Pixel Magazine - 10th December 2012

ISSUE NO. 887

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Your brand new trade portal is now LIVE!

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THE MAGAZINE THAT UNDERSTANDS THE WORLD OF IMAGING, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

News John Lewis to Open New Stores, Tech Sales Strong Christmas sales at the nation’s favourite department store are off to a strong start, with particularly strong figures from EHT (Electronics and Home Technology) of 29 per cent up on last year would indicate that the gifting trend of technology products - for both adults and children - continues apace, with the iPad4, mini iPads and the new ‘app toys’ flying off the shelves.

This trading news came two days after the country’s best-loved department store launched its latest Christmas television advertising campaign, with 8 million X Factor viewers seeing it in a prime slot last week.

Brand Director Peter Ruis has revealed that John Lewis plan to open up to 21 more stores in the next six years.

Destinations for potential new stores include Exeter, York and Chelmsford.

VAT May Rise to 25% The Institute of Fiscal Studies has revealed that the Government may be forced to raise VAT by another 5% in order to meet financial targets in the coming years. Despite commitments to reduce spending and improve the UK’s financial outlook, Government spending in certain areas has increased due to rising unemployment levels.

NEW DIRECTION FOR NOKIA IMAGING

10/12/2012

Damian Dinning, head of Nokia’s imaging drive, has announced his departure from the company.

Coming from a background in the photographic trade, including major roles at Kodak and Minolta, Dinning joined Nokia in 2004 and has since spearheaded the integration of advanced imaging technology into Nokia phones in his role of Program Manager for Imaging Experience, during which time he was instrumental in Nokia’s relationship with Microsoft for Windows Phone imaging.

Following the launch of several significant Lumia smartphones, the imaging prowess of which are expected to accelerate smartphones’ impact on the compact camera market, Nokia announced the decision to relocate key operations to Finland, where the company is based. Dinning was said

Nokia Lumia 820

to have made a personal decision to leave the company as he felt unable to move his family.

In a statement, Nokia said they had not yet chosen anybody to take over the role, and recognised Damian Dinning’s valuable contributions to the smartphone business with gratitude.

It is believed that Dinning will be undertaking a new role at Jaguar Land Rover soon.

We’re Back Online!

New Pixel website - www.pixel.co.uk - is now ready to bring you the news you need from the imaging world.

After a series of setbacks to the old model, we are pleased to announce that the new Pixel website is now up and running.

The improved interface allows us to bring you up-to-the-minute news and product releases in an attractive, easy-to-navigate new format. Now included is Pixel TV, where you’ll find informative and interesting video content, easy access to back issues and access to the biggest Pixel Imaging Guide ever, coming soon. The site will also feature exclusive content that doesn’t appear in the magazine so that we are able to bring you more depth and variety than could possibly appear in our printed pages.

Pixel’s renewed and cleaned-up forum interface makes it easier for you to chat with the trade about current events and relevant issues.

Don’t forget, you can also follow Pixel on twitter

@pixelmagazine and join the Pixel Magazine group on LinkedIn, so you’ll never miss the latest news and discussions.

reacts quickly, misses nothing

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Capture all the action with 12 framesper-second shooting, 1080 Full HD movie capture and continuous autofocus for movies and stills. www.pixellive.co.uk

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BEST IMAGING INNOVATION Sony SLT, Translucent Mirror Technology

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The InsIder Saying what you’re thinking and asking the difficult questions. each week the Insider reports from the front line of our industry.

Let’s put up City & Town centre parking charges and get fit!

Did you hear, NICE (the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence) have suggested that local councils, governing town centres, increase parking fees to encourage shoppers to leave their cars at home?

Apparently, we’re all so obese and unfit now, that an extra pound or so per hour will force us to abandon our cars and lose the weight we so desperately need to shift before we all explode into a huge lardy river of uselessness.

Let’s take a look at this… over the last couple of years, NICE have produced guidelines saying all five-year-olds should be taught about sex and contraception, urged schools to hold antenatal classes for teenage mothers and has been accused of banning life-extending cancer treatments. Sometimes delaying action for up to nine years due to their slow decision-making.

Parking prices have already surged across the UK. Since 2008, fees have more than doubled in Doncaster to £1.80 per hour. In Manchester they have gone up by 40 per cent over the same period to £2.70 per hour and this year, Westminster increased its charges, which apply on evenings and weekends, by 40p to £4.80 per hour. I recently stopped in Brighton for three hours or so and was duly charged £18.

The average consumer now seems quite

Pay & Display Machine

happy to shop online and this point, coupled with proposed price increases will not stop people eating too much and exercising more.

