Pixel Magazine - Issue 955

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ISSUE NO. 955

www.pixel.co.uk

INSIDE

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2 30/09/2014 11:47 PIXEL DEALER REPORT: SOFTWARE, PHOTO PRINT TRENDS, BBCLP_Pixel_Ears_46x53mm.indd HIGHLIGHT PHOTO PRINT SECTOR, BEHIND THE COUNTER, INTRO 2020 PRODUCT ROUNDUP, NEWS AND MORE...

This Issue Includes...

• We look at the latest opportunities in the Pixel Photo Software Report. P10.

• We continue to unveil a host of new products from Intro 2020.

P15.

30/09/2014 11:47

BUZZING FOR THE PIXEL TRADE AWARDS Introducing the 11th year of the Pixel Trade Awards, a calendar highlight for everyone in the photographic industry

• In:Print reports on BBC’s recent TV feature on analogue photography P23.

A new Samsung USB Flash Drive family Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd has announced a new suite of USB flash drives (UFD) available in three ergonomic form factors, equipped with Samsung NAND flash technology.

The bar type drive, designed for use in PC devices is available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. The USB 3.0 flash drive FIT is designed for use in ultra-slim notebooks for data storage, available in 32GB and 64GB. The flash drive DUO is specifically designed for portables (smartphones and tablets) and is available in 32GB and 64GB. PHOTO -

IMAGING -

When are the Pixel Trade Awards?

4th December 2015

photographic industry: retailers, suppliers and manufacturers alike.

Last year was a big year for us; it was our tenth Pixel awards ceremony and the event itself was a tenth anniversary-worthy success.

For our eleventh year, we’re keeping up the pace, improving with the trade itself, and offering even more opportunities to get involved,

Where are the Pixel Trade Awards?

Grange City Hotel, London Why do we host them?

To recognise and celebrate the achievements of those in the VIDEO

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AUDIO

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TV

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PRINT

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MOBILE

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STATS

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PEOPLE

win big and generally have an enjoyable evening, celebrating our industry with peers, and competitors alike.

With last year’s triumph, the awards are being held in the same venue, the Grange City Hotel near the Tower of London.

Continued on page 6...

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RETAIL

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BUSINESS

FOR 48 YEARS AND COUNTING

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NEWS

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Olympus Cameras

A new perspective.

What has continued to motivate us over the years?

Outstanding innovation that generates new perspectives and new possibilities.

The new OM-D E-M10 Mark II features powerful 5-Axis Image Stabilisation delivering spectacularly clear and blur free images in any situation – which you can then share instantly thanks to built-in Wi-Fi.

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Discover more: anewperspective.olympus.co.uk

NEWS

WELCOME To Pixel Magazine We at Pixel are most excited this month about announcing the details of our upcoming, annual Trade Awards! See our cover story for the preliminary information you need to secure your place at the event that recognises all the efforts, achievements and successes of manufacturers and retailers alike throughout the year. Put it in your diary and, most importantly, book a table and get involved!

Along with the latest news, Pixel provides retailers with the knowledge of what’s out there, and what’s worth their consideration.

The digitalization of software means a new strategy for manufacturers and resellers, which we discuss in pages 10-12.

Our In:Print campaign is truly out there; live and kicking. In our In:Print pages this month, we focus on how our campaign ideals and ethos has spread to be a talking point with the BBC and even further afield. This is promising for our message, and the analogue

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

EISA Awards: The Winners 2015-2016 Each year, EISA (The European Imaging and Sound Association) nominates the best equipment from different categories of audiovisual products released in Europe during the preceding 12 months. The EISA awards applauds the new products that offer and combine the most advanced technology, the most desirable features and the most innovative expression of design, as well as – of course – the best value for money.

photography industry. On this topic, we speak to Impossible CEO, Oskar Smolokowski about how they are promoting the use of instant analogue photography, and encouraging young people to take ‘a day off’ from their smartphones.

Enjoy your read!

Jenny, Editor

New Tamron Updates 18-200mm Zoom To Be The Lightest In The World­ The new 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC is the successor to the AF 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO lens, which has been one of Tamron’s best-selling lenses since its introduction 10 years ago.

The new 18-200mm VC uses the most modern optical and mechanical design to achieve compactness and high performance as well as

Industry News Bites

incorporating image stabilization.

It improves on portability at a weight of just 400g the lightest lens in its class and is designed to be as user-friendly as possible.

The Canon and Nikon mount models will be first simultaneously launched. The launch date of the Sony mount model will be announced at a later date.

SRP: £169.99

The Winning Cameras 2015-2016 EUROPEAN PROFESSIONAL DSLR CAMERA 2015-2016 Canon EOS 5DS/5DS R EUROPEAN PROSUMER DSLR CAMERA 2015-2016 Canon EOS 7D Mark II EUROPEAN CONSUMER COMPACT SYSTEM CAMERA 2015-2016 Fujifilm X-T10 EUROPEAN PREMIUM COMPACT CAMERA 20152016 Leica Q EUROPEAN SMARTPHONE CAMERA 2015-2016 LG G4 EUROPEAN CONSUMER DSLR CAMERA 2015-2016 Nikon D5500 EUROPEAN PROSUMER COMPACT SYSTEM CAMERA Olympus OM-D E-M5 II EUROPEAN PHOTO & VIDEO CAMERA 2015-2016 Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7/G70

EUROPEAN TRAVEL COMPACT CAMERA 2015-2016 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90/V EUROPEAN PROFESSIONAL COMPACT SYSTEM CAMERA 20152016 Sony a7 II

Winning Lenses 2015-2016 EUROPEAN PROFESSIONAL DSLR LENS 2015-2016 Canon EF 11-24mm F/4L USM EUROPEAN COMPACT SYSTEM ZOOM LENS 2015-2016 Fujifilm Fujinon XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR EUROPEAN PROFESSIONAL COMPACT SYSTEM LENS 20152016 Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40 150mm F2.8 PRO EUROPEAN DSLR TELEPHOTO ZOOM LENS 2015-2016 SIGMA 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sports EUROPEAN DSLR LENS 20152016 SIGMA 24mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art

EUROPEAN COMPACT SYSTEM LENS 2015-2016 Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS EUROPEAN DSLR ZOOM LENS 2015-2016 Tamron SP 15-30mm F2.8 Di VC USD

Become the first in your area to offer fully Biometric Passport pictures We can take the quietest area of your store and providing it’s no smaller than 2 square meters, show you how it can generate £14,000 profit in the first two years….With an initial investment of only £1,316.19 You don’t need to be a professional photographer as the software in the camera takes care of everything before you press print!

For peace of mind you can even request an International Civil Aviation Organisation check, all you require is WiFi in store!

Swains take the risk out of your passport and ID shots. All countries catered for.

Call Swains for more information Tel: 01485 536 200 email: sales@swains.co.uk web: www.swains.co.uk

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NEWS

New BenQ and Adobe offer BenQ has partnered with Adobe to launch a new promotion, designed for creative professionals and photographers that value colour accuracy and demand the best from their images. The offer is for a one-year membership to Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan (worth £102), which combines features from Photoshop and Lightroom, with any purchase of the new BenQ 24” PG2401PT colour critical monitor.

The PG2401PT is the first product in BenQ’s Pro Graphics series of monitors, developed specifically for the colour critical photography market. It comes complete with Palette Master Software, which has been codeveloped with X-Rite - the global

leader in colour science and technology.

This new BenQ / Adobe offer is available to purchase through leading photography retailers and is distributed exclusively by Color Confidence in the UK, Poland, France, Nordics and Spain.

