Pixel 16th December 2013

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ISSUE NO. 909

NX300 - WINNER BEST ADVANCED CSC

NX300 - WINNER BEST ADVANCED CSC

PHOTO - IMAGING - VIDEO - AUDIO - TV - PRINT - MOBILE - STATS - PEOPLE - RETAIL - BUSINESS - NEWS

News Extreme Special!

The hottest trend for 2013 is about to become the biggest seller for 2014.

We’ve got the facts, the stats, the products and the people to speak to so that you can get in on the action that is the action market in time for it to come to full fruition. Don’t miss out - special features start on page 4.

The Big Interview Pixel speaks to Simon Buckingham of Pixel readers’ official favourite accessory suppliers, Hama UK, about the products everybody’s talking about and those they should be!

Make sure your wish list is checked off on page 18.

Zeiss Post Record Revenues Zeiss has reported a successful fiscal year 2012/13, with an all-time high in revenue. The company said it had faced a “difficult economic environment” but generated revenue totaling EUR 4.190 billion (prior year: EUR 4.163 billion) and earnings of EUR 335 million (prior year: EUR 420 million).

The company said earnings were impacted by a continued high level of investment in “future-oriented expenditure” and research and development, combined with a decline in the Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology business.

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16th December 2013

PHOTO-ME ANNOUNCE RECORD PROFITS Pre-tax profits for the half year were up 14.9% to a record £23m John Lewis, Non-Executive Chairman, said: “Our photobooth estate is now back in growth because of the roll-out of the new Starck booths and entry into new markets.”

“We will make a leap forward in reducing manufacturing costs by outsourcing to China and Hungary.” It was also noted that technology improvements have led to a reduction of costs associated with the machines and as a result, the cost of a booth produced in 2014 will be around 40% of the cost of one in early 2013.

John Lewis

Photo-Me stressed continued innovation in digital printing kiosks despite the retail photographic market remaining “difficult” with turnover declining by 9%.

Photobooths currently represent the bulk of the operating profit of the Operations division. Year-on-year the number of sited photobooths increased by 1,204 to 25,485 sites internationally, an increase of 5%. Over half of this increase was in Europe which has been led by the rollout of the Starckdesigned booths, which after a 2-3 month settling-in period on site, are showing turnover some 30% higher than older models.

So Big, it has it’s Own Postcode

Park Cameras’ new central London store had its grand opening on Sunday

Park Cameras’ new store, with which it hopes to recreate the award-winning formula of the company’s flagship Burgess Hill store store, sits at the heart of London’s west end and at 4,000 square feet, is so large that it has its own postcode: W1T 1JR!.

“I popped in yesterday,” said Tim Sadler, Categry Manager for Lowepro at Daymen. “It’s great to see something new coming to London....Superb Lowepro, Joby and Giottos displays - though of course I would say that - and Sony 4K kit going in there too!”

We’re told Park had over 1,000 applicants for

staff for the new store. All of the team are photographers or videographers themselves keen to share their expertise, and Park Cameras have also worked with their key brands in order to have additional technical experts specialising in those brands in store most days of the week.

Roscoe Atkins, MD of Park Cameras, said: “It’s been a lot of hard work and late nights but we’re really pleased we’re open in time for Christmas. Our objective was to create the best camera store in London so we listened to our customers. We hope that we’ve successfully implemented their thoughts and ideas.”

19/12/2013 16:44

PROOF WATEtoR15 m F KPROO SHOC m to 2.1 PROOF FREEZ-E10°C to

HELLO

SUPER TOUGH

The new OLYMPUS STYLUS TOUGH TG-2: The images you love the most are rarely planned. They’re spontaneous and full of life. To take pictures like these, you need a camera you can depend on, whatever the conditions. Say hello to the TOUGH! Waterproof, shockproof, crushproof and freezeproof, it’s equipped with GPS, a bright lens and sophisticated imaging technology for perfect pictures and Full HD video. The TOUGH can master any situation: be it on the beach, on the slopes, or right in the middle of that family birthday party. Because life doesn’t wait – it just happens. Be right there when it does.

Find out more at your local dealer or visit olympus.co.uk

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RETAIL

THE INSIDER

Saying what you’re thinking and asking the difficult questions. Each week the Insider reports from the front line of our industry So here it is, Merry Christmas!

Another year over and a new one just begun.

So go the wise words of Noddy Holder & John Lennon as their perennial Christmas hits, whizz through the shop radio every 10 minutes or so.

I heard, on the very same radio just the other day, that Noddy had made 500K so far this December and is set to make another 300K by the end of the festive period. Nice work indeed.

A wise man once suggested to me that the best business model is the one that generates revenue whilst you sleep. I can’t say that I disagree with that entirely.

On that note I could turn my ‘end of year rant’ into an e-commerce bashing one, but I’m certain that each and every reader of Pixel will

have an online shop by now. I mean, how on earth can you turn your back on that business (that generates revenue whilst you sleep)?

Suffice to say that any of you that still don’t, make it the top of your New Year resolutions list. The goalposts in retail may continue to move but so long as we stay ahead of the game, we’ll be good.

Enough said.

No, this week’s column is not to berate and moan, more to say thanks for reading this humble trade rag and my rants within over this year. Let’s hope that 2014 is filled with opportunity for us all. In the words of Mr. Holder, Merry Christmas everybody.

Please - Join me to discuss online at www.pixel.co.uk and also on the Pixel Magazine LinkedIn group.

Light at the End of the Tunnel?

Trade veteran Roy Sealey gives his expert view on what economic recovery means for imaging on the high street

The economy is picking up, and the specialist - Swains, Digital Distribution, Tetenal, Imaging trade will benefit but it will Direktek and Intro2020. These have instigated be the few biggies and not all the Indies! campaigns like packages in the consumer Why? Lots of reasons, but here are some press advertising their stockists; competitive key ones: We’re at a point at which suppliers buying-in offers and a great portfolio of brands. have to make up their minds where they To me where these active distribution want their products sold. Some want the companies are working hard at keeping their independent channel, but from others it is independent customers in the high street painfully obvious that price and volume are they in turn should make an effort, but sadly priority. However, and having worked in the some come out with excuses not to stock trade for decades it pains me to say, the some brands that both the supplier and Indie also distributor needs to are heavily accept he/ Suppliers now have to make their minds up publicising, she is part of due to where they want their products sold, and the problem. issues some do value the independent channel...

Of the which are independent ancient imaging history specialists still going strong in this country, if in business terms. So to sum up yes there you take out the three big ones - Jessops, is some light at the end of the tunnel. The LCE and Wilkinsons - only half the others suppliers have to make up their minds if even have web sites! they want their eggs eventually in just a few There are distributors out there trying baskets and the trade needs to support hard to help the independent photo those distributors!

