BPI News May 2015

WHO GETS YOUR VOTE? OPEN NOW FOR 2015 TIPA AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENT

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BPI News

EDITORIAL

May 2015

Winning predictions from BPI News CONTENTS

I

©National Trust Images/Matthew Antrobus

t’s all about awards this issue. I’m just back in from the Sony sponsored World Photography Awards, celebrating the best of the best among photographers both professional and amateur – and earlier last month the 2015 TIPA Award winners were announced, spotlighting the best products in a number of specialist categories. Obviously it’s this second batch of victors that will be of most interest and use to the photographic trade – from manufacturers who value the recognition and promotional opportunities the TIPAs possibly bring, to photographic retailers who, in a declared winner, have extra ammunition when pitching that product and attempting a sale. To help out, we have included a comprehensive winners’ report, beginning on page 7 of this issue.

It is also surprising (though, on reflection, not a total shock), how many TIPA winners this year are also previous recipients of Product of the Month profiles in BPI News, and were subsequently BPI News Awards finalists last month. A case of great minds thinking alike, something in our crystal balls, or just that certain photo gear was obviously streets ahead of what else was around at certain times of the year? Whatever. As it now transpires, you read it here first.

Elsewhere this month we catch up with the latest plans for the PhotoLive day-long roadshows this summer, mixing paid for photographic workshops with a free-to-enter retail area, and we also discover how, on the mini lab and photo processing front, winners at this year’s FDIS Awards (also announced in BPI News April) are making their membership and recognition count for their businesses.

Told you it was all about awards this issue. The realNational test though Lumix Trust POS is to make them count and deliver extra footfall and revenue. Let us know how you get on Complimentary 12 month national trust membership with the lumiX FZ200 or FZ72 Description • Complimentary National be our and see you back here next month for what I can’t believe will already Trust Membership 2 month national trust June edition. That’s something we didn’t see coming. Campaign POS

nic.co.uk/promotions k of Leica Camera AG

Gavin Stoker, Editor

4

Featuring 4K shooting cine cameras and Selphy printer from Canon, plus the first 4K Nikon compact. Camera drones take off in a big way via the affordable DJI Phantom, doing well with retailers including LCE, whilst Tetenal promotes analogue photography and print

INTRODUCING MR APPY

6

We’re not just talking about Fujifilm’s ever smiling Peter Wigington, but rather his new cartoon pal designed to help promote the brand’s free-to-download Fujifilm Imagine app; easier enabling your customers to place print orders with you via smartphone or tablet TRADE SALES TIPS FROM THE TIPA AWARDS 2015 7 As mentioned in our editorial opposite, photo industry brands and products both big and small have been singled out for praise by the European imaging press as the annual line up of winners is announced. Could they have an impact on your own product sales?

A RETURN TO NEDIS IS A RETURN ON INVESTMENT 16 We once again feature pro-active distributor Nedis, whose campaigns, brochures and specialist promotions are inspiring dealers to also stock non-photographic items, that are both complementary and high margin, alongside standard photo gear ROTOLIGHT’S GAME CHANGER MAKES THE FINAL 25 We told you (opposite) that this issue (and the past few weeks) has had something of an awards theme. Rotolight is currently up for one for its innovative Neo on-camera LED light, pitched at both photographers and videographers. Find out why you should stock it COVER: PARIS EN PRINTEMPS…. Never one to miss the opportunity to twin a pretty girl with one of its cameras, Olympus UK has enlisted the fashion blogging fraternity to pitch its PEN range to women, commissioning a special Parisien shoot. Cherchez la femme! Olympus event report: http://bit.ly/1Gu2TQV COPY DUE DATE FOR JUNE 2015 BPI NEWS IS MONDAY MAY 18TH…. ISSUE POSTED OUT END OF MAY. GET YOUR PRODUCTS IN FRONT OF THE TRADE AS THE SUMMER SALES SEASON HEATS UP!

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE LATEST UK PHOTO & IMAGING NEWS send your email address to info@bpinews.co.uk Overseas annual subscription £50. For details email info@bpinews.co.uk View back issues online at http://www.bpinews.co.uk/ 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.

BPI News is published monthly by BPI Partners Ltd 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

EDITOR - Gavin Stoker A3 Poster Email: info@bpinews.co.uk Tel: 07990 974 367 Please direct all editorial requests, news and press releases to info@bpinews.co.uk T48046 Panasonic_A3_Poster.indd 1

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

21/08/2013 13:54

©National Trust Images/Matthew Antrobus

ial plaCes

al places with the

©National Trust Images/Matthew Antrobus

the lumiX FZ200 or FZ72

NEWS

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.

PUBLISHER - Clive Insley Email: info@bpinews.co.uk Wobbler Tel: 01344 625131 Tel: 07713 622 304 Please direct all advertising enquiries and sponsorship opportunities to Clive.

Hang Tag

You can also follow us on our Twitter page... @bpi_news 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

T48046 Panasonic_A4_Cling.indd 1

Publisher’s Office: 12 Holmes Close, Sunninghill, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 9TJ. BPI Partners Ltd accept no ultimate responsibility for accurate reproduction of digital artwork created by third parties.

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NEWS

Tetenal announces photo comp UK winner

Canon turns heat up to 4K ULTRA HIGH definition is all the rage this month as, like rival Nikon, Canon has pitched in with new 4K video recording additions to its line up – this time aimed at pros. The new specialist tools are: the EOS C300 Mark II, which upgrades the C300 with dual Digic DV5 processors; a compact video camera in the XC10 which is suggested as a supporting camera, or as a standalone solution for independent filmmakers; plus a 24-inch 4K monitor in the DP-V2410 for on-set colour management and grading. The latter is expected to arrive in Europe the last quarter of this year.

With a September release date, the C300 Mark II has a SRP of £11,299, whilst the XC10 is more affordable at a suggested £1599.99 and has an earlier arrival of June. www.canon.co.uk

The new EOS C300 Mark II above, and one-inch sensor super-bridge 4K model the XC10, below THE UK winner of Tetenal’s inaugural European Analogue Photographer of the Year Competition has been announced. Entries were judged across five categories – Portrait, Landscape, Architecture, People/Lifestyle and Wildlife. Dr Michael Pritchard FRPS, Director-General of The Royal Photographic Society (left in photo) joined Tetenal UK Marketing Manager Craig Bird (right) and Jeremy Roy, Tetenal Key Accounts & Darkroom Product Manager for the UK judging at the Bath offices of the RPS. The overall winner (a Portrait) was Tomas Januska’s Meda above, impressing the judges with the engaging subject and photographic expertise. “It was great to see so many entries come in, as it was the first year of the competition so we didn’t really know what kind of response we would get,” says Tetenal’s Craig Bird. “We had great help in communicating the competition from the likes of the Royal Photographic Society and Silverprint in London and we will hopefully run the competition again next year.”

The UK winner joins the other overall country winners in a final Hamburg judging to find the 2015 B&W Analogue Photographer of the Year. Judges include F. C. Gundlach, regarded as the most important fashion photographer of West Germany’s early post-war period. For more info on the competition, together with images of many of the entries, see: www.since1847.tetenal.com

Powerline Vario is the line to stock – for more power to your sales THE NEW ANSMANN Powerline Vario is a fast charger for most Li-Ion and Li-Po batteries used in digital cameras, camcorders, mobile phones, PDAs and MP3 players which also charges 2 x AA/AAA rechargeable batteries – a great charger for all cameras, flash and digital products.

The status of the batteries is displayed on the LCD display with following signals: CHARGING: individual bars flash separately for 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% charge BATTERY FULL: all four percentage increments are on GREAT DEALER MARGINS. POWER: the whole LCD display flashes once then stops 3 Magazine test reports out soon !

ERROR: all bars flash Charging current is 600mA for 3.7V Li-Ion batteries, 500mA for 7.4V batteries, and1000mA for two AA/ AAA cells. Two flexible contact pins can be adjusted to charge most types of Li-Ion and Li-Po batteries. A 1m USB to Micro USB cable connects to the USB traveller power supply with wide range input (100-240V AC) and interchangeable mains plugs for worldwide use (Euro, UK, US and AUS), plus a 12V USB car adaptor.

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The Powerline Vario can handle both camera Li-Ion and regular AA/ AAA cells

NEWS

Epson races ahead

Canon acquires photo archive Lifecake

Jodie Kidd launches new DJI drones

Game of drones COULD – or should – your customers’ next camera be a drone? With sales of consumer orientated camera drones on the up, and stockists including photo specialists such as London Camera Exchange, Chinese manufacturer DJI has announced what it is terming the possible “future of aerial imaging and video”. It has launched not one but two updates to its Phantom series. These are the Phantom 3 ‘Professional’ – a 4K shooting unmanned aerial vehicle with gold detailing and a suggested retail price of £1,159 – plus a second model in the Phantom 3 Advanced. The latter records 1080P video, costs a more affordable £899 SRP, and is outwardly distinguishable via its silver detailing.

Both models of the Phantom 3 offer a 94° field of view lens with f/2.8 aperture.

