Pixel Magazine - Issue 954

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ISSUE NO. 954

www.pixel.co.uk

INSIDE

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LP_Pixel_Ears_46x53mm.indd 2 30/09/2014 11:47 BEHIND THE COUNTER, INTRO 2020 NEW PRODUCT LINEUP, LAUNCHING THE GX8, TOMTOM30/09/2014 BANDIT, SMART THINKING WITH CEWE, FREE CAMPAIGN POSTER AND MUCH MORE...

This Issue Includes...

• The latest brand alliance in Manfrotto Distribution’s portfolio with Bushnell. P9.

• Part one of our two part round-up from Intro 2020 as they announce a host of new products. P13.

CANON UK&I APPOINTS NEW HEAD OF ITS CONSUMER BUSINESS

Matthew Searle, CIG Country Sales Director, Canon UK & Ireland

• The emergency summer budget announcement has been criticised for falling short for retailers. P18.

New Panasonic LEICA telephoto zoom lens

Panasonic has announced it is developing the first LEICA DG 100-400mm / F4.0-6.3 telephoto zoom lens for the Micro Four Thirds system standard to expand the lineup of digital interchangeable lens.

The new telephoto zoom features high speed digital signal exchange, with images captured quickly and with reduced blur, and is splash/dust-proof.

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Canon UK have announced the appointment of Matthew Searle as the new Consumer Imaging Group (CIG) Country Sales Director, reporting to Stephen Bates, Managing Director for Canon UK & Ireland. He is replacing Guido Jacobs, who has moved to Canon Germany as Consumer Imaging Country Director.

Searle has been with Canon since 1993, when he joined in a telesales role for what he thought would be no more than a couple of weeks. But he has been at Canon ever since, as he found it to be a fantastic company and brand with innovative products, making it a great place to work over the last 22 years.

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During his time with the company, he has held a number of senior positions in the UK and at Canon’s European headquarters. His most recent was as the Director responsible for the indirect operations of Canon UK’s Business Imaging Group.

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RETAIL

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BUSINESS

FOR 48 YEARS AND COUNTING

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NEWS

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NEWS

WELCOME To Pixel Magazine The industry is changing.

Companies and brands are branching out, and not just with their products. In Pixel this month, we catch up with the new MD of Canon, the growth at Celestron and I interview the new Country Manager of Hama to discuss the changes in staffing.

Retail is also shifting and everyadapting to today’s society, and with the new summer budget announced, we look at how retail might be affected; for better or for worse. We are a culture and generation of online shoppers and researchers, digital and technology lovers, which has affected especially the photographic retail industry. However, still going strong, Perth camera shop, JRS Photo Hardware answer my pertinent, and slightly less significant questions about the photography industry where they are (see page 8).

Video is a key are of growth, with 4K changing the quality of our

memories. I interview Andrew Stocks at TomTom about their more recent release, the TomTom Bandit Action Cam with 4K video capture (see page 18). Talking of new released, Panasonic also reveal their newest addition to their G-Series on pages 16 and 17), the GX8 and I write about the launch, including my thoughts after testing it out myself!

Our In:Print campaign is as strong as ever, with more and more companies taking on the digital age and adapting it to the still very prevalent desire for traditional methods. Our cover story looks at how CEWE have made printing from a Smartphone easy and simple perfectly accompanying our campaign poster, reaching out to the generation of digital cameras and Smartphones to encourage them to ‘print it or lose it’.

Enjoy your read!

Jenny, Editor

Nissin Di700a And Commander Air1 Flash Kit Now In Sony Fit Kenro Ltd, the exclusive UK distributor of Nissin flash guns and accessories, has announced that the Nissin Di700A and Commander Air1 Flash Kit now comes in a Sony fit.

The flash kit was previously available in Canon and Nikon fit, providing a 2.4Hz radio transmission wireless flash system on 8 channels, with a range of up to 30m.

Paul Kench, Managing Director of Kenro says: “We’re very excited about this new

addition to the range. Sony is a major contender in the digital camera market – dominated by Canon and Nikon – and Nissin has recognised this by now making all their new flash systems compatible with Sony cameras.”

The Sony fit is immediately available with an SRP of £239.94 for both the Di700 A and Commander Air1, £209.94 for just the Di700A Flashgun and £59.94 for just the Commander Air1.

Refurbished 600 Camera 90’s Style with Film Everything you need to get started with instant photography, including an original, refurbished Polaroid™ 600 camera, one pack of Impossible Color film and an Impossible Frog Tongue already fitted to the camera.

Includes 12 month warranty Note: the camera in this kit is in excellent working condition but may show slight signs of wear. It may differ in color or design from the depicted model.

Industry News Bites Find out more info on this month’s news bites at Pixel.co.uk

GoPro Launches HERO4 Session The HERO4 Session has a durable waterproof design (up to 10 meters) eliminating the need for a separate housing, and a dual mic system that captures enhanced audio during high wind and waterbased activities.

The onebutton control allows easier video capture for the user, capturing 1080p60, 720p100 and 1440p30 video along with eight megapixel photos in Single, Burst and Time Lapse modes. It incorporates the same features found in GoPro’s best-selling HERO4 Black and Silver cameras,

including SuperView™, Protune and Auto Low Light recording modes.

Nicholas Woodman, GoPro founder and CEO comments: “With HERO4 Session, we challenged ourselves to produce the smallest, lightest, most convenient GoPro possible.” He adds: “HERO4 Session combines the best of our engineering and userexperience know-how to deliver our most convenient lifecapture solution, yet.”

HERO4 Session is compatible with existing GoPro mounts and as of July 12th, is retailing for £256 MSRP or £305 RRP at authorized GoPro retailers around the world and on GoPro.com

Currys’ Christmas List Top 10 Currys is expecting multi-room speakers, fitness wearables, blenders and 4K TVs to be among the biggest sellers this coming festive season, according to their predicted top 10 list for Christmas gifts this year.

The top 10 shows audio purchases, in particular multi-room speakers, to be most popular, driven by the rise of music streaming. Currys PC World believes Sonos (multiroom system shown below) and Samsung will top the list.

Category Manager for Home Audio at Currys PC World, Vimal Solank said: “The technology in people’s homes has become more connected, so they’re looking for more versatile ways to enjoy music from their personal collections as well as the boom in streaming services.

Currys PC World reported sales growth of 900 per cent, year on year, for the wearables category also, and thinks the Jawbone UP and Fitbit Surge will be particularly popular, rating them at numbers three and four.

600 Color Starter Triple Pack Now in Stock 138492 N.A.S £59.99 Guide £89.99

The Instant Film Starter Pack is a triple pack of color film for Polaroid® 600 cameras.

The three films are packaged together in a beautifully designed cardboard sleeve.

Each film comes in unique packaging featuring beginner’s tips for shooting on instant film. The tips relate to everything you need to get started, from making the most of the light, to ideal shooting temperatures, to caring for a photograph as it develops.

The 3-film pack also offers a significant saving compared to buying three films individually.

Tel: 01485 536 200 email: sales@swains.co.uk web: www.swains.co.uk

New 138493

N.A.S £26.66 Guide £42.99

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NEWS

Worst June In A Decade!

Despite constant improvements in the UK economy, retailers have suffered a 2% drop in year-on-year sales for June, with all sectors hit by the downturn. Lifestyle goods sales were down 2% and homewares were hit particularly hard with a 3.9% like-for-like drop in June.

This is the fourth monthly dip this year. While not as severe as March’s 4% drop, falling footfall from domestic and oversees shoppers shows that consumer anxiety is fuelled by a reluctance to increase spending on the high street.