UK’s No1

Consumer Driven Recovery?

We spoke to Andrew Smith, KPMG’s Chief Economist, about the Chancellor’s autumn statement. How much of it is due to come through the high street?

“After three years of almost continual downgrades to the growth outlook...

1.4% growth this year, double the Office for Budget Responsibility’s March Budget forecast, is pretty much in the bag and next year’s forecast of 2.4% could start to look conservative if this cycle follows the normal pattern. Just as forecasters generally underestimate the depth of the downturn, they also underestimate the speed of upturns.”

In the statement, high pressure on the UK’s high street and town-centre shopping’s role in recovery was finally recognised: the 2% cap on business rates and discount for very small businesses are positive, as is the reoccupation relief.

“Some may complain that the recovery is over-reliant on the consumer, but with household spending accounting for some two-thirds of total demand, it is inevitable that consumption has to do the heavy lifting in the early stages.”

Economy set for Robust Growth in Early 2014 Business confidence has increased for the tenth consecutive month, and suggests the economic recovery will gather pace in the first half of 2014, according to the latest Business Trends report by BDO. BDO’s Optimism Index, increased from 101.7 in October to a 43-month high of 103.1 in November, taking it comfortably above the 100.0 mark that indicates the economy’s long-run average growth rate.

Increased business confidence is taking hold across the economy, Business conditions also continued to improve in November, and provide further evidence that the economy’s recovery is broad-based.

Top Selling Duracell Lithium Camera Batteries Black 9 135492 White Nikon Coolpix S01 135491

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Distributed By

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Thoughts on Wearable Tech Foxconn Technology Group, the maker of Apple iPhones and iPads, has announced that it is launching a fund to finance startups developing new wearable technologies. Saverio Romeo, Principal Analyst for Wearable Technologies and Smart Solutions at Beecham Researchcomments: “Foxconn’s announcement reflects growing momentum in this emerging market. At this week’s Le Web event in Paris, wearable technologies has been a hot topic. Samsung’s claim that they will be focusing on wearable technologies in 2014 shows that the big players have their sights set on exciting new opportunities.”

Remote Access

Good news for sports and wildlife photographers using Canon and Nikon DSLRS The new Weye Feye allows them to control camera settings from up to 80 metres away. For less than £200 you can set up your own personal Wi-Fi system enabling you to adjust the settings on acamera and at the same time view the action remotely using either a smartphone or a tablet.

The system’s biggest advantage is that the cameraman doesn’t need to be close to the action and the camera can be set up where the cameraman cannot go. As long as they are within the 80M range of the Wi Fi they

Extreme Heroes

Be prepared for anything with this deluge of super active accessories from Fat Gecko now at Delkin

The Fat Gecko Strap Mount can securely mount any camera weighing up to 8 lbs to any object with a circumference between 8.5” and 54” to capture images, hands-free. Attach it to a nearby tree, a building column, poles, beams or even a boulder; the possibilities are endless! The Strap also comes with a fully adjustable ¼”-20 ball head.

With the Fat Gecko Smart Phone Bracket, users can now mount any iPhone, Android or Phablet to any standard ¼”-20 photography accessory, including any Fat Gecko Camera

Mount, monopod, tripod, Gorillapod and much more. The Fat Gecko Smart Phone Bracket comes with two mounting plates that allow for either male or female ¼”-20 attachment. It also includes a female ¼”-20 adapter, which

Storage Gets Rugged Computer hardware needs to keep up, too

LaCie’s award-winning Rugged USB 3.0 Thunderbolt Series hard drive is now available in a 2TB version. With double the storage of its predecessor, the new LaCie Rugged is the highest capacity bus-powered storage solution with Thunderbolt technology on the market. Plus, the 2TB model achieves speeds up to 127MB/s, a 15 percent increase from the previous version. With these speeds users can transfer 750 RAW photos or one HD movie in less than one minute.

“With video and photo file sizes increasing exponentially, creative pros are generating more digital content than ever before,” said Erwan Girard, Professional Business Manager, LaCie. “Today, we’ve addressed their number one demand by doubling the LaCie Rugged’s capacity. This allows on-the-go pros to store

more data on fewer drives and lets them stay in the field longer.”

The new LaCie Rugged offers the same great features that current users appreciate with no size or weight increase.

It continues to feature USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt ports so users have the fastest transfer speeds available on PC or Mac. Since USB 3.0 is backwards compatible, the LaCie Rugged can also connect to any standard computer via USB 2.0. Additionally, it protects data from drops of up to 1.2 meters (4 feet) and from unauthorised access with AES 256-bit software encryption.

The LaCie Rugged USB 3.0 Thunderbolt Series 2TB HDD, design by Neil Poulton, is available for £274.99 (MSRP).

can adjust camera settings whilst watching the action on a smartphone or tablet. The unit has its own battery and server and operates with 802.11n Wi-Fi technology, ensuring a powerful signal with high speeds and a larger range.

The following DSLR cameras are compatible with the WeyeFeye unit: Canon: 450D; 50D; 7D; 5D 11; 5D 111; 60D; 650D; 600D Nikon: D600; D 7000; D300; D700; D300s; D800; D90.

It retails for £199 and is available from Xsories distributors.

can mount a phone to the body of the Fat Gecko Kaboom.

The Fat Gecko Stick-It adhesive disc, creates a smooth, non-porous, mountable surface for you Fat Gecko Suction Mount just about anywhere. Each Stick-It’s adhesive conforms to any flat surface, creating a reliable and permanent hold. Attach it to concrete, paint, plastic, metal, glass and much more.

Able to hold up to 5 lbs., the disc presents a perfect surface for Fat Gecko suction cup based Camera Mounts.

Last for the moment but not least, Delkin’s Snug-It Pro skin for the Canon 70D provides complete digital camera security in any photo atmosphere. Creating a thick rugged shell with ridges incorporated for the skin, this glove-like fit offers both smooth texture and a secure grip. .

Capture Their capture into GoPro mount POV Turn

A new product kit available through Snapperstuff from January turns Capture® into a mount for any GoPro® or point-and-shoot camera, enabling photographers to take POV video in new ways. Now any backpack strap, belt or strap-like object can be used as mount for taking amazing POV footage.

The kit includes 1 Capture adapter plate; 1 J-arm; 1 point-and-shoot plate and 1 microfiber pouch for storage.

The POV Kit works best with Capture v2 and CapturePRO, but can also be used with original Capture units. It also includes an adapter to allow the user to Take POV video using a point-and-shoot.

