BPI News September 2016

Photographic British

Industry

news

Canon launches its 5D Mark IV, a 4K video shooting workhorse of a DSLR, on the cusp of Photokina 2016

FEATURE How & why Fujifilm UK brought its Wonder Photo concept to the masses, on a whirlwind tour of UK summer festivals

a n i k o t Pho ! o G s i

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NEWS

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Your inside track on the UK photo trade for more than 30 years

SEPTEMBER 2016 • £3

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ANALYSIS Goodbye PMA, hello Imaging Alliance. We examine how we can come together to secure the future of our ever-evolving trade

We preview the world’s biggest photo imaging exhibition, spotlighting the must-see manufacturers, suppliers & products

PLUS!

GE RIS 4-PAA LA K A KODULL-OUTApp P oments he rt kM Koda unched foage! re-la al media soci

MUST-READ NEWS FROM: HAMA + TETENAL + DNP + ROTOLIGHT + THE SOCIETIES

EDITORIAL | September 2016

Photographic British

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published monthly by

T EDITOR Gavin Stoker Tel: 020 8274 0578 Tel: 07990 974 367 ART EDITOR Michael O’Connell EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES Please direct all editorial requests, news and press releases to info@bpinews.co.uk ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Please direct all advertising enquiries and sponsorship opportunities to gavin@bpinews.co.uk.

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Time to make an exhibition of ourselves

here is no point in being shy when it The other notable matter to possibly comes to singing the praises of our impact our trade – the continuing barney industry. Bold moves and big plans over the Brexit vote result – was temporarily should be the order of the day. That’s why put on hold whilst Olympics fever reigned it is somewhat welcome news that we have supreme on the news and throughout the fresh blood in the industry – and hopefully media. It remains to be seen whether a a re-invigorated outlook – in the form of feel-good factor arrives in the wake of Team the Imaging Alliance, a new organisation GB’s record medals haul and sees the public replacing the PMA in the USA, and born out loosening purse strings. But in any event Gavin Stoker, of that country’s PMDA, (the PhotoImaging it has spurred us on to limber up for our Editor Manufacturers and Distributors Association). own industry’s major competitive event: gavin@bpinews.co.uk Photokina 2016.

We understand UK representative Don @GavinStoker Kennedy will stay on, fulfilling much the With the big show just weeks away at same role he fulfilled for the PMA. the time of writing – unless you’re actually Prior to this announcement we’d not heard much reading this issue at the exhibition – we’ve detailed at all from the PMA in recent months – enquiries were the athletic feats and record-breaking products met with a response of ‘news coming soon, but we promised by a host of manufacturers and suppliers can’t yet talk about it’ – and had the impression of in this issue of BPI News. To follow, we’ll be reporting things being wound down. So it’s encouraging that on all the remaining big launches next month in our someone else has taken on the task of promoting October cover edition, as stock orders are placed in photography in all its forms, whilst seeking to time for the run up to Christmas. Yes, it is a marathon, maintain the interests of the trade. We’ve an exclusive rather than a sprint, but we have stashed plenty of interview with the new organisation’s President Jim ‘performance enhancers’ throughout this issue to Malcolm on page 30. And while talk is good, now we help you past the finish line. See you back here next look forward to action. month to judge how it all went.

CONTENTS 04 NEWS EISA award winners, new DSLRs from the big hitters in Canon and Nikon, Panasonic takes Olympics gold, plus sundry accessories 08 BOOK NOW FOR THE SOCIETIES’ CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW Key reasons why you won’t want to miss either exhibiting at or attending the industry event planned for London next January 12 FUJIFILM OFFERS ‘T’ FOR ‘2’ BPI News attends the London preview of new compact system flagship the X-T2, updating the previous X-T1 and adding a couple of extras

06 HAMA’S ADVANTAGE HAMMERED HOME 13 NORITSU TO LAUNCH NEW MODULAR DESKTOP PRINTERS A BPI News exclusive: the Japanese print equipment giant forges ahead with an exciting new range of ‘Smart’ desktop printers 15 KODAK MOMENTS APP-EAL Kodak Alaris is re-launching its app, designed to get more people printing, with the added enticement of new social media features 20 ROTOLIGHT SHOOTS FOR THE STARS AT PHOTOKINA Something of a UK success story, the Pinewood Studios based lighting supplier is offering the photo trade stock of its Anova Pro LEDs

Want good quality, good value and good margin photo accessories? Then look no further than Hama for a onestop-shop supplier 30 FAREWELL PMA, HELLO IMAGING ALLIANCE All change at the top, as the Imaging Alliance succeeds the PMA as the premier trade body for the photographic industry

Subscriptions, back issues & BPI News online Overseas annual subscription £50 (Cheques payable to Legacy Media Ltd).

For details email info@bpinews.co.uk. View current and back issues online at www.bpinews.co.uk

ID Station Tablet & Sinfonia Printer 140016 ID Station now comes with a New Camfi controller. This is very fast and reliable.

A major enhancement for all wanting to work wirelessly with their Canon or Nikon DSLR camera.

Please call Zygy to check camera compatability.

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BPI News | September 2016 3

NEWS

SOUND CHOICES FOR EISA WINS EISA, the European Imaging and Sound Association, comprised of 50 specialist interest magazines from 23 European countries, has handed out its annual gongs for photographic kit released over the past year. Once again the big brands were well in evidence with, for example, Canon taking best in class EISA’s for its EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM lens, EOS 80D DSLR, EOS-1D X Mark II and PRO-1000 printer.

Fuji’s X-Pro2 meanwhile bagged European Professional Compact System Camera for 2016-17, with its Fujinon XF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR also being recognized in the Zoom Lens category. Nikon’s mighty D500 was named European Prosumer DSLR for the same period, with Olympus’ OM-D E-M10

MKII victorious in the European Consumer CSC category, and its TG-Tracker, last issue’s BPI News Product of the Month bagged best Action Camcorder.

Panasonic received two EISA’s – one for its Dual IS System and the other for the Lumix TZ100 travel compact. Sigma, another regular name at trade awards, took European DSLR Zoom Lens 2016-17 for its 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art lens – see page 19 for full report.

Tamron took best DSLR lens for its SP 85mm f/1.8 DI VC USD optic.

Like Canon, Sony won four awards, with its Cyber-shot RX1 R II, FE 85mm f/1.4 GM lens, A6300 and A7S II system cameras all recognised by the European judges. www.eisa.eu

PANASONIC’S SPECTACULAR SUMMER ADDING IN WINS at the EISA awards, the electronics stalwart has had a busy summer, touring National Trust locations with its Lumix range wares (as reported in BPI July/August) and exhibiting at the annual Rutland Bird Fair last month, where its stand was reportedly swamped and its team, led by trade facing product specialist Mark Baber, enjoyed a wonderfully enthusiastic response.

The brand also had photographic

Nikon DSLR prepares for entry THERE’S A NEW Nikon DSLR in town – the D3400 – the first of its maker’s entry-level models to feature its Bluetooth-utilising SnapBridge image sharing technology. Attendant features include a 24.2MP APS-C sensor,

talent out at the Rio Olympics, where Getty photographer Warren Little caught decisive moments on his Lumix DMC-GX80 (shown here), including the visual splendor of the opening ceremony.

Naturally Panasonic will also be exhibiting at Photokina, where it can be found in Hall 3.2, Stand A014.

Expeed 4 processor, ISO100-25600 and Full HD video shooting, but perhaps the icing on the cake is a 1200-shot battery life, achievable, says Nikon, thanks to the camera’s low energy design and high capacity battery. Available mid September, UK pricing is £399 SRP body only, and from £469.99 with a standard 18-55mm zoom.

In related news Nikon has launched two lightweight super telephoto lenses aimed at first time users in the AF-P DX Nikkor 70– 300mm f/4.5–6.3G ED at £299.99 SRP and an image stabilised ‘VR’ version of the same at £349.99.

These likewise arrive mid Sept.

www.panasonic.co.uk

www.nikon.co.uk

2016 Range

• Compact Cameras • Binoculars • Spotting Scopes Available from

Telephone: 01485 536200 E-mail: sales@swains.co.uk

4 September 2016 | BPI News

LUXMEDIA Z212 CAMERA

MARINE II 7X50 BINOCULARS

DELTA 15-45X60MM SCOPE

20MP CCD Sensor • 12x Optical Zoom Lens (OIS) Wireless for easy sharing • 2.7 inch LCD Screen 64MB Internal Memory • Video: 720p30/VGAp30 26 fun and creative modes • Storage: Micro SD Card

Magnification: 7x • Lens diameter: 50mm Integrated illuminating compass • Internal rangefinder reticle • Fully multi-coated optics Waterproof, fog-proof and nitrogen purged

Magnification: 15x - 45x • Objective Lens: 60 mm Exit Pupil Diameter: 4.5mm (at 15x) - 1.5mm (at 45x) Fully Multi-Coated Lens • Prism Glass: BAK4 Angular Field Of View: 3.0° (at 15x) - 1.39° (at 45x)

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NEWS

CANON MAKES ITS MARK THE PHOTO GIANT has logically upgraded its 5D Mark III with the 5D Mark IV. The new iteration of the workhorse DSLR features a 30.4 MP full frame sensor (said to be the same generation as the 1DX Mark II), and two processors: a Digic6+ and Digic 6. This enables it to offer features including 7fps at full resolution (4fps with Live View) for 21 Raw files or unlimited JPEGs. Other points to pitch to customers include 61-point AF, 100% viewfinder, GPS, NFC and Wi-Fi connectivity plus CF and SD card slots. With Canon claiming it will focus in moonlight thanks to a core ISO100-32,000 range expandable to ISO50-102,400, battery life is claimed to be 900 shots. Another interesting feature is Dual Pixel Raw, enabling users to fine tune images in post-production and achieve big file sizes by altering resolution and even making micro adjustments to sharpness to “help

the photographer to get more hits” according to the manufacturer’s product expert David Parry.

