Pixel Magazine - Issue 952

®

ISSUE NO. 952

www.pixel.co.uk

INSIDE

LP_Pixel_Ears_46x53mm.indd 1

LP_Pixel_Ears_46x53mm.indd 2 30/09/2014 11:47 LEGENDARY LEICA SHOP CLOSES, TOP ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THE MONTH, THE ART OF 30/09/2014 WINDOW DRESSING, PANASONIC G7, CASHBACK CORNER, INDUSTRY NEWS BITES AND MORE...

This Issue Includes...

RG Lewis is closing, but Len Lyons promises we haven’t seen the last of him yet. P8.

What does the Conservative majority mean for your shop? Pixel investigates. P12.

YOUNG SHOPPERS ARE LOYAL TO ‘BRICKS AND MORTAR’ STORES

According to James Llewellyn of GfK, the ‘digital generation’ isn’t ready to let go of physical shopping just yet...

Alex Holbrook from Impossible HQ talks to Pixel’s Simon Skinner. Interview on P28.

UK Retail Sales Storm Ahead

The CBI has reported that retail growth has accelerated strongly in the last year to May, exceeding expectations. The survey of 134 businesses found that 60% of firms noted an increase in sales volume, while just 9% saw a fall, balancing positively at 51%.

Rain Newton-Smith, the CBI’s Director of Economics, said: “Overall, the outlook is bright for firms on the High Street.”

PHOTO -

IMAGING -

Despite their love of and ease within the online world, today’s young people are not exclusively virtual shoppers, glued to their screens throughout the purchase journey.

This new generation of digital natives loves the environment of the VIDEO

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AUDIO

-

TV

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PRINT

responding by migrating out of their virtual comfort zone to investigate the High Street.

store, and values the interaction it offers. And they show no signs of changing their viewpoint.

This creates opportunities for brick and click retailers to challenge the purely online players, some of which – like eBay and Amazon – are -

MOBILE

-

STATS

-

PEOPLE

Continued on page 6...

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RETAIL

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BUSINESS

-

NEWS

www.pixel.co.uk 1

11:47

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NEWS

WELCOME To Pixel Magazine After an intense but hugely enjoyable 15 months as editor of Pixel, I’m relinquishing the reigns and moving on to new pastures.

Over the past year the magazine has undergone some significant changes – we upped the pagination and introduced more features after accepting that all the ‘latest news’ goes straight to your pockets via the Internet.

As we all know, publishing isn’t the only industry affected by online habits. Internet shopping is putting a huge strain on High Street shops.

You will probably have heard the sad news that industry legend Len Lyons of RG Lewis is closing his doors. In this issue we interview the Leica veteran and learn more about his fascinating 54-year career running camera shops across the country.

All is not doomed however. Our cover feature this month assures us that young people remain loyal to physical ‘bricks & mortar’ shopping,

and aren’t about to abandon us for the Internet completely.

Elsewhere, you can find the latest camera sales data in our Market Watch section, catch up on which brands are offering cashback in Cashback Corner.

In:Print contains the latest information on our new photo print campaign, while Simon Skinner interviews Alex Holbrook of Impossible about the rise and reinvention of instant analogue photography.

Before I leave, I’d like to thank everyone who I’ve been in contact with during my time at Pixel - it’s been an honour to be part of such an exciting, evolving industry with such nice people. Long may it last!

For all future editorial enquiries until further notice, please contact our new Editor Jenny Ardagh at jenny@pixel.co.uk or simon@lifemediagroup.co.uk.

Zoe, Editor

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

Epson and Calumet announce in-store partnership Epson has launched a ‘Print & Pay’ station inside Calumet’s London Flagship store, offering photographers the chance to print high quality professional-level images in-store, while giving Epson an ideal opportunity to showcase its latest print technology.

Historic Camera Shop Becomes Restaurant Leicester’s oldest High Street shop, 222-year-old Young’s Cameras, is set to be transformed into ‘Haycock and Tailbar’, a late-night restaurant and cocktail bar, five years after the photographic retailer closed.

Rugby Star Permanently Autographs £60,000 lens

Nikon Launches ‘Heartography’ For Dogs Nikon Asia has launched ‘heartography’, ‘photography straight from the heart’ to promote its Coolpix L31 camera. In a promotional video the brand enlisted ‘Grizzler’ the border collie. Grizzler had a camera strapped to him, complete with a conductive band to detect his heartbeat.

His heart data was then transmitted to the camera via Bluetooth, and a photo would be taken every time his heart rate increased. The resulting images largely comprised,

Industry News Bites

After scoring his 200th try at Twickenham in May, Kenyan player Collins Injera pulled out a permanent marker from his sock and gleefully signed the lens of a TV camera. The practice is common in tennis, but usually players sign a protective cover - not the lens itself. Oops.

Red Lorry Yellow Lorry Wins Canon UK Account perhaps unsurprisingly, of cats, food and other dogs.

It is unclear whether Nikon intends to roll the product out commercially.

Watch the video on Pixelmagazine.co.uk

PR firm Red Lorry Yellow Lorry has been appointed to handle PR for Canon UK’s pro-imaging business.

