Pixel Magazine - 9th October 2012

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ISSUE NO. 882 75

News Google Acquires Nik Software/Snapseed Google has officially announced that it has acquired Snapseed app makers Nik Software.

The acquisition, which was completed for an undisclosed sum of money, is seen by many as a direct response to Facebook’s recent acquisition of Snapseed competitor, the popular photosharing app Instagram.

Nik Software produces a wide variety of digital imaging software for computers and smartphones. Snapseed allows users to capture, edit and share photos via social networks.

Nik software said: “With Google’s support we hope to be able to help many millions more people create awesome pictures.”

Tetenal to Distribute GP Batteries Tetenal have announced their partnership with GP Batteries, to promote and distribute their range across the photographic channel.

GP’s strategy for continued innovation allied to quality and reliability along with a competitive pricing policy has enabled them to become established as a strong 3rd in terms of battery market retail coverage.

Their drive towards ‘greener’ battery technology in particular has seen GP described as the ‘rechargeable experts’. This is backed up by some notable awards including one from the prestigious Which? report. www.tetenal.com

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Sony to Invest £400m in Olympus Freitag, 11. Mai 2012 18:05:13

New alliance promises huge investments in consumer digital imaging and medical applications for both brands’ innovative camera technologies.

Following rumours of investment from a variety of companies, it is confirmed that Olympus will receive financial backing from Sony in a new alliance which both companies hope will strengthen their medical and consumer digital imaging businesses.

Speculation of such a deal has been rife since Olympus first made headlines with financial scandal, which caused share values to drop below the level expected of a sustainable business.

The joint statement released by both companies said that Olympus Corporation and Sony Corporation have entered into a business alliance agreement and a capital alliance agreement through

a third-party allotment of Olympus’ common shares to Sony.

Hiroyuki Sasa, President of Olympus said “Olympus has been pushing to enhance its financial strength.

Partnering with Sony will provide great advantage to Olympus and enable the two companies to exchange various complementary competencies. Investment from Sony will help strengthen our financial base. In addition, through this alliance, the strengths of the two companies will merge.”

Kazuo Hirai, President and CEO, Sony Corporation, added: “As part of our strategic initiatives announced in April this year, at Sony we are aggressively... continued on page 7

Wise Up to Smart TV

New findings show that China, India and Brazil have been quicker to take up the opportunities offered by Smart TV than the UK and US. People in markets such as China, Brazil and India use the opportunities offered by webconnected television more than those in the UK, US and Germany, according to research carried out by GfK. Their study found that western consumers are stuck in an ‘analogue’ mindset, whereas viewers in emerging markets are more likely to exploit the digital capabilities of Connected TV. GfK’s findings show that, in broad terms, ‘Social TV’ has yet to fully take-off. Globally, just 28% of viewers said that they found programmes that they can interact with to be more interesting to watch.

And only a quarter (25%) thought that tweeting and commenting on programmes ‘enhances the viewing experience’. Richard Preedy, Research Director at GfK, comments: “Our findings suggest that broadcasters need to integrate their social elements far more engagingly into the fabric of the programme, to encourage viewers to interact.”

Viewers in countries such as China, Brazil and

India are more motivated to interact with programmes than those in the UK, US and Germany. This is indicative of the emerging markets having seen a greater and more rapid uptake of enhanced TV capability, compared to consumers in the markets that are traditionally seen as more developed. They are also likely to use more of the functionality offered by the latest television sets – with three-quarters (75%) of continued on page 3

reacts quickly, misses nothing

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FOCUS

THE INSIDER

Saying what you are thinking and asking the difficult questions. Each issue ‘The Insider’ reports back from the frontline of our industry.

I’ll keep it brief today as I’m told there’s not a lot of room spare in the next issue of Pixel. With the Retail Imaging Show coming up on Friday, there’s certainly a lot going on.

I’ll even be there myself, although I’m not sure any readers have correctly guessed my identity yet. So, it’s been a few issues since I last wrote a column and we’re heading rapidly toward Christmas now and what’s new? The seasons have changed (did we even really have a Summer?) and the mince pies are stacked in every supermarket.

We are almost at the end of what many have called, ‘the worst ever year’ and whilst some people are reporting strong(er) sales for the last couple of months, others are still licking their wounds from what has been an awful period of trading, and hoping for a bumper Christmas that, after last year’s poor sales, they are doubtful will actually materialise.

It’s true that the retail environment has evolved, almost beyond recognition

in 2012, with online giants battling over prices, the continuing knock-on effects of natural disasters causing huge issues with supply and rapid moves with technologies in our sector.

It’s with this final point that I question, what is it that you will stock on the run up to Christmas and into 2013?

I read the four-page piece in Pixel Magazine (25th Sept) with great interest and since returning from a smaller and slightly unfocused Photokina, I feel that we’re sitting at a point of great opportunity.

