ISSUE NO. 891
®
BIRMINGHAM NEC 3 - 6 MARCH
2013
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THE MAGAZINE THAT UNDERSTANDS THE WORLD OF IMAGING, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
News What IS HTC’s “New Camera Experience”? HTC’s new flagship model - set to be revealed later this month - is set to include a “new camera experience”, according to the brand’s hints online, but what could it be? Commentors and bloggers are currently favouring the idea that the phone will boast a three-sensor camera, but this is only rumour at the moment. We’ll find out when the company reveals the new phone, expected to be on 19th February.
New Tech Drives Imaging Sales Back to Growth Based on GfK’s figures for 2012, Photo outperformed Consumer Electronics which saw a value decline of 18 percent when compared to 2011, whilst imaging products saw a drop of 10 percent. Competition for point and shoot cameras from smartphones was instrumental in this decrease. Increases were predominantly driven by SLR and CSC, bridge and super zoom models. The move towards online purchasing remains a threat, so customer service remains key. This allows retailers to show off the increasing capabilities of new models without cannibalising in store performances, enabling increased sales and essential add on purchases. Richard Gregory, GfK Account Director said: “When looking at volume, the market is suffering. However, some promising key segments are still performing well and bringing significant value to the overall market.’ www.gfk.com
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KODAK TRANSFORMS Imaging’s oldest brand is set to receive the boost it needs for continued success in today’s very different imaging market.
US bankruptcy courts have approved a financing package that will see Kodak on track to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this summer. Kodak has also announced the sale of the brand’s digital imaging patents. The loan will come from an amalgamation of lenders including Silver Point Capital LP and Contrarian Capital Management LLC. It is expected that Kodak will use the funds to repay the balance on an existing $950 million bankruptcy loan from a group led by Citigroup Inc. The rest
of the money will be used to fund Kodak’s business as it emerges from the reorganisation. “This agreement, in conjunction with the recently approved sale and licensing of our digital-imaging-patent portfolio, lays the financial foundation for our reorganisation and a successful emergence from Chapter 11 as a profitable and sustainable company,” Kodak Chairman and Chief Executive Antonio M. Perez said in a statement. For more on the future of Kodak and how this affects the brand’s UK presence, see our exclusive special report on page 5.
Jessops Revival on Horizon? With new investments and a possible rescue on the cards, we may not have seen the last of photography’s biggest high street chain. Peter Jones, owner of internet specialist Phones International, has bought the Jessops brand and “other assets” (thought to extend to leftover stock and intellectual property). A spokesman for the administrator confirmed “We have sold the brand and certain other assets to a number of buyers including entrepreneur Peter Jones and the ‘turnaround’ group Hilco, who recently bought the HMV debt.”
Rumour has it that this convergence of expertise may see a revamped HMV with a Jessops mini-store within it on high streets in the UK. HMV’s business model was altered relatively recently to include products that demand more advice and active selling than CDs and DVDs, such as high-ticket headphones and games consoles, which is not a huge leap of the imagination from the environment Jessops cultivated for selling cameras, so it’s not too hard to imagine transplanting a mini Jessops store into an HMV unit. This theory could also explain why Peter Jones’ plans are not thought to include the reopening of any of the physical Jessops stores. So what of the others in that “number of buyers”? Retail entrepreneur Theo Paphtis indicated his interest in a number of the locations, perhaps to turn them into Robert Dyas or Ryman stores, and it has recently been confirmed that Morrisons has bought seven of Jessops’ now-vacant units. For more news and voices on how Jessops’ status is affecting the imaging trade, see page 10.
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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. The time is now! It’s fair to say that there’s been some significant change in the retail landscape of late. In a time where pretty much everything has been affected by Internet pricing - even web operations of traditional, bricks and mortar retailers, have been seen to compete between themselves - there appears to be some levelling of the playing field. Let’s see... Dixons have scrapped their online offering (for reasons above), Jessops are currently out of the picture (although I can imagine some continuation of the Jessops brand online is almost inevitable, but how well will it work?), as are Comet amongst others. Couple this with the recent decline of companies like Play.com since the closing of the offshore trading loophole for goods under £15 and suddenly there are opportunities to work smart and make some margin on those low-ticket easy sells that used to be It seems clear that Jessops will re-emerge in one incarnation or another in time but we have a real opportunity to offer the alternative option, particularly in the towns and cities that have seen the closures. Never has localised
advertising been more important! So, join with me as I bang on suppliers’ doors to get the best deals and support to drive business to my door. They must be looking to re-assign the business they were putting through Jessops and the other brands tht have gone from our high streets, so those left on the high street are in a decent position to negotiate. I’m not one to miss an opportunity - I hope you’re not either!
The MFT Revolution Panasonic and Olympus have signed new names up to the Micro Four Thirds standard, bringing retailers even more options to offer to adopters of this popular format.