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SPECIAL REPORT EXTREME

“Like Nothing Else Out There” Five configuration, from one action accessory Delkin’s Fat Gecko Kaboom promises to provide its users with new and unique ways to record video from perspectives that were never before possible. The carbon fiber camera mount utilizes interchangeable sections that snap together to make up five different mounts in one, giving users the ability to create video footage that stands out from the standard POV helmet or handheld filming perspective. The Fat Gecko Kaboom kit includes everything needed for its user

to set up any of five different configurations, including a Self-Portrait hand held extension, a High Angle Boom, a Vehicle Mount, a Tripod Extender, and a Helmet Boom. The Fat Gecko Kaboom is carbon fiber and breaks down to

just 38 centimetres in length.

“The most impressive of the five set ups has to be the Helmet Boom,” says Marketing Manager, Anna Lopez. “A regular helmet mount captures either whatever the user sees from a POV perspective. Because the Kaboom puts the camera twenty or so inches off of the user’s helmet, you’re able to capture the entire body, the user’s surroundings, and any obstacles or equipment that is involved in the activity. It’s like nothing else out there.”

The Fat Gecko Kaboom is rated for GoPro Hero Action Cameras, Mirrorless Cameras, Compact Cameras, and any other camera weighing under .9 kilograms.

Action Cam Growth in the UK

By Kate Russel, Research Analyst, Futuresource Consulting

Action cams are a bright spot within a dreary camera and camcorder market landscape.

Fixed lens camera and Camcorder sales fell 18% and 21% in 2012, respectively, while sales of Action cams grew 68% to reach an estimated 540,000 units in 2012. 2013 volumes are expected to grow a further 35%. Actions cam sales are expected to overtake sales of traditional camcorders in 2014.

The average price of an action cam in the UK is £340, compared with £184 for camcorders and £102 for fixed lens cameras. In addition to the action cam itself, consumers are spending almost the cost of the camera on expensive accessory kits.

Created primarily for sports-use, the most popular and ‘staple’ cam is the mountable cam. Popular available accessories include

the. helmet mount and the handle-bar mount, allowing it to be used for a variety of activities.

Certain brands offer specific accessory bundles, such as surf editions or ski editions.

As the products become more appealing to the mass population, and as large retailers look to capitalise on this growing segment, the last six to twelve months has seen ‘mass’ retail channels, such as Argos and Amazon, growing their share to account for 30-40% of sales.

In addition, these products are also used in professional circumstances, representing an estimated 20% of action cam sales. Broadcasting is the main driver of professional demand, although many uses exist. In Broadcasting, while actions cams may seem expensive for consumers, they are almost considered ‘disposable’ in comparison to the high-end pro-camcorders usually used

The Big Freeze

Sony receives exposure as action camera partner of Freeze Festival Sony’s Action Cam HDR-AS30V (RRP £260) is due for a big popularity boost as Official Action Camera Partner for Freeze festival. Skier James Webb is using the camera to document his raining as he warms up for this year’s Freeze Festival’s Hail the Rail competition, where leading winter sports athletes plan to excite the crowds with spectacular stunts on the icy ‘rail jam’.

by broadcasters and video production houses. They are used as dash-cams, crash-cams, and in many other ways.

The key brand within action cams is GoPro, dominating sales with around 70% of the UK market and are becoming the ‘hoover’ of the action-cam segment.

Although traditional brands and many new brands are entering this market, GoPro has a loyal replacement market, not to mention the brand and product range which resonates with users.

The long-term expectations are for the action cam market to continue growing, reaching around one million units by 2017.

A competitive threat to action cams will be a growing trend towards ‘wearable’ and integrated cameras fuelled by camera modules getting smaller and perform better, for example goggles from Liquid Image.

Strongly touted as a major snow star, 24 year old James narrowly missed the 2014 Winter Olympic squad due to injury.

James Webb comments: “I can’t wait to be part of Freeze Festival this year and have been practising non-stop for it, it is not often you can bring a bit of the mountains to London. Practicing with the Sony Action Cam has been immense, we can do a trick, film it and watch it back straight away, it’s perfect for self- analysis.”

James wears the new Sony Action Cam AS30V, now 35% lighter and 25% smaller than previous models, enabling the ultimate and convenient action recording camera.

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ADVERTORIAL

EXTREME OPPORTUNITIES Pentax recongises the growth potential offered by the market for extreme, rugged and action cameras, with continued investment and innovation.

“The latest iteration in the Pentax WG camera series, the WG-3 GPS, has proved Pentax Ricoh Imaging UK LTD’s commitment and continued investment in the rugged camera market.

“We’re continuing to develop products in this sector, improving their rugged credentials based on consumer demands for a camera that will stand up to increasingly active lifestyles. The WG-3/WG-3 GPS has enhanced underwater shooting capabilities and increased shock resistance compared to its predecessor, the WG-2/WG-2 GPS. “Our GPS functionality allows users to record ground positioning and travel log data onto captured images. This additional feature, along with the new pressure, altitude and depth gauge, demonstrates our innovation in this category.

“This year we have also recognised that outside of the needs of serious outdoor enthusiasts, there is a demand for a ‘tough’ camera for everyday use, at a lower price point.

The WG-10 fits this requirement as it allows retailers to offer a camera, which still provides waterproof and shockproof protection, at a far lower price, appealing to a wider, less niche consumer demographic.

“Pentax Ricoh Imaging UK LTD will continue with its commitment in this market and we will continue our heritage for innovation in this category.”

PENTAX WG-3 ANDWG-3 GPS The ultimate outdoor compact cameras, featuring a waterproof and shock resistant

build, a large-aperture zoom lens and dual anti-shake protection These new models offer the WG series’ best waterproof performance (down to 14 metres) and shock resistance (from a drop of two metres) for shooting in any environment.

They also feature a newly designed, four-times optical zoom lens, with a maximum aperture of F2.0. The high-sensitivity, back-illuminated CMOS image sensor, and new-generation imaging engine allow the WG-3 and WG-3 GPS to deliver high-quality, low-noise images even in water, at night or in poorly lit surroundings.

Both cameras are cold resistant to a temperature of –10°C, built with dual shake reduction systems, feature full HD movie recording (1920 x 1080 pixels) and a highperformance, wide-frame 3.0-inch LCD monitor, ensuring dependable performance in any situation.

The PENTAX WG-3 GPS model also features advanced GPS functionality to record position data and travel log data

onto captured images, a pressure, altitude and depth gauge, a digital compass and a wireless recharging system.

The WG-3 is available in orange and black and the WG-3 GPS is available in purple and green.

PENTAX WG-10 Entry-level waterproof digital compact camera for worry-free outdoor shooting The PENTAX WG-10 digital compact camera was developed as an entry-level model of the heavy-duty PENTAX WG series, to make outdoor and underwater shooting simple, worry-free and accessible for everyone.

