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MARCH 2017 • FREE TO PHOTO TRADE
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LIGHTS, CAMERA... ACTION! ...in our bumper
trade preview edition
In advance of an appearance at The Photography Show, Panasonic’s GH5 is put through its paces by photographer Ross Grieve
Canon’s blazing: We get the key sales pitches for the new EOS M6, 77D and 800D cameras & accessories from the Canon UK team
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Read our show exclusives, key exhibitor interviews & advice on must-see products!
ADVICE Our resident business expert tells us why, when it comes to the photo trade handling its financial affairs, tax needn’t be taxing
INDUSTRY SHOWCASE: MORE INSIDE FROM TETENAL, MITSUBISHI, PHOTO-ME, DNP & ALPHA DISTRIBUTION Cover image taken on a pre-production Fujifilm GFX. Model: Carla Monaco
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EDITORIAL | March 2017
Photographic British
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published monthly by
I EDITOR Gavin Stoker Tel: 020 8274 0578 Tel: 07990 974 367 ART EDITOR Michael O’Connell EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES Please direct all editorial requests, news and press releases to info@bpinews.co.uk ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Please direct all advertising enquiries and sponsorship opportunities to gavin@bpinews.co.uk.
Follow us on Twitter... @bpi_news Publisher’s Office: 31 New Road, Richmond, Surrey TW10 7HZ. Legacy Media Ltd accept no ultimate responsibility for accurate reproduction of digital artwork created by third parties. Insurance and carriage of products submitted for inclusion in reports rests with the owner. News, data, prices, interviews and opinion are printed in good faith E&OE. Content including advertising artwork created by Legacy Media Ltd or its agents is ©2017 Legacy Media Ltd. ISSN: to be advised.
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BPI News: reaching the entire UK photo trade via one publication
f you’re discovering BPI News for the So that’s how you can engage with us. first time at The Photography Show – But BPI News is also your vessel… to reach welcome. We’ve been publishing for the the photo trade at large. People sometimes past 30 years – a year and a half under the ask us about our audience. We often assume stewardship and ownership of the present that’s known. But for the record we go out Legacy Media team – keeping the UK photo to you and your peers – from manufacturers trade and industry informed and up-to-date to wholesalers, distributors to retailers, with behind-the-scenes insider knowledge. photo labs to pharmacies. In short, BPI News As well as this monthly print publication, reaches the entire UK photo industry via this Gavin Stoker, mailed out to our subscriber list, we can be one publication you now hold in your hands, Editor found online digitally for free. Either head or browse digitally online. Perhaps that’s gavin@bpinews.co.uk why the clued up use us to drive sales and to www.bpinews.co.uk to read us, where @GavinStoker you’ll also find the past few years’ worth of target those who may be beyond the initial the magazine in page turn-able format, or reach of their own sales force, informing bookmark us at publishing platform issuu.com, where the trade of the products and profit they can deliver a quick search for ‘BPI News’ will locate us. for them. Naturally there are advertising opportunities We’re also on Twitter as @bpi_news – and are here (contact gavin@bpinews.co.uk or call 0208 274 inviting you to submit your votes for the two winners 0578 for more). in our annual BPI News Awards by tagging us there Finally, if you are reading this in advance of The (or submitting via email at info@bpinews.co.uk). Turn Photography Show, make sure to get your free to page 30 to find out our finalists for Product of the trade entry by registering/booking tickets online Year and Promotion/Campaign of the Year. That’s beforehand. Head to www.photographyshow.com right – there are two awards categories, and therefore for more and join us back here next month when we’ll two winners to choose. The ones with the most online be reviewing the show and hopefully celebrating its votes from the photo trade win; it’s as simple as that. exhibitors’ success.
CONTENTS 04 NEWS The final round up of who is showing what at The Photography Show – as the doors open on Hall 5 of Birmingham’s NEC for four days of intense activity
Pic: Ross Grieve. See page 11
08 STRAPPING STUFF (& ACCESSORIES) FROM ALPHA We catch up with long-serving trade member Frazer Allen who introduces the Artisan & Artist brand of Japanese crafted straps & accessories to the camera market 14 PRODUCT OF THE MONTH We examine the latest mirror-less marvel – the uniquely designed Sigma SD Quattro H – and share our thoughts on how it should be pitched to photographer customers
15 PHOTOXPORT & NORITSU TALK NEW PRINTERS We get teases of not one but two new ‘Green’ printers – with PhotoXport MD Derek Fieldhouse inviting the trade to visit the NEC to find out more 16 CANON BRINGS OUT ITS BIG GUNS The photo giant’s UK team fills us in on how to pitch the new EOS 800D, 77D, M6 cameras, plus accessories including the new EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM lens 24 KENRO PRESENTS THE COMPLETE PICTURE The pro-active distributor is showcasing its new NanGuang lighting products, along with Marumi filter and Saramonic Vmic Pro for DSLR video shooters
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NEWS
Curtain rises on The Photography Show 2017 With The Photography Show – supported once again by ourselves at BPI News – throwing open its doors for 2017 (March 18th to 21st, Hall 5, Birmingham NEC), we’ve provided a quick, at-aglance overview of the plans from some of the big name players from among the 200 exhibitors. Don’t forget that, for a limited time, members of the trade can apply for free passes in advance by heading to www.photographyshow.com Nikon
Olympus
WITH NIKON CELEBRATING its 100th anniversary this year – and viewing its appearance at The Photography Show as the start of its festivities – Stand C11 is the one to head for to check out its latest product line up including DSLRs, Nikkor lenses, Coolpix models and action cameras. Once again a central component of the stand will be the Nikon School, where the current Nikon UK photographer ambassadors will be speaking and drawing crowds. This year they include fine art wildlife photographer David Yarrow, news photographer Leon Neal, wildlife specialist Richard Peters, landscape photographer Jeremy Walker, and ‘Game of Thrones’ stills photographer Helen Sloan (pictured, in hood). Making a re-appearance will be portrait and wedding photographer Kate HopewellSmith (stand picture), also joined by
THE MIRROR-LESS CAMERA manufacturer is hosting its latest OM-D E-M1 Mark II and the rest of its range, including M.Zuiko lenses, on Stand D91. Like it did at The Societies Convention, the brand will be offering Olympusowning visitors to the stand a free ‘Check and Clean’’ (see right) service, which it says is extremely popular – so early check-in is advised! Like rivals at the show, its stand will also be hosting key Olympus photographer visionaries and ambassadors, who will be helming informal ‘audience with’ advice sessions. Further details of these can be found at www.olympus-imagespace.co.uk Several of its photographers will also be shooting live and speaking on many of the Show Stages, including the Beginners Conference, 360° Wedding Photography, Fundamentals of Fashion Photography, the Turning Pro Conference and Pro Conference. www.olympus.co.uk
sports photographer Bob Martin, fashion photographer Dixie Dixon, and fitness, sports and portrait photographer Tom Miles. “We are thrilled to be exhibiting at The Photography Show again this year, it’s always a great show for us and this year promises to be even better,” believes Nikon UK’s Marketing Director Jeremy Gilbert. “After an eventful 2016, Nikon is
looking forward to a great show in 2017 and we are excited to engage with our customers.” www.nikon.co.uk
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NEWS Canon THE PHOTO GIANT fittingly has a looming presence in Hall 5 of the NEC once again – located centrally at the back. It will be giving show visitors a first chance to get hands on with its new spring releases in the 800D, 77D DSLRs and EOS M6 CSC. Canon is also celebrating an anniversary in 2017 – 30 years of its EOS brand, so the stand and branding will reflect that. As well as showcasing the evolution
In other TPS news…
of the series, there will be a live stage again at the show this year, for which Canon has increased the capacity to allow even more attendees. For more make sure you meet the Canon team, out in force at
The Photography Show on Stand D141, E131. Meanwhile for the full lowdown on its newest models and sales pitches for the trade, please head to page 16 of this issue. www.canon.co.uk
IN RELATED NEWS, The Photography Show’s organiser Future has announced the line up for its all-new VR and 360° Theatre at the exhibition – free to attend with a show entry ticket. Olympus-affiliated photographer John Nasari will be taking to the stage to discuss his 360° interactive wedding service, whilst visual artist Matt Collishaw and photographic historian Pete James will be discussing their joint project that re-creates one of the UK’s first photographic exhibitions – which, fittingly, took place in Birmingham in 1839 – and seeks to provide a ‘total immersion with the image’. Digital artist and videographer Nick Driftwood also features as do drone and UAV specialists Aerial Motion Pictures, who will demonstrate the world of interactive 360° tours.