The new companies embarking on Micro The rapid growth of the compact Four Thirds compatible innovations are system camera segment has lead to Blackmagic Design, manufacturers of creative the decision by leading brands to develop new video technology; JK Imaging Ltd.,the new products to the Micro Four Thirds standard. representative for the Kodak brand; Photron Olympus and Panasonic jointly announced Ltd, manufacturer of high speed digital imaging the Micro Four Thirds System standard in systems; SVS2008 and have Vistek GmbH, since been a company working together that develops to promote professional the format and machine vision expand to involve components and other brands. systems and Following huge ViewPLUS., a amounts of growth developer of and development imaging in the compact Blackmagic and JK Imaging are among advanced related equipment. interchangeable the brands who will be releasing Micro With the lens market, they addition of exciting are now welcoming Four Thirds compatible products new products from five more these companies, companies the Micro Four Thirds lineup will become much to the Micro Four Thirds fold, who have more diverse, further increasing the potential of declared their support for the standard and will this advanced digital imaging system. be introducing products compliant with it.
FOCUS
News 8K Broadcasting As Soon as 2020? Whilst 4K is just taking off in earnest, the wheels are already in motion to make 8K television a reality around the world, bringing huge opportunities to imaging manufacturers and retailers. Industry experts at CES predicted that 4K broadcasting will reach the mass market but 2016, and that 8K resolution may be very soon to follow. The Japan Broadcasting Corp recorded the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympic Games in 8K, but the realisation of this at consumer level is still expected to be the better part of a decade away. More events at the 2016 Olympic Games will be shot in 8K, allowing manufacturers and broadcasters an excellent opportunity to establish how this format will be distributed.
Hahnel’s New Web Presence with New Services for Customers Hahnel have updated their website to offer a quick and easy-to-navigate way for their customers to find the information they need. Additional services available include free of charge downloads of instruction manuals and product brochures, frequently updated links to product videos and tutorials. For those who want to promote the Hahnel products they sell, there are reviews and details of all awards, plus product images which are all available to download for free simply clicking the flickr icon on the homepage. To check out the changes, visit: www.hahnel.ie
Canon Updates 4K DSLR Canon has developed of a new feature upgrade for the ground-breaking EOS-1D C. The upgrade has been developed taking into account feedback from the professional video community, and adds support for 25p recording at 4K resolution. Designed for the motion picture, television and high-resolution production industries, the EOS-1D C is the world’s first DSLR to support 4K video capture. It captures 4K video using 8-bit motion JPEG compression, with the ability to simultaneously output an uncompressed Full HD (signal to an external recorder via its HDMI terminal. The feature upgrade will be available free of charge from April.
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www.pixel.co.uk Your brand new trade portal is now LIVE!
• All of the latest news, back issues of the magazine, Pixel TV and the ever controversial Pixel Forum are all now live. • Come and take a look, let us know what you think and get involved. Every element of the new site is connected so it’s never been easier to share the news via social media. • All usernames remain unchanged, members will need to reset their password so it couldn’t be easier to log on and communicate with YOUR industry. Further developments are in the pipeline... The Pixel Imaging Guide trade directory - a comprehensive directory, including every manufacturer, supplier, event and publisher across the imaging industry. InPrint - Back issues of the UK’s leading retail print title, all at the touch of a button.
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12/02/2013 11:33
THE BIG INTERVIEW
Facing The Future Imaging’s oldest brand is preparing to emerge from Chapter 11 as a successful, viable company for the future with new deals worldwide. Pixel examines how Kodak is being restructured and what the latest developments mean for the brand and the UK trade.
With many thanks to Kodak Chairman and Chief Executive Antonio M Perez, Kodak President of Personalised Imaging Laura Quatela, and Bob Ohlweiler, Vice President and General Manager of Kodak Consumer Business, EAMER.
As the instigators of the trade, Kodak helped to develop the worldwide imaging market with the invention of the Brownie in 1900, and continued to push forward with innovations in photographic capture and print which quickly made the brand a household name. More recently, Kodak has been accused of not moving with the times. It’s argued by some that the brand’s failure to embrace digital photography quick enough contributed to the decline of the company’s business and despite continuing innovation, Kodak hit financial troubles and entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection early last year. Consumers and industry experts alike feared the loss of this iconic and crucial brand, but thanks to the continuing strength of Kodak’s name and proprietary technologies, the future now once again looks bright for a brand new incarnation of Kodak. The Finances Kodak has now.received approval from U.S. Bankruptcy Court which authorises Kodak to borrow up to $844 million. The financing includes new money term loans of $455 million, as well as term loans of up to $375 million issued to holders of senior secured notes. The financing was predicated on certain conditions, including the successful completion of the sale of Kodak’s digital imaging patent portfolio for no less than $500 million, which we now know has gone ahead. Upon meeting certain additional conditions, the approved financing also provides Kodak the option of converting up to $644 million of the loans into exit financing due five years after
emergence. The additional conditions include the consummation of a Plan of Reorganisation by September 30, 2013, the resolution of the company’s UK. pension obligations, and the successful completion of all or a portion of the sales of Kodak’s Document Imaging and Personalised Imaging businesses, all of which Kodak says it is on track for. The Patent Sales The sale and licensing of its digital imaging patents for net proceeds of $527 million. achieves one of Kodak’s key restructuring objectives. A portion of the $527 million was paid by 12 intellectual property licensees organised by Intellectual Ventures and RPX Corporation.