However, consumers ae more open to spending on leisure activities.

Swains are appointed UK distributor for Eschenbach Binoculars Swains are delighted to announce that they are now a UK distributor for Eschenbach binoculars. For almost 100 years, Eschenbach has been a leader in manufacturing highquality consumer optics!

Among Eschenbach’s innovations is the ‘Naturebright’ coatings that offer completely color-accurate images in our Farlux and Regatta models. Design is a key component to all of Eschenbach’s

popular binoculars, ranging from the RealTree® camouflaged Bison series to the traditional Trophy series. Eschenbach binoculars are ideal for bird-watching, sporting events, hunting, sailing, orienteering, and any other distanceviewing activities.

For more information contact your Swains Regional Sales Manager or contact the Swains Sales Office on 01485 536200. sales@swains.co.uk www.swains.co.uk

Nikon Announces New Nikkor Dx 16-80mm Nikon has announced a new highperformance DX-format zoom lens built-in with the latest technology and with a compact build, the NIKKOR DX 16–80mm f/2.8–4i.

The compact zoom lens is lightweight and the focal length offers a wide range of shooting options, with the f/2.84 aperture allowing more efficient photography in low-light. Nikon’s four-stop Vibration Reduction aims

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to keep images sharp even at slow shutter speeds, additionally incorporating an electromagnetic diaphragm and a protective fluorine coating, plus Nano Crystal Coat – a first for the DX lenses.

Edward Allinson, Junior Product Manager for Lenses & Accessories at Nikon UK says: “The 16-80mm is proficient enough to cover most shooting situations, whether it is capturing broad landscapes or subtle portraits.”

Can Dixons Carphone Make It In The US?

The electronics retailer, Dixons Carphone has signed a deal with Sprint to open as many as 500 stores in the U.S. The statement confirmed its plans for the initial phase, where Dixons Carphone will supply mobile phone retail expertise and proprietary knowledge to Sprint who will open approximately 20 retail stores. The previous partnership between Best Buy and Carphone

Warehouse in the UK was far from successful. However, in the US it was far more fruitful.

If this works well, the company will invest just $32m (£20.5m) in a 50% stake in a joint venture, which aims to roll out as many as 500 shops in the long-term.

Barclays analyst Christodoulos Chaviaras said: “We estimate that Carphone had initially invested less than £10m to make £838m four years later after selling its Best Buy Mobile stake to Best Buy.”

Illuminate And Project With Panasonic Panasonic are pushing innovation into both the projection market and retail industry with their new Space Player™. This new device is a hybrid lighting solution, combining the function of traditional lighting with video projectors. It possesses both lighting and laser projection functions in a single spotlightshaped design, which attaches to standard lighting rails via a single cable, to make installation and relocation easy.

This ability to illuminate and project either a still or animated image is envisaged to be the solution to generating interest in retail. Hartmut Kulessa, European Marketing Manager for Panasonic Projector Products comments: “Panasonic wants to create a new market of ‘Projection Lighting’ that utilises video for lighting.

“We see the Space Player creating appealing exhibits in museums by using moving pictures instead of static graphics, or perhaps in a restaurant where it could be used to create an impressive atmosphere by projecting the menu on to a wall or table.

“With the Space Player this can easily be integrated into the existing lighting infrastructure and

means a cost effective, easy way of creating an impressive AV display.”

With the news that retail is at a low, Panasonic hope a new and innovative way of creating an atmosphere, sharing details and specific text and spotlighting specific merchandise might be the way forward.

The Space Player can project in all directions below its horizontal axis and can be used in conjunction with SD cards, PCs, and tablets for play back of contents. The use of a laser light source means 20,000 hours of maintenance free operation.

Key features of The Space Player: • Spotlight type design • Position-adjustable structure • Compatible with most replay systems • Installable on wire ducts

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SMALL, LIGHTWEIGHT AND FULLY FEATURED, THE NEW FUJIFILM X-T10 USES UNIQUE X-TRANS SENSOR TECHNOLOGY TO DELIVER STUNNING IMAGE QUALITY AND COLOUR RENDITION

#XT10 #CREATIVITYEVERYDAY WWW.FUJIFILM-XT10.COM www.pixel.co.uk 5

CANON

Canon Uk&I Appoints New Head Of Its Consumer Business Continued...

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atthew Searle, CIG Country Sales Director of Canon UK & Ireland, commented: “It is superb to have the opportunity to lead Canon’s consumer arm at a very exciting time. The imaging market is evolving at a great pace, and at Canon we are looking to drive growth in new areas, including consumer services, as we continue to maintain our leading position in the camera market.”

Stephen Bates, Managing Director of Canon UK & Ireland, commented: “Matthew will bring a huge amount of experience and expertise to the consumer imaging group. He will be pivotal as we continue to transform and enhance our consumer offering, building on our recent success.”

During his time at Canon, Matthew has worked in a variety of roles, predominantly in sales. Starting in a lively telesales environment, he quickly moved into a management position, running marketing communications for Canon UK. As the company started to restructure, Matthew moved to a consultancy role for Canon Europe and was part of the first panEuropean project, which integrated all the websites into a consistent web presence on

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one platform. He then returned to Canon UK to take on the role of Director of the Partner Channel.

Pixel spoke with Matthew at Canon UK HQ about what his key focuses will be within his new role. He said: “There are two main areas which I am very keen to continue developing.

“As we all know, people are taking and sharing more images and videos than ever.

In fact, it is this fundamental love of capturing the images, which document our lives and the world around us, that has drawn me towards the role. At Canon, we must continue to develop this enjoyment. By working closely with customers and ensuring what we do is relevant, appealing and connected to their lives, I see a huge opportunity for Canon and the wider imaging industry in developing the appeal of photography.

“I am also keen to explore how we can bring the enjoyment of previous photos back to those who may have lost it. We are aiming to do this via a range of services, such as HD Books, LifeCake—a digital service we recently acquired that makes it easy for parents to take control of their ever-increasing number of

“Searle has been with Canon since 1993, when he joined in a telesales role for what he thought would be no more than a couple of weeks. But he has been at Canon ever since”

photos—and our online storage platform, irista.

“It is a great time to be part of this dynamic and vibrant industry, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Matthew lives just inside the M25, with his wife, Wendy—both avid travellers. A typical weekend for them revolves around family, AFC Wimbledon, the village pub, and tending to the garden.

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BEHIND THE COUNTER

Behind The Counter

Pixel’s Behind The Counter section shines the spotlight on counter-staff to delve into the daily life of photo retail

Alister Walker of JRS

Behind the Counter turns the spotlight on counter staff in photographic shops across the country with a mix of silly and (slightly more) pertinent questions. Here, counter staff at JRS Photo Hardware have kindly provided the answers you’ve been dying to know.

If you own/run/work in a camera shop and you’d like to get involved, please email jenny@pixel.co.uk

What is the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to you in Store?

A customer handed me her memory card to upload and print some photos. The first photo on the screen was one where she was in a bath almost covered in soap bubbles!

She shrieked and uttered the words “He was supposed to empty the bl**dy card!

Are many customers still interested in film?

And do you encourage that?

I am embarrassed to say that when customers come in the shop looking for film I usually ask them why they are buying film? This is just plain daft because we still sell it but I am of the view that days of film are over and digital is the way to go now.

Do you view Smartphones as a threat to the traditional photographic industry?

