Pixel Magazine - January 2015

®

ISSUE NO. 940P

January 2015

www.pixel.co.uk

INSIDE

LP_Pixel_Ears_46x53mm.indd 1

LP_Pixel_Ears_46x53mm.indd 2 30/09/2014 11:47 A YEAR IN CAMERAS, GFK TRENDS FOR 2015, LEICA INTERVIEW, LORD SUGAR MAKES A SURPRISE APPEARANCE, WE GET TO GRIPS WITH THE LYTRO ILLUM AND MUCH MORE...

This Issue Includes...

• Interview with Leica MD Jason Heward about the brand’s retail strategy • A sweet surprise for Camera World staff as Apprentice boss drops in

30/09/2014 11:47

A CRACKING 25TH YEAR FOR PIXEL

It’s been a big year for Pixel - here we look back at some of the highlights

• Rethinking the rules – how retailers are selling the light field camera

Three 8MP Cameras on New Smartphone

The new Honor 6 from Chinese manufacturer Huawei will have not two but three 8MP cameras.

Similar to the HTC One (M8)’s Duo Cam, the smartphone will have two side-by-side cameras to allow for the refocusing of images after they have been taken. The manufacturer has said users will be able to adjust the aperture from F0.95 to F16 – post production. The third camera will be, of course, located on the front for selfies.

The phone will come complete with a wide range of filter effects such as tilt-shift, comics and sketch.

Price and availability details have yet to be announced.

PHOTO -

IMAGING -

At the beginning of 2014 we celebrated Pixel’s 25th anniversary, marking a quarter century of reporting for the photographic industry. Since then, we’ve welcomed a host of changes, including new additions to the team – editor Zoe Thomas, editorial consultant Damien Demolder and Development Room manager Amy Watson. We’ve also adapted the publication’s format, swapping VIDEO

-

AUDIO

-

TV

-

PRINT

1. The Photography Show In March Pixel took a stand at The Photography Show at the Birmingham NEC for four days of talks, exhibits and networking with the photographic industry. The show will take place again in 2015 between Sunday 21 and Tuesday 24 March.

our bi-monthly print magazine for weekly online round-ups and and a monthly print edition with glossy feature pages. We’ve even moved the Pixel headquarters to brand new offices in preparation for expansion in 2015. We’ve celebrated some big milestones in the last year, so before we move onto bigger and better things in 2015, let’s take a look back at the highlights of 2014…

-

MOBILE

-

STATS

-

PEOPLE

Continued on Page 9...

-

RETAIL

-

BUSINESS

-

NEWS

www.pixel.co.uk 1

THE NEW PHO TO COLLECTION

2 www.pixel.co.uk

NEWS

WELCOME To Pixel Magazine The Christmas decorations are down, everything looks weirdly bare, the hangovers have faded and the detoxes, 5:2s, and paleo diets are in full swing as we try to convince ourselves 2015 will be The Year We Finally Improve Ourselves. But beyond our own personal resolutions, 2015 brings new business targets to meet, changes to make, technologies to improve and, of course, cameras to sell.

January is all about self improvement, and there is a commercial element to this too.

It’s a time for people to finally get round to starting that hobby they’ve always wanted to try – photography, perhaps? With the right deals and discounts, shops can benefit from the influx of shoppers looking to kick off the new year with a new interest.

But before we race ahead into 2015, let’s recap on the industry over the last year. For this issue we’ve asked GfK to report on the

most successful segments in the camera market in 2014, and we’ve also created a timeline of some of the biggest camera launches of the year (not all of them, mind – we’d need a brochure to do that).

I’m also delighted to publish an interview with the Managing Director of Leica UK Jason Heward, who reveals more about Leica’s retail strategy in line with its recent Jessops and Park Cameras partnerships.

Business is looking positive – so here’s to a happy and prosperous 2015 for all (raises glass of green tea and buckwheat smoothie).

Zoe, Editor, zoe@pixel.co.uk

High Speed Photography for the Masses

Affordable high speed LED flash launches on Kickstarter Matt Kane, who worked with the Bristol-based team behind the Triggertrap for smartphones, claims to have developed ‘the world’s first safe, affordable highspeed LED flash’.

The Vela One has been designed to match an air gap flash speed but for a fraction of the cost, offering flash speeds as short as 500 nanoseconds - 100 times faster than regular speedlights and studio flashes on the market.

According to the press release: “Previous LED flashes have not been bright enough to expose a shot in such a short period. The Vela One uses an array of modern ultra-bright

LEDs, and custom circuits to drive them up to 2,000% brighter still, generating nearly one million lumens in a tiny pulse.”

This means the flash can help regular cameras capture things like shooting bullets and explosions.

Using LED lights not only boosts the brightness but cuts the cost of the product significantly. The Vela One runs from four AA batteries all day, with recycle times less than a millisecond.

In strobe mode it can flash up

Retail Footfall Down Despite hype of Black Friday November statistics have been released by the British Retail Consortium Despite Black Friday discounts enticing early Christmas shoppers in, a survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Springboard noted a 4% drop in High Street footfall compared to last year.

Shopping centres too lost 2.1%, while retail parks reported a rise in footfall at 0.8% across the country.

According to the BRC, the figures suggest a change in shopping habits, with consumers choosing to buy online instead.

BRC director general Helen Dickinson said: “The most successful shopping destinations are ensuring that they have a range of other experiences and activities on offer to drive up footfall.”

ZEISS Asserts Its Position In ‘Difficult Environment’ Lens manufacturer exceeds expectations on earnings for 2014

In the past 2013/14 fiscal year (ended 30 September 2014) ZEISS

has increased both its revenue and earnings: revenue rose to €4.287 billion (last year: €4.190 billion). This equated to an increase of 2%.

Negative currency effects adversely impacted the revenue and earnings of ZEISS. Without these effects the increase in revenue would total five percent. Earnings (EBIT) grew by 14% to €360 million (last year: €315 million). The EBIT margin lay slightly above 8% (last year: 8%).

to six times with intervals between 10 and 250 microseconds. Pulse lengths are adjustable between 500 nanoseconds and 5 microseconds.

Founder Matt Kane has been working on high speed camera triggers for years.

He realised that LEDs would be the way forwards and after extensive research, invented Vela One. Having worked on two successful Kickstarter projects

before, Matt is confident the product will attract attention.

When Pixel caught up with him to find out more about his retail strategy, he said: “Currently my retail strategy is to see how the Kickstarter goes and take it from there! Initially I will just be selling direct, but if it’s very successful then I’d look into distribution.

We took a similar strategy at Triggertrap and it worked well.”

Currently the project has reached 135% of its funding target.

The first units are due to ship in May 2015 and prices start from £415/$650.

A report has revealed that revenue and earnings for ZEISS are higher than the previous year – following a continued high level of expenditure on research and development.

A summary of the report’s findings includes: • Revenue increases to €4.287 billion • EBIT reaches €360 million mark • Cautious outlook for fiscal year 2014/15

www.pixel.co.uk 3

NEWS Manfrotto Launches Colourful Kits

Accessory manufacturer Manfrotto has launched various ranges of tripods in different colours, inviting customers to personalise their kit bags.

Now, the BeFree Compact Lightweight Tripod (MKBFRA4BH) comes in blue, grey, green and red. The PIXI mini tripod for compact system cameras comes in white, red, pink and black, while the Pocket series of support comes in pink, white, red, black, blue, grey and purple. The lightest tripod in the Manfrotto range, the Compact Light, also comes in black, red, pink and white so customers can match their accessory with their camera.

For more information, visit www.manfrotto.co.uk

Lytro Releases Software Update Lytro has released an update for the Lytro Illum light-field camera’s processing software.

Lytro Desktop 4.1 now includes a Ficus Spread feature, enabling photographers to pick beginning and end points for depth of focus. It means certain subjects at various depths of field remain in focus while the background is artistically blurred.

Editing tools,have been added, including individual colour saturation sliders, sharpening controls, white balance dropper and the ability to share images to Facebook as videos or animations.

For more information, please visit: www.lytro.com/desktop

ILFORD Photo Joins Creative Single Use sameras were sent BlipFoto Project 20outILFORD into the big wide world…

Last year, members 20 ILFORD living all over Single Use the world, cameras across 170 were sent countries, off to the cameras Blipfoto ended up (online travelling photo thousands of Stranger: Ice Cream Truck Driver, Concord, CA (USA) journal) miles.

Photographer: blipfoto.com/MyEveryday subscribers.