Fujifilm FUJIFILM PROMISES Photography Show visitors the full range of X Series cameras and lenses on display on Stand D61. Among them are the GFX 50S and three compatible lenses, with a colourful shooting subject provided in order that photographers can test their mettle. Also on hand are two technicians from Fujifilm’s camera service team who will be offering Quick Maintenance Service on its ‘X’ series cameras. This year the manufacturer has its own stage, where photographers will share hints and tips, based on their experiences with the Fujifilm GFX and X series of products. Free workshops are being run, where visitors will be able to borrow one of its latest products and be
Panasonic
©National Trust Images/Matthew Antrobus
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guided how to get the best from it by a professional photographer. For Fujifilm’s full schedule of talks and workshops head to: http://fujifilm-blog.com Additionally, to find out what Fujifilm’s print division has planned at the NEC – and details of its FDIS Conference taking place on the same Saturday – LumixtoNational Trust POS please turn page 20 now. www.fujifilm.co.uk
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T48046 Panasonic_A3_Poster.indd 1
Description
HEAD TO STAND D41 at the exhibition to get hands on with Lumix, Lumix G, HD camcorders and lenses from the electronics giant, along with receiving advice from its professional ‘ambassador’ photographers. Appearing at the show are Nick Driftwood, Steven Clarey, Ross Grieve, Luke Massey, Hugh Hastings and Dave Wall. The guys will be giving talks in a new feature of the show – the Video Theatre – presented in association with Panasonic’s Lumix GH5. Panasonic has also teamed up with Camera World (D21) and London Camera Exchange (E51) to secure visitors exclusive show Wobbler offers on its range. For more on Panasonic’s exhibition plans – and a hands-on overview of using the GH5 professionally from photographer Ross Grieve – head to page 11 of this issue. www.panasonic.com.uk 21/08/2013 13:54
A3 Poster
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The show’s organiser has also launched details of a new initiative – the Innovation Hub – at the event. This, it says, is designed to discover the latest game-changing photography technology, gadgets and services by offering eight start-up companies the opportunity to exhibit their innovations free of charge at the show – though evolutions of existing products already in the market won’t be considered. “As the UK’s biggest imaging event, we are committed to supporting the further development of the photography industry and encourage the emergence of new imaging technology,” says Future’s Head of Events Jonny Sullens. “The Innovation Hub will offer a fantastic platform for revolutionary invention and will create a real buzz on the show floor this year for our visitors.” Head to the ‘What’s On’ section of The Photography Show website for more – as well as all the latest ticket info and exhibition updates. www.photographyshow.com
to take a speCial piCture you need to go to speCial plaCes Now you and your family can discover hundreds of new special places with the National Trust and capture every stunning detail with the award-winning new LUMIX FZ200 or FZ72.
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Promotional terms apply, please see panasonic.co.uk/promotions ems IR GmbH. ELMARIT is a registered trademark of Leica Camera AG
Promotional period: 22/08/2013 – 31/12/2013. Promotional terms apply, please see panasonic.co.uk/promotions *Leica is a registered trademark of Leica Microsystems IR GmbH. ELMARIT is a registered trademark of Leica Camera AG
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T48046 Panasonic_A4_Cling.indd 1
21/08/2013 13:59
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BPI News | March 2017 5
NEWS
CANON BLAZING AT DIREKTEK Sony’s got a fast card, lenses & flash WITH PHOTOGRAPHERS now shooting 4K video, up to 50MP stills and having to deal with such data hungry demands, the electronic behemoth has launched what it is claiming is the world’s fastest SD card in the SF-G series. Available in 32GB, 64GB or 128GB capacities on launch, this family of cards provides writing speeds up to 299MB/sec and faster reading speeds up to 300MB/sec for quick file transfer. In conjunction with the SF-G series, Sony is introducing a new memory card reader in the MRW-S1. This compact card reader offers a built-in SuperSpeed USB standard A port for cable-free PC connection, so that your photographer customer’ files can be copied faster than via the SD slot on a PC. The lens news is that Sony has announced two new E-mount lenses for its compact system cameras. These are the FE 100mm f/2.8 STF GM OSS mid-telephoto prime lens, which promises to deliver ‘breath taking bokeh’ for £1700 SRP, plus the compact,
lightweight FE 85mm f/1.8 mid-telephoto prime lens. This second lens is pitched as ‘a welcome addition to the bag of any hobbyist or enthusiast photographer looking to create amazing portraits’. Suggested pricing is £550. Finally, the manufacturer has also introduced a new flashgun which it describes a both compact and powerful in the HVL-F45RM. At £420 SRP, it features radio-controlled wireless communication said to be ideal for professional shooting with Sony’s line-up of α7 full-frame cameras. The flash boasts a battery life of up to 210 bursts, and can tilt up to 150° vertically, a complete 360° horizontally and up to 8° downward. It also encompasses a new large and bright LCD display, an LED light, dust and moisture resistant design and a revamped menu system that mimics those of Sony’s newest cameras. The new lenses and flashgun are available this month. www.sony.co.uk
THE LEADING CONSUMER electronics distributor is offering the trade its full range of Canon photographic gear – in fact the claim is that it has the UK’s biggest stock of Canon imaging accessories for photo retailers. From this it picks out a couple of hero products photo specialists might want to consider adding to their own offerings – namely the colourful pocket-sized IXUS 185,
which boasts a 16x zoom and 20 megapixel resolution. Also ready to ship out to the trade are three Canon camcorders in the Legria HF R88, R86 and R806, the R88 and R86 featuring Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity. Price points are described as ‘affordable’. For further details and to place an order get in touch at: www.direktek.co.uk
ANSMANN’S POWERBANK TRIO POWER SPECIALIST to the photo trade Ansmann has a triple whammy of new product to share this month in the Powerbank 5.4, 10.8 and 20.8. Available via Ansmann’s trade partner Peak Development, and with the model numbers indicating increasing levels of power and performance (5400mAh, 10800mAh and 20800mAh respectively), the packs are described as compact, convenient and portable. They can be universally charged via USB interface – and charge other devices such as smartphones and tablets in turn (two USB ports are integrated into the devices). Also
worth noting is that Ansmann’s power products come with the peace of mind of a three-year German manufacturer’s guarantee. To order stock get in touch with Peak on 01489 796979 or email sales@peak-uk.com www.ansmann.co.uk
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PREVIEW
STRAPPING STUFF (AND ACCESSORIES) FROM ALPHA
A niche product but a nice one… that’s the pitch from Frazer Allen’s Alpha Optical Distribution regarding its new premium range of Japanese camera straps. Seek out the team on Stand A82 at The Photography Show, and read on below for more…
Y
ou’ll know Alpha Optical Distribution and its Director Frazer Allen, supported by Denys Nelson, from their longstanding service to the photo industry, including the previous tenure promoting Ricoh products and, prior to that, Contax/Kyocera. The latest news from the distributor is that it has a new premium range of unique and beautiful Japanese-made camera straps in Artisan & Artist. It will be showcasing these alongside its more widely known VisibleDust sensor cleaning products and Kite optics at The Photography Show this month. In addition, the distributor is promoting its high quality, 100% Italian-made Zenelli carbon gimbal heads, likewise aimed at the most discerning of photographers. “We sell two or three pieces a month, given that they are a grand each and fairly specialised,” Alpha’s Frazer Allen reveals. “Like all our products, they are high quality and fulfill a particular niche.”
Zenelli gimbal heads are 100% Italian made and available now via Alpha
Your pitch as regards the gimbal heads is that they’re said to be the lightest ever manufactured from carbon, and ‘unequalled’ for performance and quality. What’s more, the gimbal design is both visually appealing and ergonomic. It’s been engineered to deliver the best blend of rigidity and functionality. Key features include a quick release lever, leveling bubble, tilt lock and a pull out lever to allow panning. The device allows for 360° pans through both horizontal and vertical axis. For more, head to zenelli.co.uk
Exceptional craftsmanship, made in Japan The appeal of Artisan & Artist straps for your photographer customers meanwhile will be that its products are hand made by Japanese craftsmen and women. The pitch directly from the manufacturer is that they combine functionality with tasteful design and high quality manufacturing providing a professional look and feel. This is evident in the choice of materials – including beautiful camera straps made of silk – and precision sewing. As its brand name suggests, Artisan & Artist believes the soul of its craftsmen is poured into each project, with a lot of thought given to that product’s end user.
Alpha’s Director Frazer Allen is awaiting your call about new agency Artisan & Artist
Smooth as silk As regards its silk camera straps – available now via Alpha Optical Distribution – these are hand woven using traditions established by the artisans of Kyoto, Japan. It therefore claims that its Silk Cord Strap is one of the most unique camera straps in the world. Properties to pitch to your customers include the fact that these straps are soft and gentle on the skin when used as a hand strap, plus are flexible and strong with it. Added protection is also provided for photographers’ gear, by virtue of leather flaps preventing the ring type attachments from touching and perhaps inadvertently scratching the camera body. With the Japanese-originated Artisan & Artist brand recently having marked its 25th anniversary, there is all the more reason to celebrate its addition to
Alpha Optical Distribution’s line up of agencies – and to pay a visit to Alpha’s stand (where they’re exhibiting as VisibleDust) at The Photography Show this month. If by any chance you’re not making it along to the NEC, then please do call Frazer Allen on 07725 081436 or email frazer@alphaodl.co.uk to discuss stock options or contact Denys Nelson on 07909 227517 or denys@alphaodl.co.uk. www.alphaodl.co.uk www.zenelli.co.uk www.visibledust.co.uk www.artisan-n-artist.com
Also available from Alpha: The Artist & Artisan Easy Slider camera strap’s length can be adjusted in a few seconds so photographers don’t miss that once in a lifetime photo opportunity!