Video performance includes Full HD at 60P or 4K at 30P. Availability is from September at £3,629 SRP. The camera arrives with two heavy duty new lenses in the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM (£1,129 SRP, Q4 availability), which is a second iteration of one of Canon’s

INTELLIGENT ANSMANN A NEW INTELLIGENT battery charger in the PC IV has been launched by Ansmann. Suitable for two or four AAs or AAAs, it completes the PC range, which includes the ever-popular PC III and PC V, already said to be big sellers. The PC IV is microprocessor controlled and senses

when the batteries are full – shown by bars on the blue illuminated LCD screen. It also has over-charge and faulty cell protection, with a built in safety timer. SRP is £29.95, and it comes with AA 2850mAh batteries to make this battery charger even greater value. Availability is via Peak Development Ltd on 01489 796979.

Lumix National Trust POS

Swains’ Praktica-l magic ©National Trust Images/Matthew Antrobus

national trust miX FZ200 or FZ72

©National Trust Images/Matthew Antrobus

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

THE DISTRIBUTOR is offering the trade Praktica’s new 2016 range of compact cameras and car dash camcorders, all under £100, which come with features including Wi-Fi, GPS and waterproof/shockproof casing. Praktica also specialise in sports optics, offering eight series A3 Posterand two series of of binoculars spotting scopes, ranging from £40 to £400. The majority are waterproof and fogproof. Accessories include a Binocular Smart Strap; an all-in-one strap, case and harness (see www. praktica.com).

The distributor is also offering Epson’s home printers from its to take a speCial piCture you need to go to speCial plaCes Now you and your family can discover hundreds of new special places with the National Trust and capture every stunning detail with the award-winning new LUMIX FZ200 or FZ72.

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

T48046 Panasonic_A3_Poster.indd 1

21/08/2013 13:54

©National Trust Images/Matthew Antrobus

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

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

Description

• Complimentary National Trust Membership Campaign POS

low-cost ET range, comprising three A4 models and one A3 unit. Talking of printing, a third product is the offer of a refurbished Polaroid camera via Impossible, the manufacturer for instant film for old Polaroid cameras, who recently launched its own instant camera.

Refurbished models have a guide price of £109.99. Finally, Swains is Wobbler also offering Olympus binoculars.

A pair of 7x35 binos has a guide price of £54.99 and the pitch is ‘an excellent brand at a sensible price’.

Contact your Swains rep for more or email sales@swains.co.uk Hang Tag

Canon UK’s imaging team proudly show off the new 5D Mark IV

workhorse lenses featuring latest optics and coating, plus the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM at £2,349 SRP, which has October availability.

Thirdly there is a new Wi-Fi card adapter in the W-E1 to transfer

images and movies to smartphone and shoot remotely. This is a bargain £39.99 SRP by comparison and arrives October. www.canon.co.uk

CURTAIN RISES ON PHOTOKINA AS THIS ISSUE goes to press we’re just days away from the latest biennial trade show – Europe’s biggest – Photokina 2016. You may even be reading this edition at the show! If you’re still planning ahead the dates you need are September 20th-25th, with the location once again being the cavernous Messe halls on the banks of the Rhine in Cologne. As we’ve previously detailed there are five ‘unlimited’ themed worlds of imaging this time around, based around the arts of capturing, lighting, creating, sharing and presenting.

Also ‘unlimited’ are the business opportunities for the trade, with the chance to mix and mingle with 180,000 photo and video enthusiasts from around the world and more than 1,000 exhibitors from 50+ countries. These include Leica, which has announced a ‘Masters of Photography’ photography exhibition as part of its almost 2,000 metre sq Leica Gallery in Hall 1. There is also a new ‘Futurezone’ stage, which will feature 22 new start-ups from

around the world presenting their wares to the trade in Hall 9.

Throughout this special preview issue of BPI News we’ve provided you with a tease of what you might be seeing from the various manufacturers, distributors and suppliers – and will be following up with a special report in our October cover edition.

In the meantime, keep updated with the latest Photokina news by directing your browser to the below URL. If you’re not exhibiting but thinking of paying a visit, tickets can also be secured online to save up to 38%. The site also contains a full A to Z of exhibitors and travel and accommodation tips. www.photokina.com

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

21/08/2013 13:56

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21/08/2013 13:59

A4 Cling

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BPI News | September 2016 5

BPI NEWS PRODUCT FOCUS

HAMA’S ADVANTAGE HAMMERED HOME Photo retailers across the country are making a success of their stores with good value, good quality and good margin accessories from Hama – easy to piggyback on to the sale of any bigger ticket hardware item. BPI News speaks to dealers doing well with its extensive range…

Bags are a big seller for the Hama retailers interviewed here – such as its own brand Rexton range, pictured. Memory cards (below) are also very popular add-ons, with Hama’s own brand range being extensive.

A

comprehensive offering of photo accessories at great prices that allow you to make a healthy margin – that’s the pitch from photo accessories supplier Hama.

Describing itself as the proverbial one stop shop, saving you time and money in being able to order your goods from one place rather than several, it also has sales reps out on the road who are able to call in on your business and impart advice first hand on what’s new, what’s selling well, and what would be most suitable for your own business.

Such support and forging of supplier-dealer relationships is obviously important in helping your own business to thrive – as the two retailers we quizzed, Alister Walker, owner of JRS Photographic in Perth and Simon Mackie, Assistant Manager of LCE Bristol, were only too happy to tell us.

Your one stop accessories shop Alister is a long time customer of Hama’s. “It’s a good one stop shop for all the minutiae,” he confirms.

“We’re in a market town in Perth, are not really an Internet retailer and have a fairly loyal regular customer coming in buying memory cards and accessories. With Hama products we’re making a good margin whilst also getting good value for money.

Plus they’re innovative in terms of the products they bring into the marketplace.“ JRS Photographic’s owner adds that it has a display shelf in store full of Hama products, as well as a selection in its shop window. “So people can see what we have alongside the Nikon and Panasonic kit… but otherwise Hama is dispersed throughout the

“Hama is a good one stop shop for all the minutiae. We’re making a good margin with its products whilst also getting good value for money.”

– JRS Photographic owner, Alister Walker store. We buy all our SanDisk memory cards from Hama, and if there are any issues at all they deal with it. We’ve always stuck to Hama and SanDisk because the path to true love is never easy and it just works. When we sell hardware we’ll always sell a memory card too.”

In terms of what stock sells best, Alister advises that he buys a lot of Hama’s cases, camera remotes and lens caps, lens hoods and batteries. He may also include a memory card free of charge or at half price to sweeten a deal. “The price I can get the cards from Hama allows me to do that – and maybe that same customer will then also come back for prints.”

The retailer notes that Hama is friendly to order from too. The supplier’s sales rep in his region, Drew McCall, has become like part of the family. “We look forward to his chat and banter – he keeps an eye on what’s happening in the industry and the company is very good to deal with.”

“Accessories for cameras are very important to us – it’s where our profit is. If you look on Hama’s website you’ll see they do absolutely everything.”

– LCE Bristol Assistant Manager, Simon Mackie Ship shape & Bristol fashion LCE Bristol also has a very good relationship with its Hama rep Steve Green. “We do a lot of their equipment and accessories,” reveals LCE Bristol Assistant Manager Simon Mackie. “We have a big turnover in all the key accessories such as lens caps, filters, cleaning products, cases and memory cards. At LCE such buying decisions are down to the individual store managers. So if we need 32GB cards at a particular retail price, we ring the rep and ask ‘what have you got?’ We have quite a turnover – I would stick my neck out and say that out of all the accessories here we have more Hama product than anything else.”

Simon adds that Hama’s Meade binoculars and own brand bags also sell strongly. “The appeal is everything from the packaging to the actual items themselves to the

price point. Price point is important to customers – or rather quality at the right price point. Even though we offer a large range of their accessories if you look on their website you’ll see they do absolutely everything – more than we could ever stock.

“Accessories for cameras are very important to us – it’s where our profit is. Everyone’s got it hammered into them that we have to sell accessories with hardware, so having a company that we deal with on a daily basis that can quickly supply the items customers need is ideal: within a couple of days we’ve got it in front of the customer.”

To take advantage of Hama’s extensive range, get in touch now on 0333 123 4262 or head to the website (URL below) to register to become a trade partner.

If you’re visiting Cologne this month, you’ll also be able to find Hama at Photokina, where they will be exhibiting in Hall 4.2, stand E021. www.uk.hama.com

The Hama trade advantage: a comprehensive range of high margin accessories at great value prices. See www.uk.hama.com 6 September 2016 | BPI News

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TRADE SHOW NEWS

BOOK NOW FOR THE SOCIETIES’ CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW

To reach an audience of over 15,000 high-end photographers looking to spend, put January 13th to 15th 2017 in your diary now, to make sure you’re exhibiting at or attending the 14th annual Convention and Trade Show in London…

P

lanning is already well underway for The Societies’ annual Convention & Trade Show, which takes place January 2017 in the same conveniently central location that it has occupied for the past three years: the Hilton London Metropole in Edgware Road.

Naturally, potential exhibitors are being strongly advised to get in touch now to secure space whilst it’s still available. As an added incentive to draw in the crowds, alongside the many photography master-classes taking place, big manufacturer names from last year are returning to exhibit – with Sony newly signed up for next year’s Trade Show and Zeiss rebooked. Last year some 200 exhibitors attended.

Reach a different, high-end audience At the time of writing The Societies’ Juliet Jones told us that the Trade Show was 75% booked. If that wasn’t enough to get you phoning or emailing to secure your own space, Juliet reminds us of the key reasons why you should be there: “We get over 15,000 photographers

“We get over 15,000 photographers at the show who are in the higher professional end of the market. If that is the target audience people are aiming at, we get a much better percentage of that audience.”

