Pixel Magazine - Issue 967 2016 by Life Media Group

ISSUE NO. 967

www.pixel.co.uk

INSIDE

September 2016

EISA AWARDS 2016, CAMERAJABBER.COM, BEHIND THE COUNTER, FOCUS: LIGHTING, BOWENS NEW GM, PIXEL TRADE AWARDS 2016, THE IMAGING ALLIANCE, 30 YEARS OF VERITEK, NEWS AND MORE...

In This Issue... • Pixel continues the popular focus on various sectors in the imaging industry with this study on lighting. P12. • Bowens gets a new GM following Calumet International buyout. P18. • 30 years supporting the photo industry: In:Print looks at Veritek’s history and its extremely bright future. P25.

Canon Announces the Mighty EOS 5D Mark IV Billed as the camera for photographers in pursuit of the perfect shot, Canon extends the hugely popular 5D range ahead of Photokina

EISA AWARDS 2016-2017

The European Imaging and Sound Association, consisting of representatives from nearly 50 specialist magazines from 23 European countries, have recently announced their 2016-2017 winners for a range of different award titles at the annual EISA Awards after carefully testing various consumer electronic products manufactured by worldwide brands. Originally starting in 1982 when members came together to carefully select “The Camera of the Year” for the first time, the EISA Awards have become a respected celebration of products in the imaging and sound industry, and are now known as one of the most prestigious consumer recommendations that products of this kind can receive. Find the full list of winners on P16. PHOTO -

IMAGING -

As Pixel went to press for September, the team caught wind of the latest releases coming from Canon UK. They have announced the launch of the much-anticipated VIDEO

AUDIO

the range and with the subsequent release of the 5DII, they basically and inadvertently invented a serious DSLR videography solution.

addition to the EOS 5D range; the EOS 5D Mark IV. Since the launch of the original 5D in 2005, Canon has been setting photographic benchmarks with -

MOBILE

STATS

PEOPLE

Continued on page 8... -

RETAIL

BUSINESS

NEWS

Experience something new www.pixel.co.uk 1

UNLEASH YOUR CREATIVITY! Welcome to the Tiffen PRO100 Series Camera Filter System

The sleek and innovative design of our filter holder enables you to use up to two Tiffen Award Winning 4mm thick glass Motion Picture/Television filters at once, giving you the opportunity to create images like never before. Visit us at tiffen.com

2 www.pixel.co.uk

• Extremely durable aluminum frame equipped with rubberized grips, allowing for a secure fit for 4X4 and 4X5.650 filters • Holds up to two, 4mm thick filters • Fully rotatable adapter ring • Edge sealed to prevent light leaks* • Works with adapter rings from 49mm-82mm

NEWS

WELCOME To Pixel Magazine What a month it’s been. So much going on during the run up to Photokina, we’ve been practically bursting at the seams at the Pixel Towers. Those of you who spotted the announcement on P1 of this issue (how could you miss it) should take a minute to skip to page 8, where you’ll find everything that you need to know about the new, and highly anticipated EOS 5D IV from Canon. Following on from our focus feature on the Memory sector in our August issue, we’ve produced an illuminating exposé on lighting for

September. Head to page 12 for plenty of opinions and comment. Elsewhere we ask the questions that matter to the new team at the Imaging Alliance, formerly PMAI and PMDA as news of their collaboration hits the office P14). We also catch up with Bowens to learn more about their (and Calumet’s) recent takeover (P18) and much, much more throughout, including a comprehensive catch up with the team at Veritek Global as they continue to take over the world! This edition of Pixel Magazine is dedicated to the memory of Dave Murray - 10th Dec 1954 – 16th August 2016. Simon, Editor Jenny Ardagh, Deputy Editor

Nikon Launches the First SuperTelephoto Zooms to Boast the New AF-P Stepping Motor Nikon has updated its portfolio of DX NIKKOR lenses with two new lightweight super-telephoto zooms: the AF-P DX NIKKOR 70300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR and the AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED. These lenses – fast, quiet and precise – are a great way to explore the advantages of telephoto photography and, whether you’re shooting distant subjects or amateur wildlife photos, the adaptable 70-300mm focal range magnifies the action, resulting in crisp, sharp focus. An extra-low dispersion (ED) glass element

in each lens delivers images with vivid colour, crisp detail, and perfectly rendered contrast. Nikon’s Stepping Motor ensures smooth and fast autofocus, making photo capture easy when zooming into the subject, and the D3400 weighs in at just 400g, ensuring easy portability. The Nikon super-telephoto zoom lenses are available from September 15th with an RRP of; £299.99 for AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED

Industry News Bites Find out more info on this month’s news bites at Pixel.co.uk

BenQ’s Dynamic New Photo and Video Editing Monitor Offers Consistently Accurate Colour XP Distribution have announced BenQ’s brand-new 27” monitor that meets the growing demands of photographers that edit both stills and video content. Built with the promise of uncompromising colour performance and including powerful calibration tools, the PV270 delivers a monitor for pro users that require reliable colour throughout their workflow. The BenQ PV270 has been built with ‘still meets motion’ in mind, giving professional photographers the best of both worlds. The Adobe RGB coverage encompasses most of the colours producible for photography, whereas the Rec. 709 coverage and the DCI-P3 colour gamut is crucial for video post-production work. The PV270 is a well positioned product for professional

photographers currently editing video or for those thinking about moving into video. The display includes brightness uniformity, offering a more authentic and consistent viewing experience. The 2560 x 1440 (QHD) resolution delivers the crisp picture quality expected for close reviews and detailed editing, and the spacious 27” wide-screen view provides greater comfort and productivity. Key features include a 5 year warranty with zero pixel defect guarantee for the initial 6 months, 27” large screen, backlight sensor, colour display clone, Palette Master Colour Calibration Software and monitor hood. The PV270 monitor has an RRP of £788.40 including VAT, and is available now via XP Distribution: www.xpdistribution.com

Olympus Binoculars Arrive at Hunstanton Swains have selected a range of binoculars in conjunction with Olympus. This range starts with a pair of 7 x 35 that offer a guide price of £54.99. Stuart Boston said: “We are often asked for Zoom binoculars and the

Olympus 8-16 x 25 fit the bill at a price that should appeal to many holidaymakers £79.99.” More information to come or in the meantime, contact your Swains Regional Sales Manager or email sales@swains.co.uk

UNLEASH YOUR £349.99 for AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR

CREATIVITY! Spend £200 - £500

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www.pixel.co.uk 3

Images are for illustration purpose only and may differ from what is sent depending on availability.

NEWS Shoot Brilliantly and Share Instantly with Nikon’s All-new D3400 D-SLR Nikon presents the D3400, the DX-format D-SLR - Nikon’s first entry-level D-SLR to possess SnapBridge*1, making it the perfect camera for consumers who care about sharing their images on the go. Nikon’s SnapBridge employs Bluetooth low energy (BLE) technology, allowing the camera to maintain a constant, low-power link with any smartphone or tablet. D3400 users can sync images automatically as they shoot, no matter where they are. Additional key features include low-light excellence, guide mode

for users who are unfamiliar with D-SLR photography, an expandable system which is compatible with the full range of NIKKOR DXformat lenses, and the Nikon D-SLR advantage – impeccable speed, precision and handling thanks to the razor-sharp autofocus system and bright optical viewfinder. The Nikon D3400 D-SLR is available from 15th September with an RRP of: £399.99 for D3400 Body Only. £469.99 for D3400 + 18-55mm AF-P NVR Kit. £489.99 for D3400 + 18-55mm AF-P VR Kit.

Jake Helman Joins Cameraworld In a recent announcement from Cameraworld’s MD, Jason Mitchell, Jake was introduced as a Director alongside Abby Mitchell and Tony Stent. After spending four years at the helm of photo retailer, Digital Depot, Jake takes his experience of building sales and profit, joining the well-established and experienced team at Cameraworld as a Director of the business. In his statement, Jason said: “Despite Jake’s annoying youth, he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Cameraworld and we have no doubt that he will make a significant contribution to our business”. Jason also outlined Jake’s future duties at Cameraworld, stating: “Jake’s

responsibilities will include buying, marketing, cleaning the toilets and my personal caddie”. Everyone at Pixel mag wishes Jake the very best of luck in his new role!