The offer is available until 31st December 2015.

Never Miss Out With Swains Website Join the hundreds of retailers already signed up for the Swains Website. The newly launched site is packed full of comprehensive product information including high resolution images. Users can filter for specific items by narrowing down their search, for example frame colour, type or camera megapixel or optical zoom.

Registered retailers can easily search for products on special offer and place orders at a time which suits them. Items

previously ordered are stored in “Favourites” for quicker reordering. Users can keep track of their account balance, print statements and invoices as well as view their back orders.

Details on the site are changed on a daily bases, so be sure to check out the latest promotions, new product launches and clearance lines.

Nikon’s New Af-S Nikkor 24Mm F/1.8G Prime Lens

Nikon is extending its versatile f/1.8 line-up of prime lenses with the new AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.8G ED, a lighter and more compact FX-format lens.

Edward Allinson, Junior Product Manager for Lenses & Accessories at Nikon UK says: “The 24mm lens has always been a popular model when it comes to exaggerating perspectives and capturing imaginative images; this new lens is a great addition to Nikon’s f/1.8 line-up and gives the wide-angle series a definitive edge.”

He adds: “Not only this, movie shooters who want to create a cinematic feel can achieve this and deliver excellent video. The

compact and lightweight design also makes it an ideal travel companion, and ensures that it is built to last.”

The new 24mm f/1 delivers a shallow depth of field, smooth bokeh, clear low-light images, and a bright viewfinder image, as well as boating extralow-dispersion (ED) glass elements, two aspherical lens elements, and Nikon’s Nano Crystal Coat ensure crisp images. The AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.8G ED is supplied with a bayonet lens hood and a soft lens pouch.

RRP: £629.99 Sales Start Date: TBC

Ricoh Imaging Introduces the Latest Ambassador to Join its Team

For more details on how you can register contact the Swains Sales Office on 01485 536 200 or e-mail sales@ swains.co.uk

Lowepro’s New Photo Backpacks are Built for Outdoor Adventurers Lowepro, the market leader of photography carrying solutions has launched Whistler, a four-season, alpineinspired backpack series, and the next generation of its best-selling and active-adventure backpack, Photo Sport II. Whistler backpacks come in two sizes – 350 AW and 450 AW: ideal for wilderness photographers and adventurers who carry camera,

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video and functional outdoor equipment.

The series was designed and tested by professional photographers in the extreme conditions of the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, Canada.

Whistler’s extraprotective build keeps gear safe from the elements, including a waterproof fabric and base, detachable All Weather AW Cover™ and removable camera gear insert.

RICOH IMAGING EUROPE is pleased to announce that Brett Harkness, one of the UK’s most sought after photographers, has joined the ranks as its latest ambassador - capturing photography with style, using the PENTAX 645Z. The PENTAX 645Z features a large CMOS image sensor with approximately 51.4 effective megapixels to deliver highresolution images ideal for professionals.

With a reputation for tailored,

artistic photography, editorial and location portraiture, Brett utilises venue, setting, lighting, colour, mood and scenery in his shoots.

Brett said: “I am very much looking forward to pushing the PENTAX 645Z to its limits and beyond. It is the perfect camera for most applications and allows me to produce images that simply take my breath away. It is easy to handle, with beautiful lenses to match that give me crisp images every time. Watch this space… the sky is the limit!”

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TRADE AWARDS

Buzzing for The Pixel Trade Awards Continued...

T

he Grange City hotel’s accommodation, hospitality, service and amenities made last year a smooth running and extremely enjoyable evening, and promises the same this year on 4th December. Despite the usual shakes and bumps throughout the year in the industry, with a combination of a rapidly evolving technology, a demanding market and a difficult economic climate to contend with, the end of one year marks the beginning of another 12 months of potential successes.

Andy Steel, Marketing Executive at Park Cameras Ltd commented on the annual event: “As previous winners of the Pixel Trade Awards (in the Independent Retailer of the Year category), we feel that it is important to recognise the hard work that goes into giving photo enthusiasts and professionals the very best products and service possible – after all, these customers are often spending hundreds of pounds with the likes of us and other retailers in the market. As most of the categories have been traditionally voted for by only those working in the photo trade, the Pixel Awards are also a good way of ensuring that people such as Consumer Magazines,

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Distributors, reps and store staff have the chance to be recognised above all others - I can’t think of another awards ceremony in our industry that celebrates their good work in this way.”

He added: “The Pixel Awards are certainly a good place to catch up with others in the industry, and to gain an insight into what product sectors are working well and how the photo trade is evolving over the years. We believe that it is a good way to recognise everyone’s hard work throughout the year, whether it is for a manufacturer, retail store, minilab, product or an individual.”

The biggest change for this year is the voting. The Pixel team has secured two panels, made up from captains of the industry on both sides of the fence: manufacture and retail. The judging process will be strict but fair, with no unwanted biases getting in the way of worthy winners. We want to reward all who deserve it in equal measure, and distribute the prestigious accolades that represent the elite in our industry.

Since 1989, Pixel magazine has been the impartial voice of the photographic industry, and the ever-expanding team has seen trends come

“The Pixel Awards are certainly a good place to catch up with others in the industry, and to gain an insight into what product sectors are working well and how the photo trade is evolving over the years” - Andy Steel, Marketing Executive at Park Cameras Ltd

and go just as retailers and manufacturers have grown and adapted to the industry demands. This annual event provides the ideal way of networking, making those essential connections and enjoying the near Christmas spirit in a room filled with peers with the same goals and interests.

We will be announcing our headline sponsors

TRADE AWARDS Winners of Last Year’s Awards Consumer Magazine of the Year N Photo Innovation in Imaging of the Year Nikon UK, Nikon D810 Hardware Accessory Manufacturer of the Year Manfrotto UK Consumer Imaging Website of the Year ePhotozine Processing Manufacturer of the Year Fujifilm UK Hardware Manufacturer of the Year Fujifilm UK Marketing Campaign of the Year Canon – ‘Come And See’ campaign Independent Retailer of the Year Cameraworld Multiple Retailer of the Year London Camera Exchange Mass Retailer of the Year Dixons Carphone Online Retailer of the Year WEX Photographic Distributor of the Year Tetenal UK Retail Sales Person of the Year Sara Penwarden - Wilkinson Cameras Rep of the Year Chris Castle – Tetenal Print Lab of the Year Phoenix Photographic Reg Atkins of Park Cameras was the worthy winner of the Outstanding Contribution to the Industry award, having founded Park Cameras in 1971.