Some of the product that I saw at Photokina offered excellent bridges between the old and new. Stickers and cases that make smartphones look like cameras (for example, I’ve included a picture) are not only a cheap, nobrainer impulse buy but also a bridge between the traditional and the new world of imaging technology and mobile imaging. There were stacks of accessory products from this field at Photokina that sit neatly alongside our traditional photo lines and, in my opinion, can only help to keep the tills singing as times change.

The boat has set sail, let’s make sure that we’re on it.

Wise up to Smart TV (Continued) continued from page 1

Chinese Smart-TV owners utilising its features in the past month, compared to half, or less, those in the Western markets Across all markets, the ability to connect to the internet is seen as less important than price, screen size and display when buying a new TV. However, the disinterest in internet connectivity for TVs is significantly greater in the Western countries than in the emerging markets. Only 26% of UK and 29% of US consumers say they look out for a net enabled TV set, compared to 61% in India and 64% in China.

But there is hope on the horizon. Latest market data shows that the demand for Smart TVs is gaining momentum in the West, with sales in the six biggest European countries increasing by 31% in the first half of 2012.

Richard Preedy adds: “We are seeing the developing countries such as India, Brazil and especially China using TV in a more advanced way. They combine viewing a programme with increased levels of online activity – giving us a glimpse into how the West will start to move in the coming years. China, India and Brazil are the early adopters at the moment. However, in the coming decade, critical mass will be reached in traditional TV markets such as the UK, US and Germany and the way we all watch programming will be changed forever – finally burying analogue for good.”

The study shows that discovery is still more important to viewers than interaction: 33% more viewers search for information on the shows they are watching than use social networks to

share the experience with friends. GfK therefore argues that programme makers need to focus on viral campaigns and digital bonus content to enhance the viewers’ experience, rather than looking for viewers to enhance their own experience via interaction.

GfK’s findings also suggest intuitive control will be the next big growth area. They found that 67% are interested in touch and gesture TV control and 43% want to control their TV using something other than the traditional remote control. With smartphones developing beyond the traditional boundaries of a mobile phone, it is likely that this technology holds an advantage over TV in having already defined its usability credentials in terms of touch and gesture control.

Preedy continues: “While TV does not show any signs of losing its position as the top content-viewing device, other technologies are starting to catch it. The growth of online catchup and streaming services makes devices such as laptops, tablets, smartphones and games consoles far more accessible in terms of content delivery and therefore more appealing to viewers looking for content rather than a mechanism for consuming it. As a result of this the technology manufacturers and OS developers could hold the key to future content delivery with viewers looking towards the most convenient and intuitive method of consuming this content across their device ecosystem.” www.gfk.co.uk

News Campkins Cameras to Appear on TV! Campkins Cameras are to appear on an upcoming issue of the BBC programme Antiques Roadtrip, in which presenters travel the length and breadth of the country, scouring for antiques which they can but and sell on for a profit at auction.

“One dull, wet and cold Cambridge Monday morning, up pops a director to ask if we’d be happy to be in a segment of the BBC’s Antiques Road Trip,” said Robin from Campkins. “I talked to the presenter, Thomas Plant, just telling him about the shopfront and the history of retail in Cambridge, and they decided to use me as the ‘seller’ for the piece! So we ran though selling the camera then had to repeat several times doing close up, reaction and long shots. They bought a Lubitel TLR camera that we had on display for the show, and were on their way. It was quite a first day for our ‘work experience’ student, who happens to be my daughter Emily!” www.campkinscameras.co.uk

Calumet Launch Autumn Open Days Calumet’s Open Day events are back at stores from Edinburgh to Bristol and Belfast to London, this autumn.

Expert representatives from leading brands including Canon, Nikon, Bowens, Epson, Manfrotto, Fuji, Lowepro, Certon, Profoto, Sony, Sigma, Nik Software, Eizo, Sunbounce, NEC, Hahnemuhle, Velmex and others will be on hand at each event to demonstrate latest products and help with photographers’ workflow challenges.

Sian Hamer, Calumet marketing executive said: “We’ve planned a seven-strong series of autumn in-store exclusives. We’ll have a variety of special ‘on the day’ offers at each venue and FREE sensor cleaning too for Nikon and Canon bodies. Please note photographers must have cameras with fully charged batteries.”

The autumn 2012 open day event calendar at Calumet stores: Wednesday 3rd October - Bristol Wednesday 10th October - Birmingham Wednesday 17th October - Belfast Tuesday 23rd October - Edinburgh Wednesday 24th October - Glasgow Wednesday 31st October - London, Drummond St. Wednesday 7th November - Manchester www.calumetphoto.co.uk

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Retail By the Book

Despite a broadly non-specialist approach, Argos is one of the UK’s largest retailers of cameras by volume. Pixel spoke to Simon Barry, Argos’ Trading Manager for Photo, about how Argos’ camera business works.

Simon Barry, Trading Manager Photo, Argos.