The firm won after pitching competitively against five other agencies. It will now take care of Canon’s pro-video, broadcast and projector sectors. www.rlyl.com/

Swains New Frames & Albums Catalogue

OUT NOW! FREE GIFT Tel: 01485 536 200 email: sales@swains.co.uk web: www.swains.co.uk

with your first order Quote FOC13

www.pixel.co.uk 3

NEWS

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

#LocalBusinessWeek The week of 18 - 24 May saw the launch of the 10th Local Business Week, a call for the UK public and government to support local independent businesses. #LocalBusinessWeek was used to encourage the sharing of advice and tips for indie traders.

A number of companies contributed to the discussion, including Liz Crampton from online booking agency 10to8, who said: “We work with small businesses every day and we know they struggle with

promotion and marketing – which is why Local Business Week is a great way to raise awareness of all of the challenges and benefits of being involved in a local business.”

Polecame Features In Olympic Games Exhibition

Polecam, the lightweight and portable carbon fibre crane system, has taken its place at the ‘Olympic Games: Behind the Screen’

exhibition at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is on display fitted out with the Polecam FishFace underwater system.

Polecam has been used extensively for the broadcast coverage of many genres of sport, increasing the viewing experience and excitement by getting close-in action POV shots and moves that would not be possible by any other means.

Just In Time For Summer Canon Cashback Promo Starting today Canon customers can get up to up to £50 cashback on selected products in the UK and Ireland.

As customers gear up for their summer holidays, many will be looking to capture their memories with a brand new camera. After spending all that money on flights and hotels, a Canon cashback offer is exactly what they need.

Eligible products include lenses, DSLRs, compact cameras and printers.

Find a full list on pixel.co.uk

4 www.pixel.co.uk

Nikon UK Announces New Ambassadors Nikon UK has announced the appointment of three new photographers to its Ambassador line-up: news photographer Leon Neal, wildlife photographer David Yarrow and landscape photographer Jeremy Walker. The Nikon Ambassador initiative was introduced in 2013 to celebrate class-leading photographers

working in specific fields of photography, whilst inspiring people to pick up their camera and reach their creative potential.

Panasonic’s New HX-A1 is ‘First to Capture Action in Dark’

Panasonic has released the first action camera to have a night vision mode.

The HX-A1 is an ultra-compact and tough camera designed to endure tough conditions. It is lightweight, shockproof and dustproof to appeal to extreme sports enthusiasts.

The infra-red torch, the camera’s top selling point, allows users to capture video in complete darkness whilst also shooting in Full HD at 30 frames per second.

RRP: £148 Available: Late June

Fujifilm Updates X-T1

The Fuji X-T1 v4.0 firmware upgrade is the second of its kind to offer a substantial increase in Fuji’s DSLR style compact system camera’s capabilities.

Applying to both the original black X-T1 and the newer X-T1 Graphite Silver Edition, the v4.0 update offers new autofocus modes, better accuracy, more

precise eye and face-detection AF, and Macro mode improvements.

The new ‘Zone’ and ‘Wide/Tracking’ modes, according to Fuji will ‘substantially’ improve the capturing of moving subjects, with the camera now tracking back and forth as well as horizontal and vertical movement across the full 77-point AF area.

Additionally, the new Eye Detection AF mode will help to attain a sharper portrait shot, and the new automatic mode switch makes Macro photography even easier.

Available: End of June 2015 from the Fujifilm website.

3D Printed Lens Hoods

3D printing may seem like a bit of a mystical process to most, but one area where 3D printing is clearly excelling is photography: creating custom products and lens modifications.

Zurich-based high-end camera manufacturer, ALPA is allowing their customers to combine different analogue or digital backs with a lens of their choice in order to create their own personalised camera system. They are now also creating their own lens shades with the 3D printing technology.

The only problem is, there is yet to be introduced a ‘one-sizefits-all’ solution, meaning specific manufacturing in small quantities.

Whilst previously, ALPA could only manufacture large amounts of these lens hoods for economic reasons, they now can create lens hoods to fit individual needs due to the 3D printing technology.

Lomography launches the New Petzval Bokeh Lens Lomography has launched yet another quirky lens, the new Petzval 58 Bokeh Control Art Lens which offers a 58-mm focal length, plus the ability to control the level of bokeh created – a marmite type effect.

Inspired by the 19th Century Russian Petzval lenses, this lens is not aimed at those who want to achieve the perfect photograph with the utmost image quality, but those who want to create something a little different. The images

produced are characterised by strong colour saturation, vignetting and swirled bokeh. Now, this bokeh effect can be controlled using the ring at the top of the new lens.

The ring adjusts the distance between the lens elements to change the strength of the effect, ranging from 1 – 7 (7 being powerful bokeh effects).

With the 58mm focal length instead of the 85mm ‘old’ New Petzval camera, it may be more useful to a wider range of photographer.

Touch Screen Added To Gopro Hero GoPro has announced the availability of its new HERO+ LCD camera, now with a convenient touch display for easy shooting, framing and settings control. With also a new wide trimming feature built directly into waterproof housing, there’s even more capacity to capture the adventure – in high definition 1080p60 video and with 8MP photos no less.

The HERO+ LCD also includes

advanced features like HiLight Tagging and in-camera video trimming letting the user mark key moments while recording and during playback so they can easily find them later.

Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® connect the HERO+ LCD to the GoPro App on any smartphone or tablet where its downloaded,

Sandisk Announces New Usb 3.0 Flash Drives Sandisk’s high-performance drives, include the SanDisk Extreme 900 Portable SSDs, the world’s fastest line of Type C-based portable SSDs; and the SanDisk Extreme 500 Portable SSDs, the company’s new pocket-sized, rugged drives. The SanDisk Extreme 900 drives feature speeds of up to nine times faster than a portable hard drive.

