British Photographic Industry News March 2018 Photography Show Preview

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Internet sensation? Olympus targets online bloggers with its newest PEN E-PL9, inside

Discussing the mirror-less EOS M50 with Canon UK, plus two new starter DSLRs

Getting to grips with the Fujifilm X-H1, first of a new mirror-less camera line up

Using positive word of mouth as the best form of marketing for your business

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elcome to March’s BPI News, which coincides with The Photography Show, and so forms our annual show preview edition.

Whether you’re a long-term trade subscriber reading this in advance of the UK’s largest exhibition of photography in all its shapes and forms, or have picked up a copy for the first time at the NEC, we hope you enjoy what we have to offer and will keep coming back.

Even if you’re not on our mailing list to receive a physical copy, BPI News can be read online at www.bpinews.co.uk every month, and we’re also to be found at publishing platform issuu.com, where you can ‘follow’ us in order to be instantly notified when each new issue is published.

Alternatively (and preferably!), you can take out a paid subscription to have the print copy posted to you each month – see our bottom panel on this page for a

NEXT ISSUE IS OUR PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW REVIEW! With an April cover date.

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COVER IMAGE: Captured on the Fujifilm X-H1 by Gavin Stoker. See page 16 for more on the first in an exciting new line up of cameras from the manufacturer.

special, not-to-be-missed, this-monthonly show offer (UK mainland only)!

As usual the start of the year and the weeks leading up to The Photography Show have been a flurry of activity as regards new product releases, from the latest lenses to heavy hitting camera bodies. We’ve been able to get directly hands on this month with the mirror-less likes of the new X-H1 from Fujifilm, the Canon EOS M50, and the Olympus PEN E-PL9. While some would argue that we’re soon reaching the point where mirrorless cameras’ convenience ensures they draw level with sales of DSLRs, Canon has also introduced two ‘starter’ DSLRs in the EOS 2000D and 4000D, designed to get people into photography for the first time. You should be able to find all of the above on the show floor at the NEC this month, along with much more besides courtesy of show runners Future.

Our re-design, which kicked off our run of issues for 2018 last month has prompted lots of positive comments from the trade – for which we thank you. It goes without saying that BPI News is very much your magazine and an opportunity for both starting a dialogue with your peers and keeping them informed of your own products and activities. So if you like something in it – or even, heaven forbid, dislike any aspect – be sure to let us know via gavin@bpinews.co.uk which is also where you should direct bookings and press releases for our April issue, where we’ll round up the best of this year’s show. Have a good one and we’ll see you back here next month!

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ADVANCE SNAPSHOT OF THE PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW I t’s March already and that can only mean a return trip to Birmingham’s NEC for the biggest annual photo event in the UK. With the show this year running from the 17th of the month until the 20th, and open on each of its four days from 10am to 5pm, we’ve rounded up the news we had in advance of publication on who’s showing what – and where – to act as a brief guide.

In addition to the below, for in-depth details of what to expect at this year’s event from Canon, Olympus, Kenro, Tetenal, PhotoXport (Noritsu and Citizen), Sigma, the DPS Group, Photo-Me and more, please see the dedicated The Photography Show Preview pages for each, peppered throughout this special issue!

For the full line up of exhibitors, meanwhile, plus ticket details and speaker times, direct your browser to the dedicated site: www.photographyshow.com

FUJIFILM Fujifilm tells us that it will be showcasing its existing line up of X-series, GFX, and Instax cameras, plus MK lenses and printing products on stand D61 – adding that it believes its ‘hottest product’ this year will be its newest flagship in the mirror-less Fujifilm X-H1 (about which we’ve a full report in our centre pages). The brand will also have an area where visitors can touch and try the latest equipment, a dedicated space where ‘X-Photographers’ will be talking about their experience using Fujifilm, a gallery showing off some amazing photography, plus a repair centre where it will be offering visiting photographers a sensor cleaning service.

Turn to pages 16 and 20 this issue for more on what’s new and current from Fujifilm. www.fujifilm.co.uk

NIKON Stand C11 is the place to get hands on with the Nikon D850, a huge range of Nikkor lenses, selected Coolpix models and action cameras – as well as listen to leading professionals giving talks on its ‘Nikon School’ stage. These include wildlife photographer Richard Peters; automative photographer Amy Shore; ‘Game of Thrones’ stills photographer Helen Sloan; news photographer Leon Neal; commercial portrait photographer Holly Wren; landscape photographer Jeremy Walker, wildlife and landscape photographer George Turner; the world’s leading polar

photographer Martin Hartley; portrait, lifestyle and wedding photographer Kate Hopewell-Smith plus fitness, sports and portrait photographer Tom Miles. National Geographic photographer Ami Vitale will also be doing a Q&A session on the Nikon School stage following her Super Stage talk.

“We are thrilled to be exhibiting again this year,” says Nikon UK Marketing Director Jeremy Gilbert. “The show always proves to be a success for us and, after celebrating a tremendous milestone in 2017 with our 100th Anniversary, Nikon is looking forward to engaging with our customers.” www.nikon.co.uk

ANSMANN The battery specialist will once again be teaming up with leading retailer Cameraworld on stand D21 at The Photography Show this year. The Ansmann team are promising the trade the opportunity to drop by for a product demo and a chat.

On show will be their ever-popular Powerline Series, including the Powerline Vario All in One camera battery and NiMH charger, as well as the Powerline 4 Pro Traveller that charges and tests 1-4 AA or AAA batteries and is described as ‘a best seller at the

4 March 2018 | BPI News

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News Just about every big photographic brand you could imagine - and a myriad smaller accessory suppliers too - will be converging on Birmingham’s NEC for The Photography Show’s fifth outing this month. Make sure you register in time for a free trade ticket!

Photography Show’. Ansmann’s ‘show wall’ will also showcase its camera batteries, which come with a five-year warranty in a colourful display, by way of demonstrating how they could look in your own store. www.ansmann.co.uk

PANASONIC The electronics giant will be exhibiting its Lumix, Lumix G and its camcorder and lens ranges, as well as hosting its Lumix pro photographer ambassadors who will be giving out advice on stand D41 throughout the duration of the show.

This will be an opportunity for visitors to get to hands on with the GH5S, as well as its recently announced GX9 and TZ200 cameras, while the brand has teamed up with WEX, London Camera Exchange and Cameraworld to be able to facilitate some exclusive show offers.

Panasonic photographer ambassadors giving talks during the course of the exhibition include: wildlife specialist

Tania Esteban; Emma Drabble, who will be advising commercial photographers on boosting their awareness on social media; videographer Jim Marks; video expert and pro photographer Nick Driftwood; plus Pulitzer prize winning Daniel Berehulak, who has previously helped to launch the GH3, GH4 and GH5 from Panasonic. www.panasonic.co.uk

SONY Sony is also returning to The Photography Show and tells us it’s redesigned its stand (D51) to make more space for its Sony stage, hosting several talks from leading pros. These include self-portrait photographer Laura Zalenga, who will share her raw and honest story of how emotions influence her photography; award winning photographer Terry Donnelly; plus social media influencer Tobishinobi. A full schedule of talks will be displayed on the Sony stand. The show will also be the first chance for the public to get hands on with the new α7 III. www.sony.co.uk

AND THERE’S MORE! A big part of each show – and, along with new equipment, a big draw for visitors – is the talent sharing knowledge. Live Stage speakers this year include: commercial and art photographer David Lund; Jakob

Gronkjaer, who will discussing how to ‘set your shots on fire’; Jonathan Knowles on the art of light painting; Jason Lanier on sports and dance images; Hannah Couzens on capturing profile portraits successfully; Andrew Appleton on Speedlight portraits; Gavin Hoey on using studio styling and photographic props; plus Damian McGillicuddy on producing arresting portraits using a single light source. Other speakers include Steven Clarey, Glyn Davis, Clare Harper and Phill Fisher to name a few. All Live Stage sessions are included in the ticket entry fee and take place across all four days of the show.

Taking things up a notch, and as reported last issue, the big names on the Super Stage meanwhile include Ami Vitale, Art Wolfe, Brent Stirton, Bruce Davidson, Erik Johansson, Daniel Berehulak, Gered Mankowitz, Jasmine Star, Miles Aldridge and Zed Nelson who will offer photography pros and enthusiasts the rare opportunity to hear first-hand about their photography, their inspirations and how they got to where they are now.

DON’T FORGET: If you’re a member of the trade you can get a free pass to The Photography Show if applying online by March 14th. If you miss the boat, from midnight on March 15th, online ticket prices will apply (standard adult price £18, £15 concessions). So don’t miss out; head to the website to register as ‘pro/trade’: www.photographyshow.com/registration – see you there!

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A MORE MAGNIFICENT ‘7’ FROM SONY Also exhibiting at The Photography Show (stand D51), the electronics company has a new high-end Alpha-series mirror-less compact in the full frame sensor Sony A7 III. Key features include 10fps capture speed, 4K video, silent shutter option, a ‘world class’ AF system featuring a whopping 693 phase detection points (inherited from the A9) and 425 contrast AF points, plus what Sony claims is the longest battery life of any mirror-less camera, at 710 shots per charge. The camera is expected to be available this month, at a suggested £2,000 body only or £2,200 in a bundle deal which includes a Sony SEL2870 lens. More can be found at www.alphauniverse.com In related Sony news, the shortlist for the 2018 World Photography Awards, which it sponsors yearly, has been announced. The organisers tell us that nearly 320,000 images were submitted this year from over 200 countries, which is a 40% increase on 2017. Overall winners

are due to be announced on April 19th this year with, as usual, a curated exhibition to follow at Somerset House in London, from April 20th to May 6th.

“The quality of this year’s submissions has been very impressive, with outstanding works of art entered across the competitions,” says the World Photography Organisation’s CEO Scott Gray. “The Sony World Photography

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Awards has celebrated photographers and photography throughout its 11year history, and we continue to work to ensure photography is recognised as a dynamic, exciting, and accessible medium.” For more see: www.worldphoto.org/sony-worldphotography-awards-exhibition

From beta to Alpha: Sony’s latest full frame mirror-less camera goes on sale this month – and makes its public debut at The Photography Show

www.sony.co.uk Shortlisted: From top left, moving clockwise, Lina by Tina Signesdottir Hult (from the Open competition); The Roar by Kaleb White (2018 Professional competition); Dream Awake by Ellie Victoria Gale (Open competition); Neon Eyes by Ilya Morozov (Open competition).