Each Their brief person was was simple: to take one portrait asked to record a little information of a stranger, before passing the about the stranger and mark their camera on to another Blipfoto location on a map. member. Members would carry on Only 14 of the 20 of the cameras passing the camera around until sent out returned to HQ. The first the film was used up, then it would to return had travelled 67,860km in be sent back to HQ. With Blipfoto total.

The resulting photos have been published on blipfoto.com/wyas, along with the stories behind each portrait.

Steven Brierley, Director of Sales and Marketing at ILFORD PHOTO/ HARMAN technology Limited, remarked: “ At first I was a little unsure but the idea sounded interesting enough for us to support this project. Blipfoto have turned the results into a wonderful online presentation. We are pleasantly surprised with the results that have been achieved especially considering the journeys the cameras have been on. The stories behind the photos are fascinating and in some cases very moving.”

Impossible and Hänska Collaborate with Polaroid Bag

Polaroid retailer and refurbisher Impossible has teamed up with Berlin-based handbag designer Nora Hänska Polaroid retailer and refurbisher Impossible has teamed up with Berlin-based handbag designer Nora Hänska to create what they describe as a ‘modern, stylish adaptable solution to travelling with your Polaroid camera’.

The new Hänska X Impossible collaboration is aimed at the ‘everyday urban photographer’ and, according to eh designer

has been inspired by the atmosphere of the German capital. Nora Hänska said: “It was important for me to design a bag that was not ‘just’ a camera bag…

It had to be easy and quick to use to allow the user to embrace every moment.”

This first bag has

been designed to store a Polaroid 600-type camera or Impossible Instant Lab and up to four packs of Impossible film.

All the materials Hänska uses are sourced from Germany and France.

RRP: £100.

Will New Olympus OM-D E-M5 have resolution are circulating about the seccessor booster function? Rumours to the OM-D E-M5 Since rumours circulated last month about the OM-D E-M5 going out of production, new speculations have arisen surrounding the name and functionality of the camera’s successor.

According to rumour site 4/3 Rumors, the new camera is likely to be named the Olympus E-M5II, or the Olympus E-M5 Mark II. It also

expects the camera to feature a 16MP sensor with a sensor shift function that enables users to boost the resolution up to an equivalent of 40MP. 4/3 Rumors said the information was sourced anonymously but later confirmed

through a trusted channel - although nothing is yet officially confirmed.

In November 4/3 Rumors also reported that the new Olympus would have wether sealing, 4K video and 24/25/30fps options.

Use PC, Mac, Tablet or Smart Phone

Get Online Today www.swains.co.uk www.swains.co.uk With Swains Trade Only Only Website Website Trade 4 www.pixel.co.uk Swains would like to wish all our customers a very Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

To register register e-mail: e-mail: sales@swains.co.uk sales@swains.co.uk or or call call 01485 01485 536 536 200 200 To

NEWS

It’s Face Off With The New YotaPhone2 World’s first smartphone with two screens has been launched

Russian phone brand Yota is set to launch its ‘radical’ new two-faced smartphone in the UK. Described as ‘a rare beast’ by Forbes magazine, the new phone is expected to disrupt the smartphone market in the coming year, knocking some of the bigger brands into touch with its innovative design.

The phone has a normal LCD display on one side, and an e-ink (like a Kindle screen) display on the back. This boosts the battery life to over 48 hours when in YotaEnergy mode.

The e-ink screen can be used for reading books, browsing the Internet and looking at photos - although these are in greyscale. Users can also set it up to show a carousel of their social media pictures.

The phone is powered by an Android 4.4. KitKat operating system, with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 2.2 GHz quad-core processor. The main camera has an unremarkable 8MP sensor with Auto Focus and

an LED flash, while the front-facing ‘selfie’ camera has 2.1MP. Video can be captured in Full HD at 1080p 30fps in a range of formats.

RRP: £550.

Available: Now.

Kodak Moments Launches Christmas Alaris has teamed up with ITV to support its Text Campaign Kodak Santa campaign this Christmas The imaging company is calling for customers to upload a funny Christmas photo to Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, using the hashtag #TextSantaKodakMoment.

Kodak Alaris will donate £1 to Text Santa overtime the hashtag is used.

The charity fundraiser appeal raises money and awareness for six UK based charities: Teenage Cancer Trust, Guide Dogs, WellChild, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Alzheimer’s Society and Together for Short Lives.

The appeal has raised £15

million for charities since it started in 2011.

All funds raised for Text Santa will be distributed equally between the six charities within three months of the appeal.

Paul Davey, Kodak Alaris spokesperson said: “Some of our most cherished moments happen around Christmas, so we believe Text Santa represents a worthy cause for

people to share some of their fun Christmas photos as Kodak Moments. It’s all in aid of some great charities, and we’re delighted to be a supporter of this year’s appeal.”

Phillip Schofield (@Schofe) launched ITV’s Text Santa with a 24 hour TV marathon on Monday 1st December.

Zeiss Launches LowCost Virtual Reality Headset Introducing the Zeiss VR One for Android and iPhone Unlike Sony’s virtual reality headset, Zeiss’ new offering, the Zeiss VR One, works for both Android and iPhone.

Users simply slot their smartphone (currently only iPhone 6 or Samsung Galaxy S5 but this will apparently be expanded in future) into the headset, which delivers two images for a 3D experience.

The company is releasing a software development kit to encourage developers to create apps compatible with the device.

RRP: £99.

Adobe Camera Raw Gets Update for Sony a7 II Adobe Camera Raw 8.7.1 has been released, adding support for the new Sony Alpha 7 II alongside a number of lens profiles for Canon, Leica, Nikon and Sony.

The updated software is for Photoshop CS6 and CC, offering bug fixes related to support for the Samsung NX1. Customers with older versions of Photoshop can use the DNG Converter provided. www.adobe.com/ support/downloads/new.jsp

DxO OpticsPro v10.1 Now Supports 6 New Cameras The image processing software has been updated with new features

DxO has announced the immediate availability of DxO OpticsPro v10.1, the latest version of its popular image processing software. The new version is now compatible with Lightroom and other third-party software.

The update also now supports the Canon EOS 7D Mark II, PowerShot G7 X, the GoPro HERO4 Black Edition, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 and the Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

The official press release said: “Based on a rigorous scientific calibration of photographic

equipment in DxO’s laboratories, DxO OpticsPro 10 offers the most powerful tools for automatically processing RAW and JPEG images: revolutionary PRIME denoising technology, DxO Smart Lighting intelligent exposure optimisation, and DxO ClearView elimination of haze.

“Its many controls allow photographers to adapt the processing to their own tastes so as to bring out the best in their photos in just a few clicks.”

DXO OpticsPro v10.1 will be available in two editions: ESSENTIAL and ELITE for Max and PC An offer will run on both versions until Christmas Day, offering the ESSENTIAL edition at £79

instead of £99, and the ELITE edition at £119 instead of £159.

Improvements include: • Extended compatibility with XMP standard • Improved display of visual presets • Improved tools for DxO FilmPack and DxO ViewPoint plugins • New DxO Optics Modules available To find out more about the new version of the software, visit www.dxo.com

www.pixel.co.uk 5

NEWS Nikon Teams Up With F1 For Charity

JVC Announces New Range of 4K Pro Video Cameras JVC has introduced the 4KCAM Pro Video Camera Line to the professional cinematographer market

“I have the best job in the world - and this is my office!” - Jenson Button

The Zoom charity auction invites Fumula 1 stars to take a photograph of ‘their world’.

These signed photos will then be auctioned off, alongside nine Nikon COOLPIX S9700 cameras each signed by a legendary F1 driver.

The funds raised on the night, held at London’s Intercontinental Park Lane on Friday 16 January, will go to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.

Jeremy Gilbert, Group Marketing Manager at Nikon UK, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting the Zoom initiative for another year. It’s a fantastic project that both raises money for an incredibly worthy charity and opens up the world of Formula 1 to fans through imagery, offering an exclusive perspective of the sport with behind the scenes images.”

The GYLS300 featurs 35mm CMOS sensor and a Micro Four Thirds mount to fit a range of interchangeable lenses. The GYHM200 offers HD streaming and 4K footage, while the GYHM17 is a “palm-sized” device.

All cameras were previewed at IBC earlier this year.

The JVC GY-HM200 is the most affordable in the line-up.

The three new cameras, the GY-LS300, GY-HM200 and the GY-HM170 are, according to JVC, ideal for a range of shooting situations.

All the models record to SDHC and SDXC media cards in a variety of formats, including 4K Ultra HD, Full HD and SD.