Definitely. Just about everybody has one now and I have to be honest and say that the photos are actually very good. This has a bad outcome in terms of the Manufacturers being able to produce Compact Cameras. Thankfully we are Panasonic Dealers and thankfully they still continue to manufacture and develop small compact cameras. Older folks don’t all have modern phones so we still have a market for compact systems.

Do you see many younger people interested in film?

Some of the youngsters who come into the shop still have an interest in film especially Polaroid and Fuji Instax. I think this is a cult thing and so long as they want to buy it I am going to sell it. For the really keen photographers it will not do them any harm to understand the various benefits and applications of film. That way their professional confidence will develop fully.

Black and White or colour?

I liked them both and, having a Darkroom in the past, Black and White will always be a great choice. Colour with all the new technology now is truly brilliant and I have a great fascination in HDR Photography. It just shows photographs of what the eye can see. Truly awesome.

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Do you offer printing services?

We are blessed with a Fuji DL L600 and a large format Epson 7900 Printer. We can print canvas and up to 12” prints and of course we produce the range of Passport Photos successfully. Our customers can also print online through the Fuji Imagine APP or through our website and this is a part of the business we need to really encourage and develop.

Do you encourage print?

The team at JRS are on a mission to encourage people to print their photos. If we don’t print photos the provenance of future generations is at serious risk. All the devices we use will sooner or later be disposed of.

We get photos in store to repair and colour through Photo Wonder and this won’t continue if there are no hard copy copies made Do you ‘Photo Bomb’?

Never. I don’t like the practice and as a wedding photographer it has spoiled more than a few really good photos. No thanks.

What’s the most outrageous thing that’s happened in store?

One day a young lady came in the shop and asked me if I could help to explain how her camera worked. I was happy to oblige in a very customer focused approach. I asked her where she bought the camera and she told – Argos. In fact she actually worked in Argos!!!!! What a cheek she had. But in that situation I had to bite my tongue and not to pick a window and leave. She did in fact buy a memory card so the moral of the story is never give up trying to sell your products even in the face of adversity.

SPONSORED FEATURE

Manfrotto Partner with Bushnell Optics The latest brand alliance in Manfrotto Distribution’s portfolio

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anfrotto Distribution UK is pleased to announce that it is the exclusive UK distributor for Bushnell, the industry-leading brand for high-performance sports optics. Manfrotto, part of the Vitec group, currently distributes brands designed and manufactured by the Photographic Division of Vitec—Gitzo, Manfrotto, Avenger, Kata, and National Geographic—along with other third-party brands, such as B+W and Schneider Xenon Full Frame Prime Lenses.

With the addition of Bushnell to the portfolio of brands distributed by Manfrotto Distribution UK, the range of support products and accessories for photographers, videographers and hobbyists is strengthened even further, with the range of available solutions widened.

Commenting on the partnership, Chris Carr, Managing Director at Manfrotto Distribution UK, said: “Bushnell is one of the most recognised and reputable optics brands in the UK and is the perfect fit for our portfolio. The product road map, the huge growth in Nature View Cameras, and the brand collaborations are all very exciting, and we are delighted to be working with Bushnell.”

See The Range at Birdfair 2015 Bushnell will be exhibiting at the BirdFair (BBWF) from 21st–23rd August at Rutland Water, where they will have the complete range of Bushnell products on hand for visitors to touch and try.

Pixel Magazine spoke to Darren Long, Category Manager, who explained: “Along with a host of new products, we will be accompanied by our brand ambassadors, including ‘Wildlife Kate’ (of Springwatch & Autumnwatch fame).” Darren said: “Kate uses Bushnell’s Nature Cam range for any wildlife shooting that she does and has a keen interest in the local Derbyshire and Shropshire wildlife.

She will be present on the Bushnell stand throughout the BirdFair.”

Darren went on to explain: “One or two lines have been ‘soft launched’ in the last couple of weeks, but BBWF will be the big platform for all new lines on offer through Manfrotto Distribution. We will be launching two new Nature Cams at the show, with the 119740 NatureView Cam being the star of the show. Market-leading in the field, Bushnell has upped the ‘Trapcam’ ante with this new model. 14M Pixel sensor & No Glow LED are some of the key feature improvements that you can expect to see”.

“Bushnell is one of the most recognised and reputable optics brands in the UK and is the perfect fit within our portfolio”

Bushnell ‘Legends’ Are Launched Manfrotto Distribution will also be rolling out the new Bushnell ‘Legend’ Series of Bino’s.

There are three tiers in the family, and two main models in each tier. Darren told Pixel: “These optics are ‘potential game changers’ for the industry.

They deliver unsurpassed quality and performance for the price point, and of course, there is good margin to be realised for the dealer channel. We have very high hopes for these at BBWF and beyond”.

We asked the Marketing Manager of

Manfrotto Distribution, Clare Taylor, to tell us more about the partnership with Bushnell.

She explained: “We have actually been working with Bushnell for around a year in the photo channel, but have spent this time refining the ranges held by existing dealers.

We think we are there now, and, with the addition of the new products, we are finally ready to bang the drum and roll out the new products!”

To get more information on the current and brand new products in the Bushnell range via Manfrotto Distribution by contacting the sales team: 01530 566090 or emailing info@manfrottodistribution. co.uk or Category Manager Darren Long at Darren.long@manfrotto.com

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CELESTRON

Reaching for the Stars Big things are happening within the walls of Celestron Global Ltd

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t will come as no surprise to readers of Pixel Magazine that sports optics and scopes can offer sensible margins, in a time when margins are being squeezed across so many traditional photographic products. So when we heard announcements coming from Celestron, heralding big opportunities for the dealer channel, we jumped at the chance to find out more.

Heading up the recently announced (1st July) Celestron Global Ltd, and now responsible for activities across 82 countries, is imaging industry veteran Dave Murray.

Now carrying the title of Senior Vice President, International Business Development, many of you will know Dave from his many years in the trade (see our timeline for a runthrough of his milestones so far) and will know that, since his departure from the mighty Hama, he is extremely well-positioned to lead the

Celestron brand on to greater things.

Dave told us: “We’ve set up shop in Thatcham, Berks, with around 2000 sq. ft. of office space, which also houses our showroom. We also have roughly 36,000 sq. ft. of warehousing, which equates to around 5-6,000 pallets”. He added: “Quite simply, what this means is that we are now able to offer a more comprehensive range of products. Hama have worked well with the brand over the years, but never offered the whole range.

Now, we have four groups of products to develop”.

Working alongside Dave to achieve this broader reach is none other than Nick Grey. Also exHama, Nick is now heading up the business development division, targeting the UK retail channel with the low-to mid-end of the Celestron range, whilst the mid-to high-end ranges will continue to be managed by D. Hinds Ltd. The company based in Leighton

“They represent a great opportunity to make good margin for dealers and should not be overlooked”

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Buzzard, have a long heritage with this part of the Celestron business.

Nick takes the role of Business Development, UK and will manage a number of key UK accounts, whilst John Loughlin, also ex-Hama and whose title is now Business Development Manager of Mass Market, will look after Mass channel accounts. Paul Clarke (exHama), will be looking after the Independent

CELESTRON

Dave Murray

A Lifetime in Imaging Dave gave Pixel a run-down of his career so far in the imaging trade. Kicking off in the mid-70s, it’s an impressive achievement and one that looks like it will continue for the foreseeable future with Celestron Global Ltd. • Dave was kicked out of university, aged 18, for playing rugby instead of studying.

• He then started work as a junior salesman for Elena Mae, a Scottish photo retailer who, at the time, operated between 20-30 stores.