The new USB 3.0 flash drives enhance SanDisk’s award-winning USB line-up with impressive capacities and performance, delivering speeds up to 10 times

faster than a standard USB 2.0 drive. With these higher capacities, consumers can now save more of their favourite videos, photos and music on their laptops, TVs, gaming consoles or other entertainment systems.

RRP: The 128GB SanDisk Ultra Fit USB 3.0 Flash Drive is priced at an MSRP of £61.99, and the 256GB SanDisk Ultra USB 3.0 is priced at an MSRP of £115.99.

Available: retailers worldwide.

For a list of online availability, visit www.sandisk.com

which also allows for easy content sharing to social media.

Video can be powered on with the press of a single button with the QuikCapture setting and a long lasting battery life of up to two hours enhances recording potential.

RRP: Approx. £195 Available: July 12th internationally in authorised GoPro retailers.

Phase One Has Announced Its New Medium Format Xf Camera System Phase One has launched the new XF Camera System, a new camera range that boasts new medium format sensors that are 2.5 times larger than those found in high-end 35mm DSLRs. The new XF camera system is built with new modular viewfinders, a new autofocus platform, OneTouch user interface, high-resolution lenses and extraordinary image quality achieved by a combination of high-resolution, high-dynamic range pixels and exceptional wide angular response. The two separate, yet fully integrated

touch displays are a 1.6 inch grip screen, designed for clear visibility in any lighting conditions, and the back, retina touch screen designed to show high-quality image previews.

The XF Camera System also boasts being able to deliver extreme long exposures of up to 60 minutes across 50MP, 60MP and 80MP configurations. All this whilst promising to be faster, stronger and better.

RRP: £38,990 Available: See manufacturer website for availability.

www.pixel.co.uk 5

COVER

Young Shoppers Are Loyal to ‘Bricks and Mortar’ Stores Continued...

Wikimedia Commons - Dressformer

T

he Global Young Shopper survey questioned shoppers aged 16-21 in 10 markets around the world. Here’s what they told us about their online and offline shopping experiences.

Point one: More young people say they will only buy from retailers that have a physical presence.

Younger shoppers are slightly more likely than older people to shun shopping online altogether, however only a small percentage of 16-21 year olds never shop online.

When we questioned young shoppers about their online purchasing behaviour, we found that in every single retail category, shoppers aged 16-21 are significantly more likely to say that they only buy online from shops that have a physical store.

Point two: Retailers must join the dots to satisfy the ‘omnichannel’ generation.

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Our research confirms that young shoppers are an omnichannel generation, expecting a seamless experience between the two environments. Two thirds think that retailers should provide customer support in stores, even if they have bought online. This means retailers must offer a fully integrated service, with products and information available across all channels. Young people expect to be able go online to check stock in a physical store, to return their online purchases to physical stores, and to access customer support wherever and whenever they need it.

Point three: Experiencing the product is most important for high ticket items.

For more expensive and high involvement categories, young shoppers expect to be able to buy in store. For instance, in seven of the ten markets we surveyed, 16-21 year olds were more likely to shop exclusively in stores for mobile phones. Clearly for this age group to

fully appreciate which phone is the right one, a visit to a store to see it, handle the products and talking to sales staff in person is necessary.

The research shows that for young people, online shopping is not the default option. And retail markets are not, as some may have predicted, progressing relentlessly towards 100% e-commerce. Instead physical stores and virtual shopping are likely to co-exist with improved synergy, supported by solutions such as Virtual Fitting Rooms and Click & Collect.

While they are completely at ease shopping on mobile phones and tablets, 16-21 year olds continue to value visiting a physical store, particularly when they are purchasing more expensive and higher engagement items.

They also see a shop as the place to go for customer support, regardless of where an item was bought. It is essential that retailers understand these attitudes, and the nuances within each category, if they are to meet the demands of the next generation of customers.

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www.pixel.co.uk 7

RG LEWIS

Legendary Leica Shop Closes RG Lewis is closing, but long-time shop owner Len Lyons promises we haven’t seen the last of him yet

“I will be very sad to close the shop as I love Holborn and can even remember when there were seven or eight camera shops in the area. I have had a love affair with Leica all my life, so it is very painful for me to give it up”

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M

any loyal customers have been left feeling saddened by the impending closure of the 100-year-old RG Lewis on Southampton Row in Holborn.

On his blog, customer Mike Evans (of macfilos.com) has described the closure as the ‘end of an era’, while one ‘Yelp’ contributor said it was ‘devastating news’ and it is as though ‘a piece of history has disappeared’. Many Leica photographers will no doubt share the same sentiment, not least Mr Lyons himself.

When Pixel got in touch, he told us: “I will be very sad to close the shop as I love Holborn and can even remember when there were seven or eight camera shops in the area. I have had a love affair with Leica all my life, so it is very painful for me to give it up.”

Like many camera shop closures over the

last few decades, RG Lewis has been hit hard by the rise of online shopping.

Contrary to the findings of our lead story in this issue, Len feels that: “Lately the Internet has taken over and we have become a showroom for demonstrating cameras so that people can then go and buy them on the web,” Len said.

Len’s photographic career began at the tender age of 18, at a shop in Leather Lane called Sidney Levy Photographic. Five years later, Dollonds took it over and Len soon progressed to Director, running 27 camera shops.