It will simply encourage them to leave the house and visit city and town centres even less than they currently do.

As a fairly recent phenomenon outside of major cities, parking charges have been rolled out and increased at an incredible rate of knots and are largely seen as a ‘stealth’ tax.

Let us not forget the cost of the road tax that every one of us already pays. Not to mention the recent record-breaking figure of 81p in each and every litre of fuel.

Retail is a tougher game now that it’s ever been and I cannot for a second, see how making a trip to my store more expensive and less convenient will benefit me in the short or long term. If anything, surely we should be encouraging people to drive into town and WALK around the shops?

Join me to discuss online at www.pixelmagazine.co.uk

Get In On the ACTIOn Action Cameras has teamed up with Tiffen, the creators of the Steadicam stabilisation system, in a competition to find the best film-making talent in action sports.

They’re looking for two short films of a maximum of three minutes each which best demonstrates the theme “Action Sports”.

Subjects are open and your customers can have filmed them on any equipment, and used whatever software they want to edit them.

What do you win? There will be two rounds – for Round 1 a committee of experienced film makers will select five finalists from all the entries and they will receive a GoPro HERO3 Black Edition action camera and a Steadicam Smoothee, a prize worth £528.

Those five finalists will then be judged against each other in Round 2 to find the overall winner who will win a fantastic prize worth over £3000 including a Canon EOS 60D DSLR, Canon EF-S 18-55mm IS lens, Steadicam Merlin2, Tiffen Dfx 3.0 Video PlugIn, Lowel Blender LED light, Tiffen Filter ND Kit, Domke 416 Roller Case.

The GoPro HERO3 features12MP still shots,

1080p/60fps and 4k in 12fps video mode, extreme wide-angle lens and is Wi-Fi enabled.

And what better to use with it but the Steadicam Smoothee? With the same technology as the $60,000 Steadicam rigs, the Smoothee balances a GoPro or iPhone when shooting those action moments, so it’s a great affordable solution to stock for users keen to shoot and share videos on the devices they carry in their pockets. http://www. actioncameras. co.uk/steadicamfilm-competitionentry-form The closing date and time for entries is January 25th 2013, 12:00 GMT.

FOCUs

News New UK Distributor for Peak design Snapperstuff is the new UK distributor for Peak Design.

Peak Design specialise in photography equipment for outdoor/adventure enthusiasts and aim to encourage them to capture their achievements on camera by designing and building innovative, thoughtfully composed, ultra-durable products that are easy to use and versatile.

“Right now our aim is to help people better transport and physically manage their cameras,” explain Peak Design, “but as time goes on we will continue to tackle other ubiquitous pain points that photographers and outdoorsy people face. We believe that wherever you go and whatever physical activity you do, your camera should be right there with you.” Snapperstuff will distribute Peak Designs’ full current range.

Production of NIKKOR Lenses Reaches 75 Million Total production of NIKKOR lenses for interchangeable lens cameras reached 75 million at the beginning of November 2012. The figure is up 5 million since production reached 70 million in May 2012.

Since the 70 million milestone, Nikon has continued to actively develop new products under the NIKKOR brand. In June 2012, Nikon released the compact and lightweight AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR, a zoom lens compatible with the Nikon FX format. Nikon also released the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, an ultra-high-power zoom lens compatible with the Nikon DX format and offering a 16.7× zoom ratio. It is designed for photographers with a broad range of interests.

In October 2012, Nikon launched a new FX-format zoom lens with versatile 70–200mm focal range and constant f/4 aperture designed for professionals and enthusiasts shooting events, travel, wildlife and sports.

New lenses for Nikon 1 compact system cameras have also been released.

The current line-up of over 80 NIKKOR lenses for Nikon SLR and Nikon 1 system cameras includes fisheye lenses, super wide-angle to super telephoto lenses, micro lenses and PC-E lenses. www.nikkor.com

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THE BIG INTERVIEW

Where the SMART MONEY Is Connectivity between cameras, mobile devices and TVs is one of the major factors influencing the development of the imaging sector. Ahead of our forthcoming round-table, Pixel speaks to Nick Davis of Davis TV about the opportunities for an integrated retail approach offered by Smart Televisions.

Nick Davis, of Davis TV Nick, how’s the trade been on the high street for an imaging specialist this year?

It’s been something of a boom year for televisions, as we’ve had the digital switchover and the true advent of Smart TV. This all-new functionality is really inspiring people to buy a new television for their home and their family.

There’s some evidence that people are willing to spend a bit more on home entertainment during a recession as it will ultimately save them money on going out – think how much taking a family to the cinema costs now – and new technology helps convince them to make that investment.