Images are copyright the respective photographers.

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Preview

OLYMPUS BRINGS OUT NEW E-PL9, NEW NAMES AT ‘TPS’ Bloggers and ‘vloggers’ are among the intended audience for Olympus’ latest digital PEN mirror-less compact, the selfie-friendly E-PL9, just one of the items it will be showcasing on stand D91 at The Photography Show this month…

A

rriving mid March – in the nick of time for a showcase on stand D91 at The Photography Show – is Olympus’ latest attractive mirrorless model: the PEN E-PL9, the latest installment in its long running PEN series, increasingly targeted towards trend-setting ‘fashionistas’ and Internet bloggers as much as photographers looking to make a less daunting step up from a smartphone to a dedicated device.

Promoted with the tagline of wanting to put the above audience ‘in touch with their creative’ side, it’s available in a snazzy choice of brown, black or white, at a body only £579.99 SRP. Best value is demonstrated by the kit option that adds a compact 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ pancake zoom for £649.99, though of course it’s compatible with more than 20 M.Zuiko lenses from Olympus, including its fast/ bright 45mm f/1.8 prime portrait lens.

The camera itself features the enticing prospect of 4K video clips at 30fps, in-body image stabilisation, plus onboard Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, offering wireless connectivity with mobile devices.

Familiarity for phone photographers making the jump in search of better picture quality comes via its touch screen LCD, a method via which the E-PL9’s 16 Art Filters, Advanced Photo mode (featuring options including multiple exposure, HDR and focus bracketing) and Scene modes can be selected.

Naturally, said screen can be tilted too, to

more readily enable the ubiquitous selfie, as well as creative compositional angles when shooting video alongside stills.

OLYMPUS’ ‘VISION’ FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW Apart from the ability to get hands on with equipment at The Photography Show, Olympus’ photographer ‘Visionaries and Ambassadors’ will be on the stand hosting audience sessions which are due to take place in a much larger theatre area than previous years due to anticipated demand.

Two new photographer ambassadors will be at this year’s event: wedding specialist Jessica Milberg and video specialist Byron Wijayawardena. They’ll join other names

Triple sales opportunity: your photographer customers have the choice of white, brown or classic black when it comes to choosing their favourite shade of E-PL9 Smart asset: Olympus UK Marketing Manager Georgina Pavelin sizes up the new PEN E-PL9, designed to appeal to those trading up from a smartphone, as well as the Internet blogging community

A 360° vision: Olympus is offering a well-rounded Photography Show programme including talks from pro photographers, a chance to get hands on with latest kit, plus a ‘check and clean’ service

including Gavin Hoey, John Nassari, R.Cleveland Aaron, Martina Govindraj, Peter Dench, Tesni Ward, Jay McLaughlin and Damian McGillicuddy in giving talks on a varied range of photographic topics.

Further details of the line up and show plans can be found here: www.olympus-imagespace.co.uk/TPS-2018 In addition to the above, Olympus will be bringing back its popular free-ofcharge camera ‘check and clean’ service, whereby three of its service technicians will be on hand to give your Olympus photo gear an ‘MOT’. Naturally this service is subject to availability. The manufacturer tells us that the service team will take centre stage on the stand again this year, so there will be plenty of opportunities to try out the OM-D range, shooting the technicians while they work.

As well as trying out Olympus cameras, the entire ‘Pro’ lens range will be at the show, including the latest M.Zuiko Digital ED 17mm f/1.2 Pro and the M.Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f/1.2 Pro lenses. www.olympus.co.uk

Find Olympus’ latest products, plus leading pro photo ambassadors and visionaries all on stand D91 at The Photography Show 8 March 2018 | BPI News

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THINGS ARE MOVING TOO FAST Photographer: Tesni Ward, tesniward.co.uk,

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TIME TO BREAK-UP WITH YOUR OLD DSLR? The E-M1 Mark II's Pro Capture mode starts shooting the moment you press the shutter release down halfway, with a buffer that can be set to capture up to 14 frames in full resolution.

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Preview

CANON SPRINGS INTO ACTION AT THE PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW WITH FOUR NEW PRODUCTS Head to stand D141, E131 on the floor of Hall 5 at The Photography Show to get hands-on with an extensive selection of Canon gear, including its latest EOS M50 mirrorless camera, EOS 2000D and EOS 4000D DSLRs, plus ‘Artificially intelligent’ Speedlite 470EX-AI flashgun. BPI News gets the lowdown direct from the UK team…

At a glance: New Canon spring 2018 products EOS M50: n Mirror-less system camera n 24.1 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor n 4K video capture n DIGIC 8 processor n Up to 10fps continuous shooting n Maximum ISO25,600 light sensitivity n 3-inch vari-angle touchscreen n £539.99 body only, or £649.99 with EF-M 15-45mm lens EOS 2000D: n DSLR n 24.1 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor n Full HD video capture n DIGIC 4+ processor n Up to ISO25,600 light sensitivity (expanded mode) n Up to 3fps n 3-inch LCD monitor n £369.99 body only, or £469.99 with EF-S 18-55mm IS lens EOS 4000D: n DSLR n 18 megapixel APS-C DSLR n Up to 3fps n Full HD video capture

W

e want to get more people into photography”, is the latest mission statement from the photo giant as it unveils four new products to the photo trade – and the public at large – at The Photography Show this month. BPI News attended the London preview, spoke to the team, and was able to touch and try the new products in advance of release to get the low down on why photo specialists should be stocking them, and how they should be selling them.

The newest DSLRs in the EOS 2000D and EOS 4000D are described by Canon UK Product Professional David Parry as “great for people starting out”. Of the pair, the EOS 2000D directly replaces the existing 1300D and sports a brand new 24-megapixel sensor. “The EOS 1300D was a popular camera for its simplicity and ease of use so we wanted

n DIGIC 4+ processor Starters’ orders: The simplified controls and affordable price points of the 2000D (left) and the 4000D (right) are designed to tempt newcomers into DSLR ownership

the EOS 2000D to follow that same tradition,” David enthuses. The new EOS 4000D meanwhile is described as “more simplified, which also saves on cost” and incorporates an 18 megapixel APS-C sensor. The stripped back feature set – including a manual pull up flash, as opposed to automatic one, plus a plastic lens mount – has enabled an enticingly affordable price point. “It’s all with the aim of attracting people into photography,” David advises.

Both new DSLRs offer 9-point auto focus and Full HD 1080P video shooting, with the 2000D priced at a body-only £369.99 SRP or £469.99 for a kit that includes an EF-S 18-55mm IS lens. For the 4000D it’s £329.99 body only, or £369.99 with EF-S 1855mm lens. Both cameras are available to purchase from this month.

n Up to ISO25,600 light sensitivity (expanded mode) n 3-inch LCD monitor n £329.99 body only, or £369.99 with EF-S 18-55mm lens Speedlite 470EX-AI: n Flashgun with new Auto Intelligent (AI) function n Guide number of 47 (m, ISO100) n Wide lens coverage from 24mm to 105mm (or 14mm via built in adapter) n Flash head rotates 180° left and right and 120° upwards n Powered by four AA batteries n Recharging time as fast as 3.5 seconds if using NiMH cells n £499.99 SRP

Four new Canon products for spring 2018: 24 megapixel EOS 2000D and 18MP EOS 4000D DSLRs, plus EOS M50 10 March 2018 | BPI News

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Canon News NEW MIRRORLESS INTRODUCES 4K With mirrorless system cameras being very much on the rise Canon has also launched the 24 megapixel EOS M50, said to sit between the M100 and the M6 and M5, while being closest to the M100 of the lot. “Internally, it’s the most advanced mirror-less we have,” explains David. “It has Dual Pixel CMOS AF and, with up to 149 AF points, covers a larger area.” Said to ‘distil DSLR quality

into a compact body’, the intended audience is smartphone photographers looking to step up to a dedicated camera for improved image quality, as well as existing compact camera owners seeking to enhance their shooting ability.

The welcome ‘bombshell’ for Canon watchers with regards to this model is the fact that it sees the first appearance of 4K-video capture within the Canon consumer camera line up. Another first is the appearance of a DIGIC 8 processor. We also get eye detection AF, which allows photographers to select which eye they want in focus – a feature that the manufacturer also promises will work with regard to pets. Belt and braces are added in the form of five-axis image stabilization, while the camera can shoot up to 7.4fps utilising continuous AF and up to 10fps with AF locked.

Further features to pitch to your customers include a 3-inch vari-angle touch screen – with ‘touch and drag’ AF system – plus a centrally positioned 2.36 million-dot resolution electronic viewfinder. We’re also gifted a new Guided User Interface and a ‘C-Raw’ mode that provides the option for photographers to save smaller Raw files, approximately 30 to 40% the file size of a standard Raw file.

As we’d expect, on-board connectivity options comprise Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth, plus there is the ability for photographers to set up automatic transfer of images to another device with the aid of a Canon Camera Connect app. The EOS M50 is also compatible with over 80 EF and EF-S lenses via an EF-EOS M Mount Adapter.

Available now, suggested retail price for a body only EOS 50M is £539.99, or it’s £649.99 when sold with an EF-M 15-45mm lens.

NEED FOR SPEED(LITE) Perhaps the product that drew the biggest interest at the launch we attended however was the newest Speedlite 470EX-AI. A flashgun is flashgun, though, right? Not if it has ‘Auto Intelligence’ as regards its ability to aid the photographer bounce the light it outputs it’s not; hence the AI in the name.

Press a dedicated button once you’ve lined up and focused your shot and the flash unit will automatically (and independently) adjust the direction of the motorised head to give you what it

Left: Canon UK’s quartet - Daniel Benjamin, Didi Goddard, Neale Conroy and David Parry - show off four new products in, respectively, the Speedlite 470EXAI, EOS M50, EOS 4000D and EOS 2000D

Right: David demonstrates the self-swivelling motorised head and results achievable with its Speedlite 470EX-AI. Model: Missy Fatale

deems to be the most effective results.