“We then took over Sands Hunter and RG Lewis,” Len explained. “We bought RG from Norman Lewis who was a very famous writer and spy. When Dollonds sold out I bought the

RG LEWIS

and also changes in attitude towards the about the industry and the history of Leica. business in 1982 and have run it ever since.” independent specialist dealer, Len Lyons has Len frequently reminds me of the 125 years For 54 years Len has served a rapidly regretfully decided to retire and therefore, the that RG Lewis has been trading and at times evolving photographic community, including a Holborn shop will close permanently on the I do start to believe the rumour that a blurry number of famous names such as Jamie Lee 14th June 2015.” photograph exists of a fresh-faced Len on the Curtis and John Lennon, the latter of whom Despite noting his ‘retirement’, Len assures opening day behind the counter!” bought film at Len’s Swiss Cottage shop where us his love affair with Leica isn’t over yet.

He added: “All things must change and The Beatles recorded Abbey Road.

“I am not giving up completely on Leica, – our industry is no different but we do well to “The days of the old photographic shop photography is in my blood and I feel I still have remind ourselves that many customers still like ours with drawers and cupboards and something to offer to the trade. So as Arnold seek out a far from homogenous experience. lots of bits and bobs is over,” Len continued.

Our understanding “The new generation of the past is key to of people are only into “All things must change and our industry is no different but we shaping our present brands with neatly the future of displayed goods to do well to remind ourselves that many customers still seek out a and the industry. I am tempt the wealthy guy far from homogenous experience. Our understanding of the past sure we shall all who wants to own a miss that feeling branded item. So there is key to shaping our present and the future of the industry” of being ‘wet won’t be many shops behind the ears’ like ours, where people Schwarzenegger said: I will be back…Maybe when talking to Len. He has been a great can rummage for a mixture of old and new.

I’ll write a book like Norman Lewis…” ambassador for the brand and will be sorely “Also, the number of people who know After our interview with Len, we got in touch missed.” about the old equipment is getting lower and with Jason Heward, Managing Director of While it is the end of the road for RG Lewis, lower. So to the new generation, I am full of Leica. He gave us the following statement: Jason is confident that Leica has a strong useless information they don’t wish to know “It is extremely sad to see RG Lewis close future in UK retail. He concluded: “Leica has, about.” and many Leica customers will feel a real sense over the past 12 months, expanded into The shop recently posted a message to of loss on hearing the news. All industries need 10 new retailers within the UK, and is now customers on its website (rglewis.co.uk), characters and within the photographic trade available in over 35 retailers across the UK. saying: “R.G. Lewis has traded successfully they don’t come much larger than Len Lyons.

It’s an exciting time for the brand as we head for almost 155 years in the Holborn area.

I struggle to think of anyone who knows more into our one hundred and first year!”

However, due to the effects of the Internet,

www.pixel.co.uk 9

MARKET WATCH

How to Serve an Ace in the Photo Sector

GfK’s David Macphee reports on camera and accessory sales ahead of the summer

Serving up the products consumers desire Imaging at Forefront of

Fixed Lens (FL)

-20%

WiFi FL

+18%

SLR

-10%

WiFi SLR

>+1,000% ASP -> ÂŁ18

+54%

Selfie stick craze continues

GfK GB Point of Sales Tracking , Data is based on volume in the 3 months to April 15, ASP refers to average selling price

S

Š GfK 2015

trawberries and cream, rain breaks and change in consumer habits, exemplified by the become an important part of the retail offer, Cliff Richard – Wimbledon wouldn’t rise in smartphone photography and the ability few have received as marmite a reaction as be the same without them and the to share photos instantly through social media. the selfie stick. The bad news for the critics British Summer wouldn’t be the same without WiFi embedded cameras have become and good news for retailers is that ‘Peak Selfie’ Wimbledon. Yes, it will soon be that time of year important riposte for the digital camera market appears to be some way off yet. again, when Andy Murray’s nationality becomes in recent times. Brands investing in this feature What the selfie stick experience proves performance dependent and are benefitting from the strong millions of Brits re-learn the growth in ‘connected’ cameras. “WiFi embedded cameras have become important rules of tennis for two weeks.

While the overall Fixed Lens Spectators at the All market segment declined riposte for the digital camera market in recent times.

England Club will have to by 20% volume in the three Brands investing in this feature are benefitting from remember one new rule months to April 15, those that this year though as the are Wi-Fi embedded grew the strong growth in ‘connected’ camerasâ€? tournament becomes the almost +18%. Connectedness latest in a considerable list of is even becoming important in venues and events that have the SLR market which has been banned the use of the omnipresent selfie stick. slower to react, where overall volume declined once again is that understanding the dynamic The GfK Point of Sales (POS) data shows that 10% but WiFi embedded cameras grew more needs of your customer is key to success in the selfie stick craze continues apace with than 50%. a challenging sector like photo. One way this growth in the three months to April 2015 of Be it selfie sticks or WiFi featuring, has been applied with positive results has greater than 1,000% as distribution increases anticipating how consumer needs develop will been in responding to the developing need for and the average price falls to just ÂŁ18 in April. be key to any brand or retailer winning game, connectedness among consumer tech devices.

While photo accessories of all sorts have set and match in the photo sector.

Imaging has been at the forefront of this

10 www.pixel.co.uk

CASHBACK CORNER

Just in Time for Summer!