Visit Alpha at The Photography Show on stand A82. Or call direct to place your order: 07725 081436 & 07909 227517 8 March 2017 | BPI News
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PREVIEW
FOTOSPEED’S BRIGHT IDEAS ON SHOW A Fotospeed square deal backed by full page advertising campaign
Head to Stand G21 for must-stock Kaiser Action Strap, & LED light panel accessories, plus Fotospeed square format inkjet paper
Stock Fotospeed’s square paper because… n It’s perfect for Instagram-ers, medium format shooters and photo enthusiasts to produce prints of their work n It’s available in three sizes: 8x8-inch, 10x10-inch and 12x12-inches n It comes supplied in a choice of three finishes: Fotospeed PF Lustre 275, Platinum Etching and Platinum Baryta n It offers great value and a high quality finish, as well as a very competitive dealer margin
Fujifilm expands lens roadmap, introduces ‘MK’ Cine range THERE ARE THREE new releases from Fujifilm this month, covering a range of photographic (and video) bases. These include new X Acquire tethering software for the GFX 50S (see our cover this issue, shot on that camera), an update of its X-mount lens roadmap, plus the development of a new MK range of Cine lenses. The new X Acquire tethering software should be available as a free download from the Fuji website as you read this, allowing users to connect their GFX 50S to a Mac or PC via USB cable for direct transferal and saving of images to the computer, in either Raw or JPEG format. This software is also compatible with the same manufacturer’s X-T1 and X-T2. The two new Fujinon branded lenses are the MK 18-55mm T2.9
and the MK 50-135mm T2.9, with the former arriving this month (March) and the latter promised for this summer. The brand says that it is responding to ‘growing demand’ for powerful reliable equipment from emerging cinematographers. This ‘MK’ series of lenses also features on Fuji’s latest lens roadmap, which also includes plans to further develop a telephoto prime lens and ultra wide-angle zoom lens for its X series stills cameras. The company says that such developments – this unnamed pair scheduled for introduction in 2018 – are a response to numerous requests from professional photographers and photography enthusiasts. Watch this space! www.fujifilm.co.uk
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NEWS
Lomography ‘rescue’ colour negative MISSING FILM GRAIN? In our editorial last month we wrote about the apparent return of all things analogue (photographic and otherwise) and how its tangibility and warmth can co-exist with the convenience of digital. Following that theme, the Lomographic Society has announced that is has rescued and is reintroducing a ‘film rarity’ in Lomography F2/400 35mm Colour Negative. It describes this as producing ‘refined colours with a beautifully unique X-Pro feel’. As Lomography itself says:
“The photography community is refusing to give up on analogue classics that suffered a momentary lapse in the face of a digital age. For years, Lomography has been at the forefront of this movement, leading the analogue photography community by releasing innovative new cameras, films and accessories every year. As the popular hashtag #filmisnotdead suggests, not only is analogue photography alive and well, but it’s here to stay. Long live the revival!” www.lomography.com
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PREVIEW
PANASONIC TO ‘DISPEL MIRROR-LESS MYTHS’ AT TPS
Panasonic is inviting you to an ambassador’s reception – or rather to receive a reception from one of its photographer ambassadors – when you step foot on Stand D41 at The Photography Show. We get the low down on its plans from photographer Ross Grieve, who says it’s all about the flagship Lumix DC-GH5
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s one of Panasonic’s hardest working photographer ambassadors, Ross Grieve is to be found at many a trade event, engaging with visitors and espousing the virtues of the brand’s cameras. He’ll be doing much the same at The Photography Show this month, where, in addition to appearing on the manufacturer’s stand, he’ll be giving a special talk on the theme of ‘Big Pictures, Small Cameras’ on Sunday 19th March at 11am. So we asked Ross to tell us more, in order to share his thoughts with your own photographer customers. “We’ll be dispelling myths about Micro Four Thirds and the mirrorless format,” Ross reveals. “It’s about opening people’s eyes to how good they are and what you can produce when using them. They’re not toys anymore, they’re serious business tools. I had the Master Photographers Association (MPA) here in my studio this week and was showing them images that had them blown away. A lot of people still believe that the DSLR route is the way you have to go – and as consumers we’re so spoilt by the options we’ve got now – but if you want to go down the hybrid route and have a camera that can do 4K or 6K video/photos as well as shoot traditional stills, with Lumix you can.”
Professional hit: A selection of Ross Grieve’s images shot in the 4K and 6K modes on the new Lumix DC-GH5 flagship model. Pop along and chat with Ross and the team on Stand D41 at the show
More than OK for 4K “I have been playing with the 4K and 6K functions on the GH5 and pulled stills from that,” the photographer continues. “I won UK Pet Photographer of the Year at the Master Photography Awards last October with a 4K photo. That was huge for me, because it told me that it’s now industry accepted. Previously I’d heard people saying ‘that’s cheating, it’s not real photography’. I was pushing the limits with the GH4 and now we have the GH5, I absolutely love it. Low light is amazing and I’ve even tried some astro photography with it at 1am in the morning when it’s freezing.
“It’s been equally as fantastic in the studio as on location. The camera has been exposed to the elements and the weather sealing has done its job. I’ve been pushing it as much as I can get and the prints that are coming off my printer and the colour representation from the camera is
Panasonic has a snazzy new stand design for The Photography Show 2017 to all the better showcase its new hero products, including the GH5, naturally
amazing. I don’t want to be sitting in front of the computer having to make adjustments, I want to be out taking photos as that’s what earns me money – and the GH5 allows me to do that, whilst being a natural evolution from the GH4. The focusing is faster, the subject tracking is faster – fast enough to notice the difference. So, yes, the GH5 is deserving of being the centrepiece and crown jewels of the Panasonic stand at The Photography Show.” Make sure you catch Ross Grieve on Panasonic stand D41 and his talk ‘Big Pictures, Small Cameras’ (March 19th, 11am). www.panasonic.co.uk
Visit Panasonic on stand D41 at The Photography Show & catch Ross Grieve’s ‘Big Pictures, Small Cameras’ talk on March 19th at 11am @bpi_news
BPI News | March 2017 11
WE'LL BE HERE, WILL YOU? If you're still thinking about going dry, or looking to replace your Large Format Printer, come along and see how you can produce stunning prints with our Epson inkjet solutions. A PERSONAL INVITATION TO YOU "I would be delighted to welcome you to visit our impressive 14m long Tetenal Stand E62 at The Photography Show 2017 and talk you through our latest hardware solutions. At this year's show our focus will be on the very latest ink-jet printing equipment and the benefits a switch from 'wet to dry' can bring to your business. As an official Authorised EPSON Partner we will be presenting the latest hardware and software from EPSON directly at our stand. I would like to invite you to take the opportunity and get 'hands-on' with the Epson SureLab range including the D3000 Dry Lab, Micro Lab and the amazing D700 printers.
In addition we will be demonstrating the very latest Epson Large Format Printers and individual kiosk solutions. To secure your personal demonstration, please get in touch with us today and we will book-in a suitable time for you. I really believe this is the most exciting range of Epson Printers we have seen to date and I look forward to seeing you at the show!"
Chris Castle Tetenal Hardware Manager
Chris Castle Tetenal Hardware Manager
EPSON AUTHORISED PARTNER 2017
Distributed in the UK by Tetenal Ltd | TEL: 0116 289 3644 | www.tetenaluk.com
We dream of a world alive with creativity We love what creativity brings to the world. It makes us human, adding a richness to our lives. We dream of a world alive with creativity, where people are free to explore and express new ideas.
Come along and see us at The Photography Show on Tetenal's Stand E62 and unleash your creativity.
Stand No. E62
The Photography Show. NEC, Birmingham 18-21 March Stand Number E62.