– Juliet Jones, The Societies at the show who are in the higher professional end of the market. If that is the target audience people are aiming at, we get a much better percentage of that audience. On previous surveys we’ve found 58% of our audience come to us rather than other shows for that reason.” These higher end users are coming to the Convention & Trade Show with the purpose of spending, not just to be educated.

Parties interested in exhibiting are being directed to contact Sam ScottSmith via sam@adpointmedia.co.uk or call 01279 815575. Packages are flexible to accommodate varied

budgets and requirements from just £840 + VAT for 3 days.

In fact there are four levels of stands available – Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze. Included within each package is not only the stand space but also the opportunity to place a company banner within the show (for Gold and Platinum options), a listing on The Societies Convention website, a mention in the Show Guide and access to a 13-amp electrical socket. A stand cleaning service is also offered during the show, should it be required.

“Our operations team will also be able to provide an approved list of contractors and will be happy to deal with any queries you may have on setting up,” says Sam. “If you require Velcro receiving blackboards this can be arranged via one of our contractors.” See the advert opposite for further detaisl!

Even if you’re not looking to exhibit it’s worth noting that entry to the Trade Show is free to trade members. You’ll just need to register online before January 6th 2017 to avoid the £10 fee otherwise charged. www.swpp.co.uk/convention/

Key reasons to exhibit at The Societies Convention: n A high end show with an audience that is willing to spend money n A large proportion of attendees are professional photographers n An average of 15,000 visitors each year n 75% of floor space has already been booked – so hurry! n Hosts major manufacturers including Sony and Zeiss n A multitude of exhibitor options, packages and deals n Packages are flexible enough to accommodate varied budgets and/or requirements Put the dates in your diary now: Convention (January 11th to 15th) and Trade Show (13th to 15th) at the Hilton London Metropole Hotel, Edgware Road, W2 1JU. Contact Sam Scott-smith to book your space on 01279 815575 or sam@adpointmedia.co.uk

Book your space now at The Societies 2017 Convention & Trade Show! Call Sam Scott-Smith on 01279 815575 8 September 2016 | BPI News

www.bpinews.co.uk

Trade Show 13–15 January 2017 London

Meet 1,000s of photographers at Europe’s largest Convention and Trade Show.

2016 Show Stats…

15,000 photographers 200 Brands 50 hours of Free Demos 14th Annual Convention Key reasons to exhibit at The Societies 2017 Convention Don’t get left behind This is a great opportunity to launch your company into the New Year by showcasing your products and services. This event takes place before any other industry show in 2017.

Meet your customers Network with over 15,000 industry specialists and photographers who are looking to make informed decisions on which kit and services to invest in.

Refine your strategy Gain invaluable market insight by speaking to the people who are going to be using your products and services.

Find out what they expect and how you could expand your client base.

Raise your profile Join a highly targeted and integrated visitor campaign reaching in a excess of a million contacts and maximise your brand exposure in the photographic industry

Stand prices from just £840 + VAT! For full plans and information on booking please contact Adpoint Ltd for more information. sam@adpointmedia.co.uk – 01279 815575.

swpp.co.uk/convention/

PHOTO PRINTING HARDWARE NEWS

EPSON IN CRUISE CONTROL THE SHIP’S PHOTOGRAPHER COMMISSIONS SIX SURELAB PHOTO PRINTERS FOR P&O CRUISE SHIPS

W

hen you take a cruise the chances are that you will buy a photograph taken on board as a memento of the trip. If you take a cruise on Britannia, P&O Cruises latest ship, the company that will be shooting and printing the beautiful photos on an Epson SureLab DL-3000SR printer in super quick time is ‘The Ship’s Photographer’ (TSP).

Epson on-board Based in Southampton, UK, TSP is headed up by General Manager. Andrew Burt who coordinates a team of 69 photographers and on board photo lab managers operating across a fleet of eight ships. The team are kept busy taking photographs of the many events held day and night on board, running studios for more formal portraits, and photographing the 300+ weddings that take place every year.

The newest – and largest – ship to join the P&O Cruises fleet is Britannia. Launched in March 2015 it carries over 3,600 guests and is the first P&O Cruises ship to be equipped exclusively with Epson SureLab digital dry lab printers. Tetenal, the UK's leading photographic print hardware distributor, supplied the printers not only for Britannia, but also one each for Aurora, Azura and Oceana with more planned in the future across the rest of the P&O Cruises fleet.

“We evaluated several dry lab and dye sub photo printers before choosing the two Epson SureLabs for Britannia,” says Andrew. “Print quality and maximum reliability are the two most important criteria and the SureLab delivered on both. Since they have been installed on the Britannia they have been in constant use around the clock - one printer alone

has produced an average of just over 8,000 8x10-inch prints every month.”

Guests can browse and select photographs by event, time and location from digital displays, these are then automatically sent to the SureLabs for printing and ready for collection within hours.

It's all in the detail A six-colour digital printer, the easy-to-use and set up Epson SureLab is specifically designed for high-volume, high-quality photo production applications. It features Epson's Micro Piezo printheads and UltraChrome D6 6-colour photo ink-set to produce beautiful wide-gamut prints.

Its compact footprint makes it ideal for use on cruise ships where space can be limited. While the SureLab can print on a variety of media up to 12-inches wide, TSP standardises on 8x10 glossy prints to streamline production and meet its tight turnaround deadlines.

Tetenal partnership TSP relies on the good relationship it has with Tetenal, not only to supply the printers and consumables it needs to keep operating around the clock 24/7, but also for installation, training and support.

“P&O Cruises ships are only in port for a limited number of hours before they depart on the next cruise so Tetenal have a very small window if they need to check anything but they are always happy to work to our tight schedules,” says Andrew.

“Maximum reliability and print quality are the two most important criteria for us and the SureLab delivered on both."

Andrew Burt General Manager

KEY FACTS Team of 69 photographers and on-board photo lab managers operate across eight liners SureLabs also on-board Aurora, Azura and Oceana Britannia carries over 3,600 passengers and is the first P&O Cruises liner to be equipped with Epson SureLab digital dry lab printers Printers in constant use - one printer alone has produced an average 8,000 8x10-inch prints every month Photos printed and ready for collection within a very short space of time

Part of the service Ship’s photography is a speculative and very competitive business and TSP is very good at it.

“We rely on the latest technology and innovations to remain successful and engaging,” explains Andrew “Essentially competition comes from guests who are taking photographs with their own cameras and smart phones and our aim is to create a photography experience which is part of their holiday. So we have to take the very best shots, display them digitally very quickly so that guests can browse, select, print and receive photos within 30 minutes.

We deliver a very slick operation under pressure and the technology we use has to perform to the highest standard. Our success rate is very high in this industry, with 1 in 4 photographs sold as a print.”

Distributed in the UK by Tetenal Ltd

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TEL: 0116 289 3644

TEL 0116 289 3644 phil.barker@tetenal.uk.com www.tetenaluk.com

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EPSON PHOTO PRINTING

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CONTROLLED PRINT Utilising the Epson Order Controller software you can take complete control of your Epson Print hardware from one centralised control point.

From stunning 22" touch screens to LED illuminated printer catchers, the Epson Kiosk options offer a bright and welcoming focal point to your retail environment.

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We can build a system which is perfect for your specific requirements at present but if you need to add to your system in future years, we can help with that too.

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7 PRINT WIDTHS

Media for SureLab D700, Kiosk and Mini Lab systems is available in 4", 5", 6", 8" and A4 widths. For the SureLab D3000 we have additional print widths of 10" and 12"

SURELAB D7 MICRO LAB SET UP

The real beauty of the Epson Print Solutions range, aside from the stunning print quality, is it's modular and flexible set-up.

6"

5"

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In a multi-printer system you can control the media in each of your printers and direct prints to the relevant machine giving you the flexibility to push through your orders quicker

SURELAB D700 SINGLE UNIT & EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY

To request your free print sample, request a visit to discuss the options or to arrange a personal demonstration contact Tetenal, your authorised Epson Partner

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

PREVIEW

FUJI OFFERS ‘T’ FOR ‘2’ In time for Photokina, Fujifilm has updated its two-year-old X-T1 with a new mirror-less enthusiast camera that now records 4K video alongside stills; a first for its ‘X’ range, and sure to make it popular with both retailers and customers.

BPI News was at the launch

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ujifilm’s X-T1 camera was a former BPI News Product of the Month, so its successor in the aptly named X-T2 was always going to prick our interest. At the London launch we were treated to the double act of Marketing Manager Andreas Georghiades introducing the camera and talking us through its features, and brother Theo (earlier this year promoted to General Manager), discussing its virtues with three pros – Kevin Mullins, John Rourke and Saraya Cortaville.

“We want to engage with pros to make sure we are making the right products to engage with the marketplace,” Theo reasoned, adding: “Fuji is all about the image quality.

Saraya and Kevin will be on our live stage at Photokina.”

Fujifilm has introduced a weatherproofed flashgun in the EF-X500 to go with its similarly reinforced cameras including the X-T2

Key sales features of the X-T2 As outlined by Andreas, key features of the X-T2 to pitch to your customers include 4K video and its ‘evolved’ design when compared to the X-T1: namely the ISO and shutter speed dial has been raised and the grip is slightly larger, whilst the video button has been removed from the front. We also get +/- 5EV exposure compensation and a tilting LCD, which is another first for the series. Incorporating the same 24.3MP APS-C sized sensor as the X-Pro2, auto focus now has custom settings, in that users can change the tracking sensitivity – “useful if tracking something quick” according to Andreas – and even how sensitive it is to changes in subject velocity; the higher the value the greater the sensitivity.

The camera’s viewfinder is also said to offer 25% better picture quality when focusing and is said to be the world’s fastest delay free viewfinder. It is additionally a claimed 2x brighter than its predecessor and has a higher 100fps frame rate. As one might expect, the same old weatherproofed camera construction we admired from the X-T1 is present here.