Camera manufacturers have been releasing their cashback promotions to help retailers entice customers in-store to buy a camera for their summer adventures

Nikon Canon The offer runs from 21 May – 26 August

The offer runs from 20 May to 19 August

Model

Cashback

DSLR

Cashback

D3300

£30

EOS 1200D

£20/€25

D5200

£40

EOS 100D

D5300

£50

(excludes DC Kit versions)

£30/€35

D5500

£60

EOS 700D

£50/€60

EOS M3 18-55mm

£50/€60

Lens/Accessories

Cashback

AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G

£15

AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED VR II

£20

AFS-DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f /4.5-5.6G ED VR

£25

AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED VR

£50

SB-300

£10

SB-500

£15

EF S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM

£25/€30

EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

£50/€60

EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

£50/€60

EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM

£25/€30

EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

£50/€60

EF 55-250 f/4-5.6 IS STM

£25/€30

EF 40mm f/2.8 STM

£25/€30

EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM

£25/€30

Speedlite 430EXII

£40/€45

Speedlite 270EXII

£25/€30

Compact Cameras

Cashback

PowerShot SX530

£30

PowerShot SX710

£30

PowerShot SX610

£20

PowerShot D30

£30

The smmer cashback promotion runs from 21 May – 1 August

IXUS 275

£20

Product

Cashback

K-3 – all versions

£75.00

Video

Cashback

LEGRIA HF R606

£20

Printers

LEGRIA HF R66

£30

PIXMA iP8750

£30

LEGRIA HF R67

£30

PIXMA MG6650

£15

LEGRIA HF R68

£30

PIXMA MG7550

£20

LEGRIA G25

£50

SELPHY CP910

£15

Ricoh K-S2 – all colours and versions

£40.00

K-50 all colours and versions

£40.00

Canon

The offer runs from 20 May to 19 August

Cashback

www.pixel.co.uk 11

CONSERVATIVES

The Conservatives Are In: What’s Next?

What does the Conservative majority mean for your shop? Pixel investigates

I

t’s been over a month since the country was shocked by the Tories’ majority win.

Their manifesto looked promising for small businesses in the lead-up to the election, pledging to cut red tape by £10bn, triple the number of startup loans and review business rates.

Cutting red tape On Wednesday 27 May, newly-appointed Business Secretary Sajid Javid MP introduced an Enterprise Bill in the Queen’s speech which will focus on cutting ‘irrelevant’ red tape to support small businesses.

Commenting on the bill, ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “The new Business Secretary is right to make tackling regulation a priority, and we particularly welcome his objective to tackle poor regulation across all government departments. We need to remove barriers that prevent local shops investing in their stores and staff.”

In his first speech since replacing Vince Cable, Mr Javid said that the government’s plan to create 2m jobs in the next five years will help make ‘Britain the best place in Europe to start a new business’.

The Business Secretary also announced plans to establish a new publicly-funded body to help businesses recoup the estimated £32bn owed to them in late payments of bills.

Often businesses are unaware of their rights, or reluctant to take legal action in case they lose future business. According to Mr Javid, this would help settle disputes.

“Small businesses are Britain’s engine room and the success of our whole economy is built on the hard work and determination of the people who run and work for them,”said the MP, who grew up above his parents’ clothing shop in Bristol.

“As Business Secretary, I will always back them and, in my determination to get the job done, one of my first steps will be to bring forward an enterprise bill that helps them to succeed and create jobs.

“As part of our long-term economic plan, we will sweep away burdensome red tape, get heavy handed regulators off firms’ backs and create a small business conciliation service to help resolve disputes.”

John Allan, Chairman of the National Federation of Small Businesses, also

12 www.pixel.co.uk

James Lowman, Chief Exec ACS

welcomed the proposed changes. He said: “Our members have been clear on the need to make progress on cutting burdensome red tape and on addressing issues like the billions owed to small businesses in overdue payments.

“These are not easy issues to tackle and we will need the minister to work closely with our members and the wider business community to find solutions. We look forward to working with the Business Secretary and his team over the coming months.”

In his blog following the election, ACS Chief Exec James Lowman said: “There are some other more positive elements of the Conservative manifesto, notably a pledge to review police cautions for shop thefts. But, more important than the manifesto pledges, may be the individuals selected by the Prime Minister to occupy key cabinet and other ministerial roles. Their individual priorities may

David Cameron, Ben Fisher/GAVI Alliance

well shape ours in the coming months and years.”

Business rates review As online retailers gain on bricks-and-mortar shops, it is becoming more important than ever to support High Street shop owners.

Experts have warned the current 400-year-old business rates system is ‘crippling’ small firms.

It is hoped that plans for the biggest review of business rates ‘in a generation’, announced

by Chancellor George Osborne in his Budget in March, will help alleviate threat from Internet companies.

Are you happy with the Conservative government? How do you think they should be supporting small businesses?

Let us know your views on twitter @pixelmagazine

ARE YOU READY?

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

www.pixel.co.uk 13

TOP ANNOUNCEMENTS

Top Announcements of the Month We feature some of the biggest product launches from May

TomTom Bandit TomTom, the company behind the famous car sat-nav system, has recently announced its intention to go head-to-head with GoPro with a new action camera – the TomTom Bandit Action Camera.

But what makes the TomTom Bandit different to all the other popular action cameras on the market? Interestingly, it comes with its own in-built media server (apparently the first

FUJINON XF90mmF2 R LM WR

of its kind in an action camera) so instead of spending hours downloading and sorting through footage, users can now create an exciting edit and share it within moments of the action, all from the camera itself.