PREVIEW
PRODUCT OF THE MONTH: SIGMA SD QUATTRO H
Arriving a year after it was first announced, Sigma’s mirror-less sd Quattro H looks to have been worth the wait. BPI News was granted a play with the camera and 35mm F/1.4 DG ‘Art’ series lens, as Sigma gears up to welcome the trade on Stand F51 at TPS…
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pixel count that we’d at one time have expected to come from a medium format camera, yet in a mirror-less body smaller than a consumer DSLR and just a bit larger than your average CSC. Just a couple of key selling points of the new Sigma sd Quattro H, which arrived last month having initially been announced this time last year. Gaps between announcements and arrivals only serve to enhance anticipation, and the sd Quattro H looks and feels to have been worth the wait. We were sent Sigma’s own 35mm F/1.4 DG prime lens to use with it, and with optic attached the camera certainly gives off a solidly built, professional air worthy of the 51 megapixel equivalent resolution. This derives from its newly developed APS-H sized (26.7x17.9mm) Foveon X3 direct image sensor (the fourth generation chip inspiring the Quattro name). Its £1,349.99 body-only price
tag places it in competition with the compact likes of the Fuji X-Pro2 and Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. This ‘next level’ chip, according to Sigma, contains three layers of photodiodes – with one layer each for blue, green and red – and features 25.5 megapixels in its top layer. As our choice of lens indicates, it further boasts compatibility with all the lenses in Sigma’s Contemporary, Sports and Art line up, as well as the DNG (Digital negative, the widely recognised alternative to Raw) format.
Plenty of bang for your buck
Colour accurate, richly detailed results are what you get from the Sigma whichever way you spin it
Almost brutalist and business-like in appearance – though we actually quite like that and find it reassuringly so – the eye relief for the electronic viewfinder thankfully sticks out far enough that your nose doesn’t squash up against the LCD screen below when in use – a familiar complaint elsewhere – and the backplate buttons are at once familiar and plentiful. In practice this means that control over important settings including metering, exposure and ISO light sensitivity is readily to hand,
with each getting its own button. We also have a command dial/scroll wheel on the top plate for quickly scrolling through the myriad options once a function has been selected, and a built-in eye sensor assures the camera responds immediately to your own compositional choice. With a single slot for SD card (two might have been better still, given the data demands of high quality imagery), output ports are more plentiful, with options for HDMI cable, USB and remote, whilst the unusual design of the base of the camera, which ensures the large and comfortable handgrip sits slightly raised from the rest, helps ensure the sd Quattro H stands out from the crowd. Another unusual feature is the location of the on/off switch on the lens mount, where it falls under the thumb of the left hand if gripping camera and lens with both. And your customers will want to use both hands as the combination of lens and body adds to the unit’s heft. Whilst there is no built-in flash (not a deal breaker for us), Sigma does offer the compatible EF-630 electronic flashgun, announced last
summer and which it also sent us to play with (well, it was a very dull February). Powering up in a couple of seconds, the camera’s AF is more accurate than it is fast, particularly in lower light, though most of its audience will, like us, probably favour manual adjustment to get the shot we desire. As we expected, this is camera that promotes a more considered approach to image taking, delivers stunningly sharp renditions of relatively static subjects, and would best suit portrait and still-life product photographers, as well as existing medium format camera users wanting plenty of bang for their buck. If that’s the case, and it’s image quality your customers want first and foremost, the asking price here is a relative bargain. Of course you’ll be able to get hands on with the sd Quattro H for yourself at The Photography Show this month. Just head to stand F51 where the brand will be showcasing its Global Vision range of cameras, lenses and flashguns. www.sigma-imaging-uk.com
All lenses sold via Sigma Imaging UK come with the benefit of a three year limited warranty. 14 March 2017 | BPI News
www.bpinews.co.uk
PREVIEW
PHOENIX RISES… AS PHOTOXPORT & NEW PRINTERS AT TPS
TALK
We hear how PhotoXport, exclusive UK distributor of Noritsu Green printers, goes the extra mile to satisfy customer demand and expectation, plus discover what’s planned for Stand A31 at the NEC
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couple of new Green series printers are on their way in time for The Photography Show, where PhotoXport, in partnership with Noritsu, will be welcoming the trade on Stand A31 in Hall 5. The new machines are the D705 Duplex Green series, plus an as yet unnamed simplex printer. According to PhotoXport MD Derek Fieldhouse, it will also be showcasing its Windows and iOS compatible SPC kiosk solution and photobook printer (launched last year), whilst Noritsu’s Director for WorldWide Strategic Sales & Planning Ron Kubara and the company’s Software Specialist Luke Stutters will be on hand to answer the trade’s logistical and technical questions. As with the current Noritsu dry labs, the D705 – which, at the time of writing, is due imminently and can be discussed with the team at the show – can print either on one or both sides of the media in use. Its print size options range from 9x9cm up to 25x61cm and include the option of panoramic format prints at 25x171cm. For those looking to add photo finishing to their business, this could be the one, as it’s being pitched by Derek and the team as an entry level option, as well as a compact allrounder (with a footprint of just 0.35 square metres) by its manufacturer. “With all the digital cameras and camera phones in people’s hands in the world today, photography has become very commonplace,” note Noritsu. “This is an encouraging trend, but the photographic process shouldn’t end with image capture. Ideally image output should be just as commonplace as image capture, and we believe the D705 is just the printer to trigger an increase in consumer printing. “This dry printer makes it easy for retailers to provide a exciting wealth of print services, as well as providing canny retailers with endless possibilities for meeting the needs of
Phoenix Photograph’s Dave Tasch is personally thanked by Noritsu President Michio Fujimoto
the customers they serve.” As regards the new Green simplex printer, as yet under wraps – make sure you make a beeline for Derek at the show to discover more!
Phoenix’s rise powered by Noritsu As both its new printer and our own past articles in BPI News indicate, as a distributor for Noritsu, PhotoXport is known for going the extra mile to support and encourage its existing and future customers. A case in point: Noritsu President Michio Fujimoto, on a brief two-day visit to the UK from Japan last month, made a bee-line
straight for UK retailer and minilab Phoenix Photographic, a past recipient of a Noritsu Green II dry lab. The business’ Dave Rasch was already satisfied with his Green II. So satisfied, in fact, that since we last spoke for this magazine he has added a second Green II dry lab to his business. Part of the reason for Mr Fujimoto’s visit was to personally thank him for that. But, for Dave, the decision was a practical one. “It was a very easy choice to be honest with you,” he confirms. “We didn’t want to give people the excuse to go somewhere else instead of keeping them as a customer. So it’s added to our business.”
Noritsu’s exclusive UK distributor PhotoXport has a new heavy duty dry lab to offer the UK photo trade. Discover more from Derek Fieldhouse at TPS or by calling 0116 2675907
A move Phoenix Photographic had been waiting to make “when the time was right,” the business simply decided that “that time is now.” He adds: “We’re so pleased with the Green II. We can do various sizes nice and quick and we can also do double sided for photobooks, cards and invitations. For their part, PhotoXport are a very fair and flexible company to deal with – they listen to what the customer wants, which is more of a rarity these days. With Derek there’s no hard sell. We’re given the information and it’s up to us to make our minds up. I think there’s a lot to be said for that because it shows confidence in the product being sold.” Want to do a deal with PhotoXport and get your own Noritsu dry lab installed forthwith? Get in touch with Derek now on 0116 2675907 to find out how, like Phoenix Photographic, you can offer your customers a premium quality product at a very competitive price. www.photoxport.com
The new Noritsu D705 dry lab key advantages: n Compact footprint, freeing up space for other retail needs n High quality prints (6 gradations per dot) with excellent image permanence n No messy chemicals, environmentally friendly, safe and clean n Scalable system configuration to meet individual needs n Substantially lower investment cost than silver halide printers n Produces up to 650 prints per hour using roll paper (or up to 1300 prints per hour if double stacking two units) n Easy operation via intuitive user interface (EZ controller sold separately)
Catch Derek and the PhotoXport & Noritsu team on Stand A31 at TPS. Or call 0116 2675907 for more on the Green series @bpi_news
BPI News | March 2017 15
PREVIEW
CANON BRINGS OUT BIG GUNS AT THE PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW
Canon has launched a fresh pair of EOS DSLRs in the 800D and 77D, a new EOS M6 compact system camera and the world’s smallest non-retractable kit lens the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM in time for its biggest annual showcase at The Photography Show (Stand D141, E131) and the 30th anniversary of the EOS brand. BPI News learns more…
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ff the back of a successful 2016 in which it achieved a record DSLR market share in September, Canon has launched a new DSLR duo in the 800D and 77D plus swells its compact system camera ranks with the introduction of the M6. It’s also worth noting that this year marks the 30th anniversary of EOS (with the brand having launched in 1987), and that there are 24 products within the current range.
“The EOS 800D is described as an entry level DSLR, although compared with what we might have previously considered entry-level it’s a cut above”
All systems go at The Photography Show With the above in mind, it is no surprise to learn that the Canon stand – once again located centre, back of Hall 5 – at this year’s Photography Show is themed around 30 years of EOS. As well as showcasing the evolution of the series, there will be a live stage at the show again this year which Canon have increased the capacity of to welcome more visitors. As regards the low down on the new Canon products for spring 2017 (two DSLRs, one mirror-less, one lens and one accessory) and how you should be pitching them to photographer customers, Canon’s Product Specialist David Parry
indicated that they are chock-abloc with the latest tech, including Dual Pixel CMOS AF, a new 24.2 megapixel APS-C sensor and a Digic 7 processor on the DSLRs. All new products also have touch panel operation.