It has become popular with families and photographers with active lifestyles because it offers top quality imaging that can handle whatever life throws at it.

Despite its compact, lightweight body, the WG-10 offers robust specifications which perform brilliantly under demanding outdoor conditions. The camera is waterproof to 10 metres and able to function at this depth for up to two hours of continuous operation, its shock resistant build protects it against falls from up to 1.5 metres and it is cold resistant against temperatures as low as –10°C. The WG-10 also features a host of advanced, creative functions, such as the PENTAX-original Digital Microscope mode that magnifies the subject, allowing users to capture microscopic details often not apparent to the naked eye.

The WG-10 is suitable for all types of photography, whether it be for outdoor shooting or everyday snapshots. The WG-10 is available in red and black.

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SPECIAL REPORT EXTREME

Dominating the Global Market Pixel gets the lowdown on the extreme accessories market from Hama’s Ben Jones.

Hama distribute products all across Europe. How has the action photography market taken off there?

We’ve seen a 24% increase in the video camera market over the last year, this is predominately accountable to the action camera product category. Although action cameras in the US & UK dominate the global market (75%), we are still experiencing excellent growth in the area across Europe.

How is it taking off in the UK? Market excitement and growth has spurred on competition with many brand entering the market, Liquid Image revels in this due to their product ranges. They have mounted camera solutions that compete with all, but in addition they have the mask based products (underwater masks, motorsport and ski goggles) which places Liquid Image in a unique situation, and as such opens them up some great opportunities within the UK market.

What sort of products does the popularity of this segment create an appetite for?

If you exclude the obvious, for example microSD memory cards, and more specifically class 10 with the key capacity being 32Gb. We are seeing a good sales trend with bike mount and underwater cases, but this is to be expected due to the popularities of both past times within the UK, which was especially the case during the summer season.

Why are imaging retailers well placed to sell these products? What can they do to maximise their share?

Imaging retailers are really well placed for this demand! They have the great knowledge of video capturing devices to help service their customer base whereas other sectors that are

Kodak in the Game New action cam comes to market through JK Imaging

Thanks to JK Imaging, Kodak is now also amongst the brands consumers can choose from when it comes to action cameras, and JK Imaging’s Greg Connell is confident that it’s an option with plenty to offer retailers and consumers alike. “When I said to my customers that I had an action camera to show them, they all groaned and said: “No more please. My desk is full of them!” However they all loved the product based on quality, value and specification.

There’s plenty of appetite for these products.

“It’s a great time to be stocking up on options like these - even if you miss Christmas, it’s just in time for the skiing season and ready for a year of growth for this sector.”

Kodak’s offering is the Kodak PIXPRO SP1 Digital Action Cam, which has been designed to easily mount to helmets, boards, handle bars and so on, from rugged every day use to full scale adventures. With builtin wireless connectivity, it is 10m waterproof

The Great Outdoors Keeping gear safe essential for active photography Now available through distributors UK Optics, The Nest Company have made substantial investments in developing top quality robust photo and broadcast support equipment for the professional and enthusiast photographers.

The Nest Travel series tripods use anodised aviation quality aluminium

alloy and CNC machining in order to produce a stronger and more stable tripod, with patented design leg angle adjustment controls allow the tripod to be used for low angle shooting or to compensate for uneven ground.

A useful feature is in the reversing of the leg sections which can be folded making the tripod even

currently stocking these products, like outdoor and bike stores, have a steep learning curve to understand this type of product and be able to advise on it in the same way. To maximise their market share, imaging retailers need to continue to champion this kind of technology and provide their customers with product information and more importantly product choice.

How are Hama helping them to do this?

Hama provide product training, in-store POS, product videos, etc and of course are happy to answer any questions you might have, so that you’ll be forearmed to tell your customers anything and everything they need to know! uk.hama.com

2m Shockproof, dustproof, and freezeproof to offer its imaging prowess in as many circumstances as possible, thanks to its varied and versatile attachments. It offers Full HD 1080p video, 10 fps burst shooting and a 14 megapixel CMOS sensor.

Greg Connell

smaller when transporting. Athena series bags is a great choice for people on the move or travelling thanks to its special 750D waterproof twill and it is 30% lighter than normal fabric.

The Nest Pioneer series tripods have been especially designed for photographers who are passionate about outdoor and travel photography. Made from aviation grade aluminium alloy that has been anodised and CNC machined for a long life and added stability, they feature reversible, adjustable legs for added stability on unevern ground and easier transportation.

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PHOTO

News To be Discontinued...

Fujifilm has revealed that production of its black and white film, FP-3000B is to cease.

Gabriel Da Costa, Product Manager for professional film, commented: “We have seen the popularity of many instant film products rise dramatically recently, but some has declined, hence the discontinuation of FP-3000B. Fujifilm will continue to market colour instant film, plus the full range of Instax cameras.”

Quantum Cashback Extended!

Since 1st October, every buyer of a Quantum QFLASH or TURBO Battery or Omicron 3/4 can claim £50 Cash Back from Flaghead Photographic. The end of this deal has now been EXTENDED to 20th December 2013!

The offer applies to the following products: Qflash T5DR, Qflash Trio (Nikon or Canon version), Turbo Blade, Turbo Slim Compact, Turbo 3 Omicron 3 and Omicron 4.

Smooth Mover Booq has announced its latest photography backpack, the Python slimpack.

Crafted to meet the demands of the digital age photographer, the Python slimpack has space for two DSLRs and up to four mid-size lenses, as well as one large zoom lens, a tripod and a 10-inch tablet or iPad.

Interchangeable Lens Market to Offset Camera Decline

Worldwide demand for digital cameras is to decline of 24% on 2012.... but the interchangeable lens system continues to grow “Interchangeable lens cameras will account for one in four cameras shipped this year,” says Arun Gill, Market Analyst at Futuresource Consulting, commenting on the findings of their new industry report. “That’s up from less than one in every five in 2012 and for the very first time the segment will account for more than half the total digital camera trade value. We expect the interchangeable lens segment to grow 5% in 2013, to reach close to 21 million units shipped.

“We’re seeing a growing base of photo enthusiasts, who desire a high-end digital camera with advanced features such as larger optical zooms and bigger image sensors.”

DSLR versus CSC Relatively weak growth suggests there is a lack of consumer education regarding CSC,

The Battle Over ‘Quality’

Consumers’ preoccupation with megapixels just refuses to stop, it seems...

We asked camera purchasers what features they thought determined the quality of a camera. 55% of respondents suggested the number of Megapixels, with zoom some way behind.

