com www.permajet.com

Place your order now on 01789 739200 or to view the whole PermaJet range, direct your browser to: www.permajet.com 14 April 2018 | BPI News

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PHOTOXPORT RECORDS ‘PHENOMENAL’ PHOTO SHOW A ‘best ever’ Photography Show found the distributor not only showcasing Noritsu’s latest Green-series dry labs in the ‘III’ and ‘IV’, but also the compact ‘SnapFoto’ from Citizen Photo

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veryone knows that ‘Greens’ are good for you… and so it’s little wonder that Noritsu’s newest pair of Green-series dry labs, available to order now via exclusive UK distributor PhotoXport, are set to help retailers grow profits into spring and summer.

In addition, PhotoXport has taken on distribution of the SnapFoto from Citizen Photo, as reported last issue.

Both brands were showcased at The Photography Show last month, where PhotoXport reports visitor interest at a record level. This was the first time in the UK the new Noritsu Green IV dry lab was shown, with orders also being accepted for its new Green III, while the Citizen Photo ‘SnapFoto’ likewise debuted. “We’ve sold a Green IV and some SnapFotos off the back of it, so we’re flying,” enthuses PhotoXport MD Derek Fieldhouse. “It was a great show for us.”

Call PhotoXport’s Derek (with BPI Awards finalist certificate) and his team now about Noritsu and Citizen

features a 12-inch track, compared to the 10-inch track of the Simplex. This means that it is able to produce prints up to 12x69-inches in size. An external cassette allows the loading of up to three different paper sizes at once.

The second new product is Noritsu’s Green III, described as similar to the Green II, apart from the fact that it can issue a longer print, at 12x55inches. “It has a paper loop on the back that allows it to produce the lengthier output,” PhotoXport’s MD explains, adding that orders for this particular dry lab are likewise being taken now.

So, if you want to see those green shoots of growth in your own business, place an order for a Citizen SnapFoto, Noritsu Green III and/or Green IV this spring via PhotoXport on 0116 2675907. www.photoxport.com

WANT PROFIT FROM PRINTS? ‘SNAP’ TO IT The Beauty of the SnapFoto solution is its simplicity, says Derek. “All you need is a Citizen CX-02 dye sub photo-printer, the SnapFoto tablet and a connection, and you’re ready to go. This simplicity allows us to ship directly to the end user, walk them through the simple set up, and have them ready to go live with the product in just a couple of hours. The end user will then have an efficient, easy photo kiosk and printer solution, at a low cost, which will give their retail customers quality prints, produced in seconds.”

The reaction at The Photography Show was “phenomenal”, Derek adds. “We’ve been working around the clock following leads and there were people popping onto the stand for a demo all the time. People like new things and SnapFoto is new and compact and Android-based. We’ve had people from as far away as South Africa and Iran expressing interest. It’s early days, yet reaction has been very good.”

TWO NEW DRY LABS, PLENTIFUL PRINT OPTIONS As far as Noritsu goes, Derek describes the Green IV has having ‘loads’ of new features. It’s an evolution of its wellreceived Green Simplex. It’s smaller yet

SnapFoto’s benefits

Noritsu’s new Green III & IV dry labs Noritsu QSS Green III features: n Dry lab with built-in duplex capacity for instant photobooks, greetings cards and calendars on both inkjet papers and a range of third party Fine Art papers n Comes complete with main body, paper band, paper case, paper sorter unit, correction value printing kit, humidity conditioning kit, sheet paper kit, paper storage bag, EZ-Controller-1, plus keyboard unit, PC and monitor n A video of its very similar Green II predecessor can be seen here: http://youtu.be/OkaCBaF9eaU Noritsu QSS Green IV features: n Dry lab with the ability to produce unique print sizes, up to 12x69-inch super panoramic prints n Comes complete with main body, normal paper printing kit, correction value printer kit, paper band, spindle unit, humidity conditioning kit, external paper cassette, Eizo high spec 23-inch monitor, Dell dual drive server, keyboard

n A combined footprint of just 275x366mm – the exact same as the Citizen CX-02 dye sub printer that makes up its chief component – ensures the compact SnapFoto’s perfect for a broad range of retail spaces n Specially developed software ensures the Wi-Fi enabled SnapFoto offers a user friendly interface, and one that doesn’t rely on any form of dedicated mobile app to communicate with and transfer images between mobile devices and the unit n The SnapFoto broadcasts its own dedicated SSID signal, making for simple Wi-Fi connectivity and a familiar, secure and seamless experience for the end user n Hassle free print operation n Watch the demo video: photoxport.com/content/snapfoto

Find out more from PhotoXport about Noritsu Green dry labs and SnapFoto from Citizen. Call Derek’s team now on 0116 2675907 @bpi_news

BPI News | April 2018 15

BPI News Awards 2018

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN: LAST CHANCE TO CHOOSE YOUR PRODUCT OF THE YEAR & CAMPAIGN/ PROMOTION OF THE YEAR Time is running out to cast your votes in our BPI News Awards for 2018. Simply tweet your choice from among the finalists on this spread (pictured at this year’s Photography Show) to us via @bpi_news or email us via info@bpinews.co.uk. Overall winners are chosen on April 20th and revealed in our May issue

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f you haven’t yet voted for yourselves or for your peers from among the finalists highlighted on this spread, now is your very last chance to name your Product of the Year plus your Campaign/Promotion of the Year, before we announce the two overall winners in our May cover edition.

The nominees from among our final 17 finalists with the most votes win – it’s as simple as that, so get voting! Previous winners have built up support by sharing their nominations with customers, clients and industry colleagues – so marketing managers and PRs take note: Effort is rewarded, particularly when it comes to our trade-specific Campaign/ Promotion of the Year category!

HOW TO VOTE

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Choose your winners from among the finalists either pictured or listed here!

Follow us on Twitter where we’re @bpi_news and tweet your choice to us.

Or simply email us with your Product of the Year and/or Campaign/Promotion of the Year to info@bpinews.co.uk

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VOTE NOW in the BPI News Awards 2018! Tweet us your choices @bpi_news or email info@bpinews.co.uk 16 April 2018 | BPI News

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BPI News Awards 2018 8

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Who gets your vote? Your 2018 finalists at a glance: Just pick two names from the following list – one from each category – and tell us who you think deserves to win from the UK photo trade.