Two DSLRs sharing a similar feature set New on the cameras is in-camera 5-axis IS (digital IS for movies) which works with any lens attached. The cameras also have Wi-Fi and NFC support (version 2 of the Canon Connect App is now available), whilst it’s possible to set the camera’s Bluetooth facility to maintain an ‘always on’ connection. The two new SLRs also have a 45 point all-cross type AF system, which, coupled with Dual Pixel AF, means extremely fast auto focusing. In fact, with its new EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM kit zoom, launched
New Canon gear in brief: 24.2 megapixel digital SLRs in the advanced 77D and entry level 800D, plus EOS M6 CSC, 16 March 2017 | BPI News
www.bpinews.co.uk
CANON NEWS EXTRA Canon’s spring cameras at a glance:
Canon UK’s Product Managers Neal Conroy and Didi Goddard, plus Product Marketing Manager Daniel Benjamin, show off the two new DSLRs and CSC (central, with macro ring light)
alongside, the world’s fastest AF for this class of lens could be achieved at 0.03 seconds. Of the two cameras, the EOS 800D is described as an entry level DSLR, although compared with what we might have previously considered entry-level models it’s a cut above. As well as 24.2 megapixels this also offers 6fps capture, ISO25600 extendable up to 51,200 equivalent, Full HD 60P video capture, vari-angle touch screen and the world’s fastest AF with Live View. It’s available this April at £779.99 body only, or £869.99 with the new 18-55mm zoom. As we might expect the 77D is more advanced, in that it sits just below the 80D. It differentiates itself by being smaller and lighter than the 80D, plus simpler to use thanks to more auto modes and the addition of a new user guide on the camera (a common feature of both DSLRs). Key spec includes 24.2 megapixels of resolution, ISO25600, 6fps continuous capture, and Full HD 60P movie mode. We also get a top panel LCD and a large, refined grip,
Canon’s new EOS M6 sits between the M5 and M10 models and is available in allblack or silver and black body combinations
according to Canon. SRP is £829.99 body only, or £919.99 with the aforementioned kit zoom.
All roads lead to the M6 The Canon EOS M6 CSC, available with a silver and black or black body, meanwhile sits between the existing M10 and M5, features a new APS-C sensor, again offers 24 megapixels along with an EF-M mount, plus 3-inch flip-up screen. There are currently seven EF-M lenses in the line up – the rest, some 92 in total, being attachable via adapter.
Also worth telling your customers about is the EOS M6 shoots continuously at 7fps, or its 9fps when using fixed AF. Arriving next month, body only pricing is £729.99 or it’s £839.99 with EF-M 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens, and £1,079.99 if bundled with the EF-M 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM. In conjunction there is a new eye level electronic viewfinder available for this model in the EVF-DC2. Offering 100% coverage, this is
described as a large 0.39-inch type with 2.36-million dot resolution. Available April, SRP is £219.99. The new EF-S 18-55mm f/45.6 IS STM lens is also available standalone for existing users. This is described as the world’s smallest non-retractable kit lens, and features a 4-stop image stabilizer and improved image quality according to its manufacturer. Weight is just 215g. SRP is again an affordable £219.99 and like the cameras availability is from this April.
The last new product is a Bluetooth-enabled remote the BR-E1, which offers a range up to five metres, even with no line of sight, and focus and zoom controls. Again available next month, suggested pricing is £39.99. If you’re wondering about the future prospects of the existing EOS 760D and 700D, these will be ‘eventually’ exiting the market in light of the new releases detailed for this feature. For more make sure you meet the Canon team, out in force at The Photography Show on Stand D141, E131. www.canon.co.uk
EOS 77D: n Advanced DSLR n 24.2 effective megapixel APS-C sensor n Up to 6fps continuous shooting n Full HD video up to 60P n 3-inch tilting LCD n Integrated Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity n Available April from £829.99 body only
EOS 800D: n Entry-level DSLR n 24.2 effective megapixel APS-C sensor n Up to 6fps continuous shooting n Full HD video up to 60P n 3-inch tilting LCD n Integrated Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity n Available April from £779.99 body only
EOS M6: n Mirror-less system camera n 24.2 effective megapixel APS-C sensor n Up to 9fps capture with fixed AF n Full HD video up to 60P n 3-inch touch screen LCD n Integrated Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity n Available April from £729.99 body only
compact 18-55mm kit zoom, EVF-DC2 viewfinder and BR-E1 Bluetooth-enabled remote controller. Available April @bpi_news
BPI News | March 2017 17
NEWS
BPI NEWS PRODUCT FOCUS
Professionals at Amateur Awards FOR MANY OF US a 40th might be cause for dismay and/or reflection, but Amateur Photographer magazine celebrated the milestone anniversary of its awards by raising a glass (or decanter) and giving out plaudits to the great and the good from the photo industry. We were pleased to note the publication’s late news editor being remembered via the introduction of the Chris Cheesman Memorial Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Photographic Industry, which, in its inaugural year, went to Sigma UK’s General Manager Graham Armitage, who joined the trade in 1976. “The award itself is in the form of a crystal decanter, so that the winner can have a drink to Chris every time they use it,” explained AP’s Nigel Atherton (pictured). Winners of the other 26 awards understandably read like a who’s who of brands and retailers. Notable recipients for photographic
Japanese print specialist DNP has a clever new idea to boost your print profits…
products included Panasonic, Sony, Olympus, Fujifilm, Canon, Nikon, Tamron and Sigma. Gold ‘Good Service’ Awards meanwhile went to: Calumet, Camera World, Clifton Cameras, Jessops, London Camera Exchange, Mr Cad, Park Cameras, whilst Grays of Westminster bagged a Platinum award. Read more at the URL below: www.amateurphotographer. co.uk/latest/photo-news/ amateur-photographerawards-2017-101091
NIKON DROPS DL SERIES IN A RARE STEP, plans to put on sale its previously announced ‘DL’ series camera trio – the DL18-50 f/1.8-2.8, DL24-85 f/1.8-2.8 and DL24-500 f/2.8-5.6 – have been shelved by the manufacturer. This not wholly unexpected news follows delays exacerbated by natural disasters in Japan last year, with the official announcement of the cancellation referring to ‘issues with the integrated circuit for image processing’. The original expected release date had been
18 March 2017 | BPI News
DNP’s perforated media comes in all shapes and sizes – with enough variety to satisfy customer demand and prove itself cost effective for your business too
L June 2016, with the manufacturer adding that since then everyone had worked hard to deliver the products. However, there were concerns over profitability due to increased development costs and the wider marketplace. www.nikon.co.uk
Open & shut case for Intro INTRO2020 HAS HAD another busy month, with B&W impact resistant polypropylene cases being its latest pitch to the UK photo trade, for which it has just been appointed distributor. The full range of 11 cases features mostly black and yellow colourways, Intro tells us, whilst two models are designed
PERFORATED PRINT MEDIA FROM DNP
for drones and the two largest cases feature a telescopic handle and smooth running wheels. Accessories include cubed foam inserts, shoulder straps, mesh bags and a backpack system. Prices start at £32.99 SRP for the smallest case, the Type 500, rising to £400 for the largest in the family, the Type 6800. www.intro2020.co.uk
ooking for a novel print idea that could, ahem, ‘separate’ you from the competition? If so, BPI News regular DNP – Dai Nippon Printing – could well satisfy your needs with its perforated print media. The idea here is that you can expand your revenue stream whilst keeping customers smiling by including vouchers, coupons and promotional materials alongside prints. No special print drivers or firmware is necessary, as DNP printers recognise DNP perforated media as a standard sheet. In practice, 4x6-inch perforated media allows social media users to print 4x4-inch photos that resemble vintage square pictures (or, alternatively, square format Instagram postings). Another option is a 6x8-inch sheet with three perforated strips. The layout and design of this high quality dye sublimation media can of course be customised by you to suit your needs, so as to attach ‘call to action’ items, including vouchers, coupons, logos and sundry promotional materials. The 4x6-inch perforated media that produces a 4x4-inch square print can be used on DNP’s DS40 printer and comes supplied as 400 prints per roll, with two rolls in each
box, thus providing 800 prints per box. An alternative is 4x6-inch perforated media (available for the RX1HS) producing two 4x3-inch prints. This provides 700 prints per roll, two rolls are provided per box and thus a total of 1,400 prints per box. A further option is provided in 6x8-inch perforated media (available for the RX1HS) providing three 2x3inch images per print. To place an order or find out more, get in touch now via sales@dnpphoto.eu www.dnpphoto.eu
DNP perforated media benefits at-a-glance: n A fun option that can also expand your revenue stream n Social media users can have a 4x4-inch square image printed from 4x6-inch perforated media n Perforated media also allows for the attachment of vouchers, coupons and promotional materials alongside the core image n High quality dye sublimation media produced and manufactured by DNP, a world leader in print n Layout and design can be customised by you to attach ‘call to action’ items
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PREVIEW
FUJIFILM TO SHARE ‘STAX OF IDEAS AT THE BIG SHOW
At the time of writing Fujifilm’s print arm was gearing itself up for another Photography Show, with Fujifilm Digital Imaging Services (FDIS) dealer conference taking place alongside. We spoke to the brand’s Peter Wigington to find out what we can expect on Stand D61 at Birmingham’s NEC
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ujifilm’s stated mission at The Photography Show follows on from its ambition for its Wonder Photo Tour last summer – namely to encourage folk to print more – which naturally benefits the photo trade at large. By way of ammunition it will have a couple of Frontier-S DX100 Drylabs on the show floor along with a Frontier DL650, according to the brand’s Marketing Manager Peter Wigington. “We’ll be talking to people about what can be done with photography, using our printers, as much as the process involved,” Peter says of his plans for the show. “We’ll also have quite a good Instax camera presence at the event.”