Most people investing in a new television now will go smart. There are exceptions, particularly in the older generation who are replacing televisions because theirs has broken or because of the digital switchover, but generally people accept that smart is the way everything’s going, so it’s worth spending out a bit extra and not having outdated technology in a few months or a year’s time.

Our sector is in growth at the moment, but it’s prudent to be aware that this will not last forever so we are always looking for ways to expand and diversify, and we’re always open to new ideas. You have to be in this industry and this climate.

What new areas of business have Smart Televisions opened up for you?

The whole connectivity trend is brilliant for selling additional products. We have had some deals from the manufacturers which have allowed us to offer a free tablet or a free wireless keyboard with specific television purchases, and they’ve been great for sales.

We stock wireless keyboards because people love the idea of being able to surf the internet on their television, and stocking tablets is definitely on the cards.

What else are you doing to strengthen your business at the moment?

We’ve just launched our new website, which features click and collect as that’s going to be a massive trend in the coming months. We do occasionally slash prices and offer one-off

Display inside Davis TV

“ We have had some deals from the manufacturers which have allowed us to offer a free tablet or a free wireless keyboard with specific television ” deals to get people in through the door… and it works, because that’s when you can sell them the accessories, where you make the sort of margins you can’t make on the bigticket items.

We make absolutely no attempt to price match Amazon. If we’re going to offer pricematching, the only place we’ll offer to match is John Lewis, as really they’re the only store which is comparable on in-store service. Then still, we’ll get somebody coming in saying that John Lewis is £50 cheaper than us on a given television, and we’ll ask how much they’re charging for the install. “£80,” says the customer, yet ours is free so effectively we are actually £30 cheaper.

Being an independent retailer, you have the strength and flexibility to make your own decisions on what to charge and what to

stock, as well as the level of service you are able to offer. You can try things out and see if they work for your business without too much risk if you do it carefully, which is an area where big multiple retailers may struggle.

So are cameras an area into which you intend to branch?

We do sell a few cameras as our customers do ask for them. We have existing direct accounts with brands such as Samsung and Panasonic, and it makes a degree of sense that people who buy from us are happy to ask us to get cameras in for them if they want one of these brands. Now that cameras and other devices interact with televisions, there’s a definite relevance.

If we were to keep cameras in stock, we would opt for the high end… the CSCs, DSLRS and interactive cameras which will correspond and communicate with the televisions we sell. They will be useful for demonstration, and we would apply the same rule we do for stocking the higher end televisions: “One on show, one ready to go”!

It works well as it’s important to be able to demonstrate and talk your customers through products, but there’s no sense in having huge amounts of your cash tied up in stock at any time… it’s unlikely you’ll sell two of the same £4000 televisions in one afternoon, so it makes sense to stock only what you can sell.

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SPECIAL REPORT

THE BIG INTERVIEW

Is the opportunity to sell imaging products one which you feel suits your business?

Definitely, as there are some really interesting products out there. We go to exhibitions and events and see imaging products that interest us all the time. There are no local independent camera shops, so I think there would be interest for a specialist store which was to stock imaging products alongside other ranges, whilst offering the sort of service independents are renowned for.

It would be easiest to stock a small handful of models and sell them one at a time, rather than placing a huge order which ties up a large financial outlay. It might be interesting if a distributor were to offer some sort of ‘starter’ bundle for those who wish to ‘dip their toe in’ to retailing these products, but then again many retailers like ourselves will already have their direct contracts with some of the manufacturers.

Have those manufacturers you deal with approached you about selling cameras?

No, not at all, and we’ve enquired about placing orders ourselves a couple of times. It would be an interesting area as the products don’t take up a huge amount of room and we’ve been looking for a new niche to help us stand out, so we’re definitely open to looking into those kinds of deals.

How easy do you think it will be to crosssell these with your other products?

You never know until you try, but I’m pretty

sure it would work! The interest we’ve already seen from our customers indicates that and being able to demonstrate interaction with the televisions we stock should make it easy to get customers interested.

Cross-selling and up-selling is a major part of our business. It’s relatively easy, because if somebody’s spending thousands on a television, adding on a tablet or a camera for a couple of hundred pounds, when you’ve showed them how they’ll benefit from the functionality doesn’t take that much consideration. With some, a demonstration of how images can be sent to the television to display will sell it for us.

It’s the same with our substantial range of accessories such as rechargeable batteries, memory cards, USB storage… these items are essential for us because, whilst they are a comparatively small addition to the bill for a consumer, they represent far higher margins for us than the more major products. For a shop which focuses on customer service, which is our strength, upselling further camera accessories such as cases, mounts and filters should be easy.