CAMPAIGN/PROMOTION OF THE YEAR FINALISTS

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• The Photography Show • Fujifilm FDIS Conference 2017 • Canon Live For The Story campaign • Epson deals from the DPS Group • Fujifilm puts the ‘X’ in Xmas (X-E3 launch) • A Century of Gitzo with Manfrotto • Shetland Calling: PhotoXport & Noritsu Expand Green II Reach • Tetenal’s Big Picture

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR FINALISTS

WHOS WHO? 1, Olympus’ Clare Harvey-May, Aidan Mayne, Anastasija Tomm, Claire Voyle and Georgian Pavelin 2, Gitzo’s Francesca Fiameni, Paul Hill and Anika Bhamra 3, Rotolight Chairman Rod Gammons 4, Canon’s Daniel Benjamin, Stephanie Hayward and Neale Conroy 5, Photographer Ross Grieve and

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Barnaby Sykes from Panasonic 6, Sigma UK’s Paul Reynolds 7, Profoto Ltd MD Paul Legg 8, Nina Fairfowl and Jeremy Gilbert from Nikon 9, Tetenal’s Chris Allsopp, Craig Bird, Rob Blanchard and Verity Adkin 10, Hazel Soper and Jonny Sullens from TPS 11, Jeannie Corby from Fujifilm 12, Paul Kench, Kenro MD

• Sigma’s ‘Fantastic Four’ lenses (14mm f/1.8 DG HSM, 2470mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM, 100400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM and 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM) • PermaJet FB Mono Gloss Baryta 320 paper • Panasonic GH5 mirror-less camera • MAC Group Benro Slim Tripod Kits • Nikon D850 • Kenro optical products & albums • Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III • Rotolight Neo 2 • Profoto A1 & accessories

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DON’T DELAY, VOTE TODAY

The closing date for votes is April 20th. Winners are announced in BPI News May cover edition.

VOTE NOW in the BPI News Awards 2018! Tweet us your choices @bpi_news or email info@bpinews.co.uk @bpi_news

BPI News | April 2018 17

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JP DISTRIBUTION: YOUR ONE STOP PHOTO SHOP

JP Distribution chose The Photography Show to showcase a host of clever, innovative solutions that MD Tim Harrison and Sales & Marketing Manager Paul Genge suggest you should stock for spring

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hoto specialists will be well aware of Staffordshire-based Johnsons Photopia and its distribution arm, JP Distribution. If by any chance you aren’t, as MD Tim Harrison reveals, it typically looks after 12 to 14 leading brands, rotating and refreshing them from time to time. “When we take on a new brand it’s for the right reasons, in that we’re excited about the prospects,” he adds.

Its current line up includes exposure meter specialists Sekonic, lighting solutions from Westcott, remote camera and flash triggers from PocketWizard, Black Rapid straps, plus luxury, fashionorientated ONA bags. On top of this, new launches at The Photography Show included Chinese brand H&Y filters, for whom it will be acting as European distributor, plus US-based PNY, for whom it will be a channel partner for the supply of memory cards and mobile phone accessories. In short, JP Distribution has a lot of saleable solutions for the photo retailer – and all under the one roof.

A RAPID SOLUTION TO KEEP YOU IN THE BLACK Black Rapid, creator of the original camera sling, is all about your customers being able to carry their camera in a more safe and secure manner. Its line up includes double holster type solutions, allowing users to carry two camera bodies at a time for longer periods,

ONA: A BRAND WORTH BAGGING American bag brand ONA is described as operating in low volume yet a having a very fast turnover of range, which may have added appeal for the fashionconscious photographer. Latest offerings include its highest capacity backpack in the Big Sur, which comes in black waxed canvas at £529 SRP; the Bond Street shoulder bag, aimed at mirror-less and instant camera users at £140; plus the Bowery and Bowery 50/50 messengerstyle bags (the latter so-called because it mixes leather and waxed canvas) at £150

and £230 respectively. Additional bag options include the Camps Bay backpack that holds a DSLR with 70-200mm lens attached at £430; the Crosby shoulder bag which features full grain leather, solid brass hardware and bright colour details for £270; and the satchel-like Prince Street which comes in gorgeous looking crimson and camouflage at £280. Finally, there’s the leather Presidio camera strap, which is worn across the body and is designed for camera kits up to 6lb.

Making a show of it: MD Tim Harrison (middle), flanked by Marketing Manager Paul Genge on right and Brandon from Westcott on left

www.onabags.eu

Ready to wear: fashion conscious Crosby bag on left, Bowery bag on right

plus it has recently re-issued the strap that started it all, the RS-4 (£60 SRP), to celebrate its 10th birthday. “The standard strap you get with a camera goes around your neck or your shoulder, where it digs in, there’s no balance and the camera swings around,” explains JP’s Marketing Manager Paul Genge.

“Instead you wear this and the weight is balanced across your body, you’ve got the security of knowing you’re never going to drop it, plus Black Rapid straps are incredibly comfortable.” In addition there’s a new Tripod Jacket (£150 SRP), which, as it sounds, hangs over a camera tripod and has multiple pockets to hold all your camera accessories while being weather resistant too.

The manufacturer also does a mobile phone strap in the Wander, so even the smartphone photographer is covered! www.blackrapid.com

Stock up on the above products, as seen at The Photography Show, this spring: The trade should get in touch direct with 18 April 2018 | BPI News

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JP Distribution advertorial with SD and microSD card slots, and at the other end USB-A, so you don’t lose use of the port, even when it’s plugged in. Retail price is an affordable £25 SRP. There are further solutions providing detachable external memory for your iPhone, plus a heavy-duty outdoor battery that can recharge your electronic devices and which doubles up as a torch. www.pny.eu

H&Y FILTER FRAMES HAVE MAGNETIC APPEAL A Chinese brand that JP Distribution is bringing to market, designed to improve the handling of square filters by manufacturers including Lee, Formatt Hitech, and, this summer, Cokin and NiSi and others too.

“Traditionally you’d slide your filter into the slots on the front of your filter holder,” notes Paul. “What H&Y have done is you unscrew the slots and replace them with H&Y adapter strips, which are metal. You then take your filter and put your H&Y frame around it, which has magnets in it.”

This allows your filter and subsequent ones using the same system to be rapidly popped on or off, thanks to the magnetic attachments. “We had one or two people looking at these at the show, who remarked that it also protects the filter,” adds MD Tim. “It’s not competing with any filter manufacturer either,” notes Paul. “It’s making the filters that you already own, better. So you can continue to use the Lee filters and filter holder you have – they’re just adapted. You simply buy however many frames you need for the filters you’ve got.”

An H&Y Quick Release Magnetic Filter Frame is just £25 SRP for the 100x150mm or £23 for the 100x100mm. Adapter strips for the Lee 100mm system and Formatt Hitech are £15, with a ‘starter pack’ containing three frames and a set of strips planned for this summer. “This is something that will change the way you view filters,” enthuses Tim. “It would be safe to say it’s a game changer.” https://hy-filter.shop

SEEING THE LIGHT WITH WESTCOTT “This is something that will change the way you view filters… it would be safe to say it’s a game changer.”

MD Tim Harrison on the H&Y Quick Release Magnetic Filter Frame

PNY – FOR ALL YOUR DIGITAL MEDIA An American brand with a European base in Bordeaux, PNY has been going since 1985 and offers an alternative to the likes of Lexar and SanDisk when it comes to SD, CompactFlash, microSD, USB sticks and mobile phone accessories.