“THETA+ Video for Android” 360° Image Editing App Capable of Editing 360° Spherical Images Ricoh Company Ltd. and Ricoh Imaging Company Ltd. have announced the launch of “THETA+ Video” for Android, an Android app version of the THETA + Video app for editing video captured with the RICOH THETA 360° camera. “THETA+ Video” makes it easy to edit and process 360° video captured with the RICOH THETA S and RICOH THETA m15 and time lapse videos created with the currently released app, THETA+. It enables trimming, switching the view, changing colour tone, and inserting background music.

Video can be cropped to the preferred angle then posted and shared on social media channels such as Instagram and Facebook. Editing as 360° video without cropping can also be done and posted directly on Facebook. Moreover, videos posted on Facebook and YouTube can be rotated when viewed. Edited videos can be posted on social media channels such as Instagram and Facebook. “THETA+ Video for Andriod is available to download for from Google Play for Android 4.4 to 6.0.

Waterproof & Shockproof Nikon COOLPIX W100 Nikon’s compact COOLPIX range has a brand new addition that’s made for adventure at home or abroad: the 13.2-megapixel COOLPIX W100. It can descend up to 10m underwater and is shockproof, dustproof and coldresistant, promising that it can be taken almost anywhere. Additionally, the Bluetooth low energy (BLE) technology allows the user to maintain a constant power connection. The COOLPIX W100 allows automatic transfer of high-quality photos to smart devices for easy storage and social sharing. Also,

the camera has dedicated onetouch buttons and an easy-to-use interface, making it very simple to operate – even for kids with a special children’s menu. The Facepriority AF feature can detect a subject’s facial area and will then focus on it, while the underwater face framing takes shots automatically when a facial area is detected underwater. A late delivery for the holiday season, the W100 has an RRP of £129.99 and is available. from 8th September from your preferred Nikon supplier.

2016 Range

• Compact Cameras • Binoculars • Spotting Scopes Available from

4 www.pixel.co.uk Telephone: 01485 536200 E-mail: sales@swains.co.uk

LUXMEDIA Z212 CAMERA

MARINE II 7X50 BINOCULARS

DELTA 15-45X60MM SCOPE

20MP CCD Sensor • 12x Optical Zoom Lens (OIS) Wireless for easy sharing • 2.7 inch LCD Screen 64MB Internal Memory • Video: 720p30/VGAp30 26 fun and creative modes • Storage: Micro SD Card

Magnification: 7x • Lens diameter: 50mm Integrated illuminating compass • Internal rangefinder reticle • Fully multi-coated optics Waterproof, fog-proof and nitrogen purged

Magnification: 15x - 45x • Objective Lens: 60 mm Exit Pupil Diameter: 4.5mm (at 15x) - 1.5mm (at 45x) Fully Multi-Coated Lens • Prism Glass: BAK4 Angular Field Of View: 3.0° (at 15x) - 1.39° (at 45x)

DAVE MURRAY

Farewell Dave Murray!

It is with a heavy heart that Pixel reports on the passing of Dave Murray

Dave Murray

A Lifetime in Imaging • Dave was kicked out of university, aged 18, for playing rugby instead of studying. • He then started work as a junior salesman for Elena Mae, a Scottish photo retailer who, at the time, operated between 20-30 stores. • He then joined an independent operation called Vennal Cameras in Ayr (who are still trading). • From here, Dave took a year out, working with Cadbury/Schweppes, learning the ropes of working as a sales rep. Then, onto… • JJ Silber, looking after the traditional territory of Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North East of England. • After four years with JJ Silber, Dave moved on to work under the almighty Stafford Ford at Introphoto, where he spent five years looking after both consumer - and pro-facing activities with both Jim Mackay and Mac Bills. • This post took Dave through to 1990, where he left to join (the then named) Hama PVAC Ltd. He spent a year on the road, and then came indoors to work on product management. • In 1992, he began working with Tasco, a guest brand within Hama, selling lowend binoculars and telescopes to the mass market.

he team at Pixel recently learned that Dave Murray, Senior Vice President, International Business Development at Celestron, has passed after a lengthy battle with cancer. We heard from Nick Grey, who had worked with Dave for many years, both at Celestron, and prior to that at Hama, where Nick was MD for more than 20 years. Nick told us: “I started working with Dave in October 1992 and quickly realised he was a force to be reckoned with. He became a rock for me over the years. Although, sometimes difficult to handle due to his strong belief that he was always right, he was often seen as awkward, self-opinionated, did I mention “Grumpy” Scotsman”. Nick continued: “I have never known anyone in my life to fight an illness like Dave with such

dignity, determination and gusto, not once letting it get on top of him or what he was doing in the 8.5 years he fought the illness. I’m sure many of you will agree his spirit for life itself and wildlife was infectious. I think it would be fair to say Dave’s knowledge and inspiration is hard to follow, he is someone that we have all been proud to be associated with, indeed, everyone who met him, had their lives enriched a little by him. He will be truly missed by all of us here at Celestron Global Ltd. Our heartfelt condolences go out to Dave’s wife Jacqui and his son Andy at this difficult time”. Dave’s funeral took place at the Thatcham Crematorium on Friday 2nd September. Thoughts and condolences from the Pixel offices are with Dave’s family and friends.

• It was at this time that Nick Grey joined Hama, and together they pushed the Tasco brand far and wide. Their efforts were not enough to protect the US operation from entering Chapter 11, ultimately leading to Hama’s alliance with the Celestron brand. • Dave continued to work with Hama and Celestron through till… • August 2013, when he left Hama to take a role at Celestron. Initially a European Sales role, it quickly developed into an all-encompassing role, taking care of the international division (with a team of two). • That takes us through to today, with Dave heading up the new Celestron Global Ltd operation with the title of Senior Vice President International Business Development.

www.pixel.co.uk 5

Say Hello to Camerajabber.com

Jabber Digital Media LTD have announced the launch of their new website for photographers of all levels. Pixel introduces the concept and the team

he newly launched website is the brainchild of some familiar industry faces and is aimed, primarily, at enthusiast photographers. Camera Jabber, created by Ali Jennings, Jeff Meyer and Angela Nicholson, is quickly being populated with reviews, news, buyers’ guides, tips and techniques for all photographers. Jeff is responsible for covering the news section and the day-to-day running of the site while Ali takes the lead with reviewing accessories, action cams and drones. Meanwhile, Angela takes the mantle as Reviews Editor, responsible for camera and lens reviews on the site itself. The announcement comes as an interesting development, with many of the traditional news stand titles seeing their readership figures plummet as a result of news content (as well as technique and tips) being picked up via the web; the team of well established freelancers have clearly seen an opportunity to

build a comprehensive platform for the photo community. Alongside the core team at Camera Jabber, we can expect to see articles from a pool of contributors including David Cleland, Amy Davies, Damien Demolder, Matt Golowczynski, Lizzie Shepherd and Matthew Richards. Introducing Angela Nicholson: Angela began reviewing cameras and photographic kit in early 2004 and has been Amateur Photographer’s Technical Editor and Head of Testing for Future Publishing’s extensive photography portfolio (Digital Camera, Professional Photography, NPhoto, PhotoPlus, Photography Week, Practical Photoshop, Digital Camera World and TechRadar) for over 5 years. Angela stated in Camerajabber’s recent announcement: “This is an exciting new venture that I feel I have been working towards for the last 12 years. I still get a buzz out of putting

a new camera through its paces and I love photography; the challenge of creating a great image. I’ve worked with Ali and Jeff for years and we make a great team.” Introducing Ali Jennings: After a few commercial photo jobs and involvement in short film projects, Ali joined the publishing industry in the late 90’s. In 2003 Ali joined Digital Camera Magazine, and more recently worked as the Imaging Lab Manager, testing cameras and lenses for the photography portfolio. On Camera Jabber he said: “The most exciting part of this site is the ability to connect with likeminded photographers across the globe, and not just those using phones.” Introducing Jeff Meyer: Jeff has been a journalist for more than 20 years and began taking pictures as a teenager in the US with an old Pentax K1000 and a 50mm f/1.4 lens. He has worked for the UK’s photography press for the past 10 years with Amateur Photographer and, most recently, editing Photography Week and the Digital Camera World website. Jeff said: “I am thrilled to be working with Angela and Ali again. Our skills perfectly complement each other, and together I believe we will make Camera Jabber the complete photography website that photographers have been waiting for.” Take a look for yourselves and contact the team at: CameraJabber.com ali@camerajabber.com jeff@camerajabber.com angela@camerajabber.com Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @camerajabber