David Murray

Nick Grey

• He then joined an independent operation called Vennal Cameras in Ayr (who are still trading).

• From here, Dave took a year out, working with Cadbury/Schweppes, learning the ropes of working as a sales rep. Then, onto…

• JJ Silber, looking after the traditional territory of Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North East of England.

• After four years with JJ Silber, Dave moved on to work under the almighty Stafford Ford at Introphoto, where he spent five years looking after both consumer - and pro-facing activities with both Jim Mackay and Mac Bills.

• This post took Dave through to 1990, where he left to join (the then named) Hama PVAC Ltd. He spent a year on the road, and then came indoors to work on product management.

Channel in the south and Manny Nakhwal (ex Lowepro, Manfrotto and Color Confidence) will concentrate on accounts in the north. Nick told us: “I joined the newly-formed operation on June 1st this year and I’m excited to have the opportunity to furthur develop the Celestron brand in the UK. I have a great team, and the product is second to none.”

He continued: “Lots of people think that sales of telescopes are exclusive to the last quarter of the year, but the truth is that they sell all year round.

They represent a great opportunity to make good margin for dealers and should not be overlooked.” The range we now offer includes telescopes, sports optics, microscopes, and

outdoor electronics. Every telescope and spotting scope with a price north of £150 RRP can be connected to a DSLR or mobile device to capture images. For far too long, the disciplines have been separate but today, with the convergence of technologies, these products have so many more applications, and the opportunity to share the results are almost limitless.”

Dave (Murray) added: “I’ll be honest, if an old guy like me can manage to crack astro-imaging (or digiscoping as some will call it) anyone can!”

To contact the team, see info below... ngrey@celestron.com jloughlin@celestron.com pclarke@celestron.com mnakhwal@celestron.com

• In 1992, he began working with Tasco, a guest brand within Hama, selling low-end binoculars and telescopes to the mass market.

• It was at this time that Nick Grey joined Hama, and together they pushed the Tasco brand far and wide. Their efforts were not enough to protect the US operation from entering Chapter 11, ultimately leading to Hama’s alliance with the Celestron brand.

• Dave continued to work with Hama and Celestron through till…

• August 2013, when he left Hama to take a role at Celestron. Initially a European Sales role, it quickly developed into an all-encompassing role, taking care of the international division (with a team of two).

• That takes us through to today, with Dave heading up the new Celestron Global Ltd operation with the title of Senior Vice President International Business Development.

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PIXEL TRADE AWARDS 2015 FRIDAY 4TH DECEMBER THE GRANGE CITY HOTEL, LONDON

TRADE

2015

Join us for the annual industry awards at this fantastic London venue, where we will recognise and congratulate the elite in our industry and where we will present the 2015 winners with the all important Pixel Trade Awards

BOOK A TABLE NOW (spaces are limited)

We have options for seating, accommodation and sponsorship for 2015. For more information please contact Patrick McCreanor on 12 www.pixel.co.uk

01323 819 014 or patrick@lifemediagroup.co.uk

www.pixel.co.uk 1

INTRO 2020 SPONSORED FEATURE

Intro 2020 Announce Major New Product Line Up

The key industry supplier rolls out the brand new range from Tamrac and much more in part one of the Pixel product overview

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hen it comes to commanding the full attention of the UK photographic press, nothing quite beats a stint aboard the Queen Mary 2.

Setting off from the port of Southampton on a sunny Sunday afternoon, a select group of journalists set about discovering what was new behind the doors of one of the industry’s key suppliers.

Jim Mackay, Managing Director of Intro 2020, kicked off the first presentation of the trip by outlining the brands they currently distribute and the focus of their intentions for the coming months.

Roughly a year ago, Jim announced that Intro 2020 was planning to increase the amount of video equipment imported by Intro 2020 and he predicted it would eventually account for some 20% of their turnover. Now he claims that, whilst photographic and stills equipment remain fundamental to the core of their business, the turnover generated by video equipment looks likely to reach that percentage more quickly than anticipated—possibly even within the next 12 months.

Moving on to the subject of accessory sales and their importance to any dealer operating

in the UK, he drew a parallel with accessory sales in car dealerships: selling the car does not make the dealer any money; it is the ‘special’ paint, the upgraded stereo, or the better wheels that do. We all know this, but it is refreshing to hear it coming from someone with such a history in, and passion for, the photography trade.

Jim and the Intro team, which includes Peter Mott, Jerry Martin and Jane Nicholson, reminded us of the rich heritage of some of the brands within Intro 2020. For instance, Velbon, the biggest Japanese manufacturer of tripods, are celebrating their 60th anniversary in 2015. It was news to me that they have sold almost 100,000 Velbon tripods in the last 12 months and, according to GFK (the market research institute Growth From Knowledge), they remain the brand leader by volume. Another little-known fact is that Intro 2020 has an in-house facility with the spares, and ability, to repair Velbon tripods that are decades old. Now, that is real support!

These are some great examples of the quality under the Intro 2020 team’s management, but what of the new kit?

“The biggest development within Intro 2020, has to be that of Tamrac. The American brand has been completely re-imagined and revitalised for 2015 by a new owner and his fresh team of forward thinking photographers and designers”

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INTRO 2020 SPONSORED FEATURE

Intro 2020 Product Roundup - Part 1 Tamrac Rise From The Ashes

Anvil Series Backpack Prices start at £199.99

The biggest development has to be that of Tamrac. The Utah-based Gura Gear brand bought Tamrac and, over the last twelve months, the American brand has been completely re-imagined and revitalised by a new owner and his fresh team of forwardthinking photographers and designers.

Intro 2020 has been working with the brand for 10 years now, and the partnership has held fast since the company’s administration in 2014. They will now offer both Tamrac and Gura Gear products as they move forward.

Pixel was lucky enough to meet with Gregory Schern, the President of the company, who had joined us on board. He explained to us about the ‘new’ Tamrac: “Since buying out the Tamrac brand, we have acquired patents on bags, including butterfly pockets, and we have managed to get the weight down from 12lbs (Lowepro equivalent) to 4lbs,” which more than meets their main objective of lightening their products by 30%.

A lot of their product ‘slimming’ has been achieved by developing a whole host of foams, used in combination in different parts of the bags. Schern told us that, in addition: “The use of hollow fibres in the fabric reduces weight considerably.” And with their commitment to using durable materials, Tamrac can offer the best of both worlds.

The new range of bags from Tamrac is

clearly high-end/professional in terms of quality and function. But Schern seems to hold the opinion that there is always room for improvement: “We have a young and dynamic team, and we are not scared to take risks. We are never done improving.”

The new range is comprised of six bags: three ‘standard’ options—the Anvil 17, 23 and 27—and the ‘slim’ bags, which come in the form of the 11, 15 and Super 25. All of the numbers relate to the internal capacity of the bags (in litres). Every bag in the range is fitted with world-leading components, has space for (up to) 15” laptops, and also comes with the ‘Arc’ belt system. Greg told us: “The Arc belts are completely adaptable and are designed to grow with the photographer. We have nine Arc accessories, designed to take all manner of lenses and filters, from most manufacturers”.

The system can be used completely independently from the bag itself, adding a real incentive and an excellent tool for sales.

Greg added: “There are many new and exciting developments to be announced in the near future, including some larger items in the autumn, along with some other products through the summer. Our newly developed website will keep you up to date with products as they come through—along with Jane and the team at Intro 2020, of course”.

Opt In With Op Tech

Triple carrier for Cameras/binoculars Suggested retail price £52.99 inc VAT

14 www.pixel.co.uk

Amongst the other new products announced

by Intro 2020 were the latest straps from Op Tech.