Whether we’re talking USB enabled memory sticks or fast read/ write SD cards, US brand PNY has your media requirements sorted

Westcott is a large American manufacturer of lighting and lighting control solutions. In fact its range contains nearly 700 SKU’s. New here is its flickerfree (up to 970fps) Solix continuous light, which comprises an LED array emitting up to 2,125 lux of daylight balanced brightness. This, and a quiet internal fan, makes the Solix as suited to video work as it is stills. User operation couldn’t be simpler, with one button on the back acting as a power button and also the dimmer. Barn doors are included, while an umbrella mount is built-in to provide a further option. Ideal for both studio and location shoots, prices range from £600 for the Solix Compact Kit, to £2200 for a two light kit with light controlling accessories, heavy-duty stands and soft-wheeled travel case. Product has reportedly been flying out since it was launched last November, so make sure you speak early to your JP Distribution rep to secure your own stock… as is the case with any of the brands showcased here! www.fjwestcott.com

JP Distribution has just become its channel partner and will be reselling into photo and video retailers in the UK. “Dealers want an alternative that is reliable and good quality to offer photographer customers who own high end DSLRs or mirror-less cameras and need fast write times,” suggests Paul. For example, PNY’s top of the range SD card with attractive gold packaging offers a read speed of 100 MB/sec and blazing fast write speeds of up 75MB/sec, with its U3 classification ensuring that it’s great for 4K-video too.

PNY also offers a USB-C card reader

Another bright idea from JP Distribution: Westcott’s newest Solis continuous light, as shown here

JP Distribution via 01782 753 333, email sales@johnsons-photopia.co.uk or visit www.johnsons-photopia.co.uk @bpi_news

BPI News | April 2018 19

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FUJIFILM HELPS RETAILERS BUILD MOMENTUM

BPI News attended the annual Fujifilm Digital Imaging Service (FDIS) members’ Conference last month, held the same weekend as The Photography Show, to hear how the company is aiding its dealer network and to deliver this first hand report…

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he message from Fujifilm’s annual FDIS membership conference this year is that it is being proactive in support of retail partnerships, spending on everything from website portals to store rebranding, as well as reviewing its wholesale product offerings to enable the network to provide the best possible range to its own customers.

The conference also highlighted market opportunities, with Fujifilm’s Neill Harris, General Manager for Photo Imaging, citing Boots withdrawing in-store photo finishing as a gap its members can fill.

Product wise, Neill told us it’s seeing strong sales of colour paper and dry lab products, with the potential of photo books still rather untapped in the UK. Social media sites such as Twitter were also spot-lit as a means of communication and self-promotion, with research suggesting ‘Tweets’ that contain an image are 150x more likely to get shared than those without images. “Let’s keep the momentum

A winning team? Vote for finalist Fujifilm now in our BPI News Awards (see page 16). Seen above at Conference, from L to R: Leyton Prosser, Neill Harris, comedian Mark Hogan, Wendy Gray and Peter Wigington

going,” was Neill’s summation, echoing the overlying theme of the conference itself.

BRAND CONSISTENCY AND BROAD PRODUCT RANGE Conference compere Peter Wigington, Fujifilm’s Marketing Manager, told us that the company currently has 192 FDIS sites in the UK, which, in itself, is the biggest network of photo independents in the country, the company claims.

Membership is divided between dedicated photo retailers and ‘add on’ photo retailers – namely those where photo isn’t the core business, but rather is an intrinsic element of the overall retail mix.

Noting the current FDIS programme was undergoing something of a refresh after running for a decade, with the aim of providing “brand consistency across the stores in the group so individual stores act locally, while appearing part of a larger, nationwide network,” he

reminded retailers of the need to have a broad range of products and services – with personalised products in particular engaging a new generation – and that Fujifilm was happy to guide its partners “with your best interests at heart.”

He reiterated the words of Neill Harris in saying that Fujifilm “wanted to show you that we are moving forward and gaining momentum.” And on that note, as previously reported in BPI News, the brand has set up a new dedicated website (at www.fujifilmphotoservices.co.uk) and ‘Members Hub’ with, notes Peter, online being a facility that it is seeking to develop more, particularly with regard to downloading marketing assets.

Additionally, the campaign area will provide promotional videos and training videos. “What you need is content and that’s what we’re going to provide for you.”

Look out also for a new-look monthly newsletter, which will divulge details about topics such as poster

Speaker’s corner: From L to R: Steven Lord, Steve Brown, Lesley-Ann Simmonds, Fariba Mathieson, Joe Fairs and Mark Hogan

Boost your print sales in 2018! Get in touch with Peter direct on 01234 572138 or via photoprintservices_UK@fujifilm.com 20 April 2018 | BPI News

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Fujifilm advertorial MEMBERS’ STORIES TO INSPIRE

“Fujifilm is the most recognisable name associated with photo anywhere in the world… and brand consistency across the stores in the group will help individual stores act locally, while appearing part of a larger, nationwide network.”

Fujifilm Marketing Manager Peter Wigington updates – with such info likewise to be found at the Members Hub. All the above operational aid comes with a modest fee rise for 2018 – the first increase, apparently in 10 years – with a new membership fee pegged at £60 per month from May 1st. Members will also get two mystery shopper visits per year – again aimed at helping them to improve/ increase their business – while the number of workshops Fujifilm offers is due to be increased. It’s also worth noting that, in being members of a group, there is of course strength in numbers – evident with regard to buying power. “As a member you’re part of a group buying £million worth of paper per year,” reminds Peter.

Another advantage is the free loan of signage, something else you’ll want to take advantage of, as, he adds: “Fujifilm is the most recognisable name associated with photo anywhere in the world.”

New products for members to add to stock this year include a Hanging Photo Display Kit (known as the ‘Hang ‘Ums’)– demonstrated on a side table by trade partner Swains at the Conference – that comes in a box with pegs and some string. Some 100 packs capable of holding 50 4x3.5-inch prints should be available now via Swains.

Fujifilm puts its dealer network in the spotlight with a selection of winners from the ‘Instachallenge’ section of its Business Excellence Awards evening. See also our congratulations of the winners on page 31

Another important element of the Conference was getting real-world advice and experience from fellow retailers in the FDIS group – with the hope of being able to apply some of the ideas and suggestions to your own business model. First up was Steven Lord, owner of Lords Photographic in West Yorkshire, whose topic ‘Passport to Profit’ espoused the financial rewards of offering passport photographs in store, noting the very high profit margins to be made versus the approximate £553.10 cost of investing in or updating your own systems to make sure they’re fully Passport Office compliant. Charge the customer at least £10 for the digital shot they’ll now need for their online application, and more for any hard copies requested.