“Kodak retains the rights to use the 1,100 digital imaging patents sold, and maintains ownership of about 9,600 patents.” Another portion was paid by Intellectual Ventures itself, which acquired a substantial majority of the digital imaging patent portfolio subject to these new licenses, as well as
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SPECIAL REPORT
THE BIG INTERVIEW
“ Kodak remains a strong and trustworthy brand in the consumer space and this agreement reinforces how valuable our brand is.” previously existing licenses. The completion of the sale enables Kodak to repay a substantial amount of its initial loan and satisfy a key condition for its newly approved finance. Kodak is retaining some significant growth potentail and advantages: In addition to retaining rights to use the 1,100 digital imaging patents sold in the transaction, Kodak maintains ownership of about 9,600 patents, including many focused on its core business. The transaction includes an agreement to settle on some current patent-related litigation between the participants and Kodak, which will help Kodak by avoiding additional litigation costs. The Deal with JK Imaging Perhaps most excitingly for UK imaging retailers, JK Imaging are to license the Kodak brand name for certain consumer products, including digital cameras, pocket video cameras, and portable projectors. JK Imaging plans to launch its first products in the second quarter of 2013. “Kodak remains a strong and trustworthy brand in the consumer space and this agreement reinforces how valuable our
brand is,” said Laura Quatela, President of Kodak and Personalised Imaging. “When we announced our plan to exit the digital camera business last year, we said we would explore licensing opportunities for the brand in this category. The JK Imaging team has global experience and expertise in the industry.” JK Imaging’s CEO, Joe Atick, is Chairman of JA Capital Holdings, a global supplier specialising in consumer imaging and electronics products. Atick reassured customers that the brand intends to coninue Kodak’s legacy, saying: “Our decision to license the globally-recognised Kodak brand from Eastman Kodak Company was a natural fit. With more than a century of imaging firsts, there is great significance and value in the Kodak name. We intend to continue this legacy and bring to market the next generation of ‘must have’ portable, personal electronics that enhance the lives of consumers worldwide.” The European Strength Pixel was keen to have an understanding of how Kodak believes these changes will affect business in the UK, We spoke to the EMEA team Bob Ohlweiler, Vice President and General Manager Consumer Business
- Europe, Middle East, Africa Region said: “As you know, Kodak is currently progressing through Chapter 11 which means that many decisions regarding the business are currently in progress and cannot be discussed in detail. “I can, however, update you on the most recent successes for our market, which include three major deals which were all closed within Chapter 11. “In September 2012, REAL SB Warenhaus GmbH announced a new partnership with Kodak for its onsite printing service in all selfservice stores across Germany, which will give their customers the convenience and ease to create high quality photo products in minutes and the multi-year agreement will see Kodak Picture Kiosks installed nationwide in 312 REAL stores across Germany. “In addition to this, dm-drogeriemarkt, the number one instant kiosk print retailer in Western Europe, has announced a multi-year extension of their successful relationship with Kodak. Since 2012, dm has been the first European retailer to offer Kodak Photo Books and Personal Greeting cards nationwide. ”In January this year Europe’s largest retailer, Carrefour, announced it has extended its relationship with Kodak to offer retail and online printing services to customers in France. The renewal of the multi-year agreement enables the two market leaders to provide consumers with a complete photo shopping experience, and designates Kodak as Carrefour’s exclusive partner within the photo category for all retail and online printing solutions. “Additionally to these three deals, at photokina 2012 we also announced two exciting developments. The first of which was the opening of Kodak’s API to retailers and smart phone application providers worldwide. In opening up the API we aim to increase retailers’ ability to provide net to retail solutions and enable smart phone application providers to access this content, allowing them to easily and quickly print from their applications to the network. “Secondly we announced the launch of new mobile and tablet apps called MY KODAK MOMENTS for iPhone and Android. These apps enable consumers to connect their smartphone directly to an in-store Kodak Picture Kiosk to create high quality photobooks.” Whilst it’s evident that Kodak’s troubles might not entirely be a thing of the past, it’s reassuring to see progress being made and that the strength of this imaging brand’s heritage is deemed worthy of the investment which will hopefully secure its emergence from Chapter 11 and ensure its future success.