This, it said, helps to flatten out the image, with a larger sensor size and better dynamic range also featuring. For more information on camera drones and their possibilities an online community has been set up at skypixel.com

EPSON is offering your customers a new range topping inkjet photo printer for output up to A2 with built-in Wi-Fi connectivity and a roll paper option. The desktop SureColor SC-P800 device features a new nine colour UltraChrome HD ink set (vivid light magenta, vivid magenta, yellow, light cyan, cyan, matt black, photo black, light light black and light black), claimed to deliver not only vivid results but also the deepest blacks on the market and, of key importance for any gallery prints, improved light-fastness. A roll paper option affords the reproduction of panoramic photos and banners, with three paper paths including a front-loading fine art paper path. A 2.7inch touch screen monitor allows printing to take place independently of a computer, while it’s also Epson’s first 17-inch printer to feature Wi-Fi connectivity. Print resolution is 2880x1440 dpi while it weighs 19.5kg – with the smallest footprint of any A2 printer. www.epson.co.uk

Suit your Selphy FOR THOSE customers of yours wanting high quality prints on the go Canon is offering its new compact and stylish CP1000 Selphy printer, capable of outputting prints in 47 seconds direct from camera, USB port or memory card, and featuring a tilt up LCD screen for reference purposes. Being a portable printer this one utilises dye sub technology, and there is an optional battery pack accessory for those wanting

Swains appointed Eyefi distributor

Alberto Spinelli, Canon Europe Director of Digital Services shakes on the deal with Lifecake CEO and co-founder Nicholas Babaian CANON has acquired London based digital start up Lifecake – known for its photo sharing app for families that allows parents to store, organise and share key moments of their off-springs’ lives – which it claims is a major step in boosting its digital consumer services business. Canon says this brings it closer to its ambition to play a part in every image taken no matter what device is used.

the ‘ultimate’ in portability. Print options include a glossy finish and three variations of semi gloss for smudge and fingerprint resistant prints. With availability from this July, SRP is £89.99. www.canon.co.uk

I’m voting for SNP! … that’s Selling National Photography! When the current election fever subsides, consumers’ minds will finally start thinking of summer holidays...and hopefully deciding it’s time to update their camera, lenses and gadget bags. And this is where ’we’re all in this together’ – selling the benefits of photography as an art form and an industry. Let’s encourage the majority of people to take more photographs, or ‘life memories’ as they’re referred to in the States. Perhaps put together a few kits of your own from various suppliers (forming, if you like, your own ‘coalitions’) to suggest a great deal at key price points. Go that extra mile to get your customers’ vote.

Share your feedback, news and views with publisher Clive Insley via info@bpinews.co.uk or call 07713 622304.

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BPI News | May 2015 5

MINILAB NEWS

Introducing Mr Appy Fujifilm’s latest marketing construct to encourage your customers to download its free Fujifilm Imagine app to their smartphone and start ordering prints is the loveable ‘Mr Appy’.

BPI News learns more from the company’s Peter Wigington Peter Wigington with the debut screening of Fujifilm Imagine’s new friendly personality for their app – at The Photography Show

M

ost of us now have phones bulging with images that we never print. But Fujifilm has the solution to get our phones back in shape: its free-to-download Fujifilm Imagine app – newly promoted by its ‘Mr Appy’ character. First seen at The Photography Show on the Fujifilm stand, the cartoon is now starring in his own YouTube video at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqR4TS-A7w4 “No other major photographic company is doing the concept behind the more to promote printing to the promotional tool. “He is a general public,” says Fujifilm’s mobile phone stuffed with Marketing Manager Peter photos. He loves photos but Wigington. doesn’t like being weighed As usual, it’s all about down with a belly full of them. simplifying the route to print He wants to tell us how to for your customers in order to get our smartphones back in maximise profit potential for shape. He has a single-minded your own business. And the message to communicate; message is simple: download namely download the Fujifilm the Fujifilm Imagine app, choose Mobile Imagine App from either the photos you want to print Google Play or the Apple Store with a finger tap, and upload today.” them quickly and easily. Your Making retailers ‘appy too! customers can then choose to have their high quality prints delivered to their homes or As regular readers of BPI News to collect them in store. Even will be aware, Fujifilm’s Imagine better, your customers’ images Mobile app offers an easy way are stored in the Cloud free for your customers to turn their of charge courtesy of Fujifilm, photos into a wide variety of ready to be viewed on line, on products – including prints, their phone or via an in-store photo gifts, canvasses and kiosk – and then printed again posters. It also integrates with and again for as long as they customers’ Fujifilm Imagine want to. online accounts, so images “Mr Appy is a cute and can be used from there as well. friendly character,” Peter Orders completed and placed continues, by way of explaining securely using a mobile device

at any time of the day or night – so yes, you can be winning business even as you sleep – are fulfilled by you as the chosen retailer.

“The flexibility of the character allows us to reach our target audience in many different ways, using various forms of media.

It also allows us to re-use the character with no fees / royalties or additional related costs that are associated with advertising.

The plan is that the TV character can be easily adapted for in-store point of sale, be brought out at trade shows, on the high street, and be marketed digitally and via mobile.

“While we are initially introducing the character to encourage downloads of the Fujifilm Imagine app, longterm we hope that he can tell the rest of the Fujifilm Imagine story…”

To find out more about

marketing opportunities and point of sale featuring the Mr Appy character to help get Fujifilm’s message across to your customers, please contact Peter Wigington on 01234 572138 or email pwigington@fuji.co.uk

For more info contact Peter Wigington on 01234 572138 or email pwigington@fuji.co.uk 6 May 2015 | BPI News

TIPA AWARDS 2015

Trade sales tips from TIPA Awards 2015

T

echnology editors and journalists throughout Europe have put their heads together once again to come up with an annual list of the best of the best as regards the imaging trade; all providing extra fuel to help you pitch the products to your customers.

This year Nikon has a trio of victors in the D810, named Best Professional DSLR, the D5500, our own BPI News Product of the Month for March, which takes home Best Entry Level DSLR, while the Coolpix P610 bags Best Superzoom Camera.

As we squeezed in a mention of last issue, Sigma took two awards. Its 24mm f/1.4 DG Art Lens (see more, p16) was acclaimed Best Expert DSLR Prime lens, while Best Entry Level DSLR lens went to the 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM. Panasonic was also in clover, with its DMC-GM5 awarded Best Advanced CSC, the DMC-LX100 Best Expert Photo/Video camera and the FT6 rugged model ‘Best Rugged Camera’.

A quartet of accolades meanwhile went to Canon. Its EOS 7D Mark II took Best Expert DSLR, the 100400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Best Expert DSLR Zoom Lens, the EF 1124mm f/4L USM Best Pro DSLR Lens, while, unusually, Best Easy Compact Camera was split between three compacts: the IXUS 160, 165 and 170.

Best Premium Compact went to the Fujiflm X100T, which also bagged Best Expert Compact Camera for the X30 and Best Expert CSC Zoom Lens for the XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR. Best Imaging Innovation was another former BPI News Product of the Month in the Intro2020 distributed Lytro Illum, whilst

A gathering of TIPA judges, left, and a gathering of TIPA award winning products below

another of its brands – Tamron – took Best Entry Level CSC Lens for the 14-150mm f/3.5-5.8 DI III. Continuing, Manfrotto’s BeFree carbon series tripod was, simply, ‘Best Tripod’.

Best Portable Flash went to the Nissin Air System, distributed by

Kenro (see p13), while Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II – Product of the Month for our April issue – was garlanded with Best Expert CSC. Epson picked up Best Photo Scanner for the Perfection V850 Pro, Best Photo Printer went to the SureColor P600, and its EH-LS

10000 was Best Projector.

Samsung wasn’t left out either, its flagship NX1 taking Best Professional CSC. Sony made it a trio of wins with its A5100 bagging Best Entry level CSC, its A7S Best Pro Photo/Video Camera and the ILCE-QX1 ‘smart’ lens for use with smartphones took Best Mobile Imaging Device.

Best CSC Prime Lens went to the Zeiss Loxia line up and Best Pro Lighting System was the Profoto B2 (see p9). The Pentax K-S2 took Best Advanced DSLR, its 645Z was best Medium Format Camera and the WG-M1 was Best Action Cam. With Best Photo Bag ‘bagged’ by Think Tank Photo for its Airport International Classic, Best Inkjet Photo Paper was won by Canson for its Infinity Photo Lustre Premium PRC 310gsm.

Closer to home, Canon, Nikon, Panasonic and Sony have all made the annual Which? Magazine shortlist for Best Photography Brand, whilst Wex Photographic is competing against John Lewis, Screwfix, Richer Sounds and Lush for Best Retailer. www.tipa.com

BPI News | May 2015 7

TIPA AWARDS 2015

Nikon scoops TIPA trio, unveils 4K shooter

A

mong this year’s TIPAs, Nikon has a trio of victors, two of which were previously Product of the Month in BPI News. The D810 was named Best Professional DSLR – having been our Product of the Month last September – whilst the D5500, our Product of the Month this March, took home Best Entry Level DSLR. The third TIPA winner was the 60x optical zoom Coolpix P610, which was named Best Superzoom Camera by the European technical press; its judges spread across 27 magazines and 16 different countries.

Nikon MD John Walshe tells BPI News: “It is an honour for Nikon to win TIPA Awards across two highly competitive DSLR categories, as well as an accolade for the innovative Coolpix P610 super zoom. This model combines high-performance Super ED glass with an EVF and a 7.5cm vari-angle LCD screen, so we’re delighted to see it acknowledged by the esteemed TIPA judges.”

As regular BPI News readers and Nikon retail partners will be aware the 24.2 megapixel D5500 is notable for being the first Nikon DSLR with an 8.1cm vari-angle LCD touch screen.

Ergonomically designed, its deep grip, lightweight and slim-line body ensures ultimate comfort, according to the manufacturer.

Our own March 2015 review of the D5500 noted: “With what feels like a smaller than average footprint for a DSLR – it will sit in the palm of your customers’ hands, particularly with retractable 18-55mm kit zoom selected – operational controls remain well within finger and thumb reach. We also liked the fact that Live View is now on a switch encircling the shooting mode dial, rather than being secreted away on the backplate. Stereo microphones located just behind the pop up flash complete the impression that this is a fully featured camera despite the smaller body size and relatively simplified control layout. Even with the kit lens attached, detail is commendably clear and colours naturalistically rendered, making this a very good starter DSLR option.

Suggesting anyone who buys this looking to improve their smartphone snaps can’t go far wrong may seem like scant praise, but the D5500 could well be all the DSLR most amateur

Three was the magic number for the photo stalwart at this year’s TIPA Awards, voted for by luminaries in the European technical press… while the brand also debuted its first ever 4K camera…

Success on three levels – TIPA awards for the D5500 (top, with articulated touch screen); D810 lower right with 36 megapixel full frame sensor; and P610 below, in red, with 60X optical zoom, WiFi, NFC, built-in EVF and articulated rear screen.

snappers ever require.”