A Momentum Retailer panel also included Steve Brown of Island Photo Centre in Ryde, who advised of another possible string to your business’ bow in running photo workshops – and setting up a dedicated website to attract relevant traffic and subsequent bookings.

Spinoffs from this may include selling more frames, again supplied to Fujifilm network members via Swains. In fact Steve told us that he had witnessed a 400% increase in selling frames as a result of running his courses, typically priced from £50 and lasting two and a half hours. “You’ve got to make them fun and light hearted,” he notes, “but they’ve worked very well for us.”

Joe Fairs of Market Hill Photography in Sudbury told the attendees that if your shop lease is up, don’t be afraid to move; something Joe did despite having an already established business when a more central town location made itself available. In a similar vein, Lesley-Ann Simmonds of Photos 2 Print in Andover advised the assembled on re-positioning your business. Previously, Lesley-Ann’s store had been a Cartridge World. She now sees having gone the photofinishing route as “the best thing we ever did, because we’ve increased sales.”

Fariba Mathieson of Bristol’s proactive ‘Catch The Moment’ studio, told us all how studio photography can also provide a “huge boost” to a specialist

Fujifilm’s 2018 Awards winners The evening of the Conference was taken up with the annual gala dinner and Business Excellence Award prize giving. Notable winners on the night included Andrew Sheppard, who won Outstanding Contribution to Photo Retail, Malcolm Tullett who won Regional Sales Manager (RSM) of the Year, while Shop Assistant of the Year went to Ion Spoiala who works at Snappy Photos in West Wickham.

The grand prize of Shop of the Year went to Island Photo Centre in Ryde, whose owner Steve Brown had spoken earlier in the day. For the full list of winners see below, and also our advert on page 31 congratulating the victors. n Shop of the Year: Island Photo Centre, Ryde n Outstanding Contribution to Photo Retail: Andrew Sheppard n Business Excellence Award winners: Island Photo Centre, Ryde; Catch The Moment, Bristol; Black & White Photography, Edmonton; Y Stiwdio Brint, Lampeter n RSM of the Year: Malcolm Tullett n Shop Assistant of the Year: Ion Spoiala n Mystery Shopper Award: Fotofinish, Chard n Best Performing Store Year-onYear (Swains): Salisbury Photo Centre (owner Ian Scott) n Best Promotional Display: Gordons Photographic (for Photowonder promotion) n Best Social Media Campaign: Catch The Moment (Advent calendar 2017)

retailer and that rather than the Internet having devalued photography, her business now finds they are shooting portraits for the likes of LinkedIn and even dating websites, while corporate portraiture also remains popular.

Wrapping up the afternoon was a Keynote speech from motivational speaker/ comedian Mark Hogan, who treated us to what amounted to his Edinburgh Comedy Festival show. Take home messages from this included “opportunities are all around us,” “we don’t just require a skill but the will to do it,” and the need to “edit your Editor” – namely “the voice in our heads stopping us doing what we should do”, according to Mark. He also made the point that we sell to people by telling a story and that “stories move people.” If at first you don’t succeed, review your approach, he advised.

Boost your print sales in 2018! Get in touch with Peter direct on 01234 572138 or via photoprintservices_UK@fujifilm.com @bpi_news

BPI News | April 2018 21

Report

CANSON: TO INFINITY & BEYOND

Fresh from a busy stand at The Photography Show, where free trial packs of its award winning Canson Infinity Baryta Prestige 340gsm paper were drawing crowds of inquisitive photographers, we hear from the Canson Infinity team and its photographer ambassador Brian Hopper on why its print media should be added to your stock or studio forthwith…

T

he main focus for French fine art inkjet paper specialist Canson Infinity at The Photography Show this year was its own branded Canson Infinity Baryta Prestige 340gsm paper, the overall winner of the TIPA Award for Best Inkjet Photo Paper last year, and which forms an integral part of Canson’s Digital Darkroom range.

This being the case, it was giving away sample packs of the product at ‘TPS’ to encourage photographers and printers to try out the product for themselves, while Marketing Director Jane Dixon told us it was also focusing, naturally, on how it can help photographers get the best out of their printing with Canson Infinity. To help facilitate this, its Technical Manager Cyril Bertolone was on the stand to dish out advice, particularly on using ICC profiles in order to achieve optimum print quality with the media – all reminding the trade that Canson is still very much an active player in the market.

INFINITY… ‘IS AS GOOD AS YOU GET’ Optimum quality is, after all, what Canson’s Infinity Baryta Prestige 340gsm paper is all about. The premium fine art product boasts unique characteristics to enable it to evoke the appearance and aesthetic impression of traditional darkroom papers. It is comprised of an acid-free cellulose and cotton white paper base with a true barium sulphate coating to deliver what’s described as excellent surface durability, outstanding black optical density (D-max) and superb image sharpness. The paper also has good lay flat qualities and can reproduce a wide colour gamut for maximum visual impact. In short, this is an innovative paper for discerning photographers and printmakers, as suitable for printing in monochrome as it is being used to deliver colour archival prints.

But don’t just take Canson’s word for it. Reviewing its Baryta paper last year, Professional Imagemaker magazine concluded: “Another very fine paper from Canson… the extra

weight gives this product the ‘premium’ edge and prints are impressive.” F2/ Cameracraft was even more convinced, adding: “This Canson paper captures the feel of classic monochrome silver prints perfectly… in terms of an archival paper, it is about as good as you get.”

We caught up with pro photographer and Canson Infinity Ambassador Brian Hopper on its stand at NEC, along with UK distributor Clifford Burt of RK Burt & Company Ltd. “I would recommend Canson Infinity Digital Fine Art and Photo Papers without hesitation,” Brian smiles. “Having been introduced three years ago, I quickly became convinced of the quality of the range. I have used Canson Infinity papers for all my printing and have garnered many awards in international photographic exhibitions, including top monochrome and colour

A paper with weight: As seen at The Photography Show with the award winning Canson Infinity Baryta Prestige 340gsm paper: Canson Infinity’s Jane Dixon, photographer Brian Hopper and Clifford Burt of UK distributor RK Burt

print awards in eight exhibitions.”

Bear in mind that, on average, an international exhibition may attract approximately 6,500 entries from around the world, and it’s clear that winning such an award is pretty special.

For more on Brian’s thoughts, please visit the below URL: www.canson-infinity.com/en/ gallery/brian-hopper Don’t forget, also, that the paper itself is an award winner in its own right – and a TIPA Awards winner, as voted for by the trade, no less. TIPA’s international collective of judges drawn from 27 pro, amateur and business magazines across the planet said of the paper last year: “Canson’s Baryta Prestige is a 340gsm inkjet paper comprised of acid-free alpha-cellulose and cotton with a true Barium sulphate (‘baryta’) coating.