Available: Now RRP: £308 Distributor: Softline, 01293 827900

Leica M Monochrom Leica Camera AG is building on its successful digital black and white photography concept with the brand new Leica M Monochrom rangefinder camera With improved performance and features and a newly developed black-and-white sensor, the camera by far exceeds the high standards set by its predecessor, according to Leica.

A key selling point of this camera is a new 24MP highresolution black-and-white sensor in full-frame format without a low-cut filter. As the sensor of

Lily Camera

the Leica M Monochrom does without a colour filter, which means that interpolation is no longer required for the calculation of luminance values, it enables exceptionally sharp pictures at all sensitivity settings up to ISO 25 000 with exceptional depth, clarity and resolution of details that, according to Leica, exceed that of colour exposures.

RRP: £5750 Available: Now

US company Lily Robotics has unveiled a self-flying drone that tracks and follows its owner once thrown into the air. The camera captures 1080/60p HD video and 12MP stills. The drone flies without pilot control and maintains a minimum altitude of 5ft and max of 50ft.

Available: www.lily.camera

14 www.pixel.co.uk

A new FUJINON XF90mmF2 R LM WR will be added to the X-Series interchangeable lens line-up in July 2015.

Offering a focal length equivalent to 137mm and a maximum aperture of F2.0, this short telephoto optic is ideal for portrait and sports photography.

The optical construction

of 11 elements in 8 groups (including three ED glass elements) minimises vignetting and creates bokeh thanks to the rounded diaphragm, which makes it ideal for portraiture as well as other applications.

RRP: £699.00 Available: Late July 2015

Lomo LC-A Minitar-1 Lens Lomography, known for championing creative analogue photography, has gone digital. Its latest art lens, the Lomo LC-A Minitar-1 , is designed for digital photographers.

The brand said: “Constructed from aluminium and brass and

boasting the LC-A’s super-fast 4-step zone focusing system, a 32mm focal length, aperture control and Leica M mount, the Lomo LC-A Minitar-1 is the perfect lens for street shooting!”

Available: Now

Fujifilm X-10 Fujifilm has announced the latest addition to the X-series aimed at enthusiasts.

It has a lightweight body, new AF system and an electronic viewfinder with 0.62x magnification ratio and ‘the world’s shortest time lag of 0.005secs. The

new AF system has a traditional 49-point mode but it adds new Zone and WideTracking modes to track across a 77-point area.

RRP: Body only £499 Availability: Mid-late June 2015

Step up to consistent stability, precision lighting control, plus studio and location capabilities. With unmatched durability, it’s easy to see why Bowens has been a premier lighting brand for over 50 years.

Bowens.co.uk

Twitter.com/BowensFlash Facebook.com/BowensFlash

ŠJake Hicks - JakeHicksPhotography.com

Gemini Flash Lighting System

Instagram.com/BowensFlash

www.pixel.co.uk 15

RETAIL TIPS

The Art of Window Dressing How to make the most of your camera shop front

Clock Tower Cameras

“What message do you want your window display to convey? Just like any type of advertising, it needs a unified message.

Do you want to announce a sale? Or maybe let customers know about new arrivals?”

16 www.pixel.co.uk

U

nlike Internet shopping, High Street shopping is an ‘experience’. Real, ‘bricks and mortar’ shopping isn’t just about coming home with a bag full of new things.

People dress up to go out in public; they meet their friends, they window shop, try things out, compare prices and seek advice from in-store experts. Photographers in particular love to test equipment and feel the products in their hands before making a big investment. There’s no doubt that physical shopping still has its place in Britain, but the competition from online is growing. Shop owners are having to up the stakes to entice people in-store.

High fashion retailers like Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Liberty are Kings of the High Street experience: and they know it all starts before the shopper has even stepped through the door.

It starts with the window display. The window display is the retailer’s chance to get creative and tell the world what they’re about.

World-famous fashion stores have huge budgets and teams of creatives to perfect their

window displays. This enables them to create spectacular theatrical installations that are not just shop fronts, but tourist destinations in their own right. At Christmas hundreds of thousands of people flock from all over the world to see enchanted forests made from real trees, giant golden goose eggs, ice sculptures, mechanical ballerinas wearing designer gowns and all manor of fantastical window displays at London’s top department stores.

Of course, we don’t all have Stella McCartney working for us and a million-pound budget to blow. Most of us don’t have an in-store retail designer and most of us are too busy dealing with customers to produce an art installation every six weeks. However, after scouring the Internet for expert advice, we’ve discovered there are some simple, low-cost measures that can be taken to improve the look of our camera shop windows.

1

Plan Your Purpose “What message do you want your window display to convey? Just like

RETAIL TIPS

any type of advertising, it needs a unified message. Do you want to announce a sale?

Or maybe let customers know about new arrivals? Perhaps your display could tie into an upcoming holiday?” - Smallbiztrends

museum, or an antiques shop you want to have a good old rummage through. It evokes a feeling of excitement, making customers think ‘what gem will I stumble upon today?’