Compatible Accessories • JVC-SSL-JVC50 7.4V IDX Lithium-Ion Battery • Pearstone Digital Video Camcorder Bag • Manfrotto - 50dHD Head w/546B 2-Stage Aluminium Tripod System.

Find out more at www.jvc.co.uk

New Big-Screen Solutions From Philips Philips has announced a new 40” addition to its 4K Ultra HD display line-up

The new BDM4065UC display has UltraClear 4K UHD resolution with 3840 x 2160 pixels and true 8-bit and FRC colour depth.

Thomas Schade, Vice President EMEA at MMD said: “This new UltraClear UHD display is an exciting addition to the 4K line-up and sizes up the viewing experience at 4K level.

“With the clarity and brilliance of 4K UHD and 40 inches of screen real estate to play with, users will really notice the sense of space and precision detail in everything they do – from complex financial applications and scientific imaging

to gaming or streaming movies.”

The ultranarrow bezel design makes it possible to place two 40” displays side by side without the distraction of physical bezels, offering an unobstructed panoramic view.

The DisplayPort 1.2 digital PC-to-Display link supports data transfer speeds of up to 10.8

Gbps, for faster imaging and higher refresh rates.

Other top selling points include what Philips describe as ‘superfast USB 3.0’, and HDMI 1.4, for streaming high quality digital video and audio signals from a PC or other AV source.

RRP: £549.

Available: Now.

Polaroid Socialmatic Camera Launched It was announced earlier this year, but the ‘Instagram Camera’ will soon be available for pre-orders

Light and square shaped, the new Polaroid Socialmatic, which has been designed with social media brand Instagram, is a dead ringer for the Instagram app logo.

The WiFi enabled instant print camera houses a 14MP front camera and 2MP self camera, a 4.5” touchscreen display and built in Bluetooth, GPS and QR Code for easy sharing and identification on social media sites. The 21st Century Polaroid uses zero ink paper (Zink) for instant 2”x3” prints.

The Socialmatic is Polaroid’s latest attempt to make a comeback in the photographic industry. In September 2014, it launched the Polaroid Cube, a coin-sized HD

6 www.pixel.co.uk

a line of co-branded products. cube-shaped video camera – aimed Scott W. Hardy, President and at the lower end of the action cam CEO of Polaroid, market. said: “The The company, integrated instant which went printer and the bankrupt in 2011, direct connection was bought to social by two venture networks set capital firms that new standards in have since been the market and trying to revitalise brings back the the brand. Over unique Polaroid the past few years Polaroid Socialmatic Camera (Photo: Business Wire) feeling.” the company has The Polaroid bought a variety Socialmatic won the Photokina of products to the market, including Star 2014 at the imaging show in printers, tablets, TVs and cameras.

September this year. According to Lady Gaga was even enlisted as DP Review, the camera will retail at creative director in 2010, leading to

$299, or around £191, while a pack of 50 sheets will be another $20 (£12).

Top Selling Points • 14MP front camera, 2MP rear camera • 4.5” touchscreen • 4GB internal storage • Stereo speakers • GPS, WiFi and Bluetooth • LED flash • Instant filters • Remote printing capabilities • Micro SD for external storage The instant print camera is due to go on sale early 2015.

DS80-DX

Both sides for twice the value

DNP’s duplex printer DS80-DX for onsite photobooks and more.

Onsite photo products

Premium quality

Space-saving printer

Be your own boss: with DNP’s duplex printer, you decide yourself which photo products you offer. Crisp colours in customised greeting cards, calendars and even photobooks.

Produce it onsite, at premium quality, in a variety of formats. Offer even single-sided photos, as this printer can do both. Dedicated software available. The DS80-DX, your piece of independence!

www.dnpphoto.eu sales@dnpphoto.eu

www.pixel.co.uk 7

NEWS

Rise of Smartphones Encourages More People To Improve Photography Skills

The ease and convenience of smartphone cameras has caused more people than ever to want to improve their photography skills, according to research undertaken by online learning company Lynda.com

The survey, which looked into the nation’s photo habits, also found that 64% of Brits now use smartphones or tablets to take photos and 92% want to make the resulting photos look better. Of the respondents, 71% said they take more photos than necessary in the hope that one will be good enough.

Only a third said they experimented by changing the settings on their cameras.

Canon updates Digital Photo Professional 4 for new products Canon has updated its image editing software Digital Photo Professional 4 (DDP) to version 4.1.50.

The new update introduces support for new lenses and camera models. It also offers improvements to multiple functions.

The manufacturer says the improvements come as a response to feedback from APS-C and older full-frame owners keen for the ‘very latest Raw workflow solution’.

The software can now support the EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lenses, in addition to new cameras: the EOS-1D Mark IV, EOS 7D Mark II, EOS 7D, EOS 70D, EOS 700D, EOS 5D Mark II and the EOS 100D.

8 www.pixel.co.uk

Three quarters of those surveyed said they didn’t have the skills to use post production tools, but of those who did, the majority used Adobe Photoshop.

Alex Zivoder, Vice President and Managing Director - lynda. com EMEA, said: “This research highlights that quality is a high priority for many Brits, with the majority keen to create good photos. As devices get increasingly

sophisticated, many consumers are missing an opportunity by not making the most of their investment – mainly because they don’t have the confidence to use more than just a few of the basic camera functions.”

This research was undertaken by an e-learning site to highlight the need for training - but this training can happen in-store too with the right counter staff. When amateur customers come in looking for a

camera, it is the staff’s job to help them select the right product for their needs, and to make sure they understand how to make the most of it.

For independent retailers, it’s that one-to-one expertise that draws the customers in and fosters a sense of loyalty that not only benefits the retailer, but also helps the customer get the best out of their purchase too.

The Photography Show 2015: What’s New?

With Nikon confirming its return to the NEC next March for The Photography Show, we take a brief look at what we can expect in 2015 Feedback from last year’s four-day event has spurred the organisers to make a variety of improvement to next year’s Photography Show…

1. More Space The show has been relocated to Hall 5, which benefits from having more eating establishments and being closer to the railway station.

The organisers have also done some redesigning with the stalls, ensuring the aisles are bigger to accommodate the crowds.

2. Food Village More room has been dedicated to the show’s Food Village, which will offer a variety of catering options and places to sit, relax and take a break from the show.

3. New Exhibitors The Photography Show will welcome 50 new brands to the NEC on 2015, including Leica, Ricoh and Sony.

4. More Signage In such a huge space with so many people, it’s easy to get lost so this year the organisers have improved the signage and maps to guide visitors around.

5. New Attractions Aside from browsing the

products on display at exhibits, visitors in 2015 will have the option to enjoy a variety of new attractions, including streetscape, an urban street scene hosted by professional photographers who will give hands-on tips for better street photography.

Among the exhibitors Nikon has announced its return with a ‘fresh new interactive stand’ showcasing the latest cameras including the D750, the D3300 and selected COOLPIX models.

Jeremy Gilbert, Group Marketing Manager at Nikon UK said: “It’s one of the most significant dates in the calendar for us and is a great opportunity to get some face to face time with our customers.”

2014 ROUNDUP

A Cracking 25th Year for Pixel Continued...

“The Internet has changed the way we share and consume news and as such, Pixel has had to evolve. For the first time in the magazine’s history, the weekly edition went onlineonly, with an extended edition going to print monthly. ”

2. Team changes We welcomed the esteemed Damien Demolder onboard to help steer Pixel’s content, while Zoe Thomas took on the role of editor and Amy Watson was enlisted to manage the new Development Room platform, due for launch next year. We also moved offices to a bigger premises in the beautiful East Sussex countryside to make way for expansion in 2015.

3. Pixel Indie 150 In early April we drove up to Milton Keynes for the annual Pixel Indie 150 race day at Daytona - one of the best karting tracks in the country.

We were joined by dealers from all over the UK for an endurance race that saw MTF triumph for the second year running. We’ll be running the popular event again in 2015 so get in touch with simon@lifemediagroup.co.uk to register your interest.

4. Format changes The Internet has changed the way we share and consume news and as such, Pixel has had to evolve. For the first time in the magazine’s history, the weekly edition went online-only, with an extended edition going to print monthly.

5. 10th Pixel Trade Awards The calendar event of the year had to be the Pixel Trade Awards, the 10th ceremony we’ve held for retailers, dealers, manufacturers and press in the photographic industry. The evening went down brilliantly, with excellent food, topnotch entertainment from Bobby Davro and a charity auction that raised £4,000 for Action Medical Research. This had to be the ultimate highlight of the year!