In all honestly, we could be more proactive with accessories and cross selling than we actually are. For example, there’s so much more mark-up on an HDMI lead than there is on a BluRay player, and we’re actually able to offer better value on those smaller-ticket product than the big names, Currys et al.

Anything which brings in more potential for accessory sales is to be welcomed, and selling

“If somebody’s spending thousands on a television, adding on a tablet or a camera for a couple of hundred pounds, when you’ve showed them how they’ll benefit from the functionality doesn’t take that much consideration”

cameras corresponds yet further with the accessories we already do such as memory solutions.

There was a diagram in Pixel a couple of issues ago, of all the different areas which can interlink and correspond with each other, and that’s very much how we see this business… and it’s like a pick and mix of all the bits of those that suit us and our customers, but it’s definitely important not to rule out the bits that weren’t traditionally part of our business.

When Davis TV was founded, we couldn’t have imagined a Smart TV or a BluRay player, but where would we be if we hadn’t accepted and embraced those?

What other high-margin opportunities are there in your business that might be of interest to readers from different sectors?

It’s all the leads that can really help your business in this industry. We make our own aerial leads, which actually allows us to offer better quality and service than those you would buy in off the shelf. We make, supply and sell cables to order, as well as selling internationally on eBay, which is a huge part of our business. Things like adapters cost us pennies, but they retail for a few pounds and we sell them in their thousands. These types of sales will always be where the money is in the consumer electronics trade, but the more devices you sell to start with, of course, the more potential there is for accessory sales.

Davis TV shop front

What support do you feel you would need from manufacturers and distributors in order to successfully expand into cameras?

The kind of support and training we receive on our core products would definitely help.

Panasonic, for example, offer great incentives for sales staff and Samsung have given us some brilliant promotions which have really helped sales – things such as free tablets, wireless keyboards or cash back deals with particular television models obviously make it easier to sell.

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Terms & Conditions: Prices are trade and exclude carriage and VAT. Prices are correct at time of publication, please confirm at time of ordering. E&OE. All transactions are in accordance with our full terms and conditions, a copy of which is available upon request. All trademarks are the property of their respective manufacturers. Your calls may be recorded for training or demonstration purposes. Copyright © Midwich Limited 2012. Midwich Limited, Vinces Road, Diss, Norfolk IP22 4YT. Job Number: -EJD2364-Q4-12.

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audio visual • barcode solutions • consumables • consumer electronics • copy/print/scan/fax • digital imaging • digital signage • hi-technology • large format displays • security solutions • tft displays • video conferencing • whichlamps • whichmounts

THE BUSINESS

Bigger, Better BVE News New seminar theatres and new networking events as exhibition moves to ExCel BVE 2013 will offer an insight into the world of production and broadcast, with a host of products and services sure to be of interest to the imaging retail sector. Although marketed at production professionals, the exhibition is an ideal opportunity for retailers across the imaging and consumer electronics sectors to see new products and make contacts in this increasingy relevant area. The event, which attracted nearly 16,000 visitors in 2012, takes place at ExCel in London from 26-28 February 2013.

The Olympic-sized venue has enabled the organisers to add two brand new seminar theatres, a conference and additional networking opportunities.

Theatres returning by popular demand include the Production Theatre and PostProduction Theatre, 3D/4K Cinema, The Audio Room and Broadcast Meets IT. In addition there will be seminar stands on the

Memoto’s Wearable, Automatic Camera Crushes Kickstarter Goal BVE North 2012

Cloud, Brands as Broadcasters and Live Event Broadcasting.

Over 200 exhibitors including technology manufacturers, finance specialists and insurance brokers, hire companies, resellers and industry associations have already signed up for BVE 2013, including new exhibitors such as Carl Zeiss AG, Deluxe Media Technologies, WTS Broadcast and Ravensbourne Ltd. The exhibition will also host a section dedicated to production services.

More details of exhibitors and seminar programmes as well as up-to-the-minute news about all aspects of BVE 2013, can be found at www.bvexpo.co.uk

Window Shopping

Neil at Colliers Photo Services wins an iPad for innovative displays.

This year Fujifilm Digital Imaging Service photo retailers were asked to showcase their best, most innovative displays and stories of the best add-on sales from PhotoWonder, and Neil from Colliers Photo Services has won an iPad for the shop’s eyecatching, clear displays of caricatures.

Using samples created of the staff members, they serve as a talking point and with clear signage they prompt ideas with transparency of the ordering process.

They are using the signage to educate their customers before talking to staff members, which serves to inspire customers who may not otherwise ask about the services.

Their great display land Colliers great orders with plenty of add-on sales opportunities.