Fujifilm’s drylab printer solutions will be set up in an array of configurations at the NEC, revealing their practical application and suitability for the specialist photo retailer, pharmacist and event photographer alike. “We will also have our wide format area showing a range of new materials for wall art applications – in particular we are launching a brand new metallic media,” adds Peter. “Whilst TPS is predominantly a photographers’ show we want to appeal to photo retailers too. So we’ll be displaying a range of photo products and photo gifts to show the diverse range available to the high street photo retailer. ”
Fujifilm’s print division will be showing off its Frontier-S DX100 Drylab and SL650 printer at The Photography Show (as sample graphic indicates), along with a wall display of its new re-positionable Shacolla product
Wall to wall ideas Fujifilm also teases that its stand will feature a large display wall dedicated to launching a brand new product named ‘Shacolla’, for which one of the key selling points is that it is re-positionable. “This ingenious product is a thin board cut to various print sizes, with
FDIS Conference 2017
Fujifilm’, and it will be presenting its plans for re-invigorating the marketing support it provides its retailer members. “We have been doing a lot of work TAKING PLACE on the same Saturday that over the last year looking at ways to The Photography Show opens its doors – improve the benefits of being a FDIS March 18th – at the National Conference member,” reveals Marketing Manager Centre, is the latest annual conference Peter Wigington. “We are well on our for members of Fujifilm’s Digital Imaging way through a Retailer Survey with the Service from across the UK. This year’s aim of visiting every FDIS store in the gathering has the theme of ‘Destination UK and asking them how we are doing
a low-tack sticky film on each side. This allows a photo to be applied to one side and the board to be applied to a wall,” Peter explains. “It’s great as a single print but we also think it allows the consumer to become more creative in the way they display their photos. We’re going to have a large montage of Tower Bridge
Welcome
and what we could do to provide even greater benefits. We also commissioned a consumer survey in January to better understand how our retailers’ customers use photo in their everyday lives. “We will have an international interest at Conference again this year as we now also have links with the American based photo marketing group International Print & Imaging (IPI). Two of our FDIS members, Frosts
Boost your print sales in 2017! Get in touch with Peter direct on 01234 572138 or via pwigington@fuji.co.uk #Destin
ationFujifilm
20 March 2017 | BPI News
www.bpinews.co.uk FujiFilm Roller Banner
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FUJIFILM PRINT PROMOTION
on the Shacolla display wall just to show how it can be done. The aim is that this will encourage visitors to the stand to try out the product themselves. We’ll have a handout leaflet that shows a range of different montage ideas, like the
letters of the alphabet, or a cat or a dog. Each montage is made up of a set of Shacolla in various sizes, either Instax, 4x4 or 4x6, and we’ll explain the exact number of prints and sizes required to make it.” Also ask the team about its Fine Art Metal Panel option (below). This is being pitched as a unique product that allows direct printing on to aluminium, using a water based ink printer. The resulting high quality print is described as ‘stunning’ and able to provide better detail and a sharper resolution when compared to dye sub aluminium prints. In addition Fujifilm reports that it has seen a modest yet steady growth in film sales in the last year, so will also have a display of its current range of film on stand D61 at The Photography Show. As reported, the brand’s Instax instant print cameras are also proving popular with young and old alike, so these will also be represented at the event, where Fujifilm will further be promoting a new Square Print option for Instax, taking advantage of those used to the format ratio thanks to the online likes of Instagram. Finally, Fujifilm’s software team will be on hand at the NEC to help retailers with any questions they might have regarding Fujifilm Imagine software – whichever platform you are using it on (whether in-store kiosk, for example, online or via mobile app). For more call 01234 572138 or email photoimaging_uk@fujifilm.com
“At The Photography Show we’ll be talking to people about what can be done with photography, using our printers. We’ll also have a good Instax camera presence” – Fujifilm Marketing Manager Peter Wigington
Photo Centre & Razzaq Digital, are members of this group. They have some really great marketing ideas and recently launched a new shop design initiative called The Print Refinery. We are looking forward to welcoming the owner of the very first one in Kentucky who will explain the thinking behind this project and how it has helped his business. “Finally, our keynote speaker is
Paddy Moogan, co-founder of Aira, a digital marketing agency (www.paddymoogan.com). We believe that this is an area our FDIS retailers would really benefit from being involved in, but at the moment they perhaps don’t have the necessary knowledge. So Paddy will be explaining the in’s and out’s of managing great digital marketing.”
Another wining combination! KJ Photographic’s Kels Noades receives her new DX100 from Fujifilm’s Peter Wigington
Photo retail + DX100: a winning combination! Prior to The Photography Show, Fujifilm’s marketing for its DX100 Drylab involved giving away one of the desirable devices – see also our page 22 advert – off the back of a competition held at The Societies’ (or SWPP) Convention, which took place in January. The winner, who also bagged some Shiraz Carbon Rip Software – a prize total of £3K – was KJ Photographic. Owner Kels Noades, LSWPP, was unsurprisingly delighted. “I have two studios – one in Surrey and a new launch based in Hampshire – so I needed a portable printing solution and was looking at the DX100 after it was recommended by other photographers,” she explains. “As well as my baby and family portraits, I’m often asked to photograph celebrity golf days and school events, such as proms.
I’m looking forward to using this printer for ‘reveal walls’ and hopefully start selling pictures at events.” “I’m lucky that I work from an amazing studio space but my actual office area is pretty compact. So having a relatively small printer is important, which is another reason I was considering buying the DX100 - luckily I don’t have to now! However, I will invest in a flight case to help protect the printer when travelling. I can’t wait to take it out on the road!” The competition, now in its second year, is run in partnership with The Societies and saw a huge uplift in entries year-onyear, highlighting the popularity of not only the show, but also the printer’s appeal to the wedding and event photography audience.
For more call 01234 572138 or email photoimaging_uk@fujifilm.com
Boost your print sales in 2017! Get in touch with Peter direct on 01234 572138 or via pwigington@fuji.co.uk @bpi_news
BPI News | March 2017 21
See us at
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PREVIEW
SHOW OFFERS & PRINT SOLUTIONS VIA THE DPS GROUP
Beckenham-based print solution suppliers Digital Photo Solutions (aka the DPS Group) is back at The Photography show (Stand A117) to demonstrate a selection of its latest photo printers & printing accessories, available now to the photo trade. BPI News finds out more…
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ttending and exhibiting at The Photography Show as its print division ‘Digital Photo Solutions’, The DPS Group’s MD Maneesh Patel and his team will be demonstrating the latest range of Epson printers, for which it is a key reseller. In addition there will be a range of show offers; not only on Epson but also Canon printers, HP printers and colour management equipment. Furthermore, for 2017 Datacolor’s Digital Imaging Training Theatre will be making a return after its successful showing in 2016, providing an added draw to stand A117 at the exhibition. As well as pulling in the crowds, the aim is that these free seminars will help people improve their photography – plus perhaps learn a little more about why choosing the correct printer and getting your colour management right is key. To this end sessions here include ‘Retouching Tips and Tricks’, ‘Getting Your Images to Look The Same In Print As On Screen’
and ‘Getting It Right In Camera’. Of course, aside from providing the hardware, colour profiling and colour management is another string to The DPS Group’s bow and something it can help any trade partner with. It offers an on-site or remote profiling service and can match any type of inkjet media to any type of printer – even third party papers – thereby ensuring top-notch professional colour management plus consistent, accurate results. “For inkjet printers, we can create printer profiles for customers without visiting your premises,” DPS Group MD Maneesh Patel reminds us. “We can supply a set of instructions and a special test file containing over 1000 colour squares.” Alternatively, by visiting your store to carry out the profiling, the DPS Group’s expert team can ensure a smooth integration of your chosen printer into the wider workflow. It can provide advice on colour management then and
Make sure you drop by and chat to the DPS Group team on stand A117 at The Photography Show, where you’ll be able to chat with the team about print requirements and grab enticing deals on the likes of the Epson D700, shown on this page
there – setting you up for success, and saving valuable time, media and money. Please chat to the team at The Photography Show to see what your options are – and how they can help. If you’re not coming along to the NEC, then contact DPS Group Technical Sales Manager Dave Harrison on 020 8460 3690 for colour management info and a quote.