The baryta nomenclature tags it as having the look and feel of silver halide prints. A durable paper that brings a feeling of richness and depth to tonal values and hues, its ‘smooth gloss’ surface has the look and sharpness of traditional glossy paper while lacking

“I would recommend Canson Infinity Digital Fine Art and Photo Papers without hesitation. I have used Canson Infinity papers for all my printing and have garnered many awards in international photographic exhibitions.”

Pro photographer Brian Hopper

A brand that’s on a roll: Canson Infinity’s paper not only comes in packs of individual sheets, but also on rolls too - something for both photo retailers and mini labs to get on board with!

the distracting sheen of a ‘hard’ surface gloss. Its weight and durability defend the sheet from handling problems, but this does not prevent the photographer from using it in virtually every advanced photo inkjet printer out today.”

Given the above plaudits, and with such potential for widespread use, there is also, naturally, the potential for widespread sales.

For sales enquiries, the trade is invited to please contact Canson’s distributor: R.K Burt (UK) - rkburt.co.uk www.cansoninfinity.com

As seen from Canson at The Photography Show: Find out more about Canson Infinity Baryta Prestige via www.cansoninfinity.com 22 April 2018 | BPI News

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BPI Product Focus

SIGMA’S SEVEN PUT SONY USERS FULLY IN THE FRAME The Japanese lens specialist has announced no fewer than seven fast prime lenses suitable for the full frame version of Sony’s E-mount – known as the FE mount - all of which arrive this summer

W

ith mirror-less cameras and the popularity of Sony’s Alpha 7 series on the rise, Sigma is seeking to help the trade meet expected demand by launching a magnificent seven new lenses for Sony’s FE mount (full frame) mirror-less models. All of the optics slot into Sigma’s ‘Art’ series line up, which comes with the pitch of offering photographers the highest level of optical performance. All lenses feature fast/ bright apertures of either f/1.4 or f/1.8.

With releases staggered over a period of three months, the first new lenses are due to arrive in May. These are the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM, 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM and 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM. Suggested pricing is £799.99, £749.99 and £1,199.99 respectively.

The next pair of lenses arrives in June in the 20mm f/1.4 DG HSM at £859.99 SRP and 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM at £799.99.

“With mirror-less camera ownership on the rise and Sony producing some very popular product, our new range of FE mount ‘Art’ series lenses has to be a priority purchase...”

Sigma UK General Manager Graham Armitage

Above: Captured with the aid of the Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Left: Sample image taken on the Sigma 20mm f/1.4 DG HSM

Below: Seventh heaven... for Sony FE mount photographers. With prime lens options from 20mm up to 135mm all boasting fast apertures and beautiful ‘bokeh’ possibilities, your customers will consider these as priority purchases

The final two prime lenses, which land in July, are 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM at £1,679.99 and 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM at £1,399.99. Street prices are obviously up to the retailer and are likely to be lower than the SRP. The above septet joins two additional Art lenses in the 70mm f/2.8 DG Macro and 105mm f/1.4 DG HSM, which were exhibited at the CP+ trade show in Japan this year; making a total of nine new Sigma optics for Sony users in recent months. Pricing and delivery information for these two is to follow.

The brand tells us that it isn’t resting on its laurels however and additional lenses are planned for Sony E-mount cameras in the Art series, going forward.

A GREAT FIT WITH MIRROR-LESS CAMERAS Once again with Sigma, its newest lenses are well worth specialist retailers looking into for their photographer customers. And it’s also worth noting that the company still offers its MC-11 Mount Converter, which is great for photographers shooting with both Canon and Sony.

Like said converter, the new optics offer compatibility with in-camera image stabilisation and in-camera aberration correction. Furthermore they’re compatible with Sony’s continuous AF (AF-C), something not currently addressed by the MC-11. Sigma believes it can offer high-speed auto focus at the same level as that of a lens designed exclusively for mirror-less cameras.

The lenses also come with cases, hoods and a brass bayonet mount; the latter enabling what Sigma says is a high precision fit and durability described as ‘exceptional’. The mount connection area incorporates rubber sealing for dust and splash proof construction.

“With mirror-less camera ownership on the rise and Sony producing some very popular product, one of our new range of FE mount ‘Art’ series lenses has to be a priority purchase for your Alpha range owning customers,” believes Sigma UK General Manager Graham Armitage, fresh from another successful exhibition at The Photography Show for the brand.

“Contact your local Sigma rep for more!” www.sigma-imaging-uk.com

All lenses sold via Sigma Imaging UK come with the benefit of a three year limited warranty. @bpi_news

BPI News | April 2018 23

Report

SHOW OF STRENGTH FROM THE DPS GROUP

The Photography Show last month found print specialist and reseller the DPS Group showcasing a plethora of exciting products from household names Epson, Canon and HP, as well as Indigo board media. MD Maneesh Patel illustrates to the photo trade why his company really is a one-stop shop for print solutions…

P

rofit-generating print offerings to tempt and entice the photo trade… is exactly what Kent based printer and print media specialist the DPS Group was offering visitors to The Photography Show last month – and can likewise deliver for you this spring. Its pitch is that it’s always looking for new products and innovative applications to boost your bottom line, without tying up your finances or costing you dearly upfront.

On its wide stand adjacent to Canon at the back of Hall 5 – a location that naturally drew plenty of footfall – the DPS Group was demonstrating the print quality of the Epson SureColor SC-P7000 and Canon ImagePrograf Pro-2000 machines, which it states are the best 24-inch photographic printers in the marketplace today.

As previewed last month, also showcased were the creative capabilities of Indigo Inkjet’s new range of photo boards, which are sturdy at 1.5mm thick, while being compatible with Epson’s SC-P and SC-T series printers. “The whole ethos with Indigo media is that quality printing materials need not cost the Earth,” notes DPS Group MD Maneesh Patel. Obviously the advantage here is that this is a relatively low cost yet high quality product, on which high profit margins can be made. Choose from boards at A2, A1, A3+ and A4 in size.

In a similar vein, if you’re looking for low cost canvas printing, posters, point of sale and general graphics work – again on which a very respectable profit can be had – then you’ll have wanted to check out the large format Epson SureColor SC-T5200D MFP PS 36-inch printer, also at ‘TPS’, which comes with optional

As seen at The Photography Show: BPI News Awards finalists Maneesh Patel and Michael Nash (above) of the DPS Group showcased innovative print solutions from Canon, Epson and HP, demonstrating the ability for trade partners to generate revenue from printing on T-shirts and even producing bespoke wallpaper

multi-functional features, including large format scanning, plus extra hard drives if desired. “Epson’s SureColor SC-T series are fast and inexpensive all-rounders,” Maneesh Patel tells us.

“They’re great for printing posters, CAD drawings and cheap and cheerful canvas production – allowing photo retailers to branch out and offer the kind of solutions a print shop would.” With the purchase of any of the SC-T series (also including the 24-inch SC-T3200, or the 44-inch SC-T7200), there’s also the ability to go for ‘CoverPlus’ extended warranty of three years, four years or five years, for added piece of mind.