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11/02/2013 09:24
THE BUSINESS
Forced to Play Fair? The end of Channel Islands Tax Loophole has lead to the closure of Play.com’s retail arm.
In what was a welcome move for many bricks-and-mortar retailers, Low Consignment VAT Relief was brought to a close on 1st April 2012, preventing companies importing low-value items via the Channel Islands in order to avoid VAT on them. Items which frequently fell under that lowvalue threshdold include CDs and DVDs as stocked and sold by play.com, plus electronics accessories such as batteries, chargers, memory solutions, bags and other products that high street retailers have traditionally relied on for margin. The loophole vexed many retailers and distributors as it created an unfair playing field: larger businesses, who in many cases were already able to offer more competitive prices due to economies of scale, could direct operations through the Channel Islands to benefit from the Low Value Consignment Relief, giving them an unfair advantage over smaller businesses who could not afford to do the same. Under the legislation prior to April 2012, this was perfectly legal however unethical many deemed it to be,
“In recent years, LVCR has been exploited on an increasingly large scale to sell low value goods to UK customers VAT-free, a purpose
“ This reform ensures that UK companies, especially small and medium sized enterprises, can compete on a level playing field with larger companies.” for which it was never intended,” explained HMRC. “Most of this trade is from, or via, the Channel Islands. This reform ensures that UK companies, especially small and medium sized enterprises, can compete on a level playing field with companies operating in the Channel Islands.” Amongst those thought to be benefiting most from this loophole was online retailer Play.com, based in Jersey. Since the end of LVCR, the business has operated on far
tighter margins and most recently announced the decision to shut down its retail business in March and become marketplace-only, no longer selling directly to consumers. At the height of its business, play.com had a turnover of over £500m and was listed as the secondbiggest online retailer to the UK. Play.com’s statement said: “Moving forward, we are intending to focus exclusively on our successful marketplace, which is our main business area, and to phase out the directretail part of our business.” It has been confirmed that this reorganisation will involve the complete closure of the company’s facilities in Jersey, making 147 staff redundant, but that the restructured company will employ approximately 200 staff in Cambridge.
Retail Photo Gift Solutions Mitsubishi Electric’s latest photo retail solution Gift Kiosk has been designed to offer ID photos, instant print and personalised gifts quickly and easily. Gift Kiosk enables customers to create and print personalised calendars, albums, gift & greetings cards, mosaic & collage prints and instant prints, using their own images stored on memory card, USB memory stick, CD / DVD or via their online Facebook and Picassa accounts. All of our systems include passport photo printing services and Mitsubishi’s integrated biometric ID software makes the process of making a passport or ID photograph, very simple and quick; instant prints are available in 6"x4", 5"x7" & 6"x8" formats in either a gloss or matt finish. Mitsubishi are currently offering Gift Kiosk bundle packages starting at £3899 which includes hardware, starter media, point of sale material as well as installation, training and warranty.* For more detail contact Mitsubishi 01707 278684 email printer.info@meuk.mee.com or visit our website! * Check availability
Tel: 01707 278684 | Fax: 01707 278541 | vis.mitsubishielectric.co.uk | printer.info@meuk.mee.com
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THE BUSINESS
Lights, Camera, Action!
Rugged, connected Action Cameras will go the distance, say GfK During December 2012, action cameras grew by 52% in sales volume, with the range of different products having doubled in a year. It seems that this relatively new product is becoming a must-have. A recent development in functionality is the ability to pair with a mobile phone, and brands who have embraced this connectivity addition have performed well, growing with the market. In fact, action cameras with connectivity have grown ten times faster than those without. Much like the traditional camcorder market, the action camera segment is sensitive to advances in video quality. In December 2011 standard definition action cameras represented two thirds of action cameras sold. During the same period in 2012, this has halved to one third. Over half of all action cameras sold now have the ability to record in full high definition. Another promising move from the action camera market is the 49% increase in average selling price in just a year. That is to say that there is enough interest in the product as to not erode the price. The combination of continued interest and noticeable innovation should enable this
“Action cameras with connectivity have grown ten times faster than those without”
market to continue growing. In 2013 I expect to see more manufacturers developing their own action cameras along with sustained connectivity advancements and application compatibility. By Christopher Wood, Account Executive, Photo, www.gfk.com Christopher.wood@gfk.com
Sony Specialist Staff Competition
Specialist store staff invited to enter “Beautiful Image” photo challenge.