2014: The Year of the Selfie 2014 has been the year of the selfie. The word was mentioned 92 million times on

www.pixel.co.uk 9

2014 ROUNDUP

“Even professional photographers are embracing smartphone technology. Fashion photographer Nick Knight shoots big assignments on his iPhone” Lee Mansfield Managing DIrector of Pixel and Simon Skinner Commercial Director of Pixel with Emma Mansfield and Sarah Knight

Pixel Indie 150

The Photography Show 2014

10 www.pixel.co.uk

twitter in the last 12 months, according to the social network’s most recent statistics.

It even became officially accepted for use in Scrabble. As more and more people across the world indulge their narcissistic sides online, manufacturers have had to race to develop products that meet the demand for both connectivity and quality.

People want to take photos on their smartphones and share photos from their cameras. The gap between the two sectors mobile and photography, has been bridged this year with revolutionary products like Samsung’s Android-based NX1 and HTC’s One (M8) smartphone. Thanks to this new social element of image taking, photography is now easier and more accessible than it has ever been before.

Even professional photographers are embracing smartphone technology. Fashion photographer Nick Knight shoots big assignments on his iPhone. In a recent Guardian interview he defended his choice of tool, saying: “The image isn’t sharp? Big deal! One of my favourite photographers is Robert Capa, whose pictures are a bit blurry sometimes – I love them because he’s captured a moment.

“What I’m into is visual connection to what I’m taking, not pin-sharp clarity. It’s absurd for people to think all photos need to be highresolution – what matters, artistically, is not how many pixels it has, but if the image works.

People fetishise the technology in photography more than any other medium.”

Not everyone who owns a smartphone or a camera has artistic talent. It’s this socalled ‘fetishism’ of technology that makes photography so widely accessible. It feeds the industry. Talent and knowledge is only part of photography, and it’s not a requisite. It’s the tools we get excited about: the cameras, lenses, filters and accessories that enhance the shooting experience.

The trend of the selfie might seem like a quirk of pop culture, or a teen fad, but this year it has changed the photographic

2014 ROUNDUP industry dramatically, both in terms of new technologies and new audiences. Selfies offer a doorway into photography. It might start with a smartphone but what about when users want to improve and upgrade?

Whether they upgrade to a higher end mobile, a compact camera, or even a DSLR, it can only be good news for the manufacturers, distributers and retailers who drive the industry.

Ask the Retailer: What’s in store for 2015?

We ask David Parkinson of Wilkinson Cameras to comment on the best selling products, top trends and emerging technologies for 2015: “Believe it or not most areas have shown some elements of positives. DSC is cowering at the bottom end of the market at the moment, while the “Premium” market has grown well, resulting in okay results for a category in massive decline. Best sellers Sony RX, Fuji X and new Panasonic 4K models are starting to gather pace.

“DSLR is another tough category, with entry-level having been hit the hardest.

However, once again the mid-to-top end has done well with the introduction of models such as the Nikon D810, D750 and Canon EOS 7D MKI, which are all selling well – when we can get stock!

“CSC has been probably the most active category this year with the introduction of many new models from Fuji, Panasonic and Olympus. These new cameras have pushed the category further up the wish list for many photographers. Great that we are now selling two systems to one customer.

“In the way of camcorders: traditional units are in massive decline. However, the “Action Cam” part of this category has done exceptionally well all year with of course GoPro being the outright winner. Huge shame stock has been so short over the peak period – something which I hope is corrected very soon!”

A New Year Message From Pixel’s Publishers Lee Mansfield and Simon Skinner: “It hasn’t been an easy time for the photographic industry; 2014 has been a strange, transitional period as we’ve all tried to find our place in a vastly different retail landscape. Over the past few years we’ve seen the pool of manufacturers and retailers retract significantly – a change that Pixel, formerly a weekly trade publication, has clearly had to evolve to meet. In 2012 we made a strategic decision to evolve the Pixel brand and for the first time in our 25 year history, we published a larger, monthly publication. The way people consume news has fundamentally changed – and we are well on our way to meeting that. We’ve moved elements of news distribution online and we’re in the process of rebuilding the Pixel website. The last piece of the jigsaw will come in the spring of 2015, a move that will transform Pixel from a news vehicle, to a news generator. We will sit at the heart of the industry, facilitating the spread of

Pixel Indie 150 Winner - Mike Tapa (MTF Services) knowledge, professional development and communication between all levels of the industry.

“2014 saw the the decline of the compact camera, the rise of CSC and a (slightly) unexpected revival of analogue. Photokina was a triumph, empowering the industry and showing us that there’s perhaps more life in photography than there has ever been before. We’ve seen Jessops weather the storm, and we hosted one of the best Pixel Trade Awards to date. For us, all of this points towards an even better future for the industry. A different future, yes – but one with a different set of opportunities for those who are ready and willing to take them.

“Finally, we would like to thank all those who have supported us throughout 2014.

“We hope you stick with us over the next year (and beyond!) and we look forward to showing you the fruits of our labour when the Development Room launches in a few months!”

“It hasn’t been an easy time for the photographic industry; 2014 has been a strange, transitional period as we’ve all tred to find our place in a vastly different retail landscape”

www.pixel.co.uk 11

2014 ROUNDUP

2014 – A Pivotal Year for the Digital Camera Market?

Richard Gregory of GfK comments on a year in cameras, highlighting the best performing categories

P

hotography has never been as embedded in our day-to-day lives as it is today. The millions of images uploaded daily to social media stands testament to this, with people sharing all sorts of photos from the inspirational to the enigmatic, the exciting to the simply banal. Against this proliferation in photography we have grown accustomed in recent years to strong declines in the photo sector as the cannibalisation of entry-level compact cameras from smart phones has bitten hard. This has continued to change the nature of the photo market in 2014, with the average selling price for digital cameras rising over 7% (YTD Nov 14) as the value opportunities have become increasingly concentrated on the enthusiast photographer.

2014 looks set to be a pivotal year when the market generates more value from the changeable lens segment than from fixed

12 www.pixel.co.uk

lens for the first time. In a market more used to double-digit declines it is worthwhile recognising the impressive double-digit growth from Compact System Cameras (CSC) which stands at 13% volume and almost 17% value YTD Nov 14, which is in part driving this trend.

Naturally, CSC growth benefits from being a relative immature market segment, however, it now rivals SLR for the number of models selling in the market, having seen a 10 fold increase since 2009. Continued investment here from key manufacturers could make this the segment to watch in 2015.

One area where CSC has seen strong growth and differentiated from its DSLR competition is in explicitly targeting the ‘Connected Consumer’ market. The connectivity and convenience of smart phone photography has been key to its success and so the fact that a CSC purchase is twice as

likely to be a wireless device than its SLR rival has been important in its success.

Looking to 2015 we expect to see these trends continue with wireless and CSC growing in importance to the market, but not necessarily seeing actual growth on 2014 sales. Importantly, within the volume fixed lens segment, opportunity will continue to be concentrated in the Superzoom and Compact Premium segment, least affected by improved quality of smart phone cameras.

Accessories are obviously tied into hardware purchases so a continued importance for changeable lens bags, tripods and higher capacity (and quicker) memory cards, though the 2015 trend would still be a decline on the 2014 performance across all these areas, apart from Micro SD cards which have the obvious link to smartphones and tablets to buoy those sales.

MEET THE FAMILY

Epson Pro inkjet quality print for event/studio photographers, pro labs and retail The Epson Surelab range of high quality inkjet printers brings Pro quality print within the grasp of all photographic businesses.

Whether your pro wet lab is coming to the end of its' life, your event photography business needs revitilising or your want to add a retail element to your business, there's an Epson Surelab perfect for you.

AVAILABLE IN THE UK FROM

COME AND SEE THE EPSON FAMILY AT

See the amazing Epson print quality for yourself.

Book a demo in our dedicated showroom or request a sample set.

Call Chris Castle on 07912 842509 or e-mail chris.castle@tetenal.uk.com

TEL: 0116 289 3644

|

e-mail: uk@tetenal.com

TETENAL STAND C101 21-24 MARCH. 2015. BIRMINGHAM NEC

|

www.pixel.co.uk 13

www.tetenaluk.com

Timeline 2014: A Year in Camera Announcements Pixel magazine has reported countless product announcements over the last 12 months – new DSLRs, CSCs, point and shoots, and even analogue and instant print. While we can’t fit every camera announced in 2014 on this spread, we can give a brief recap of just a handful...

July Lytro Illum With the Lytro Illum you can create living pictures that you can interact with an share with anyone.