Over more than forty years, Mr Atkins has forged a reputation for Park Cameras as one of the top independent photographic retailers in the UK.

incorporate key, but often not considered for the Trade Awards 2015 over the next couple aspects of the business, such as customer of months in the lead up the event itself. First service. Events such as this keep the up, we can confirm that Sony has partnered businesses driving forward so the industry with us this year! Sony has been a large part of can benefit. It’s also just a great opportunity Pixel over the years, featuring in many an article to catch up with others in the trade, and talk and supporting various projects throughout about something other than work. It’s always 2015, so we are looking forward to their further nice to see everyone, involvement. especially in such a jovial Jason Clarke, atmosphere in the run up Sales Manager of “It’s a great honour to be such to Christmas.” the Photo Channel an active part of the only trade Last year, we had the at Sony UK LTD pleasure of supporting is excited to be a awards for the photographic charity, Action Medical part of the Trade Research, raising over Awards: “It’s a great industry as a whole. It is a £5,000, plus our guest honour to be such fantastic evening that not only celebrity host, Bobby an active part of the only trade awards gets the whole industry together Davro entertained everyone present with his for the photographic but also rewards the hard work (slightly un-PC), cheeky industry as a 80s humour. We are whole. I very much of everyone within it.” keeping you in the dark look forward to for a little longer on the the evening, and - Jason Clarke, Sales Manager of the Photo guest celebrity this year hopefully we will Channel at Sony UK LTD but will reveal further win something as a details on both the host bonus!” and our chosen charity He, and Sony as a as progress towards the date of the event. whole also realise the importance of holding an evening such as this: “It is a fantastic evening If you would like to book a table, get in that not only gets the whole industry together touch with us on 01323 819007 or email but also rewards the hard work of everyone Lee Mansfield or Patrick McCreanor within it.” lee@lifemediagroup.co.uk or patrick@ He added: “The awards acknowledges lifemediagroup.co.uk everyone: the people who work for the manufacturers and retailers as well as the And hurry, tables are selling fast! owners. The award categories themselves

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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

Andrew Higgins: Manager at our Liverpool store

Matthew Lally: Manager at our Warrington store

Joe Lawson: Manager at our Carlisle store

Sara Penwarden: Manager at our Southport store

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 Wilkinson Cameras 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’s the most exciting thing that’s happened in store for you?

Joe: Not camera related but we had a squirrel in the shop once. It just ran in and ended up being in the shop for about 24 hours. That was pretty exciting!

Andrew: Meeting legendary photographers takes some beating. Elliott Erwitt and Steve McCurry to name but two.

Do you see the smartphone market as a threat to traditional camera sales?

Joe: This is a definite threat to the market, but manufacturers have been challenged to make more exciting products to offer something different, this has really fuelled the enthusiast camera market with high end compacts like the Fuji X Series & the Sony RX Series cameras.

Black and white or colour photography?

Do you ‘photo-bomb’?

Joe: I shoot colour mainly and convert to black and white. If I wanted to challenge myself I would go out and specifically shoot black and white, spending time thinking about contrast and framing to create more impact for the viewer.

Joe: Yes, you have to have fun with photography! The trouble is it’s too easy to delete those spontaneous photos.

Matthew: For me I think black and white just edges it. I mainly shoot street and concert photography and I often find black and white allows me to really focus in on the subject and not let elements in the background be distracting.

Do you have a printing service?

Matthew: The entry level point and shoot market may have been cannibalised by smartphones but plenty of customers want better quality pictures offered by high end compacts, mirrorless and DSLR cameras.

Joe: Our instant print service is extremely popular, we often have people waiting for the kiosk to become free, people like to walk away with their prints on the day. We do offer a send away/lab service and have been known to get phone calls from the lab checking the size of some of our orders. Yes, some customers do want orders up to 1000 prints!

Sara: Smartphones are with the user all the time so the sales of in-expensive digital compact cameras are becoming less and less.

Low light photography is something that S/P struggle with tremendously. You know what they say though….the best camera is the one you have with you!

Matthew: We offer instant services such as instant prints as well as copying and printing from existing prints. We also offer prints via our labs from slide, film and digital formats.

Prints from the lab can be done in a range of sizes and formats including glossy prints, canvas and on other materials such as acrylic.

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Matthew: No, I find the whole photobomb thing quite strange. I’ve actually been photo-bombed having my picture taken with a singer from a band. Fortunately a few pictures were taken so the moment wasn’t ruined.

If you could have any camera equipment you wanted for free, what would it be?

Matthew: With so many to choose from it isn’t easy. I’d have to say a Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) and 50mm Summicron F2. It would make for a wonderful street photography camera and the idea of only shooting black and white is very attractive.

Plus, who doesn’t want to own a Leica?!

Sara: I would love a Canon 200-400mm with a built in 1.4 extender, am I being greedy if I asked for their 11-24mm too?!

What’s the strangest thing a customer has asked you?

Sara: I once had a chap ring up and ask how much it would be to castrate his dog, apparently after the initial hysteria it turns out there is a vet with the same name nearby!

THE COLLECTION THAT KNOWS ITS WAY AROUND THE WORLD

YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY ADVENTURE STARTS HERE! The VEO 265CB (Travel Tripod) and VEO 37 (Messenger Bag) Built for photographers, designed for travel

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anguard’s new VEO Collection of travel from the ground, perfect for macro work. photography accessories delivers the The Arca-Swiss compatible ball head combination of quality and value that features a built-in bubble level with separate Vanguard has become renowned for in its ball and panoramic locks, perfect for wide near 30-year history. The collection includes landscapes and easy realignment. The a range of innovative tripods, monopods and rubber feet with retractable spikes and the bags, all of which are packed with touches ability to attach a weight enable the tripod to deliver the best results wherever you are to cope in practically any terrain, delivering and designed to make travelling as easy as rock-solid stability on sand, soil, snow, and possible. more.

The collection includes The VEO 37 the VEO 265CB carbon messenger bag has been “The collection includes fibre travel tripod which designed to complement the VEO 265CB carbon delivers the performance and the range of VEO tripods, features of a robust, full-sized including the 265CB fibre travel tripod which camera-support system in and is particularly suited delivers the performance an extremely compact form. to compact system and features of a robust, Weighing just 1.5kg and cameras. Weighing less packing down to less than full-sized camera-support than a kilogram, the 40cm, the VEO 265CB is bag includes plenty of system in an extremely capable of supporting 8kg of room for your camera compact form” equipment, so it can also be equipment and a used as an everyday tripod tablet, plus it has an without compromise. In use, innovative side-access the patented column rotation system enables compartment designed to safely store rapid setup and packing away. your tripod inside the bag, out of sight Despite being designed as a travel tripod, and reducing the likelihood of damage the VEO 265CB includes features that deliver while travelling. This unique feature incredible flexibility. This includes a low-angle means the VEO 37 doesn’t look like a adaptor combined with legs that can be traditional camera bag, and makes it positioned in any of three angles – 25, 45 and less obvious you’re carrying expensive 80 degrees – which enables shots just 18cm camera equipment as you travel.

If you’re looking for a travel solution, The VEO Collection is one to shortlist – you won’t be disappointed. Ask your dealer for a demonstration today or visit www.vanguardworld.co.uk for more information

The VEO 37 includes the innovative tripod carrying system through the secure side access compartment

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SOFTWARE

Pixel Dealer Report: Software What are the latest updates in the photo editing software world, what’s the competition looking like? How will they help professional and enthusiast photographers and what does the dealer need to know to make the sale?

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t’s a rapidly expanding, and exciting time for digital imaging in general, with higher-resolution sensors, sophisticated lens corrections, advances in RAW data conversion, and advances in noise reduction capabilities. With app upon app, program after program, and hundreds of improvements upon them all, the market is inundated with choice for individuals, companies, professionals or ‘dabblers’ in the art of photo editing, but what are the differences between them?

Even how we purchase software has changed and now differs from program to program. In 2013, Adobe announced that boxed versions, along with their perpetual licenses, would no longer be available for any

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Adobe software newer than CS6. This shift towards subscription based, downloadable software protects more against piracy and copyright breach, not to mention the fact that they effectively deal directly with their customers, negating any opportunity for the retail channel. However, this does also create a lack of visible value for money: deliverables.

Purchasing ‘Cloud’ based software, aside from copyright issues, can offer the end user a plus - it can suit a tighter budget; those who may not have been able to bulk buy their software previously, may now be able to subscribe by way of monthly installments.