Their range of versatile, comfortable (neoprene), and great-value camera straps, includes the Mirrorless Sling, the Utility Sling Duo (a two-camera strap), and the Triple Carrier (for two cameras and a pair of binoculars – perfect for birding or sports).

Jerry Martin made a valid point about switching from a proprietary camera strap.

Aside from the better function and comfort, there is the important issue of security. Lots of people walk around with their branded camera straps on display without realising that they are advertising the value of their kit

to any potential robber! Quite right, and rather good patter for encouraging extra sales.

Mirrorless Camera Strap Suggested retail price £17.99 inc VAT

INTRO 2020 SPONSORED FEATURE

News From Samyang This comes in the form of a brand new 100mm F2.8 ED UMC MACRO lens and a 100mm T3.1 VDSLR ED UMC MACRO cine lens. These new products are the first macro systems from Samyang in their fortyyear history.

The former is a manual-focus macro-telephoto lens, designed for full-frame and smaller sensor sizes.

The maximum close-up magnification comes at a comfortable working distance of just over 30cm. This macro lens promises to provide sharp images and vivid colour reproduction, with soft bokeh in out-offocus areas. The fast aperture makes it a good lens for close-up images of flowers and insects, while landscapes and portraits can be captured by using it as a 100mm telephoto lens.

The latter is a manual-focus macro-telephoto cine lens with similar capabilities to the former. However, focus and de-coupled aperture gear rings have been installed for use with rigs and follow-focus systems.

Velbon On the topic of Velbon, they have launched four new tripods to add to their popular ULTRA series, in celebration of their big anniversary. The series already includes their SUB-65—complete with an FHD-53D fluid panhead, Velbon’s quick-lock system, and a removable centre column that can be used as a monopod—and their DV-7000N—with Vel-flo 2-way fluid head, spirit level, and a head with adjustable pan/tilt control.

The new tripods all use Velbon’s TSS (Trunnion Shaft System), which allows these tall and sturdy tripods to be folded right down to about the length of a ruler—or even less! Clever features, such as splittable centre-columns and quickrelease platforms, make for versatile tripods that are ideal for travel and can be used for working at low levels. Whether you need a 3-way panhead or a ball & socket head, Velbon offer it.

Samyang 100mm F2.8 ED UMC MACRO Prices start at £389.99 inc VAT Velbon SUB-65 Price: £139.99 inc VAT

New ND Filters From Cokin And finally, Cokin have introduced NUANCES, a new range of mineral glass Neutral Density (ND) filters, developed to provide absolute neutrality, free of infrared pollution. They have achieved this by applying a nano-metallic alloy to both sides of a highly-resistant, tempered Schott Glass B270. As a result, multiple NUANCES filters can be stacked without colour cast.

They are available in six different densities and

have been designed to fit Cokin’s range of CREATIVE filter holders for unlimited creativity.

All in all, the Queen Mary 2 was awash with fantastic new innovations and technologies that are sure to make a splash in the world of photography. There has been so much to see that we will be covering more in our next edition. Watch this space.

Velbon DV-7000N Price £129.99 inc VAT

Cokin NUANCES Prices TBC

www.pixel.co.uk 15

PANASONIC

Launching the GX8 Panasonic have continued their LUMIX G series range with the GX8 Having only released their GX7 in 2013, Panasonic is continuing their rapid expansion in the CSC market with a new addition to the LUMIX G series, the LUMIX DMC-GX8.

The GX7 was a huge success, providing users with enhanced image quality in low light, manual and creative controls, and the world’s first built-in 90-degree tilt-able Live View Finder (LVF). With Compact Systems Camera sales low, the GX7 created a much-needed lift in the market, improving their own standing within the industry as a whole. Both the LVF and monitor provide 100% field of view, and the image output between the LVF and the rear monitor is switched automatically using an eye sensor on the LVF, in order to conserve battery.

The new GX8, which will be available in the week commencing 10th August, is set to continue Panasonic’s growing development in the premium product and CSC sector at a fast pace. Pixel was able to get hands-on with the new product at the launch on 8th July.

The GX8 has a brand new 20.3MP sensor that, when combined with the dual image stabilisation function, allows the user to be fully in control of any shake or disturbance that

16 www.pixel.co.uk

might cause blur in the image. The body and lens now work together, sensing all movement to achieve sharper image results, rather than working separately, as they did before.

Electronic stablilisation allows for steadier video, but this cannot be applied to 4K video.

It is splash-and dust-proof, with a magnesium alloy body that looks and feels of superior quality to their other cameras in the range. As with the GX7, the camera includes a free-tilting LVF but now has a free-angle monitor, providing a retractable touch screen.

When using this camera, you can see the logic behind the screen being free-moving, allowing the user to also move more freely. However, it became apparent that the on-screen image was noticeably different to what can be seen through the viewfinder. Personally, having used a five-year-old DSLR for most of my photography hobbyist years, I found it difficult to get used to using the screen even as a supplement. However, from a creative point of view, it was wonderful to be able to fiddle with the artistic settings and view it from all angles.

This function is particularly useful for those wanting to make the most of the 4K video that is comprised within the GX8. The camera also allows you to take 4K photos with 8.3 million pixels in each frame, so quality and resolution is at its best – resizing and cropping benefits most from this, with no loss of quality and much less noise in the image itself.

The ease of use amazed me. Its intuitive nature meant that in no time I was taking the photographs in the way I wanted, rapidly and with good results. Even those with little experience with cameras could pick this up and feel at ease. The mode dial includes

PANASONIC the usual Manual, Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority modes, plus an Artistic Mode with a range of filter effects (which was the most fun), and Panoramic mode, which is wider than on previous models: its height has been reduced, therefore it has a wider field of view.

Low light did not seem to be a problem with the GX8 either, with extreme ISO capability akin to the upgraded Venus Engine processor.

The target audience has been well considered, having conducted a biannual study of 11,000 British consumers. From this, Panasonic gleaned two segments of interest: passionate photographers and enthusiastic hobbyists. Passionate photographers were identified as big spenders, with high-quality and expensive equipment, who take around 50-60 photographs on average per week. Enthusiastic hobbyists are those who take fewer images and perhaps have less equipment at a more affordable price, but still have photography at the forefront of their lives. I feel this target may be slightly secular for the new GX8. It is a high quality product, and yes, the price tag may not suit the average snap-happy Joe, but its intuitive nature, feel and form certainly make it a potential favourite for all discerning photography enthusiasts. The modes were easily navigable, the settings easily adjusted, and the LVF and free-form touch screen a welcome extra to a fully adaptable and sleek-looking camera.

For marketing purposes, Panasonic will be offering a launch trading promotion to customers who wish to trade-in their camera

bodies, with up to £300 off the A Kit when trading, and up to £180 off the H Kit. The LUMIX GX8 will be available from 10th August 2015 at RRPs as follows: DMC-GX8A Kit (12-35 F2.8) £1699.00 DMC-GX8H Kit (14-140) £1399.99 DMC-GX8K Kit (14-42) £1099.00 DMC-GX8 Body Only £999.99

GX8 Fact Box: • New 20.3MP Sensor • New Dual I.S Innovative Image

Stabilisation • Splash and Dustproof • Magnesium Alloy body • 4K Video and Photo technology (8.3 MP in each frame) • New Tilt-able 21mm Eyepoint LVF for improved usability with glasses • New Free-Angle Monitor 230k Dot OLED Touch Screen • DFD Autofocus Technology • Improved ISO • Password-less Wi-Fi • Filter Effects • Improved Multiple Panoramic Mode • Software/Remote Tethering • 2.5mm Microphone Socket • Silent Mode • Time Lapse/Stop Motion capture

www.pixel.co.uk 17

BUDGET 2015

Budget 2015:

The Pixel ‘Dealer’ Report The emergency summer Budget announcement by Chancellor George Osborne, though widely welcomed, has been criticised for falling short for retailers

T

he British Retail Consortium (BRC), Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), and Confederation of British Industry (CBI) are all glad for the cut in corporation tax to 19% in 2017 and 18% in 2020. The increased employment and investment allowances promised to small companies are also welcome announcements.