The X-T2’s video capability was described by Andreas as a “a real big step for us. We pride ourselves in doing things a bit differently.”

Brothers gonna work it out: Fujifilm UK’s General Manager Theo Georghiades and Marketing Manager Andreas Georghiades introduce the X-T2 to the family

A point of difference is that high quality 4K video can be shot using Film Simulation modes, though record time is limited to 30 minutes.

Accessories include a vertical power booster in the VPB-XT2, which holds an additional two batteries in order to provide a total 1000

BPI News Editor Gavin gets to grips with the X-T2 at the London preview

shot battery life in tandem with the battery inserted in the camera itself.

There is also a EF-X500 shoe mount flash that is likewise weather proofed to match the resilience of the X-T2 body. Serious photographers looking for a compact all-rounder who already have bought into the X series – or have been considering doing it for a while – should find this Fuji an enticingly safe pair of hands.

Described by Fuji as a ‘twin flagship’ alongside the X-Pro2, the X-T2 is on sale this month (September) at £1300 SRP, body only.

Find Fujifilm at Photokina in Hall 4.2, Stand A008. www.fujifilm.co.uk

AVAILABLE FROM PEAK DEVELOPMENT LTD

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PREVIEW

EXCLUSIVE: TO LAUNCH NEW MODULAR DESKTOP PRINTERS AT PHOTOKINA

Living up to its tagline – ‘passion for innovation’ – the Japanese print equipment giant is forging ahead with an exciting new range of ‘Smart’ desktop printers, exclusively distributed to the UK market by PhotoXport

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uilding on the success and uptake garnered by Noritsu’s workhorse QSS Green dry labs – it is now making available a new slew of QSS ‘Smart’ branded desktop printers to the UK market.

“Noritsu passion for innovation – this says it all,” enthuses PhotoXport’s Derek Fieldhouse. “After all they were the inventor of the minilab with the QSS system back in the 1970s, and now we have yet another first in the launch of an innovative range of desktop printers.”

Derek explains that the new range is all about targeting the photo retailer who is looking for new ways to make extra profit and also bring a lower cost per print to the market.

Put simply, the ‘Smart’ line up from Noritsu is the smart choice.

Desktop set up for the event photographer or studio

Modular photo lab set up

Standalone photo kiosk with QSS Smart printers installed

Fulfilling market needs The new printers are said to fulfill a wish list of market needs – namely that inkjet media should be the same cost as AgX (silver halide) printing, whilst boasting better quality than both AgX and dye sub, due to higher colour gamut and colour depth. The QSS Smart machines additionally offer a small footprint and versatility for a low investment – being able to deliver high value products. These include photo books, duplex printing, and wider creative options in that they offer compatibility with art papers and thicker media.

Helping to bring media cost down Noritsu has developed new Eco inkjet paper and dye ink. It says this is lower cost than current inkjet and dye sub media – its aim is to compete with the cost of silver halide media.

For those wanting larger set ups there is the ability to utilise Ethernet connectivity for up to eight printers – with four printers running at full capacity at the same time. For anything from five to eight printers Noritsu simply advises that you add a 2nd PC to obtain maximum print capacity. The ‘Smart’ element of the printers further comes into play with its print head technology. This includes a sensor within the head assembly, which relays info about the head position and paper surface – adjustments made to ensure maximum quality prints for each print speed.

The new printers can either be used as a low cost engine for desktop printing, for a photo lab, or slotted into a photo kiosk set up.

Hero products include the QSS Smart DR-08 Roll Simplex printer

Newly launched is a whole suite of software compatible with the new QSS Smart and all Noritsu printers, offering your customer base the opportunity to order a wide range of photo products and gifts

(Top) and the QSS Smart DR-012 Roll Simplex printer (Below). The DR-08 boasts a range of print sizes and print quality claimed as ‘similar’ to current Noritsu inkjet printers – plus all of the advantages detailed above. It offers a six dye ink printing system using two consumable, operator replaceable heads that ensure maximum

gradation and print quality. Print resolution varies according to printing speed mode. Roll print sizes include 4-inch, 5-inch, 6-inch and 8-inch by 78-inches. The more comprehensive option in the DR-012 meanwhile offers an even greater range of roll print sizes, adding 10inch and 12-inch x78-inches.

It seems that PhotoXport, in association with Noritsu, really is on a roll at the moment. For the latest deals contact Derek Fieldhouse NOW on 0116 2675907 and visit www.photoxport.com for more info.

Visit Noritsu at Photokina The trade won’t have to wait long to get hands on with the Noritsu QSS Smart printers as the company is exhibiting at the biggest event on the photography calendar. Find them on stand A20/B21, Hall 3.1, where it will have 14 examples of the two new printers on display. Derek Fieldhouse and the PhotoXport team are attending, so to arrange a meeting and a demonstration, please make contact before the show on 0116 2675907

Check out the new Smart QSS desktop printers at Photokina this September. Visit stand A20/B21, Hall 3.1 www.bpinews.co.uk

BPI News | September 2016 13

EXCLU SIVE PASSP ORT I. D. BUN DLE

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What’s included • DNP SnapLab+ All-In-One Printer • Biometric Passport Licence • Passport/I.D. Background • Polaroid I.D. Bridge Camera** • SanDisk SDHC 8GB Memory Card

Biometric Passport Software packed with features

• Passport Cutter

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• Installation & Set-Up

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*Profit calculated on the Free Media which will produce 800 6x4 ID Prints with sold at £6.99 each **If stocks are unavailable, a different camera with an equivalent specification will be supplied

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

KODAK ALARIS 4 PAGE PULL OUT

The Kodak Moments App-eal: more prints from mobiles!

Kodak Alaris is supporting the trade by re-launching its Kodak Moments App – already claimed to be the number one retail photo-printing app in Europe. This time it is putting a greater emphasis on engaging with your customers to share their stories, order prints and visit your stores…

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onsumers know that a Kodak Moment photo represents something extra special and unique and continue to tag #KodakMoment across social media,” enthuses Kodak Alaris Marketing Manager Paul Davey.

With more photographers

www.bpinews.co.uk

than ever taking images on their mobiles – and the latest numbers indicating that this year more pictures will be printed from smartphones than digital cameras – Kodak Alaris is positioning itself in the right place at the right time to help its retail partners via its

Kodak Moments App. The company is already claiming that this is the number one mobile retail printing app in Europe – with millions of downloads worldwide since March this year.

“One of our key priorities for the Kodak Alaris business has been

around mobile,” Paul reminds us.

“Nearly everyone in the UK has a smartphone that is packed full of apps, so we’ve been looking for more ways to engage with people and get people using our app on a more regular basis.”

BPI News | September 2016 15

Re-launched and ready to engage The result is that this time around the company is looking to greater engage with customers on an emotional level. Whilst stating that it isn’t looking to compete with Instagram, the third generation of the Kodak Moments App now offers built-in storytelling sharing features.

For example, users can share their most treasured Kodak Moment stories with family and friends – the thought process being that these invitations will spawn further downloads. Ultimately the consumer is encouraged to immortalise the treasured memory through printing.

Here every shopping behaviour is catered for – either print instantly in store, take advantage of same day click and collect – or have the prints delivered to home.

“The idea is to get people talking about Kodak Moments,” re-affirms Paul Davey. ‘The convenience of taking photos on mobile has led to a surge in photography, but it also makes it tougher to treasure those precious memories. Showcasing that once in a lifetime photo in a public mass of selfies on Instagram, Snapchat and other social media sites isn’t a befitting place for your customers to continuously enjoy that moment. The Kodak Moments App can help them to do that.”

With a lot of investment into the product, Kodak Alaris believes this is

“The convenience of taking photos on mobile has led to a surge in photography, but it also makes it tougher to treasure those precious memories. Showcasing that once in a lifetime photo in a public mass of selfies on Instagram, Snapchat and other social media sites isn’t a befitting place for your customers to continuously enjoy that moment. The Kodak Moments App can help them to do that.”

– Paul Davey, Kodak Alaris Marketing Manager going to bring some exciting things going forward.

Get App and go Paul reveals that significant numbers of retailers are embracing the advantages of the Kodak Moments app, with over 15,000 stores already connected globally and more joining every day. According to Kodak Alaris research, over 30% of photo store traffic is now coming to retail via the online route, highlighting the importance of retail locations as convenient collection points for customers.

“As you’d expect we monetise app users by encouraging them to print, so maintaining regular interest in the app is critical to our success. People simply don’t print photos every day of the week. It’s the special moments at Christmas, summer holidays, Mother’s Day and a birthday in between that present our biggest

print opportunities. We believe that by using our app in other ways to engage with their photos – sharing Kodak Moments stories socially – when they do have a desire to print, we’re a regularly used app on their smartphone, and in a much stronger position to send them promotional messaging that will convert into print requests.”

As we’ve noted previously in BPI News, by calling its app ‘Kodak Moments’, the brand is cleverly tapping into its valuable heritage.

“We know that is still a term that resonates even with a younger demographic. If you follow the hashtag KodakMoment on Instagram you can still see it used today. Kodak Moment was a term before the ‘selfie’ – and people have an idea of what it is: an iconic moment, a photo that is a little bit more special to you.

So what we’re offering now is a social storytelling feature that allows you to build a little story around your Kodak

Moment… and then you can share that with friends and family in a digital capacity as well as print that photo using the app.

“While some of our features are not too dissimilar to other social sites,” Kodak Alaris’ Paul Davey admits, “one of our biggest differentiators is how

From photo prints to photo books - your customers can conveniently order them all via the Kodak Moments App!

Download the Kodak Moments App from Apple or Google app stores.

16 September 2016 | BPI News

www.bpinews.co.uk

KODAK ALARIS 4 PAGE PULL OUT

we treat your Kodak Moments. They will never be presented alongside adverts, and users can keep private memories to themselves and choose who they want to share those with.

They can build a little community around it so that it is more about their special memories than sharing everything with the broader public, because that just devalues the moment.”