This should ring alarm bells for the imaging industry, who are trying hard to innovate and educate that ‘quality’ should have more to do features such as senor size, low light performance and lens construction.

As we strive to convince consumers to upgrade and replace their existing products more needs to be done to educate the mass market – we appreciate that enthusiasts probably already understand the finer points.

We can now see phones

Piece of Cake Tina Bolton, an award-winning photographer is offering beginner photographers, particularly parents, the chance to learn how to take high-quality pictures with a number of simple, friendly photography workshops and online courses.

Cameras and Cake offers relaxed and informal photography workshops for the amateur and the avid photographers out

and more favourable consumer preference for DSLR cameras.

Demand for DSLR cameras has been driven by entrylevel models becoming more affordable.

Fixed Lens Segmentation Consumer demand for standard compact cameras has nose-dived over the past two years as they offer little benefit versus a smartphone. However, popularity of higher value segments such as bridge, premium (large sensor), zoom compact and water/shockproof cameras is increasing.

“Limitations of smartphone cameras will present an opportunity for interchangeable lens camera growth in these countries and are likely to be a key revenue stream for vendors across the entire forecast period,” says Mr Gill.

claiming 41MP – the numbers are all important when it comes to consumers deciding whether to go with a dedicated device of the everyday convenience of a phone with built in camera.

Numbers also come into play on zoom factor, consumers can easily compare these 2 features and take it as read that this is all they need to rely on to make their decisions.

When will we see an advertising campaign for cameras that talks about the real elements of quality and puts the dedicated device to the forefront of consumers minds?

Richard Gregory, Account Director, CE/ Photo, Richard.gregory@ gfk.com 0870 603 8259 www.gfkrt.com/uk

Doing things a little differently - and offering free refreshments - does seem to be the way to photographers’ hearts

there. Catering for all levels of equipment from compact camera to DSLR, Tina Bolton appreciates that the accessible nature of high quality cameras today mean people don’t always know how to make the best of the imaging technology at their fingertips.

“In this day and age, where everyone has access to some form of camera, be it on their phone or on a more advanced piece of kit,

knowing how to use it is a fantastic skill to have,” says Tina.

There are four separate courses to choose from including Take Better Photos with a mix of in person and online options.

8 www.pixel.co.uk

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PRINT

Ilford on the Brink Again Ilford Imaging Switzerland is again facing liquidity issues and has stated that it is no longer able to honour its full financial obligations

The Managing Directors have already informed the employees and have sent a letter to the court of Fribourg declaring insolvency.

In June 2013, Ilford Imaging experienced a liquidity issue after the former shareholder Paradigm Global Partners suddenly withdrew from the business. The management took over the company to secure the business short-term and also to find a new long-term investor. The Ilford investment opportunity was presented to more than 20 interested parties... Unfortunately, a new investor for

Ilford Imaging has not yet been found and the last potential investor pulled out at the end of November.

After the liquidity issues during the summer, it was challenging to re-start the business, as many existing customers began to buy products from competitors, which resulted in a large negative impact on the company’s revenue.

The management is working closely with the State and the appropriate authorities in order to minimise the negative impact on all parties involved.

Imagine the Possibilities Fujifilm’s next generation multi-channel software, Fujifilm Imagine, is now being rolled out Imagine links photographers with FDIS retailers by allowing them to place print orders from their mobile devices, with their images safely stored in the cloud.

The seamless user experience is shared between the app and Fujifilm kiosks, and is designed so that the customer can save their projects in their own personal pocket of the cloud until they are ready to print them, allowing them to devote as much or as little time to the process as they like and thereby removing the obstacle of needing to allocate a substantial time in one go that puts some consumers off printing.

Fujifilm’s Marketing Manager Peter Wigington explains that more than half of the independent retailers in the Fujifilm Digital Imaging Services group have now been upgraded to the Imagine workflow software, making them eligible for the business of local consumers downloading the app and beginning to make the most of its smooth interface and useful features.

The Imagine upgrade for the Digital Photo Centre (DPC) kiosk has been designed to be exceptionally easy to use and offers a wide range of products with up-sell capabilities. The

News Fujifilm Named in Top Global Innovator List Fuji has been declared one of the top 100 global innovators in the prestigious Thomson Reuters list, for the second year in a row.

The Thomson Reuters 2013 Top 100 Global Innovator methodology is based on four principle criteria: “overall patent volume”, “patent grant success rate”, “global reach of the portfolio” and “patent influence as evidenced by citations”, using Thomson Reuters’ intellectual property and intelligence collaboration platform. key benefit is the ability for users to download projects they have already started from Imagine’s cloud-based storage, ready to finish off or print straight away. Easy mobile phone connection to social media also allows users to bring in other pictures they have shared and might like to print.

Online, Imagine allows retailers to incorporate kiosk functionality into their website, so that users can order photo products from the comfort and convenience of their own homes, via their local FDIS retailer.

Fujifilm Imagine’s dedicated mobile app can be linked to individual stores and customised for their individual products and pricing. For consumer security and convenience, payment is via Paypal, making it easier, safer and more convenient than ever before for consumers to order prints in the way that’s easiest for them.

imagePROGRAF on Top Canon printers recognised with industry awards

Canon has scooped the Buyer’s Laboratory LLC (BLI) award for ‘2014 Wide-Format Graphic Arts Printer Line of the Year’ thanks to the overall strength Quarter Page Ad.pdf 15/5/13 09:30:40 of its imagePROGRAF series of printers.

Furthermore, more imagePROGRAF printers

were recognised with BLI Winter 2014 ‘Pick’ awards in the wideformat category.

Joe Tischner, wide-format analyst at BLI, said: “The comprehensiveness of Canon’s

offerings, satisfying the production/proofing print markets with the eight-colour models and the high-end graphics markets with the 12-colour models, across all the common size ranges, together with the outstanding lab performance of all the models tested, have justly earned Canon the 2014 Line of the Year award for its wide-format graphic arts printers.”

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ADVERTORIAL

THE NEW ADIXXION! JVC’s new GC-XA2 ADIXXION action camera offers “Born Tough” Quad-Proof Design, comprising the best of all worlds and poised to capitalise on the rapid growth of the action cam market.

“Quad Proof” means it’s waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof and dustproof - all the photographer needs it to be for action right out of the box, no external housing necessary. With an LCD screen and Wi-Fi built into the camera, there are no extra modules to add either.

Powerful recording functions include 1920 x 1080 /50p Full HD video as well as 100fps 1280 x 720 high-speed recording for excellent slow motion - a unique selling point that has real weight with those using their cameras for extreme sports and other activities that are driving the image-capture market right now.

The kit’s Wi-Fi enables real-time checking as well as live streaming over the internet.