To celebrate its sponsorship of the Sony World Photography Awards, Sony is launching a creative photo challenge for their photo specialist store staff. The competition, taking place from 28th January - 21st April 2013, will provide staff with a unique platform to showcase their photographic skills. Each month of the competition will be themed: Love (28th January – 24th February); Spring (25th February – 24th March) and Easter (25th March – 21st April). To be in with a chance of winning, entrants are invited to upload up their best photos to www.sonyphotozone.co.uk.
At the end of every month, three lucky winners will be chosen to receive a Sony Action Cam, Sony RX100 or Sony NEX5R. One final winner will then be picked to receive a Sony77VQ, two tickets to attend the Sony World Photography Awards Gala Dinner and the chance for their image to be displayed at Somerset House during the SWPA exhibition period. For full details on how to enter, Sony staff can use their staff login details to register.
News New Panels Bring Improved Low-Light Performance Epson has announced that it has begun volume production of its latest Ultimicron panel. These high-temperature polysilicon TFT colour panels bring to life the electronic viewfinders used in midto high-end digital interchangeable lens system cameras. Measuring just 0.48 of an inch diagonally, the latest in the Ultimicron series offers XGA (1024 x 768) resolution in red, green and blue for a total of 2.36 megapixels. The new panel is equal in size to a 0.47-inch SVGA panel, but offers higher resolution. In addition, Epson has increased the surface luminance to 520 cd/m2, allowing photographers sufficient visibility in any environment, from the brightest sunlight to the darkness of evening. The Ultimicron series is positioned to meet growing demand among camera enthusiasts of all levels and abilities for superb quality electronic viewfinders.
Photo Fest Ireland 2013 Following the success of Photo Fest Ireland 2012. The IPN Photography Agency for Photographers & Trade has announced Photo Fest Ireland 2013 - held in the professional Conference Centre in the ‘Crowne Plaza Hotel’, Santry, 5 minutes from Dublin Airport. It will be a one-day event on Sunday 28th April 2013. Features of the show will once again include free seminars and lectures, imaging trade exhibits and new products, including IT companies introducing new products and services There will be opportunities to learn about other areas of the business including training and B2B solutions, associations, graphic designers, insurance, publications and a host of other solutions. www.photofestireland.com
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11/02/2013 09:53
THE BUSINESS
News Daymen to Distribute Tokina DayMen International is the new distributor for Tokina lenses in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Tokina will join DayMen’s broad portfolio of leading photographic brands including Lowepro, Giotto’s, Joby, Acme Made, ExpoImaging & Rogue lighting products and B+W Filters. UK distribution of Tokina products was previously managed by Kenro, with DayMen International taking over the reins from mid February. Information on the full product range available and pricing will be issued to dealers in the next few weeks. Scott Beattie, Managing Director at DayMen said: ‘We are very excited to be adding Tokina to our portfolio of brands. Tokina sits perfectly within our existing portfolio and offers our dealers an even broader range of specialist photography brands all under one roof.’
Photo-Me Pays Dividends In the half-year results released in December, Photo-Me announced that its net cash position at the end of October 2012 had increased to £70 million and that they would be considering options to return some of this cash to shareholders. The board has now approved the return of approximately £11 million to shareholders by way of a special dividend of 3 pence per ordinary share to shareholders on the register at 15 February 2013,. Following the reappointment of Serge Crasnianski as CEO, the Group’s financial performance has improved from a net debt position of £23.5 million at the end of April 2009 to a net cash position of £70 million at the end of October 2012 Photo-Me is not making any commitment to further returns of cash, but will continue to review the situation going forward.
Nikon’s New Image Space Launched Nikon has launched its new, free image sharing and storage service, NIKON IMAGE SPACE, which replaces Nikon’s previous image storage service, my Picturetown. The site is free for anyone to use - not just those with Nikon camera Zurab Kiknadze, Nikon Europe, comments: “Nikon has offered my Picturetown since August 2007 and we recognised that the time had come to give it a complete overhaul – to create a new service that is better integrated with the social networks that most people like to use.” www.nikonimagespace.com
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Lost Jessops Repairs?
Thomas Camera Services reaches out to Jessops’ customers who are waiting for their cameras - can you help? Those retailers finding new customers amongst former Jessops fans can offer an additional camera recovery service with the help of Thomas Camera Services. ‘Due to the collapse of Jessops we have a large amount of Jessops customers’ Canon repairs for which we are trying to find customer contact details. These include domestic and
general repairs, Canon warranty repairs and chargeable repairs. “If you have any customers who are trying to locate their camera, please forward our telephone number or email address and also supply the Jessops repair number.“ Bryan Thomas, Thomas Camera Services, 01892 515446, bryan@tcsrepairs.com
Studio, without the Hassel! Hasselblad’s Professional Studio rebrands and lifts its exclusivity to open its doors to new audiences including non-Hasselblad-owners Hasselblad is opening up its previously brand-exclusive central London photographic studio to photographers using any camera brand. To fit with this shift, the fully-equipped,1 studio also changes its name to ‘Hasselblad Pro Centre Studio’. Whether financial constraints are the motivation behind this change or not, it’s certainly a positive example of how a facility that’s willing to branch out to a new audience can do so successfuly. Mark Witney, Hasselblad Marketing and Communications Supervisor explained: “We wanted to open up the world of Hasselblad to Hasselblad camera owners and non-owners alike. Non-owners
now have a great opportunity to book a central London studio space with the option to include a Hasselblad and Broncolor lighting as part of the booking.” The Centre’s digital production company will also be working closely with the new studio set-up, providing customers with digital operators, assistants and shoot support including backups, light retouching, styling and troubleshooting.