The Lytro Illum’s 40 Megaray customised sensor, along with the patented microlens array technology, gives you the power to harness the entire light field. www.lytro.com

January

Panasonic LUMIX TZ60 The successor to the TZ40 is a travel zoom with 30x Optical Zoom and a built-in Live View Finder ideal for the growing customer base of amatuer photographers who want something more premium than a basic point-and-shoot. www.panasonic.com

Olympus OM-D E-M10 The E-M10 was Olympus’ third mirorrless Micro Four Thirds camera aimed at the slightly more serious photographer, combining a compact body with advanced SLR-like controls. www.olympus.co.uk

Olympus PEN E-PL6 The Olympus PEN E-PL6 is the perfect slim size for slipping into your handbag and easily taking great shots. It includes 12 Art Filters and 7 Art Effects. Get that creative shot you want with the tiltable LCD screen. Sharing pictures is easy: The Expression Kit includes a WiFi Card. www.olympus.co.uk

June

LUMIX DMC FZ1000 The LUMIX DMC FZ1000 features a large 1-inch sensor and a new bright LEICA lens with a 16x optical zoom, it brings everything up close with premium image quality. www.panasonic.com

September August Olympus PEN E-PL7 Aimed at the young, style-conscious crowd, the premium Pen E-PL7 makes selfies easy with the flip-down LCD. www.olympus.co.uk

14 www.pixel.co.uk

FUJIFILM X100T Packed with new features such as the world’s first electronic rangefinder – a high-quality fusion of optics and electronics – and the Classic Chrome mode, offering the simulation of a classic film style. www.fujifilm.com

SAMSUNG N-X1 Samsung has been at the forefront of ‘smart camera’ technology in 2014 - encapsulated by the NX1’s NX AF System III featuring a fast AF of 0.055s, with 205 Phase Detection AF points and 153 cross-type sensor for edge-to-edge focus coverage. www.samsung.com

February

Canon PowerShot SX700 HS The second announcement of the month was the ultracompact PowerShot SX700 HS, which packs a big 30x zoom for long distance close ups plus HS System, Full HD 60fps movies and Wi-Fi with NFC for quick and easy sharing. www.canon.co.uk

March Olympus SH-1 travel zoom Olympus managed to style a compact camera as a more premium PEN, appealing to the growing premium market with a lower cost option. www.olympus. co.uk

Canon Powershot S200 February was the month for Canon PowerShot, with two announcements including this HS System with an f/2 lens.

Emphasis for this product was on creativity, expression and social media sharing while on the move. www.canon.co.uk

Olympus TOUGH TG-3 Olympus grabbed the ‘action photography’ trend by the horns with its TOUGH TG-3 weather-proof compact camera, with built-in GPS and WiFi for adventurous photographers. www.olympus.co.uk

May

April

Nikon D810 One look at the jaw-dropping image quality possible with the D810 and you’ll never look at image quality the same way. The level of detail and sharpness, the wide dynamic range and rich tonality in nearly any light is simply staggering. www.nikon.com

PENTAX 645Z A ground-breaking camera that fulfills both supremacy in image quality and portability.

Approx. 51.4 effective megapixels, 43.8 x 32.8mm large CMOS image sensor. www.ricoh-imaging.co.uk

October

EOS 7D Mark II Canon pitched the highly anticipated 7D Mark II DSLR at the creative crowd, saying: “Whether it’s stills or movies, express your creative side like never before.” www.canon.co.uk

LUMIX G DMC-GH4 The GH4’s new Live MOS Sensor and Venus Engine team up to reduce noise while raising resolution and improving color reproduction.

Innovative DFD technology increases the speed of Contrast AF. www.panasonic.com

Sony Alpha 7S Sony pitched this as the world’s first full-frame sensor capable of full pixel readout on 4K video. It was one of the most highly anticipated announcements of the year. www.sony.co.uk

November

December

Panasonic CM1 Keeping up with Samsung, Panasonic released ‘the world’s slimmest communication camera’ using the latest Android OS. www.panasonic.com

Polaroid Socialmatic Polaroid Socialmatic combines the nostalgic appeal of vintage Polaroid instant print cameras with the ability to share using the camera’s built-in Wi-Fi and Android™ interface. www.polaroid.com/socialmatic

Sony A7 II The first model was so successful, Sony launched Mark II in the same year. www.sony.co.uk

www.pixel.co.uk 15

Polaroid Socialmatic Camera (Photo: Business Wire)

LYTRO ILLUM

Lytro Illum: Shaking up the Shops It’s a technological innovation that’s been compared by industry experts to the introduction of digital photography – but do retailers have the support and resources to effectively communicate light field cameras to potential customers?

“The Illum has its own set of rules for how to get a great shot; it comes with a huge, fun, strange learning curve, and it’s unlike any camera I’ve ever shot with.”

David Pierce, Editor of The Verge

16 www.pixel.co.uk

T

he ‘throw-out-the-rule-book’ Lytro Illum was launched officially in July 2014 after eight years of development led by founder Red Ng, whose Ph.D. research on light field photography won Stanford University’s prize for best thesis in computer science in 2006.

Designed specifically for digital photography, the Illum presents a new way of looking at and interacting with images on a screen. Unlike photography as we know it, the sensor captures more than just one plane of light. It captures additional spatial data such as the direction of light and the distance between objects, resulting in images that can be ‘explored’. For instance, images can be focussed after they’ve been taken, the perspective can be shifted and 3D scenes can be rendered.

David Pierce, Deputy Editor of The Verge, wrote in a recent review: “The Illum has its own set of rules for how to get a great shot; it comes with a huge, fun, strange learning curve, and it’s unlike any camera I’ve ever shot with. You’re shooting with layers, shooting something that people will be able to interact with later.”

But the Illum isn’t the first camera to be released by Lytro. It launched its first product to the consumer market in 2012: a rectangle pocket-sized light field camera – essentially a prototype – which helped the company scoop the Silicon Valley/ San Jose Business Journal’s Idea and Innovation Award in the same year.

The second generation Lytro - the Lytro Illum, is an altogether more sophisticated product with a price tag to match – at around £1,200.

LYTRO ILLUM

Intro2020 took over the distribution contract for the UK in September 2014 and Park Cameras became the first UK retailer to sell the product, on 15 October.

We caught up with Park’s Procurement Specialist Andrew Unwin to find out more about what it’s like to stock and sell this brand new technology.

“Interest in the Lytro has been excellent so far,” Andrew assured us. “As this is a new product for the industry, customers are taking more time when it comes to investing in the camera.”

With customers coming in-store to find out about the Lytro, the impetus is on counter staff to ensure the right points are communicated to help make a sale. Andrew said that to help with this, a representative was sent to both of Park’s stores to train staff on how to use both the camera and its software.

Intro2020’s Jane Nicholson confirmed this, saying: “One-to-one training is provided by Intro 2020 by our dedicated trainer. He is also available to demonstrate the Lytro system at in-store days and exhibitions. In addition, the Lytro website has a comprehensive selection of video tutorials.”

She added: “Our office based sales team and our team of Area Managers can offer advice and technical back-up when needed. We can also provide a counter top point of sale unit that includes video demonstrations and samples of photography.”

As such a new technology that not everyone has heard of or fully understands, who is the

target customer for the Lytro Illum? Andrew said: “We have a mixture of interest – from young photographers who take particular interest in the innovative software that Lytro offers, to seasoned pros who are looking for something different to their current DSLR.” Calumet also took this product in October 2014. Managing Director Jon Warner told us that they’ve had a wide variety of interest from all walks of life: “We have had enquiries from military photographers, education departments and civil engineers, to name just a few. We have also just received our first order from a UK police force. Units have also been sold to commercial, wedding and amateur photographers. We have also added the product to our extensive rental portfolio so that even more photographers are able to try out this new technology.

Jane said: “We have had many enquiries from consumers who have read press reports and tests both online and in magazines. Consumers have also seen the camera demonstrated at dealer days and shows.

“At dealer shows and events there has been a really good buzz around the product. It is also amazing to see consumer’s reaction to the camera when they see what it can do.”

Jon agrees that demonstration is the key to selling the Lytro Illum, advising other retailers to: “Show the camera and its remarkable capabilities to as many photographers as possible. Our team have really embraced this and together with the Intro 2020 supplied merchandiser, it has become a real talking point

“We have had enquiries from military photographers, education departments and civil engineers, to name just a few. We have also just received our first order from a UK police force.

Units have also been sold to commercial, wedding and amateur photographers.”