Get click & collect or get left behind Previous generations of the app have been founded in helping retailers ‘unlock the power’ of mobile printing and Kodak Alaris says that it continues to ensure the app is optimised for printing at retail. “When a customer opens the app in a store we know their mindset is focused on printing as conveniently as possible, so we place many of the social features in the background and instead highlight the printing options.” Paul explains.

To sum up, Kodak Alaris is encouraging users of its print app to tell the story of their Kodak Moments to make for tighter engagement and – it follows on – a greater volume of print orders. It is also giving the customer the choice of how they want to shop – whether that’s via a retail store or home delivery option.

For click and collect, the UK is leading the way globally in terms of the percentage of shoppers using the service. Last Christmas John Lewis saw

more people use click and collect than mail order. That shopping behavior is becoming second nature for many people. “So by offering that in the UK to our connected retailers, including Kodak Express and photo specialty independents, it helps everyone take advantage of the opportunity. And if the retailer positions products like photo frames next to the collection point there is the chance for another revenue stream – there’s a definite proven benefit to be had from driving people into the store.”

A dedicated team of developers

The Kodak Moments App advantage • The number one mobile printing app at retail in Europe • The Kodak Moments App has been born out of the retail environment – and leverages the latest shopping behaviour trends • Over 15,000 stores are already hooked up to the app as click and collect destinations • The app can help generate additional sales of related items – such as photo frames.

• New engagement features let your customers share images uploaded via the app with friends and family • Kodak Alaris continues to invest significantly in mobile to drive industry improvements and refinements to benefit retail partners

As far as the future is concerned, the Kodak Moments app has its own dedicated mobile team of developers, based in San Francisco for the past 10 months. Introducing new skill sets, they have been brought in because they specialise in the mobile environment. “This whole engagement idea has come from them and they’ve increased the rate of our app updates by four fold, which allows us to test things quicker in market and adjust as required. They’re having direct conversations with leading mobile platform providers and going to developer conferences, so they’re right at the forefront. The business continues to expand its participation in mobile around the world, with over 11 countries now fully connected and Ireland joining in the past few weeks.“

Want to get connected today? Please call KODAK ALARIS on 01442 846714 www.bpinews.co.uk

BPI News | September 2016 17

Every KODAK MOMENT tells a story

Create your KODAK MOMENT with the new visual storytelling app. Install the KODAK MOMENTS App today.

Install the app

Š 2016 Kodak Alaris Inc. The Kodak and Kodak Moment trademarks and Kodak trade dress are used under license from Eastman Kodak Company.

PREVIEW

SHARP SHOOTER: SIGMA 50-100mm WINS EISA AND GEAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS

One of the major exhibitors at Photokina this month (Hall 4.2, Booth B020/C029) has another reason to celebrate: its 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM lens we field tested in BPI News May has bagged the EISA for best ‘European DSLR Zoom Lens 2016-2017’ as well as a ‘Gear of the Year’ Award…

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ot content with bagging a TIPA Award in the spring, Sigma’s 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM zoom lens has done the triple – by following that up with EISA and ‘Gear of the Year’ (via publishers Bauer) wins in the summer. This comes on top of our own field test spread back in BPI News May. The lens will also be showcased at Photokina this month, for those members of the trade and public wanting to get hands-on with this piece of optical excellence.

The 50-100mm, which is notable for offering a bright f/1.8 aperture throughout its range and is optimized for use with DSLRs sporting APS-C sensors, was originally unveiled in February in Japan and showcased to UK photographers for the first time at March’s Photography Show. Apart from the fact that it’s a double award winner, the pitch to your customers should be that it offers the equivalent of three popular focal lengths: 85mm, 105mm and 135mm.

“This makes it a very useful addition to any photographer’s arsenal,” enthuses Sigma UK General Manager Graham Armitage. “Now

with three wins for the 50-100mm we really do deserve to raise a glass.

And, with the lens offering silent, swift and accurate auto focus performance thanks to its HSM motor, we believe your photographer customers will be as delighted with it as the expert judges at EISA. Plus all this from only our second APS-C format zoom, offering f/1.8 at any focal length.”

As the trade will probably be aware, EISA comprises 50 specialist tech titles from 20 European countries – meeting up to decide which of the products analysed in their publications over the past year deserve the coveted EISA. The six categories debated are Photo, Video, Audio, Home Theatre and Mobile Electronics.

A professional lens for Sigma, Canon & Nikon users

The award winning 50-100mm offers the equivalent of three lenses in one, providing the key focal lengths of 85mm, 105mm and 135mm.

For our part, as BPI News discovered back in May, the 50-100mm telephoto zoom was immediately responsive in terms of auto focus when twinned with our Canon APS-C DSLR body.

We said at the time that ‘it looks, feels and handles like a professional piece of kit’. Coming supplied with a petal type lens hood, fits are available for Sigma, Canon and Nikon mounts.

Plus, with Sigma having previously stated that it sees the audience as not just photographers but videographers too, the lens additionally features a tripod socket and inner focus/inner zoom mechanism.

When attached to a camera body, particularly a consumer model like the Canon 550D we were using,

the combination is reassuringly weighty for its £999.99 suggested retail price; and one you’ll need two hands to support. Described as ideal for delivering portraits or close ups with subtle bokeh effects – closest focusing distance is a metre – in short we found it a very useful all-in-one option. With edge-to-edge sharpness maintained from widest to maximum telephoto setting, we get an effective focal length of 75-150mm on an APS-C sensor incorporating camera.

An enhancement on this lens comes in the shape of Sigma’s Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM), the new version being 30% slimmer than before. The diameter of the 9-blade rounded lens diaphragm is also the second largest in the Sigma lens line up after the Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8.

The result is a smooth operation even during burst shooting, whilst the polycarbonate construction is durable and weather resistant.

So make sure you visit Sigma at Photokina – where it can be found in Hall 4.2, Booth B020/C029.

For more info on the EISA winning 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM, direct your browser to: www.sigma-imaging-uk.com

All lenses sold via Sigma Imaging UK come with the benefit of a three year limited warranty. www.bpinews.co.uk

BPI News | September 2016 19

ROTOLIGHT SHOOTS FOR THE STARS AT PHOTOKINA

The UK lighting specialist’s acclaimed Anova Pro LED & flash has boldly gone where no light has gone before… illuminating the stars of the movie ‘Star Trek Beyond’, in time for its own red carpet appearance at Photokina (Hall 4.1, Stand G041)

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true British success story, lighting specialist Rotolight is temporarily departing its Pinewood Studios base and heading – if not quite to infinity and beyond – then at least to Cologne in Germany for the biennial Photokina exhibition. It’s bringing with it its latest acclaimed lighting tool in the Anova Pro, previously covered in these pages in BPI News May, but again making headlines on the back of photographer Mark Mann’s shoot with the stars of summer blockbuster movie ‘Star Trek Beyond’.

“I’ve tested a few continuous lighting panels in the past – having used strobe for a long time – but I’ve never liked the feel of them, until I found the Rotolight Anova,” Mann enthuses. “I shoot exclusively with Leica so the shots are very sharp, and I was looking for a light that would deliver that comparable level of detail.

“I still can’t put my finger on why the Anova is so good; the lights are really innovative and beautifully made, but more than that there is something about the soft ‘wrap’ of light, its versatility, that gives it a different feel,” he adds. “It’s absolutely beautiful and gives you very a filmic feel. They are not too hot, and the 50˚ spread means the light is very

“The fact that the lights are beautiful makes me look good too!

The type of people I shoot have seen and done everything, but having something different that creates a conversation, like the Anova, is great. A lot of directors I photographed were also very interested in the lights, while all the actors were incredibly comfortable under their beam.”

– Celebrity portrait photographer Mark Mann controlled so it is comfortable for the subject, too.”

The preferred light of professionals, available at an enthusiast price Aside from being the kit of choice for top photographers shooting Hollywood stars, what’s special is that this is the world’s first continuous LED light that can not only provide a continuous light output for those wishing to shoot stills or videos, but at the same time provide a flash sync at 150% of the maximum brightness plus remote triggering, providing a replacement for traditional strobe photographers’ mono blocks. It can act as an accurate modelling light and affords control over flash power and duration, plus colour temperature.

In short, rather than having to buy a separate light for continuous

light and a separate light for flash photography, this is one product that can do both.

Talking of the practical requirements of a celebrity shoot,

Mann explains: “You have a lot of different faces, types of people, skin tones and ages coming through very quickly. One light set-up doesn’t always work. Sometimes you quickly

Boldly going where no light has gone before: the Anova Pro can be used both as continuous LED and flash, here illuminating Star Trek’s Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine (above right) Credit: All portraits by Mark Mann Photography, for Sundance Film Festival

Place your order for Rotolight products – including the Anova Pro and Neo LED – by calling Rotolight 20 September 2016 | BPI News

www.bpinews.co.uk

PREVIEW

Photographer Mark Mann (left) poses with subject, actor Jack Black, Rotolight Anova lights visible in the background

The Anova Pro from Rotolight is a two-in-one deal - offering constant light or split second flash

need a softer light, sometimes you have a very interesting face and want to show all the detail.

“With Anovas as both key and fill lights, you can move them to wherever you want to get the desired effect and see what you’re actually shooting. Anova’s lightweight design and portability makes life a lot easier, especially on the boom arm.

“From a practical perspective,

I’ve always been more comfortable at looking at the task at hand and working out what type of lights I need to hire that will suit the job.

With the Anova, this is the first time I have actually ever wanted to own and keep them, which is quite something considering 90% of the time I use three or four of them on a shoot.”

As well as giving him the spread of light he sought, Mann adds another reason he chooses to work with Anovas: “The fact that the lights are beautiful makes me look good too! The type of people I shoot have seen and done everything but having something different that creates a conversation, like the Anova, is great. A lot of directors I photographed were also very interested in the lights, while all the actors were incredibly comfortable under their beam.”