However, this does end up as a more expensive option in the long-term. The Creative Cloud Photography Plan costs £8.57 on a

monthly subscription plan or £102.30 on an annual subscription plan for PC (Windows 7, Windows 8) or Mac OS. Adobe Creative Cloud software comes in a range of plans, depending on the needs of the user. The Photography Plan is the complete photo editing package for professionals, or near-professionals. The software boasts its complementary functions, with all programs and software synchronising across all user devices, including Smartphones and tablets.

With the immense step in technology, photo editors now don’t want to simply manipulate their images, but are more and more in need of software that allows them to edit, organize, collate, batch process, search for and share their photos easily, all in one place. The Adobe

SOFTWARE

Creative Cloud offers this, in addition to their Lightroom functionalities, with the Adobe CreativeSync. This is a signature technology that intelligently syncs creative assets: files, photos, fonts, vector graphics, brushes, colours, settings, and metadata – across desktop, web and mobile apps.

David Wadhwani, senior vice president, Digital Media, Adobe. “Creative Cloud 2015 is our most powerful and comprehensive release to date.”

Corel software is thought, by various users’ feedback to rival Adobe, and it’s providing customers with a choice between subscription plans and physical software boxes. CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X7 is the current version of their flagship graphics design package and it continues to prove very popular with their range of target markets: graphics professionals in the advertising and printing industries, occasional graphics users who create their own marketing materials, marketing departments in SMEs, students and teachers in schools, and frequent hobbyists.

It’s been a while since Adobe moved over to a subscription only model and it seems that CorelDRAW has slowly utilised on their

within the software category and to be inspired increased attention, gained from still fans to get creative with Corel products. We of physical software packages in the same recognise the importance of this presence and market. Corel continues to offer perpetual therein, the dealers who stock our products”. licences in the form of a box or download, The CorelDRAW Graphic Suite X7 is the volume licensing for business as well as main competitor to subscription options the Adobe Creative - a balance that can Cloud Suite, including potentially meet the the full range of photo needs of everyone “Corel software is thought, editing software, with whilst still offering by various users’ feedback Corel PaintShop Pro opportunity for the X7 claiming to do dealer. to rival Adobe, and most of what Adobe James Phillips, it’s providing customers PhotoShop will do.

Senior Manager or A new version of the Regional Marketing with a choice between software has just been at Corel Corporation subscription plans and launched (as we write commented on the this – see competition demand for physical physical software boxes” at the end of this feature product: for a chance to win a “Corel continues to copy), which may just offer boxed product for further close the gap sale through retailers between Corel and Adobe products from what across the globe. We know that customers it currently cannot do, and the physicality of really value the opportunity to pick up a box the software itself may be the key to their rival and learn about the product in store. Having popularity. a physical presence for our award-winning The award-winning creative software packages also allows customers to browse

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SOFTWARE

developer, Serif has also shifted its way of thinking recently, with the launch of their new Affinity Photo App software. This is the second in the new suite of professional creative software developed by Serif aimed at Mac users and only downloadable via appstores. Having launched their first creative software, Affinity Designer in October last year, and receiving an Apple Design Award a few months ago, the Affinity products are

continuing on to fit Mac photo editors’ needs.

This indicated a shift towards Adobe’s way of thinking, however their ‘Plus’ products have continued to thrive in the market as retail ‘boxed’ products. PhotoPlus X7, launched in 2014 came without the need for monthly subscriptions and offers a flexible package designed for professional photographers, enthusiasts or beginners. PhotoPlus X7’s SRP is £79.99 and, as with other physical

programs in the market, offer a good margin for the reseller.

The most recent Serif release, aside from the Affinity Photo App, is the PhotoPlus X8, an upgrade of the aforementioned X7, with a huge amount more features than the previous X6 or X7, with an SRP also of £79.99. So how does PhotoPlus X8 compare with Adobe Photoshop? Well, except for a few photo feature add-ons here and there, the presence of a photo print studio (when comparing to CC), the major difference is that users can buy and install PhotoPlus X8 without a subscription, and in physical form.

Although there’s an obvious shift in the market towards digital formats, subscriptions and direct selling, it seems that some of the top manufacturers such as Serif, Acronis, and Corel still see value in boxed versions and perpetual licenses for creative users.

Jeff Hart, Regional Sales Manager UK & Ireland at Acronis commented on the benefits of a physical products, even with a seemingly changing habit from the end user: “As the trend towards digital downloading grows, we still find in the UK that a vast number of our customers also prefer the option of having the “physical disc” as well. This allows the user to also have a back-up for their backup whilst having the quick-start install/user guide for easy reference. Having the option of both digital and disc allows the user choice to manage their system.”

Competition!

Pixel has teamed up with top software developers: Acronis and Corel to offer you an exclusive chance to win a copy of their newest software programs

WIN: The new Corel PaintShop Pro X8 Ultimate software Corel is offering Pixel readers a chance to win a boxed copy of the new Corel PaintShop Pro X8 Ultimate software, worth £79.99 To win, answer this simple question: New Corel PaintShop Pro X8 Ultimate includes how many pieces of bonus software? a) 1 b) 2 c) 3

WIN: The new Acronis True Image Cloud backup software Acronis are offering two Pixel readers a chance to win boxed versions of the new Acronis True Image 2016 Cloud backup software, worth £109.95 each per year.

The software covers three computers and ten devices.

To win, answer this simple question: What colour is the Acronis logo? a) Blue b) Orange c) Purple

To be in with a chance of winning one of the two software products, email your answer (a, b or c) along with your name and contact details to: jenny@pixel.co.uk with the subject “SOFTWARE COMP” plus the name of the software program (“COREL” or “ACRONIS”)

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INFOTRENDS

Current and Predicted Photo Print Trends

InfoTrends share their latest figures, predictions, highs and lows, growths and falls of the photography market from last year through to 2019

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ver the last couple of years, we have seen the photography market dramatically impacted by the increasing use of smartphones.

In an InfoTrends consumer survey conducted in Western Europe earlier this year, 68% of respondents said they use a smartphone most often as their everyday camera. This switch to smartphones as a primary camera has had a significant impact on the market, especially in the more developed countries around the world, including Western Europe and the U.K. On the digital camera side of the market, smartphones have led to a decline in sales of dedicated cameras, particularly in the lowerpriced point-and-shoot categories. InfoTrends estimates that sales of digital cameras in Western Europe will decline at -9.4% through 2019 (compound annual growth rate), with sales in the U.K. expected to drop by -9.8%.

The install base of digital cameras in the U.K. is also expected to drop from around 28 million units in 2014 to under 18 million by 2019, as more consumers rely completely on smartphones for their photography needs. In terms of brand, Canon was the most popular

digital camera brand in the U.K., with market share of around 25%.

On the printing and output side of the market, Western Europe and the U.K. have experienced declines in print and some growth in photo merchandise, though those growth rates are starting to get smaller as the market matures and consumers tend to share photos more electronically from mobile devices.

Volume of traditional photo prints in the U.K. is expected to drop from just under 2 billion prints (4� x 6� equivalent) in 2014 to around 1.5 billion prints by 2019, a drop of -5.7% compounded annually. Prints made at home will experience the biggest decline at around -10%, while prints ordered online drop by around -2% and prints ordered in retail stores drop by around -5%. Within retail, the majority of U.K. print customers will order prints over the counter, though an increasing percentage of orders will take place at retail kiosks.

Photo merchandise orders will see continued growth, with unit sales expected to grow at 3.6% compounded annually through 2019.

