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‘TPS’ CONFIRMS ITS ‘SUPER’ STARS March’s The Photography Show has unveiled some of the names that will grace its regular ‘Super Stage’ – the section of the event that plays host to talks from some of the biggest photographers in the business. Those confirmed to be swinging by the NEC this time include: Chase Jarvis, described by organisers as one of the most influential photographers of the past 20 years; self portraitist Juno Calypso; cinematographer Gavin Free; documentary photographer Susan Meiselas; conceptual fine art photographer Brooke Shaden; plus rock photographer of more than four decades, Ross Halfin. General entry tickets to The Photography Show and its Video Show element are now available, with visitors
being able to add Super Stage tickets to their event itinerary for £12 per session. “My excitement for the event truly starts to build when we announce the line-up for the world-renowned Super Stage,” states Future’s long-serving Head of Events Jonny Sullens. “With its reputation as the UK’s biggest annual photographic event, we continue to command industry legends that we know will excite our visitors year-on-year. It will be a huge privilege to welcome our speakers in March. Watch this space for more exciting announcements!” As regular readers will be aware, this year’s show dates are March 14th through 17th. www.photographyshow.com
A full house, from left to right: Chase Jarvis, Gavin Free, Juno Calyso, Ross Halfin, Brooke Shaden & Susan Meiselas
Imagicam simplifies future for passport photo providers A leading player in the professional imaging market since 2001, Imagicam is making it even easier for retailers who offer passport photo services to generate HMPO compliant photo codes. Unlike hardware solutions that take up valuable store space, Imagicam’s online-based system allows businesses to generate passport photo codes from anywhere; very useful for those with multiple branches or locations. There’s no need to worry about cropping and resizing images either, as the system will do all that for the retailer. Gone also is the need to physically print the photos, saving businesses time and money. A further advantage is that the images can be checked for HMPO compliance at the touch of a button – which both impresses and reassures the customer that their photos will be accepted by officialdom. Imagicam MD Peter Grey says: “I’ve lost count of the number of times a new client comes on board, concerned how they’re going to manage or if they have the time to learn a new system, who then finish up surprised at how quick and easy it was to get set up and generating photo codes. They often add that they wished they had realised this earlier!” Imagicam allows businesses 14 days
unlimited use of the photo code system to see if it’s for them. If they decide to continue afterwards, it’s then a simple pay as you go credit system – so you’re only paying for the system when you’re actually generating codes. “The imagicam system has one of the most user friendly interfaces I have used and their photo codes have given our business a great competitive edge to offer customers a new service,” Nick Tolley Photography in Somerset tells us. For more on how to get your business generating passport photo codes with Imagicam, see the advertisement on page 2 of this issue, call 08456 525 888, email info@passportphoto.codes or visit www.passportphoto.codes
RETURN OF RICOH & PENTAX Ricoh, which also owns the Pentax brand, is kicking off its activity for 2020 with some new product announcements. These include the Ricoh WG-70 (£279.99 SRP), the latest version of its toughened waterproof camera (above) that can withstand being dunked to depths of up to 14 metres and which features a Digital Microscope mode and 5x optical zoom (boasting a focal reach approximately 28mm to 140mm in 35mm film terms). The camera can also withstand a drop from a height of 1.6 metres, is dustproof, freezeproof down to temperatures of -10°C and ‘crushproof’ against pressures of 100kgf (kilogram force). Keeping things simple, the ‘upgrade’ features a 2.7-inch LCD and Full HD movies at 30fps. Colours to choose from are either black or orange. The brand also has a new 360° camera in the Ricoh Theta SC2 for Business (below). The no-nonsense looking grey coloured device is described as an entry-level model, featuring easy to use preset modes for shooting in business environments and an exclusive business service pack. A 36-month warranty is provided as standard, as is a USB cable and dedicated case. Specification wise, we get a bright f/2 aperture lens and an output of 14 megapixels. Alternatively an improved sensor and image-processing engine allows for the shooting of 4K resolution video at 30fps for up to three minutes. In Pentax news, there’s a new telephoto zoom for its full frame DSLRs in the HD Pentax-D FA 70-210mm f/4 ED SDM WR, which is described as being perfect for a range of shooting scenarios, including nature and scenic photography, as it also boasts a weather resistant construction. The optic incorporates a ring type SDM (Supersonic Direct-drive Motor) to assure a quiet, high speed AF operation and features Pentax’s latest HD (High Definition) coating. www.ricoh.com
BPI News is your mouthpiece to the photo trade, so use it! Send your press releases and news items direct to: info@bpinews.co.uk 26 February / March 2020 | BPI News
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