FIT TO PRINT, READY TO WEAR Left: HP Latex Applications on a corner of its stand illuminated the ability to personalise a host of household items, including lamp shades! Speak to the DPS Group for more info

Reinforcing the impression that the DPS Group is a one-stop shop for all your printing needs, it was also demonstrating the capabilities of the Epson SureColor SC-F2100 direct-to-garment (‘DTG’) printer at The Photography Show. With us having covered the F2000 model in the past in BPI News (revisit our Sept

2017 edition, in print or online), this was a chance for the trade to witness first hand the brand new technology from Epson that lets you easily and quickly print T-shirts and other garments on a dedicated machine – giving your business another profitable revenue stream as we head into the warmer months of spring and summer.

A new one on us at the show was the DPS Group’s HP Latex Applications Corner. As it sounds, a corner of the stand was dedicated to demonstrating the ability to produce wallpaper, canvas prints, roller blinds, kitchen tiles, light boxes, lampshades and more besides, all using printed HP media. With your customers increasingly looking to make print personal and bespoke for their own clients, this certainly is an opportunity worth further exploration.

For more info, talk to the team at the DPS Group: Get in touch with Dave Harrison via 020 8460 3690 or dharrison@dpsb.co.uk www.thedpsgroup.co.uk www.dpsb.co.uk

Contact the DPS Group’s Dave Harrison for more on 020 8460 3690 or dharrison@dpsb.co.uk or visit www.dpsb.co.uk 24 April 2018 | BPI News

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MAC GROUP RETURNS... AT TPS! Operations Director Nigel Fielden takes us through its high quality, competitive margin products from Benro and Tenba bags that should find pride of place in your store this spring

B

enro is always a brand that is highly visible on MAC Group Europe’s stands at trade exhibitions, and last month at the NEC was no exception. New here are two Benro tripod kits – the ‘Slim’ Travel Kit in both aluminium (£100 SRP) and carbon fibre (£135) – plus the Slim Video Tripod Kit in aluminum (£120 SRP).

“The idea has always been to have a good, capable, compact tripod at an affordable price,” outlines MAC Group’s Operations Director Nigel Fielden.

“More recently we’ve brought out the travel versions and the difference is that instead of the legs folding, as with a traditional tripod, they flip up to make a really compact package. The new video version has a head that will take 2.5Kg, so it’s perfect for people using camcorders or CSC cameras for the likes of bird watching. The good thing is that Benro’s travel tripods may look compact and lightweight, but they hold true to the brand’s dedication to quality and stability. So this is a fabulous series of entry-level products at affordable prices, which is going great for us.”

Other new Benro products, also launched at TPS, include the Benro GD3WH Geared Head (below), which delivers three axis precision movement and adjustment. The head also features a trio of built-in spirit levels to aid a perfect set up. With product dimensions of 145x139x109mm and base diameter of 52mm, SRP is £200. “This is ideal for people who do landscape photography or anything else that is static, and need precision adjustment,” Nigel advises of Benro’s first geared head offering. “This product is absolutely superb. We’ve been working with the factory for several months to get something that is absolutely right. Most importantly it also has an Arca Swiss compatible plate fitting on

As seen at The Photography Show: Benro travel tripods showcased by (L to R) Mark Hoskins, Scott Baggaley and Nigel Fielden

the top, which is crucial to everything that we do. All of these things help with stability and precision and we’ve sold a lot at The Photography Show this year.”

For more, please see: www.benroeu.com

TENBA HAS IT ‘IN THE BAG’ FOR RETAILERS Bags are always steady sellers for the specialist photo retailer, and here too MAC Group has a host of offerings. Nigel tells us that the origins of its Tenba range were originally quite niche, in that it was a high quality bag for pro photographers with a high price tag to match, but that “we’ve taken the decision to broaden its appeal into the mainstream market. We’re working with great designers who have experience not just in high-end photo bags but in outdoor bags too, which has given us the capability to design product in a way that we’ve never done before. The first main evidence of this was the Solstice series (as featured in BPI News Dec 17), in three sizes and two colours.” A new ‘sling’ version was also introduced at TPS. Also new from Tenba are a couple of DNA series messenger bags in the DNA 8 [Special edition] (at £90 SRP) and DNA 15 Slim [Special Edition] (£130), originally introduced as limited editions and on which a waterproof fabric normally used for the base of bags has been used to construct the entire bag.

Limited bag now has wider appeal: Tenba’s stylish DNA messenger bags are constructed from waterproof fabric to protect your customers’ kit Tenba’s ‘Bring Your Own Bag’ inserts are a clever idea for those who don’t require a full sized camera bag

“They’re absolutely fabulous for someone with a CSC and a Microsoft Surface laptop; all my life fits in this bag,” enthuses Nigel. As part of the Tenba Tools range, there are also some soft lens pouches “very straightforward products made of neoprene with a draw string at the top” in five sizes, starting at a reasonable £15.

The TPS show also saw the launch of three new additions to the luxury Cooper messenger bag collection, the Cooper 6 (£115 SRP), Cooper Slim Backpack (£175 SRP), and Cooper DSLR Backpack (£195 SRP). In true Cooper fashion, the bags are made from all those luxury materials you want a bag to be made from - Cordura® reinforced cotton canvas, full grain leather and YKK zips.

“The minimalist but functional style of the new Cooper backpacks makes them perfect for the mirrorless or DSLR photographer that wants to keep their gear safe, and discreet, but wants to look smart doing it,” says Scott Baggaley, MAC Group Marketing Manager.

Another concept worth investigating, along with insulated bottle pouches, is the Tenba BYOB – ‘Bring Your Own Bag’ – a self-contained, padded camera bag-like insert for a standard backpack.

These new BYOB inserts come in three sizes suitable for mirror-less cameras and DSLRs, with prices starting at £35 SRP. “You can put this in a backpack, partially unzip it and access your gear, while it is still in the bag,” marvels Nigel.

“Why do people want this sort of thing?

Well, there are those who want to conceal their cameras, or don’t want to make the investment of a full-blown camera bag because they don’t use it that often. The market needs this sharply priced product.”

For more information speak to your MAC Group Europe rep or visit www.tenba.com

Stock up on Benro and Tenba gear for spring; Call MAC Group Europe now on 01902 255 500 or email info@macgroupeu.com @bpi_news

BPI News | April 2018 25

News

SMALL IS A VIRTUE FOR BILLINGHAM

The typically British bag manufacturer, based in the Midlands, has unveiled the Hadley Small Pro bag, which comes after the Hadley Small.

SRP is a stiff-upper-lip £200 and the bag comes in an extensive range of colour combinations.