Revenue on photo merchandise products will also see continued growth, at 5% compounded

annually through 2019. Photo cards will be the most popular type of photo merchandise product in the U.K., followed by photo books.

Canvas photo prints will experience the most growth in terms of unit sales in the U.K., with growth expected to be just under 12% through 2019. The majority of photo merchandise items in the U.K. will be ordered online, accounting for around 74% of orders this year, with retail orders accounting for 26%.

While the market for digital cameras as well as photo prints may be experiencing declines and photo merchandise growth starts to flatten out, there are still great opportunities in the photo market. With smartphones, most consumers now have a camera with them at all times and are taking more pictures than ever before. The smartphone also can act as a photo kiosk for ordering products, but the process still needs to be simplified and consumers need to be educated. InfoTrends also believes that there is the potential for many consumers to have their first photography experience with smartphones and then move up to a more capable digital camera as their photography habit evolves.

www.pixel.co.uk 13

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INTRO 2020 SPONSORED FEATURE

On Board with Intro 2020 Back Aboard The Queen Mary II with Intro 2020 En Route To Hamburg As We continue To Unveil a Host Of New Products for The UK Dealer Channel

“The Digipower range represents ‘huge’ business opportunity for dealers and epitomise the accessory sales that make all the difference in-store”

D

uring our time at sea with the mighty trade supplier, Intro 2020, Jim Mackay, Managing Director, was proud to reveal that the company has been appointed as sole UK importer and distributor of Digipower products, manufactured by the fast-growing, US-based Mizco International. With its strong

industry insights and a commitment to unique product design and engineering, Digipower has been a pioneer of digital accessories since 1998, providing mobile computer, wireless, and imaging enthusiasts with high-performance accessories for over 25 years.

DIGIPOWER: Launches In The UK Launched this month, the exciting range of Digipower products that Intro 2020 will be concentrating on includes around 60 products, including extended power packs for GoPro Hero cameras, Quickpod Selfie Wands, USB chargers, and digital camera battery packs. Introduced by General Sales Manager at Intro 2020, Peter Mott, the range represents ‘huge’ business opportunity for dealers and epitomises the accessory sales that make all the difference in-store.

Peter continued: “The multicharger products are usually bought by people, who are caught short; people who ‘suddenly’ find that they need a solution. The multi-charger products all come under the name Digipower, whilst all of the camera/ Go Pro products are labelled under the sub-brand Re-Fuel”.

The range also includes the Quickpod. With products starting at just £19.99, the monster in the range is the Selfie Extreme (pictured) which extends to an enormous 52 inches and will sit on the shelf at a suggested £70.

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INTRO 2020 SPONSORED FEATURE

Intro 2020 Product Roundup - Part 2 AZDEN: Mixing up The Market Proving itself worthy of its reputation as a leading manufacturer of audio products, Azden has managed to find room for improvement in its long-trusted FMX-42 range of portable mixers. Their new FMX-42u boasts the same features as its predecessor, from the 4 balanced XLR line/mic inputs with individual level and pan controls to professional-quality VU meters for accurate level setting. But in addition, it now has a USB digital audio output, which provides greater flexibility and opens up new possibilities by enabling the device to be connected to a computer, smartphone or tablet, as well as having the capacity to act

as a secondary stereo audio output. With this greater connectivity, you can back up digital recordings on a mobile device or laptop, use up to 4 XLR microphones whilst shooting video with a smartphone or tablet, or even use the FMX-42u as an in-studio mixer for web streaming or podcasting. And to add to its allure, this product is handcrafted in Japan.

Azden also announced the release of their new SGM-250 Professional Dual-Powered Shotgun Microphone, which promises to set the bar even higher for quality and performance. For this, they have redesigned the microphone element to enhance its sensitivity, frequency response, and signal-to-noise ration. They have also incorporated a custom-designed, slotted acoustic barrel in a bid to provide excellent super-cardioid directionality and side-noise rejection. The microphone can run off of phantom power or a single AA battery with negligible loss in performance, and at just 250mm in length, it is unobtrusive

enough to be used on compact DSLR cameras. All of these qualities are wrapped up in a metal-alloy case that makes for a more durable microphone with higher resistant to RF interference. And it is surprisingly affordable for the end user, whilst still offering a healthy margin to the dealer channel.

Azden FMX-42u Pro Portable Mixer. SRP: £729.99

Tokina Hydrophilic filters. Prices from £299.00

TOKINA Lens

TOKINA Filters

With the launch of a new lens and two new filters, Tokina had a lot to shout about. Let us begin with their parfocal Cinema ATX 50-135mm T3.0 lens, which is engineered to deliver a versatile zoom range in a compact design. It has reduced breathing and image shift, and the decoupled 9-blade, curved iris makes for beautiful bokeh and precise exposure control. With its 1m close-focus capability, this lens allows you the freedom to capture tight close-ups while maintaining a comfortable distance from your subject. And you can rest assured of minimal distortion, afforded by aspherical elements and Super-Low Dispersion glass. What is more, if you wish to use it in follow-focus systems, the durable, all-metal, cine-style housing with geared manual zoom, focus and aperture rings makes this possible.

As for filters, Intro had announcements here too. The Tokina Hydrophilic Coating Protector Filter is a clear filter designed to prevent water from beading on its front surface when working in wet conditions. Its hydrophilic coating evenly repels moisture, but creates no additional colouration or contrast, meaning you do not have to make adjustments to Tokina PRO IRND exposure. A thin filter ring is also featured to minimise Filters. Prices from £129.99 the potential of vignetting. Furthermore, when the Hydrophilic Protector Filter is in use, the lens is protected from the danger of getting scratched.

Their Pro IRND Filter uses Tokina’s innovative Accu-ND Technology to create a Neutral Density filter intended to precisely control the amount of light entering the lens without affecting the colour. In this way, Tokina has overcome the issue faced by many cinematographers of having to adjust white balance to maintain true colour fidelity after using IRND filters that usually cause colour shifting. This filter is available in two styles: round and square/rectangular. The round filter has an ND vapour deposition coating on both sides of the glass, giving it precision and true neutrality. The square/rectangular type, on the other hand, has an ND vapour deposition coating sandwiched between two layers of glass, which means that the filter can be re-polished again and again should it get scratched, extending the life of the filter.

Tokina CINEMA ATX 50-135mm T3 Lens. SRP: £4499.99

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INTRO 2020 SPONSORED FEATURE

Big News From TAMRON With the Launch of The 18-200mm ZOOM their money where their mouth is by offering a 5 year warranty. This stands to be important on the mass market as a ‘single solution’ consumer lens.

During the presentation, Jim treated us to a handful of Tamron ‘industry firsts’, that the brand can claim as their own:

SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD (Model A012) SRP: £169.99

It was clear to see the excitement in the room when announcing the release of Tamron’s new 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC, which claims to be the lightest zoom lens in the world, weighing in at just 400g. They have used cutting-edge modern optical and mechanical design technology to incorporate a number of great features into a compact and lightweight product. Included are: Tamron’s Vibration Compensation, which makes it possible for photographers of all abilities to take goodquality, in-focus shots of distant objects or with slow shutter speeds in dim lighting; a new autofocus drive module with an optimal DC motor-gear train, which speeds up focusing whilst also making it quieter; and an LD (Low Dispersion) lens element that minimises chromatic aberrations. These are all sealed in a moisture-resistant case for added dependability and a longer lifespan. And Tamron have put

Go! KENKO Kenko has introduced two new teleconverters: the Teleplus HD DGX 2.0 and the Teleplus HD DGX 1.4X (Canon fit). Hoya Corporation, the world’s largest manufacturer of optical glass, supply the multi-coated glass for the optics that, respectively, multiply the focal length of your prime lens by 2x and 1.4x, turning a 300mm lens into the equivalent of a 600mm or 420mm lens. The unique circuitry that these converters use maintains signal integrity between the camera body and the lens, allowing the accurate recording of digital

• They were the first to produce a stabilised f2.8 standard zoom for full frame cameras.