The thinking being that, armed with this ‘never seen before’ innovation, anyone can take fantastic flash photography.

Alternatively a semi auto mode lets more experienced photographers set the flash bounce angle themselves.

Priced at £499.99 SRP, availability is from April. www.canon.co.uk

Canon’s show plans revealed Canon is going all out this year with its presence at The Photography Show, promising 50 members of staff on-hand, plus over 200 products to touch and try, more than ever seen before from Canon at The Photography Show.

In a case of ‘something for everyone’, the award winning range of cameras will include heavy hitting flagships like the EOS 5D Mark IV, as well as compact cameras, professional video solutions, its extensive inkjet printer range – and the latest models on this spread.

Interactive product demonstrations and

shooting subjects will also feature on the stand, plus over 24 hours of inspirational talks from a packed programme of fantastic speakers on the Canon Live Stage, including TV personality Chris Packham and photographers Rosie Hardy, Brent Stirton and Helen Bartlett.

In addition, a long lens bar will be displaying the EF 800mm and EF 500mm optics, amongst others, while the Canon Lifestyle Zone will impart advice on how to get the most from Canon online services and apps, from wireless prints and official Canon Merchandise to photo storage and photo gifting.

mirror-less compact and Speedlite 470EX-AI flashgun. Head to stand D141, E131 at The Photography Show for more! @bpi_news

BPI News | March 2018 11

Swains’ iD Station Promotion

SWAINS HANDS THE TRADE A PASSPORT TO PROFIT

Swains International Product Manager Zygi Sakas would like to invite the trade to sample its biometric passport photo offerings in the form of the iD Station and iD Station Pro

P

roactive distributor Swains International likes to pride itself on bringing its partners fresh opportunities. Last month it showcased Epson’s cartridge free ET7750 EcoTank photo printer; this time around it’s highlighting the Passport Office compliant benefits of its iD Station printer and order screen combo.

If you’re already generating revenue from producing passport photos, you’ll be aware new Passport Office procedures announced at the end of last year laid out plans for customers who have their pictures taken in photo booths or at photo specialists to upload their shots directly to their online application forms. This is enabled via a secure online storage service provided by the retailer who took their picture (or a third party acting on their behalf). A code is provided at the point the pictures are

“The message to the trade is that there is only a very limited number of manufacturers that can currently produce these codes at the moment.

Even though it is a new service, there is quite a high demand for it.”

Swains Product Manager Zygi Sakas produced and purchased, which your customer subsequently enters when they fill in their passport application form, thereby allowing them to retrieve a digital copy of their passport shot.

“The message to the trade is that there is only a very limited number of manufacturers that can currently produce these codes at the moment,” confirms Swains’ Product Manager Zygi Sakas. “Even though it is a new service, there is quite a high demand for it. There was the potential for quite a few photographers to lose money due to this change, but we have the solution to prevent that happening!”

If you’ve never offered passport and ID photos before, investing in Swains’ standard iD Station would be the way to go, advises Zygi. “But if you are a business already producing 30 or 40 passport pictures a day, you might want to go for the step-up model in our iD Station Pro. All our systems run the same software, but the computers that they use are of differing power. The ‘Pro’ version has a lot more storage

Crack the code: Make sure your business is fully compliant with new Passport Office procedures by investing in an iD Station from distributor Swains

space and a very powerful processor which speeds up the workflow.”

ONLINE FULFILMENT To enable its partners to fulfil the new procedures and reap the rewards, Swains is also offering secure online storage.

“The system sends an image to a secure server and, in exchange, the secure server provides the photographer, or photo retailer, with a code, which is a reference number for the photograph,” Zygi explains, adding that the customer will get a printed receipt showing their specific code, along with a notification of whether the photo has been accepted or rejected by the biometric tests inside the system.

“The actual photo is stored securely on a server for six months. Photos can’t be older than six months if you want to apply for a passport, so after six months it automatically gets deleted and the customer gets an email informing them of that – along with an invite to return to the retailer if they would like to renew it. The retailer’s address and phone

number will be in the same email.”

This obviously has a potential for repeat business. “On top of this, data protection laws are changing in May, which could affect the way we store data and share it. From May you won’t be able to use a standard email to send sensitive information, so a secure server is the way forward and our iD Stations are already set up to comply with the latest regulations.”

In short, there is a degree of future proofing already built in to Swains’ proposition. “When something new comes along, we’re always one step ahead and make sure our customers are informed of the changes and that their systems are updated. And, if your own customers would still like a traditional set of printed passport photos, then that is additional business.”

For further info, the trade is invited to contact Zygi Sakas direct via zsakas@swains.co.uk or on 01485 536212. There is also the opportunity to book an in-store demo, or to visit Swains’ King’s Lynn HQ for one. www.swains.co.uk

At a glance: Benefits of the iD Station n The ‘standard’ iD Station, as shown in our picture, features a tablet loaded with iD Station software, a Sinfonia dye sub printer plus a super fast CamFi controller that will transfer any picture taken with your camera to the system – in essence, all you need! n Print size is 10x15cm (the standard 4x6-inches) n Speed is 10 seconds per print, with 300 prints per roll n Comes with two year warranty n Acer tablet display with 10.6-inch touch screen, fixed to the frame n The rear of the tablet features a USB hub with additional SD card reader and UTP internet adapter n The tablet component is covered by a one year warranty

For further information on iD Station, please contact Swains’ Zygi Sakas direct via zsakas@swains.co.uk or 01485 536212 12 March 2018 | BPI News

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News

PANASONIC EXTENDS MIRROR-LESS OPTIONS Following recent G9 and GH5S mirror-less launches, there are two more new cameras from Panasonic this month in the Lumix DC-GX9 (far right) and a premium DMCTZ200 travel zoom compact (right), plus a new equally premium lens in the Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 50200mm f/2.8-4.0 ASPH (seen below).

With Panasonic claiming its latest interchangeable lens compact will appeal to street photographers, chief points of interest as regards the mirror-less GX9 include a 20.3 megapixel Four Thirds sensor that omits a low pass filter in order to ensure the greatest degree of detail, its maker claims.

Its auto focus response of 0.07 seconds is described as high speed, as are its burst shooting options of either 9fps if utilising single shot AF, or 6fps if using continuous AF. The camera also integrates a new electronic viewfinder that tilts upwards by 80°, while Eye

electronic viewfinder offering a resolution of 2,330K dots in addition to a 3-inch rear monitor with a 1,240K dot resolution.

Panasonic is also offering 4K capture on this model up to 30fps, along with new creative shooting modes, including Sensor AF prompts the camera to start a monochrome filter. Also available this focusing as soon as it’s in use so as to month, SRP for the TZ200 is £729. never miss that decisive moment. Other Thirdly, the new lens in the Leica DG attributes include 4K video capture, a Vario-Elmarit 50-200mm f/2.8-4.0 ASPH five axis Dual IS image stabilizer for is available from May at £1599.99 SRP. sharper shots, plus a 3-inch, tilting It’s being offered in metallic black to touchscreen LCD on its backplate. match the current Lumix line up as well The GX9 is available this month as existing lenses in the series. Offering at a body-only SRP of £699. a 35mm equivalent focal range of 100The main talking points as regards 400mm, and aimed at those shooting both the TZ200 compact, meanwhile, stills and video, it is claimed to boast a include its one-inch sensor, married rugged dust and splash proof design, as to a 15x optical zoom starting out well as being freezeproof down to minus a wide angle 24mm equivalent.

10°C. With built in image stabilization, it Conversely, the camera can achieve is also compatible with the Dual IS systems macro shots of subjects as close as of compliant Lumix G system cameras.

3cm, while it features an upgraded www.panasonic.co.uk

NEW LENS TRIO FROM INTRO Distributor Intro2020 has announced a new zoom lens in the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 (below, left), aimed at users of 35mm full frame mirror-less cameras. Said to be both compact and lightweight, it measures 117.8mm, weighs 550g and claims to offer compatibility with the Direct Manual Focus (DMF) system of Sony cameras. Minimum focusing distance is 0.19 metres at the widest setting and 0.39m at the telephoto end.

It also features a moisture resistant construction with fluorine coating offering a degree of weather

@bpi_news

protection.

Pricing and availability were still to be announced as we went to press.

The second new optic from the distributor is the Tamron 70-210mm f/4 Di VC USD lens (below, right), a telephoto zoom for full frame DSLRs described as ’compact’. It’s claimed to boast the highest-in-class maximum magnification ratio of 1:3.1 and the shortest-in-class minimum object distance of 0.95m.

The on-board image stabilisation system is said to provide photographers with the equivalent of 4 stops. With availability from this April, SRP is £699.

The third new lens is from Korean manufacturer Samyang in the XP 50mm f/1.2 (above), specifically aimed at owners of Canon full frame DSLRs. The lens construction features 11 lenses in eight groups, which is said to help minimise distortion and various aberrations.

Available this March at £799 SRP, the first public showing of this lens will be at The Photography Show this month. www.intro2020.co.uk

Going is firm for Olympus

Not content with launching the selfie-shooting E-PL9 (see page 8) and LS-P4 Linear PCM pocket audio recorder this month, the camera stalwart has announced new firmware upgrades described as ‘major’ for its popular OM-D E-M1 Mark II, OM-D E-M5 Mark II and PEN-F cameras.

Available for download via the Olympus Digital Camera Updater are updates version 2.0 for the E-M1 Mark II, version 4.0 for the E-M5 Mark II and version 3.0 for the PEN-F. These are said to add new functions and an improved performance, as well as a new Bleach Bypass Art Filter to all three models.