The photographic trade has changed immeasurably in the last few years and for those who only retail imaging products, business is barely recognisable compared to ten or even five years ago.

How have these changes impacted on your role at Argos?

The camera market has changed far quicker and more consistently than many of the other ranges we stock. Just trying to keep up with the imaging developments, such as 50x zooms, HD quality videos and 24-Megapixel cameras, has been breathtaking for many retailers.

The products of today are incomparable to those of five years ago, with technologies that could not even have been imagined by consumers of the time. The challenge is sometimes helping customers to understand the benefits of a newer camera.

Like much of the electronics trade, photographic retail has seen some severe challenges in this time, with the shrinking of some sections and rapid growth of others. With a broad spectum of products stocked in our stores, we are fortunate to be less at the mercy of market fluctuations than those who specialise in one area, on the whole, although I’m excited about the potential growth offered to all retailers by new imaging technologies.

How do you think the world of imaging retail will change within the next few years?

I don’t think there’s any question that it is going to become even more advanced and we will see people buying a camera which has phone and internet capability rather than the other way around. The ability to send shots directly from a camera to Facebook and Youtube means even more connectivity and this is something that will be very popular and encourage more people to pick up a camera again.

Personalisation is becoming ever more important and consumers don’t want just black or silver – our range includes bronze, teal, coral, white, red, blue, orange, lime, purple and pink, all of which sell! People want their product to be excellent quality, easy to use and to stand out.

The future is certainly going to be exciting.

How will Argos’ retailing of imaging

“We do have camera displays in over 200 stores, and in all of our 748 stores, customers are able to view any product we sell today before buying, if we have it in stock - all they need to do is ask! products change to reflect this?

The internet will be a key focus for us in the future, alongside our publications and catalogue, which will provide key highlights and guides to help customers choose the right product for them. This sort of information is incredibly important in helping consumers to select a product in their own time and in a way that is pressure-free and suits them.

How is the Argos shopping experience conducive to buying imaging products?

We have camera displays in over 200 stores and in all of our 748 stores customers are able to view any product we sell today before buying, all they need to do is ask.

With the support of buying guides and technology jargon-busting information, we make it really easy for customers to find their ideal camera, and then are able to offer a comprehensive range of imaging products at

prices they may not find elsewhere.

How important are photographic sales to Argos’ business?

As one of the UK’s largest retailer of cameras (by volume), the photographic category is very important to Argos. We sell a wide range of products starting at just £39.99, right through to more advanced DSLR options at £650 and more. It’s important to note, though, that we consider our higher end cameras to be aimed at consumers rather than professionals, and the superb range of technologies available now means that this category of customers

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internet and see where they will get the best price. There is no doubt that Smartphones have impacted camera sales at the lower end of the market. However, when you compare even a £49.95 camera to the average Smartphone, the differences in quality are clear.

To what extent are Argos’ photo sales reliant on advertising?

Advertising is very important to us. We publish new offers every two weeks as a rule. Prices and products are also updated daily on our website – Argos.co.uk is the most visited high street retail website in the UK, which means that

“Today’s customer is extremely savvy and knows when a product is available at a genuine discount, as they can easily compare onstore prices with online deals.” has access to professional-quality equipment, without needing the expertise they once would have to achieve such results.

What products in this sector are the most interesting/offer you the most potential?

The bridge area is really exciting, encompassing high-end compacts, within which we find superzoom cameras are particularly popular.

Consumers in the compact sector in particular seem to value statistical camera specifications because these are easy to compare with other products, so this is somewhere high zooms really come into their own and we offer products with massive zooms of up to 50x optical.

We also have incredible cameras with 26x optical zoom for £119.95 from Samsung. This

category is a huge growth area and is great for families with children, which is one of our target markets, as the close up functions are excellent and these products can also record movies in HD (720p). This is ideal for our typical audience, which in this category is the family customer who is looking for a great quality camera, at a great price.

Argos do a lot of price promoting… to what extent do you believe photographic sales are reliant on discounting?

Everyone likes a bargain and we do have some great offers at Argos. That said, today’s customer is extremely savvy and knows when a product has a genuine discount, as they can easily compare in-store prices with deals on the

these updates reach a huge amount of people, resulting in a good amount of business.

What potential do you see for Argos to grow in the photo category, and how will it be fulfilled?

We see a real growth opportunity in this sector even in tough market conditions. There are some amazing technologies coming to the market at the moment and due to the nature of our retail environment, Argos is able to have a huge choice of products in stock in our stores, as well as a greater range - particularly at the top end on our website and this gives us what we feel is an unrivalled offer in UK retail today. www.argos.co.uk

Sony to Invest £400m in Olympus continued from page 1

... pursuing the growth of our medical business, with the aim of developing it into a key pillar of our overall business portfolio.