On the other end of the scale you have larger stores like Park Cameras and Calumet Make merchandise the focal point Photographic that sell brand new products “You know those television and appeal to a modern, techy commercials where everyone customer. These customers want remembers the commercial the full shebang - modern lighting, “You know those television commercials but forgets the product? Don’t make counters, product zones and where everyone remembers the commercial branded creative window displays. Calumet’s the same mistake with your display windows.” - Experts.allbusiness.com new Manfrotto window display oozes but forgets the product? Don’t make the outdoors adventure. Highlighting same mistake with your display windows” Create desire its range of backpacks, the display “Feature customer wants. Your features a mountain backdrop and higher ticket items that might bags hanging from carabinas. It’s not sell as quickly garner more interest minimalist, fashionable and creative, evoking the to want to see equipment in the window than what customers need.” - Retaildoc.com desired lifestyle of its target audience. not abstract installations. They want to see With just a few changes and a bit of thought, unique products, prices and good deals. The Your window display is a billboard: a your window display can be transformed to display at Clock Tower is busy: a window full message to passers-by to say ‘come inside’. suit your brand, demand attention and entice of products, but it has a classic ‘old world’ To effectively communicate this message, shoppers from the streets to your shop counter feel that will appeal to traditionalists. It invites you need to think about who you are for that all-important sale. passersby to stop and look - almost like a

2

communicating to. What do they want to see?

What’s going to attract their attention?

If you are a specialist retailer dealing in secondhand cameras – like Clock Tower Cameras in Brighton, you may well be appealing to the more seasoned photographer or collector. Photography buffs are going

3

www.pixel.co.uk 17

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

“Excuse me, do you sell fish tanks?”

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, counter staff at London Camera Exchange have kindly provided the answers you’ve been dying to know.

If you own/run/work in a camera shop and you’d like to get involved, please email jenny@pixel.co.uk What was your first thought when you woke up this morning?

Have you had any quirky/unusual customers?

What did you want to be when you were little?

Did I iron a shirt last night? – Gerry.

I was once asked if we sell fish tanks, because, and I quote “Your cabinets are made of glass!” (Does that count?) – Simon.

A chef or a lawyer. – Gerry.

Interesting, constantly evolving. – Simon.

What’s the worst part of your job?

If you had a million pounds, which tech gadgets would you buy?

Having to explain on an almost daily basis why you shouldn’t buy a gray import online, and buy UK stock from a reputable dealer (LCE obv’s!!). – Simon.

Kind of a cop out, but I did beat a rather tricky level on Lego Marvel Superheroes on the bus on the way to work this morning. – Simon.

Describe the photographic industry in three words.

An Otto Bock Genium X3 Prosthetic leg!

True!! – Gerry.

If you could wake up tomorrow as someone else, who would it be and what would you do?

I can’t say I’d really like to wake up as someone else, but I wouldn’t mind waking up a lottery winner, and go on a massive no-holds-barred spending spree, literally money no object, buy whatever I like and not having to worry about paying bills – bliss!! – Simon.

18 www.pixel.co.uk

What’s the best part of your job?

What’s your favourite part of today so far?

What’s the strangest thing you’ve eaten?

Actually selling a product instore, as a result of explaining why you shouldn’t buy a gray import from a dodgy online site!! J - Simon.

I’m not a really adventurous foodie, so would probably be horse as a result of (probably) buying contaminated burgers when ‘that’ media scare happened in 2013. – Simon.

If you were on death row, what would your last meal be?

If you could learn one new skill tomorrow, what would it be?

Calamari (squid) with Greek salad and mezes. – Gerry.

Learn to play the Bouzouki. Opa! – Gerry.

www.pixel.co.uk 19

PANASONIC

Panasonic G7: Bringing 4K ‘To Everyone’ Pixel gets a first-hand look at the new Panasonic LUMIX G7 launched in Mallorca last month

A

s this issue of Pixel Magazine lands you will no doubt have learned about the unveiling of the new Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G7, the latest addition to its range of LUMIX G Interchangeable lens cameras.

Pixel Magazine’s Simon Skinner was lucky enough to be one of the first to spend a day shooting with the new camera in the sunny climes of Palma de Mallorca. Simon said: “This new LUMIX represents a real opportunity for the UK retail channel. It’s a camera that offers 4K resolution for everyone and whilst it lacks certain features and capabilities that you’ll find in the (more professional) GH4, it comes in at a price point that’s around 50% less.

He continued: “The user interface is really quite intuitive, with some really clever functions, such as the ‘scroller’, which allows the user to pick a frame from a series of three 4K ‘burst’ modes, saving them as an 8MP still image - all in the body of the camera. You don’t need to be an expert to use this camera, but if you are, you’ll still be happy.”

To further the strength of the new DMC-G7 for resellers, the new camera integrates WiFi connectivity for flexible shooting and fast

20 www.pixel.co.uk

and easy image sharing via social media platforms and email. Alternatively you can use your mobile device as a remote control for the camera, changing settings such as focus, aperture, shutter speed and ISO, before remotely triggering the shutter.

Simon added: “The hero here is the 4K photo feature. The 4K Burst Shooting allows up to 29 minutes and 59 seconds of continuous shooting at 30 fps, which can be used just like a photo burst shoot mode by holding the shutter down. Similarly, the 4K Burst (Start/ Stop) mode starts consecutive shooting with a single press of a shutter button and stops it with the second press, which is more suitable for shooting opportunities that require longer waiting time. The 4K Pre-burst automatically records 30 frames per second before and after the shutter is pressed. The beauty of all of this is the ability to pull hi-res stills, using the camera’s on-board interface in a way that’s only really been talked about up till now. Aside from the obvious imaging quality here, the G7 gives sales staff a real story to tell their customers.

It’s innovative, it’s exciting and these factors all help to make the sale”.