• The first to push super telephoto zooms to 600mm.

• They were the first to produce an ultra wide, full-frame f2.8 zoom with stabilisation, and the first to use PZD technology to make smaller lenses [amongst other things].

These facts and figures have led to some impressive, recent feedback, including that Tamron’s quality is rivaling that of the [more generic] camera manufacturer’s optics. This customer feedback suggests that there’s a real appetite for the 5 year warranty and 3 day service option that comes as standard with any sale of Tamron product, and also that the customer wants a high quality lens, at a reasonable price.

All of this feedback is the cause of a number of elements. Primarily, the excellent press and reviews that the brand receives, its constant development of unique and innovative products and professional features, such as vibration control and weather resistance.

EXIF data. And its is good to know that full automatic focus operation is possible with both versions, provided there is sufficient light and contrast on the subject to activate the camera’s automatic focus sensors.

Kenko Teleplus HD 1.4x DGX. Price: £219.99

Tamron 15-30mm wins EISA award European DSLR Zoom Lens 2015-2016 SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD (Model A012)

Tamron Co., Ltd, a leading manufacturer of precision optics, has announced that the European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA) has presented its “European DSLR Zoom Lens 2015-2016” award to the world’s first* F/2.8 ultra-wide-angle zoom to offer image stabilization – the Tamron SP 1530mm F/2.8 Di VC USD (Model A012).

Excerpt from the Award Citation of the EISA Jury The Tamron SP 15-30mm F2.8 Di VC USD is quite simply a revolutionary design, being the first wideangle zoom to combine a fast f/2.8 maximum aperture with optical stabilisation. It covers a focal length range suitable for landscape photography, interiors and architecture thanks to the low optical distortion, but can also be used for street photography and atmospheric portraits.

The optical performance is exceptional and provides a high level of contrast and detail.

The autofocus and image stabilisation systems are highly effective, too. Build quality is high, with moisture resistant construction.

It’s a large and heavy lens, but great value for money.

About the EISA Award The European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA) presents awards each year to products judged to be the best in Photography, Hi-Fi, Home Theatre Audio, Home Theatre Display & Video, In-Car Electronics and Mobile devices categories. A panel of editors from over 50 leading imaging, sound, and electronic industry magazines in 20 European countries review and vote to determine the leading products on the market.

The receipt of this prestigious award marks the 17th year Tamron has won an EISA Award and the 10th consecutive year since 2006.

In addition to this, the Tamron 15-30mm lens recently won the Practical Photography Digital Photo “Gear of the Year award” for Best DSLR Lens.

For further information please contact Jane Nicholson at jane@intro2020.co.uk

www.pixel.co.uk 17

PANASONIC

NEVER MISS A MOMENT AGAIN Photographer and journalist Damien Demolder explores the decisive moment and how to make the impossible easily achievable

I

t was Henri Cartier-Bresson who coined the played back so we can examine events that phrase ‘the decisive moment’ to describe just happened. And that is how Panasonic’s that split-second when all the elements of a 4K Photo mode works. I sense that something story come together within in the viewfinder. is about to happen, I set myself up, arrange We have plenty of examples of his skill the frame where I think it is going to happen at capturing that meaningful but fleeting and press record until the event takes place. occurrence, but we rarely hear about the shots It could be someone walking around a corner, he missed. A man who had a camera with him someone stepping into a tiny patch of light, a all the time and who shot a massive number of silhouette walking in to a thin bright space or frames, there must have been plenty of images the coming together of two or more moving on his contact sheets in which he had shot just elements that can’t be seen beforehand. a fraction of a second too soon or too late, and These events I know are going to happen the elusive moment had slipped between the and I can get myself in a position to capture frames to escape and never be seen again. them, but it is impossible to predict the exact I’ve always thought there are two principle moment things will come together, and once skills to capturing a decisive moment: they do and I’ve seen it, the moment has identifying that a decisive moment is about to passed and gone forever. With 4K Photo occur, and actually pressing those moments never have the shutter release as the to slip through my fingers, moment comes together. and I can tackle shots that “For me though the ability previously would have just Cartier-Bresson was clearly to record a sequence of pretty good at both, but I’m filled a card with rubbish certain that if he had been in 8-million-pixel images at trying to get right. a position to use Panasonic’s such a rate has allowed 4K Photo mode, his hit–rate me to capture moments would have been astonishing.

No software required that previously I would Recording at 30 frames per never have been able to second, 4K Photo simply It has been possible to record.” makes sure every moment extract stills from video for is captured, so all you need some time, but with normal to do is recognise the best HD video the pictures frame from the sequence are very small and you and extract it using the back need to understand movie screen of the camera. software to be able to do it. With 4K Photo the But where is the skill/fun in that, and isn’t individual frames have 8 million pixels and at that cheating? If you use 4K Photo mode to print to 11x8in even with strict 300ppi photocapture images that you could have caught quality resolution. And you don’t even need using your sense of timing and single shot to download the movie to extract the stills, as mode, then yes that might be considered lazy. it is all done in-camera. You can use Adobe In street photography some situations Lightroom now to play the sequences and develop too quickly, too suddenly and without pull-out frames, but it is actually far easier to enough warning for even the most skilled do it on the back of the camera. You play the photographer to be able to shoot the perfect movie and use stop/start buttons to control frame. the flow. When you find the moment you There are times that the only way we can want you can scroll through frame by frame, see something clearly is by replaying a second forward or reverse, to make sure you have of memory – our eyes see the world in video precisely the best frame in which everything mode, and our memory allows that video to be comes together.

18 www.pixel.co.uk

PANASONIC On the bus The main shot was taken in Edinburgh on a cold day of low angled but bright winter sunlight. I spotted that a gap between two buildings was allowing the sun to shine across a road onto the massive brick wall of the city library. I was photographing people as they lit up, stepping from the shadow in to the sun-drenched area when I noticed that as a bus passed behind me it threw its own hard-edged shadow across the road as well. As it passed by the shape of the top deck appeared on the wall for a second or so.

I imagined a shot in which I’d captured the bus shadow as it coincided with a person walking through the sunlight zone, but it was going to be difficult to capture. The buses were passing behind me, so I couldn’t see when the shadow would appear, and I certainly wouldn’t have been quick enough to capture the person cleanly between the

struts of the upstairs windows just by watching the scene unfold in front of me.

It was all happening far too quickly and without enough warning. By the time I’d seen the picture the moment had gone.

The solution was easy though, to switch the camera to 4K Photo mode and to activate the video when I could see someone coming and could hear a bus behind me. It only took a couple of takes to capture the moment I was looking for in the net. Playing the footage back on the camera demonstrated on the spot that two or three frames had worked. They showed the moments where the man’s face was lit by the sun that was shining through the bus window, while at the same time his head was comfortably composed within the frame of that window.

If I’d had super-human timing I could have caught one of those moments, but I would have missed the other two. It is one of the things that 4K Photo has shown me – that sometimes it is the moments that happen after

the moment that I would have shot that prove to be the best. And those are moments that would have passed without me noticing them or even considering their existence.