Quad-Proof Design means ADIXXION is Waterproof even submerged to a depth of 5m (16.4 ft), Shockproof to withstand a drop from 2m (6.5ft), Dustproof to keep pesky particles out, and Freeze-proof to keep going in the snow and on the slopes. It can be mounted on a surfboard, snowboard, skateboard, mountain bike, helmet or new for 2013 a chest harness and capture amazing videos without a second thought. The out-of-the-box readiness means that it won’t cause delays when time is of the essence, which is often the case for those with high-octane lifestyles!

The secret to this Quad-Proof Design is a combination of shock-absorbent internal construction, water-tight gasketprotected body casing, as well as a durable rubber outer skin that helps guard ADIXXION and your recordings from rough environments. The body (including battery, LCD and Wi-Fi) is a lightweight 135g (0.3lbs), and with mount holes located both on the bottom and side, it’s attachable and wearable in a variety of locations to multiply your chances of a killer video.

JVC delivers again by ramping up various

performance factors. Most notable for video quality is that the GC-XA2 ADIXXION offers 1920 x 1080 /50p Progressive Full HD recording for excellent footage, as well as 1280 x 720 high-speed recording at 100fps to enable beautiful 4x slow-motion playback.

Upgrades over the previous model include a brighter and wider-angle optical lens, improved image stabilization, a higher-resolution LCD monitor with Auto off and Auto brightness functions, a higher-resolution image sensor, a higher audio bit rate and better noise reduction and more.

The GC-XA2 also connects to Wi-Fi much quicker, and can use itself as an access point for streaming “live” to a smartphone or to USTREAM, uploading to

YouTube, and still image transfer. The Quad View function of ADIXXION sync. app allows the video streams from four separate ADIXXION cameras to be viewed simultaneously on a smartphone screen.

In response to the popularity of editing apps such as Instagram and the use of filters with DSLRs, the GC-XA2’s playfully creative functions include four built-in visual effects to spice up videos and make any situation look more unique and eye-catching. GC-XA2 offers Time-Lapse recording for photos as well as video.

Burst mode takes multiple stills at up to 15 frames per second, and Simultaneous REC enables photo and video shooting at the same time. In other words, through a score of new and improved features, JVC has fine-tuned the ADIXXION to become a more powerful presence in the field of action cameras.

Truly pocket-sized and weighing barely a quarter of a pound, the GC-XA2 is the ideal all-in-one for today’s active consumer, whether they’re off on holiday with a young family or on the extreme sports adventure of a lifetime.

The GC-XA2 can handle anything life throws at it and produce beautiful images ready to be shared straight away.

For more information please visit www.jvc.co.uk/adixxion or email info@jvc.co.uk

10 www.pixel.co.uk 8 www.pixel.co.uk

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MOBILE

HMV Scales Back Tablets Retailer wants to focus on “what HMV does best”!

HMV has big plans for 2014, including continued expansion following January’s administration and Hillco buy out. But their plans don’t involve expanding on products like tablets. In fact, HMV director Steve West told PCR that they would be returning to a core of “products which our customers more readily associate with the HMV brand” like music, films and games. “We have cut back on some of the high-end technology items such as tablets and given this space over to core HMV products,” he said: “You will see a focus on …[music] .

This is what HMV does best.” Some lateral products like books, t-shirts and crucially headphones are still part of HMV’s plans,

with the latter set for further expansion.

But if HMV’s customers aren’t snapping up tablets, who will? West’s association of headphones as being more aligned with HMV’s traditional, musical fayre tallies up with the perception of tablets as more a visual purchase. With high-end options including the iPad still a success, price cannot be the only deciding factor so what is? Customer service?

Associated products in store (like software)?

The amount of consumers using their tablet for photo capture, sharing, display and editing becomes more evident with every survey, could imaging retailers be the right stores to fill the gap HMV is leaving?

“Tablets Prescribed for Christmas”

Tablets to “become ubiquitous” over the festive season

The media tablets market continues to post strong year-on-year growth, with 50% year-on-year volume growth seen by the media tablets market versus last October, according to GfK’s findings.

“Media tablets’ increasing affordability and ever-broadening offering continues to pull consumers towards the market – average tablet prices have declined by 25% compared to last year, when the

average price was nearer to £290, now it sits nearer £220,” said a news report from the analysts.

“Looking ahead to Christmas, it will be no surprise to see media tablets continue to grow market volume as they become ubiquitous in major retail stores and are promoted ahead of traditional computing devices, which are likely to become marginalized over this time.”

The Price is Right?

Low cost tablets are flooding the market, but are they right for consumers?

Tesco’s tablet model has sold more than 300,000 since it was launched in September, and Aldi’s comparable 7 inch Android tablet, which retailed for under £80, reportedly sold out in the first weekend of its availability, although at the time of going to press it had not been publisiced how many

were actually made available.

What’s for sure is that any tablet below the £150 price point was bound to be a big hit in the run up to Christmas, but considering the longer game, are these entry-level models going to discourage customers who would otherwise have been keen to snap up higher ticket models from spending out?

Trade Watch

Pixel’s Lee Mansfield has his say on the trade’s hot topics

I for one am looking forward Christmas, and obviously not for the same reason my kids are. Like most of you, I am excited to see how the businesses in our trade do, though my early prediction is ‘mixed’.

There was positive news from The Bank of England and the Chancellor in their latest reports, and consumer confidence is supposed to be up but I wonder if this has filtered down to the man on the street yet? I for one will be very interested to hear how the new Park Cameras branch does over Christmas, as footfall around that part of London is sky high at this time, but as a new store, and with so many opting to shop for bigger items from the comfort of their sofas, there are bound to be challenges. Let’s hope it’s a great start to their new venture.

Then of course we come into January, and the sales. Whether you dread them or find they’re a huge help to your business, they’re an inevitable part of retail culture in the UK. I read all the stories and mixed opinions about Black Friday with interest, wondering how long before this takes off properly in the UK. Personally I think it could be a great thing, especially if those major headline deals – which I assume have got to be loss leaders in most cases – are kept limited, because it sparks off a shopping frenzy which retailers can use to clear out stock, increase footfall and entice customers for other deals and products.

Lastly, I think everyone’s New Year’s Resolution should be to seriously consider tablets, if they aren’t stocking them already. It’s a huge market that’s only growing, and one that sits so well with core imaging products that I am confident specialist imaging retailers would have success with the right range.

Feel free to discuss with me – lee@lifemediagroup.co.uk.

Olloclip and Apple Team Up Event stresses importance of phone photo accessories The Apple Store Regent Street, recently hosted a free hands-on night photography masterclass hosted by photographer and inventor James Madelin for photographers using their iPhone ans olloclip

and enlight photo’s ioShutter SLR products.