However, it is felt that these boons are “not enough” to ease the burden on retailers – particularly smaller businesses – who now have to fork out more on wages. This is because Osborne has also outlined measures to increase the ‘Minimum Living Wage’, as he has branded it, to £7.20 an hour for those aged over 25. This 7% rise will come into effect next April - a move that is anticipated to increase the annual pay for around 6 million people (almost one fifth of the UK workforce).

On the face of it, it would seem that the wage bill for many businesses is going to swell uncomfortably. However, this may be more of an issue for the hospitality, leisure and social

18 www.pixel.co.uk

care sectors, analysts are suggesting, rather than retailers, who, will not be so hard hit.

According to Peel Hunt analyst John Stevenson: “For most retailers, the introduction of a national living wage next year will not prove much of a threat to forecasts, in our view; perhaps a slight headwind at worst.”

He explains that this is because: “Big-ticket commission-led staff will not be affected, young fashion will fall under the age limits, and most retailers offer average rates above the £7.20 level.”

His assertion is supported by the BRC’s figures, which hold that the median wage for hourly paid workers in the retail industry currently stands at £7.30 an hour. Furthermore, Barclays analyst Christodoulos Chaviaras says: “Management teams we talked to are generally calm.” He went on to say: “In our view, the cost increases will be very much smaller than one may think.” This is because the “majority” of high street retailers covered by Barclays, which include Marks & Spencer, already pay

BUDGET 2015

above the minimum wage. Even among those retailers who are more exposed to this inflation in minimum wages, there seems to be little concern. Taking the example of grocers, the rise in the Minimum Living Wage would apply to a staggering three quarters of Sainsbury’s staff.

Yet, it currently pays £7.08 as a basic rate, which, it points out, is “considerably above the minimum wage” of £6.50. So, the increase to £7.20 does not represent a large jump.

Sainsbury’s unconcern is echoed by Tesco, who say they are “supportive” of Osborne’s decision.

The impact could be felt even less by the fashion industry due to the greater proportion of employees who are under 25 and will therefore remain unaffected by the new minimum wage rules. For example, 70% of SuperGroup’s staff is below that age limit.

In fact, rather than having a negative effect, the new Minimum Living Wage could actually bring benefits to retailers. Aside from the obvious perk of putting more money in people’s pockets, which could filter back into retailers’ tills, the Director General of BRC, Helen Dickinson, suggests that the government’s move has provided certainty for the industry, saying: “It puts some clarity over the direction of travel for 2020.”

What’s more, the new wage rate could also incentivise retailers to give more emphasis to their online business. In the opinion of David Oliver, a retail consultant from PricewaterhouseCoopers: “Most retailers have been talking about reinventing the role of the store because of digital, but very few of them have made much progress in that.

“This might be a prompt, and the tactical response would be to take more labour hours out of stores and to employ more under-25s who they won’t have to pay the living wage to. That will be the first response for a lot of retailers.”

Meanwhile, the relaxed Sunday trading laws,

which devolve powers over whether big outlets – over 3,015 sq ft – can remain open beyond our current six-hour limit, have also elicited a mixed reaction.

Some see the change as a “commercial opportunity” to make more sales, while others, such as McColl’s chief executive James Lancaster, argue that, on the contrary, “These changes will not see an increase in wider retail sales but lead to inconsistency and confusion for businesses and shoppers.”

It is thought that, though consumers may well embrace longer shopping hours, their spending would be largely substitutional. Hence, rather than increasing profits, an extension of the six-hour trading window would simply spread out spend more thinly across the day. This, coupled with the increased operational costs, would negatively impact profitability. For this reason, Conlumino analyst Joseph Robinson suggests the new laws could be a “double-edged sword” for grocers.

It is clear to Robinson that smaller outlets and independent shops will be hit hardest, “With these changes compounding the impact of the rise in multiples’ convenience estates over the last decade.”

A fundamental issue will be the way in which local authorities reach decisions about altering trading hours.

It will be essential for councils to consult with businesses and the community effectively, offering clarity and certainty.

Perhaps the most-widely held criticism of Osborne’s Budget was its failure to offer

“Rather than increasing profits, an extension of the six-hour trading window would simply spread out spend more thinly across the day”

confirmation about the long-campaigned-for business rates reforms. BRC director-general Helen Dickinson wants: “To see a move to more fairly distribute the burden of business rates across the economy.” Otherwise, further shop closures remain a real possibility – or rather probability. Without such confirmation, the gains from the latest Budget for retailers and their customers remain unclear.

FSB chairman John Allan has asserted that reforming business rates is of higher importance than relaxing trading laws.

“Bringing forward reforms to business rates is an immediate priority,” he says. Perhaps the government, while well intentioned, has got its priorities wrong.

Let us know your view. The budget, as ever, represents change for retailers of all shapes, sizes and working across all sectors. How will it affect you? What was missed and what did Osborne get wrong?

Contact Editor, Jenny Ardagh either via jenny@pixel.co.uk or by calling 01323 819007.

www.pixel.co.uk 19

TOMTOM

Lights, Camera, Action!

Introducing the TomTom Bandit Action Camera

O

ver the years, TomTom has built bits’ (the most action-packed clips). This can providing the sector with what GoPro calls themselves a name that surpasses then be added to, adapted and finalised with ‘the most versatile camera in the world’. all other brands as the Global leader music from the user’s iTunes, and shared However, TomTom aim to rival this with their in navigation, traffic and map products, and immediately on social media sites or YouTube new Bandit Action Cam, with some significant more recently GPS Sport Watches. We had the via the TomTom Bandit App - available on both improvements on any other camera in the opportunity to speak to Andrew Stocks, Sales iOS and Android. sector: “The image quality is up to GoPro & Marketing Director of Sport at TomTom about Whilst other action cameras in the market, standards, shooting 4K HD video, viewable their newest development, the TomTom Bandit including GoPro need an outer case to achieve in real-time, slow motion or as a time-lapse.

Action Camera – a bold new move into the waterproof use, the Bandit camera body is fully Previously, where action cameras were all the sports imaging sector. water and dust proof, coming with an additional same from a function point of view, now the Having launched into the lens cover enabling the user Sport sector in 2011 with the to dive up to 50 metres. Other very successful Nike GPS “The Bandit technology is certainly the thing that sets accessories also include a running watch, TomTom quickly bike mount, power cable, an it apart from others in the market, with sensors built adhesive 360 degree rotational got settled into the division, releasing their own GPS mount and a GoPro adaptor. in all over the camera body itself, detecting speed, running watch in 2013. From “This is just the beginning for G-force, altitude, rotation and even heartbeat” an outsider’s perspective, the TomTom”, Andrew comments. new action camera is a huge “The Bandit was released in and fairly bold shift for TomTom, April, and only started shipping flying into the photographic, video and imaging last month, so it’s very new.”