As with all Billingham products, the Hadley Small Pro is crafted from durable canvas or colour-fast ‘FibreNyte’ material. These hard-

wearing textiles are bonded to dramatically named ‘Stormblock’ material: two layers of fabric fused with rubber for better weather resistance. Due to its special composition, Stormblock never requires ‘reproofing’, remaining water-resistant for its entire life, says Billingham. The bags come with a five-year guarantee. www.billingham.co.uk

HARD FACTS ABOUT DNP’S NEW SOFTWARE

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apanese print specialist Dai Nippon Printing – DNP for short – has revealed a Snaplab+ v3.3 software update for its SL620 and SL620 II printers which allows iD photos to be saved to a USB key, for the customisation of logos, to be able to monitor how much media is still available via a counter visible on screen, and for overall better management, including the ability to add print formats and enable an automatic re-start function. DNP says that the tweaks are in the interests

of providing ‘the most complete all-in-one kiosk’ for its users.

The update can be downloaded via the website free of charge. www.dnpphoto.eu

New distributor has the ‘X’ factor

MAC GROUP UNVEILS BENRO FILTER RANGE Amongst a stack of news from distributor MAC Group this month – see also page 25 – comes details of new filter technologies introduced via its Benro brand, including a patented 100mm filter holder system for square filter systems. “We’re proud to bring the Benro filter range to the UK and unveil a new quality standard to the filter market,” says Benro Brand Manager Mark Hoskins.

26 April 2018 | BPI News

“Our Universal resin filters are a match for the most popular market leading brand, at a much more affordable price point.

For photographers who choose to invest further in our Master Series glass filters, we can also offer superior image clarity and sharpness.” Prices range from £45 for a resin 100x150 grad filter, to £130 for a glass 100x150 grad. www.benroeu.com

The keen-eyed amongst the trade will have noticed a new tech distributor at ‘TPS’ this year in the dynamically named InfinityX, who were demonstrating a multi-functional Pica-Gear product – constructed and designed to what’s claimed to be ‘military standard’ – and who are looking to further engage with specialist photo retailers. The device we witnessed being demonstrated can hold a variety of imagecapture gadgets – from action cameras to mobile phones – and can convert from a handgrip to a mini tripod in seconds, for added versatility. Get in touch with InfinityX MD Steve Cumbers and his team via 01206 855882 or email info@infinityx.tech

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ssent, p s, si nupsi ratas, quibu a tergentes iact ent spectare cir ibus pavim cenderat super m multas inas adfati Ac taedium ped s. fem ue ale is a usq atr xer ad the issa insidi rum, fabulae oculos fle petere libero cra, quae finxere scerat introm ocumque ma ula poterat sup Et licet qu um ut popo in tuto iam locata umera sim vilis, quae ad palati iam nixus alios quo exultans ut rimunt inn r s aetatem ter lie ina exp bri mu m ant ece a du nst gyris, m aliqu am Co , ut his inl copia volucriter ad nocendu rissimis. qu emisit in publicum abundans bus obscu propositum uas lactisque mos vid incitatum erat a militi regiae ian ferina est plerosque tendi prodid loque inpositam per tus universis caro ltas spe possint, et latenter ob aucupium adfatim mu s atam vehicu ia vel maiora. Vic per ina i ner fem mu cap usque tae alites t par salute flexeris a prolicere erorum, ad es et siquae et quocumque oculos petere lib finxere fa ad indicand et herbae multiplic lic poterat sup era simulacra, quae , orantes. Et iam nixus ad palat um sustentantur et vini penitus ign ter ae inn t qu m un is, ate aet m exprim lier vil ns frumenti usu s, si nupsissent, per lucriter gyris, dum m aliqua mu rissimis. quam Co ibu i vo ad nocendu scu m ob s uas em situ bu cirratas, qu enta tergentes iactar po ian itatum pro im erat a militi ositam per regiae inc did pav s his tam pro ibu er di inp ped loque inposi cenderat sup as ei latenter obten atam vehiculoque icu Ac veh s. ale insidi theatr muner pa uneratam tur, et herbae multip intromissa riti salute proliceret tan s ign locata ma poposcerat indicanda qua susten vini penitu s in tuto iam quoque ad ue abundans copia nti usum et psi exultans ut his inlecebris alios lactisq imus frume ratas, quibus, si nu t ut o ferina est plerosque mos vid cir car s publicum, rsi a tergen et s spectare tus unive s paviment ibu ium possint, inas adfatim multa ped s n up maiora. Vic m ale auc ue taediu capi per is fem enta theatr usq tes xer im ali ad fle , pav uae los siq ocu e fabula liberorum ocumque , quae finxer at suppetere Et licet qu nixus poter t innumera simulacra iam ter aetatem exprimun gyris, dum volucriter

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Business Advice GET FIT FOR BUSINESS Are you up to speed with the twists and turns in the political landscape and regulation changes that could affect your business? Business expert Adam Bernstein advises on gaining positive outcomes from possible challenges, ensuring your business is fighting fit…

T

he Chancellor’s Spring Statement to Parliament in mid March wasn’t meant to be a full-blown budget; that has now moved to November. Instead, it was effectively a ‘mid-term’ report on how the economy is doing, which was, in short, better than expected, despite the fallout from the Brexit vote. That said, governments aren’t always renowned for being totally honest and open with voters, and such optimism is to be taken with a pinch of salt.

However the Government’s Office for Budget Responsibility backs up this view, saying that the economy grew by 1.7% in 2017 – up from the 1.5% originally forecast. This means growth for 2018 has

28 April 2018 | BPI News

been revised up from 1.4% to 1.5%, with similar numbers for subsequent years.

The good news is that the Consumer Prices Index inflation rate is expected to fall to 2% by the end of the year, down from the 3% of today. With luck, full employment will lead to pay rises, and, for those whose pay rise exceeding inflation, greater individual spending power, which is potentially good news for both photo manufacturers and retailers alike.

Further liquidity will be injected into the economy through an announced £44bn investment programme to increase the supply of housing by 300,000 a year. Such spend should get cash

circulating through the economy too.

The government is also consulting on a new VAT process to ensure that it gets the tax it is due from online sales; the role of online platforms in ensuring that users pay their fair share of tax; and is seeking to support those who want to use ‘digital cash’ while also reviewing the future of hard cash (with a view to possibly phasing out 1p and 2p coins as well as £50 notes). Some of these will help level the playing field for traditional bricks and mortar retailers who are suffering from unfair competition from online traders.

Nothing in the Statement contained new tax changes, but it’s worth pointing out

www.bpinews.co.uk

BPI News Business Advice

some of the changes that nevertheless come into effect from April 6th. These include a rise in the personal tax-free allowance from £11,500 to £11,850; a rise in the higher rate tax band from £45,000 to £46,350; a rise in the state pension from £159.55 to £164.34; a rise in the family home inheritance tax allowance – which is on top of the £325,000 inheritance tax allowance – to £125,000 from £100,000. These measures should, for some, also help increase retail spending. Others, namely those with businesses who take income as dividends, will see their tax bill rise however, as the dividend allowance drops from £5,000 to £2,000.