6 www.pixel.co.uk

ADVERTISING FEATURE

The Equinox range from The maverick British company setting the new standard in tripod manufacture and styling 3 Legged Thing are not a traditional tripod company. That doesn’t mean that we don’t take our gear seriously, quite the opposite. As photographers we know what we want from a tripod. And when we couldn’t find what we wanted, we decided to make it ourselves, from scratch. Being a small company allows us take risks with our designs, to innovate and develop products quickly to produce tripods of an exceptional standard that 3leggedthing

appeal to the photographer who wants performance, but refuses to follow the crowd. We offer clear and healthy margins to our retailers and pride ourselves on delivering excellent customer service and support for consumers. If you’re looking to stock a range of exciting new tripods that deliver great performance, great value and great looks, then 3 Legged Thing’s Equinox range are the tripods for you. Get in touch on 01234 947 777

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THE EQUINOX CREW Albert

Weight 1.85kg Min Height 130mm Max Height 1790mm Folded Length 410mm Load Capacity 23°-30kg/ 55°-20kg/80°-10kg Leg Tubing Diameter 26mm Leg Sections 5 Leg Angles 23°/ 55°/80° Column Sections 3 Leg Locking System ParaLock

The AirHeds

Winston

Weight 1.75kg Min Height 170mm Max Height 1850mm Folded Length 600mm Load Capacity 23°-40kg/ 55°-25kg/80°-15kg Leg Tubing Diameter 29mm Leg Sections 3 Leg Angles 23°/55°/80° Column Sections 1 Leg Locking System ParaLock

3 Legged Thing’s range of professional ballheads, the AirHeds, are industry leading. Cast from aircraft grade ADC12 Alloy, they are incredibly light and yet can support massive loads - the AirHed3 comes in at just 340g but can withstand top down loads of up to 200kg! The AirHed Switch is our first switch system, Arca compatible clamp. The easy to operate AirHed comes equipped with the ‘Switch’ that allows the clamp to not only become universally adjustable, but can be aligned to be used left or right handed. The Airhead Light, is a powerful new ballhead with circular clamp for easier stowage.

Leo

Weight 1.44kg Min Height 120mm Max Height 1310mm Folded Length 350mm Load Capacity 23°-30kg/ 55°-20kg/80°-10kg Leg Tubing Diameter 23mm Leg Sections 5 Leg Angles 23°/55°/80° Column Sections 2 Leg Locking System ParaLock

3 Legged Thing is a small British company working hard to innovate in one of the world’s most competitive industries. We specialise in compact, stable, modular, multifunctional tripod systems and in four short years have become market leaders in tripod innovation. 3leggedthing.com

Meet the 3LT team (from left to right) Mark, Crawf, Danny, Hilary & Adam

www.pixel.co.uk 7

Canon Announces the Mighty EOS 5D Mark IV Continued...

he announcement of the newest member of the 5D family comes as no surprise; being the subject of many rumour sites for some time. What is slightly more surpising, though, is the fact that it has been announced ahead of Photokina 2016. Surely the perfect platform to make such an announcement? Regardless though, and as the successor to the EOS 5D Mark III, Canon tell us that the new camera has been designed using first-hand feedback from the photographic community to create the most versatile EOS model yet. Featuring a 30.4 megapixel CMOS sensor with wide exposure latitude, 7 frames per second (fps) high speed shooting, internal 4K movie recording and built-in WiFi and GPS, the camera fuses speed and resolution with excellent low light capability and movie functionality. The EOS 5D Mark IV is also the first EOS camera to premiere the innovative Dual Pixel RAW file format, allowing photographers to fine-tune images in post-production by adjusting or correcting the point of sharpness, shifting the foreground bokeh or reducing image ghosting; not so unlike the function (albeit different tech) of the Lytro Illum camera.

8 www.pixel.co.uk

4K movie-making with the 5DIV Carrying on with the legacy of the 5DII and the significant steps that the camera made for movie makers, the EOS 5D Mark IV offers users the ability to shoot in 4K resolution. A versatile camera, it features DCI 4K (4096 x 2160) at 30/25/24 fps shooting and provides the ability to extract 8.8MP JPEG images from 4K videos, continuing the trend of 5D cameras and offering a great companion for those wanting to shoot high quality video and stills. The EOS 5D Mark IV brings this advancement in the form of a video DSLR with internal 4K, 120p HD, Dual Pixel CMOS AF, time lapse movie and new HDR movie mode. Enhanced operability and connectivity As requested by Canon’s professional community, the EOS 5D Mark IV comes packed with a range of new and refined connectivity features. Built-in Wi-Fi enables remote operation and secure file transfer (FTPS/FTP) via smart devices using the Canon Camera Connect app, and NFC provides instant connections between compatible devices. GPS geotags each image in the EXIF data with automatic time updates helping to manage images and, for the first

EOS 5D Mark IV Key Features: • 30.4 megapixel CMOS sensor with high exposure latitude • Engineered to perform with the innovative Dual Pixel CMOS AF and Dual Pixel RAW • Step up to cinematic 4K with DCI 4K up to 30p • Stay connected with Built-in Wi-Fi, NFC and GPS

time, IPTC metadata, such as details of a shoot, is automatically embedded. Enhanced water and dust resistance makes the camera ideal for travel photographers or photojournalists also, working in challenging terrain.

Two New EOS Lenses Announced To work hand-in-hand with the camera, Canon also introduces two new high performance L-series lenses; the EF 24-105mm f/4 L II USM and the EF 16-35mm f2.8L III USM Canon is known for having a substantial lens system and to coincide with the launch of the EOS 5D Mark IV, they’ve added the new lenses to their lineup and to supersede some of their biggest sellers. EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM Key Features: • Versatile 24-105mm zoom range • Constant f/4 max aperture • L-series weather-proof construction • 4-stop Image Stabilizer • Advanced optical construction EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM Key Features: • Versatile collection of wide-angle focal lengths • Premium image quality • Fast constant f/2.8 aperture • Durable L-series construction • Advanced autofocus Pricing and availability: EOS 5D Mark IV: RRP £3,629, available September 2016. EF 24-105mm f/4 L II USM: RRP £1,129, available Q4. EF 16-35mm f2.8L III USM: RRP £2,349, available from October.

www.pixel.co.uk 9

BEHIND THE COUNTER

Behind The Counter

Pixel’s Behind The Counter section shines the spotlight on counter-staff to delve into the daily life of photo retail Behind the Counter turns the spotlight on counter staff in photographic shops across the country with a mix of silly and (slightly more) pertinent questions. Here, all answers have been submitted by Millie Moo Moo. The 8 year old black Labrador, who joins the team at SRS Microsystems most days, (with a little help from all at SRS). If you own/run/work in a camera shop and you’d like to get involved, please email simon@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Have you noticed any major effects driven by the Brexit vote? Most definitely, more orders from Europe and from our Customers in the UK purchasing kit in case prices rise. If you could have any camera kit for free, what would it be? Olympus M.Zuiko Digital Ed 300Mm F4.0 Is Pro Lens. Tomorrow it will be something completely different, we’re fickle like that! Black and white or colour photography? Depends on the subject and the mood! When you see a photo opportunity, generally you just know! What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s happened in store? Far too many to mention, most of them we are sure you wouldn’t be able to print! One of the most awkward was when an older gentleman came in to have his passport photo taken, we got him a seat to help whilst he was having his picture taken, when he got up he had left a rather a large wet patch on the seat. (The pattern matched the one on his trousers) luckily he seemed unaware, and we did not like to mention it. The chair was promptly disposed of! What’s the strangest/most stupid thing a customer has asked you? Again so many to choose from! One from the archives is an older lady who came in weekly asking for 20 Raffles (cigarettes) after trying to explain on many occasions that we are not a tobacconist, in the end we would just say we had run out! What’s your opinion of ‘selfies’? Why not? Although they are samey with all the pouting and muscle shots (not jealous at all!), but if it opens the door for an interest for photography…