TomTom Bandit introduces the opportunity for sector. However, this was a product that was He adds: “The market is growing rapidly, and in-camera editing,” says Andrew. waiting in the wings for TomTom, the end result the TomTom Bandit has and will help to drive The TomTom Bandit technology is certainly a consequence of years in the making. the market in a bigger and better direction. the thing that sets it apart from others in the “It made sense with the way we were going Consumers can certainly expect a follow up.” market, with sensors built in all over the camera in the sporting sector,” Andrew says, “but the body itself, detecting speed, G-force, altitude, dominance of GoPro within the action camera The TomTom Bandit Action Cam is rotation and even heartbeat. Because of this, industry makes it a bold move in photographic distributed by Softline. Contact them on action can be captured instinctively by the terms and tough from a competitor point of 01293827900 or email sales@softlineuk.com TomTom Bandit to provide the user with an view.”

RRP of £299.99 and comes in either a Base intelligently edited clip of footage. The user can GoPro has been the unwavering leaders Pack (including 4 accessories), or Premium then shake their phone, which automatically of outdoor, durable sports imaging products, Pack (including 9 accessories). creates an edited video story out of the ‘best

20 www.pixel.co.uk

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www.pixel.co.uk 21

HAMA

The Hama Way

After his new appointment as Country Manager, Editor Jenny Ardagh caught up with Paul Irish to ask him about his new role and the changes within Hama in the UK.

J

enny: What’s been happening at Hama recently?

Paul: Like many companies in our industry, Hama has had to restructure in order to remain competitive whilst continuing to maintain and improve on our existing high levels of customer service. For example, we are currently in the process of relocating our warehouse facilities to a larger “state of the art” logistics centre in Belgium, promising drastic improvements in stock availability and the number of products we are able to offer to customers. We now have an extended range of over 8,000 lines across 6 product categories.

J: So you’ve recently been appointed Country Manager – what and where was your previous role, and is that a new title within Hama?

P: Yes, Country Manager is a brand new role here in the UK. Created in the amalgamation of the preexisting Managing Director and Sales Director positions, it introduces a more focused management approach for the UK team.

Having over 20 years experience as the MD of technical accessory supplier, Vivanco, I am already well acquainted with the industry.

J: I’ve seen that there have been some substantial changes in terms of staffing at Hama, with some people who have been at the company for a long while leaving – what does that mean for the future of Hama?

22 www.pixel.co.uk

P: Change isn’t always a bad thing. Clearly the closing of the logistics in the UK has had a significant impact to the staffing levels of Hama UK, though to the benefit of our customers, who have much to gain from the relocation to the high capacity facility in Belgium. Additionally, the area of sales has been reviewed to reflect the change in market conditions and the need to promote Hama’s extensive product portfolio in other sectors outside the traditional photographic channel.

I believe these changes will make Hama UK a more profitable and stable partner to its customers in the future.

J: Are there any others that have moved on?

P: To the contrary, we are actually planning on expanding our sales force in early August with the recruitment of two new regional sales managers for in the East and South West of England. With over 35 years of consumer electronics industry expertise between them, they bring great potential to the UK sales team, aiding in the implementation of our plans to extend our reach to independent retailers and expand into other channels nationwide.

J: How’s the future looking for Hama under your management – for example, is there anything exciting coming up product wise?

P: We are pleased to announce that we have recently embarked on an exciting new partnership with well-established North

American optics brand Meade Instruments, bringing a selection of high quality telescopes and binoculars to the UK market. Currently in its fifth decade within the amateur astronomy industry, the globally renowned Meade brand has long been pushing the technological boundaries of the telescope market to become leaders in their field. It is an honour to be working with them.

J: Is there an accessory sector or department you can see growing more rapidly than others? Currys has suggested that audio accessories and products are on the rise as are kitchen accessories.

P: The Bluetooth audio market is currently seeing significant growth, with our Bluetooth speakers and headphones proving very popular. Innovative design features, such as the ultra-advanced touch control interface of the Urbanears Plattan ADV Wireless Headphones, have immediately set many of our brands apart from those already on the market. There are few who can resist the eye-catching colours of our Fresh ‘n Rebel Bluetooth Speakers, and they have also done especially well.

The Selfie Stick has also made its presence known in the market this year, with the increasing popularity of mobile photography.

Both our Fresh ‘n Rebel and Hama brand selfie sticks have captured the imagination of ‘selfiesnappers’ around the country. https://uk.hama.com

OM-D E-M10

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selected M.Zuiko lenses

Cashbacks and trade-ins: Enjoy your adventures even more with exclusive offers from OLYMPUS.

Photograph courtesy of Philip Volkers. Shot on OM-D.

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The perfect gear for putting a new perspective on your travels.

Offer and purchase period: 12 May to 31 August 2015. Pick up a leaflet in-store for more information or visit olympus.co.uk/promotions Terms and conditions apply. At selected participating retailers.

www.pixel.co.uk 23

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SUNBOUNCE are one of the world's leading brands in the field of light manipulation enabling photographer's to adapt available light to produce stunning effects.

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Contact Mark Wilkins on 07860 240244 or mark.wilkins@ tetenal.uk.comfor details on how to become a stockist.

24 www.pixel.co.uk

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in print

RETAIL SOLUTIONS FOR THE PRINT PROFESSIONAL

FEATURING

SMART THINKING WITH CEWE CEWE HAS ANNOUNCED THE LAUNCH OF A NEW MOBILE APP PLUS PHOTOBOOK VIDEO TECHNOLOGY HELPING TO PRINT AND PRESERVE MEMORIES

Since CEWE announced their mobile app, the steps from mobile-ography to physical print have become simpler. The app promises the user a fluid transition from Smartphone image capture to printed matter, whilst video tech makes it possible to both print and preserve memories with film embedded in their traditional photo book format.

As largely reported in our pages, the digitisation of photography and the focus on social media and web sharing presents Contiuned on page 24...

STRIP FOR ADVERTISERS mitsubishielectric-printing.com

www.pixel.co.uk 25

COVER FEATURE: CEWE

SMART THINKING WITH CEWE CONTINUED...

a constant risk to not only the print market, but the memories which, with each download, mouse movement, virus and technological malware problem could be lost forever. Along with In:Print, print manufacturers and service providers have acknowledged this evolution from film to digital, and have been doing their utmost to keep their products relevant.

CEWE’s app promises to deliver a tangible supplement, or even a replacement to the digital display of people’s memories, offering photo books that will preserve photographs forever without the need for a backup, Drop box folders, USB sticks or cloud based storage platforms.

The CEWE PHOTOBOOK app, promises to help mobile device users to create photo books directly and with ease. It’s a free solution that is available on iOS devices as well as android. Its USP is that, unlike other apps on the market, the CEWE software provides scope to design and personalise a photo book with in-app design suggestions based on the uploaded photographs. Prints and postcards can be made and ordered, for either home delivery or

26 www.pixel.co.uk

store collection (retailer dependant).

Sarah Brockhurst, Marketing Manager for CEWE, comments: “Special photos and videos are often captured on mobile devices and then forgotten. Our new app allows users to take these cherished memories and turn them instantly into a CEWE PHOTOBOOK. Not only do we capture our memories with photos, but also more and more with high quality films. As such, CEWE has introduced the use of QR codes within the pages of their photobooks, which can be later scanned by a Smartphone or tablet for the user to watch the memories unfold in front of them in video form.”

She continued: “Using the app, photo books and prints can be created and ordered anywhere, anytime, meaning it’s great for people who are always on the go and have a busy schedule.”