Referring to future TIPA winner the D810 last September, we originally said: “Pro grade cameras aren’t cheap, yet at a body-only £2,699.99 the dust and weather sealed magnesium alloy bodied D810 feels pretty fair to us, especially for what is going to be a main tool for those who earn money from photography as a living. From the top plate down, the D810 is a chunky beast with plentiful buttons, knobs and dials to allow user customisation to the nth degree; yet, there is enough here that feels immediately familiar without having to delve into the manual in order to start shooting on the camera. We were lucky enough to be shooting with a great quality lens in the 85mm f/1.4, which proved itself – in tandem with the D810’s full frame sensor – of delivering some creamily smooth ‘bokeh’ – concentrating focus on a narrow portion of the frame and selectively blurring the surrounds to draw our attention even more closely to the subject. This lends the D810’s images an almost 3D effect, and when you have 36.3 megapixels’ worth of detail piled in on top, you’re not going to hear us complaining.

In two words: simply stunning. For Nikon users who value resolution over speed of capture, the full frame 36.3 megapixel D810 handles like a dream.”

In related news, the manufacturer is also offering your customers updated firmware for its D4S, TIPA winning D810 plus D750 DSLRs, mainly designed to improve workflow for pro video applications and usability with external recorders. The new firmware is should arrive this summer, the company says.

The D810 follows up the TIPA success of the original D800

Nikon debuts 4K CSC There’s also a new ‘J’ series Nikon this month. As dealers are well aware, the interchangeable lens Nikon ‘1’ family is notable for its one inch sensor size, which is physically larger than the 1/2.3-inch chip found in most fixed lens cameras, yet still smaller than all DSLRs and most CSC rivals.

The 20.8 megapixel J5 One-inch sensor, 4K however, complete with a nod resolution – a formula at the retro styling of competing for movie success Fujifilm and Olympus models, feels the most grown up ‘J’ series camera yet by featuring plentiful bells ‘n’ whistles to hook ‘proper’ photographers, as well as a flip-up 3-inch selfie-enabling screen to appeal to any customer stepping up from a smartphone.

The other key selling point to pitch to punters is 4K video capture; a first for the Nikon range, ensuring the J5 joins a select handful of premium quality video-shooting rivals in Panasonic’s GH4, Samsung’s NX1 and Sony’s R7s – all bulkier, pricier cameras. Here, a compact kit zoom lens keeps proportions manageable (SRP £429.99 with 10-30mm PD Zoom lens). After flirting coyly with CSC for a while now as DSLRs are more traditionally its bag, the J5 suggests a more meaningful chapter in Nikon’s relationship with smaller format system cameras. SRP starts at £349 body only.

Nikon TIPA winners at a glance: D810, D5500 & Coolpix P610. For further information visit www.nikon.co.uk 8 May 2015 | BPI News

TIPA AWARDS 2015

Profoto TIPA win shines new light on B2 Looking to attract more high-end customers? Profoto is the go-to lighting brand for enthusiast and pro photographers, so it’s little surprise that its portable B2 offcamera flash has won Best Pro Lighting System at the TIPAs. BPI News discovers more about the proposition…

The awardwinning B2 and B1 systems with new accesssories

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t’s always nice to get your efforts rewarded. And good for the trade to be able to slap a shiny new sticker of approval on their products to give customers added impetus to purchase. Profoto arguably needs no additional push, as it is a brand well regarded and recommended among pro photographers.

Nevertheless its B2 off-camera flash system, described as five times more powerful than the average speedlight, has won Best Pro Lighting System at the annual TIPA Awards, which isn’t bad at all for a product only announced as recently as March.

As regular BPI News readers will be aware, the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) is an international, non-profit association supporting the interests of the specialist imaging trade press. It represents 28 independent photographic magazines and each year the editors of the member magazines vote for the best products introduced to the market during the previous 12 months, taking into account innovation, cutting-edge technology, design, ease-of- use and the price to performance ratio of the products.

“Lighting flexibility leads to lighting creativity, and the Profoto B2 Off-Camera Flash can be utilised for a wide variety of lighting setups in both on and off-camera operation,” purred the TIPA judges. “The B2 has TTL and HSS compatibility with both Canon and Nikon cameras, but, place it in manual mode, and the B2 also works with most other brands.

The 250Ws B2 Head can be set in a wide 9-stop energy range and has a fast recycle time ranging from 0.03 to 1.35 seconds. The B2 can also be used with Profoto’s entire assortment of Light Shaping Tools. This means that photographers can choose from more than 150 different tools and shape the B2’s light into any light imaginable.”

Profoto’s own Product Manager Johan Wiberg adds: “Our ambition when we first started designing the Profoto Off-Camera Flash system was to create a solution that pushes the boundaries of what can be achieved on a fast and hectic onlocation shoot. We closely observed the needs of wedding and portrait photographers and decided to try to make their jobs a little easier. Now,

ƒ2

34 May/Jun

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Rossella Vanon

NEW: THE PROFOTO OFF-CAMERA FLASH SYSTEM D1 Kit

“I hadn’t enjoyed using flash for many years. The ones I tried were either too bulky or too restraining.

The Profoto Off-Camera Flash System has changed that.

Now, I can move around freely, follow the inspiration and control the light in whatever situation I may find myself. For me, it feels like the beginning of something new.”

Offers

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- Australian wedding photographer Yervant

36 May/Jun

See the world’s best photographers using Profoto Off-Camera Flash on profoto.com/uk/offcameraflash

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looking at what we are offering, I dare say we’ve succeeded.”

The B2 is described as a lighter, more portable counterpart to Profoto’s B1 off-camera flash, successfully launched back in 2013, and itself a former TIPA winner.

Comprising a battery pack and a head, with the battery light enough to be worn on the shoulder or hip, the B2 can either be mounted onto a monopod or camera bracket to allow the photographer to keep moving and working relatively fast.

Alternatively the suggestion is to place both light and battery pack on a stand and wirelessly control them

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from the camera. The head is of the same size and weight as a speedlight, while being five times more powerful – so immediately the kit’s advantage is plain to see (on-camera, above).

For those seeking to piggyback sales with the Profoto B2, there’s the obvious advantage of the off-camera flash system also including the new OCF Light Shaping Tools, which are also smaller, more lightweight and comprised of fewer parts making them fast and easy to mount and to

use. Said assortment comprises four new softboxes, a new Grid Kit, a new Snoot and a new Barndoor.

Specialist retailers looking to stock Profoto lighting solutions should contact uk@profoto.com or call 01442 204919 for further details. It’s also worth mentioning the company also currently has a 0% consumer finance option – available between May 1st and 31st August, which it tells us it can ‘facilitate’ through dealers.

To get up to speed and watch videos illustrating what the Profoto range is capable of, please visit www.profoto.com/ontolightshaping BPI News | May 2015 9

TIPA AWARDS 2015

Olympus buffs up for summer, picks up TIPA E-M5 Mark II 5-axis stabilisation meets Marrakesh dusk, right…

T

he camera stalwart is riding high this month on the news that its Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II, with much discussed 40 megapixel output mode, was garlanded with ‘Best Expert CSC’ at the 2015 TIPA Awards, the annual gongs debated and awarded by Europe’s imaging press. This is on top of the same camera bagging our Product of the Month for our April 2015 issue of BPI News – an honour, surely, to give any manufacturer a warm glow – thus making for a double whammy of acclaim for the latest update, to feed back to your customers.

We said of the E-M5 MKII: “Olympus has tweaked an already good enthusiast’s camera to make an even better one, with a potentially wider customer reach.” TIPA judges added that it “delivers a wide away of creative options”, whilst describing the 5-axis image stabilization system as “a breakthrough technology.”

As regards activity surrounding its premium end OM-D and PEN series, the pro-active brand is pushing forward with plenty of street walks and daylong seminars throughout spring and summer, coordinated via the dedicated ‘Image Space’ website (www.olympus-imagespace.co.uk).

These include a shooting tour of historic Portsmouth and HMS Victory taking place on the actual 250th anniversary of its original launch, plus another ‘big top’ event this June in conjunction with Gifford’s Circus and pro photographer brand ambassadors Damian McGillicuddy, Rob Pugh and Neil Buchan-Grant.

Such events are designed to put kit in the hands of photo enthusiasts and, ultimately, cash in your tills when attendees subsequently invest in Olympus cameras and accessories.

An additional push is being provided with the extension of Olympus’ free battery grip promotion, redeemable by purchasers of the earlier E-M1

Photo: Jay McLaughlin

The start of the summer season sees the updating of Olympus’ action camera offering in the Rawshooting TG-4, while the Stylus ‘1s’ hits Europe.

The brand is also celebrating the E-M5 Mark II winning a big trade award at the 2015 TIPA’s and its FREE grip offer extended until August 31st…

Extended zoom Stylus takes aim at DSLRs

camera, which now runs until August 31st this year, as flagged up last issue.

The HLD-7 grip is worth £189.99, so an opportunity your customers will doubtless want to take advantage of while the offer’s still on.

Tough camera, easy purchase decision There’s new Olympus kit this month too. Arriving quickly after the TG-860 is the action-ready TG-4 ‘Tough’, promising to ‘make light of the dark’ thanks to its f/2 maximum aperture 25-100mm equivalent lens. The camera can be operated at underwater depths of 15 metres without additional housing according to the blurb, and on this model there is a new Underwater HDR option. It is also drop proof from a height of 2.1 metres,

crushproof to a weight of 100kg, freeze-proof down to -10°C and dust proof into the bargain. Suggesting application beyond merely pointing and shooting, the GPS and Wi-Fi equipped TG-4 also has the ability to capture Raw files – therefore extending its potential audience of buyers – while macro shots up to 1cm from a subject are a possibility.

Suggested pricing is £350 and the camera is available from May in black and red (above and below).

What might be of added interest to dealers is that there’s a whole host of accessories available to piggyback on sales, including a macro light, fisheye converter lens, hard case with ‘carabiner’ hook plus underwater casing to extend use to a depth of 45 metres.

Arriving hot on the heels of last month’s SH-2 announcement, Olympus’ Red Dot Award winning Stylus 1 also gets an update this month with stock hitting Europe of the Stylus 1s, below, previously announced late last year in Japan.