Retailing at 25% less than the previous model (whilst being a

whopping 43% brighter), the Anova Pro is available in either Bi-Colour (6300K-3150K) ‘Standard’ 50 beam angle (for greater straight line output), 110 ‘Ultrawide’ (for soft-fill, flood or Chromakey), or fixed colour 5600K. The latter retails at £999.99 SRP, whilst the ‘Standard’ and ‘Ultrawide’ are £1049.99, all prices excluding VAT. Optional Wi-Fi models are available separately, which have the advantage of allowing the light to be controlled via Magic eye iPhone or iPad App (available in the fourth quarter).

Good, competitive margins are available to trade partners on Rotolight products. See bottom black line contact details to get in touch with Rotolight direct regarding the Anova Pro. www.rotolight.com See also: www.markmannphoto.com

Anova Pro innovations at a glance: n CineSFX provides users with a powerful arsenal of customisable lighting effects for those shooting video footage, for example: Strobe, Lightning, Fire, Cycle, Throb, Police, TV, Spin, Weld, Spark, Film, Neo and Gunshot. Inlcudes wired remote trigger functionality and wireless control (Wi-Fi models only), along with rolling shutter compensation. In short CineFX saves significant time and cost to otherwise achieve similarly powerful lighting effects n Flash Sync and remote triggering allows Anova Pro to be integrated into a traditional photography workflow whilst providing a hyper accurate modeling light, plus control of flash power/duration colour temperature and offset, combining the best of both legacy strobe technology and continuous ‘shoot what you see’ light output n True Aperture Dimming calculates and displays the correct aperture (f-stop) for a subject at a given distance, aiding workflow by eliminating the need for metering n Designer Fade mode provides custom fade up/fade down effects for DSLR videographers and cinematographers, reducing time required in post production.

now on 01753 422 750 – or swing by and say hello to the team at Photokina, on Stand G041 in Hall 4.1 www.bpinews.co.uk

BPI News | September 2016 21

PREVIEW

NEWS

NIKON’S MULTI DIMENSIONAL APPEAL

NIKON HAS SPONSORED a 3D photography exhibition at Heathrow Terminal 5 by photographer Henry Reichhold – initially famed for his panoramic digital composites – that began this summer and ends October 19th. As the manufacturer explains, the images were initially taken with the Nikon D5 and then transformed from 2D to 3D, thanks to the photographer being able to capture 140 images in just 10

seconds with the camera. The ‘London New Vision’ exhibition was devised to be seen by millions of people coming through the terminal, and, best of all, as the exhibition is located in the ‘land’ side of the terminal, it can be visited at all hours of the day, with no passport required.

NEW BIOMETRIC PASSPORT SOFTWARE FROM DNP

The Japanese print specialist has introduced clever new biometric software for use with its SL620 hardware – both of which will displayed on Stand C20-D29, Hall 3.1 of Photokina

www.reichholdarts.com www.nikon.co.uk

APP-Y ORDERS WITH NEDIS IN RESPONSE TO dealer requests, distributor Nedis has printed up a catalogue displaying its treasure trove of product lines, which can also be sourced and searched online. It was poised to launch its brochure at iFA in Berlin (September 2nd) at the time of writing. In conjunction, it has also introduced its own ‘Scan to Order’ Nedis app – available via

iTunes and Google Play – which can be used to scan barcodes in the catalogue to place an order. All you have to do is add the number of each item you need and put it in the basket; Nedis says the app is synchronized with its webshop.

The innovative app is designed to simplify the order process for busy retailers. www.nedis.com

JABBER RANKS A TRIO OF OUR PEERS have launched a memorably monikered new photography website in camerajabber.com – boasting the tagline ‘built by photographers for photographers’. The ‘dream team’ of Angela Nicholson, Ali Jennings and Jeff Meyer, all ex Future Publishing,

22 September 2016 | BPI News

will be handling news, equipment reviews, plus tips and techniques, along with guest contributors.

Describing the site as bright, vibrant and fully responsive, new features are being promised over the coming months. www.camerajabber.com

H

ead straight to Hall 3.1 of this year’s Photokina to locate Dai Nippon Printing (DNP), which will be exhibiting not only its standalone printers but also its system product range targeting both retailers and event photographers.

We’ve featured its standalone kiosk option in the DP-SL620 in BPI News before – see also DNP’s advert opposite – whereby, for a small investment you can add a print option to your photo business, courtesy of the combined printer, software and order terminal: This marries DNP’s 6-inch DS620 printer to a 10.1-inch order terminal, the DS-Tmini, to provide a complete package.

The fresh news this month is that it has updated the software for this piece of hardware, introducing biometric passport photos functionality. This latest update can be downloaded free of charge, though DNP says that a biometric passport photos’ license needs to be purchased to activate it (contact your regional sales manager or sales@dnpphoto.eu for details).

Also included in the download is what DNP claims is improved colour quality thanks to a new ICC profile, while there is also a new receipt output function.

Putting you in the picture about biometric passports The biometric function is said to verify and validate the photo of your customer, checking it is valid for use in a biometric passport – for example it will flag up the fact that the subject blinked or that their mouth is open, and therefore the image is invalid for use. After successful purchase of a biometric license, simply follow the biometric activation process explained in the user manual – DNP says that the biometric feature can be activated both online and off-line.

To grab the update now, head to: http://bit.ly/sl620_update Meanwhile for more info head to http://bit.ly/sl620_manual and click the file called BiometricPhotos_SL_ UserManual_V1.3 If you have any issues, the DNP support team can be contacted via support@dnpphoto.eu. Or better still simply pop over the stand C20-D29 in Photokina Hall 3.1 to talk through your requirements with the team in person. www.dnpphoto.eu

www.bpinews.co.uk

Design bb&b - Photos: iStock, DNP

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BPI NEWS PRODUCT FOCUS

Stewart Randall of Folio Albums (seen here) - a long term customer of the DPS Group and Epson - says “I was looking for the best value and these guys came in with the best value product – plus my ton of research had suggested Epson was the best in terms of quality.”

GROW YOUR ‘FOLIO’ WITH THE DPS GROUP & EPSON The DPS Group recently delivered seven new 24-inch Epson SC P-7000 printers to Folio Albums, the latter signing up to the Photolease and Print & Save schemes for added benefit and savings…

W

e featured Folio Albums back in our June issue, the company’s pitch to photographers being that it’s dedicated to creating high quality fine art albums. Every album is individually handmade by its UK team, using beautiful fine art papers encased in covers of natural leather, photo wraps, silk or fabric material (see www.folioalbums.com).

Kent-based DPS Group recently supplied Folio with seven brand new

24-inch Epson SC P-7000 printers, in order to help the company upgrade its existing Stylus Pro 7900 printers and produce its 12-inch books. The machines have been leased under the very competitive Photolease scheme, which spreads the printer cost tax efficiently over three years, thereby not tying up large bundles of your business’ cash at the outset.

Furthermore, Folio Albums has opted to join Epson’s Print & Save scheme, also arranged via the DPS Group, which provides a set amount of ink and consumables at a great price.

Lower prices, full support via ‘Epson Print & Save’

Sign your business up to Epson Print & Save when you purchase or lease a new printer via the DPS Group - and save £’s

“Print & Save is for businesses who are able to estimate how much ink they’re going to use over a three year period and is a contract with Epson facilitated by us as the re-seller,” explains DPS Group MD Maneesh Patel. “The customer needs to know how much ink they’re going to use and it only works when they’ve bought new hardware.

“So when Folio Albums ordered their seven new printers from us, an estimation was made as to how much ink they might use over the

three years of the scheme. A set direct debit goes out every month to Epson; it’s as straightforward as a phone contract. Via Epson‘s secure online portal, Folio Albums request ink, maintenance tanks and other supplies up to the contracted value, plus there is the peace of mind of a three-year enhanced warranty from Epson. It’s for discerning companies and customers – if you make that commitment you’re going to get a better price. So it’s a very beneficial way to give customers lower ink and supplies prices as well as full support and warranty on the new printers purchased.”

Under the Epson Print & Save direct debit scheme the customer merely logs on to a web portal to ask for, for example, five ink sets to be delivered, and Epson will ship them out.

Satisfied customer Stewart Randall of Folio Albums says: “We have a long standing relationship with the DPS Group and Epson printers. I was looking for the best value and those guys came in with the best value product – plus my ton of research had suggested Epson was the best in terms of quality.

“We wanted the large format printers to be able to produce our biggest books. Our old 7900 printers were no longer available from Epson and what I also didn’t want to do was run multiple ink sets. The new printers are all on the Print & Save

“Print & Save is for businesses who are able to estimate how much ink they’re going to use over a three year period and is a contract with Epson facilitated by us as the re-seller. If you make that commitment you’re going to get a better price, with extended printer warranty support too.”

– DPS Group MD Maneesh Patel scheme, all under warranty and all perfectly synchronized. The DPS Group has a very good relationship with Epson so we were able to negotiate a good price. They are very approachable and quick to act which is so important nowadays.

“By leasing the printers it means that lump sum of cash can remain in the business and we can distribute the cost of the printers over the duration of our contract. With a three year lease and a three year warranty, it all synchronises perfectly for us.”

If news of the Photolease and Print & Save schemes have whetted your appetite, you are strongly advised to get in touch with Maneesh Patel or Gary Crawley on 020 8466 7230, or email sales@dpsb.co.uk www.thedpsgroup.co.uk

Get in touch regarding Epson Print & Save and the Photolease scheme NOW on 020 8466 7230 24 September 2016 | BPI News

www.bpinews.co.uk

PREVIEW

LUMEJET OFFERS TRADE PARTNERS ‘HIGHEST PRINT QUALITY EVER SEEN’ Established exactly a year ago, digital print specialist LumeJet is not only launching its service online – it is also reaching out to prospective partner retailers to enable them to offer, it says, the highest print quality ever seen

S

pecially developed ‘photonic’ print technology, which produces high quality 400dpi printed output on traditional silver halide papers that photographers are already declaring the best they’ve ever seen. This is the boast – and promise – to retailers from LumeJet, established exactly one year ago.