Apple consumers who gathering on 16th December had the opportunity to learn about advanced consumer photo techniques like keepinhphotos sharp without a tripod, when

to shoot in focus and when to blur, getting the right exposure and more, using the dramatic Christmas lighting of Regent Street and the Surrounding are as subject matter and backdrop.

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News ZEISS Executive Board Enlarged 2014 will see some changes to the Executive Board of Carl Zeiss AG headed

by President and CEO Dr. Michael Dr. Hermann Gerlinger Kaschke.

The Supervisory Board of Carl Zeiss AG has renewed the contract of Executive Board Member Dr. Hermann Gerlinger until 2017. In addition, a new member will join the Executive Board of Carl Zeiss AG, effective 1 January 2014. Dr. Ludwin Monz, Head of the Medical Technology business group and President and CEO of the subsidiary Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, will become the fourth Member of the Executive Board.

There will also be a realignment of responsibilities within the Executive Board of Carl ZEISS AG, effective 1 January

Eizo Get Animated for Christmas

New campaign targeting serious photographers and graphics professionals

EIZO has confirmed its commitment to the imaging specialist market and is celebrating the debut of its animated Christmas message, following the commission of Selfridges “Bright Young Things” animation designer Katy Beveridge.

The 40 second film has been designed to help promote the EIZO range of ColorEdge monitors whilst helping to spread some Christmas cheer. Colin Woodley, Business Manager of EIZO Limited said: “We met Katy in 2012 and decided then that she

was someone we wanted to work with to help tie our two industries together. She has the spark, the expertise and imagination to show the world what our monitors can achieve. Using an EIZO CG246W as part of her studio set up, Katy was able to use her incredible skills to create this beautiful bird and amazing scenery, helping to create our seasonal message. It is only at the end of the film you realise how small the actual set is, and how much detail has gone into the production.”

Wearable Electronics to Top $8 Billion Watches get smart

The consumer wearable electronics segment is experiencing a period of rapid growth with a forecast value of over $8 billion in 2013. Futuresource project a combined wireless watch and smartwatch market of around 0.9 million units in 2013, with more than 60% of this accounted for by smartwatches. ”Smartwatch growth will

Due to product expansion next year, MINOX GB Ltd are looking for SALES AGENTS to represent the brand in the following areas: SOUTH WEST ENGLAND SOUT EAST ENGLAND AND/OR LONDON CENTRAL MIDLANDS / WALES

To register your interest please send your C.V to Amy Farr MINOX GB Basepoint Business Centre 110 Butterfield Luton, Bedfordshire LU2 8DL

be driven by new entrants into the market, both from CE manufacturers and from watch companies which will integrate smart features into their devices,” says Oliver Rowntree, Research Analyst at Futuresource Consulting.”Looking at the bigger picture, the wearable electronics segment will continue to expand as consumer awareness and acceptance take hold, and Futuresource research pegs the market at a value of around $20 billion by 2017.

The Creative Touch New Philips monitor offers ten fingertip control

MMD has released a new 23-inch Philips 231C5 SmoothTouch display, which unites touch-gesture flexibility with desktop-grade performance. The 10-point capacitive touch provides a natural fluid response to gestures, a wide viewing angle and a flexibility complemented by the adjustable SmartStand for placing the screen at a convenient angle.

Users who appreciate smartphone and tablet touch features no longer have to sacrifice these abilities on a desktop-sized screen. The brand-new Philips SmoothTouch display brings bringing intuitive touch gestures to a full-fledged desktop.The display features 10 point capacitive touch – for 10-finger control – and edge-to-edge glass for a brilliant interactive display experience. Users can tap, grab, pinch, rotate, zoom and swipe, which is excellent for an ergonomic user experience for graphic artists, picture editors and the visually inspired.

The Philips 231C5 SmoothTouch display is available in stores now at a price of 419.00 GBP incl. VAT.

12 www.pixel.co.uk

01582 434 383 | WWW.MINOX.COM

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AV & COMPUTING

Samsung Opens European Innovation Centre in London Samsung’s new facility at Fleet Place in London’s financial and business district, is situated among the world’s leading enterprises The centre brings together a world-class team incorporating the disciplines of product innovation, product planning, software and design which will influence the company’s range of products and services for consumers and businesses across Europe.

Studying consumer and business behaviour, the centre will identify innovation projects which can be more closely designed to match the needs of European consumers. Samsung’s robust approach to research and design has led to popular demand of its products worldwide including the Galaxy smartphone series, Ultra High Definition TVs and premium home appliances. The increasing investment in research and development activities is a part of the company’s global strategy - about US$10.8

billion was invested in this area in 2012.

Secretary of State for Culture Maria Miller said: “Samsung Electronics choosing London for their European Innovation Centre highlights our global reputation as a hub for the world’s creative economy. This is great news for our economy and will help drive growth and jobs as well as strengthening the relationship between the UK and Korea.”

World Cup to Boost Electronics Sales?

Nigel Catlow, Business Group Director at GfK has high hopes for England’s World Cup performance...

“As we approach the World Cup, it seems a good time to consider what will happen to Consumer Electronics’ Businesses as a result Whilst total TV volume is likely to fall slightly in 2014, the World Cup will have a positive effect on TV volumes in the short term.Looking at GfK sales figures; the World Cup alters the seasonality of the market substantially, bringing a greater proportion of the annual business into the weeks ust before the World Cup and for around 2 weeks into it.

“There is evidence that the 2 weeks of uplift during the event itself can be extended

if the nation’s team is playing in a manner that implies they will go deep into the tournament.

Obviously, given England’s recent lack of success, this evidence is based on TV sales in other countries!

“Other likely impacts include the expectation of an additional 170,000 TV sales in the late April to early June period compared to normal, worth around an additional £70 Million approximately. The uplift will be concentrated on the very largest screen sizes. Other products linked to

News Dixons Retail choose MMD As of January 2014, selected models of the Philips monitor portfolio will be available at Currys & PC World, owned by Dixons Retail.

Katrina Adamczyk, Category Manager for Desktops & Monitors at Currys PC World, said: “We are excited to introduce to our customers what MMD has to offer.

Presenting innovative monitor models with the Philips brand promise in our retail environments will attract a lot of attention.”

Wacom Price Cut Wacom has slashed the price for its Cintiq 24HD touch. The flagship model, popular with graphics professionals, is now widely available for £2,499.99 - a reduction of £500 on the original RRP. “With the Cintiq 24HD touch selling well and due to recent positive developments in our supply chain, we are able to pass the benefits to our customers”, said Rüdiger Spohrer, Vice President Marketing at Wacom Europe.