The evolutionary upgrade arrives with the latest Firmware and a focal range that stretches from 22.4mm to 510mm. The lens is now compatible with Olympus’ WCON-08X wideangle converter lens, while the 1s itself boasts slim, all-metal casing with ‘new textures’ said to make it easier to hold, an elegant blue lens ring familiar from the brand’s Zuiko Digital lens family, plus an eye-level electronic viewfinder with sensor for those wanting a compact with handling similarities with a DSLR. Expect a UK price around £400 (based on 548 Euros SRP). www.olympus.co.uk

Olympus news at a glance: E-M5 Mark II wins TIPA, TG-4 Tough newly launched, Stylus 1s is latest compact upgrade 10 May 2015 | BPI News

E-M5 Mark II

*CIPA Standards as of 12/2014

YOU ARE FREE Follow your creative visions with the new OM-D E-M5 Mark II. Capture spur-of-the-moment photos and movies in breathtakingly clear quality thanks to the world’s most powerful 5-axis image stabilisation*. This OM-D is also ready to go wherever you go, in any situation. The compact build won’t weigh you down, while the robust construction is set for taking on the elements: dust, splashes and freezing temperatures. Freedom has never felt so free – with the OLYMPUS OM-D. Find out more at your local dealer or visit olympus.co.uk

BPI News | May 2015 11

TIPA AWARDS 2015

Triple TIPA triumph continues Fuji’s winning streak

I

f you’re looking for additional help when pitching equipment to your customers, citing a major award is always going to go down well. And, among the familiar names getting nods from trade press collective TIPA this month is Fujifilm, which has no fewer than three products singled out for praise. The TIPA for Best Premium Compact has gone to the X100T. Bagging Best Expert Compact Camera is the X30, while Best Expert CSC Zoom Lens goes to the XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR. The X100T and X30 had already picked up prizes at the ‘iF Product Design Awards’ in March for their retro styling, where the waterproof FinePix XP70 also picked up an award.

The TIPA judges’ impression of the X100T can be summed up in one word: ‘impressive’. They went on to say, in full: ‘The 16.3 MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS II sensor and EXR processor in the Fujfillm X100T delivers impressive options and capabilities in this compact, integral lens (f/2, approximately 35mm equivalent) camera. The high-resolution optical Advanced Hybrid Viewfinder (2.360K-dot) has a rangefinder aspect to it. By turning the focusing ring, users can select Focus Peaking and Digital Split Image mode, plus magnification of the area focused upon can be inspected for fine focus control. The finder also allows for what Fujifilm dubs ‘Real-time Parallax Correction.’ Other impressive features include an incredible top shutter speed of 1/32,000th second, seven customisable ‘Fn’ (function) buttons, Full HD video with numerous selectable frames rates (with optical finder viewing) and built-in WiFi for transfer and remote camera operation via the company’s Camera Remote app.’

Of the X30, the TIPA bigwigs had the following to say: ‘Photographers want a compact camera for a day trip or casual vacation photography that still delivers features they expect and high-quality images. Compact (118x71x 60mm – 4.7x2.8x2.4 inches) and lightweight (423g), the X30 contains a 12MP 2/3-ich X-Trans CMOS II sensor for Raw and JPEG stills and MOV format video with stereo sound. The Fujinon 4x

Not content with having its X-T1 camera named Product of the Year in our BPI News Awards last month, the manufacturer has continued to bag plaudits – this time from the Technical Image Press Association…

zoom (equivalent to 28-112mm in 35mm terms) only changes by one stop when travelling from wide to telephoto settings (f/2-2.8) and offers an f/11 minimum aperture. Shutter speeds top out at 1/4000th second and ISO ratings go as high as 12,800.

Frame rates of 12 per second can be achieved, plus image stabilisation is built in. A 2.36 million dot resolution EVF is dubbed a ‘real time’ viewfinder with a 0.005 second display lag time.’

The third TIPA for Best Expert Lens went to the XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR (above) as mentioned. Of this product, the press collective said: ‘Another in the expanding line-up of Fujifilm’s well-sealed lenses, the XF 16-55mm is constructed with 17 elements in 12 groups with three aspherical and three ED glass elements. This lens offers a 2484mm equivalent range and uses 14 sealing points in its weather- and dust-resistant design. It features a nine-bladed diaphragm, 1/3 EV increment settings and a minimum focusing distance of less than 12 inches (30.4cm). With the newly

X-30 models above, and X100T below

developed Nano-GI (gradient index) coating technology, the lens is said to effectively inhibit flare and ghosting.

The lightweight internal focusing system and twin linear motor make for quiet, speedy AF with an acquisition time as fast as 0.06 seconds.’

Fujifilm’s Marketing manager Lucy Edwards (right, with BPI News winner’s certificate last month) was delighted to see her brand do the TIPA triple: “We were thrilled to receive these awards. They wholeheartedly endorse our great range of X series products. Fujifilm’s strategy of listening to consumer feedback and acting on it to continually improve its products is gaining photographers’ respect and making an impression on the market.” www.fujifilm.co.uk

Bright idea for extra sales IN RELATED news Fujifilm has announced that its new fast/bright aperture Fujinon XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR lens will be available from mid May at £729.99 SRP. Its fixed focal length is equivalent to 24mm in 35mm film terms, whilst minimum focus distance is 15cm. As well as being able to achieve striking ‘bokeh’ effects, also part of the pitch to your customers is that the lens is weather and dust resistant and can work in temperatures as low as -10°C, making it a great match with Fuji’s own X-T1. With this latest addition, there are now five fast aperture Fujinon lenses for ‘X’ series compact system cameras, including the XF 23mm f/1.4R, XF 35mm f/1.4R, XF 56mm f/1.2R and the XF 56mm f/1.2 R APD lens.

Fujifilm news at a glance: X100T, X30 and XF 16-55mm lens all win TIPA Awards, plus new XF 16mm f/1.4 launched 12 May 2015 | BPI News

TIPA AWARDS 2015

It’s official: Kenro has ‘Best Portable Flash’

K

enro is walking on air after its latest TIPA win: Nissin Air to be specific… a system that grabbed the annual gong for Best Portable Flash from the European trade press. As TIPA itself noted, the Nissin Air System is a radiotransmission wireless flash system that includes the company’s Di700A flash and Commander Air 1, recently launched in the UK and previewed to the trade back at The Photography Show in March.

“We received an overwhelmingly positive response to the Nissin Air System, both from our Nissin stockists and end users visiting the show,” says Kenro MD Paul Kench.

“The excitement generated for this new product has now been heightened by the news that the Nissin Air System has also received a TIPA Award. The Nissin i40 won this same award last year and has been hugely successful. It looks as though Nissin have managed to raise their game yet again with this new addition, and we are really excited for the Nissin range in 2015!”

The Di700A flash and Commander Air 1 boasts 2.4GHz radio transmission with a coverage of up to 30 metres (about 100 feet) and is uninterrupted by angle of view or normal obstacles that would plague optical wireless transmitters.

Different transmission channels and radio IDs can be set, ensuring no misfires due to other units that might be operating in the vicinity. The Nissin Commander Air 1 can control up to three groups of Di700A units, and combinations can be mixed for use as wireless TTL or manual flash.

The flash offers high-speed sync of 1/8000 second, second curtain sync, plus an electronic zoom head for enhanced coverage in the 24-200mm range.

The kit option that includes Di700A flash and Commander Air 1 is £199.95 + VAT SRP.

Toulon Series Blu

Yet another award for the already much acclaimed Nissin flash brand, distributed in the UK by Kenro, which also previews its Takeway Clampod and new frames and albums line-up

Nissin Air flash Di700A front and rear, with Commander Air 1 left, and system diagram

Takeway Clampod in action, below, and right

A stable product you’ll want as a stock fixture Also previewed recently by Kenro was the new Takeway (not ‘Takeaway’) Clampod, above, which launches mid May and is described as “extremely exciting”, as well as its forthcoming new range of photo albums and frames, below. “We previewed this new range at The Photography Show and had an excellent reaction, especially to the

Milton Series Champagne

new shabby chic, distressed wood frames, as well as the new designer photo albums,” adds Kenro’s Paul, talking about his company’s stable fixture of frames and albums. “We are currently finalising detailed product information for the range and hope to announce this soon – so watch this space!”

Aimed at everyone from selfie shooters to seasoned pros meanwhile, the Takeway Clampod (SRP 49.95 + VAT) is described as a

‘small but strong’ stabilisation device (see more at takeway.tw) that can hold any device weighing under 3kg, including camcorder, DSLR, smartphone or tablet computer.

A ballhead with a quick release plate allows for quick mounting, while the ballhead rotates 360°.

Other ballheads can be installed for a higher weight load capacity, according to the manufacturer.

A soft plastic handle and precise screw allow the clamp to be fixed tightly. The maximum load capacity of the clamp, which is claimed to be fashioned from aerospace grade aluminium alloy, itself is 40kg (maximum load using the included ball head, however, is 3kg). The product itself weighs just 200g including ballhead. “As always, there are good potential margins to be made on Kenro distributed items,” adds MD Paul Kench (below). www.kenro.co.uk

Symphony Classic Copper Finish

Euro Traveller Memo

To become a Kenro stockist or to request a latest catalogue and further product info call 01793 615836 now BPI News | May 2015 13

TIPA AWARDS 2015

TIPA winner Panasonic now ‘ready to wear’ and GH4 firmware updated

LOOKING for a new action camera to pitch to punters? Not content with TIPA wins for its DMC-GM5, DMC-LX100 and the FT6 rugged camera, Panasonic has launched the HX-A1 camera with the promise of hands free shooting for your customers in the harshest of environments. SRP is £179.99 and availability is from June. The cylindrical device, above, claims to be waterproof to 1.5 metres, freeze-proof down to -10°C, plus dust proof.

Applications include filming the action whilst white water rafting, skiing or racing for which Full HD video capture is provided. Alternatives are shooting HD footage at 1280x720 pixels and 60fps, or 848x480 pixels clips at 120fps, so four times the regular frame rate, thus allowing for playback in slow motion. Built-in Wi-Fi allows the device to be hooked up with any Wi-Fi camcorder in Panasonic’s range to create a wireless twin camera if so desired. Plentiful accessories to pitch to customers include an optional Head Mount (VW-HMA1), Multi Mount (VW-MKA1) and Tripod Mount (VW-CTA1), giving users a wide range of options for attaching the camera to goggles, shoulder bags, helmets or – yes – a tripod. An Extended Battery option (VWBTA1) pushes total recording time up to two hours, 45 minutes. Weighing just 45g, other key features of the HX-A1 include f/2.8 lens, microSD card slot, 2.7 megapixel JPEGs, 30cm minimum focus distance and 0 Lux Light Mode for shooting in darkened conditions.