Using the plain caricature, they used the service to create part of a business logo for a local business owner. Following the artwork, they produced t-shirts, banners, flyers, magnets, keyrings and more. These opportunities could easily be replicated by businesses both within and outside of the

traditional photo sector from Facebook and mobile-connected kiosks.

Neil comments, “Photo Wonder have breathed a new lease of life in to our services. Their fantastic products allow us to create achievable tailored work for our customers. This not only stands us aside from other shops, it also gives the customer a real sense of personalised service which, in many cases exceeds what they were expecting. Their fantastic marketing materials also allow strong visual point-ofKen Johnson & Neil Collier sale bonuses, as the customer can see a finished example before ordering.”

Fujifilm also acknowledged other great entries from FDIS stores around the UK. Catch the Moment in Bristol made a great Olympic-themed display. Digipix in Ilford also displayed creativity with customprinted passport photo holders serving as a permanent reminder to their customers of the different services they can offer. www.fisdigital.co.uk

After reaching its Kickstarter goal in just 5 hours, Memoto continued to rally support around the fresh idea of creating a searchable, shareable memory, surpassing two goals and reaching a half million dollars in funding, 10 times the original goal. Memoto is now aiming for a third goal that will offer an assortment of new features.

At about the size of a postage stamp, the Memoto camera is an intelligent microdevice that captures every moment of your life in photo keyframes. These spontaneous shots can be effortlessly searched, shared and revisited at any time using Memoto’s innovative web service and mobile application.

“We are so grateful to the Kickstarter community,” said Martin Källström, CEO of Memoto. “We’ve listened to their ideas and incorporated their input into product enhancements. We’re confident that the end result will be one aligned with their desires and what we wanted to achieve.”

Estimated availability for the Memoto camera is early 2013. For the last two days on Kickstarter, Memoto will be offering the camera at the discounted price of $249.

Olympus Scandal: The Movie?

Former Olympus CEO Michael Woodford has been offered a movie deal on the back of his book about the corporation’s financial scandal and his exposure of what had gone on, which led to him being fired from the company. Having risen through the ranks at Olympus to become the Corporation’s first non-Japanese CEO, Michael Woodford was pushed out just a couple of weeks into the role for drawing attention to massive accounting discrepancies and unexplainable investments, which lead to the discovery of a huge accountancy fraud.

Woodford’s Memoir. “Exposure: Inside the Olympus Scandal”, hit the second spot on Amazon’s business biographies based on the strength of preorders alone the week before it went on sale in the UK.

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for creative freedom

Photographic Artwork Range Fujifilm’s EZ product range is a selection of quality papers that offer added value for the photofinisher, pro lab and photo retailer.

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THE WORLD OF IMAGING

THE BEST OF CES: Wearable Imaging Liquid Image has been named a CES Innovations 2013 Design and Engineering Awards Honoree.

Products entered in this prestigious program are judged by a panel of independent industrial designers, engineers and members of the media to honour outstanding design and engineering in consumer electronics products across 29 product categories.

The Innovations Design and Engineering Awards are sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association and have been recognising achievements in product design and engineering since 1976.

Liquid Image’s Apex HD+ will be displayed in The Venetian at the 2013 International CES, and is part of the rapidly expanding market catering to the overlap between image capture, sharing and extreme sports The entries are judged based on the engineering qualities, aesthetic and design qualities, the product’s intended use/

APEX HD+ Ego, Mountable Camera

function and user value, unique/novel features and how the design and innovation of the product compares to other products in the marketplace.

Products chosen as an Innovations honoree reflect innovative design and engineering of the entries. Examples may include the first time various technologies are combined in a single product or dramatic enhancements to previous product designs.

Fujifilm Get Motivated

News Fotopic Photographer Panic Photographers are once again trying to recover pictures they saved to imagesharing website Fotopic.net - pictures that have been inaccessible since the website’s owners went out of business last year.

When Snappy Designs, who own the site, ceased trading, many images disappeared without warning, and thousands more were trapped.

Originally, buyers of Snappy Designs’ assets apparently intended to have Fotopic up and running again, but these plans have not materialised a year and a half later. A statement by the ‘Fotopic Legacy Team’ says; ‘We have opened up Fotopic to allow existing users to view and download their pictures. Once this process is completed the site will be shut down again. If you have images you want to retrieve, please download them as soon as you are given access.’ Access is being awarded on a rolling alphabetical by username basis, will be limited and it appears, from the statement, will only make it to the end of the alphabet if “all goes well’.