10 www.pixel.co.uk

What’s your favourite thing to photograph? We all enjoy different subjects; aircraft is always popular with us. What got you into photography in the first place? Photography as a general hobby, we are 50/50 from a technical/artistic background, mostly from our parents or grandparents. It is always a pleasure seeing our customers bringing in their own children and grandchildren to buy their first SLR, either film or digital. Analogue/instant - your thoughts? Retro is very in and it’s the youngsters that seem to be buying from us. New or used? New is obviously new and shiny! It always feels a little indulgent opening a brand new item that is just for you! but secondhand is satisfying and it is perhaps something you wouldn’t have necessarily felt you could warrant purchasing new. Are you seeing an increased and sustained interest from your traditional customer base in videography? Yes, we are seeing regular photography

customers who have been taking pictures for years, now getting interested in videography and plenty of our younger customers wanting to put their stuff on YouTube and the like. We talk a lot about lighting in this issue - are you seeing good margin with these products and what are your thoughts on LED? There is always room for more margin! We have been very successful with the LED lights we sell. There are many other uses for them too and it is not just photographers who are buying them, just yesterday a tattoo artist purchased some. What new camera equipment has excited you this year so far? It’s got to be the Pentax K1. The product speaks for itself and has got a passionate following already. We’ve had customers trading in their ‘other manufacturer’ cameras for the K1. What single thing would improve your business right now? At this exact second less red tape! Seems to come at you from every angle and being a good old-fashioned camera shop seems to get lower down the list!

LET YOUR INSPIRATION SHINE.

A set of beautiful, powerful and extremely portable LEDs for lighting your photos and videos. You just need to discover the one perfect for you!

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LYKOS daylight and bi-color are the newest and most powerful in LED lighting technology. Compact in design and lightweight, they offer the best portable solution for the photographer and videographer. LYKOS LED panels include an AC adaptor, ball head and gel filters and/or diffuser. Maximise the potential from the LYKOS LED range and use in combination with the LYKOS LED softbox for superior diffusion. LYKOS LED panels are fully compatible with Manfrotto Digital Director when used with the LYKOS BluetoothÂŽ Dongle. Download the iPhone LYKOS App to enable full control of one or more panels in combination with the LYKOS BluetoothÂŽ Dongle.

www.pixel.co.uk 11

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Photography by Mark Mann for the Sundance Film Festival

Let There Be Light!

Pixel continues the popular focus on various sectors in the imaging industry with this study on some of the most important peripherals in the market. In this issue, Pixel turns its attention to lighting

t’s rare to see such an evolution within a single area of the imaging world. In an industry that has seen its fair share of changes over the last couple of decades, lighting has seen a positive re-invention in recent years. The advent and technological advancement of LED lighting, primarily, has given creative and practical options to the end user, unthinkable only a handful of years ago. Less power hungry, less fragile, constant and with a raft of new brands and products entering the market, LEDs really are here to stay. LED lighting appeared to enter the consumer market with a host of slightly garish, multi-coloured objects that served as more of a gimmick than anything genuinely useful for photographers. Fortunately though, and although there are still plenty of horrific, glowing novelties out there, there is an increasing number of multi-coloured LED products that serve as useful tools for serious photographers and small-scale videographers. One product ticking this box,

12 www.pixel.co.uk

is the LIFX bulb. With an RRP of just £59 it represents good value when compared with some panels and standard bulbs. It produces warm to cool whites: (2500K - 9000K), offering over 1000 colours, so whether it’s a daylight colour or indeed any particular colour or mood for the shot, the user can just hook up a couple of LIFX Color 1000 bulbs and within seconds, they’re set to shoot. Pixel have had a sample in the Pixel Studio for a few weeks now and, combined with the LIFX mobile app, it definitely delivers. Take a look at Pixel.co.uk to see our test shots. Don’t just take our word for it though - Kris Graves, Photographer and Studio Manager at the Guggenheim Museum in NYC is now regularly using the LIFX bulb in his work. Work that includes commissions for clients such as GAP, Google, MTV, Samsung, Sony Music and Nike. In a recent conversation with another NYC-based photographer, Mark Mann, Pixel Editor, Simon Skinner

touched on the benefits of using constant LED lighting for his portraiture work. Mark has been using a handful of Rotolight’s flagship Anova lights and told Simon that he’s been taken aback by the beautiful ‘filmic’ look he gets when combined with his exclusively Leica kit. Also, by using constant lighting, he feels his subjects are more relaxed and less like they are in an unusual environment with strobes breaking the stillness. Having caught up with Alan Walmsley, Sales & Marketing Director at Bowens International Ltd elsewhere in this issue, we asked him a couple of questions, relating to the tech and more specifically, the retail channel. Pixel: How important is constant and LED lighting to Bowens in 2016, moving into 2017, Alan? Alan Walmsley: We see constant light as important to the future of lighting and an essential part of any true lighting company’s product range. After we have done what we need to with the Bowens flash ranges, we will start on some really innovative ideas we have for the constant light market, so yes, it’s an important growth area for us.

Pixel also spoke with self-confessed ‘photokit freak’ Darren Long, Product Marketing Director, at Manfrotto Distribution UK: Pixel: Regarding both Lastolite By Manfrotto and Manfrotto/Litepanels, what have been the most popular products with regards to dealer orders so far this year? Darren Long: Lastolite By Manfrotto is known

Photography by Mark Mann for the Sundance Film Festival

P: How do you see the market and the opportunities for both the retailer and end user (creatively)? AW: As everyone knows, the overall market is stagnant, but I believe there is a great opportunity to re-start the party. More and more people are getting into photography through mobile phones. Yes, the vast majority of them will carry on with mobile phones, but it is a fantastic introduction to photography and after a while, the user understands the gross limitations. That is the point at which there is an opportunity for the dealer and the serious photo brands. As an industry, we have to take advantage of that and offer an easy and friendly way to upgrade that interest; to turn an interest into a hobby and ultimately a passion, whether it pays or costs the enthusiast a fortune! That is the challenge - to find ways of introducing the technical side of photography without talking down to potential customers, but encouraging them. The top dealers understand this and run some great teaching events, plus we offer some excellent Team Bowens instructional videos.

Photography by Mark Mann for the Sundance Film Festival

P: Can you give us any insight to what we might see from Bowens through Photokina and other trade shows this year? AW: Strictly embargoed until 20th September 2016 I’m afraid. Products will be available to see on the Bowens stand in Hall 4, floor 2, C010. We’d love to see you there!

for its portable pop up reflectors such as the patented TriGrip range, therefore these continue to be a favourite with our dealers and customers alike. The LYKOS and Croma2 lights are also proving to be a popular choice with both dealers and customers. P: What would you consider to be the most significant developments in lighting innovation in recent history? DL: Manfrotto Lykos can be Bluetooth controlled via the Digital Director, this allows the photographer to control a whole shoot without having to leave their camera, allowing them to see the lighting effect on the image instantly and therefore, saving a huge amount of time. The advances in surface mounted technology have meant that LED lights offer higher brightness and efficiency, and have a better weight/light output than ever, something which our LYKOS range really reflects. P: What should we be aware of, regarding

your lighting brands, that perhaps we’re not? DL: Lastolite By Manfrotto is designed and manufactured in the UK, where we have a real focus on the quality of our products, ensuring they can withstand the repeated daily use of the most demanding photographer. For example, all our collapsible reflectors and background steel has a lifetime guarantee which makes us stand out from our competitors. In terms of LED lights, we have a complete range from the cassette sized Lumimuse to the Astra light panel. P: Can we look forward to new kit during Photokina? DL: Lastolite By Manfrotto has a healthy product roadmap at the moment, which is focussing on making great products fast and portable, which will start with our Ezyboxes launched in September. www.lifx.com www.rotolight.com www.manfrottodistribution.co.uk www.bowens.co.uk

www.pixel.co.uk 13

THE IMAGING ALLIANCE

PMA & PMDA Announce: The Imaging Alliance

s if from nowhere, the team at Pixel Towers received the shock news that huge strides are being taken by the Photo Marketing Association International, (PMAI). Recognising the significant challenges that have faced the imaging sector over the last handful of years, their Board of Trustees announced that its members voted in favour of PMAI contributing its membership, web content and highly acclaimed InnovationNow business, along with their technical seminars, to form The Imaging Alliance - a brand-new industry association which has been set up with the PhotoImaging Manufacturers and Distributors Association (PMDA). So what does this mean exactly? We heard from Gaby Mullinax, President of PMAI, who explained her thoughts on the announcement: “Our industry has forever changed and so too