In related news the manufacturer has announced new Firmware (Ver 2.2) for its GH4 flagship designed to improve the video capability further – in adding an ‘anamorphic’ 4:3 mode recording in 3328x2496 pixels (equating to 8.3 megapixels approximately) – as well as making it possible to set 1/16000 sec shutter speed manually when using the electronic shutter. Direct your customers now to: http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/ www.panasonic.co.uk

Have zooms, will travel

Lumix National Trust POS

Visit www.bpinews.co.uk 14 May 2015 | BPI News

• Complimentary National Trust Membership Campaign POS

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

A3 Poster Wobbler Complimentary 12 month national trust membership with the lumiX FZ200 or FZ72

©National Trust Images/Matthew Antrobus

A1 Poster

Description

to take a speCial piCture you need to go to speCial plaCes

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_A1_Poster.indd 1

©National Trust Images/Matthew Antrobus

Complimentary 12 month national trust membership with the lumiX FZ200 or FZ72 ©National Trust Images/Matthew Antrobus

HOPING to steal Panasonic’s lead in the travel zoom category, its electronics rival Sony has introduced a pair of new premium zoom compacts in the HX90 and WX500, both sharing an 18.2 megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor and 30x optical reach.

Taking aim at the enthusiast, the Sony HX90 (£330 SRP) follows on from the HX50 and HX60 and features the neat trick of a pop up viewfinder, while an ‘HX90V’ variant adds GPS for a tenner more. The pitch here is that this is the world’s smallest camera in its class to feature a 30x zoom and a 638,000-dot resoComplimentary monthsensor. national trust lution OLED viewfinder with12eye membership with the lumiX FZ200 or FZ72 It also comes with a flip-up/ 180° tilting LCD screen with 921K dot resolution.

Sony’s Product Manager Claire Beard told us at the London launch that as “there is still a big trend for selfies” this was the company’s response, and that “the pop up viewfinder has allowed for an optimized screen size” on the backplate in comparison with the likes of Panasonic’s TZ70. She added that the HX90’s premium-look design was deliberately “in the shape of the RX range” and that the chassis had been ‘revolutionised’ to add a more durable grip. The camera also to take a speCial piCture you need to go to speCial plaCes comes with five axis image stabilisation, Now you and your family can discover hundreds of new special places with the National Trust and capture every stunning the 7 customisable buttons anddetailawithfunky lens award-winning new LUMIX FZ200 or FZ72. control ring.

Alternatively direct your customers to the more affordable Sony WX500 for a suggested £280, an update of the

Panasonic product specialist Mark Baber shows off 1/16000s setting on his GH4 at the Edinburgh Photovision roadshow

Hang Tag

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

T48046 Panasonic_A4_Cling.indd 1

21/08/2013 13:59

A4 Cling

Items shown are for reference only and are not to scale

Supported by

Top left: trio of WX500 compacts in colours, HX90 with pop-up finder. Top right: new ZA 16-35 and 24-70 zooms.

Left: Simon Norfolk’s winning fire and ice.

previous WX350 that omits the HX90’s pop-up viewfinder. This second new model comes in a choice of black, red and white bodies. Extras for the cameras include a body case Sony describes as ‘stylish’.

Additionally, two new A-mount high performance Zeiss lenses have been introduced for the likes of the A99 and A77 Mark II (or E-mount cameras with the aid of adapter) and are available to pre-order now: the Vario-Sonnar T* 2470mm F2.8 ZA SSM II standard zoom and Vario-Sonnar T* 16-35mm F2.8 ZA SSM II wide angle zoom. Both have improved AF speed, coatings and weatherseals.

These followed just a couple of days after the launch by Carl Zeiss of two new prime AF lenses for the Sony FE full frame mirrorless system, under the name of BATIS – a 25mm f/2 and and 85mm f/1.8 stabilised, both using an OLED display to show distance focused and aperture in use. Pre-orders in US dollar prices indicate they will be very competitive compared to Sony’s own Carl Zeiss options.

In further Sony News, British photographer Simon Norfolk was crowned Landscape Photographer of the Year at the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards for his series mixing fire and ice When I am Laid in Earth. Overall winner of the coveted L’Iris D’or was American Photographer John Moore for his images of the Ebola crisis in Liberia. www.sony.co.uk

TIPA AWARDS 2015

TIPA win takes Canson to Infinity – and beyond!

T

here can’t be many fine art inkjet paper manufacturers currently celebrating 150 years in the photographic business, whilst also picking up a TIPA Award.

But French paper manufacturer Canson is rightly enjoying the fruits of its labours; its Infinity Photo Lustre Premium PRC 310gsm bagged Best Inkjet Photo Paper from the Technical Image Press Association, a claim also given credence by an exhaustive test in Professional Imagemaker magazine’s April/May 2015 edition, which declared the Infinity range a ‘firm favourite’. This same test added that: “the dark storage lives are all in excess of 250 years so you can use any Canson media and pass it down the generations with confidence.”

The Infinity series from Canson offers a selection of fine art digital photo papers, canvasses and archival storage boxes – the aim being that every print produced is your customers’ very own masterpiece.

Indeed TIPA’s judging panel said of Canson’s Infinity Photo Lustre Premium PRC 310gsm: “The quality of an inkjet print is

Canson celebrate 150 years of photo paper making in 2015

of course dependent on the skill of the printmaker and the content of the image, but having a paper that will deliver optimal results can be just as important. Canson Infinity

Photo Lustre Premium RC 310 gsm offers a flexible and sturdy weight of 310 gsm (grams per square metre) that does not pose challenges to most inkjet printer feeds yet delivers a print that will mount well and will not be easily damaged during handling. It consists of an alpha

cellulose acid-free paper base coated with a structured polyethylene and a microporous receiver layer, and is compatible with both dye and pigmented inkjet printers. The combination of an extra-white base and stunning lustre finish brings out the best in colour and monochrome images.”

Canson trade enquiries to Alexa Guignes (above at the SWPP show): Alexa.guignes@hamelinbrands.com www.cansoninfinity.com

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BPI News | May 2015 15

BPI NEWS PRODUCT OF THE MONTH

Winning shots from a winning lens

As we revealed last issue, Sigma took two awards at this year’s TIPAs. Its 24mm f/1.4 DG ‘Art’ lens was acclaimed Best Expert DSLR Prime Lens, while Best Entry Level DSLR Lens went to the 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM. With this in mind we asked the brand to send us a 24mm to play with…

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hat constitutes art is always going to be open to debate. But there’s no arguments when it comes to the build and quality of Sigma’s new 24mm f/1.4 DG Art lens, announced back in February at the CP+ imaging show in Japan and already the recipient of a TIPA award for Best Expert DSLR Prime Lens as we went to press last month. The judges said that ‘combining a fast maximum aperture with a wide angle lens opens up intriguing photo opportunities.’

We’re naturally sceptical, so could this lens really be the winner it’s cracked up to be? To find out we asked Sigma UK to send us over a sample to have a play with. As this optic is primarily intended for full frame cameras, we twinned it with Nikon’s full frame D810 (a fellow TIPA

Close, wide and distant test shots by Gavin Stoker

winner) for our test images, and also tried it out on the APS-C sensor Nikon D5500 (whereupon the 24mm becomes the equivalent of a 36mm), which, with the lens weighing over 600g on its own, made for an admittedly front

heavy combination. Finding it to be a much more natural and ‘balanced’ fit on the more solid feeling D810, we set off to find some spring images worth taking. Incidentally the lens is also available in Canon and Sigma mounts.

Its manufacturer states that the fixed focal length or prime lens is ideal for capturing a variety of photography subjects, including cityscapes, mountain ranges, astrophotography and weddings – and is also suited to video. We tried it out on heath and parklands.

The 24mm is also claimed to excel at indoor photography in

low illumination thanks to the combination we found of exceptional focal plane sharpness and gorgeous bokeh – or background blur – rendered by nine rounded aperture blades. That f/1.4 maximum aperture naturally lets in plenty of light, whilst closest focusing distance is 9.8 inches, so you can get stunning near-macro shots with a very narrow depth of field to soften potentially distracting peripheral elements, as well as giving a ‘3D feel’. The lens also delivers plenty of peripheral brightness at the edges of the frame, with superb control of distortion. Put simply, Sigma seems to have it covered, or, as the blurb puts it, it is seeking to ‘re-define expectations’ for a fast aperture full frame wide-angle prime lens. Each optic is also tested using its makers’ high 46-megapixel resolution Foveon sensor ‘A1’ MTF measuring system prior to leaving the factory.

One handy, intuitive feature is something that is part of the update on this particular lens. It features a full-time manual focusing mechanism that switches to manual focusing by rotating the focus ring, even when AF is being used; a feature first introduced on the 50mm Art lens. This allows you to concentrate more on the subject, and less on fiddling about with settings, which is exactly how it should be. Available now, the Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG ‘Art’ lens comes with an SRP of £799.99.

For more info and spec, please visit: www.sigma-global.com/en/lenses/cas/product/art/a_24_14/

Equipment imported by Sigma Imaging UK Ltd comes with the added benefit of a 3-year warranty. See www.sigma-imaging-uk.com 16 May 2015 | BPI News

BPI News | May 2015 17

BPI NEWS BUSINESS BOOSTER

A return to Nedis is a major return on N

edis UK’s National Sales Manager Alastair Wilson has been in touch to update us on its retail partners, who have either returned to the fray and to profit with Nedis, or have simply extended their product offerings through the switched-on distributor.

J&A Cameras is one such retailer enjoying success with the broad range of complementary Nedis products. Indeed it has just undergone a re-fit at the time of writing to broaden its scope for selling new ranges. “This is a business that has become very diverse with multiple product lines,” outlines Alastair. “It was originally a camera shop, but, because of changes in the photo business, has now got involved with selling Bluetooth connectivity products and Thonet & Vander professional speakers alongside a wide array of Camlink photographic items such as batteries and chargers. All of a sudden everything is rip roaring and we’ve done as much business since the start of this year with them as we did all of last year.”