“By combining Sony’s cutting-edge technologies with Olympus’ established foundations in the medical market, we believe that we will be able to generate new business opportunities. We also believe there are many potential opportunities for collaboration between Olympus and Sony’s digital camera businesses, and are confident that by building on our respective strengths we can also enhance and grow our presence in this market. All of us at Sony will spare no effort to ensure that the business and capital alliances, including Sony’s investment in Olympus, will be a resounding success for both companies.”

By combining the know-how and products Olympus has developed in its medical

business with Sony’s strengths in audio visual solutions, the two companies aim to establish a comprehensive systems integration business that offers high value-added solutions for operating rooms and other medical arenas.

In order to implement the business alliance in the medical arena as outlined in the companies’ joint statement, Olympus and Sony have agreed to establish a medical business venture by the end of December this year. This company, which is as yet unnamed, will focus on the development of urgical endoscopes with 4k (or higher) resolution or 3D function, and related systems, and employ executives from Olympus and Sony.

The two companies have also revealed aims to enhance their competitiveness, primarily in the area of compact digital cameras, by exploring opportunities for mutually beneficial transactions and collaboration between their respective

camera businesses, including the supply of Olympus technologies such as camera lenses and mirror cells to Sony, and the provision of Sony image sensors to Olympus. There’s no clear indication in the joint statement of what branding or publicity these collaborated imaging products will be launched under, but the large investment promised in this category is particularly promising in the CSC market, given the popularity and success of Olympus and Sony’s respective PEN and NEX brands.

The two companies have also agreed that Olympus will make every effort to help ensure that a candidate nominated by Sony is appointed as a member of the board of directors of Olympus. www.sony.com www.olympus.com

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GE x600 Trade Ad Pixel.pdf

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For further details contact us: Tel: 01280 827492 email: uksales@general-imaging.com www.ge.com/digitalcameras

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THE BUSINESS

And the Winners Are...? News Without further ado, we announce the shortlisted nominees for this year’s Pixel Trade Awards, taking place on Friday.

The votes are in for the Pixel Trade Awards and every single one of your votes counted. The winners have already been decided by thse votes, but here’s a teaser to let you know who’s definitely in the running to pick up a prize on Friday.

Accessory Manufacturer of the Year Intro 2020; Hama; Hahnel Processing Manufacturer of the Year Fujifilm; Kodak; DNP Hardware Manufacturer of the Year Sony; Nikon; Canon Independent Retailer of TRADE the Year AWARDS SRS Microsystems; Camera Centre Shetland; Cameraworld Multiple Retailer of the Year London Camera Exchange; Calumet; Wilkinson cameras; Mass Retailer of the Year John Lewis; Jessops; DSGI Online Retailer of the Year SRS Microsystems; WEX Photographic; Cameraworld Independent Minilab of the Year

2012

Pheonix Photographic – Kodak Express; Frosts Photo Centre – Fujifilm; Kodak Express - Lincoln Multiple Minilab of the Year Fuji Didgtal Imaging Services (FDIS); Kodak Express; Snappy Snaps Consumer Magazine of the Year Digital Camera; Amateur Photographer; N Photo Magazine Distributor of the Year Intro 2020; Digital Distribution; Tetenal Innovative Product of the Year Nikon D800 & D800E; Canon EOS 5D Mark 3; Olympus OMD EM5 Rep of the Year Danny Dullforce – Daymen; Paul Henry - Fujifilm: Chris Castle – Tetenal Retail Sales Person of the Year Aimee Seymour – Jessops (Burton On Trent); Sarah Penwarden (Wilkinson Cameras); Stevan Winkle – (Peter Rogers Photography) For those not in attendance at the awards ceremony, the results will be announced in the next issue of Pixel.

Camera... ACTION!

Worldwide Action Cam market to hit two million unit shipments this year according to Futuresource report.

In 2011, the action cam market achieved 24% growth, reaching nearly 1.5 million units shipped, according to a new report from Futuresource Consulting.

The market has been driven primarily by the US, accounting for 55% of worldwide sales in 2011 and 75% when combined with UK sales, with Europe and the rest of the world accounting for the remaining segment. The market is on track to achieve nearly two million units shipped in 2012 and anticipating even greater growth by 2016, with the market more than doubling to exceed five million units, representing a total retail value of almost $1.7 billion.

Having been viewed traditionally as a niche market, demand is primarily driven by extreme sports enthusiasts as the devices possess a unique range of features, including remote functionality, mount capability and rugged, waterproof design. More recently, social networking, powered by integrated Wi-Fi and the inclusion of Bluetooth, has materialised as a key driver, encouraging a move towards a more mainstream landscape as devices become cheaper and the market opens up to wider

groups including keen travellers.

Unlike the traditional consumer camcorder market, action cam growth is forecast to remain resilient to the threat of convergence and videoenabled phones, due to the specialist functions and capabilities associated with the devices. The market is forecast to witness over 37% CAGR between 2012 and 2016 as these specialist devices begin to appeal to a wider audience.