Along with the firmware upgrades, a LUT file is being released to allow for colour grading videos shot with the E-M1 Mark II or E-M5 Mark II in Flat mode when using Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve software. www.olympus-europa.com/site/en/c/cameras_ support/help/firmware_updates/index.html

BPI News | March 2018 13

Preview

PHOTOXPORT DEBUTS NEW NORITSU LABS AT THE NEC

Roll up to the PhotoXport booth at The Photography Show to check out Noritsu’s latest machines from its exclusive UK distributor. PhotoXport’s MD Derek Fieldhouse clues us in on what to expect…

A

s the doors are thrown open to Hall 5 of Birmingham’s NEC this month, those for whom printing is an intrinsic part of their business – or who are weighing up whether to add it to their service mix – will want to make a beeline for stand A31, where Leicester’s PhotoXport will be showcasing new Noritsu product in the UK for the first time.

“The plan is to have the world debut of the Noritsu Green IV at the show,” PhotoXport MD Derek Fieldhouse enthuses. “It’s the next Noritsu dry lab in line, with loads of new features. We’ll have a pre-production model on the stand and will be able to take orders from trade customers, which we’ll be looking to fulfill in three months.”

The new Noritsu is described as an evolution of its well-received Green Simplex, with the latest generation device being smaller while featuring a 12-inch track, compared to the 10inch track of the Simplex. This means that it will be able to produce prints up to 12x72-inches in size, or, as Derek describes, “one hell of a long print.”

An external cassette allows for the Green IV to have up to three different paper sizes loaded at once. “The new machine will allow us to bring a greater range of services to a greater number of customers at a lower cost. So we think people will be very interested indeed.”

The second new product is Noritsu’s Green III, which, following its launch in Australia, is on the way to the UK. Derek describes this as very similar to the Green II, apart from the fact that the new model can again issue a longer print; this time 12x55-inches. “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 being taken now, with a view

Pair of aces: You’ll be able to place orders for Noritsu’s two new dry labs, in the Green III and IV, with its exclusive UK partner PhotoXport at The Photography Show

to delivery in the third quarter.

Noritsu’s faith in its new products is such that its Japanese Chairman Michio Fujimoto and its WorldWide Director for Strategic Sales and Planning Ron Kubara will be flying over for The Photography Show. So make sure to visit stand A31 for a chat with Derek and his team.

At a glance: Noritsu’s new 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 Noritsu QSS Green IV features: n Dry lab with the ability to produce unique print sizes, up to 12x72-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 A quality decision: Gerard from Magees Pharmacy in Letterkenny is pleased as punch with his newly installed Noritsu 3704G wet lab

NEW PRODUCTS, EXISTING CLASSICS In addition to the new products, PhotoXport is as busy as ever as regards its installations, having recently delivered a Noritsu 3704G quad wet lab to Magees Pharmacy in Letterkenny, Ireland.

“Gerard the director there is over the moon, not only with the machine but

also with the service he’s had from us,” says PhotoXport MD Derek Fieldhouse.

“As loyal and long term customers of the Noritsu brand, they’ve been rewarded with the newest technology in the shape of this ‘G’ laser printer and are absolutely blown away by it.”

Owner Gerard McCormick adds: “The quality is much improved – and we’ve been Noritsu customers since we opened the lab in 1987. We’ve updated from a 3411 to the 3704G and I’m glad we changed because it’s noticeably faster as well as the quality being better. We’ve never looked at any machines other than Noritsu because the quality’s always been good. We’ve stuck with a wet lab because the sheer quantity of photographs we produce means it’s more economical for us. PhotoXport installed it for us on a Sunday, calibrated it for us on the Monday and by Tuesday we were up and running.”

As we’ve mentioned in past editions of BPI News, with the ‘G’ on the 3704G denoting a new type of laser, that enables higher resolution prints than could previously have been imagined, plus enhanced reliability compared with previous models, this is the ideal heavy-duty machine for those looking to maintain the silver halide route.

So, to get an early heads up on how Noritsu can benefit your business throughout 2018, visit UK distributor PhotoXport at the Photography Show this month or call the company direct on 0116 2675907. www.photoxport.com

Let PhotoXport demo the new Noritsu printers for you at The Photography Show. Head to stand A31 14 March 2018 | BPI News

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Preview

SNAP DECISION: CITIZEN PHOTO & PHOTOXPORT PARTNERSHIP BEARS FIRST FRUIT The Leicester-based specialist is set to supply the photo retail and minilab trade with an even wider array of print solutions, as it adds Citizen Photo to its portfolio and introduces the compact SnapFoto. BPI News finds out more…

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egular readers of this magazine will be very familiar with PhotoXport and its growing customer base, thanks to the efforts of MD Derek Fieldhouse and his team. Now news reaches us of a new partnership for the Leicester based print specialist. It’s adding another familiar brand in Citizen Photo to its product portfolio – and in doing so becoming an Official Citizen Photo Partner.

“We see our partnership with Citizen as a fantastic opportunity to bring Citizen’s class-leading photo printer solutions to our extensive list of clientele

At a glance: SnapFoto’s benefits 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 and one that delivers consistently excellent print results

and industry contacts, making good on our promise to offer excellence and to surpass expectations,” Derek tells us.

Gary Andrews, EMEA Business Manager for Photo printers Citizen Systems Europe EmbH adds: “I’m delighted that PhotoXport has become an Official Citizen Photo Partner – they have extensive knowledge and experience in retail photo finishing and have a global reach.”

A SOLUTION TO DYE FOR The first fruit of this new partnership is Citizen’s SnapFoto solution, which has been designed exclusively around the compact Citizen CX-02 dye sub photo printer (indeed its footprint is exactly the same, at just 275x366mm), in order to appeal to a broad spectrum of retail outlets who are looking to extend their range of photo printing solutions, and in particular those with a limited operating space.

“The Beauty of the SnapFoto solution is in its simplicity,” Derek adds. “All you need is a Citizen CX-02 photoprinter, the SnapFoto tablet and a power connection. With these three simple elements, essentially you’re ready to go.

This simplicity allows us to ship directly

A first rate Citizen: SnapFoto will allow a broad range of retailers to add a money-making print service to their business

to the end user, walk them through the extremely 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.”

As regards how the new partnership and product may affect existing relationships with the trade, it’s all positive news. “We see the SnapFoto instant print kiosk as a partner solution to our Noritsu QSS Minilab range of Inkjet and Silver halide retail offerings; bringing a complete print solution to the photo retail sector,” enthuses Derek.

“Quite simply, with the new SnapFoto solution being so incredibly small, pharmacies, Post Offices, dry cleaners and corner shops, amongst others, can all bring instant photo prints to their own customers, adding a new service and profitable opportunity. Instant prints from smartphones and mobile devices, as well as direct from memory cards, is still a growing part of the photo retail business.

I’m delighted that PhotoXport has become an Official Citizen Photo Partner – they have extensive knowledge and experience in retail photo finishing and have a global reach.

Gary Andrews, Citizen Systems Europe The fact that the SnapFoto solution operates without the need of a dedicated app, makes it an ideal investment with a good chance of success in today’s market.”

Hands-on opportunities for the trade with a pre-production unit will be available at The Photography Show, at which pre-orders will be able to be taken for the first time – so don’t miss the chance to discuss the SnapFoto with Derek and his team at the show, or simply call now for more info on 0116 267 5907. www.citizen-systems.com www.photoxport.com

Hands-on opportunities with a pre-production SnapFoto from Citizen will be available at TPS, so seek out Derek and the team. @bpi_news

BPI News | March 2018 15

Preview

‘1’ GIANT LEAP FOR FUJIFILM

Fujifilm has launched the 24-megapixel APS-C sensor-incorporating X-H1, a high performance mirror-less camera aimed at pro photographers. In advance of The Photography Show and its appearance on stand D61, we get hands-on and talk to the team…

In the past three months we’ve seen around 40% adoption of mirrorless cameras in the bigger markets, against the total interchangeable lens camera market. So, at some point soon, the lines will cross and more people may be buying mirror-less than DSLR, which is very exciting for us.”

Fujifilm Europe MD Adrian Clarke

W

ith the popularity of mirrorless cameras continuing to rise, the camera stalwart has launched what it is calling the start of a new line up of cameras: the Fujifilm X-H1.

“Last year was something of a game changer I think, as we saw 30% adoption of mirror-less cameras in the bigger markets,” Fujifilm Europe’s MD Adrian Clarke tells us. “And in the past three months we’ve seen around 40% adoption, against the total interchangeable lens camera market. So, at some point soon, the lines will cross and more people, in value terms, may be buying mirror-less than DSLR, which is very exciting for us.

We know that people love our retro design and love our image quality, but we realised that until now, as regards areas like video, we didn’t have the perfect camera. So this is where we come to the X-H1, which

for us is the best of both worlds – our best for photo and best for video.”

According to Fujifilm product specialist Makoto Oishi, the new model boasts a robust new body design, both 2x tougher than its ’X’ series predecessors and utilising 25% thicker magnesium alloy. Also offering strength is its ribbed frame, whilst the body features 94 weather-sealed points. “We already have the X-T2 and X-Pro2 but felt we needed the X-H1 for professionals,” Makoto explains.

“The X-H1 sits above the XT,” Fujifilm Europe’s MD Adrian Clarke adds. “It’s our first camera with inbody stabilisation.” In fact, its fiveaxis sensor shift system offers the equivalent of 5.5 stops of anti shake and the manufacturer believes this makes it ideal for use with drones.

Dance of reality: This unaltered sample shot taken at the camera launch reveals the 24 megapixel APS-C sensor in the X-H1 can deliver shed-loads of detail, even within shadows and right into the corners of the frame

HIGH PERFORMANCE FOR PROFESSIONALS Said to offer the highest performance in the popular X-series, the X-H1 additionally features a scratchproof coating as well as being freeze proof to minus 10°C, whilst the shape of its large grip is described as ergonomic and “almost like the GFX, because we plan to have bigger lenses for it in the future,” says Makoto. There’s also the ability for customers to invest in an optional VPBXH1 vertical power booster grip, should they wish – an opportunity for photo specialists to make an extra sale, perhaps, or there is a kit option on launch that includes the grip alongside the camera.