14 www.pixel.co.uk

Jim Malcolm, President of The Imaging Alliance

Jerry Grossman, Executive Director of The Imaging Alliance

In a significant swing of the industry pendulum, the PMA have announced a brand new partnership, and identity, along with the PDMA. Pixel investigates

must its trade associations. Only a single global imaging industry association, like The Imaging Alliance, can effectively lead this revolution and meet the evolving needs of market participants; both new and old. PMAI’s diverse international membership combined with the continuation of unique events like InnovationNow and PIX 2015 in partnership with DPReview, will get the new alliance off to a running start.” Jim Malcolm, current President of PMDA and President of The Imaging Alliance said: “We are pleased that the management, Board and members of PMAI recognise the need for a single industry association and have moved to support the vision and goals of The Imaging Alliance,” adding that, “with PMAIs members and successful programs, The Imaging Alliance will effectively represent the voice of today’s dynamic imaging industry, providing a forum to

bring together the wide spectrum of companies that offer products, services and applications and help promote the growth and development of a wide range of imaging applications.” Pixel caught up with the UK’s former PMAI, and now representative of The Imaging Alliance UK, Don Kennedy: Pixel: This announcement is truly significant for the PMAI as we know it Don; can you tell us how long this new collaboration has been in the pipeline? Don Kennedy: The PhotoImaging Manufacturers and Distributors Association (PMDA) initiated discussions with PMAI last summer. With the industry changing, both boards thought it would make sense for the industry to have one strong trade association

THE IMAGING ALLIANCE

Pixel: The press release that we received stated that current PMDA and PMAI members will automatically become members of The Imaging Alliance for the remainder of this calendar year. Just to clarify that this will extend to UK members? DK: Absolutely correct - all current UK members will become members of The Imaging Alliance and will remain so until December 31 2016, at which time they may renew their affiliate membership. Pixel: So we’ve heard about some of the physical activities that the US will be driving, such as the InnovationNow and PIX 2015 events, what physical activities can we expect to see from the UK arm of The Imaging Alliance over the next 6/12 months? DK: The legacy activity of the PMDA has been more focused on philanthropic programmes, such as their Portraits of Love programme, which offers free family portraits for military families and has been working with the Children’s Cancer Association to donate cameras for their families. PMAI was stronger in offering programs such as InnovationNow. The plan is to continue on both fronts, and to look into offering international programs as well.

UK’s former PMAI, and now representative of The Imaging Alliance UK, Don Kennedy

that could serve both manufacturers and retailers, with the added benefit of bringing the many factions of the industry together under one umbrella. The plan began to take shape at the beginning of 2016, when PMAI agreed to transfer some of its most valuable assets to the PMDA, in order to form The Imaging Alliance. The formation of The Imaging Alliance was formally announced in July.

lobbying, is the UK office able to share resource from the global operation for the Pixel: And can you outline some of the region and what issues are currently in headline benefits that previous PMAI UK hand? members can expect to receive from The DK: Industry-specific research will be Imaging Alliance and what, specifically, commissioned via the US but I will continue will be new? with my lobbying and DK: We are in the research initiative in the process of resurrecting important area of ID the CPC (Certified “The Imaging Alliance will photo services which Photographic represent the voice of today’s are an important profit Counsellor) program dynamic imaging industry, contributor to many in the US, and hope to providing a forum to bring retail photo businesses extend that to Europe together companies that in the UK and beyond. as well. In addition, offer products, services and Imaging Alliance Pixel: And what members will be applications and help promote issues do you see receiving free research the growth and development The Imaging Alliance reports on the state of of a wide range of imaging championing on the industry and other applications” behalf of the UK “snapshots” throughout Photo Trade in the the year – some of - Jim Malcolm – president, The coming months? which will be supplied Imaging Alliance DK: My specific by the Consumer focus has been, and Technology Association will continue to be, in the US. We hope to dealing with the UK Government departments work together to form new programmes that regarding their plans for digital ID photos. I will benefit the industry world-wide. have been in contact with Ministers, MPs, HM Passport Office, DVLA, Government Digital Pixel: With regards to research and

Services and Home Office officials, etc. and I believe that their current plan to accept digital ID photos directly from applicants is seriously flawed because of the inherent quality and - most importantly - security issues involved in their proposal. I have presented a solution to the Home Office which addresses both of these concerns whilst also meeting their principal objectives and which also preserves this important aspect of business for the whole photo industry, not just The Imaging Alliance members. Pixel: So the landscape has shifted with regards to the team in general; can you let us know where this leaves (ex PMAI President) Gaby Mullinax, now that Jim Malcolm has been announced as the President of the Imaging Alliance? Will Georgia McCabe still be involved with the operation? DK: Jim Malcolm is the President of The Imaging Alliance, and Jerry Grossman the Executive Director. Gaby has decided to become an advisor to the new board, to allow her to concentrate on her growing business at Fullerton Photographic. Georgia has decided not to continue her affiliation but will certainly be called upon from time to time for her advice.

www.pixel.co.uk 15

EISA AWARDS

EISA AWARDS 2016-2017 Continued...

EISA’s 2016-2017 award winners: European Professional DSLR Lens: Canon EF 35mm F1.4L II USM European DSLR Camera: Canon EOS 80D European Professional DSLR Camera: Canon EOS-1D X Mark II European Photo Printer: Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 European Photo Software: DxO OpticsPro 11 European Professional Compact System Camera: Fujifilm X-Pro2 European Compact System Zoom Lens: Fujinon XF100-400mm F4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR European Prosumer DSLR Camera: Nikon D500 European Consumer Compact System Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II European Action Camcorder: Olympus TGTracker European Photo Innovation: Panasonic DUAL I.S. System European Travel Compact Camera: Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ100 European Smartphone Camera: Samsung Galaxy S7/S7 Edge European DSLR Zoom Lens: Sigma 50100mm F1.8 DC HSM Art European Premium Compact Camera: Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II European Professional Compact System Lens: Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM European Prosumer Compact System Camera: Sony a6300 European Photo & Video Camera: Sony a7S II European DSLR Lens: Tamron SP 85mm F1.8 Di VC USD

16 www.pixel.co.uk

Pixel’s Picks:

Fujifilm X-Pro2

Nikon D500 • Continuous shooting at approximately 10fps. • 153-point autofocus system promises precise subject acquisition. • Newly developed DX sensor with a pixel count of 20.9 million pixels allows outstanding image quality. • Maximum standard sensitivity of ISO 51200 means the D500 makes for the perfect camera for shooting in low light. • 4K video recording. • Touch screen display. RRP (Body only): £1,729.99

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ100 • Performance typically associated with interchangeable lens models. • Classleading image quality thanks to its 20.1-million-pixel 1-inch sensor and 25250mm equivalent f/2.8-5.9 Leica zoom lens. • 3-inch touch screen LCD. • 1.166-million-dot electric viewfinder. • Built in Wi-Fi and 1/16,000s electronic shutter. • 4K video recording and 4K photo mode. RRP: £549.99

• Promises to deliver impeccably detailed pictures which can be further improved with Fujifilm’s realistic film simulations. • Unique hybrid multi viewfinder merges an electronic viewfinder with an optical viewfinder that includes an electronic rangefinder. • Well-built and weather-sealed body allows reliable shooting in all conditions. • Offers consumers 8fps continuous shooting. • Electronic shutter speeds of up to 1/32,000 of a second. SRP: £1,349

Sony a7S II • Sensitivity up to 409600i with low noise across the whole range. • In-camera 5-axis optical image stabilisation. • 4K movie recording internally in the XAVC S format. • Wide range of professional movie functionality including S-Gamut3.Cine/S-Log3, new Gamma Assist Display, enhanced Zebra Function. • Full HD 120fps recording and 4x/5x slow-mo recording. • High speed AF with enhanced accuracy in wide ranging scenes and advanced shooting funcions. RRP (Body only): £3,129