In terms of key brands, GoPro has cemented its position as the dominant player in this reasonably fledgling market, with expectations for its dominance to continue. GoPro is followed

by Contour and Drift, with other smaller brands taking a minor segment of the market. As the market develops, a growing number of low cost vendors and traditional camcorder brands will enter this space, though total camcorder market share will remain low - at around 3% - due to the specialist nature of these devices.

Report by Claire McMahon, Market Analyst, Futuresource Consulting www.futuresource-hq.com

JP to Distribute Phocus “We are pleased to announce the addition of Phocus to our growing portfolio of photographic products,” say JP Distribution.

“The original and still the best iPhone camera gear comes from Phocus. Back in 2009, they came out with first camera enhancement kit for the iPhone and since then, have been testing and refining it to meet customers demanding standards.”

JP are enthusiastic about bringing Phocus’ products to the UK market because of the exciting potential of mobile phone photography.

“Aimed to replace your point and shoot with a new point, shoot and share, Phocus keeps all the good qualities of using a smart phone as a camera while keeping the size small enough that it will still fit into the pocket or small bag” Phocus Accent Lens Bundles For iPhone 4 & 4s (Model For iPhone 5 Coming Very Soon!)

Slide your iPhone in and get creative!

The Phocus body is ergonomically designed and can be held with one or two hands. Since the iPhone is the star of the show, special care was taken to allow access to the headphone, power, volume and 30 pin connector ports.

Phocus has built in brass tripod and lens mounting points as well as a shoe mount.

Corel Cashback Deal Corel has launched an exclusive cashback promotion on CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6.

Customers purchasing a full standard version of Corel’s latest graphics suite are entitled to claim £90 cashback. The promotion runs from 1 October 2012 to 31 January 2013 inclusive, subject to terms and conditions.

Customers will be directed to Corelauthorised resellers through www.corel. com/cashback

Breaking News: Google to Buy Viewdle?

Google is said to be paying around $45 million for Ukaraine-based visual analysis company Viewdle. Viewdle developed the SocialCAmera Android app, which adds automatic face recognition to photo sharing.The software is handy for use with Google+, Picasa, Facebook and other services, and most recently Viewdle have launched an Android-bades game using the software called Third Eye. Motorola was rumoured to be interested in buying out Viewdle last year, before the handset company itself was bought out by Google.

Representitives from both companies are declinging to comment to the press at the moment. www.viewdle.com

www.pixellive.co.uk 9

THE NEW WORLD OF IMAGING

CES to Focus on Photo

THE Rumour

US Consumer Technology show will be heavily influenced by digital imaging trends next year.

The Rumour is a round up of gossip and hints currently circulating the internet. The views here are not necessarily those of Pixel Magazine and have not been communicated through official channels, they are simply things we have heard from those who may know!

The Consumer Electronics Association have announced some early details about next year’s CES event and they include some exciting prospects for imaging retailers.

“An epic 1.8 million net square feet of exhibit space is spread throughout the Las Vegas Convention and World Trade Center (LVCC)/the LVH and The Venetian. Nestled within this space, you’ll find 3,000 exhibitors, including 20 themed TechZones featuring specialized technologies.”

Amongst these zones is the PMA at CES. “From capture to output, PMA@CES in its new location at the LVH is the place to be to learn about profitable products and services,

Rumour has it that... the new Blackberry model will be announced soon. The tenth edition of the popular smartphone is rumoured to be called the Laguna, and could be the launch which makes or breaks RIM, who have been struggling financially.

Full specifications appear to have been released via several online news outlets.

Via ITproportal Rumour has it that... the 46.1MP DSLR Canon is expected to announce soon will be a 1 series body like the 1D X. Northlight Images report being told that “...a camera will eventually appear in a 1D X derived body, in the same way as the 1D C. The information said that the actual designation was not known, but it would essentially be a ‘1 series’.”

Via Northlight Images

reconnect with industry friends and establish vital new business connections.

“See the innovators of digital imaging and photography come into focus through the Innovations 2013 Design and Engineering Awards,” say CEA. “Judged by an elite panel of independent industry professionals, these awards recognise the top innovative, creative products of the year. Entries for the digital imaging award category will display products designed to enhance the visual experience and/ or allow the user to capture, store and edit still images or video.”

CES also provides 800 speakers with a stage to present 300 conference sessions covering the industry’s vast topic areas. With more than a dozen partners, CES crafts a variety of tracks and SuperSessions that cover every aspect of the highly competitive, multibillion-dollar industry.