Advertising campaign support wheelchair funding charity

Olympus Sued for £150 Million

Fujifilm’s new Photographic Artwork Range includes a paper for every creative requirement - from the heavyweight 310gsm Baryte Fine Art paper, to the 90gsm Matt Bond Paper Base. The development of this full Photographic Artwork Range has led Fujifilm to create a series of advertisements, designed to explain the benefits of the new family of products. Each advertisement features the work of David Constantine, a Bristol based photographer whose distinctive brand of street portraiture has gained considerable critical praise.

David is a keen ambassador for Fujifilm’s products, most of his work is taken on

Olympus is being sued by forty-eight of its investors over last year’s financial scandal. The company’s share prices fell by more than 70% following the news, and remained low, regaining around half their value at the beginning of 2012. Initially, 49 shareholders filed suits against Olympus, who posted profits of around £100m for the last quarter. One has since been dropped, leaving the corporation facing 19.138 billion yen (approximately £149m) of lawsuit.

In a statement, Olympus said they were unsure what effect these claims would have on the company’s future business results.

Fujichrome Velvia 50 and printed on Fujifilm media. David uses his photography as a fund-raising tool for his charity, Motivation, an international development charity supporting people with mobility disabilities. Motivation manufacture low-cost wheelchairs that are designed specifically for use in developing countries.

Teamed with the charity’s innovative training programmes, their wheelchairs transform lives, giving disabled people independence, confidence and hope for the future. www.motivation.org.uk and www.sittingimages.com

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Your Essential Guide to the Latest Launches Name: The ipico™ RRP: £149.99.

Release Date: November Building on its continued success in the digital optical market, General Imaging has introduces ipico, a sleek hand-held, pico projector with a patented pop-up connector that turns an iPhone or iPod touch into a genuine social media tool. The ipico allows users to share the videos, photos and movies that they are increasingly turning to their smartphones to capture, easily in real time and project them larger than life on virtually any surface.

“We’ve watched the phenomenal growth of imaging on portable devices and smart phones,’’ said Gary Banks, General Imaging’s Commercial Director. “Add to this the popularity of social media and desire to share experiences, and you’ll see we have the perfect conditions for launching this ‘’must have’’ product” Made for iPhone and iPod touch, ipico allows users to share their favourite moments, from photos and videos, to movies, Facebook and YouTube while on the go. No cables needed, simply pop-up the built-in connector on the ipico, slide your device into it, focus on virtually any surface, and instantly project your world to the world, projecting up to 50-inches (127 cm) in an optimal dimly lit room.

Portable enough to take anywhere, ipico weighs only 102g and is about two-thirds the width of an iPhone. At only 17mm in depth, the ipico’s pop-up connector slides neatly down into the dock when not in use and easily fits inside a pocket or bag. When projecting, it holds your iPhone or iPod touch in place and usually does not require removing the protective case from your device.

It includes a built-in, rechargeable Lithium-ion battery and USB charging cable. The ipico hand-held projector delivers bright, colourful images in qHD resolution and is made for the following models: iPod touch (3rd and 4th generation), iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS. Made for iPod and Made for iPhone signify that an electronic accessory has been designed to connect and has been certified by the developer to meet Apple performance standards. www.general-imaging.co.uk

Name: The Pong Blackberry Case RRP: From £39.99 Release Date: Immediate The World Health Organisation classifies the radiation smartphones emit as a carcinogen and recommends users reduce their exposure.

Pong Research Corporation has released its new case for Blackberry devices that can help users by redirecting radiation away from their heads without negatively impacting device performance. In fact, the Pong case can improve signal strength and battery life.

“While there is no proof that smartphone radiation causes cancer, the Journal of the American Medical Association found that just 50 minutes of use has been proven to alter activity in the brain area closest to the phone,” said Todd DeYoung, CEO of Pong.

“Our technology reduces radiation exposure by up to 95 percent below international safety limits, and can increase signal strength by up to 46 per cent, depending on the device model.” www.pongresearch.co.uk Name: MAGIX PhotoStory on DVD Deluxe 2013 RRP: £69.99 Release Date: Immediate Photographers can transform their photos and videos into fantastic movies easier than ever before and enjoy them on TV, mobile devices or the Internet. Simply choose from one of the many professional style templates and the automatic slideshow maker will take care of titles, transitions, effects and music.

Automatic image optimisation and red eye correction are included, as is 500 MB online storage space. www.magix.com

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THE LAUNCHPAD LAUNCH PAD Name: JVC KW-NSX1 Smartphone Receiver RRP: £399.99 Release Date: Immediate

Once again capitalising on the high margins and wide audience offered by smarthphone add-ons, JVC has introduced its KW-NSX1 in-car Smartphone Receiver enabling seamless enjoyment of Android, Symbian and iPhone functionality on the move, enhanced by a 6.1-inch WVGA touch panel monitor with a host of high-performance incar AV multimedia receiver features.