With the software update, the interface and ease of use is also improved, with more space for photo design selection, faster creation of photo books, a 3D photo option and JPS (JPEG stereo) format, over 500 clipart images, 300+ backgrounds, 65 new styles and 300 new designs added.

As regularly championed within the pages of In:Print, we recognise the fact that the appetite for photo printing is still considerable even in the digital age with approximately 2.5 billon photos developed by CEWE alone in 2012, and with 5.6 million photobooks supplied.

Now, CEWE is acting on the Smartphone revolution.

New developments in Smartphone

in print

“WITH SMARTPHONES AND TABLETS NOW THE MOST POPULAR DEVICES FOR TAKING PHOTOS, AND INCREASED INSTANT AND CONVENIENT ACCESS TO THE INTERNET, MORE AND MORE PICTURES ARE NOW BEING TAKEN THAN AT ANY OTHER TIME IN HISTORY” - Duncan Midwood, Managing Director of CEWE represent a fantastic step in the right direction for the future of photo printing. CEWE, as it arguably has with most of the products and services within the market, is taking it a step further.

For more information you can go to www.cewe.co.uk

technology and increases in image resolution mean that the industry has to keep on its toes, constantly refreshing and updating what’s on offer to its users. Many apps have recently been developed to suit the latest means of making photographs and to fuel the very much still prevalent desire for people to hold their images in their hands, hang them in a frame on the wall and show their friends face-to-face. The newest apps, such as CEWE’s, allow for the Smartphone user to print their images straight from their device, which can only

A BRIEF SNAPSHOT OF CEWE From its small beginnings in Germany, CEWE has grown year-on-year, leaving their humble roots behind to become a photo and print service at the forefront of pioneering product innovations and technology developments in the digital world.

Since 1961, their standing in the European photo market has developed rapidly, now hosting 19 high tech production facilities around the world, and employing over 3,000 people to work with their 33,000 retail partners.

For more information you can go to www.cewe.co.uk

www.pixel.co.uk 27

INPRINT CAMPAIGN

MAKING THE POINT: YOUR FREE POSTERS ARE IN THE MAIL! PIXEL & IN:PRINT’S PRINT CAMPAIGN GATHERS PACE, WITH AN IN-STORE MESSAGE FOR EVERY CUSTOMER

H

opefully by now, lots of you have presented your local newspapers with the press release that we produced for you a month or so ago. For those of you who missed it, call us on 01323 819007 to get your (fully editable) copy. We will run a case study on the results of your external PR, so please let us know what press coverage you have achieved and how effective it has been in generating fresh custom.

As the next step of our ongoing campaign, we have put together a poster for every reader of Pixel magazine. You can see what it looks like on this page, and you can expect to get your hands on a free copy for your store in the September issue of Pixel - just in time to encourage your customers to print their summer holiday pictures!

As you can see, the concept of the poster is quite simple. A visual reminder that digital data is not bullet-proof. Industry veteran and close friend of Pixel Magazine Roy Sealey coined the phrase, “Print It Or Lose It”.

“Free posters will be inside your September issue of Pixel - just in time to encourage your customers to print their summer holiday pictures” It is possibly the most direct way to gain the attention of your customers (and potential customers), and coupled with a little explanation, we believe that it tells the story at a glance.

We have talked about the perils of the ‘digital black hole’ and will continue to bang the drum. Together, making enough noise, we can get this to reverberate through to the end user. This is a real issue and it is our industry’s job to get the message across to Joe public.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT SIMON SKINNER ON 01323 819 007 OR SIMON@LIFEMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK 28 www.pixel.co.uk

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Office Number: +44 (0)1707 278684 29 www.pixel.co.uk

NEWS BITES BITES NEWS

NEWS BITES

FIND OUT MORE INFO ON THIS MONTH’S NEWS BITES AT PIXEL.CO.UK

Photoline Gains ISO 14001 Photoline, having been in business for 30 years, have a strong commitment to environmental management and the optimisation of digital printing processes. This was recently reflected by the Newcastle-based company gaining an ISO 14001 in Environmental Management.

The ISO 14001 is an internationally recognised standard, and currently

the most popular standard in the print industry. However, a study carried out across the sector in Europe revealed that 40.5% of print companies found implementing the certification too costly and time consuming, 27% saw no need in the certification whatsoever and 31% saw it as unnecessary because of no customer demand.

Photoline also achieved ISO 9001 in Quality Management a

number of years ago, and are also members of Constructionline, the UK register of pre-qualified companies for government and public services.

Peter McGrady, Managing Director at Photoline, commented: “We are very proud to have achieved ISO 14001; we use certifications and accreditations to ensure that we stay at the very top

of our industry whilst allowing us to supply top quality, same-day and superfast print services to a wide range of clients across multiple industries” www.photoline.co.uk

Canon introduces new All-in-One inkjet printer!

Canon’s PIXMA MG3650 is a new multifunction printer, which replaces the PIXMA MG3550. It is designed to handle a wide range of wireless scanning, copying and printing tasks, working with the PC, Smartphones and tablet devices via popular apps and cloud services.

The new Canon PRINT app,

the PIXMA MG3650 allows users to print directly from Instagram™ and Slideshare™ as well as upload scanned documents

and photos to Microsoft OneNote™.

The model also supports direct printing from a wide range of popular social and cloud services

including. Easy-PhotoPrint+© also allows PC and tablet users to create cards and calendars using a range of free templates, which can then be printed on a PIXMA printer.

The PIXMA MG3650 will be available from September 2015 with an SRP of £69.99.

Illum and Lytro Desktop Updates Announced produce, and the firmware for its Illum camera.

The Illum 2.0 firmware update adds, among other things, the ability to manipulate the light-field

Lytro has announced updates to both the Lytro Desktop software for managing and manipulating the images that the company’s light-field cameras

CREDITS & CONTACTS

in print

RETAIL SOLUTIONS FOR THE PRINT PROFESSIONAL

images in the camera itself – a function that is completely new and was previously only an option within the desktop software.

The update also adds a new interface, which includes a depth gauge to help to set your field of focus ahead of capturing images, and a capacity to adjust images taken previously.

Managing Director/Publisher: Lee Mansfield 01323 819007 lee@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Editor: Jenny Ardagh 01323 819011 jenny@pixel.co.uk

Subscriptions: Linda Grace 01323 819015 linda@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Group Director/Editor: Simon Skinner 01323 819017 simon@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Production Manager : Harriet Weston 01323 819010 harriet@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Operations Director: Clare Fermor 01323 819016 clare@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Production Designer: Amy Watson 01323 819018 amy@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Published by: LMG SE LTD (Life Media Group) 1 Swan Business Centre, Swan Barn Road, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 2BY

Commercial Manager: Patrick McCreanor 01323 819014 patrick@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Accounts: Amelia Wellings 01323 819016 amelia@lifemediagroup.co.uk

30 www.pixel.co.uk

Printed by: Gemini Press Unit A1 Dolphin Way, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex BN43 6NZ

Lytro’s new version of its desktop software (4.3) now allows you to export a ‘Living Picture’ as an editable image stack, with individual layers, and import images without processing them at all.

Both updates are free and are available for download now.

All material in this publication is strictly copyright and all rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The views expressed in Pixel Magazine do not necessarily represent the view of Life Media Group LTD. Every care is taken in compiling the contents but the publishers of Pixel Magazine assume no reponsibilty for any damage, loss or injury arising from the participation in any offers, competitions or advertisment contained within Pixel Magazine.

All prices featured in Pixel Magazine are correct at the time of going to press.

Copyright Life Media Group LTD 2015©

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