Its trade partners are now able to offer customers panoramic prints up to a metre in length plus additional products including lay-flat photo books, bespoke wedding albums, hospitality keepsakes, professional photographic portfolios and mounted and framed prints. No wonder LumeJet’s print partner program is growing, enabling like-minded businesses to cooperate and deliver a broader variety of its products.

“Our specially developed ‘photonic’ print technology has been emphatically endorsed by a number of professional photographers that have seen our print output,” enthuses LumeJet co-founder Paul Anson. “I believe this is now the breakthrough moment for LumeJet.”

“Print quality is falling behind display quality and that will be a problem in the future for some – future demand for higher quality by consumers is coming and if the industry does not respond, it will be selfdestructive.”

– LumeJet co-founder Paul Anson

“Our quality is good enough”.

Did television manufacturers, smartphone and tablet developers succeed with the same attitude?

Absolutely not. Print quality is falling behind display quality and that will be a problem in the future for some – future demand for higher quality by consumers is coming and if the industry does not respond, it will be self-destructive. It may not be a problem today, but I believe it will come more quickly than most imagine – Generation Z will drive it.”

With that in mind, interested parties and potential retail partners in the trade are being invited to get in touch with Paul and the team today via sales@lumejet.com.

The business model is simple: “With each partner we review the business opportunity and agree how to structure a win-win commercial deal with complete alignment. We want our partners to grow their business, escape price wars and be more profitable – by delivering great quality and value to their customers.

Each deal will be a little different.

There is no capital equipment risk, no unforeseen service issues or risk of redundancy, and no upfront charge.

We will cooperate with partners to support their marketing and provide retail product development support so they can develop the best possible products prior to launch. We are very motivated to support and protect our partners. Companies that innovate – regarding products, customer acquisition and service access – and who never stand still, can prosper.“

the philosophy of a high-end lab, with the convenience of an online service, and a unique technology.

“The key is that every pixel is exposed in a more controlled manner than any other process, and its neighbours are unaffected – hence a big reduction in flare and increased sharpness. Resolution is a misunderstood A true partnership based science, but our on innovation LumeJet has just launched a new online service aimed at pro photographers - and is inviting the trade to partner in offering 400 dpi contone printhead delivers LumeJet Print Technologies was its print quality too true 400 dpi formed in late 2015 with the aim of resolution, whereas many that claim forging a true partnership model with developing it. Secondly, we believe our photo quality cannot be beaten, the same or even higher simply its customers. and that includes the ability to cannot independently address each “We now have six commercial produce fine text and graphics with pixel on the sheet. partners, a base of pro-photographer “We believe that print quality is customers, have continued to improve true photo quality as well as offering great colour fidelity and a beautifully a factor in the future growth of our our technology and have recently natural reproduction. We combine industry, or will be. I hear so often, launched a direct print service,” notes Paul. “It’s early days but we have many fans, are building business and are hugely excited. Our goal is to build a global business, to help our partners LumeJet will be showcasing its products and services at Photokina in Hall 9, F-018. grow their own and to never stop Paul says: “We are extremely keen to meet photographers and companies who may trying to be better. be interested in our partner programme, and of course, anyone who would like to “As to what sets us apart, there are find out more about what we are doing at LumeJet.” Interested parties can contact a few things. First of all we own and their commercial team by phone +44 (0) 2476 992 649 or via sales@lumejet.com. have developed a unique technology and have the team to keep

LumeJet at Photokina

Potential retail partners looking to take advantage of LumeJet print technology can get in touch via sales@lumejet.com www.bpinews.co.uk

BPI News | September 2016 25

MINILAB NEWS

FUJIFILM SHOWCASES THE WONDER OF PHOTO

The pro-active brand has been on the road this summer with its ‘Wonder Photo Tour’, highlighting its printing prowess and Instax instant cameras to customers up and down the country. The aim is increased footfall to its retailers, more people being inspired to print, and them getting the message that ‘Fujifilm is photo’

A

s news reaches us that another Wonder Photo Store has opened – this time in New York – back in the UK Fujifilm chose to take its fun concept on the road, touring various festivals and shows over the summer. The purpose was to bring family-orientated, interactive and creative photographic experiences to events around the country with the sole aim being to get everyone excited about printing photos again – which, ultimately, benefits the wider photo trade too.

“We’ve been really engaging with customers as much as possible, telling them about photo and giving them a free magnetic print to take away,” the company’s Marketing Manager Peter Wigington explains.

When we spoke Fujifilm had already driven its specially deckedout Wonder Photo Tour Trailer and the Instax VW camper van to five events, and was already well into the swing of it.

“We started at the Royal Welsh Show then went to the New Forest & Hampshire County Show, Nottingham River Festival, Bristol Balloon Fiesta and as we speak the Bournemouth Air Festival. Next is the Clacton Air Show before we finish at the Charsworth House Country Fair. All slightly different types of events but all of which attract the family audience we believe we should be talking to about photo.

Of course with the likes of 70 Hot Air Balloons in the sky at one time and the wonderful Red Arrow fly-bys to name just two there are also a feast of photo taking opportunities.”

Dedicated team on tour Peter reveals that there’s been a dedicated core of Fujifilm staff manning the photo magnet production with another six dedicated front of house demonstrators supplied by i2i

“You won’t be surprised to know that the general consensus from the Wonder Photo Tour questionnaires so far is that everybody wants to print photos, but never seem to get around to it.

So we need to become far more engaged with those consumers and start talking to them more directly about the amazing products and services that are available to them. What we really want to get across is that ‘Fujifilm IS photo’.”

– Fujifilm Marketing Manager, Peter Wigington

Marketing who managed the extensive logistics required in putting on the tour. With the lure of visitors having their photos made into free photo magnets, numbers have been impressive. “We have regularly been printing in excess of 800 photo magnets a day,” Peter says.

“And while the visitors queue to order a print from their phones we’ve talked to them about what they can do with their photos and got them sending us tweets and Instagram photos for a chance to win £500 worth of photo prizes including three Instax cameras. We’ve also used the opportunity to get visitors to fill out a questionnaire so we can get a better feel about what they’re currently doing with their photos. That’s really the main drive behind the Wonder Photo Tour..

“While we’re seeing lots of magnets being printed – and lots of images stored on phones, in one case over 9,000! –, you won’t be surprised

Boost your print sales in 2016! Get in touch with Peter direct on 01234 572138 or via pwigington@fuji.co.uk 26 September 2016 | BPI News

www.bpinews.co.uk

FUJIFILM FDIS PROMOTION Imagine all the people…

Apart from winning hearts and minds by giving out free photo magnets, the other big push on the tour has been to encourage visitors to download the Fujifilm Imagine print app to their smartphones and tablets. As a result Peter’s team has seen a big uplift in daily numbers of downloads – going from the pre tour average of 100 per day to around 200 per day. “We’ve got into a routine now – we encourage vistors to come in and get a free photo magnet then talk to them while they queue and show them how to download and use the app to order prints, store images in the cloud or share photo projects like creating a photobook.

We understand that by us getting out and showing consumers how easy it is to order a photo whenever

you want from wherever you are we can help all our photo imaging partners in that respect. But, downloading the Fujifilm Imagine app is only the first step; once you’ve got the app we’ve got to persuade you to use the app on a regular basis.

That for us is where our social media engagement will come in and why we are so keen to build our future photo marketing focus around this.”

To coincide with a strong push on Instax cameras through the FDIS retailer network the next FDIS promotion is based around winning a Mini Instax 8 camera plus 10 shots when you buy 30 or more 6x4 prints at your participating store. “A lot of teenagers love the idea of seeing the instant print – the mobile phone and an instant printer is a great combination,” Peter confirms. More details on Fujifilm’s pre-Christmas

plans to support the trade as we have them! In the meantime, check the latest on Fujifilm’s Wonder Photo Tour progress at the below URL: https://fujifilm-blog.com/wonderphoto-tour-by-fujifilm-uk/s

New FDIS member ‘Click’s with Fujifilm

to know that the general consensus from the questionnaires is that everybody wants to print photos but never seem to get around to it.

Everybody we spoke to says how much they love the idea of making a photobook of a special occasion or getting a canvas for the sitting room wall. So the plan for us now is that, armed with this information, we can become far more engaged with those consumers and start talking to them more directly about what can be done. We plan to start building up a social media community through Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and talking about the Wonder of Photo and what we can do with it.

What we really want to get across is ‘Fujifilm IS photo’. That’s the whole message encapsulated… and what’s come out of it is that we need to be much more proactive in getting that message across.”

Over the past six months Fujifilm has acquired nine new FDIS members, including owner Lindsey Trundle of Click Click in Bishops Stortford. Coming up to 10 years of trading, the store has installed a Frontier-S with two DX100 printers and a single DPC10 kiosk. Lindsey also has a 44-inch wide ink jet printer plus a mug and flat bed dye sublimation press for a range of inhouse photo gift production.

“We purchased the business from Colorama, totally rebranded and became ‘Click Click’,” she recalls, adding that the business currently has two full-time and two part-time members of staff.

After thinking for a while about going down the dry lab route the store was eventually forced into it when its old Agfa drylab died and was irreparable. “We looked at a few options and found the service we got from Fujifilm was both efficient and favourable in terms of equipment and value.

“Joining the FDIS programme was a must for us. With the involvement of an industry leader, we feel fully supported with all of our marketing and promotions. We love all our new signage and feel that the new black branding gives a very modern, contemporary look to our store.”