-Jon Warner, Calumet MD

www.pixel.co.uk 17

LYTRO ILLUM in store with our customers. It’s important for them to see how the technology works in a live environment and we will continue to develop new ways of showing this in store. “ Andrew from Park said: “For me the key to selling this product is to demonstrate not just the camera but also the software. Lytro has now created a stand which includes a tablet to demonstrate the power of the software.

“Whilst the camera is an amazing and innovative piece of kit, the software opens the possibilities of the images taken to a mind blowing effect,” he concluded.

How does the Lytro Illum work?

The Lytro Illum brings a whole new category to the market: light field photography. It was described by experts at photokina 2014 as ‘one of the most important trend topics at this year’s fair that promises to trigger a paradigm shift similar to the introduction of digital technology into the world of imaging’… But how does this pioneering technology actually work?

All of the light field technology sits inside the Illum’s large fixed lens. Inside, there is a 40 ‘megaray sensor’ which can capture the entire light field, including the direction, colour and brightness of every ray of light within the frame.

This means photographers can pick and choose focus, perspective and depth of field after the photo has been taken.

The lens extends 30-250mm and shoots at f/2.0 aperture, although users can stop down as afar as f/16 once it’s been taken. It features focus and zoom rings for manual control (offering 8x optical zoom) and the shutter fires at 1/4000th of a second.

The Lytro Illum is also equipped to connect with other devices wirelessly, enabling photographers to use their usual toolbox of equipment, including lights, flashes and desktop and mobile devices.

The software itself is described as ‘tablet class’ in terms of processing power. Users can compose, render and refocus every shot from the camera itself.

Top selling points • Brand new way of taking photographs - 40 megaray sensor captures all planes of light so photographers have total control over the scene • Light Field Engine 2.0 - powerful software with advanced playback controls to view all dimensions of every photo taken.

• Manual controls and DSLR-like body • 4” touch screen • Lytro button - pressing this button provides an interactive depth feedback display showing the relative focus of all objects in the frame, allowing composition in three dimensions.

• Versatile fixed lens offering 8x optical zoom with constant f/2.0 aperture and 1:3 macro for a wide range of shots without having to change lenses.

• Free storage for ‘living pictures’ on Lytro.com.

• Free desktop application for importing, processing and interacting with photos • Included: battery, battery charger, micro USB 3.0 cable, lens cap, lens hood, cleaner cloth, strap points, strap.

18 www.pixel.co.uk

TO GET THE SHOT & BRING IT BACK

ProTactic Series – Internationally taking markets by storm.

Innovative high performance backpack available in two sizes and the first camera backpack to feature a Molle system includes: • 4 access points • MaxFit System™ dividers, • 5 modular accessories • New ActivZone System™ for increased comfort.

For a demonstration and pricing contact your DayMen Sales Account Manager.

T F E W

0845 250 0790 0845 250 0791 info@daymen.co.uk www.lowepro.co.uk

©2014 DayMen Canada Acquisition ULC.

www.pixel.co.uk 19

FOCUS

The Pixel Development Room 2015 sees the launch of the next evolutionary step for Pixel Magazine – a specialist professional network for the photographic industry

It’s not quite the same as LinkedIn, it’s not quite Facebook or Twitter, but it’s designed to have a similar usability and a familiar user interface. The Pixel Development Room is a brand new platform – a social network/elearning hybrid. A place where photographic professionals can discuss trends, vent industry woes, comment on one another’s posts and keep up to date with the details

launched in 1989, and it will offer the delivery of industry news, back issues and comment in a way that regular websites cannot.

At the recent Pixel Trade Awards, held on 21 November 2014, Pixel’s Editorial Consultant Damien Demolder offered a speech introducing the Development Room to an audience of 200 manufacturers, distributors, retailers and members of the

Pixel Development Room: A Breakdown 1. The platform A professional network for photographic retailers, offering an open news and communication feed within the landing page, official accredited and incentivised training modules, videos and fact sheets from major manufacturers. The platform will be accessible to use via any computer or mobile device with an Internet connection. Being fully responsive, the site is user-friendly for all devices, whether smartphone or tablet.

of all the latest products launched by key manufacturers.

One of the main objectives with the platform is to offer a solution for retailers, where information and training resource are centralised; saving time and effort at a time where there are an increasing number of manufacturer-centric platforms to manage.

The Pixel Development Room has been in – well, development, since the middle of 2012.

The idea is simple: to provide a single platform where photographic industry professionals can share news, discuss trends and engage with a variety of tailored e-modules, films and info-sheets uploaded by Pixel on behalf of manufacturer partners.

The platform will stand as a significant step in the evolution of the Pixel brand, perhaps the most significant shift since the magazine

20 www.pixel.co.uk

press. He started with a round-up of the industry over the last year, saying: “I think we are all aware, in a general sense, that this industry creates a lot of new products every year, but I wonder if we all appreciate exactly how many items exist now that didn’t only 11 months ago. There have been 101 new mainstream cameras launched in 2014

so far. Add to that 61 new lenses from the principle DSLR and compact system brands, and God only knows how many flashguns, filters, memory cards and bags there have been coming on to the market since last Christmas.”

He continued: “For some people, myself included, keeping up with the constant flow of facts, figures and features that comes with all new photo equipment is a full time occupation, and in some organisations it requires a team that divides its members into specialities. To find out what each new camera, lens or accessory offers the enduser, it takes time, dedication and a degree of interest.

“I don’t need to explain to anyone in this room the importance of having properly trained and fully informed front-line troops greeting photography enthusiasts, and those at the beginning of their photographic journey, on the shop floors of our photographic stores. It is obvious that a well-trained and well-informed sales person will be of much more use to the customer, and will be in a better position to ensure the satisfaction of that customer will see him or her return in the future. Good service from front-line staff builds loyalty and trust, makes the tills ring and brings the reality of that luxury yacht moored off the coast of Sheppey a nautical mile closer for you.”

2. Badges & rewards As you progress through the items at your disposal within the Development Room, you will be rewarded with custom badges, which you’ll then find within your personal area in your profile.

Pixel will acknowledge these achievements and will publish regular national leader boards highlighting individual achievements too, both on the platform an in a dedicated section of Pixel Magazine.

FOCUS

3. Profile Once logged in, you will be able to build your personal profile, which will be visible to you, your team, group and industry (depending on parameters set by management).

You can add your picture, nickname etc. as you would in other more established social media platforms. Your experience level will be displayed and will reflect the level of your involvement and accomplishments from within the platform.

From your personal log in, you’ll find assets and resources for product training.

Management will assign some of this resource and some will be available to discover at your leisure.

For the most part you’ll be able to engage with other users, post interesting pictures, videos, (ahem… bearing in mind that Pixel will be administering the platform) and comments in the newsfeed area, where you’ll find Pixel posting latest issues and breaking news.

“I’ve been hanging around camera shops quite a lot recently, and have come to experience that world from the other side of the counter. I have seen where things go right and where they go wrong, and I can appreciate the immensity of the task that is keeping teams motivated and up-to-date. There is a balancing act that needs to be performed, between the desire for an educated shop floor and the requirement for that shop floor to be populated.

I know that time in books is time not spent selling, and that not everyone is as inclined to better themselves as Daisy, the kitchen maid from Downtown Abbey.

“Training has to be thorough, but also made convenient, time-efficient and rewarding – otherwise it doesn’t get done. It is with this in mind that the Pixel team is launching The

Development Room – to bring a breadth of first class training, produced in part by the brands themselves and in part with the team at Pixel on a huge range of equipment, together in one place.

“Staff will need one web address and one password, and from one place will be able to access training materials from multiple manufacturers and will be able to interact and discuss technical issues with like-minded counter staff from all over the country. I wonder

when we will see our first Development Room baby. Store managers will be able to monitor their progress through modules and to ensure they are keeping abreast of the products and USPs that are important to their business.

“Success stories (and weddings) will be reported in the print and online editions of Pixel magazine, creating both engagement and encouragement for shop staff to improve themselves and to win Development Room rewards. There will come in the shape of competitions, incentives and leader boards for staff to measure themselves against.

“I hope you will all agree that this is a great initiative, and one that fits well with Pixel’s central role within the trade side of our industry.

If you are a photographic retailer, or if you manufacture or distribute goods that require a degree of knowledge and explanation to sell in an effective manner, I urge you spend some time looking at this project to see how it could make your life easier.

“Educating counter staff costs money, for both the retailer and the manufacturer, but when we can provide first class, educated service we generate loyalty in our customers – and then we don’t have to be the cheapest in town for those customers to come back in the future.”