Epson D700’s delivers sharp prints, focused sales One of the flagship printer models for the DPS Group at The Photography Show – and one that remains of great interest to the photo trade in particular – is the six colour Epson SureLab D700. As we’ve mentioned on prior occasions, you name it, this machine can print it – including photos, cards, invitations, flyers, promotional leaflets and more… on a wide range of media and formats, including glossy, lustre and matte roll paper. For the latter you can choose from 102 to 210 mm wide and 89 to 1000mm in length. Another selling point here is the printer’s compact size. Because of this it can fit into a photo kiosk and is durable too, in that most of its component parts are permanent. As one would expect from Epson, the D700 offers a print quality and colour consistency that is in line with the brand’s professional graphics printers. Needless to say, the printer boasts a
The DPS Group’s Gary Crawley (left) and MD Maneesh Patel - shown at 2016’s event - are back this year with enticing trade offers!
wide colour gamut and the ability to deliver sharp looking prints, thanks, in part, to its Micro Piezo print head. Its professional UltraChrome D6-S ink – also available via the DPS Group – has been formulated for premium glossy photo prints, produced at high production speeds by a busy mini lab. Boasting a low cost per print, it has a high resolution of 720dpi x 1440 dpi and is, moreover, reliable and low maintenance with it. Digital Photo Solutions is part of The DPS Group – for further details please visit www.thedpsgroup.co.uk www.thedpsgroup.co.uk www.dpsb.co.uk
STOP PRESS! Come and see the brand new mobile Epos Now solution (featured in BPI News Feb) on stand A117 @bpi_news
BPI News | March 2017 23
PREVIEW
KENRO PRESENTS THE COMPLETE PICTURE AT TPS Distributor Kenro follows a successful Spring Fair with a victory lap return to the NEC – via BVE – to exhibit new NanGuang, Saramonic and Marumi kit at The Photography Show. BPI News gets the lowdown from MD Paul Kench, who will be meeting and greeting the trade on Stand G53 for the show’s duration
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omething of a one-stop-shop for great value, superb quality and high margin photo & video products, Kenro will be out in force with new kit at the NEC this month – including its newly distributed NanGuang LED panels and light tables. One of the most interesting products from among the 17 new NanGuang items, its Flexible LED Light Panels (see right) feature 288 bi-colour LEDs and are water and frost resistant and fully flexible, making them as ideal for use in the studio as they are on location. Each kit comes with a pair of panels 30x60cm in size, 2mm thick and weighing just 140g. Aluminium frames are supplied with each kit, allowing the panels to be mounted in square or rectangular shape. Otherwise the panels can be simply laid on the floor or curved around subjects to enable product photography, for example. SRP for the complete kit is £679.98. Also recommended for your photographer customers is the NanGuang Tabletop Shooting Table Kit; again ideal for product photography. Featuring a translucent white Perspex top on a strong frame, it further comes with two colouradjustable NanGuang Fresnel focusing heads boasting 20 watts of power, plus
Kenro will be introducing the new Marumi ‘EXUS SOLID’ lens protector filter at The Photography show
“If you can only go to one show and want to see the full Kenro range, then come to The Photography Show.” – Paul Kench, MD Kenro of the compact yet powerful device. “In the past a lot of portrait studios have used flash heads to do passport photos. So to complement it we’ve also got some NanGuang wall arms at £99.96 each, which means if space is at a premium people can buy a couple of heads and a couple of wall arms from £560 including VAT. Of course they can also use it for video as well as photography.” one non-colour-adjustable 8-watt lighting head. SRP for this table plus three lights and carry case is £799.98. The third ‘hero’ product is NanGuang’s Combo 40C Bi-Colour LED Studio Light. It’s a combination of a light and a softbox, providing a soft ultra-diffused light in a slim portable package. Brightness is adjustable 0-100%, and colour temperature is adjustable 32005600K. There is a diffuser on the panel as standard and it also comes with a removable diffuser cloth. “We’ve had quite a bit of interest in this already, partly due to the price point at £179.94,” says Kenro’s Paul Kench
The new NanGuang table photography kit comes with Fresnel lighting
Just the tonic from Saramonic & Marumi For those photographer customers shooting video on their DSLRs and wanting better sound quality than built-in microphones may provide, arriving from the Saramonic brand in time for the show is the Vmic Pro. This is a professionally featured super directional video condenser microphone for DSLRs and camcorders. It features a rubber shock mount system, which isolates it from footsteps and vibration if tripod mounted, for example. SRP is £199.14. “At The Photography Show we’ll basically be showing it all: our video and photo products, along with our
albums and frames, as well as Nissin flash and Marumi filters, our own brand flashgun and film scanner,” Kenro MD Paul Kench reveals. “If you can only go to one show and want to see the full Kenro range, then come to The Photography Show.” New from Marumi at the exhibition is the Japanese-made ‘EXUS Lens Protect SOLID’, a flagship filter designed to protect your photographer customers’ precious lenses. The chief selling point is that it is 7x stronger in terms of robustness than your conventional filter. There is a promotional video on Kenro’s YouTube channel in which ball bearings are thrown at the filter to test its resistance – smashing through a conventional filter but bouncing off the Marumi. “The EXUS has been around for a while but the SOLID is their soupedup version,” Paul explains. “It’s ultra strong with an anti static coating and is water and oil repellant with a really low reflection coating and just 0.2% reflection rate.” From the above it appears there is a strong case for making a beeline to the Kenro stand at the show. So to book an appointment for a full demonstration at the NEC, get in touch with Azaria at Kenro via azaria@kenro.co.uk If you’re unable to make it along to The Photography Show for any reason, alternatively get in touch with Paul and his trusted team for more info via sales@kenro.co.uk or call 01793 615836. www.kenro.co.uk
Get hands-on with Kenro at Stand G53 at the NEC this March. Contact azaria@kenro.co.uk to book an appointment 24 March 2017 | BPI News
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Published monthly and targeted directly at the decision makers in the UK photo trade, both in print and online, isn’t it time that you made BPI News work for you? Get your products and services seen and in front of the trade and your peers – from manufacturers to wholesalers, distributors to retailers… Push your product launches and consumer promotions – drive sales and target those who may be beyond the initial reach of your own sales force, informing the trade of the products and profits you can deliver for them. Call us NOW about sponsorship packages, advertorial, advertising and partnership opportunities on 0208 274 0578 or email gavin@bpinews.co.uk BPI NEWS: Your monthly insight into your industry
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The only place to see DNP printers at this year's show is Tetenal's Stand H42 As you'd expect from the UK's leading supplier of photographic print equipment and consumables, Tetenal will have a strong presence at this year's Photography Show in Birmingham. So on Stand H42 you'll be able to see the DP-SL620 SnapLab, the DS620 printer, the DS80DX Duplex printer and the brand new DNP 820!
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BPI NEWS BUSINESS ADVICE
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR TAX (& don’t let it control you) The end of the 2016/17 tax year on April 5th is fast approaching. So, if you promised yourself you’d get a tighter grip on your business’ finances in 2017, resident business guru Adam Bernstein advises you to act now before it’s too late…
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or those in business, whether photo trade or any other, there’s plenty to think about when it comes to tax. Starting first with Income Tax, we spoke to the Tax Manager at accounting body the ACCA, Yen-pei Chen, who says to watch out if you’re approaching a tax threshold, or find yourself in a marginal relief band. “If you are one of these lucky souls, you may want to act to put your tax affairs into order before 5th April 2017.” Chen points out the thresholds for the 2016/2017 tax year that you need to be aware of. Breach any and you’ll pay more tax: n Higher rate income tax band. Anything over £43,001 is taxed at 40%.
28 March 2017 | BPI News
n High-income child benefit charge threshold, which means that child benefit begins to be clawed back once income exceeds £50,000. n Personal allowance reduction threshold, where the personal allowance of £11,000 is reduced by £1 for every £2 above £100,000. n Additional rate income tax band where income above £150,000 is taxed at 45% “In addition to these, two new tax allowances became available from 6 April 2016. They’re good news for some, but mixed blessing for others, so it’s well worth being aware of them,” says Chen. “The first concerns dividends above £5,000. If you receive
dividends above this amount – for example, if you are the ownermanager who extracts profits from the business in the form of dividends – your dividend income will be hit with a higher rate of tax. The effective rate for tax on dividends for higher-rate taxpayers went up to 32.5% (from 25% in 2015/2016), and for company owners, considering the effect on corporation tax, the effective tax rate is now 46% (up from 40% in 2015/2016).” The other allowance concerns interest income. Here Chen outlines the change: “A new tax free savings allowance has exempted up to £1,000 of savings income from tax since April 2016 – but note, if you are a higher-rate taxpayer, you will only
be exempt up to £500.” So, bearing these thresholds in mind, what are the legitimate tax planning options to avoid an eye-watering tax bill? Chen says that there are five areas to target: n Deferring your income to the following year if you expect a lower level of income then. n Making pension contributions for yourself and your family. n Transferring shares or bonds to your spouse to make the most of the dividend nil band and savings allowance. n Switching your investments into tax-efficient investment schemes. n Making donations to charity.