Are WEEE Ready?
More options now available for retailers responsible for the takeback and recycling of electronics - THAT’S YOU! Retailers in the imaging and electronics trade who have struggled to fully understand and comply with what is expected of them under the WEEE directive for electronics recycling now have more options. Under the WEEE directive, sellers of items including cameras, phones, videocameras, televisions, tablets, computers and all manner of electrical goods - full lists can be found online - are obligated to take in the items when they are no longer needed and organise for them to be recycled. The Distributor Take back Scheme will give retailers the option not to offer take back of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in store, but instead to contribute to a fund designed to reduce the
amount of WEEE being disposed of in landfill, increase consumer awareness of WEEE
“ Under the directive, sellers of items including cameras, phones, televisions and more are obligated to organise collection and recycling for these items.” recycling and provide an alternative to retailers being obligated to accept in store take back of WEEE-categorised items. Business Minister Michael Fallon said: “Providing a choice of options which reflect the needs of individual retailers is a common sense approach to compliance with European legislation. It is good for British business and the competitiveness of the UK economy.” Further details of the Project Fund will be provided later in 2013.
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Your Essential Guide to the Latest Launches Name: Nikon Coolpix 520, L820, AW110, S31, L27, L28 RRP: £399, Unconfirmed, £329, £99.99, £69.99, £89.99 Respectively Release Date: 21st February Nikon’s raft of new releases offer versatility and convenience to users at all levels of the compact market, from entry level to advanced, offering these customers real reasons to choose a camera over their smartphone. Combining a Nikkor 42x optical zoom lens with lens-shift vibration Coolpix 520 reduction, Full HD movie recording and GPS, the P520 offers a huge focal range in a compact body. The L820 packs in a 30x extreme wide-angle optical zoom lens, a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor, LCD monitor, lens-shift vibration reduction, and Full HD video recording. “With a focal range covering 24mm for wide-angle shots to 1000mm super-telephoto distances, the P520 is aimed at those who want to be able to shoot from anywhere, and the L820 is great for everyday shooting.” said James Loader, Product Manager for Consumer Products at Nikon UK, “The AW110 has been designed with the extreme sports fan or newly qualified diver in mind; you could strap it to a scuba tank to a depth of 18m, the standard diving depth for those with an Open Water Diver qualification. It also offers instant uploading to a compatible smart device via Wi-Fi.” The Action Control feature allows the user to adjust camera settings by swinging the camera so that operation is easy even when underwater or wearing thick gloves. Sturdy, simple and fun, the 10-megapixel S31 can be used by the whole family. With large buttons, clear menus, a 3x optical zoom lens, Nikon Coolpix S31 HD video recording and fun in-camera filters, anyone can take great shots and movies with the confidence that this camera can withstand knocks and be taken practically anywhere. Attractive, sturdy and easy to use, the 16-megapixel L27 features simple controls and smart automatic functions deliver steady images, Built-in Motion Blur Reduction reduces the effect of camera shake, and the Smart Portrait System includes features such as Smile Timer and Skin Softening. The L28 is another easy-to-use camera. With 20 megapixels, a wide-angle 5x optical zoom lens, and HD (720p) video recording, Easy Auto Mode and one-touch video recording keep things simple The L28 and L27 are powered by convenient AA batteries.
Name: Lomo Smartphone Film Scanner RRP: TBC Release Date: Now via Kickstarter, Full Release in March The ideal way to link analogue photography with digital via smartphones! This scanner allows users to easily scan, edit and share 35mm films via social media and email. Simply turn on the scanner back-light, insert a negative, take a photo with your Smartphone and use the custom-built App to edit for an instant digital version. This brand new product is the perfect tool for analogue photographers and retroenthusiasts! It works with all different kinds of 35mm film: color negative, color slide and black & white films. It’s also great for scanning unconventional photo formats including longer panoramic shots and 35mm LomoKino movies. The quality of the scans is perfect for archiving, sharing and printing.
Name: Sony E 20mm F2.8 and the E PZ18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS lens: RRP: TBC Release Date: Feb - March 2013 Sony expands lens range to offer more options for E-mount users and more with additional new convertors. The new lenses are optimised for video shooting.