“The 2013 CES Conference Program opens on Monday, October 1. Be sure to visit Conference.CESweb.org to view all the pictureperfect tracks and SuperSessions planned for the digital imaging/photography community!” www.cesweb.org

Rumour has it that ...Olympus might be poised to announce a hybrid four thirds/micro four thirds model. It has been made official(ish) that Olympus is working on a body to replace the E5 and cater to the professional market, taking four thirds format lenses. An interview with ImagingResources confirmed this, and Haruo Ogawa, President of Olympus Imaging Division, said “we are not only chasing high image quality and high performance. We would also like to provide the benefits of a small body size. At this moment, we cannot say anything for sure, because there are many possibilities -- it could be Micro Four Thirds, or Four Thirds, or somehow a hybrid. We are 18/11/11 currently 16:44:24 Fuji Quarter Page Advert.pdf studying several options,” Via Photorumors

Celestron Cross Categories Hama recognised with award for helping Celestron penetrate new markets.

Hama UK Ltd are proud to announce they have won the Celestron Cosmos Award for Best Market Penetration Into New Markets 2011-2012 Nick Grey said, “I am absolutely delighted to accept this award from Celestron as it is indicative of the ever-growing relationship between our two companies. Celestron have provided us with an outstanding product offering and ongoing support, both of which have enabled us to open new doors and increase our business while remaining competitive. The Hama (UK) team have been striving to build on Celestron’s exposure and turnover, and this has been recognised by the awards we have received from Celestron year on year. The

Cosmos Award is the pinnacle and evaluating the extensive work of all Celestron distributors around the world, highlights the size and importance of our achievement.”

“We are very pleased to present Hama UK with this years Cosmos Award for their exemplary support for the Celestron brand across all categories.” Said Victor Aniceto “The Cosmos Award is presented to Celestrons most outstanding distributor that has grown their sales volume, distributed across most channels and across most categories. Hama UK, with the direction and support of David Murray and Nick Grey, has a major role in helping Celestron achieve record sales in 2011-2012.

Congratulations and many thanks.”

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100S OF IN-STOCK, PROFITABLE & FAST SELLING LINES TRY OUT MY SUPER FAST ON-LINE ORDERING WEBSITE MIN MIxED ORDER vALUE IS £75 Ex-vAT. POST FREE IS £200 Ex-vAT; IF LESS £6.99 P&P. PRICES ARE Ex-vAT FAST NExT WEEK DAY DELIvERY. PAYMENT IS BY DEBIT CARD OR CREDIT CARD (+2%) FOR NEW ACCOUNTS

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03/10/2012 12:52

Your Essential Guide to the Latest Launches

Name: Experience Seminars Essential Guide to Wedding Photography RRP: £19.99 Release Date: Immediate

Name: My Passport Edge/MPE for Mac RRP: £86 and £94 Release Date: Immediate The My Passport Edge and My Passport Edge for Mac feature 500 GB of storage and a USB 3.0 interface for fast read/write speeds to help consumers effectively manage, share and enjoy digital content everywhere they go. Its sleek, ultra-slim design makes transport easy and convenient while a variety of security features protects the drive’s content from unauthorised access.

The My Passport Edge for Mac is also compatible with Apple Time Machine® for added peace-of-mind and seamless operation out of the box.

The My Passport Edge (PC-version) portable hard drive incorporates WD SmartWare continuous and automatic backup software to create a copy of users’ computers’ content to ensure digital files are backed-up and protected in the event of computer loss or theft. www.wd.com

Our essential guide to wedding photography looks at the things that you need to understand when shooting a wedding, either for friends and family or if looking to shoot weddings commercially.

The DVD looks a wide range of topics ranging from the planning of the photography on the day, what images to take and the amount of the wedding you cover, through to looking at the camera and flash settings that will give the very best results.

Topics included on the DVD are: Understanding the ways that flash can be used within wedding images; How to produce fill in flash; Getting the best results when you have to rely on flash; How to use balanced flash to overcome strong backlighting; Using the camera exposure modes with flash; Using the flash overrides for wedding images; How to prevent dark backgrounds with flash images Workflow for wedding photography. www.experience-seminars.co.uk

Name: Aquapac for iPhone RRP: TBC Release Date: Immediate Previously Aquapac’s mini and small Whanganui cases were used to protect iPhones from water, dirt and sand. This new iPhone case has been cut-down in size so the fit is better and more compact. As with all of Aquapac’s phone cases you can make calls, send texts and search through the case as well as take photos thanks to the Lenzflex™ window in the rear of the case.

Aquapac’s water-tight clamp mechanism – the patented Aquaclip - seals out water and sand and can cope underwater at depths of up to 5m for one hour. www.aquapac.net

You can rely on Kenro to deliver. at: us il See Reta w o The ng Sh gi d S9 a Im tan 2012 S ct hO 12t

Kenro supply a wide range of photo frames, mounts and albums, from budget priced lines through to high end luxury products and because we hold massive stocks you can rely on us for fast delivery across the UK and Ireland.

Visit www.kenro.co.uk to view the full range and find out more.