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BPI NEWS BUSINESS ADVICE Handy business tax reliefs There are several ways to reduce a business owner’s tax bill while keeping essential cash in the business. The first is to carry back trading losses. “If you’re selfemployed,” says Chen, “any trading losses that you make in the year can either be set against your other income as a current year tax deduction, or carried back against income in the previous tax year to reduce your previous year’s tax liability (and gain a cash tax refund). For new self-employed businesses, losses for the first four tax years of trading can generally be carried back for up to three tax years.” Chen notes that if you run the business through a company, trading losses can be set against your other current year income, carried forward, or carried back against trading profits for the preceding 12-month period. Interestingly, Corporation Tax sees some changes from April this year, as the Finance Bill 2017 reforms the loss relief mechanism. On a positive note, it means you will be able to offset trading losses against all types of past or future profits. However, the loss that you can offset in any given year will be restricted to 50% of the taxable profits for that year. The other option is optimising your capital losses. Any capital loss you make from selling your assets in 2016/17 will automatically be set against your taxable income for that year first. “After that,” she says, “you can elect for any remaining capital loss to be carried back to the previous year, or do nothing and let the loss be carried forward indefinitely against future years.” The advice from Chen here is that if you have made a capital loss, you may want to think about using part of it in another year to ensure that the loss is relieved at a higher rate of tax. Bypassing the maths, this is all about setting the loss off against income at the most effective tax rate. For example, you may pay tax at 10% this year, but have paid tax at 20% in (say) 2015/16, or expect to pay it at 40% in 2017/18. Sole traders should note that the maximum amount of capital losses that they can carry back is £50,000, or 25% of the income for that year, if that is higher. Companies are not allowed to carry back capital losses, however. Also worth exploring are tax reliefs on gains from asset disposals. Now, if
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you’ve been lucky enough to make a profit on selling an asset (such as the freehold of your shop), and that asset has been used in your business, you may be able to delay paying tax on any capital gain using the Business Asset Rollover Relief. This relief applies if you buy new qualifying business assets within three years after selling the old business asset, or up to one year before selling the old business asset. Chen points out to sole traders that everyone has a £11,000 taxfree exemption for capital gains in 2016/17: “This exemption can’t be carried forward to future years, so if you have made any gains in the year, make sure you use it before you lose it. You may wish to transfer assets to a spouse or civil partner to make sure that you both fully use your tax-free exemptions.”
Tax-efficient pensions For most people, making pension contributions is a tax-efficient way to put money aside. Not only do you get tax relief on your pension contributions, recent changes have also made pension schemes more flexible, allowing you to draw down the pension pot before retirement. When you pay into a pension, you receive tax relief on your pension contributions. The tax relief is at the highest rate of income tax that you pay. There are limits to what can be paid in, but if you own your business,
There are several ways to reduce a business owner’s tax bill while keeping essential cash in the business... Plan ahead, take good advice from your advisers and take a measured approached to tax planning” making pension contributions to yourself is a great way to extract value from it. On top of the personal income tax relief, pension contributions give corporation tax deductions to the company. Furthermore, because pension contributions are a nontaxable benefit, both the company and the employee can save on national insurance contributions. As an employer and company owner, it’s well worth thinking about exchanging some of your and your employees’ salaries and taxable benefits for larger pension contributions. On this Chen sounds a note of caution, however: “If you have a large pension pot (over £1m) or have a taxable income over £110,000, new changes from 2016 can affect you, so think about seeking professional advice.”
Getting more out of your investments Lastly, with interest rates from banks still at an all-time low, you may be considering ways of making your money work harder for you. Some investments might prove a tax-
efficient alternative to savings, if you have the appetite for risk. One recommendation from Chen would be to load up your ISAs, to benefit from tax-free income and capital gains. She notes: “Adult UK residents can put up to £15,240 each into savings, investments or a combination of both. In addition, parents can pay up to £4,080 per child into a junior ISA. First-time buyers can now save up to £200 per month over four years in the new help-tobuy ISA, and get a 25% tax-free bonus capped at £3,000 for £12,000.” There are also several other tax efficient investment schemes. These include the enterprise investment scheme, investing directly in an unlisted company, venture capital trusts, the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme, Innovative Finance ISAs, and social investment tax reliefs. It’s worth noting that they are high risk, so consider these options only if you are a seasoned active investor. The parting advice from Chen is clear: “Plan ahead, take good advice from your advisers and take a measured approached to tax planning. All because leaving your tax planning to the last minute could prove a costly mistake.”
BPI News | March 2017 29
BPI NEWS AWARDS 2017
TAKE CONTROL… & PICK YOUR WINNERS IN THE BPI NEWS AWARDS! Don’t lose your right to vote! As we’ve done for the past four years, we’re inviting the photo trade to get in touch and decide the recipients of coveted BPI News Awards. Here are 2017’s finalists…
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arketing managers, agencies and PRs! Galvanise your teams, customers and retailers into voting for you. Last year’s winners were the ones who did just that, running successful social media campaigns to motivate supporters to vote. So take a leaf out of their book and you too could be victorious in this year’s BPI News Awards.
How to vote There are two categories, and so two awards. Simply select your Product of the Year and Promotion/Campaign of the Year from the selection on this page, culled from the past 12 month’s worth of issues of BPI News. Send your choice/s to info@bpinews.co.uk, or get your customers to share your finalist nomination and Tweet us via @bpi_news The nominees with the most votes are our winners – as straightforward as that! So don’t delay, cast your vote TODAY.
TAKE YOUR PICK: BPI NEWS AWARDS FINALISTS
Here are the nominees, plucked from the past year of BPI News: BPI NEWS APRIL 2016:
BPI NEWS JULY/AUGUST 2016:
BPI NEWS NOVEMBER 2016:
Promotion/Campaign of the Year Nominees: The Photography Show, or Fujifilm FDIS Conference 2016 Product the Year Nominees: DNP SnapLab + DP-SL620 all-in-one photo kiosk, or Rotolight Neo LED lamp or Kenro Nanguang & Nissin kit
Promotion/Campaign of the Year Nominees: Photokina 2016 ‘Shine on the Rhine’, Tetenal Leicester HQ re-fit, or ‘Thinking outside the box’ with Nedis UK Product the Year Nominee: Olympus Tough TG-Tracker
Promotion/Campaign of the Year Nominees: Digital Splash 2016 spread, or Sigma mirror-less lens line up Product the Year Nominees: Nikon KeyMission 360, or MeFoto Air tripods via Mac Group
BPI NEWS MAY 2016:
BPI NEWS SEPTEMBER 2016:
BPI NEWS DEC 2016/ JAN 2017:
Promotion/Campaign of the Year Nominees: Hama’s advantage hammered home, The Societies Convention & Trade Show, or Kodak Alaris’‘Kodak Moments’ 4-page pull out Product the Year Nominees: LumeJet ‘photonic’ print technology, DNP Biometric software or Rotolight Anova Pro LED
Promotion/Campaign of the Year Nominees: ‘Make the Smart choice for 2017 with Noritsu/ PhotoXport’, or Fujifilm-sponsored wall planner, or Kenro Saramonic spread Product the Year Nominee: Olympus E-M1 Mark II CSC
BPI NEWS OCTOBER 2016:
Promotion/Campaign of the Year Nominees: ‘To the Manor Born’ Fujifilm spring 2017 collection, The Societies Show Report, Panasonic GH5 launch Product the Year Nominee: Sony A6500 camera
Promotion/Campaign of the Year Nominees: DPS Group Indigo Inkjet paper, or Panasonic Lumix G National Trust campaign or Intro2020 Cullman bags & tripods feature Product the Year Nominees: Hasselblad H6D, or Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM & 30mm f/1.4 DC DN lenses, or Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ80 travel zoom
BPI NEWS JUNE 2016: Promotion/Campaign of the Year Nominees: Tetenal Epson Surelab D3000 promotional spread, or PhotoXport & Noritsu Green II printer case studies, or Canon summer cash-backs/ launches Product the Year Nominees: Nikon D500 or Lowepro Photo Hatchback series
Promotion/Campaign of the Year Nominees: Panasonic’s Pre-Xmas Camera Bonanza, or Sony’s Big Lens Focus Product the Year Nominees: Leica Sofort instant camera, Fotospeed square format inkjet papers
BPI NEWS FEBRUARY 2017:
CLOSING DATE FOR VOTES: THURSDAY APRIL 20TH 2017. WINNERS ANNOUNCED IN BPI NEWS MAY
Vote now! Tweet your choices @bpi_news or email them to info@bpinews.co.uk 30 March 2017 | BPI News
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