Cameras with 4K Photo mode All the pictures on this page were shot with Panasonic’s new 20-million-pixel Lumix GX8 compact system camera, but it isn’t the only model in the range that offers this feature. The Lumix GH4 also has 4K Photo mode, as does the new Lumix G7. For those who like smaller models try the Lumix LX100 premium compact camera or the Lumix CM1 connected camera with its 1-inch 20-millionpixel sensor.

The best way to find out which model suits you is to visit your local retailer or look out for Panasonic Lumix events where you can try one out for free. Alternatively, visit panasonic.co.uk/lumix4k

GX8 key features – 20 million pixel resolution – Large, bright and clear, tiltable, viewfinder – Vari-angle rear screen that allows shooting from all angles – Excellent handling thanks to dial controls & sizeable grip – I mage stabilisation that combines in-body and in-lens compensation

www.pixel.co.uk 19

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in print

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FEATURING

BBC HIGHLIGHT PHOTO PRINT SECTOR BBC TV REPORTS ON ANALOGUE PHOTOGRAPHY’S STUBBORN REFUSAL TO ROLL OVER IN THE ADVENT OF DIGITAL IMAGING TECHNOLOGY

In:Print are delighted to see that the BBC recently released a promising report suggesting that traditional film very much continues to hold sway in people’s minds— and on the market.

This news comes with a wave of recent warnings and concerns about digital imagery.

As mentioned in previous issues of Pixel and In:Print, Google boss Vint Cerf warned us, earlier this year, about the vulnerability of digital images and the ‘information black hole’ into which we could be throwing them all.

Contiuned on page 24...

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www.pixel.co.uk 23

COVER FEATURE: CEWE BBC

BBC HIGHLIGHT PHOTO PRINT SECTOR

Creative Commons - By “Westpark”

Continued...

“THERE IS EVEN ONE MANUFACTURER, CINESTILL, WHO IS MAKING FILM ROLLS OUT OF KODAK’S MOTION PICTURE FILM—SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN CHAMPIONED BY THE LIKES OF QUENTIN TARANTINO AND CHRISTOPHER NOLAN”

A

s technology evolves, the programs we use to view our digital files will become defunct.

More recently, Miniclick, the Brighton-based photography hub, published an article outlining the risk of losing access to the online stores (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) of memories of deceased loved ones. They also allude to the ‘unbreakable magic of the [printed] photo’ and the essential role it plays in the preservation of memories for generations to come.

24 www.pixel.co.uk

Within our industry, numerous manufacturers and suppliers have cropped up in response to this issue, offering services to pull images from online accounts to create physical Twitter journals, Facebook memoirs, and photo books.

Clearly, we are not alone in believing that printing photos is incredibly important.

The digital—and, within that, the smartphone—revolution has dealt a big blow to the analogue film industry. According to Colin Harding, Curator of Photography at

the National Media Museum, who spoke with In:Print, “The rate of change has been so dramatic that it has taken many by surprise, including people in the industry.” But it has by no means killed film. On the contrary, the industry is experiencing something of a renaissance.

The BBC report suggests that the resurgence of interest in film comes from both ends of the demographic scale—the young and the old—and the reasons behind the revival are just as varied. It helps that the friendly and quaint nature of film makes it approachable. Importantly, though, people are often initially drawn by its aesthetic, be it the grain, the superior blend of light and colour, or the less-saturated hues of certain films.

Some like to get stuck in and take control of the whole physical process, from composition to development. Doing so can be hugely rewarding, and the alchemy of bringing photos to life is quite magical. It is a far more creative act than mindlessly pointing, snapping, and then storing in a file on the computer. The very

in print “FILM CAMERAS THAT ONCE WOULD HAVE COST A SMALL FORTUNE ARE NOW WONDERFULLY CHEAP. THIS HAS, IN TURN, DRIVEN THE SECONDHAND MARKET THAT WE HAVE SEEN EXPLODE IN RECENT YEARS”

physicality of the printed image is something that Harding believes appeals to a lot of people: “You can stick it on the fridge or frame it on the wall.” It can be held onto for years, in a tangible form, rather than lost in the recesses of a computer.

There are also financial incentives to using film. For one thing, when working with larger formats, the digital equivalents can be expensive. Perhaps more significantly though, film cameras that once would have cost a small fortune are now wonderfully cheap. This is thanks to the glut of them. People discarded analogue cameras in their thousands when rushing to embrace digital, consigning them to cupboards and attics or selling them, despite the fact that they were in perfect working condition. This has, in turn, driven the secondhand market that we have seen explode in recent years.

One further thing that stands in favour of film is its novelty value. People love the anticipation and excitement of receiving that little envelope containing the negatives and prints, and opening it up to find out what gems they have captured—and perhaps having a laugh over the shots that failed! In fact, in years to come, the supposedly failed shots may hold a significance and value for future generations to which we are currently oblivious. So, they are worth holding onto, rather than discarding them in what Harding refers to as a sort of, “Return to the idea of formal portraiture,” in which our record of photographs consists only of the perfectly-posed shots.

We at In:Print are further galvanised by the knowledge that, aside from the aforementioned businesses that offer solutions for securing digital images in the form of printed photo books, companies and big industry names around the world are actively fighting the case for analogue film.

There are those who continue to make film, such as Kodak in the USA and Ilford in the UK,

and others who have begun to introduce new film, such as Adox in Germany and Agfa-Gevaert in Belgium. There is even one manufacturer, Cinestill, who is making film rolls out of Kodak’s motion picture film—something that has been championed by the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Christopher Nolan.

One story that is sure to get you fired up is that of Ferrania in Italy. Last year, a rescue operation was staged by the former employees of the company, who turned to the project-funding website Kickstarter to save the machinery required to produce their old slide film. And, with the help of over 5,000 contributors, their ambitious were realised—fantastic!

So, when it comes to fighting for print— and indeed film—we are not alone; we are part of a big and swelling movement. And, as a heads up a little while in advance (so there are no excuses), remember that Film Photography Day will take place in April of next year (we will keep you posted about dates)—it will be an opportunity to show our solidarity with the resurgent analogue film community. Until then, people must be encouraged to keep on developing those films, or, for those who do not already have an old camera, to get out there and buy one. At the very least, let us motivate our customers to print from digital!

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IMPOSSIBLE COVER FEATURE: CEWE

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

AS OUR IN:PRINT CAMPAIGN DELVES US FURTHER INTO PROMOTING OUR WORLD OF ANALOGUE FILM AND PRINT, THE IMPOSSIBLE PROJECT CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE THEIR INSTANT FILM COLLECTION

T

he closing of the last Polaroid production plant in the Netherlands in 2008 is what kickstarted the Impossible Project.

Their journey since has taken them along the path of preventing analogue instant photography from going extinct and producing new instant film for the 200 million classic Polaroid cameras still in circulation.

Bringing instant film into the 21st Century, Impossible continually improves and adapts their film technology to suit their consumers, whom they listen to on every step through social media, direct and indirect feedback.

We spoke to the CEO of Impossible, Oskar Smolokowski about the new developments at Impossible and what it means for the analogue photography world. He highlights the importance of listening to the consumer market: “We’re extremely lucky to have a group of passionate users who use our newest recipes and let us know what they do and don’t like. They also catch issues that we sometime miss, because at the end of the day this film really needs to be field-tested in all conditions, from the cold and dry in the north, to the hot and humid in the east,” says Oskar.