Supplying the photographic industry for over 35 years making the most of your image

Kenro Ltd, Greenbridge Road, Swindon, SN3 3LH t: 01793 615836 f: 01793 530108 e: sales@kenro.co.uk

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THE LAUNCHPAD LAUNCH PAD Name: Fujifilm X-E1 RRP: £749.99 (body only) Release Date: November Following hot on the heels of the highly X-Pro1, the X-E1 boasts the same 16 megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS Sensor, packed into a smaller body, and a new top-class OLED electronic viewfinder and built-in flash. Featuring the same Fujinon XF lens X mount as the X-Pro 1, the X-E1 is compatible with the 3 existing XF lenses available, with 2 more arriving this year and 5 further additions in 2013.Users can turn the aperture ring on the lens with their left hand, and operate the dials for shutter speed and exposure compensation on the top panel with their right hand, for quick setting changes without having to take their eye off the viewfinder. Functions frequently used during shooting can be assigned to the Fn (Function) button for extra efficiency.

Unlike the X-Pro1 with its hybrid multi viewfinder, the X-E1 camera boasts an OLED electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 2.36 million dots, making it one of the highest resolutions available on digital cameras with EVFs. The viewfinder on the X-E1 has a unique lens structure consisting of two glass elements and one double aspherical element, which in conjunction with the OLED offers an incredibly high quality display.

When fitted with a Fujifilm M Mount Adapter, the X-E1 can use a wide variety of M lenses. www.fujifilm.co.uk

Name: Nero 12 (and Platinum Version) RRP: £59.99 and £79.99 Release Date: Immediate Nero 12 allows video, photo and audio enthusiasts to enjoy multimedia content in their preferred formats on PCs and mobile devices.

Nero 12 has a variety of features, targeting users with different levels of skill and creativity. The new product gives beginners a simple platform to manage, edit, create and share their own multimedia content on any device. Furthermore, more advanced video editing and creation with Blu-ray and playback options will also appeal to more advanced users.

With Nero 12, consumers can now: Rip DVDs, Blu-ray Discs and AVHC videos containing personal content; Import video from AVCHD camcorders, DSLR cameras, smartphones or other capture devices; Convert video for optimal playback on games consoles, Apple devices, smartphones, Kindle Fire, etc; Edit videos and apply new slow and fast motion effects, video stabilization effects and more;Create professional-looking Blu-ray Discs and DVD-Video discs, complete with menus, chapters and themes; Manage videos, photos and music in one centralised media library; Stream movies, photos and music from the media library to streaming-enabled HDTVs, game consoles and mobile devices and play videos from Blu-ray Discs1, DVDs and virtually any video file format on a PC or laptop www.nero.com

Name: Flip Player Pro RRP: £18 (approx) Release Date: Immediate

Name: Windows Phone 8X and 8S RRP: N/a Release Date: Autumn HTC and Microsoft have unveiled the first Windows Phones: the stunning Windows Phone 8X and 8S by HTC. The smartphones feature the new Windows Phone 8 operating system and boast iconic design, immersive studio-quality sound with Beats AudioTM and incredible camera capabilities.

The only phone with Live Tiles, Windows Phone has a clear, differentiated vision.

HTC is bringing bold, sophisticated and adventurous colours in a premium matte finish to these devices including California Blue, Graphite Black, Flame Red and Limelight Yellow for the Windows Phone 8X, by HTC and Domino Black- White, Fiesta Red, Atlantic Blue and High-Rise Grey-Yellow for the Windows Phone 8S by HTC. For the first time ever, HTC is introducing a 2.1mp, f/2.0 aperture, 88° ultra-wide angle front-facing camera that allows up to four people and more to be captured at once. It also supports 1080p video capture. The rear camera sports an 8mp CMOS with a backsideilluminated (BSI) sensor for improved low-light performance, along with an f/2.0 aperture, 28mm lens and a dedicated imaging chip. A physical shutter button makes it quick and easy to capture spontaneous action, even if the phone is locked. www.htc.com

Telestream has released Flip4Mac 3.0, the official Windows Media player on the Mac. Flip Player offers high-quality video playback in a wide range of popular video formats, for the Web, smart phones, and high-definition movies. An upgrade to Flip Player Pro adds unique features such as intuitive video editing and iPhone ringtone export capabilities. Flip Player provides MOV, MP4, H.264 and AAC support for OSX, as well as WMV and WMA support via Flip4Mac. Export support is also included for Apple apps, such as iMovie, iPhoto, Mail, and Final Cut Pro. Flip Player Pro adds unique export options and powerful editing capabilities, such as visual scaling, visual cropping, trimming with in/out points, and rotation.. In addition, Flip Player Pro adds export to Final Cut Pro, and converts WMV and WMA to other formats via Flip4Mac.. In a world with about 90% Windows market share, Flip Player and Flip4Mac fill an important need for the Mac community. These intuitive, QuickTime-based tools bridge the gap between Mac and Windows environments. For users switching from Windows to Mac, they enable access to Windows Media content and easy integration with a Windows-based infrastructure. In addition, Flip Player complies with all intellectual property laws. www.telestream.net

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INSIDE TRACK Ingenuity Undertake Largest Print Job Yet Ingenuity LLC says its largest professional photography job ever provided photographic services for a major telecommunications corporation, for which the team photographed “every moment of the festivities at two world-class resorts in California and Florida, presenting each executive with customised photo memories.”