4. The cost The Pixel Development Room is free to access. Sign up is free and making a profile is free. It is als free for all retailers to use all features and content. In a word, it’s free!

For more information call (01323) 819007 or email amy@pixel.co.uk www.pixel.co.uk 21

BIG INTERVIEW

Leica Gains Momentum on UK High Street Leica UK Managing Director Jason Heward talks to Pixel about Leica’s increased accessibility on our High Streets

“it’s important that we dispel the myth that Leica is beyond the reach of most people interested in photography.

The longevity of our products means that many people start their journey with the brand through the second-handmarket”

22 www.pixel.co.uk

L

eica has a rich 100-year history as a premium camera brand. The cameras are not produced for mass market, designed instead for the relatively small percentage of keen photographers who can afford the precision-crafted German technology. It has a reputation as a ‘legendary’ brand, having been used by famous photographers to capture some of the most iconic images in history, such as the kissing sailor in Times Square from 1945, the world’s most reproduced portrait of Che Guevara and the harrowing photograph of children running from napalm attacks in Vietnam. Thanks to its rich heritage, the red dot branded on every Leica camera has become one of the most powerful and coveted logos in photography. For this reason, it has been a surprise for many to see Leica team up with larger High Street shops in 2014, including Park Cameras and one of the most prolific photographic shop chains in the UK: Jessops.

Previously, Leica’s strategy was to keep its retail channels small and defined, enlisting only a limited number of dealers to stock a wider range of equipment. Before resigning from his post as Leica MD in the summer of

2014, David Bell told us: “Leica used to have 200 stockists in the UK. Our products cost a lot of money so most of those retailers held only a small selection of our range in stock, which meant they couldn’t show customers the breadth of cameras and lenses that the company had to offer. That wasn’t much good for Leica or for the customer who wanted to see and touch something that retailer didn’t have.

“We are a small company and only have so much product to sell, so we can’t be everywhere. Leica is a luxury brand, so it needs to be in the right place with the right volume and type of footfall.”

Jason Heward, who has since taken over as General Manager at Leica UK, assured us that the company’s policy hasn’t changed – despite having increased presence in more ‘mainstream’ places. He said: “Our policy has always been to ensure that customers have access to a range of Leica products. This can differ from store to store – the context of the store which they are visiting should and will determine which products are on display.”

He did however admit that with new retailers

BIG INTERVIEW selling Leica products, some of the displays are ‘different to what has been seen in the past’.

He added: “It is important that we respond to the call for Leica to be more accessible.”

In our Leica interview in the summer, David Bell emphasised the need for Leica to be sold by knowledgeable and genuinely passionate staff, saying: “Leica needs to be sold by people who love the brand and who have invested their own time in knowing about it, about the intricacies of the system – modern and historic.

Our customers want to deal with people who share their interest and who have an in-depth knowledge, because they want to ask in-depth questions.”

Jason agrees. He said: “It is hugely important that people selling Leica understand the products and the brand. We have a unique heritage and position in the market and the brand experience needs to reflect this.”

But how does the company ensure counter staff at Jessops, some of whom are part time or weekend workers, know what they are talking about when dealing with a Leica customer who may be expecting a high level of knowledge and customer service? Jason explained: “We work closely with each of our retail partners. We run regular training for retail partners at our headquarters and in their stores.

“We are in a privileged position of working with small numbers. This means that the training they receive is tailored to their needs. It is amazing just how many people in photography retail are both Leica owners and advocates for the brand. It’s important that we dispel the myth that Leica is beyond the reach of most people interested in photography.

The longevity of our products means that many people start their journey with the brand through the second-hand market.”

This essentially means that Leica is becoming accessible to a wider range of photographers – not just those with serious cash to splash.

Jason does not think that this accessibility will decrease Leica’s value as an exclusive brand – instead it: “Gives photographic customers an

alternative to the more mass market products,” he said.

But what will smaller shops already stocking Leica make of this expansion into High Street chains? Jason said: “We share in the success of all of our retail partners and an important step to achieving this is harmony in the market.

We are not looking to change this but clearly it is in everyone’s interest to have new Leica customers.”

David Stephens is Manager of Stephens Premier Limited in Manchester, the UK’s only appointed Leica Store outside of the Mayfair head office. The store is built on the expertise of the people who work there: David himself, whose father started the business in 1960, Richard, a passionate Leica film user and experienced professional photographer, and Ben - David’s son, who hopes to continue the family tradition.

“I decided to become an independent Leica only store in 2010 and continued this until we approached Leica UK earlier this year with a request to upgrade to ‘Leica Boutique Status’.

This entailed having a few Leica-supplied display cabinets within our store.

“After several meeting with the management

of Leica AG and Leica UK it was decided that we would fully upgrade to Partner Leica Store.

So in late September work commenced to refit the interior to Leica Store specification with corporate colour schemes, lighting and ceramic flooring.”

Because they are still an independent retailer, they were given some ‘minor discretionary input into the design’ but, as David explained: “Basically upon entering the shop the customer will feel he or she is in a corporate Leica Store.”

He continued: “This upgrade now allows us to promote the business as Leica Store Manchester and gives our clients the confidence that they are purchasing Leica equipment with the full backing of the Leica company.

“We are now the first and, as yet, the only UK based Leica Store outside Leica UK’s own corporate Store in Mayfair London and are recognised in the same status as Leica Store’s around the world.

“Having made significant investment in this project we feel that the brand Leica, like other major brands, should have representation in designated outlets. That can only instil confidence in the end user’s buying experience.”

When asked whether Leica’s presence in High Street chains troubles him, David replied: “I feel this can only benefit the brand and have the confidence in our own sales and service etiquette as not to be concerned by this strategy.

“With my colleagues Richard Clarke, Steve Hamer and my son Ben, 2015 will be a very exciting year for us as we are organising a very special event and official opening in early June.”

It has been a big year for Leica, with the company celebrating a century in business with a variety of events, exhibitions and new products. Despite having a rich heritage in film, it seems this old-time brand is keeping up with the explosion of digital. In November 2014 the first Leica store opened in Jakarta, Indonesia – a market the company views as increasingly promising for the photographic industry.

Whatever 2015 has in store for the imaging world, it’s clear to see Leica – and hopefully all of its partners, will get a good slice of it.

www.pixel.co.uk 23

ARE YOU READY?

ADVERT The Next Step in Communication for the Imaging Industry Contact amy@pixel.co.uk for more information

24 www.pixel.co.uk

INSIGHT

Camera World Makes Sweet Sale With Lord Sugar Business mogul and photography enthusiast Alan Sugar turns up unexpectedly at Camera World

L

ord Sugar reportedly visited the store at Wells Street on 15 December to part exchange his 1970s Nikon outfit, including a mint condition Nikon F2A, for a brand new Canon EOS 5D MKIII worth £2,298.

Camera World’s Managing Director Jason Mitchell said: “He was an absolute delight to serve and engaged in conversation with our staff about The Apprentice, his travels and his long interest in photography.

“He chose us from the three other retailers in the immediate area because he was recommended by a BBC colleague due to our high level of personal service.”

Lord Sugar allegedly started his successful career at school, selling rolls of film to his peers.

Jason added: ”Lord Sugar tweeted his delight at our exceptional service to his 3.5

million followers and has allowed us to use and promote his name in advertising.”

Lord Sugar later tweeted that his business partner Susan Ma (former Apprentice candidate, the first non-winner to receive investment from Lord Sugar) had just had her camera stolen from her car at Covent Garden NCP car park.

This led to a brief altercation between the Amstrad founder and an Arsenal fan, who accused Lord Sugar of using the situation for ‘advertising’, to which he replied: “RT:nice advertising…..advertising what you cynical pri.. don’t worry I paid for my new camera.”

Lord Sugar then blocked the fan.

Never underestimate the power of a celebrity tweet for your business! Have any other retailers welcomed in a celebrity customer? Let us know zoe@pixel.co.uk

www.pixel.co.uk 25

BIG INTERVIEW

New Print Options for Retailers: Epson D700

Craig Bird, Marketing Manager at Tetenal Ltd answers questions about Epson’s latest SureLab – the D700

T

he Epson SureLab D700 had its UK launch in February 2014, offering photographic retailers a compact solution to high quality, high volume photo printing instore and at events.

The SureLab prints in a variety of sizes, making it versatile enough for commercial use – printing anything from 4” to A4 wide and 3.5-3.9” long.

Its low maintenance costs also make it a seriously viable option for both retailers and professional photographers. Here, we speak to Craig Bird from official distributor Tetenal – recent winners of Distributor of the Year at the 2014 Pixel Trade Awards.