Smartphone integration is made possible

by MirrorLink allowing totally synchronised operation with Samsung Android and Nokia Symbian phones, duplicating the phone’s screen on the car stereo’s monitor. Users can take advantage of Car Mode to access apps that have been optimised for in-car use, thereby assuring a safe and comfortable driving experience. www.jvc.com

Name: Olympus LS-12 and LS-14 Linear PCM Digital Handheld Audio Recorders.

RRP: £139.99 for the LS-12 and £189.99 for the LS-14.

Release Date: Immediate With an established fanbase of videographers as well as music industry professionals and hobbyists, the Olympus LS range of versatile audio recorders has been expanded with LS-12 and LS-14 which capture and playback betterthan-CD quality sound up to 130dB SPL with new on-board directional stereo microphones and amplifier.

Users can set optimal recording levels on a “Mode Select Dial” located on the face of the recorder rather than having to go through menu settings. In Manual Mode, experienced users can adjust the recording level manually, adjusting the level while playing music or capturing sound. Smart Mode will automatically adjust to the optimum recording level with a single touch of the record button.

In Quick Mode, the user can immediately begin recording without adjusting levels.

The LS-12 features two new internal 90-degree directional stereo condenser microphones with a frequency response of 60Hz to 20 kHz, allowing the user to capture lower-bass frequencies.

The LS-14 compliments those directional stereo condenser microphones with a third omnidirectional center increasing the frequency response range to 20Hz - 20 kHz. Both recorders support sound pressure levels up to 130 decibels, more than enough to capture extreme sound from a rock band without experiencing clipping issues. www.olympus.com

Name: DSA-N1 digiscoping adapter and DSB-N1 Digiscoping Bracket RRP: DSA-N1 £219.99, DSB-N1 £169.99 Release Date: December 2012

Name: PNY SDHC™ Pro-Elite Plus RRP: 16GB - £59.99, 32GB - £89.99 Release Date: Immediate

Meeting the needs of the growing digiscoping market, Nikon has announced the DSA-N1 digiscoping adapter and DSB-N1 digiscoping bracket, specifically designed to attach to Nikon 1 cameras with interchangeable lenses.

• This digiscoping bracket connects the Nikon 1 with 1 NIKKOR lenses and Nikon Fieldscopes with an eyepiece, enabling super-telephoto shooting • The cable release socket is attached to the Bracket. The supplied cable release (approx.. 50cm) is useful for preventing camera shake when shooting • Use the supplied light-shielding rubber sheet to prevent external light from entering

PNY Technologies, has unveiled the PNY SDHC Pro-Elite Plus.

Offering read speeds of 95 MB/s and write speeds of 90 MB/s, the cards are designed for professional photographers that need to take full advantage of their camera’s burst mode. Certified Class 10 and UHS-1 (Ultra High Speed), the cards are also ideal for full-HD video even in the most extreme conditions.

The SDHC Pro-Elite Plus is available now in 16GB and 32GB capacities, and 64GB from January 2013. These high capacity cards allow even the most enthusiastic photographers to shoot in burst mode or HD video.

Every photographer that purchases a PNY SDHC Pro-Elite Plus will receive a water and shock resistant Flash card case, helping to ensure better protection in all conditions.

www.nikon.com

www.pny.com

Digiscoping Adapter DSA-N1 • Can be used together with the Nikon Fieldscope, an eyepiece and a Nikon 1 body • Can be attached directly to the Nikon 1 mount • Since an optical axis adjustment is not required, it can be easily attached to Nikon Fieldscopes • Auto or Manual exposure mode and centre-weighted metering are available* • Easy to carry compact size • Can be attached to various eyepieces, and is capable of super-telephoto shooting at various focus range settings Digiscoping Adapter DSB-N1

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INSIDE TRACK

DES and Eye-Fi Seek Photos

HP Blames Accounting Fraud for Losses

The Consumer Electronics Association has partnered wireless storage card maker Eye-Fi for its fourth annual digital photo contest

HP reported a charge of more than $8 billion — and claims most of that is due to accounting improprieties at Autonomy, the firm it acquired in 2011-2012.

HP previously took a $9 billion charge for its purchase of Electronic Data Systems. The company also lost when it HP Palm acquired Palm — and then cancelled its phones and tablets.

This all makes us wish HP had remained focused on photography and printing, as it had in the 90s and 2000’s, when the Imaging divisions earned most of its revenues… www.hp.com

They will award the grand prize winner a Canon EOS Rebel T3i and an Eye-Fi wireless SD memory card.

All photo entries will be displayed at the LVH in the PMA@CES exhibits.