Shots are composed with the aid of a 0.5-inch EVF or LCD touch screen, while the camera has a 1.28-inch top

Visit stand D61 at the Photography Show to check out the latest from Fujifilm, including the brand new, 16 March 2018 | BPI News

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Fujfilm X-H1 camera promotion plate ‘sub monitor’ displaying key operational settings. Maximum shooting speed is 7fps, or it’s 5.5fps with use of its mechanical shutter. Incidentally the camera is claimed to have the quietest shutter sound in the X series, making it ideal for use by wedding, wildlife and street photographers.

The X-H1’s AF system is described as having ‘evolved’ in terms of tracking subjects and is able to find its target down to -1.0 EV. In fact, Makoto tells us that a new focus data analysis system utilizes 60 different data analysis points to make for more accurate, high performance AF tracking. It can also cope better with lower contrast or higher frequency subjects.

With Fujifilm’s film heritage one

At a glance: Fujifilm X-H1 n 24.30 million pixels APS-C X-Trans CMOS III sensor n Dust resistant and water resistant body, capable of operating in temperatures as low as minus 10°C

Right: A plucky proposition: another example of the X-H1’s ability to handle fine detail in another natural shot taken straight from the camera

Below: Best of both worlds: Fujifilm UK General Manager Theo (on left) and Fujifilm Europe MD Adrian Clarke (X-H1 in hand) introduce the new pro camera

Fujifilm product expert Makoto Oishi (shown right) shows off the X-H1’s large and ergonomic grip, which he says has much in common with the GFX

n 0.5-inch eye-level viewfinder with 3.69 million dot resolution n 3-inch, tilting, touch panel LCD with 1.04 million dot resolution n 4K or Full HD video recording n Measures 13.8x97.3x85.5mm and weighs 673g with battery and SD memory card

common theme throughout its camera releases are the on-board Film Simulation modes and a new one on this latest model is ‘Eterna’, said to simulate cinematic film, imbuing photographers’ shots with understated colours and rich shadow tones. This mode can be selected for shooting both stills and video.

Available this month, the Fujifilm X-H1 is priced at a suggested £1,699 body only or £1,949 with the VPBXH1 vertical battery grip option.

lenses in the Fujinon MKX 18-55mm T2.9, which covers a focal distance from 27mm to 84mm, and the 50135mm T2.9, that covers a focal distance from 76mm to 206mm. The pair are compatible with the new camera and are due to go on sale in June this year.

Suggested pricing is £3,499 for the 1855mmm and £3,799 for the 50-135mm.

Compatibility is also promised with two further forthcoming lenses in the XF200mmF2 R LM OIS WR, a wide aperture single-focus telephoto lens, and XF8-16mmF 2.8 R WR, designed to meet the needs of scenery or landscape photographers, both of which are scheduled for release by the end of 2018.

Finally, Fujifilm’s existing GFX 50S and X-T20 cameras are also getting Firmware upgrades in March and April respectively.

Ver 2.00 for the latter sees enhanced touch screen operation and a new AF tracking algorithm for moving subjects.

For more on all of the above please speak to your local Fujifilm rep, or make a beeline for the team at this year’s Photography Show.

CINEMATIC, FOR THE PEOPLE

n £1,699 body only or £1,949 with the VPB-XH1 vertical battery grip option

Optical feast: Fujifilm has also launched two pro cinema lenses to go with the new X-H1, (shown far right).

Video makers meanwhile are rewarded with some new cinema functions on the X-H1, including internal F-log (8-bit) recording and high-speed 120P recording in Full HD video mode. There is now also a high definition internal microphone, plus the ability to record time code.

Talking of all things cinematic, as well as the new pro-grade camera, Fujifilm also took the opportunity to launch a pair of new professional cinema series

professional specification X-H1 mirror-less camera. Or for more simply point your Internet browser at: www.fujifilm-x.com @bpi_news

BPI News | March 2018 17

News

FLAGSHIP PENTAX GETS A SEQUEL The Ricoh-owned Pentax brand has announced a Mark II version of its K-1 DSLR in the aptly named K-1 II. Arriving the end of this month at a recommended price of £1799.99, the full frame camera comes with what’s claimed to be ‘much improved operability’, partly due to a new Prime IV imaging engine, while sensor performance has been enhanced via an on-board Pixel Shift Resolution System II. The manufacturer says this system features a newly developed Dynamic Pixel Shift Resolution mode, which allows the photographer to capture very high sensitivity images when shooting handheld. It detects any slight fluctuations of the subject’s position during continuous shooting. The camera also shows its mettle by featuring a magnesium-alloy

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body with dustproof, weatherresistant construction; an optical viewfinder with a nearly 100-percent field of view for real-time subject confirmation; a sophisticated shake-reduction system; plus a flexible tilttype LCD monitor to facilitate creative shooting angles. www.ricoh-imaging.co.uk

Bright idea from Sony Sony has a new digital imaging accessory for its Alpha system owners in the HVL-F60RM flashgun, which is said to address the needs of pro photographers.

The flash features a guide number of 60 and covers illumination angles from 20mm to 200mm, with continuous shooting of up to 220 flashes offered. Recycle time has been reduced to 1.7 seconds, or to just 0.6 seconds if using a new External Battery Adapter in the FA-EBA1. For those looking

18 February 2018 | BPI News

DNP UPDATES FIRMWARE, INCREASES PRINT OPTIONS

to bounce the light, the flash can be adjusted by 90° left or right, upwards by up to 150° and downwards by 8° in order to allow flexible positioning to cope with a wide variety of scenes. Available this April, the HVL-F60RM is priced around £620, while the FA-EBA1 is approximately £270. An optional rain guard in the FA-RG1 also arrives in time for April showers for £27. www.sony.co.uk

he Japanese dye sub print specialist is offering its printer-owning customers new product offerings at no extra cost – via a pair of firmware updates for its popular DS620 and RX1HS printers.

The DS620 update (DS620 FW 1.52) allows for the printing of fine matte media – smooth on the surface, with a contrasted rendering – straight from the driver, while for the RX1HS printer the firmware update (RX1 FW 2.06) means you can now print new square print options in 5x5 or 6x6-inch sizes, straight from the driver. This allows retailers to take advantage of the popularity of sharing square format images on media sites like Instagram.

For more on the above, and to download the relevant drivers, head to the below URL. www.dnpphoto.eu

CAPTURE AUDIO FOR VIDEO The second new device from Olympus this month comes in the shape of its pro-quality LS-P4 Linear PCM Recorder, a pocket-sized device featuring three microphones, high quality FLAC recording and playback – a new feature for this series – encased within a slender yet robust metal body.

As well as enabling the standalone recording of speech and music, the device can also be used in conjunction with Olympus’ latest cameras including the E-PL9, plus the range topping OM-D E-M1 Mark II and OM-D E-M10 Mark III mirror-less models to produce more professional sound. Bloggers and vloggers can once again use it for audio for their YouTube videos, or film-makers may find it a boon for professional travel, documentary, event, wedding and music videos requiring ‘high res’ sound. A microSD storage slot augments an 8GB internal memory to get users started, while the LS-

P4 is also equipped with Bluetooth.

Available now in black, suggested retail pricing is £189.99. www.olympus.co.uk

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AVAILABLE NOW FROM TETENAL. SEE US AT THE PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW.

Find Tetenal at stand E72

www.tetenaluk.com

Preview

A SHOW OF STRENGTH FROM FUJIFILM Head to stand D61 at The Photography Show to talk to the Electronic and Photo Imaging teams and discuss how Fujifilm’s myriad media and print solutions can increase your profit margin and grow your photo business. With Fujifilm’s annual FDIS member Conference falling on the same weekend, BPI News gets a preview of what’s on offer…

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ujifilm’s Photo Imaging division will be out in force at The Photography Show, showcasing its regular array of drylab printers and kiosks solutions for those looking to add photofinishing to their retail business. This year it will also be highlighting the Epson Workforce printer (see below for further details), while members of its software support team will be on hand to talk to retailers.

On the Saturday of the ‘TPS’ weekend at Birmingham’s NEC, Fujifilm will also be holding its annual Conference for its FDIS (Fujifilm Digital Imaging Service network) members at the National Conference Centre, Solihull, reasonably close to Birmingham International and the NEC itself.

Following registration and a buffet lunch, FDIS members will then attend presentations that provide an update on marketing activities for the group. Under the Conference title of Momentum delegates will hear the results of the recent Mystery Shopper program and then from a panel of FDIS retailers who will be talking about and inviting questions on their experiences over the year on a range

#fujifilmmomentum

NATIONAL

2018 MOMENTUM

S A T U R D AY 1 7 th M A R C H 2 0 1 8 N AT I O N A L C O N F E R E N C E C E N T R E COVENTRY ROAD, SOLIHULL BE92 0EL

of projects covering business repositioning, moving premises, equipment investment, studio set up, and running a photographic course. The day rounds off with a keynote speaker who will talk about how to seek out opportunities, tackle challenges and improve communication and influencing skills.

“We look forward to welcoming members of our retailer network to another packed day and evening of essential discussion and advice,” enthuses Fujifilm Marketing Manager Peter Wigington. “It’s the perfect opportunity to network with peers and fellow business owners and pick up tips. We’ll also be rewarding those FDIS members who have taken our advice and marketing opportunities on board and are seeing growth in their businesses as a result.”

WORKHORSES FOR YOUR WORKFORCE As perfect partners for Fujifilm’s secondto-none print media, highlighted over the past few issues of BPI News, The Photography Show will also find the brand showcasing its popular Frontier-S

New FDIS member wins Fujifilm DX100 ‘smart lab’ Talking of shows, this month the manufacturer also announced the winner of its acclaimed Frontier-S DX100 dry lab give-away competition, in conjunction with The Societies (otherwise known by its largest group of members, the SWPP). Taking away the prize of the desirable device this year was Simon Handley of Bromley Photo Centre, coincidentally one of Fujifilm’s newest FDIS members – a ‘winning combination’ indeed!

Coming from a background as a freelance photographer, Simon intends to put the new addition to his business straight to work – joining his

existing two DX100 printers in-store.