TV will also benefit. The Sound Bar market is already increasing in value at +150% (latest 12 month period compared to the 12 months previous) and the World Cup will further boost this as the increasingly large but thinner LED TV’s will bring additional add-on sales opportunities.The 2012 “summer of sport” saw significant sales growth in diverse areas such as binoculars, so it’s not justtelevisions that stand to be boosted.

“So a huge uplift in TV and its related markets is highly likely based on GfK’s historical figure and, as there will be a corresponding decline after the event, timing is crucial in exploiting this.”

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SPECIAL REPORT FOCUS

THE BIG INTERVIEW Pixel speaks to Simon Buckingham, Marketing Manager at Hama UK about accessory sales for the most important parts of our growing market Well first of all, hello to you all – I am new to Hama as of May this year, taking on the UK Marketing Manager position, and I have to say I am enjoying every minute thus far!

It’s been a while since we caught up with Hama! Run us through what’s new - how’s business been?

Hama has seen a very positive year in sales, whilst we admit that there has been a general slow pace across the country in the first half of the year, as expected the Christmas period has been heating up in the past month or so. We have been very active in supporting our retailers wherever possible, in the form of marketing and POS activity, as well as providing our customers with information on upcoming and trending products, and implementing those products before demand hits the highest point.

Hama has also added 3 new Product Mangers to the team, which is now headed by the new Senior Product Manager, Ben Jones. In addition, we have Jerry Lunn, our new Social Media Manager, to look after all things social, and the introduction of unique and specialised product training via our Business Development Manager, Paul Strutehrs. All of whom are adding to a very exciting end to the year, and a great beginning to 2014!

What new products have been added to your books, and what are the heroes at the moment?

We have seen a number of brands been added to our ever growing arsenal, in particular the licensing of ELLE mobile accessories, Caterpillar luggage and lifestyle products, and Fresh n Rebel Bluetooth portable speakers.

We are seeing a huge demand for headphones and an increase in demand for photographic accessories – which would indicate that

CREDITS & CONTACTS

hardware sales are up! We have also seen demand for high end HDMI solutions, due to the introduction of 4k TV’s into the UK market.

This created a need for the best AV solutions, and something that we already had at our disposal with our Avinity brand. More and more retailers are taking on this fantastic range of AV solotuions.

What’s selling well through the UK’s imaging retailers at the moment?

Our extensive range of camera bags are doing very well this year, and there has been an increase in the demand for optics, particuarly Celestron with their binocular range, and more predominately the telescopes. We expected this happen with the announcement of Comet ISON earlier this year, and as it has been progressing very well.

Are there any products you’d encourage more UK imaging retailers to consider branching out into?

The action camera market is rising constantly, and I’ve read several articles from yourselves confirming what we see. Reiterating that this particular product is growing by 47% on last year with a staggering £300M+ Value, of which the UK represents half of this demand. Hama stand strong in this area with products that are direct competitors to the market leader, GoPro, with our own HD Action Cameras, and guest brand solutions via Liquid Image.

Are there any products you thought might have been a bigger hit in the UK than they have been?

Due to consumers being more cautious about their spending patterns, it is fair to say that consumer electronics has taken a back seat when it comes to spending. However, we are slowly seeing a pattern of a slow increase in sales across the board. It is hard to analyse what products may have been ‘a bigger hit’, as the CE market is so competitive and varied, it is too early to see the full picture.

I think that 2014 will be the real statement for

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

Design: Harriet Weston 01323 411601 harriet@lifemediagroup.co.uk

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

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

Operations Director: Clare Fermor 01323 411601

Subscriptions: subs@lifemediagroup.co.uk

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

Published by: LMG SE LTD (Life Media Group) Park View House 19 The Avenue, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 3YD 01323 411 601 Printed by: Cliffe Enterprise Unit 6F Southbourne Business Park, Courtlands Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 8UY 0845 601 9478 | www.cliffe-enterprise.com

retailers, distributors and end consumers, as everyone will need to be more awake than ever to really stand out and take advantage of whatever they can.

Hama recently won the Accessory Distributor of the Year award from Pixel, and have done very well in previous years.

What have your Pixel awards meant for the business?

Any achievement is welcomed here at Hama, and with the Pixel Awards we take pride in knowing that one of the top magazines in the photographic industry, and our peers, believe in what Hama is all about – which is providing a smart, efficient solution to our customers.

We are all avid readers of Pixel, and to have an accolade from them means that bit more. We look forward to winning the next one!

Accessory distributors tend - and need to be ahead of the curve when it comes to trends... do you have any predictions/hot tips for our readers?

Having 3 new product managers installed into Hama recently, they have all brought fresh eyes and ideas to the table. It is already evident that 2014 is going to be not only exciting, but highly productive. It is so important, not just for us, but for our customers to realise that trends and fashion change so quickly. We are devising a promotional calendar for next year, to maximise what we can all do to stand out from the crowd, and maximise sales. Remember, we have 6 highly dedicated photo specialists that have over 100 years of experience between them, who make sure our customers know everything that is going on in the photographic market, whilst providing outstanding service and solutions to our customers, and keeps them ahead of their competitors. Make sure you keep an eye on our new LinkedIn profile page as you will see up to date business and industry information on a daily basis! uk.hama.com

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 ©

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all of this...

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from just this...

Digit ffer jifilm tion to o ll/ u F r e a u r s o u y p nfig eu t of hear r own co ucts. Us roducts. e h t d p ou is at ross d pro unds up y agine sk. Set lue adde otions ac backgro ital Im , ig a m io m s Fujifil (DPC) k rint and v reate pro s, border wnload d atic o t e c p m r n D t o f d o t .

Cen range o tions an ditional f projects . Get au ages e d d an nc a wid sales fu ols and a s to save orage site kiosk m tions o s to te st on m e o g o c ia r d m c in . d p d e it a l ed ments. A ocial me s. Use r ing and locations u f r e s e ic t r r le a u p Pow mbellish ip d o lt p y s, e rom s mu duct are u and files f ne softw age pro or acros n li e a n it o t to m a single s mobile men at A dedicated mobile phone application linked to your store that will help drive even more prints to your lab. Set up different products and pricing to your instore or online kiosk if required. Orders placed securely. Pay through a PayPal account or with a credit or debit card.

A seamless photo solution for instore, mobile and online.

online

All the benefits of your instore DPC kiosk available to all your customers that have access to the internet. Add a link to your own web site. Your customers can start a project at home and easily store it for editing or printing later on. Projects can be shared and added to by family and friends.

16 www.pixel.co.uk For more information please call 01234 572138 or visit www.fujifilm.eu/UK Pixel December 16th 2013.indd 16

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