Canon EOS-1D X Mark II • Boasted as the fastest ever DSLR camera, marketed as a good tool for professional sports photography and moving image. • Presents the ability to take 14 images per second of moving subjects. • Increased still image quality. • New and improved autofocus, particularly when using lenses with extenders. • High quality 4K recording. RRP: £5,199.99

www.pixel.co.uk 17

Bowens Gets New GM Following Calumet International Group Buyout Bowens International Limited has a new General Manager following the acquisition of the Calumet Photographic and Bowens Group by Aurelius, a pan-European investment company

New Bowens General Manager, Eugene Ciemnyjewski

18 www.pixel.co.uk

€100m. A statement backed up by Will Stamp, n a twist of the Bowens/Calumet story, Principal at Aurelius Investments Limited, which has kept the industry intrigued for so who said: “The funding from Shawbrook has long now, Pixel has learned that the group refinanced the incumbent lenders’ facilities and (Calumet International, the holding company will support the growth of Calumet and Bowens comprising Calumet Photographic and through the opening of new locations and Bowens Lighting) has been acquired by midintroduction of new product market investor, Aurelius. lines.” As posted on the In addition to the Shawbrook business Credit/ “So far the impact goings-on within the Bank website recently, has been very group, German-born the financier delivered Eugene Ciemnyjewski now a £4,850,000 assetpositive. We are now replaces Bowens interim based lending facility to expanding the R&D Manager, John Gobbi at enable the acquisition the company’s Colchester, and provide on-going team and have some Essex-based headquarters. working capital funding for great new ideas for Mr. Ciemnyjewski, an business expansion. The the coming years” international business total facility consisted of and supply chain expert, a £2,250,000 confidential is a former graduate of invoice discounting line, a the London Business £1,500,000 revolving stock School, where he was awarded an MBA with facility and a £1,100,000 cash flow loan. distinctions in both corporate finance and Far from being a bad news story, it operations management in 2001. transpires that Aurelius’ intentions are indeed He said: “This important acquisition by to grow the companies presence and brand Aurelius comes at a key moment in the ranges in the future; companies which, in evolution of Bowens International. I am very 2015 produced a combined revenue of

BOWENS

excited by the prospect of leading what is a new-look and extremely talented team at this legacy company. Bowens International Director, Andreas Schaefer said: “Aurelius is a prominent European investment group with offices in London, Munich, Stockholm and Madrid. This acquisition will provide us with long-term strategic direction alongside the financial support and stability that we need to fully exploit our market potential.” He added: “Both Aurelius and Bowens wish to acknowledge the input and commitment of former Interim Manager, John Gobbi who has been a real agent for change in this business and now moves on to fresh commercial challenges. Tristan Nagler, Managing Director of Aurelius UK, said: “Calumet’s multi-channel business model combines a strong online offering with an established bricks-andmortar presence across Europe. This strategy matches Aurelius’ pan-European focus and appeals to high-quality camera suppliers, who increasingly prioritise customer service and expertise among retailers. We are confident that, by providing the current management team with the financial and hands-on operational support to implement their development plan, we can capitalise on the opportunity created by the ongoing growth in the high-end segment of the photography market.” The Aurelius investment portfolio currently consists of twenty-two businesses with operations in Europe, Asia and the USA, incorporating traditional consumer bands, services businesses and industrial enterprises. Upon leaning of the recent takeover, Pixel spoke with UK HQ-based Alan Walmsley, Sales and Marketing Director for Bowens International Limited. Can you please give us a little more information about Aurelius? Unfortunately not a lot more than you already have. They have only owned the Calumet Group and Bowens for the past 2 months so we don’t have much experience of them. So far though, they have been pretty hands-off and the level of commitment they have shown is fantastic for the company. Do they have any similar companies within their portfolio currently? Not really, although there are other consumer product brands. There is a list of the

Alan Walmsley, Sales and Marketing Director for Bowens International Limited

companies they own on their website and some of them are wellknown household brands such as Scholl, Publicitas, Allied Healthcare, amongst others. Can you tell us about the shape of Bowens in an operational sense since the acquisition and will there be any shared resource between the group owned companies? The only change of management has been that John Gobbi, our interim MD, has now left and we welcomed Eugene Ciemnjewski last month. His energy and ambition for the company is tremendous. We are all enjoying working with him and can see a great future for Bowens. Will the acquisition have any impact on R&D for Bowens products, either positive or negative? So far the impact has been very positive. We are now expanding the R&D team and have some great new ideas for the coming years of introducing what we see as both ground breaking and competitively-priced new lighting products for our global customer base. Did the buyout have anything to do with the delayed products earlier in the year? Nothing at all. Purely coincidental.

What kind of presence do Bowens currently have with the dealer channel outside of Calumet; do you have many reps on the road and how strong is your POS in-store? If you look at the pro-lighting displays in most stores, I think all of the lighting brands would agree that it is not what they would like to see. It seems that lighting is not an area of high importance to retailers, since most interest from the consumer is in cameras and most of the dealers profit is in accessories. We would like to try and change that in the coming years; after all, photography is nothing without light! If you don’t light your subject properly, you don’t get a good image, full stop. It needs education that camera technology is not the be-all and end-all. You can take a better photo with a well-lit subject and a 2nd hand Pentax K1000 than with the latest all- action digital camera and no flash or speedlight. Hopefully that is partly put right by the presence of our Litebook on the counter in most good dealers and the availability of our Team Bowens videos on the web. What is your strategy with the UK dealer channel moving forward? Full plans to be announced when we launch the new products on 20th September at Photokina but I don’t mind telling you that we will support all of our Generation X dealers to the hilt. Pixel will be covering all significant launches during Photokina 2016 both in print, via our social channels and of course, via Pixel.co.uk.

www.pixel.co.uk 19

“Superb paper! Curve free First Headline Sponsor with sublime ﬁnish” Announced for 2016 Pixel Trade Awards With the team at Pixel gathering pace as we rapidly approach the back end of 2016, we are extremely pleased to announce the first of the three sponsors for this year’s industry awards bash this Dec 2nd

he Pixel Trade Awards 2016 are once more heading back to the Grange City Hotel, in London. For the third year in a row, the prestigious, black tie awards will be announced at the five star venue, adjacent to the Tower of London. As the organisers crank the gears on this, the 12th annual event for the UK imaging trade, hosts are being deliberated, menus tasted and wine selected. Along with these tough choices, selected manufacturers are being invited to support various elements of the ceremony and we are extremely pleased to announce that the first headline sponsor is none other than Sony! Traditionally big supporters of the Pixel Trade Awards and the retail sector in general, the team at Sony are now working with Pixel (and our other supporters) to form the awards panel, and to ensure that the wine is flowing on the night! Frederik Lange, Head of Photo Channel at Sony told Pixel: “Sony is pleased to once again be involved with the annual Pixel Trade Awards, this year as one of the headline sponsors. The awards are always a great opportunity to recognise manufacturers and retailers making a difference in Imaging and to celebrate the successes over the past 12 months.” We will be making further announcements in our future issues and, of course, at Pixel.co.uk

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Along with the option of booking seats or tables at the ceremony this year, we have reserved a full table for winners of the inaugural Pixel Photography Competition. Exclusively sponsored by Fujifilm, the competition consists of 5 categories and the winner of each category will be invited to join the fun at the ceremony with their partner or a colleague. A Champagne Reception, three course meal with wine, water, coffee and petit fours will be on offer for each winner, along with a double or twin room for the night of Friday 2nd Dec at the Grange City Hotel and breakfast for the morning of the 3rd. Perfect timing for some Christmas shopping in London. The five winners will be presented with their all-important award, along with a voucher for a 24 x 36 print of their winning image, which will be produced by a prestigious London lab. Fujifilm will also invite each winner to the lab for a tour and to see his or her own print being made. With three categories still left to run ahead of the 2016 ceremony, there are too many reasons to get shooting and enter for the inaugural event before the deadlines close. Submit your entries at Pixel.co.uk