“It was completely unexpected,” says a delighted Simon of his win. “We only opened the store at the beginning of December so had a mad rush to be ready for Christmas. We’re part of the Fujifilm FDIS network, so at the front we have a print shop with Fujifilm kiosks and the ability to do photo gifts and T-shirt printing. The rest of the building is a working photo studio where I specialise in a lot of new born and pet photography. Since I’ve already got two DX100s to fulfil orders the third will just make it more convenient for me. I won’t have to

Fujifilm UK Major Accounts Manager John Grayston (on left) hands over the prize of a brand new DX100 printer to a delighted Simon Handley of Bromley Photo Centre

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

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Fujifilm advertorial

DX100 dry lab and Instant Photo Print kiosk solutions, along with a new WorkForce Pro WF-C869R inkjet printer to the photo trade, and to its FDIS membership, over the four day event.

The pitch for the WorkForce Pro WF-C869R is that this is a ‘workhorse’ inkjet device designed to increase productivity, reduce print costs and save energy into the bargain. It claims to deliver up to approximately 84,000

Frontier-S DX-100.indd 1

printed pages in colour or 86,000 pages in monochrome before the ink needs replacing. With a print speed of up to 24 pages per minute (ppm) in colour or 35 ppm in mono, print resolution is up to 4800x1200 dpi, while the device is capable of both single sided (simplex) or double-sided (duplex) printing.

Visitors can also enjoy a demo of Fujifilm’s ever-popular DX100, its wellreceived small, compact yet versatile

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Whatever your print requirements, Fujifilm has a perfect solution to match in its DX100 dry lab, Instant Photo Prints kiosk or WorkForce Pro WF-C869R inkjet; all helping you maximise return on investment.

Just talk to the team at The Photography Show to find your best fit

change paper every time I want to alter print sizes, as I can have one of each of the most popular print sizes in each.

“I already knew the Fujifilm system and had used it in the past for printing photos,” Simon continues, “so I knew it was a good system, which is what, along with the Fujifilm name, sold it to me. I didn’t need to look anywhere else. I knew it was reliable and good quality. In time, I plan to start selling cameras here and already have the Fujifilm X range in mind to stock.”

Simon says Fujifilm not only helped him get set up and underway with his own business, but have pitched in with marketing advice too. “When you’re part of the FDIS dealer network they give you a certain amount of help, including providing signage for the

inkjet printer that can deliver prints of everything from postcards to banners.

As well as having a space saving design, it’s easy maintenance, and within a retail set up, multiple printers can be configured for maximum flexibility.

Quality is also guaranteed thanks to six colour ‘Vividia’ dye inks, which are said to deliver remarkable results when it comes to skin tones, blue skies and gradients. The Frontier-S DX100 supports 5, 6 and 8-inch paper widths for a variety of print sizes up to 8x39inches and offers four paper finishes: gloss, lustre, matt and fine art.

Given the above, Fujifilm expects retailers will want to feel the power of the ‘Force at The Photography Show.

So make sure you make a beeline for stand D61 to find out how to create new opportunities and gain potential revenue for your own photo business.

front of the shop which looks nice and smart. Business advisor Wendy Grey has also popped in to help with marketing ideas and I appreciate the benefit of her experience because she’s been doing it for quite a long time.

In terms of support they’ve been very responsive and any technical issues have been dealt with straight away.

Because I’d dealt with Fujifilm before, I knew there would be no problem.”

As noted, the competition, now in its third year, is run in partnership with The Societies and witnessed a huge uplift in entries year on year, highlighting the popularity not only of the show, but also the printer’s appeal to photo retailers as well as businesses specialising in portrait, wedding and event photography.

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 | March 2018 21

Preview

SIGMA ‘MARCHES’ ON WITH NEW LENS & CONVERSION SERVICE

This month the own brand and third party lens specialist will be showcasing new gear at The Photography Show on stand F51, including what it’s calling the ‘ultimate’ wide aperture zoom lens in the ‘Art’ series Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM. BPI News focuses in on what’s on show…

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here’s a new Sigma lens to herald its appearance at The Photography Show this month in the shape of the stellar 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM zoom, another addition to its ‘Art’ line up of optics designed to deliver outstanding image quality. Available now for AF mounts including Sigma, Canon and Nikon, the pro specification lens – which has been designed to be teamed with 50 megapixel plus cameras – comes handily supplied with its own case and lens cap, complementing the previously issued 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM prime lens in the range.

“This is the definitive wide aperture, ultra wide angle zoom lens,” enthuses Sigma UK General Manager Graham Armitage. “Because it delivers an outstanding f/2.8 brightness throughout the zoom range and top level image quality at every focal length and every shooting distance. In a market where we’re continuing to see camera resolutions rise, this is a lens that has itself risen to the challenge… of resolving the level of detail that pro photographers expect!”

The construction of the Sigma 1424mm f/2.8 DG HSM zoom incorporates three FLD glass elements and three aspherical lens elements, including one large diameter aspherical element.

This optical system is said to minimise chromatic aberration and other optical aberrations, helping to deliver the outstanding image quality claimed.

It’s worth adding that the Canon mount lens is compatible with the Canon Lens Aberration Correction function, a function that performs in-camera corrections of peripheral illumination, chromatic aberrations, distortion and more – all with the aim of further improving image quality.

What’s more, further showing its professional mettle, the made-in-Japan lens build features a dust and splash proof structure, with special sealing at the mount connection, manual focus

future proofing and the peace of mind provided by the fact that the lens has been evaluated using Sigma’s own ‘A1 MFT measuring system.

The Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM ships from mid March, with a £1,399 SRP price tag. ‘We hope to welcome the trade on our stand F51 at The Photography Show, where we’ll be showcasing this latest high quality product and many more besides,” concludes Sigma’s Graham.

SIGMA: LEADING FROM THE ‘FRONT’

Sigma will be showcasing its typically wide range of product on stand F51 at The Photography Show, including its newest 14-24mm lens, as shown here

ring, zoom ring and cover connection – thus allowing photographers to continue shooting in all types of weather. The brass bayonet mount lens also features fast AF with full time manual override, and is compatible with both Sigma’s MC-11 Mount Converter and its USB Dock, thereby enabling a degree of

In tandem with the new lens release, Sigma has also introduced a new Front Conversion Service, in which the manufacturer converts the petal type hood of the 14-42mm f/2.8 DG HSM Art lens to an exclusive round component.

The altered front structure allows, says Sigma, the lens to be deployed with greater freedom for multi camera VR (Virtual Reality) type photography, helping prevent the lens from interfering with other lenses or from casting a visible shadow. It’s worth noting that use of this chargeable service does not impact on the validity of Sigma’s product warranty.

The start of this service was still to be announced at the time of writing.

For more head to the below URL: www.sigma-imaging-uk.com

“This is the definitive wide aperture, ultra wide angle zoom lens, because it delivers an outstanding f/2.8 brightness throughout the zoom range and top level image quality at every focal length and every shooting distance.”

Sigma UK General Manager Graham Armitage

Find Sigma on stand F51 at The Photography Show. All UK bought Sigma lenses come with 3-year warranty 22 March 2018 | BPI News

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Preview

‘SCAN’ THESE GREAT KENRO PRODUCTS

The leading UK and Ireland distributor has a new own-brand photo scanner, four new Marumi filter lines, a new Senator frame in stylish grey, plus a pair of travel-inspired photo albums to showcase at The Photography Show (Stand G53). Kenro MD Paul Kench outlines how each represents great value and will deliver its trade partners a good profit…

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egular readers will be aware that Kenro branded and distributed products all have a common thread – they’re affordable, offer great value in terms of their construction and feature set, plus will deliver the retailers selling them an attractive profit. In addition, as this is our The Photography Show preview issue, it’s worth pointing out that Kenro can be found at the NEC once again this month, showcasing their new and forthcoming products on stand G53.

Whether you’ll be at the show or not, the flagship product this month is the new Kenro 4-in-1 Film Scanner KNSC301 (right) which has a suggested retail price of £119.94. Key specification includes a native resolution of five megapixels or 10 megapixels interpolated, plus a useful 2.4-inch LCD screen. It scans photos, film, slides or business cards, as desired, up to a maximum size of 7x5-inches, and can be operated independently of a PC thanks to a built-in SD card slot, though a USB port is provided should you indeed wish to hook it up to a computer. The scanner is supplied with positive slide holder and a negative film holder. It is reassuringly sturdy, measuring 235 x 208 x 147mm and weighing 809g.

FRAMING PROFIT FOR THE TRADE Your customers will doubtless want a physical frame to put their photos in too, and the distributor has an extensive array of options. New among them is a grey option for its Senator frame series, which is being pitched as the stylish and contemporary choice. “The Senator is one of our best selling ranges for wood frames and grey is a very popular colour this year,” enthuses Kenro’s MD Paul Kench. “It sits nicely between our black, white and dark brown Senator framing options.” The pricing is just as attractive as the frame itself, starting from a very reasonable £9.02 SRP. Kenro is also acclaimed for its many and varied photo album choices, of

which there are now two brand new options in the HOL121 New Adventures album, which features the slogan ‘Say yes to new adventures’, and the HOL122 Wanderlust album, with a sunset yellow cover and a striking word ‘cloud’. Both arrive with an SRP of £15.54. The pair can each hold 200 6x4-inch photo prints.

“All these solutions are great value for customers and offer retailers a good profit margin to boot,” confirms Paul Kench. Talk to Paul and his team at the show, get in touch direct now via sales@kenro.co.uk or call 01793 615836. www.kenro.co.uk

NEW MARUMI FILTERS ARE ‘STAR’ PRODUCTS Kenro also has a new quartet of Marumi branded filters to share with the trade, with prices for its Marumi DHG Star Cross Filters starting from an affordable £20.94 (SRP) for its 6X variety and £23.64 for the 8X option. There are a couple of new Neutral Density filter options, too, in the Marumi DHG Super ND500 and ND1000, which are priced from £45.18 and £49.62 respectively.

The ND1000, as its name indicates, reduces light intake to just 1/1000th of normal levels, allowing photographers to leave the shutter open for longer without over exposure, even on a bright day. This enables dynamic shots of flowing water, dramatic skies or magical travelling light. Complete with a satin finish, to prevent internal reflection, the Japanese-made filter has a slim profile to avoid vignetting as well as a scratch resistant coating.