See the range at FOCUS on IMAGING > Quality and value > Excellent margin opportunities > Exclusive show offers
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E 20mm F2.8 ‘pancake’ wide-angle lens: Measuring approximately 20mm from front to back, this short focal length ‘pancake’ lens makes an ultra-slim yet tough ‘walkaround’ partner for your E-mount camera. With the 35mm equivalent of its 30mm wide-angle view and bright F2.8 aperture, it’s perfect for a broad range of everyday shooting opportunities, from interiors to landscapes, street scenes and casual snaps. Excellent contrast and resolution are also augmented by enhanced clarity in corner areas to satisfy the most discerning photographer. E PZ18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS powered telephoto zoom lens: Offering a generous 11x magnification range, this high-quality telephoto zoom makes an ideal partner for shooting video with the E-mount interchangeable lens Full HD camcorders. The NEX-VG30EH is already supplied as a kit with the E PZ 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS power zoom lens. While optimised for video, it’s also a flexible choice for shooting stills
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THE LAUNCHPAD LAUNCH PAD Name: Samsung F8500 Television RRP: TBC Release Date: Spring 2013
Name: New Fujifilm Finepix Models RRP: TBC Release Date: TBC
New high-end Smart TVs offer connecivity with exceptional “Ultra High Definition” imaging quality. Samsung’s Ultra HD offers four times the resolution available on existing Full HD displays, along with the Smart functionality that makes this series ideal for viewing and working with photographs. The TV also includes Samsung’s proprietary up-scaling engine which can convert HD or Full-HD to UHD-level picture quality by restoring detail information to create greater precision The F8500 is also one of the first televisions with native support for HEVCencoded content. Built specifically for current and future HD televisions, this next-generation codec ensures that the F8500 delivers the richest, most immersive content today. As a world first, its Intelligent Viewing feature automatically adjusts picture quality in accordance with the content displayed. Tthe F8500 is also among Samsung’s first line of Smart TVs equipped with a quad-core processor—making it even easier for consumers to toggle between apps, online services and on-air TV.
Fujifilm’s latest superzoom bridge camera releases help to tempt consumers away from smartphone photography and target that all-important step-up photographer. The new S series models both incorporate apertures of f/2.9 to f/6.5, plus powerful Lens shift OIS for blur reduction. With zoom lenses from 40x optical (S8200), to 46x optical (S8500), they fit firmly within the growing superzoom category. Both new bridge cameras feature a Super Macro mode, and 16 megapixel sensors. With AF speeds of 0.3 seconds, start-up time of 1 second, a 0.5 seconds between shots and a continuous shooting speed of 10fps, they’re excellent for quick shooting opportunities. Both cameras offer a dedicated Video Button and feature in-camera editing and both come with built-in Electronic Viewfinders. Along with the S8200 and S8500’s easy grip surfaces, they feature a convenient secondary zoom control on the side of each camera’s lens barrel, making them great options for consumers who want that professional feel. The XP60 is the latest addition to Fujifilm’s outdoor cameras. This robust camera offers a 5x optical zoom and the ability to perform even if it’s been dropped, frozen, covered in sand or taken for a swim. Equipped with a 16 megapixel sensor, 12x Fujinon zoom lens and powerful OIS, the FinePix T500 is ideal for those looking for a slim, ultra-compact, long-zoom camera but without the hefty price tag to match. The FinePix T500 is designed for people that want a long zoom camera to take on their travels, on a budget. Equipped with a 16 megapixel sensor, 12x zoom lens and a Optical Image Stabilisation the T500 offers impressively wide subject coverage from 24mm* (wide) to 288mm* (telephoto). Fujifilm’s exclusive high resolution technology ensures the best results even at 24x Intelligent Digital Zoom. 720p High Definition (HD) Video is accessible via a dedicated button. Another exciting change in this year’s T Series is that the battery now never has to be removed for charging, as it can be connected via a USB cable to the supplied 3 pin plug or a PC.