How has the D700 improved since the first SureLab? The product is evolving all the time but the main focus has been on increasing the available printing surfaces. The Epson unit now prints three different surfaces, Matt, Gloss and Lustre How has it sold since first launching?

Sales have been very impressive and it

26 www.pixel.co.uk

continues to attract a lot of interest. It is proving particularly popular with pro hotographic studios and the event photography market..

How can it help print shops boost their income and expand their businesses?

The D700 will plug into a windows PC and Mac offering the retailer a much faster print fulfilment / service. In addition, it enables them to keep more of their professional printing in-house and therefore more profit. It enables them to attract more of the professional photographer work as the quality rivals that of a traditional wet lab.

What has the feedback been so far from retailers?

They are really impressed with the quality. The matt is particularly impressive from an inkjet machine such as this. The ability to produce panoramic prints is also a really popular aspect.

How long do you estimate it would take to break even and start making profit from the printer?

That depends on the volumes of work and the

amount charged but when you can finance the unit for £85.00 per month it is easy to see the D700 printer is an obvious way to increase profits and service times without a large capital investment How can retailers get hold of an Epson SureLab? At Tetenal Ltd we have a showroom full of Epson equipment where the D700, Epson SLD3000 sure lab and D7 Studio are all available for a demo.

Key Features • Flexibility, printing cards, invitations, flyers, promotional leaflets on a wide range of formats including glossy, lustre and matte roll paper from 102-210mm wide and 89-100mm in length.

• Compact, fitting into a photo kiosk or desktop • High quality, 6-colour printer with inkjet technology, using Epson UltraChrome D6-S ink, resolution of 720dpi x 1440dpi • Cost effective, with a long service interval and long-lasting blade

www.pixel.co.uk 27

Prynt: The Instant-Print Smartphone Case Coming to Britain The French tech start-up is looking to cross the channel with an innovative answer to photo print in the digital age. Here we speak to Prynt CEO Clement Perrot…

F

rench-born Clement Perrot has a string of qualifications from some of the most prestigious institutions in the world, including Ecole Polytechique, one of the best engineering schools in France, and University of California Berkely, the alumni of which includes founder of MySpace Tom Anderson, inventor of the computer mouse Doug Engelbart and cofounder of Apple computers Steve Wozniak.

Since graduating, Clement has helped launch a number of tech-related start-ups. Now, the serial entrepreneur may well have hit the jackpot with Prynt, a phone case that turns a smartphone into an instant-print camera.

The idea came to him at a party – “David (co-founder) and I were at a party with some

28 www.pixel.co.uk

of our friends, and one of them had brought a Polaroid Camera,” he explained. “We realised that even amongst our generation, which wasn’t born during the fame of Polaroid, people are still amazed by that device.

“Every one of those instant printed pictures appeared to be worth more than 10,000 digital ones, as everybody wanted to be in it, and keep it once it was printed. We realised that those photographs carried many more emotions and memories than any other, and that was something that we wanted to re-create. But the smartphone was the only platform we saw as relevant, and that’s why we decided to create those cases.”

The cases, which work for both iPhone and

Android, slot onto the smartphone and plug directly into the charging port so no WiFi or Bluetooth connection is required. On the side of the case there is a camera-style handgrip and trigger button, and once a photo is taken, it takes just 30 seconds to print.

Prynt will be launched on crowdfunding site Kickstarter in 2015 to fund mass production of the product. Clement said: “We just went through a 4-month acceleration program called Haxlr8r, based in Shenzhen China. Start-ups that go through this program manage to raise on average $300,000; which is something we think is possible for Prynt.”

The Haxlr8r programme promises hardware hopefuls $100,000 for 9% equity and includes

BIG BIG INTERVIEW INTERVIEW

office space and workshops for 111 days in Shenzhen, concluding with a launch day in San Fransisco. At the launch Prynt enjoyed plenty of attention from the press. In fact, an interview with TechCrunch became the site’s second most shared article of 2014, with 70,000 shares in total.

Clement said: “I guess it’s a good reception!”

The last few years has seen a dramatic shift for the photo print industry, with social media making it easier than ever to snap and share images without the need for printing them. There are still pockets of analogue-lovers in the photography market but Clement believes it’s not the ‘film generations’ who hanker for the golden days of print: “I think there are two types of people interested in Prynt,” he said. “The first one is the ‘nostalgic’ type, the people who used to print pictures, but stopped because it was too expensive, inconvenient, or incompatible with social media. But what we came to realise is that the ‘digital natives’ are also interested in printed pictures, even if they never experienced it. They see it as a new way of expression and communication.

“I think the shift between analogue and digital photography has been too fast and significant; and that’s why there are many middle-ground solutions developing, such as apps allowing you to order pictures from your phone, or photo booths for parties…”

Prynt is not the first instant-print smartphone printer to launch on Kickstarter. There is also a

device called the Snapjet, a portable opensource instant film printer that produces ‘retinaquality’ prints from any phone, ‘even an old flip phone’, according to the web page. It works by scanning the actual screen and printing directly onto Fujifilm paper.

How does Prynt stand up to this competition? “We already met the brothers from Snapjet, and we hope they are going to succeed,” Clement answered. “Instant Photography is large enough for several actors.”

“They are using Fujifilm paper, which is $1.20 (76p) per sheet, while we are using another technology called Zink, $0.30 (19p) per sheet.”

Zink, or ‘zero ink’ technology works by heating colour-forming molecules embedded in layers of the Zink paper, creating images in full colour without the need for ink.

Clement added that Snapjet is only at the prototyping stage, while Prynt is miles ahead already selecting their manufacturing partners and preparing for industrialisation.

The creative aspects of photography have also been explored by Prynt: “We developed a lot of options on our app, such as adding filters, frames or text on every picture to make it one of a kind. And we have other surprises that we’ll reveal during our campaign.”

One of the more creative features of the Prynt app is an ‘augmented reality’ function.

“The last few years has seen a dramatic shift for the photo print industry, with social media making it easier than ever to snap and share images without the need for printing them.”

www.pixel.co.uk 29

BIG INTERVIEW

“We developed a lot of options on our app, such as adding filters, frames or text on every picture to make it one of a kind.

And we have other surprises that we’ll reveal during our campaign.”

This is where the camera actually records a few seconds leading up to the moment the photo is taken, so when the user then points their camera at the physical print, they see the photo come to life on their smartphone’s screen.

Clement said that this function will ‘bring these pictures into the 21st century.”

Already the entrepreneur has his eye on the British market, saying: “We are currently selecting our distribution partners, and the UK is definitely a targeted market.”

The product is reasonably priced at $99 (£63) for Kickstarter backers, retailing at either $129 (£82) or $139 (£88) “depending on the deals we manage to get from retailers”, Clement added.

The company is also prepared for technological changes in the future by designed a ‘modular case’ that attaches to a mount for any smartphone. “One of our concerns was that you can keep the Prynt case when you change your smartphone, and only need to buy an adaptor.

“We are already available for iPhone 5, 6 as well as Galaxy S4 and S5,” he said.

Find out more about Prynt by visiting www.pryntcases.com

CREDITS & CONTACTS

Managing Director/Publisher: Lee Mansfield 01323 819007 lee@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Editor: Zoe Thomas 01323 819011 zoe@pixel.co.uk

Subscriptions: Linda Grace 01323 819015 linda@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Commercial Director: Simon Skinner 01323 819017 simon@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Editorial Design: Harriet Weston 01323 819010 harriet@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Operations Director: Clare Fermor 01323 819016 clare@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Design Assistant: Amy Watson 01323 819018 amy@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Published by: LMG SE LTD (Life Media Group) 1 Swan Business Centre, Swan Barn Road, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 2BY

Editorial Consultant: Damien Demolder 01376 339240 damien@damiendemolder.com

Accounts: Amelia Wellings 01323 819016 amelia@lifemediagroup.co.uk

30 www.pixel.co.uk

Printed by: Gemini Press Unit A1 Dolphin Way, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex BN43 6NZ

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 2014©

The Photography Show is the premier platform for professional and aspiring photographers.

Join us in March and discover the latest kit and accessories from world-class brands, explore our interactive live stages and gain access to a wealth of information and networking opportunities to enhance your photography business.

Register today for free (saving ÂŁ18)* at:

photographyshow.com * Pre-registration closes on 16/03/2015, visitors buying on the door will need to pay the standard adult ticket rate.

www.pixel.co.uk 31

32 www.pixel.co.uk