With very similar properties to the above, the ND500 reduces light intake to just 1/500th of normal levels.

Featuring a special oil and water repellent coating, the filter is said to be perfect for photographing natural wonders such as geysers and waterfalls.

As it sounds, the DHG 6X Star Cross Filter turns any bright point of light into a six-point star when mounted on to the front of a lens, with the 8X filter delivering an eight-point star.

Incidentally, the ‘DHG’ in the model names stands for ‘Digital High Grade’. And it goes without saying that the advantage of using a physical filter at the time of capture rather than a digital one later in post production means that photographers can examine effects there and then, and adjust efforts as necessary.

WITHOUT

‘Star’ products: the distributor is offering the trade two new Star Cross filter and two neutral density filter options - both from Marumi WITH

‘Book’ an appointment with Kenro: to check out its two new album options and stylish grey Senator frame at The Photography Show!

Find Kenro at The Photography Show on Stand G53 where you can check out the above new products and more! www.kenro.co.uk @bpi_news

BPI News | March 2018 23

UNIVERSITY PRINT UNIT MASTERS GRADUATION PHOTOGRAPHY WITH EPSON SURELAB SL-D3000 The Design, Photography & Print (DPP) unit at Lancaster University are experts in graduation photography. Producing around 2,500 graduation packs in their peak season alone, they know what it means to process photos in high volumes.

To improve efficiency, optimise the workflow and save costs, DPP decided to bring all printing in-house with the Epson SureLab SL-D3000.

Tetenal spoke to Design, Photography & Print Manager Steven Thomas to find out more.

Can you give us a quick overview of the Design, Photography & Print (DPP) department at Lancaster University?

DPP sits within the Commercial Services division of the university.

We are expected to generate a substantial financial contribution for the university as well as deliver great customer service and innovative products.

We are unique in that we deliver our graduation photography internally generating a substantial revenue for the university.

However, costs need to be constantly kept under review in order to deliver a healthy bottom line year after year.

After visiting Tetenal, why did you decide to put the Epson SureLab SL-D3000 at the heart of your print division?

Control over the print output generated at our graduation projects and cost savings were initial drivers which led us to investigate the possibilities.

We then found that the numbers made sense given the cost of external printing and also given that we already ran a print, photography and design

24 March 2018 | BPI News

service. It simply seemed like a logical step. When we investigated the options and found the D3000 gave us the quality we needed alongside a ‘What you see is what you get’ workflow through a calibrated EIZO monitor, the transition to the Tetenal solution was very straightforward indeed.

How are you expecting the new equipment to improve your graduation photography work?

We have already put the first graduation through the new system before Christmas and it went really well.

Graduation ceremonies take place one day in December and four full days in July. In total we photograph around 3000 graduates and their families in our eight digital studios.

This means we print approximately 2500 packs in July alone, so there are huge savings to be made in bringing this in-house. Given our existing staff expertise in print workflow and delivery, it makes total sense.

Why did you choose Epson over its competitor brands?

The main reason was the ease of use in terms of software and the EIZO front end. As someone who is old enough to have actually

DESIGN, PHOTOGRAPHY & PRINT TEAM AT LANCASTER UNIVERSITY

“Bringing all our printing in-house has been the right decision and a big step forward” DPP MANAGER STEVEN THOMAS

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DPP PREMISES AT LANCASTER UNIVERSITY

used a wet lab for colour hand printing in the past, I was amazed how easy and intuitive the system is to use. Any changes to colour correction, density, saturation and contrast are seen in real time on screen before you commit to print.

What is your impression of the print quality and workflow?

We used actual graduation images from a range of cameras to test the Epson SureLab and the system just delivered every time.

At graduations we try to get images as near perfect in camera as possible by using custom white balances, lighting and backgrounds. However, we have designed a workflow in Adobe Lightroom which batch corrects all images and generates the custom packs in a really simple way.

This negates the need for any other software in the workflow and it works well.

How did Tetenal support you in the process of choosing new equipment?

The trip down to Tetenal’s offices in Leicester was invaluable as the print tests we did yielded very positive results with ease.

Also, in meeting the team

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I was reassured that I was dealing with people who understand the industry and what I needed to achieve by making the investment in the new equipment.

Installation and training was a breeze, the Tetenal technician had us up and running in half a day and by the end of the day everyone was trained and good to go.

This was reassuring given the tight turnaround we had from order to needing a working solution ready to deliver our December graduation orders.

What have you planned in terms of promoting your print services across the university?

We are running an Open Day at the end of February when we open our doors to all staff at the university as well as selected external contacts.

COME AND SEE THE VERY LATEST INKJET PRINTING SOLUTIONS Find Tetenal at stand E72 Tetenal will be exhibiting at this year’s Photography Show demonstrating the latest Epson inkjet printers for professional photographic printing.

Come along to see everything from high production solutions, large format printing and our new dye sublimation range to kiosk retail solutions and event printers. Equipment at the stand includes: • • • • •

Epson SureLab SL- D3000 Epson SureLab SL-D700 Epson D7 MicroLab Epson F6200 Epson P6000 & P9000

NEW PRODUCTS HANDS ON DEMOS

I am also certain that there are other sporting and social events held across the year within the university where the new print solution will play a part.

Get in touch to arrange your demonstration at the Tetenal show rooms.

Tel.: 0116 289 3644 Email: uk@tetenal.uk.com

Book your demo online today!

Simply visit: www.tetenaluk.com/photo-show-booking-form

BPI News | March 2018 25

Preview

INDIGO IS ‘GO’: PHOTO BOARD MEDIA & EPSON PRINTERS SHOWCASED BY THE DPS GROUP Kent based print specialist and reseller the DPS Group can be found on stand E154 at The Photography Show, where it will be exhibiting as Digital Photo Solutions. MD Maneesh Patel invites the trade to sample its Indigo poster board media plus Epson D700, P and T series printer offerings…

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ent based printer and print media specialist is bringing out the big guns at the NEC this month, rolling into Hall 5 as Digital Photo Solutions with a broad range of practical, profit boosting print offerings to tempt and entice the photo trade.

Not only will it be showcasing Epson’s popular SureColor ‘P’ and ‘T’ series machines, but also the ever-reliable workhorse of the six colour SureLab D700, plus innovative print media solutions bearing the ‘Indigo’ branding.

Something of a modern ‘classic’, the relatively compact D700 continues to be popular with the photo trade due to the fact that, you name it, this machine can print it – including photos, cards, invitations, flyers, promotional leaflets and more – on a wide range of media, including glossy, lustre and matte roll paper. For the latter, print specialists can choose from 102mm to 210mm wide and 89mm to 1000mm in length. Print quality and colour consistency remains in line with the brand’s professional graphics printers, whilst, importantly, it also boasts a low cost per print despite its high resolution of 720dpi x 14440 dpi.

Talk to the team at the NEC for more.

Another product you won’t get bored with is Indigo Inkjet poster boards at A2 in size, which are suggested by the DPS Group as a great match with Epson machines, in particular its ‘P’ series printers.

Alternatively, other print sizes are available, including A1, A3+ and A4, to suit. “Bear in mind that, because the media is 1.5mm thick, it will only work with certain printers,” the DPS Group’s MD Maneesh

WIDE FORMAT PRINTERS BOAST WIDE APPEAL

Patel advises. “If in doubt, or to find out more, please ask us for advice at TPS.” The appeal of Indigo media is that it offers photographers and print specialists great quality at a great price, as well as offering one of the largest selections of high quality media under a single brand, with offerings constantly being added and expanded on. Aside from poster boards there is photo and general use paper available from the brand. “We are always looking for new products and innovative applications. The whole ethos is that quality printing materials need not cost the earth,” Maneesh adds.

The compact Epson D700 (left) is perfect for those who want to add print fulfilment to their business, with the ability to upscale your commitment as desired, while the 24-inch SC-T3200 (on right) is described as a quick and cheap all-rounder

The Photography Show will also witness Epson’s ‘P’ and ‘T’ series printers showcased, as previously covered in BPI News. The wide format, four-colour UltraChrome XD ink-deploying SureColor SC-T printer series comprises 24-inch, 36inch and 44-inch models, and, while “not necessarily photographic quality as they deploy less inks, these are fast and cheaper all-rounders,” Maneesh Patel tells us.

“They’re great for printing posters, CAD drawings and cheap and cheerful canvas production – allowing photo retailers to start to branch out and offer the kind of solutions a print shop would. They can also be bought with extra hard drives and in-built large format scanning options.”

The size and printer options you’ve got via the DPS Group are: the 24-inch SC-T3200, the 36-inch SC-T5200 or the 44-inch SC-T7200 printer. With the purchase of any of these there’s also the ability to go for ‘CoverPlus’ extended warranty of either three years, four years or five years, for added piece of mind.

A flagship among Epson P-series offerings meanwhile is the SureColor SC-P5000, a previous TIPA trade award winner. This is a 17-inch desktop model with an enviable 10-colour ink set, capable of handling anything a photo business can throw at it, including panoramic prints, through A2+ posters, to fine art sheet media including poster board.

Alternatively there’s the workhorse of the 44-inch SC-P8000, which comes with an eight-colour UltraChrome HD pigment-based ink set, ensuring highly accurate colours with prints that remain consistent throughout the run and boast a light fastness of 60 to 70 years. Sitting in the middle are further models in the P6000 and P7000.

Talk to the team at TPS, or get in touch with The DPS Group’s Dave Harrison for more on the above via 020 8460 3690 or dharrison@dpsb.co.uk www.thedpsgroup.co.uk www.dpsb.co.uk

Head for stand E154 at The Photography Show to check out the above offerings from the DPS Group or visit www.dpsb.co.uk 26 March 2018 | BPI News

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Talk to the trade! Book your adverts and advertorial features now for our April ‘Photography Show Review’ edition, to avoid disappointment…

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artner with BPI News, the UK’s longest running and best-established photo trade magazine and make your marketing budget work harder in 2018! Available as both a print version posted out to the industry’s key decision makers, plus an online version hosted at bpinews.co.uk and on the ISSUU e-magazine platform, this is your golden opportunity to get your products and services seen!