Alastair notes that the business model of reps dropping in at a retailer every month is a now thing of the past – something that is true of all companies – and dealers need to be proactively responding to a distributor’s emails, checking out their stock offerings online and placing orders that way too. “Dealers are having success with us and their stories are the same; if you rely just on selling cameras these days in a large photo store it’s a tough game – but there is no reason why you can’t sell Bluetooth connectivity products too.”

Barn-stormin’ it with Nedis in Barnstable Manager Phil Cuss of Barnstable’s J&A Cameras has been stocking Nedis gear for some time now and echoes fellow retailers by revealing that the supplier’s items are not only complementary to photography equipment – they also attract new and additional custom to the store.

“As a camera shop we’ve had to diversify into some different markets and move with the times and keep an eye on trends and

With the promise of multiple product lines complementary to any photographic business and much better profit margins than camera sales typically afford, it’s no wonder that distributor Nedis UK’s customers keep returning. This month we hear from MD Tim two of them making a big success of the retail partnership J&A Pugsley, left. Konig action cameras from £39.99, retro radio, and Thonet & Vander speakers (from £100).

in our shop windows and draws in more customers via Bluetooth speakers, retro style radios. They get us attention and bring people into the shop which is beneficial all round. The Thonet & Vander speakers offer very good sound quality – if a customer asks for a demo, we can do that, no problem – so we’ll continue to stock them along with future ranges from Nedis UK.” Aside from winning new custom by thinking outside of the box with audio equipment, Camlink batteries and Konig branded action cameras are also popular with J&A Cameras’ traditional customer base. “They’re a fantastic alternative to GoPro, for a very affordable price,” says Manager Alistair Wilson of NEDIS, left, with J&A Cameras stocking Camlink, Konig and Thonet & Vander lines

that’s great as we have space for other products from companies like Nedis, which lets us branch out and make new customers,” Phil reveals.

“It also enables us to put some colourful and exciting products

Nedis UK offers thousands of complementary product lines for photo specialists, as detailed here. Get in touch 18 May 2015 | BPI News

investment

BPI News promotion works for Nedis & its dealers

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“We got involved with Nedis UK because they offer some very good value for money products and there’s a reasonable margin on them, which is very important.”

Paul Brown, Concord Foto Centre Phil. “We see young children getting into the action camera market.

GoPros are expensive, but the Konig action cams are great for teenagers wanting to get into it without expense or worry – and they’re actually great quality. With Nedis we also don’t need to stock dozens and dozens of one single product – re-ordering is very simple, they’re a great company to work with and turnaround is both swift and efficient.”

In perfect Concord The second retailer going great guns with Nedis is Concord Foto Centre in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, managed and in the ownership of Paul and Jan Brown for the past six years. “Cirencester is a lovely town in which to go shopping and the business itself is having great success with our Konig action cameras,” Alastair reveals. Many fellow retailers are also putting themselves in the driving position and getting streets ahead of rivals with the Konig branded dash camera, flagged up in our March and April issues this year.

“We got involved with Nedis because they offer some very good value for money products and there’s

a reasonable margin on them, which is very important obviously these days,” reports Paul from Concord Foto Centre.

“They seem to be quite a high quality spec, particularly the action cameras. We have had Sony cameras in before and not had too much success with them and GoPro as the market leaders are very expensive – we’ve bought these in as a budget line and there seems to be a lot of interest in them. We have them in the window but we have what is probably the smallest photo store in the UK – we’re only 100sq ft – so we have to be quite careful with what we choose to stock. Hopefully the product will go well for us. Our main business is actually photo processing and you don’t need a huge shop to do that. Previously to us taking this place over, it had always been a camera shop, and since Jessops has left the town there has been more of that sort of business around.

So we do stock a few cameras and accessories, even if it is not our main business. But the weather is getting better, Easter’s come and gone which is usually a watershed for us, and we’re finding it busier now and these Nedis products doing well.” www.nedis.co.uk

ast issue we reported on our BPI News Awards, recognising the Product of the Year and Promotion of the Year, with 30 finalists drawn from the preceding 12 months. Nedis UK won the grand prize of our Promotion of the Year accolade for its winter flyer campaign. This promotion, specially aimed at the peak pre-Christmas period, introduced many dealers to the Camlink and Konig product lines.

Last month we caught up with Nedis UK’s delighted MD Arvind Patel (top) to personally deliver his winner’s certificate, as pictured.

The distributor’s latest April/ May flyer (right) was inserted with BPI News last issue and also seems to have worked the same magic. In the fact the two dealer shops featured opposite opened up Nedis accounts or renewed their interest in its brands on the back of it. “When we were looking to promote our latest offers and product ranges to the trade there was only one place to go – BPI News,” says Arvind. “The plan seems to have worked. Dealers have seen our promotion and got in touch to place orders. We’ve also heard from old friends who have been inspired to top up their stock with our new high margin products, such as those from Konig, Camlink and Thonet & Vander. The trade does really seem to be making the connection.”

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A stable choice It’s the ideal time now to stock the König Traveller tripod (right) that bagged the Gold Award in the Digital Photo magazine Group Test for tripods below £60. The publication said: “König is better known for its audio products, but this test reveals that König is able to pack the most important features into a tripod as well. The Traveller has fantastic specifications; we love the ability to invert the centre column for low angle shots and adjust the leg angles. Its metal ball head was the best one on test too; it’s solid and locks off securely with a single lever.

The head is detachable, providing the possibility to upgrade in future.”

with Alastair Wilson and the Nedis team to place an order on 0116 253 0325 or speak to your area sales rep BPI News | May 2015 19

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BPI News | May 2015 21 www.tetenaluk.com

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Platinum Baryta 300 and Platinum Etching 285. “ We are thrilled to be working with such a successful and diverse “ We are thrilled to be working with group of photographers. Each one such a successful and diverse group has helped set the bar in their genre of photographers.

Each one has and it is a pleasure to see their work helped set therealised bar in on their ourgenre papers.”

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For samples or to find your nearest stockist please contact us Tel: 01249 714 555 Email: sales@fotospeed.com

22 May 2015 | BPI News

Joe Cornish – Smooth Cotton 300 Trevor & Faye Yerbury – Natural Soft Textured I aim to crystallise the endlessly varied light, Bright White 315 colours and texture of nature in my landscape As traditional darkroom printers it has taken us photographs. At the end of a chain of photographic many years to discover the right paper for our Joe Cornish processes, – Smooththe Cotton & Faye Yerbury – capture Naturaland Soft Textured print is 300 the culmination and fulfilment Trevordigital images that will hold all of the I aim to crystallise the endlessly varied light,to the success Bright shadow White 315 of that effort, and the paper is critical and highlight detail we demand. Natural of the print.

Fotospeed’s Cotton 300 is my As traditional Soft Textured Bright White is our preferred colours and texture of nature in mySmooth landscape darkroom printers it has takenpaper. us of end choice. photographs.paper At the of a chain of photographic many years to discover the right paper for our

processes, the print is the culmination and fulfilment of that effort, and the paper is critical to the success of the print. Fotospeed’s Smooth Cotton 300 is my paper of choice.

digital images that will capture and hold all of the shadow and highlight detail we demand. Natural Soft Textured Bright White is our preferred paper.

John Swannell – Platinum Baryta 300 Charlie Waite – Platinum Etching 285 As a photographer I aim to capture the spirit of Landscape photography is much about my subject. While technology has changed over discovery and photographers can only fully relish the years the one thing I feel remains the same is the rewards of their efforts when seen in the form the importance of the printed image. Fotospeed’s of a print. The paper used for that print has to Platinum Baryta bridges the gap between the be as carefully considered as the image made. traditional darkroom papers and todays digital Discovering Fotospeed’s Platinum Etching 285 media. I find that whilst it is known for reproducing has been a revelation to me and has proved a vital John Swannell – Platinum Baryta 300never be under Charlietool Waite Platinum Etching superb B&W images it should in my–ongoing quest to match285 As a photographer I aim to capture the spirit of Landscape photography is much estimated as a paper for colour work. pre-visualisation with end result. about

my subject. While technology has changed over discovery and photographers can only fully relish the years the one thing I feel remains the same is the rewards of their efforts when seen in the form the importance of the printed image. Fotospeed’s of a print. The paper used for that print has to Platinum Baryta bridges the gap between the be as carefully considered as the image made. traditional darkroom papers and todays digital Discovering Fotospeed’s Platinum Etching 285 media. I find that whilst it is known for reproducing has been a revelation to me and has proved superb B&W images it should never be under a vital tool in my ongoing quest to match FP_PRACPHOT_23117316.id1728416.pgs >>AdRocket<< estimated as a paper for colour work. pre-visualisation with end result.

How to reach a wider audience

Even if you don’t sell Inkjet papers, you should sell this one

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hy, we hear you ask? Because many mobile phones and cameras now offer panoramic shooting modes… but how does the consumer get to have a print of that special holiday landscape vista shot, demanding to be proudly hung in the hallway?

Fotospeed’s Panoramic Paper starter pack with an SRP of £29.95 (subject to your normal trade discounts) is a great incentive to get yourself and your staff up to (Foto)speed on the benefits and spin off sales. Firstly your customers who are already buying their favourite A4 inkjet papers can now print 210mm x 594mm panoramic images with a near 3:1 ratio on their normal A4 size printer. So there is no need to buy an expensive roll of paper just to print their favourite panoramic shot.

More helpful advice from James at theimagefile

Is your website mobile friendly?

Search engines rarely give information about their indexing habits or algorithms they use, so when Google recently announced the date and the focus of their algorithm changes we can sort of guess it’s going to be a serious update (to the extent that some bloggers are referring to it as “Mobilegeddon”).

Google stated: “Starting April 21, we will be expanding our use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. This change will affect mobile searches in all languages worldwide and will have a significant impact in our search results.”

So, it is time to make sure that you have a mobile friendly website. Google have made it easy to test things by creating a tool where you can enter your web address and get an instant result on how mobile friendly you are. You should try it out (just Google “Mobile Friendly Test”).

Act now while you still have time to make sure that you are not going to be negatively affected by this change.