“We understood that the scale of this assignment would be a major challenge,” says owner Steve Immer. “Our solution had to be intuitive, easy to use, and operationally rock solid. It required a photo-printing solution that would run continually, with minimal down time and no service issues. We also knew there would be a huge volume of photo prints and we’d be limited by manpower and space constraints at each resort.”

The company designed and manufactured a portable, customizable, self-serve photo print station using the Mitsubishi Electric CP-9550DW professional photo printer. Each print station had a printer in a tabletop cabinet, customized with the client’s corporate logo and event name. All told, Ingenuity printed 24,000 photos at the bi-coastal events. www.pmanewsline.com

PMA and Retailer Tax Ruling Success Campaign for legislation change gains support of new plan.

For many years, PMA in Australia has lobbied against the inequity of the current $1000 threshold on imports — and now, the Australian Retailers Association says the Low Value Parcel Processing Taskforce’s final report outlines a comprehensive and economically propitious plan towards achieving a level playing field for online, traditional and multichannel Australian retailers alike.

The report highlights the need to address and remove the inherent disadvantage the LVIT currently presented to Australian retailers as well as open up a desperately needed revenue stream for state and territory governments. The recommendation is to address parcel processing inefficiencies with better border protection and collection processes, which will help close the current revenue trapdoor causing state governments to miss out on millions of dollars in valuable income, the ARA says.

The plan will implement competitive tax neutrality for low value imports — and so reduce

the cost of low value GST collection, which will allow the lowering of the GST low value threshold as collection methods improve over the next few years.

Working with PICA, COSBOA, the Fair Imports Alliance, and The Australian Retailers Association, PMA Australia has queried individual ministers, the Productivity Commission, and the Low Value imports enquiry.

In September, the work finally saw some postive results: NSW Treasurer Mike Baird proposed a dramatic lowering of the GST free threshold, in order to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for a cash strapped State budget.

“This is the first time a Senior State Govt official has backed the inequity of the current system,” says PMA Australia activities director Peter Rose. “This could change the way online imports are treated. If it comes off it will be validation for hundreds of hours of PMA time on behalf of our members.” www.pmai.org

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

Kodak Shows Strength at Photokina Firm courts buyers for its imaging businesses with impressive innovations

Kodak showcased its full portfolio of silver-halide, UV-curable, and electrophotographic media and workflow software at Photokina.

“We continually seek portfolio enhancements that provide a big return for our customers,” said Dennis Olbrich, General Manager, Film, Paper & Output Systems and Vice President, Consumer Business, Eastman Kodak Company.

“Earlier this year we announced significant improAt Photokina, KODAK will showcase how its silver-halide portfolio benefits from the latest technology advancements. These advancements deliver: · Increased color gamut; saturated colors · Improved resistance to cyan marks from dry mounting and lamination processes.

Credits & Contacts

Kodak will also show an enhanced version of its KODAK Professional UV-Curable Display Film-Plus: UV-Curable Film-Plus enables the creation of high-quality, high-impact, pointof-sale and advertising displays. The unique properties of UV-Curable Film-Plus bring the premium look and feel of photo-grade printing to UV-curable inkjet applications, with improved, consistent ink adhesion.

In addition to its media portfolio, Kodak will demonstrate new versions of its software solutions for professional labs and photo specialty retailers.

Kodak Digital Print Production Software V.15: DP2, the market-leading workflow software for wedding and portrait photography labs, helps to improve efficiencies, as well as offer the widest

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

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

Subscriptions Leanne McConnell 01323 433708 leanne@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Production Design: Laura Knight 01323437964 laura@lifemediagroup.co.uk

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

Accounts: Clare Fermor Amelia Wellings 01323 433708 clare@lifemediagroup.co.uk amelia@lifemediagroup.co.uk

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

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range of creative products and services to professional photographers. In V.15, QR codes and Animoto Video Slideshows enable new, exciting ways for professional photographers to engage their clients.

Kodak Creative Production Software V6.0, a system-agnostic workflow software solution, enables photo specialty retailers to offer premium products, from photo books, postcards and two sided-cards to personalized calendars and collages. KCPS V6.0 includes a series of significant enhancements, underscoring Kodak’s ongoing commitment to working with and bringing to customers the best products for their businesses. www.kodak.com/go/professional 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 With groundbreaking technology, classic design and brilliant optics, Fujifilm’s X Series redefines digital.

Pure photography. Pure joy.

Peerless quality.

Breathtaking power.

Stunning purity.

Incredible flexibility.

Premium class.

X-Pro1 Awards

Find out more at fujifilm.co.uk/x-series

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