Name: Billingham Laptop and Tablet Slips RRP: 13” - £70; 15” - £80; Tablet - £70 Release Date: TBC New designs from a classic camera-bag brand, designed to fit inside camera backpacks to allow imaging consumers to transport their laptops and tablets in style and safety. Billingham have taken the style of historic products to inspire for their new Laptop Slip. This cover offers protection from and fits into a camera bag, briefcase, or work bag. Made using durable canvas, they are also lined to match the interior of a Billingham camera bag. Top grain leather trim is used throughout, with an embossed logo patch to finish off the exterior. The closed cell foam sandwiched between the outer shell and lining offers further protection at the seams and sides. A leather tab with a press stud keeps the device in place, whether in a bag or carried by hand. The slips are sized to fit a 13” or 15” MacBook Pro or other Laptop of similar dimensions, and there’s a version for tablets. Name: Canon ixus 135, 132 and 255 HS, and Powershot A2500 RRP: TBC Release Date: TBC Canon has released four new compacts aimed at the growing superzoom segment featuring wireless connectivity and the new ZoomPlus technology. The 16 Megapixel IXUS 135, IXUS 132 and PowerShot A2500 feature Canon’s DIGIC 4 image processor. The IXUS 255 HS features Canon’s advanced HS System, with a 12.1MP CMOS sensor and DIGIC 5 processor, which allow this model to excel in low-light situations, designed for capturing sunsets, evenings or nights out easily, with a reduced need for the flash. The IXUS 255 HS features an ultra wide-angle 24mm, 10x optical zoom, and both the IXUS 135 and IXUS 132 pack a 28mm, 8x optical zoom into a super-slim body. Each new model also features ZoomPlus technology, a high quality digital zoom that up to doubles the reach of the lens while maintaining image detail. The entry-level IXUS and PowerShot models feature Smart Auto;. The IXUS 255 HS and IXUS 135 offer Wi-Fi connectivity, so the cameras can be connected to smartphones or tablets, and images can be instantly uploaded via Canon’s CameraWindow app. With GPS via mobile functionality, users can add the GPS location data logged with their smartphone to their photos, so they can track where each shot was taken. All four models feature a new Eco mode, which helps users continue shooting for longer by conserving battery life, capturing up to 30% more photos.
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INSIDE TRACK
Pro Photographers Looking Up Good news for photo specialists as professional photographers say they’re optimistic about business in 2013 and looking to invest in new kit and staff.
Online service Photoshelter polled more than 5,000 photographers from its community in late 2012, to find their marketing and business goals for 2013 and ascertain how they thought business was going. Among the findings were some really positive trends which demonstrated that photographers appeared to be confident about their business. 73 percent of photographers said they expect to make more money in 2013 than they did in 2011, and the findings show
that they will be heavily investing this profit in equipment and marketing opportunities.
93 percent of photographers said they planned to invest to improve their business in 2013; 63 percent of those had already decided that they will be buying new lenses.
74 percent of those surveyed have accounted for the fact that their biggest challenge in the coming year will be finding new clients, and are investing more time and money in networking in order to boost their client base. 39 percent of the photographers surveyed said that they expect to hire full-time assistant in the coming year, which speaks positively of their expectations of both workload and finances. www.photoshelter.com
The magazine that provides retail solutions for the print professional, distributed free with Pixel Magazine
Digital Print UK Exhibition: Cancelled
Organisers cite lack of support from potential exhibitors for the second cancellation of the event. The organisers of the Digital Print UK exhibition have announced that they will not be running the event this year, following the decision by several major brands not to exhibit at such events this year. Rudi Blackett, Event Director, said in a statement: ‘’Our intention for Digital Print UK was always to make the exhibition a successful buying and lead generation event similar to Sign & Digital UK, but unfortunately in the current climate a number of major suppliers in commercial digital print have decided to concentrate their focus and budgets on other
Credits & Contacts
“ Our intention for Digital Print UK was always to make the exhibition a successful buying and lead generation event, similar to Sign & Digital.” routes to market at this time. This is borne out by some of the leading companies in the industry deciding not to
Managing Director/Publisher: Lee Mansfield 01323 411601 lee@lifemediagroup.co.uk
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exhibit at print events. This is particularly disappointing as we had a broad spectrum of exhibitors confirmed for the exhibition. “We will continue to monitor the market in the future to see if the opportunity arises to run an event for that market sector. In the meantime we will be focusing on our growing portfolio of events in the market sectors we currently serve.’’ For the inside track on the key events for the print trade this year, including Sign & Digital and Focus, look out for our special edition of Inprint later in February.
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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 2013 ©
Retail Photo Gift Solutions Mitsubishi Electric’s latest photo retail solution Gift Kiosk has been designed to offer ID photos, instant print and personalised gifts quickly and easily.
Mitsubishi are currently offering Gift Kiosk bundle packages starting at £3899 which includes hardware, starter media, point of sale material as well as installation, training and warranty.*
Gift Kiosk enables customers to create and print personalised calendars, albums, gift & greetings cards, mosaic and collage prints and instant prints, using their own images stored on memory card, USB memory stick, CD / DVD or via their online Facebook and Picassa accounts.
For more detail contact Mitsubishi 01707 278684 email printer.info@meuk.mee.com or visit our website! * Check availability
All of our systems include passport photo printing services and Mitsubishi’s integrated biometric ID software makes the process of making a passport or ID photograph, very simple and quick; instant prints are available in 6"x4", 5"x7" & 6"x8" formats in either a gloss or matt finish.
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