Secondly because the Test pack has 4 sheets of 6 different Fotospeed papers (including their latest Platinum Baryta 300, Platinum Etching 285 and Smooth Cotton 300 paper from the new Signature range launched at the Photography Show) it’s an inexpensive way to try out the different surfaces of paper, which can all make or break that great shot.

Thirdly...and this is the clever idea: Offer your customers a one-off panoramic print service. Simply buy the paper at trade prices, print it on your premises, and make a healthy margin on each print. There are extra sheets included for profiling, plus a full template guide and free technical advice – all of which have made Fotospeed’s Panoramic Paper Starter pack a top seller!

“This pack absolutely flew at The Photography Show and helped us turn many more photographers and retailers on to Fotospeed’s leading proposition,” says the brand’s Toby Herlinger (photo, top).

After receiving a Maximum 5 star rating in Amateur Photographer magazine last year, the Panoramic Starter pack has additionally just been given the thumbs up for professional users from Mike McNamee’s Professional Imagemaker report in the April /May issue.

‘Using the Fotospeed Panoramic paper trial box is an excellent idea for a beginner and if you have a commercial project in mind a single print sale will recoup all your costs with lots to spare,’ reads the report.

Email sales@fotospeed.com or call 01249 714555 for more details. www.fotospeed.com

AllAll websites built on theimagefi le systemleautomatically have a mobile websites built on theimagefi system automatically friendly included; withsite mobile friendly client galleries, shopping have asite mobile friendly included; with mobile friendly client cart, cropping tools andcart, payment options.

The mobile version is lean, galleries, shopping cropping tools and payment options. showing no logos or background images by your site The mobile version is lean, showing nodesign, logos to or make background fast for visitors. images by design, to make your site fast for visitors.

So what should you do? Check your website using the Google mobile-friendly test tool to make sure that you haven’t added any content, widget or table that will not display properly.

If you experience any issues in the first instance you should contact your web designer for assistance. Try to hide unnecessary content in the mobile version, and avoid lots of text links bunched together on pages which makes things tricky for finger navigation. Ensure all photos in your web pages are optimised so they load quickly on the page. Set widths in percentages rather than pixels where possible. Try to get the most important information “above the fold” (near the top of the page without needing to scroll down); especially on your home page. Make sure your contact page forms and purchase buttons work properly on a mobile and try to display a telephone number to help visitors that might need assistance.

Remember… if you are doing things right this change will benefit your ranking and your business!

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www.theimagefile.com/try tel: 0208 166 5688 BPI News | May 2015 23

FREE ASSESSMENT ON YOUR PRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS At Tetenal, we don't have one dry lab which we try and convince you is right for your business.

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BPI NEWS PRODUCT FOCUS

Rotolight’s‘game changer’ makes the final

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s you may recall from reading our introductory article in March, the Neo LED oncamera light from UK-based family firm Rotolight has been heralded as the ‘next industry standard’ for both photographers and film-makers. It’s capable of putting out a powerful 1077 lux at three feet (or 707 watts tungsten bulb equivalent), which is claimed to be twice the power of competing LED on-camera lights.

The excitement around the device appears to be no mere hype, as the product has been selected as a finalist in the IABM (International Association of Broadcast Manufacturers) Game Changer Awards 2015. The Rotolight Neo was identified by the judges as one of the most innovative new products to be exhibited at the 2015 NAB Show, the world’s largest show event covering filmed entertainment, which was held in Las Vegas this April.

“As a member of the IABM, Rotolight is very proud that our latest product Neo has been recognised in the prestigious Game Changer Awards, 2015,” says MD Rod Aaron Gammons. “We firmly believe the Neo is set to become the new standard in on-camera and location lighting. The latest range of innovative features that we have unveiled for NAB, will enhance the versatility and power of Neo, cementing it as an invaluable tool for cinematographers, cameramen and photographers alike.” The first units were now shipping as BPI News went to press.

Previously the subject of a BPI News’ feature (March 2015, page 13) which promised ‘good competitive margins to trade partners’, Rotolight’s innovative Neo on-camera LED ring light is now shipping and is a finalist in the IABM Game Changer Awards 2015….

Neo oncamera, top right; Manex Efrem at work, above; and new three head kit with rolling case

A game changing system By way of a case study, director and special effects technician Manex Efrem (above) – who has worked on Gravity, War Horse and Band of Brothers among many other productions, recently chose the Rotolight Neo for a shoot in Bali.

“Rotolight have created a lighting system that will really change the way we work,” he enthuses. “The fact that it’s lightweight and powerful with excellent versatility in terms of control will optimise workflow. The quality of the LEDs and its colour reproduction is ideal when working with talent for ENG (electronic news gathering), guerrilla style

documentaries and location work.

I can’t wait to get my hands on the new three-head kit, which is going to be the ultimate production kit for anyone working in the field or studio!”

Regular readers will be aware that Rotolight’s own history includes the use of its products in the production of major blockbusters including Skyfall and Captain Phillips. Of course the Neo is also eminently suitable for photographers as well as videographers benefitting from its constant, even light source.

Suggested retail price for the Rotollight Neo is £249 and the device weighs 345g. Rotolight products are available to independent photographic specialists via Digital Distribution (www.ddltd.co.uk).

Email sales@ddltd.co.uk, or call 01442 230022. www.rotolight.com

Key features of the innovative Neo Rotolight’s Neo includes three groundbreaking features that set it apart from the crowd: ● Designer Fade mode for custom fade up / fade down production effects.

True Aperture Dimming accurately calculates the correct aperture (f-stop) for your customers’ subject at a given distance. ● The Rotolight Neo offers an arsenal of Cinematographic Special FX (CineSFX), designed in collaboration with leading cinematographers and Visual FX artists such as Stefan Lange (SkyFall, Dark Shadows, Batman).

This provides customisable creative visual lighting effects, on set or on location, to simulate Strobe, Lightning, Fire, Cycle, Throb and TV. ● Rotolight has also developed a 10-piece Add on Colour FX filter set which includes a selection of well-known cinematic filters such as ‘Rust’, ‘Mist Blue’ and ‘Hollywood Frost’ that, when combined with the CineSFX mode, makes Neo an incredibly versatile lighting tool.

Direct trade enquiries about Rotolight Neo to Digital Distribution (www.ddltd.co.uk). Email sales@ddltd.co.uk or call 01442 230022 BPI News | May 2015 25

Birmingham | Bath | Leeds | London

LOCATIONS:

RELEASE YOUR POTENTIAL PhotoLive is an event for photographers by photographers.

Join us and learn the latest techniques from top professionals, see whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new from a range of leading brands and brush up on your skills to take your photography to the next level.

Book your ticket today at photo-live.com 26 May 2015 | BPI News

Birmingham 11 July Bath 01 August Leeds 5 September London 12 September

#PhotoLiveEvent

TRADE SHOW NEWS & PROMOTION

Exhibitors wanted for PhotoLive summer tour

Future Publishing eyes ‘UK Oscars’ Future’s Head of Content & Marketing Matt Pierce looks forward to the 2015 PPA Awards in July

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or the second year running the organisers of The Photography Show are putting the show on the road. PhotoLive is pitched as the event for passionate photographers of all levels, and is taking place at four separate locations across July, August and September this year. The idea is that it will be accessible to keen photographers up and down the UK – so drawing in a fair amount of business for participating trade exhibitors.

The show will be rocking up to Birmingham on July 11th, for which tickets are now on sale, as they are for the second PhotoLive event of the summer, at Bath on August 1st. September sees an event added in Leeds on the 5th, whilst the ‘tour’ concludes in London on the 12th. Incidentally, each show day is a Saturday and entrance to the retail area – which is a key component of each event – is free to visitors.

Seminars with the pro photographers giving tutorials and workshops are £20 each, and the pitch to attendees is that when they are not learning from the top photographers, they will be able to explore a number of exciting brands in the retail area and upgrade their kit and accessories. Naturally exclusive show deals should also entice visitors to spend – and remember, this event is designed to attract people who are particularly enthusiastic and passionate about their hobby.

If you’re considering exhibiting, the man you need to speak to is Richard Macey, 020 7042 4284 or email: richard.macey@futurenet.com Or for media partnerships and marketing opportunities, contact Grace Turner on 020 7042 4303 or correspond via grace.turner@ futurenet.com BPI JVC Quadproof Camcorder.pdf 1 20/03/2015 11:25 www.photo-live.com

uture’s Head of Marketing Matt Pierce has been in touch to reveal that his company is up for three media industry ‘Oscars’, having made the shortlist for the 2015 Professional Publishers Association (PPA) Awards, due to take place on July 9th at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Mayfair, London. Digital Camera World has been nominated for ‘Consumer Media Brand of the Year’, as well as ‘International Consumer media Brand of the Year’. The Photography Show meanwhile has been nominated for ‘Event of the Year (Consumer media)’.

March’s main photo event is up against the NME Awards, Red’s Women of the Year Awards and events from brands including Grazia, Wallpaper, Company and Livingetc.

In the Consumer Media Brand of the Year category, Digital Camera World fights it out with household names including Radio Times, Time Out, Cosmopolitan and Good Housekeeping. While in the International category, its competitors include FourFourTwo, Evo, The Economist and Jamie magazine.

Matthew Pierce, Future’s Head of Content and Marketing for Photography, says: “We’re really proud to have been nominated in the publishing industry’s most prestigious awards. The Photography Show and Digital Camera World are both up against some huge brands, so it’s an achievement to be in the running. But we’re keeping everything crossed for the awards evening in July”. www.ppa.co.uk/events/ppaawards2015/shortlist/

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BPI News | May 2015 27

Photo trade or retail? Send your name and mailing address to editor@iconpublications.com to be added to our FREE trade circulation for ƒ2 and Master Photography magazines!

BPI NEWS MEDIA FOCUS

f2 Test out New mini test reports highlight products to trust in quality format enthusiast-to-pro magazine

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oing against print media trends, Icon Publications Ltd’s bi-monthly f2 Freelance Photographer title has increased subscriptions, news trade sales and revenue following its return to the original publishers a year ago.

Selling on the strengths of top quality highly individual content, printed superbly on a 150gsm silk paper with a matte laminated cover, f2 is an ideal platform for advertising niche market products with special appeal to the independent professional, aspiring freelance and high-end enthusiast.