From distributors to retailers, manufacturers to wholesalers, we’ll help increase the visibility of your brand beyond the reach of your sales force… getting you in front of decision makers in the UK photo trade and telling them of the margins and profits you can deliver for them. We’ll also help push your product launches, informing retailers not just of what they should be stocking, but, crucially, how they should be selling it, along with details of marketing materials you can supply for that extra push.

he Reach tUK entire ade r photo tne via o n! tio publica CONTACT BPI NEWS NOW to request a handy PDF of our 2018 PRODUCTION PACK containing all the year’s key copy due and publications dates, page sizes and options for advertising. Get in touch via gavin@bpinews.co.uk or call 0208 274 0578.

Business Advice

SPRING INTO ACTION… TO PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS It’s often said that word of mouth is the best form of promotion. But how can photographic businesses effectively gauge and measure what’s being said – along with the positive or negative impact? Our resident business advisor Adam Bernstein has some pointers for you to consider, especially if you’re looking to undertake a spring review…

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ow valuable are your customers to you? Whether you’re a specialist photo retailer, minilab or working photographer building a client list, have you ever stopped to think if they actively promote or harm your reputation?

Of course, it is entirely possible to run a business on a diet of ‘one-hit wonder’ customers – those who make a single purchase and never return – but it’s wasteful, time consuming and potentially expensive, as you’re always devoting time, energy (and potentially marketing budget) to winning fresh custom. Naturally the preferred way to do business is to retain said customers, in order to more easily encourage repeat purchases. One way to achieve this is to try and understand the ‘lifetime value’ of your customers through studying their loyalty and generating what is termed a ‘Net Promoter Score’.

SHOOT… TO SCORE! Aimed at helping businesses in all industries build customer loyalty and thus achieve growth, the Net Promoter Score (or ‘NPS’) is a system that was introduced in 2003. Free to use, albeit with certain acknowledgements regarding its registered

28 March 2018 | BPI News

Try and understand the ‘lifetime value’ of your customers through studying their loyalty and generating a ‘Net Promoter Score’. Those scoring their satisfaction levels at either a 9 or a 10 are labelled as a ‘promoter’. They are likely to buy again and promote the business to others via a recommendation. trademarks (see www.netpromotersystem. com/resources/trademarks-and-licensing. aspx), it is used to monitor and gauge the loyalty of a business relationship, irrespective of whether it’s consumer facing or business-to-business. The key benefit is that you can gain insight into customer satisfaction, effectiveness of communication, plus how well customer service is judged.

For some, it can be a very effective way of measuring customer satisfaction, precisely because it’s possible to see if customers would recommend you to others, via asking a series of ‘why’ and ‘would’ questions, with answers based on a zero to 10 scoring method. Because of the ease of answering NPS questionnaires, which may take respondents just 30 seconds, the response rate can be high.

There is a standard to judging customer responses, which, again is simple and straightforward to understand, as it breaks

down into three customer groups.

Those scoring their satisfaction levels at either a 9 or a 10 are labelled as a ‘promoter’. They are likely to buy again and promote the business to others via a recommendation. They are a great advocate for the business and will potentially be a loyal customer in the future.

A questionnaire that returns satisfaction levels of 7 or 8, labels its customer respondents as ‘passives’. These people fall in the middle ground, between being a promoter or detractor. They are undecided or do not want to commit, and so do not give active responses to the questions, in essence remaining impartial.

Customers giving a response of 0-6 are labelled as ‘detractors’. A detractor can be detrimental to a business as they can become negative, give comments that will influence others in an equally negative way, and they may not complete business

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Customer satisfaction special Calculating the lifetime value of a customer The lifetime value of a customer is the amount they will contribute to your bottom line over the span of your business relationship with them. Before you can calculate the lifetime value for a typical customer you need to consider the following:

transactions. It can obviously also be problematic for a business if such detractors air negative views online, to a wider audience than their immediate family and friends – particularly as active consumers often search the Internet for comments made about the products and services of a business and this, in turn, can have a knock on effect on their own buying decisions.

Your own Net Promoter Score is easy to compile and track regularly, as it’s a calculation based on the total number of respondents to your questionnaire, with the percentage of detractors subtracted from the percentage of promoters to give the overall result. The closer the result is to 100%, the better it is, obviously – and anything negative should be dealt with quickly. In effect, you’re getting a ‘balance sheet’ of your customers.

SATISFACTION GUARANTEED? It goes without saying that any system of measuring customer satisfaction, such as NPS, needs to be used properly to aid your business effectively. Having a score for a product or service will give an insight of how well a job has been done. If the scoring is poor, a business can see the areas that need work and take proactive action to improve them.

Also, such a system can be either generic or specific, depending on the strategy being deployed. For example, after a customer has purchased a product, a simple automated email can be sent asking for feedback. It’s important to note, however, that for NPS campaigns to work, a business-wide strategy needs to be implemented and it needs to take into consideration factors such as making all staff aware of what NPS is, how the measurements work and what they mean; not ignoring or failing to respond to negative comments; and actively seeking to engage with

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those classified as ‘promoters’.

Think also about how you will communicate further with promoters.

They have given you a good score but how can you continue to communicate positively with them now that you have their goodwill? Any negative scorings should also stimulate a similar thought process – think about how you will work with those customers that give a low score. Everyone needs to communicate effectively with their customers and the key is to keep monitoring the scoring results and act upon them.

PREDICTING GROWTH If NPS scores are high, it’s fair to hope this would be reflected in a healthy, growing business. Conversely, if the scores are low it can be expected that the rate of growth for the business will be poorer.

But this may not always be the case; if your product is one that is in very high demand then it may well sell despite poor customer service and low NPS scores.

However, a business in this situation is not going to have a long lifespan.

It’s also important to remember that a system such as NPS is not the be-all and end-all of customer satisfaction.

Any business owner, or manager ,worth their salt should also have an ear to the ground in order to have a feeling for their customers and what will keep their satisfaction levels high.

More information can be found via Bain & Co (NPS trademark holder): www.netpromotersystem.com/about/ measuring-your-net-promoter-score.aspx NPS Calculator: www.npscalculator.com/en For those looking to design their own questionnaire and process meanwhile, a useful book can be purchased via the likes of Amazon, entitled ‘The Ultimate Question 2.0 (Revised and Expanded Edition): How Net Promoter Companies Thrive in a Customer-Driven World’.

(a) What’s the value of your ‘average sale’? (b) What’s your ‘profit margin’ in terms of a percentage? (c) What’s your typical customer’s ‘purchase frequency’? (d) What’s your typical customer’s ‘lifespan’? (e) How many ‘referrals’ does your typical customer give you in a year? (f) What’s your ‘referrals conversion rate’?

Armed with this information, you can now calculate your typical customer’s lifetime value. Just for the sake of the example, let’s assume that your average sale is £500, with a 40% profit margin, made by a customer who buys twice a year over a five-year period.

Also assume that each customer refers your business to three other people, of which two go on to make a purchase.

In order to illustrate the relative impact of the various factors used in calculating this lifetime value figure, it is calculated below in separate steps: (g) Annual profit from a typical customer: (a x b) x (c): . ...................... ((£500x40%)x2)=£400 (h) Lifetime profit: (g) x (d): . ................................(£400x5)=£2000 (i) Referrals value: (e x f) x (h): . ................. ((3x66%)x £2000)=£3960 Lifetime value: (h) + (I): . ................. (£2000 + £3960)= £5960 This figure can be quite an eye opener and would be even more telling if you factored in the reduced costs of marketing into your existing accounts, and the potential for gently increasing your sales to these customers year on year.

So, as we can see, lifetime value is another useful customer barometer.

Use it: put an estimated lifetime value on all new customers and it’ll give you a good indication of how much you can afford to spend on winning them.

Calculate a lifetime value for your existing customers too and concentrate on making little improvements in the way you do business with them, in order to enjoy watching your work pay off in their ever-increasing value to you.

BPI News | March 2018 29

BPI News Awards Finalists 2018

PICK YOUR WINNERS NOW IN THE BPI NEWS AWARDS The votes are coming in and the clock is ticking for you to declare your Product of the Year and Campaign/Promotion of the Year. To help you make your choice we’ve rounded up our BPI News Awards finalists for 2018. Cast your vote now!

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he cut off point of April 20th 2018 is drawing closer for you to tells us who should take top prize in our BPI News Awards for 2018. Being a trade magazine, we’re looking for the winners in our two main categories: Campaign/Promotion of the

Year and Product of the Year. Our finalists are based on those who have featured prominently in BPI News over the past 12 months. See below for a list of names you should be making your pick from.

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Trade finalists who loomed large in last year’s BPI News Awards seen at the Photography Show 2017

BPI News Awards Finalists 2018 CAMPAIGN/PROMOTION OF THE YEAR FINALISTS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR FINALISTS

The Photography Show Fujifilm FDIS Conference 2017 Canon Live For The Story campaign Grays of Westminster Nikon for ‘A Century of Nikon’ DNP perforated print media 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 Digital Splash Show 2017 Kenro Christmas brochure campaign Panasonic Winter cashback Tetenal’s Big Picture Leica: The Big Interview

• Sigma’s ‘Fantastic Four’ lenses (14mm f/1.8 DG HSM, 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM, 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM and 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM) • Noritsu D705 dry lab via PhotoXport • PermaJet FB Mono Gloss Baryta 320 paper • Panasonic GH5 mirror-less camera • Hama travel chargers & bags • Canon EOS M100 • MAC Group Benro Slim Tripod Kits • Nikon D850 • Kenro optical products & albums • Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III • Rotolight Neo 2 • Fujifilm X-E3 • Larmor LCD screen and sunshade hood • Profoto A1 & accessories • Kodak 4KVR360

HOW TO VOTE Get involved! Follow us on Twitter where we’re @bpi_news and tweet your choice to us. Alternatively, email us with your Product of the Year and/or Campaign/Promotion of the Year to info@bpinews.co.uk The finalists with the most votes are our winners. It’s as straightforward as that! So don’t delay, cast your vote based on the lists above 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 30 March 2018 | BPI News

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