We found out more about the latest advancements and developments to the Impossible 600 colour film: “There are two main differences – one is colour reproduction,

26 www.pixel.co.uk

“IMPOSSIBLE CONTINUALLY IMPROVES AND ADAPTS THEIR FILM TECHNOLOGY TO SUIT THEIR CONSUMERS, WHOM THEY LISTEN TO ON EVERY STEP THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, DIRECT AND INDIRECT FEEDBACK” the other image emergence. The colours are significantly better on this film than anything we have released previously – great skin tones and really saturated reds, greens, blues: everything.”

He adds: “The film starts showing an image at around 2-3 minutes, compared to the current film, which starts showing the image at 12-15 minutes. That makes a difference if you want to know if you’ve got the framing and basic light settings right in the first few minutes, and generally makes the film more fun to use. Full development time is still at around 40 minutes.”

Impossible film is stocked by 24 retailers in the UK including, Selfridges (a pop-up store) and The Photographer’s Gallery bookshop in London, and a range of stores across Manchester, Bristol, Brighton, Chelsea, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Liverpool and many more! The growth has be exponential and product quality, in following on from Polaroid’s reputation, is key to success:

“We are doing the best we can to improve the films as quickly as we can. It’s just unimaginably complex, even with some of the best chemists in the world now it’s taking us time to develop new custom chemistry, check for performance, stability and opacification before shipping a product we are happy with,” says Oskar.

Their pop-up store in Selfridges on occasion acts as a workshop and exhibition space for people to connect with instant analogue photography. Much to our delight here at Pixel and In:Print, Impossible are also ambassadors of the ‘print it or lose it campaign’, constantly encouraging people to ‘take the day off’ from snapping away with their Smartphones; Impossible encourage the thought process, the creativity and the care that goes into the art of analogue photography, in particular instant photography. The Impossible Selfridges Shop stocks the full family of Impossible instant film, the Instant Lab Universal, an assortment of camera accessories and a curated selection

in print

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www.pixel.co.uk 27

IMPOSSIBLE

“CREATED FOR THOSE WHO ARE YET TO EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC OF PICKING UP AND SHOOTING AN ORIGINAL POLAROID CAMERA, THE INSTANT FILM STARTER PACK MAKES IT EASIER TO GET INTO INSTANT PHOTOGRAPHY”

of artfully refurbished classic 600, SX-70 and Image/Spectra Polaroid™ cameras.

The launch of their own Impossible Project campaign to get people to start making real photos, and to put down their Smartphones is a most exciting development for our own campaign. Created for those who are yet to experience the magic of picking up and

28 www.pixel.co.uk

shooting an original Polaroid camera, the Instant Film Starter Pack makes it easier to get into Instant photography. The pack consists of three packs of film, and each comes with tips on how to make the most of every photograph.

Oskar commented on the reason behind their Starter Pack: “Instant analogue film is not something that you would use every day, but when you do, it definitely takes on more meaning. For me, it’s clear that people are looking for photography in the real world again — or for the first time, as we are finding. Instant film is complex, it uses chemistry to capture the light, meaning each photo is unique, and cannot be replicated.

The Impossible Project Starter Pack acts as guidance for those who want to make real photos and watch them develop in the palm of their hands.”

There are two options available, the Starter Pack Film combined with a Polaroid 600 camera priced at £138 or the Starter Pack film alone for £42 for those who already have an original camera in their closets or attics but haven’t had the chance to start.

Oskar believes that the younger market is

‘simply more interested’ in what Impossible do than with the digital technology they’ve grown up with and are used to – perhaps even tired of. He comments: “For them this medium is new and interesting, and they’re just not amused by digital technology any more – they grew up with it and it just blends into the background, whereas instant analogue photography stands out.”

He believes that instant analogue photography is ‘the answer for those who want a closer, more real encounter with photography, beyond their phone’. He says: “Every year Smartphone cameras get better, which means more and more people have a brilliant digital camera in their pocket. This is impacting any product that doesn’t offer something significantly different, and in most cases a better digital picture doesn’t really cut it. I think instant analogue photography answers this need well, as does all analogue photography.”

Oskar promises some great collaboration film releases in the next few months and comments: “The next big project after that is our first ever instant camera, coming April 2016.”

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NEWS BITES BITES NEWS

NEWS BITES

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

Noritsu Returns With Strength in The UK Market On June 24th and 25th, PhotoXport and Noritsu Koki Works Japan hosted Open Days for Noritsu products in the UK, showcasing the leading edge Green II inkjet DryLab. Mr. Kubara also provided valuable market trends and impressive demonstrations on Noritsu’s Green series printers, utilising Noritu’s EZ-Controller

software. He said: “I enjoy sharing knowledge and information about Noritsu products, and this fabulous group of retailers energised me with stimulating industry conversations.”

Noritsu President Mr. Michio Fujimoto was impressed with UK’s enthusiasm and passion for Noritsu products: “Noritsu in the UK is special to me as I have

enjoyed many years as Noritsu UK President. It was exciting to meet with so many happy Noritsu retailers wanting to know more about our Green series of printers.”

In the rather short time that PhotoXport has been Noritsu’s UK distributor, great strides have been made in the UK market. One facet that has been

especially successful is the Green II. In:Print will be catching up with PhotoXport in the very next edition. In the meantime, you can contact them on (0) 116 267 5907

Epson Sponsors Rps Digital Imaging Expo 2015 Held at the University of Warwick on Sunday 20th September, the Royal Photographic Society Digital Imaging Expo 2015 offers visitors the opportunity to learn from and take part in a range of inspirational workshops and presentations for one day.

The multi-choice conference will include speakers such as Joe Cornish Hon FRPS, Steve Caplin and Eddie Ephraums. There

will be Adobe workshops with David Mallows and Epson colour management and printing presentations with Mike McNamee.

The Bowens Studio will offer attendees the

chance to learn how to use lighting and to shoot a live model. They will be given the opportunity to have one of their images printed on the Epson stand using the latest SureLab

SL-D700 photo printer.

Nick White, Business Manager of Professional Graphics, Epson UK says: “The Epson brand is synonymous with the highest quality in photographic printing, so it makes perfect sense for us to be sponsoring this Royal Photographic Society Expo.

We’re delighted to be taking part in such an inspiring and informative event.”

The New Lomo’Instant Montenegro Edition Package Lomography has released their latest instant camera, the Motenegro. The Lomo’Instant Montenegro package includes the Splitzer for slicing-and-dicing your instant shots, plus 3 lens attachments (Fisheye, Close-Up and Portrait) for experimentation purposes with different perspectives. This new edition

CREDITS & CONTACTS

in print

RETAIL SOLUTIONS FOR THE PRINT PROFESSIONAL

joins the growing Lomo’Instant family, which includes other travel-inspired editions such as Lomo’Instant Sanremo, Lomo’Instant Boston, Lomo’Instant Havana and Lomo’Instant Kyoto.

The Montenegro is available in Lomography’s

Online Shop or Gallery Stores at an RRP of £139. Features include: • Built-in Wid-e Angle lens with additional Fisheye, Close Up and Portrait lens • Shoot with flash on or off • Unlimited multiple exposures • Infinite long exposures for light

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

painting and night time shooting • Color flash gels in red, blue, purple and yellow • Includes a Splitzer for slicing and dicing • Easy 2 step-focusing • The perfect size to take wherever you go • Uses widely available Fujifilm Instax Mini film

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.

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FOR EVERYDAY ADVENTURES

The Tahoe Backpack 150 is a focused pack built for an active life. Protective, sporty and lightweight, it offers lots of room for a day’s worth of photo and essential gear. And a separate and padded pocket fits your 10-inch tablet.

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