Tiffen Unleashes the Pro 100 Series Filter System

The brand-new filter system from Tiffen opens up huge creative opportunities for DSLR and CSC users

iffen, the manufacturer of imaging accessories for the consumer and professional imaging & motion picture/ broadcast TV industries have announced their all-new filter system; and it’s a system that changes everything for photographers. The system will, for the first time, allow photographers and videographers to use Academy Award® winning Tiffen MPTV filters on their DSLR or mirrorless camera systems. The exciting new product offers the following unique qualities: • Durable aluminum frame, equipped with rubberised grips, allowing for a secure fit for 4X4 and 4X5.650 filters   • Holds up to two, 4mm thick glass filters   • Fully rotatable adapter ring   • Edge sealed to prevent light leaks for long exposure photography (a felt lining is included to prevent light leaks)   • Works with adapter rings from between 49mm-82mm Dan Waite, Director of Sales North & South America told Pixel: “At TIFFEN, we are fully dedicated to innovating & growing customer awareness in filtration including the Motion Picture, Photography, Aerial Drone & Action Camera industry and continue to produce award winning products placing us as one of the leading manufacturers

in glass filters. Our PRO100 filter holder series for the video & photography industry unlocks a catalogue of filters like no other, with some 3000+ filters available worldwide.” He continued: “We have created 5 kits that we believe are the most popular in filtration consisting of everyday effects to help shoot in varied lighting conditions, which include Neutral Density gradients for landscape shooters and 10 stop NDs for the long-exposure enthusiasts. We have even included our dramatic Twilight & Sunset filter for the more creative type. Mobile App technology has made consumers more aware of filtration and we are noticing a dramatic increase in business for special-effect filters worldwide - our PRO100 series will offer any active and enthusiastic retailer an ability to increase growth in their accessory business.”  The new Pro 100 Series Filter System will initially be available for resale in conjunction with a variety of Tiffen MPTV filters; giving users opportunity to choose between five specialised kits:

Standard Product Options:  Tiffen Pro 100 Series Holder: Holder and 77mm adapter ring

Additional Adapter Rings: Individual adapter rings ranging from 49mm-82mm

5 Filter Kit Options

ND Starter Kit: Tiffen Pro 100 series holder,

77mm & 82mm Adapter Rings, Tiffen ND 1.2 (4 stop), Tiffen Graduated ND 1.2 (4stop)   Long Exposure Kit: Tiffen Pro 100 series holder, 77mm & 82mm Adapter Rings, Tiffen ND 1.2 (4 stop) Tiffen IRND 3.0 (10 stop)   Skyline Kit: Tiffen Pro 100 series holder, 77mm & 82mm Adapter Rings, Tiffen Sunset Grad, Tiffen Twlight Grad   Landscape: Tiffen Pro 100 series holder, 77mm & 82mm Adapter Rings, Tiffen  Graduated ND 1.2 (4stop), Tiffen ND 1.2 ( 4stop) ) Tiffen IRND 3.0 (10 stop)   Premium Skyline Kit: Tiffen Pro 100 series holder, 77mm & 82mm Adapter Rings,  Tiffen Graduated ND .6 (2 stop) Tiffen Sunset Grad, Tiffen Twlight Grad   Pricing and availability: The ND Starter, Skyline, and Long Exposure filter kits all have an RRP of £299 whilst both the Landscape and Premium Skyline kits have an RRP of £399. The new PRO100 Series filter systems are now available to purchase. For any enquiries please contact Daniel Dunning, UK Sales Manager - Email: ddunning@ tiffen.com or call 01753 783 960.

For more information visit www.tiffen.com

www.pixel.co.uk 21

THE PICTAR

Pictar will have its official launch at Photokina so to see the products go to Hall 02.1 stand A-031

The PICTAR: Building Bridges and Delivering Opportunity?

There’s no ignoring the facts. Looking back to 2014, it’s been estimated by various analytics research that around 1.8 billion digital images were uploaded to the many and various social media websites each and every day

his, quite simply means that, whilst the traditional camera market has seen decline in recent years, image-making using mobile devices has been growing exponentially, building curiosity and introducing many millions of people to photography for the first time – without them even realizing it or ever having picked up a ‘camera’ before. More facts - in the UK alone, 24% of all images are now shot with Apple iPhones. Add into this equation the fact that the third most important factor considered by most when buying a mobile phone in the first instance, is the ‘quality of the camera’, we start to get an understanding of just how important mobile photography has become to the masses. Pixel has been steadily reporting on an incredible array of mobile phone photography products coming to market for a number of years now. Just about for as long as the iPhone has been a ‘thing’, but the iPhone is a success story unlike most

22 www.pixel.co.uk

others and we believe that for any retailer to ignore that customer, is a mistake. Enter then, the PICTAR; a sort of, iPhonecase-come-grip, which contains no less than 5 dials, all offering a greater level of control for shooting pictures than can be achieved with the iPhone itself. There’s a multi-functional shutter button, which offers maximised focus, allowing consumers to capture their images at leisure. A half press of the button will lock the focus and exposure, while a full press will release the shot, saving the time of looking back at captured images to see if they are as they should be. Also, the Exposure Compensation Wheel gives full control over the amount of light in an image as well as allowing the user to be as experimental as they want. As you would anticipate, the manufacturers and distributors of the PICTAR are introducing this product with a considerable excitement, due to the fact that they seem to have developed a product that has built the elusive bridge between the casual iPhoneographer, the curious and budding photographer and the pro, looking for a simple add on to bring the best from their iPhone. The PICTAR project was launched on Kickstarter on April 20th this year with the hope of generating $100,000 to fund production.

Within 24 hours the PICTAR had reached half of its funding goal and was fully funded in just three days. By the end of the campaign it had gone on to achieve an incredible $318,628 with 2,952 backers. Further exploration of the function and we see that the external smart wheel will allow users to control a range of different functions, from the mode (sports, landscape, portrait etc.) to others such as shutter speeds, flash modes and white balance settings. There’s a tripod mount located at the bottom of the PICTAR, while the cold shoe mount at the top of the device, allows the use of a multitude of LED lighting products or indeed microphones. PICTAR’s basic pack also offers a padded case and detachable wrist strap and an optional neck strap for better carrying ability. PICTAR is available exclusively from Digital Distribution in two models to suit the everchanging iPhone upgrades: PICTAR One, is made for iPhones 4-6S and has an RRP of £89.99, while the PICTAR One Plus for iPhone models 6 Plus and 6S Plus comes with an RRP of £99.99. Contact the team at Digital Distribution for more info and supply: Telephone: 01442 230022 Email: sales@ddltd.co.uk www.pictaruk.co.uk

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As the historic supporters of the imaging industry reach a significant milestone, Veritek continue to grow, from strength to strength and into new sectors, In:Print looks at the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history and its extremely bright future

Successful businesses have to understand and stay close to their customers; they need to adapt to their changing needs and offer quality, value, innovation or prestige that their competitors cannot match. Achieving this in the short term is testing, but the true test of a business is to achieve this consistently in the long term. Continued on page 26...

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www.pixel.co.uk 25

KODAK ROUNDTABLE COVERALARIS FEATURE: CEWE

3O YEARS SUPPORTING THE PHOTO INDUSTRY Continued...

hether you are new to the photo industry in the UK or you are considered a veteran, you can, no doubt name some winners; brands who have kept pace and innovated over the years. You can probably name some losers too: the brands who we miss, who have fallen by the wayside unable to keep pace with the changing technologies, customer habits and requirements. Since its establishment more than three decades ago, Veritek has been a stabilising influence in this tempestuous market. Opening its doors in 1985, Veritek was the first truly independent service and support company, able to travel the length and breadth of the UK, to install, service and repair silver halide minilabs from any manufacturer. By providing independent support, photo retailers were empowered to buy whichever mini-lab they wanted and they could either take the support of the manufacturerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own service department, or they could purchase separate independent support from Veritek. As Veritekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reputation for quality service grew throughout the strong base of independent photo retailers, so did its customer base, and over time, national retailers such as Boots and Snappy Snaps insisted that Veritek