AVOID THE DATA TRAP! If media reports are to be believed, it seems that many businesses – both large and small – are sleepwalking into a data protection trap that could cost them dearly.

@bpi_news

It took years of inter-governmental haggling, but finally in 2016 the European Union agreed to revise data protection law – the General Data Protection Regulation (‘GDPR’) – throughout all member states. However, despite radical new obligations and duties enshrined in law that take effect from 25th May this year, it appears that few have properly prepared.

Countless surveys indicate that the problem is widespread – “79 per cent of firms have no plan in place for GDPR” (esecurityplanet.com, November 2017); “Top UK and US firms still overestimating GDPR readiness” (Computer Weekly, January 2018); and “one in five small businesses not ready for General Data Protection Regulation” (RTE March 2018).

Businesses, especially those in retail, who potentially hold reams of customer data used for marketing, newsletters and special offers, need to pay attention now to the new law, which is very unforgiving. It radically changes the penalty regime so that instead of a maximum £500,000 that the Information Commissioner (ICO) can presently levy for breaches, fines will rise to the higher of a maximum of 4% of (global) turnover, or 20m Euros. Some were surprised in 2017 that a small video company, which was hacked by a third party, received a £60,000 fine from the ICO… all because it hadn’t properly tested its systems against intrusion. The fines under the GDPR could well make eyes water.

Other changes worth noting are the right to be forgotten (to have personal data deleted); new rules affecting the protection of children; the need to grant active consent for data to be held and used; faster rights of access to personal data; the duty to inform authorities of data breaches within 72 hours of occurrence (even if that means working over a weekend or holiday); right to data portability (moving personal data between different organisations); and the need to appoint a data protection officer.

In truth, if your present systems don’t meet the requirements of the GDPR they’ll be effectively made unusable.

So, if for instance, you hold marketing data on customers, you’ll not be able to use it to make contact with promotions or deals that you’re running without having been clear and upfront about your intent. Consenting to receiving marketing info shouldn’t be made a condition of customers receiving points in a loyalty scheme, for example. The GDPR also requires you to provide people with privacy information at the time you obtain personal data from them. If customer data was collected prior to May 25th this year, then the advice runs that you should ensure they were provided

with a privacy notice meeting the requirements of the Data Protection Act at the time. Quite simply, it’s imperative that if you’ve not already done so, you examine any potential issues affecting your business now, because it isn’t going to go away.

There’s more information, including specific guidance for small retailers, like that above, on the ICO’s website at https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/ resources-and-support/gettingready-for-the-gdpr-resources/.

“Step back from the business and examine any potential threats that may undermine your success (or in a worst case scenario, existence) in order to fortify your position.... take a nuanced view of where your business is and where it might be if any factor positively or negatively affects its commercial life.”

SEEK NEW OPPORTUNITIES We’ve all heard about ‘Brexit’ so much that, at this point, we’re in danger of simply tuning out all the noise, but, as things are presently progressing, in less than a year the UK will be out of the European Union.

Like it or loathe it, a new reality is coming our way so why not grab it by the horns and turn Brexit into an opportunity? Use it as an excuse to step back from the business and examine any potential threats that may undermine your success (or in a worst case scenario, existence) in order to fortify your position.

Look at everything from the ground floor up, including present employees. Check that they all have up-to-date contracts with appropriate non-competition clauses; know who your key employees are and what might happen if they leave.

Take a look at finance too; can you renegotiate bank borrowing for a better deal, can merchant services be found less expensively elsewhere?

And as regards your premises, can a commercial mortgage be found at lower cost, or can a lease be renegotiated with either lower cost or better terms?

Also look at the company itself; do directors know and understand their duties, is the company constitution up to date? Examine diversity as well, by which we mean are you dependent on a small number of suppliers?

Just looking at these factors in the round will help you take a nuanced view of where your business is and where it might be if any one of these factors positively or negatively affects its commercial life.

BPI News | April 2018 29

News

New partner for Loupedeck The photo editing console manufacturer has teamed up with MAC Group Europe to offer its product into the sales channel for the UK and Ireland, France, Germany and Austria. ’We are delighted to be given the opportunity to add Loupedeck to our portfolio, it’s a fantastic product and we look forward to selling it,” enthuses MAC Group MD Gary Sutton.

Andrew Coomber, Loupedeck’s Sales Manager adds: ‘’MAC Group Europe is committed to providing exceptional customer service and we are excited to be working with them to increase distribution and sales for our console’’. www.loupedeck.com

GET ON THE READ BPI ‘FASTTRACK’ WITH NEWS ONLINE, MANFROTTO AS WELL AS IN PRINT!

I

The Italian brand has introduced what it claims as the first camera sling on the market to feature an integrated camera strap. The dual purpose of FastTrack means that your photographer customers can attach a CSC camera to the adjustable strap and quickly and safely store their CSC in the sling bag with a single gesture – and without detaching it from the strap. A second, side compartment ensures that (in tandem with the main compartment) the sling can also hold two lenses; for example a 70-200mm f/4 and a 16-35mm f/4. Constructed from water

30 April 2018 | BPI News

repellent fabric, SRP is £109.95.

In related news, there are also new accessories for the Lastolite

by Manfrotto 1.8x2.15m HiLite background; namely the Window Voile (£123.95 SRP), which transforms it into a huge head to toe window light, a Shaper (£108.95), which is a 86cm wide opaque black panel, plus a Shapers and Masks set, comprising three shapers and three masks, which has an SRP of £245.95.

f you’re reading this in print, are you aware that we also have a version available online to read on your tablet or smartphone at any time... plus a website that carries the past three years’ worth of back issues of the magazine, acting as a handy online reference library if you happen to miss an issue, or article? Simply head to www.bpinews.co.uk and click on the cover of the edition you’re interested in. Conversely, if you’re already reading this via the Internet, potentially as a subscriber to the magazine via the ISSUU.com platform, be aware that you can also have the print version of BPI News delivered direct to your door. See our subscription offer on page 3 of this issue for more details, if you’re not already on our trade mailing list. Finally, you can additionally keep up to date with photographic trade news via our Twitter feed which is the concise: @bpi_news. The latter of course costs nothing, so why not click ‘follow’ the next time you’re orbiting the Twitter-verse, stay in touch and keep informed?

As Ferris Bueller one said: “Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop to look around once in a while, you could miss it.” www.bpinews.co.uk

www.manfrotto.co.uk

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CONGRATULATIONS to all 2018 FUJIFILM winners

SHOP OF THE YEAR

Island Photo Centre, Ryde

BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS - 2018

Island Photo Centre, Ryde

Catch The Moment, Bristol

Black & White Photography, Edmonton

Y Stiwdio Brint, Lampeter