Test reports and reviews are unbiased and don’t give ‘star ratings’ – just valuable comments and conclusions. Now there is a new small logo, f2 Tried & Tested, which can be used to highlight products that f2 magazine has featured.

We’re very happy to see our logo and extracts from reports used in advertising or catalogues – as Photomart have done with our test of the Summit 600C flash.

ƒ2

FREELANCE

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Tried&Tested

ƒ2’s great exposure

NISSIN i40 FLASHGUN

i40 seen w ith Sony M ulti Function Ac cessory sh oe – another ra re feature

ANSMANN POWERLIN E 4 PRO ch T arger

he first vita l message from this short test US/UK/EU compatib your old Ni is – replace le multi AC adaptor. Th MH cells! Li many phot e illuminat ke ographers, ed display m ostly easy I’ve got rechargeab is to re ad though les which of the smal some date back to the inve le st fu nc ntion of Ni tion indica ar e a ch M to H, allenge to mention a rs not to eyesight. few vintag What’s go e NiCads.

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– ng’ trend, DK une 2015 ƒ2 www.ansm Á ann.co.uk

f2

Tried&Tested

Displaying just how m uch charge is on board, above, and discharge/ refresh and test functio ns below.

PHOTOGRAPHER f2may2015

.indd 16

ROSSELLA VANON

f2

Get your new key products Tried&Tested in front of our readers, the trade and the professionals

MAKING SPACE IN EAST LONDON

RICHARD CRAIG ON LOCATION IN QATAR

HEIDI LEVINE

A WOMAN’S EYES IN GAZA

INNER SPACE

STUDIOS TO HIRE

Leica T Sony A6000 Nikon D5500 Sigma dp1 Quattro SHARP TOOLS FOR TRAVEL

PHOTOGRAPH

BY RICHARD CRAIG ƒ2 May/June 2015 1

f2may2015.indd 1

To put forward a product for f2 Tried & Tested act now in time for the next issue which goes to press late May for first week June on-sale and mailing – email editor@iconpublications.com Next deadlines – testing in June for issue our early August, testing in August for Q4 sales season issue out early October

02/04/2015 f2 Freelance Photographer is 01:57 published in April, June, August, October, December and February with cover dates May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December, January/February and March/April.

“Our magazines remain on sale for 60 days”, said publisher and editor David Kilpatrick, “and the cover date is current for a full three months after mailing. The same goes for our Apple Newsstand and other digital editions available for Android, Kindle, and e-Readers. The latest cover (left) has a QR code which goes straight to the digital editions if anyone frames it with their smartphone. ”

02/04/2015 02:25

To discuss f2 advertising plans, call Diane Henderson on 01572 223508 or email dianehenderson@iconpublications.com 28 May 2015 | BPI News

f2

Tried&Tested

Photo Gifts

50% MARGIN

Albums & Frames

*

65% MARGIN *

Prints

from cameras & mobile phones

Canvas & Posters

Passports & Visas

65% MARGIN

60% MARGIN

90% MARGIN

*

*

*

YOU GET:

YOU WANT:

YOU NEED:

For more information please call

01234 572138

and speak to Peter Wigington or email pwigington@fuji.co.uk BPI News | May 2015

*Gross margins shown are an average across all FDIS stores and will vary depending on selling price. These figures are shown as a guide only and do not represent a guarantee of gross margin, profit or loss by Fujifilm UK Ltd.

29

MINILAB NEWS

Four score… thanks to Fujifilm FDIS Last issue we pictorially showcased the quartet of winners in Fujifilm’s annual Business Endeavour Awards, given out to deserving members at its 2015 Conference. This issue we hear from the businesses themselves, discover why they won and how they are focusing on the future with renewed confidence and vigour…

I

n our April issue of BPI News we carried an item on Fujifilm’s 2015 FDIS Conference, the highlight of which – to the winners at least – is the annual Fujifilm Business Endeavour Awards (FBEA), with prizes including not only commemorative certificates but also financial help with marketing to the tune of £500 each plus free FDIS (Fujifilm Digital Imaging Service) membership for a year. To be in with a chance of winning Fujifilm asked its business partners to complete a six month audit and develop a detailed sales and marketing plan. Each store also had to devise initiatives to achieve a set of defined business goals and measure performance by recording customer numbers and sales figures.

As mentioned last month the grand prize of ‘Shop of the Year 2015’ went to the Pillbox Pharmacy, based in Irvinestown, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Pillbox became an FDIS member in 2009 but tells BPI News that it has been providing a photographic service for over ten years. Like fellow FDIS members, one of the advantages it sees as being part of a network is that it receives a wide range of branded signage and point of sale material, all designed to catch customers’ eyes and promote the photo printing side of the business. This comes backed with a wealth of marketing and business support, designed to help them establish their FDIS store within the local community as the place to go for all things photo.

Obviously being chosen as the FDIS ‘Shop of the Year 2015’ in recognition of their efforts in promoting photo printing and related services on the high street is an enormous achievement for Pillbox Pharmacy owner Neil McConnell and his dedicated staff. Throughout their six-month audit period, the business was tasked with keeping meticulous records to measure customer totals and average transaction values. Their

“We’ve already seen new customers in the store since we posted photos of our FDIS win on Facebook and Twitter” – Neil McConnell, co-owner Enniskillen Photoshop, left in photo above with Sabrina and Justin McConnell on his right. Below, with the certificates for Pillbox Pharmacy, his original business which scooped the top award. completed FBEA entry pack had to include all of the above as well as details of the promotions and other initiatives that had been put in place and the results of each one.

“In business, it is sometimes difficult to be objective,” notes Neil when asked about the value of such processes as described above. “However, the process and subsequent award have shown that our business is moving forward and the set goals are being achieved.

We are doubly delighted, as our Enniskillen Photoshop store also won an FBEA award this year. These multiple awards coming to Northern Ireland will increase awareness to

To learn more about the benefits of becoming one of Fujifilm’s network of FDIS dealers, please 30 May 2015 | BPI News

membership both professional photographers and the general public.”

The review of his business has also inspired Neil to put in place ‘many’ plans for the future: “Top of the list is to launch the new Fujifilm Imagine mobile app and the online kiosk. This will be great for our customers as they can then order prints on the move or from the comfort of their own homes and either come in to collect them or have them delivered by post. Apps and online shopping are now an essential part of the modern business and we very much see it as helping us to continue the successes of the last year.”

The additional win for the Enniskillen Photoshop – co-owned

by Neil McConnell in partnership with his brother Justin and his wife Sabrina McConnell – is all the more newsworthy since that business only opened its doors 15 months ago. But with the Pillbox Pharmacy already a FDIS branded store it made sense to utilise the benefits to be had from FDIS membership when looking for a strong photo brand for the new store. Justin and Sabrina have been very focused on creating the ideal shop layout with a comprehensive range of photo products and services, wide format printing and photographic studio, in tandem with their resident photo expert Jerry Donnelly.

“It felt fantastic winning this award after just 15 months,” says Justin. “During that time we have worked hard to grow the business and stay one step ahead of the competition. We pride ourselves on our professionalism, print quality and efficient service towards our customers. It’s a great sense of achievement when all your hard work pays off. We’ve already seen new customers in the store since we posted photos of our FDIS win on Facebook and Twitter.”

Asked about his future plans, and what the review of his business has taught him, Justin replies: “We are going to keep everything fresh by changing the shop displays both internally and externally on a regular basis. One of the initiatives we started as part of the FBEA award was a social media campaign and we plan to keep developing this

Below: Chris Meynell of CC Inks, Eastwood, Nottingham (photos, left) received the Fujifilm Business Endeavour Award last month from Neill Harris of Fujifilm, and Wendy Gray from Inspires.

Above – the team from Razzaq Digital of Harrow (Fujifilm photo gifts display, right) with Sumi Hasan centre – “We always try to make our customers feel welcome and special from the moment that they enter the store”.

with new products and promotional campaigns. New services and products will be added throughout the year to increase sales, and the main aim is to create a one-stopshop for everything photographic.”

Happiness in Harrow, eagerness in Eastwood Back on the UK mainland, and Razzaq Digital of Harrow have just bagged their second ‘FBEA’. The business joined the FDIS network in 2011, but has been providing a photographic service for over eight years.

It goes without saying that Sumi Hasan, who the runs the photo side of her brother Hassan Bhanji’s business, knows the importance of promoting photo imaging and says that they “are extremely honoured to have won the prestigious Fujifilm Business Endeavour award for the

second time in as many years. We are grateful for the recognition we have received from Fujifilm for our hard work during the past year.”

She continues: “This award could not have been achieved without the support of all those customers that visit our store on a regular basis. We always try to make our customers feel welcome and special from the moment that they enter the store to when they leave. We like to think that we offer a great service, good value and always with a smile.”

Plans for the rest of 2015 include

“more promotions; displays, fun days and using the tools that our FDIS membership provides them with.

We’ll also be look at holding a wider range of cameras and accessories.”

The fourth and final FBEA winner this year is CC Inks from Eastwood, Nottingham; but it wasn’t always so rosy for the business. Feeling the pinch at the height of the recession in 2008 and on the brink of closing down, CC Inks reached out to join the Fujifilm Digital Imaging Service (FDIS). It’s fair to say that Fujifilm’s help with promotional materials and marketing has helped turn the business around – and now the future looks much more optimistic.

“Advertising promotions and circulating a new price list every few months to the local area has kept everything fresh and current,” says owner Chris Meynell. “We have also made improvements in shop layout, window displays and in-store advertising.”

A customer incentive scheme has also been implemented and is proving very popular. On top of this the new shop layout has created more space and a friendlier atmosphere for the customers, Chris believes. “We knew we had great competition from the other FDIS stores, which makes winning even better. We’ve already started working on ideas to win the Fujifilm Shop of the Year 2016”.

To be in with a chance of winning a Fujifilm Business Endeavour Award for 2016, your own business obviously needs to sign up to the Fujifilm Digital Imaging Service – if it hasn’t already! The man to speak to here is Fujifilm Marketing Manager Peter Wigington on 01234 572138 or email pwigington@fuji.co.uk

call Marketing Manager Peter Wigington on 01234 572138 or email pwigington@fuji.co.uk BPI News | May 2015 31

32 May 2015 | BPI News