26 www.pixel.co.uk

Jim Edgar, CEO of Veritek

provide the service for whatever brand of photo lab they were buying. With over 16 years of tenure in the business, James Salamon, Head of Business Development at Veritek, looks back over his years in the business: “Veritek gave UK photo retailers total freedom, their needs became our challenge, and this is how we have adapted and remained relevant.” “When I joined, Boots were just moving away from Kodak equipment to the recently released Fuji Frontiers, there was quite a buzz in the business as we scaled up to offer a ‘next morning guaranteed fix’ anywhere in the UK. Meanwhile we had our long standing independent customers who wanted to adapt older photo labs from Noritsu or Gretag to work with more modern printing technologies. Customers like the Ministry of Defence set us new challenges, requiring Veritek engineers to install photo-labs in naval ships that physically didn’t have door widths to pass a photo lab through, a practical if un-refined solution was found; we cut a hole in the side of the ship and craned in the lab, welding up the hole in time for it to set sail! 10 years later we had to decommission the same lab, this time an angle grinder allowed us to remove the lab in pieces! Not all of our solutions were so rudimentary; around 10 to 12 years ago, Veritek developed proactive kiosk monitoring solutions, allowing retailers to monitor kiosks in un-attended locations. Veritek’s helpdesk would be notified if a kiosk from any manufacturer had run out of paper or ink, or had some kind of error, allowing us to alert the retailer or dispatch an engineer. Veritek allowed retailers to utilise the very latest technologies and would help develop the solutions they were looking for, while at the same time, we were also able to look after equipment which manufacturers had deemed ‘end of life’. This has only been possible due to our vast expertise

James Salamon, Head of Business Development at Veritek

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“Veritek gave UK photo retailers total freedom, their needs became our challenge, and this is how we have adapted and remained relevant” - James Salamon, Head of Business Development, Veritek

in the industry, our relationships with the manufacturers, clever stock management and of course, our highly skilled engineers.” Veritek’s CEO, Jim Edgar explains how the business has evolved: “While Veritek has remained focussed on our core photo business, the market has changed more in the last decade than in, perhaps the preceding three decades. Faster, simpler technology has made equipment footprint smaller, ‘wet’ photolabs are less common and dry technology is maturing, printers utilising Dye Sublimation, LED and Inkjet technologies require less

‘on-site’ engineering. To respond to this we created larger ‘bench repair’ facilities, allowing us to offer swap out solutions and physically repairing the kit on the bench at our facilities in Eastbourne. In order to stabilise our business and to allow for growth, Veritek has been highly successful in diversifying our business portfolio. We now support manufacturers and end users alike within the Healthcare, Ophthalmic, Digital Cinema and Graphic Print markets. This diversification has allowed Veritek to retain and grow the field force where other service companies

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have had to shed staff. We also have a strong and diverse business across Europe. This diversification and growth protects Veritek in a number of ways; we are less affected by any single industry downturn, we have income streams from a wider base of customers in differing territories and our photo engineers continue to be retained and challenged; our diversity is our strength.” Today Veritek employs around 290 staff with 120 full-time employed engineers in the UK, with a turnover of around £20m. Veritek

continues to offer a full range of services to support photo retailers, whether they are a single shop or pan-European operation. This year alone in the UK Veritek has logged 40,265 photo jobs (including breakdowns, installs, decommissions and maintenance visits). 55 per cent of the breakdown jobs logged have been fixed via Veritek’s helpdesk, ensuring the customers are back up and running in the fastest possible time. The company has already attended 18,297 breakdowns (on-site visits) and of these, over

75% were fixed on the engineer’s first visit. 2425 preventative maintenance visits have also been delivered, whilst 288 new pieces of equipment have been installed and 138 decommissioned. Veritek stocks in excess of £1m of photo equipment parts. This month (September) the company’s Head Quarters is moving to a new purposebuilt site over-looking the South Downs – from where the company will continue to run its photo helpdesk. Jim Edgar comments on the big move: “The new premises allow us all to be on one site, as previously we had two separate locations; one for the helpdesk and operations and one for our ever expanding repair centre. It also provides us with room for future growth and a far better working environment, importantly we are staying local to ensure that we retain our quality staff.” Along with its new physical site, Veritek has launched a new online site where it has put all its resources, advice, case studies and service offerings in one place for everyone to access. The extensive multi-lingual website spans all its European operations and offers corporate clients the opportunity to delve into Veritek’s extensive portfolio of large OEM clients and see what they have to say about the service provided by Veritek. James Salamon comments: “The photo industry can be assured that Veritek have always and will always be here to support them. Our diversification ensures we remain strong, but our pedigree and longevity offers our customers service that is unmatched in the UK.” For more information visit www.veritekglobal.com

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NEWS BITES BITES NEWS

NEWS BITES

FIND OUT MORE INFO ON THIS MONTH’S NEWS BITES AT PIXEL.CO.UK

New Premium LumeJet Addition To Booked Images Portfolio Booked Images, a specialist supplier in creating tremendously high quality and hand-crafted custom photo books, has recently added a premium option to its impressive range by harnessing the power of LumeJet Print Technologies Limited’s ultrahigh resolution photographic printing. Established for over 10 years, Booked Images provide a bespoke design, print and bind service to many tasteful clients.

The LumeJet printed “Ultra Book”, combined with Booked Images’ Elegance binding, promises to produce an outstanding book for every occasion, and quality is quite clearly the number one factor of importance. Booked Images produce ‘coffee table’ photo books that truly capture the emotion of the subject matter, making for significant wedding albums, hospitality keepsakes and professional portfolios. The entire Booked Images

Swains’ Recent Reveals Swains have made a number of announcements as of late – first with their launch of new Epson home printers. Each printer comes with high capacity Eco tanks integrated into the machine, as well as

a two-year ink supply, which would usually be very costly. There are four different models within the Epson ET range, including three A4 models and one A3 model. Additionally, it has come to light that instant photography

portfolio range is made to order to suit individual consumers – produced with personal covers and leather or library heritage buckrams. is back to stay and sales are booming. Impossible, the manufacturer of instant film for old Polaroid cameras, are pleased to announce Polaroid refurbished cameras, originally launched in the 80s. Each camera comes with a 12 month warranty and Swains have even put together a retro poster to attract customers into your store. Impossible 80’s style refurb camera has a guide price of £109.99.

http://www.lumejet.com/ news/21/new-premiumlumejet-addition-tobooked-images-portfolio

More information on these products to come, or in the meantime, contact your Swains Regional Sales Manager or email sales@swains.co.uk

The Magic Touch Announce new Smart Phone Pouches The Magic Touch have launched a brand-new range of universal pouches, compatible with all past, present and future smart phones, along with the highly anticipated iPhone 7. Made from a high-end 3.5mm rubber compound with a white polyester jersey

CREDITS & CONTACTS

in print

RETAIL SOLUTIONS FOR THE PRINT PROFESSIONAL

surface and heatresistant thread, the cases offer a printable and durable surface for transfer personalisation. With a myriad of different smartphone brands and models now in circulation, the

pouches simplify the product offering. Protecting phones with pouches continues to grow in user popularity over the previous “model specific” case options. The new cases are available in 3 sizes,

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

Features Editor: Thomas Allen 01323 819007 tom@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Sales: Geoff Diamond 01323 819007 geoff@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Group Director/Editor: Simon Skinner 01323 819017 simon@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Features Editor: Jess Saunders 01323 819007 jess@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Production Manager: Harriet Weston 01323 819010 harriet@lifemediagroup.co.uk

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

Title Manager: Elliott Mansfield 01323 819012 elliott@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Production Designer: Amy Watson 01323 819018 amy@lifemediagroup.co.uk

Deputy Editor: Jenny Ardagh 01323 819011 jenny@pixel.co.uk

Sales: Lou Dobson 01323 819007 lou@lifemediagroup.co.uk

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

30 www.pixel.co.uk

Subscriptions: Linda Grace 01323 819015 linda@lifemediagroup.co.uk Published by: LMG SE LTD (Life Media Group) 1 Swan Business Centre, Swan Barn Road, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 2BY Printed by: Gemini Press Unit A1 Dolphin Way, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex BN43 6NZ

promising to accommodate all smartphones, including the new Samsung 7 range and the new Apple iPhone 7. For more info contact the team at The Magic Touch sales@themagictouch.co.uk or call 01582 671444.

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.

OPEn All HOurS

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Experience something new Be sure not to miss the new innovations from Lowepro & JOBY. Come and see us on stand C-018, Hall 5.2 at Photokina. 32 www.pixel.co.uk

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