In terms of which products do well for the business, Lindsey

Another one signs up to FDIS! “Joining was a must for us,” says Lindsey Trundle (right)

highlights large format printing, instore canvas wraps and photo gifts, as well as photo restoration, which it undertakes itself. “Every now and again we run a ‘buy two get one free’ offer on canvas wraps which sells very well if timed correctly,” she adds. “We usually run that offer in November to encourage people to order Christmas canvasses early, so we can concentrate on looking after the customers in the store throughout December.”

As a new FDIS member Lindsey adds that she is ‘particularly

excited’ about utilising the Fujifilm Imagine App. “We plan to get as many people ordering online as possible. A large percentage of our customer base is stay-athome Mums with babies or small children and this is the perfect solution for them. Overall I’m very much looking forward to seeing how our business grows and moves forward working alongside Fujifilm and am already planning to add kiosks to our existing equipment.”

Boost your print sales in 2016! Get in touch with Peter direct on 01234 572138 or via pwigington@fuji.co.uk www.bpinews.co.uk

BPI News | September 2016 27

PREVIEW

BACKGROUND DETAIL: CLICK PROPS LAUNCHES 50 NEW DESIGNS AT PHOTOKINA

We examine the latest eye-catching photographic backgrounds from Click Props, a past recipient of multiple awards at The Societies Convention & Trade Show for Best Studio Accessory, and exhibiting at Photokina – Hall 4, Stand 027 – for the first time ever (portraits by Charlie Kaufman)

I

f you’ve ever attended The Societies’ Convention & Trade Show or any of its Digital Imaging Roadshows you’ll most likely be familiar with the Click Group and its photographic backgrounds division, Click Props. The latter has won ‘Studio Accessory of the Year’ for the past two years running – which is why its products will be of interest to the photographic retail specialist.

Another great reason is that the company has recently introduced 50 brand new backgrounds – and is launching 50 more on the show floor at Photokina, where Click Props is exhibiting for the first time ever, to introduce its wares to an international audience. This will make for a whopping 400 backgrounds in the range in total. Naturally it is reaching out to the photo trade as potential stockists.

“Normally we only reveal our new backgrounds in January, but with Photokina coming up we’ve pushed it forward to September,” CEO Charlie Kaufman enthuses to BPI News.

The other exciting news is that Click Props’ backgrounds are attracting big name customers here in the UK too – namely pro photographers Ross Grieve and Emma Drabble, both Panasonic brand ambassadors, along with Elli Cassidy, respected maternity and newborn photographer.

For his part, Ross notes that Click backgrounds “are a fantastic bit of kit. I’ve used them for shoots at the National Trust and all the time in the studio. I’m going to be doing a big shoot with them, where I want a Vogue-esque look. The bonus is that you can start with a brick wall and five minutes later have transformed it into something that looks like a room; the backdrops even have skirting boards printed on them.

People thought I had redecorated the studio! So they give me the option to make a change, which is easy to do.

And because they’re a vinyl, you can

vomit on them,” he jokes, “and they’re pretty durable.”

Seeing double So, if you’re considering stocking photographic backgrounds – which items from the range should you choose? Charlie tells us that the ‘Make Mine a Double’, a combination background – whereby the floor and the background are one piece – an idea brought to the UK from America, is proving incredibly popular with photographic customers. In the past people would have to buy a floor and coordinated background separately. “We’ve sold over 200 of them since January,” Charlie adds.

“The good thing about Click is we’re a small company so we are able to listen to our customers and react in an instant.”

Customer feedback has led to the introduction of Click’s latest and largest background in the Maxi +, which follows on from the nine-and-a half feet high ‘Maxi’. “This is one of the biggest vinyls you can buy anywhere in the world, at three metres wide and 2.44 high, ‘or near enough 10ft x 8ft,” Charlie explains. “This now gives photographers the opportunity to use our backgrounds for family portraiture and weddings. And while it’s a bigger size, it’s not big money.”

Click Props will launch a sixth new size of background at Photokina, which is being pitched to the trade as larger than a Make Mine a Double. “It’s another combo background that will link our Maxi to our 5ft background.

At 7ft wide, it is big enough for fashion and family portraiture, but is only 8ft in height. The floor, which blends with it, is 5ft protruding from the back. The product sits in between what we have already and there are approximately 40 different designs; we believe it will capture the imagination of all the mobile photographers.”

Man in the background(s): Click Props CEO Charlie Kaufman is waiting to speak to you at Photokina

Charlie adds that, in terms of market trends, his pastel colours and Old Masters are strong sellers: “Fine art and children’s portraiture is massive at the moment, so we’ve already started designing a load of Old Masters and modern takes on Old Masters. The other thing that is ‘in’ are pale flowers and autumn shades, plus we’ve also brought in superhero designs and blackboards.”

Get in touch now

There are 400 background options to choose from at Click props – with its 50 newest designs showcased at Photokina this month

Another part of your potential sales pitch to photographer customers should be that Click Props’ backgrounds feature metal eyelets at the top for strength, always located in the same place, so any photographers who have been using Click’s products for the past five years will be able to seamlessly integrate the new ones.

This also means that only standard picture hooks are required to hang them. They can also be attached to any background support stand using clamps and/or attached to existing studio background roller cores, so photographers can bring them up or down with ease.

To order any of Click Props backgrounds, or simply find out more, get in touch with CEO Charlie Kaufman on 01923 297 417, email Charlie@cccuk.co or direct your browser to www.clickprops.co.uk

Visit Click Props and its new backgrounds at Photokina: Hall 4, Level 1, Aisle H – Stand 027. www.clickprops.co.uk 28 September 2016 | BPI News

www.bpinews.co.uk

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The perfect picture A members only partnership with the market leader in photo imaging.

Providing a modern marketing solution for photo retail within your business.

The perfect solution to increase your profit margins from photo retail.

For more information For more information the benefits of FDIS membership or to please call on 01234 572138 or request a brochure please call Peter Wigington visit www.fdisphotoretailers.com on 01234 572138 or email pwigington@fuji.co.uk

TALK OF THE TRADE

Farewell PMA, hello Imaging Alliance Long-standing trade body the PMA is no more. But out of the ashes rises a new organisation: The Imaging Alliance. BPI News hears from its President Jim Malcolm, who tells us in his own words what this means for former PMA members and the industry at large…

T

he industry needs to come together. In the US there were lots of fragmented conversations going on. What was missing was how we talk to the consumer, and how we represent the dealers and distributors to continue to sell and innovate in the imaging category, so that manufacturers are motivated to build new products and services that can be sold to the distribution channel. Back in September I started as the President of the PMDA, which was the catalyst for us starting the conversation about what the future imaging industry needs. And then we started having all the really tough conversations with PMAI, PMDA and all of the manufacturers to figure out how we eliminate confusion by coming together under a single organisation.

Manufacturers don’t want to spend money to go to yet another trade show to talk to the same audience; they want to invest in consumer facing programs that can be activated at a retail level to get people excited and to understand why imaging matters.

Because there’s misunderstanding in the industry that a mobile phone will do it all and that there’s no need for a dedicated camera or for permanence in imaging. If we look at technologies like SnapChat, photography goes away and visual communication comes in, and those pictures or videos disappear. The idea of holding onto memories for a long time is becoming faded and we need to remind consumers that images matter.

And the landscape is changing. I believe there’s a much stronger future in things like virtual reality and drones and new tech, including apps. This is something we’re looking to focus on with the Imaging Alliance much more, as clearly it has global impact. I’m excited that we have an opportunity to define what the future imaging industry looks like. Those images may come from drones, mobile phones and traditional cameras, or

new technology like full spherical or 360°, but what we need to do now is monetise and find commerce opportunities for all the billions of pictures that are being captured.

cameras and camera technologies is starting to decline.

One of the biggest issues is that most consumers under the age of 25 haven’t been into a specialist camera store, which is alarming. So how do you get those people in the door? In

imaging industry successful, in terms of building a good solid brand and strong base of consumers, it’s been the mass consumer. If the imaging industry just relies on enthusiasts we’re going to go back to a market size like the old days when you

“There’s misunderstanding in the industry that a mobile phone will do it all and that there’s no need for a dedicated camera or for permanence. The idea of holding onto memories for a long time is becoming faded and we need to remind consumers that images matter.”

– Jim Malcolm, The Imaging Alliance From a retail perspective, maybe it’s printing. In the future people who have a spherical camera are maybe going to be printing lampshades, globes that go over the light and feature a full 360° picture! Only by sitting around a table with innovative thinkers in the industry do those threads of inspiration start to drive the adoption of such options.

Without a solid distribution channel, the motivation for manufacturers to innovate and build additional

the US retailers are doing things like a seminar on virtual reality. Younger people may be putting on a headset and learning about 360° photography, or how Playstation is going to have goggles in the future. What it’s doing is bringing in new consumers that retailers can have a dialogue with, to both understand more about the services they’re looking for, or what’s already in their store they can sell to that younger generation.

If you look at what has made the

The Imaging Alliance has launched its own website to explain some of its aims and modus operandi. Discover more at www.theimagingalliance.com

had a darkroom in your house. The difference is back in those days you sold paper, chemistry and film, so there was a commerce opportunity.

Now, after selling photo enthusiasts that camera, there is no reason for them to come back in store, because they’re going to use online software and share images online. The occasional upgrade of a low margin digital camera is not really enough incentive to continually go back into a retail environment.

I believe VR, drones, video capabilities and remote imaging are great examples of triggers that may re-introduce imaging to the mass market. We have to embrace the image regardless of where it comes from. So many people are saying the mobile phone is evil because it’s killing the imaging industry. But guess what, that’s where billions of photos are being taken, so how do we take those images and put them into a workflow that leads to revenue opportunities, whether it’s printing those images, or making photo books, or a new way to share, such as via a branded app. There are a lot of different ways to do it, so we can’t be afraid of the mobile phone.

We have to figure out how to bring it into the conversation and move consumers into a more complex imaging solution.”

Agree or disagree with our Talk of the Trade? Have your say in this magazine via info@bpinews.co.uk 30 September 2016 | BPI News

www.bpinews.co.uk

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