Entrants can submit one photo in each of four categories: people, travel, pets and cell phone shots. Contestants can enter photos here, at CE.org/BestShots.

The winner will be announced January 11, 2013, at CES. Four top prices, one per category, include compact cameras from Nikon, Sony, Panasonic, and Fujifilm.

Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Photo Booth Creates 3D Portraits Brooklyn-based MakerBot is now teaming with 3D portrait shooter ShapeShot to deliver the “3D Photo Booth.”

Available now at MakerBot’s first retail store in New York City, the 3D Photo Booth is a multi-camera installation “that turns twodimensional photo data into a 3D Portrait of your face,” the companies say. The ShapeShot

system is made by Direct Dimensions of Baltimore. The system scans your face in a few minutes.The multiple images are combined to create an accurate three-dimensional model of the face, including textures. MakerBot says it now has a 25 per cent market share of the 3D printer market, and there are more than 15,000 MakerBot Desktop 3D Printers in use.

The magazine that provides retail solutions for the print professional, distributed free with Pixel Magazine

The Picture Keepers Camera Centre join forces with offshore retailers in global photo archiving initiative

Leading Kodak Express and Pixel awards finalist, Camera Centre have joined forces with offshore retailers in a global photo archiving initiative. photosavers.co.uk is a international collaboration providing a range of products and services helping consumers save prints, negatives, slides and digital images.

Managing Director, Ben Mullay explained how the service recognises heightened awareness around the heritage value of peoples pictures - and the fragility in storage choices for digital

CREDITS & CoNTACTS

images. “Photo stores are often the first call for those looking for image archiving, which is often seen as complex,” he says.

“We wanted to develop a complete offer providing simple, value based solutions” Central to the offer is the Picture Keeper, photo backup device - recently launched in the UK by Tetenal. “Whilst we’ve always had a quick and easy solution to save prints and film, digital image archiving has been challenging” says Mullay. “Picture Keeper completed the loop - allowing us to provide the total in-store and take-home solution” Along with Camera Centre, icon Australian

Editor: Laura Knight 01323 437946 laura@lifemediagoup.co.uk

Editorial Assistant Harriet Weston 01323 411601 harriet@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Sales Leanne McConnell 01323 411601 leanne@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Production Design: Harriet Weston 01323411601 harriet@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Managing Director/Publisher: Lee Mansfield 01323 411601 lee@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Subscriptions Alex Weeks 01323 411601 alex@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Commercial Director: Simon Skinner 01323 433700 simon@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Accounts: Clare Fermor Amelia Wellings 01323 411601 clare@lifemediagroup.co.uk amelia@lifemediagroup.co.uk

retailer Fotofast and well known NZ store Photo Plus are part of the growing international network. The consortium are finalising the addition of a North American link in early 2013.

While photosavers.co.uk has only been operational for a few weeks, site traffic and orders have exceeded expectations. Future plans include the addition of photo book and gifting services.

Published by LMG SE LTD (Life Media Group) Park View House 19 The Avenue, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 3YD 01323 411 601

Printed by Gemini Press Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex 01273 464884

All material in this publication is strictly copyright and all rights reserved.

Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The views expressed in Pixel Magazine do not necessarily represent the view of Life Media Group LTD. Every care is taken in compiling the contents but the publishers of Pixel Magazine assume no reponsibilty for any damage, loss or injury arising from the participation in any offers, competitions or advertisment contained within Pixel Magazine. All prices featured in Pixel Magazine are correct at the time of going to press.

Copyright Life Media Group LTD 2012 ©

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digital redefined Combining cutting-edge technology, classic design and peerless XF lenses, the X-Pro1 changes everything.

Pure photography. Pure joy.

Optical perfection

The XF series of all-glass, single focal length and zoom lenses offer unparalleled quality, and each has a 1/3step aperture ring for tactile control of exposure and depth-of-field.

FREE LENS!

Revolutionary sensor

It isn’t just the X-Pro1’s carefully crafted casework that echoes the classics of analogue photography.

The revolutionary 16 megapixel X-Trans CMOS sensor has a radical new array inspired by the random pattern of silver halide particles on film. That means that moiré and false colours are virtually eliminated without the need for resolution-sapping low-pass filters.

Find out more at fujifilm.co.uk/x-pro1 16 www.pixel.co.uk

Pixel 4th December 2012.indd 16

Purchase an X-Pro1 plus an XF lens before 31st December 2012 and claim your FREE 18mm or 35mm lens.

Just visit free-xpro1-lens.co.uk

BEST CSC

facebook.com/fujifilm.uk

@fujifilm_uk #xpro1

30/11/2012 11:49