Other Key Features • New UHS-II SDXC Memory Card Compliance • New Max.1/16000 sec High Shutter Speed • Improved Creative Panorama (360-degree) • 3.5mm Microphone Socket • Focus Peaking • Silent Mode • Level Gauge • WB (White Balance) Bracket • Creative Control with 22 Filters • Time Lapse Shot / Stop Motion Animation • P/A/S/M mode for Video Recording • iA+ (Intelligent Auto) Mode for Photo and Video • Scene Guide with 20 Sample Situations The LUMIX G7 is available from mid June 2015 and launch RRPs are below.

• DMC-G7HEB-K in black - £849 • DMC-G7KEB-K in black - £679 • DMC-G7EB-K in black - £599

PANASONIC

4K Video Mode The LUMIX DMC-G7 records in high-resolution QFHD 4K video in 3840x2160 at 25p (50Hz) or 24p in MP4 in addition to full-HD 1,920 x 1,080 at 50p (50 Hz) videos in AVCHD Progressive or MP4 (MPEG-4 / H.264) format with practical full-time AF. Optional Accessories: With customers flocking in-store (hopefully) to get a first look at the LUMIX G7, it’s the ideal chance to showcase a broader range of Panasonic cameras and accessories. There are a number of accessories compatible with the G7 that resellers can draw attention to, including: Lenses • H-F007014 ultra wide-angle zoom lens in compact size, based on the Micro Four Thirds System standard.

• H-FS12032E interchangeable standard compact zoom lens starting from 24mm wide angle to 64mm with 3 aspherical lenses and 1 ED lens.

• H-HS35100E 35 – 100mm telephoto zoom

lens featuring F2.8 brightness at entire zoom range, and capable under hard conditions: splash and dust proof with nano surface coating technology to reduce ghost and flare.

• H-F008E digital interchangeable fisheye lens with diagonal angle of view of 180-degrees, distinctive perspective and deformation effect.

• H-ES045E high mobility macro lens based on the Micro Four Thirds System standard with advanced hand-shake correction technology and an aspherical lens and ED lens.

• H-PS45175E 45-175mm lens, brand “X” with interchangeable power zoom lens and multactuator floating inner focus system and lens construction.

multicoated surface plane which reduces flare and ghosting whilst improving light transmission.

• DMW-LND58 ND 58mm filter which allows for slow shutter speed even in bright light, and reduces light intensity when using a fully open aperture with Dimming ND8.

Mount Adaptors • DMW-MA2ME Leica Mount Adaptor, allowing users to attached DMW-MA2M on DMC-G1 and DMC-GH1.

• DMW-MA1 Four Thirds lens mount adaptor for G Micro system cameras.

Microphones • DM1-MS2E stereo shotgun microphone for GH3 with windjammer enabling high quality audio recording and holder designed with vibrational absorption mechanism.

• VW-VMS10 stereo shotgun microphone with wind muff for minimised wind noise for camcorders.

Filters • DMW-LMC H58 MC 46mm protector filter designed for general protection, featuring a

External Flashes • DM1-FL220E external flash matching with G series and LX3 compact body.

• DMW-FL580L powerful external flash with wireless control, high-speed charging (approximately 1.7 seconds) and LED video light function.

www.panasonic.com/uk

www.pixel.co.uk 21

DS80DX

Both sides for twice the value

DNP’s duplex printer DS80DX 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 DS80DX, your piece of independence!

22 www.pixel.co.uk

www.dnpphoto.eu sales@dnpphoto.eu

www.pixel.co.uk 27

in print

RETAIL SOLUTIONS FOR THE PRINT PROFESSIONAL

FEATURING

IN:PRINT AND THE PRINT REVOLUTION YOU ARE THE SAVIOURS OF MEMORIES - SPREAD THE WORD - WRITTEN BY SIMON SKINNER

An issue or two ago, you’ll remember that we introduced our latest baby. Something that we feel extremely passionate about within the walls of Pixel and In:Print magazines. Quite simply put, it’s all about photographic printing.

Contiuned on page 24...

STRIP FOR ADVERTISERS mitsubishielectric-printing.com

www.pixel.co.uk 23

THE PRINT REVOLUTION

YOU ARE THE SAVIOURS OF MEMORIES - SPREAD THE WORD WRITTEN BY SIMON SKINNER

24 www.pixel.co.uk

[

photographs, so they’re all still with me in physical form!

So, for us to start rolling out our new campaign, we have devised a selection of tools for you to use at your disposal to get the

BILLIONS OF PHOTOGRAPHS ARE TAKEN EVERY YEAR, BUT HOW MANY OF THEM ARE REVISITED?

photography, billions of photographs are taken every year, but how many of them are revisited?

How many moments sit completely forgotten on hard-drives, SD cards and old Facebook or Flickr albums? Digital data is not indestructible; it is not immortal. If we lose our means to access or interpret this data, what do we have left?

Only now are people starting to realise this. Parents store thousands of photos on their laptop of their children as they grow up – precious moments that could disappear for good with a single virus or hardware malfunction.

People are slowly starting to return to the physical format; consider the news that Boots are upping their range of film for the first time in years, and take the story in this issue about the ongoing rise of Impossible instant film as evidence. These technologies can and should co-exist.

[

W

e feel that it’s our duty to step in and work with you, the readers of Pixel and In:Print Magazines, to encourage your own customers [and potential customers] to transform their otherwise exclusively digital images into something more tangible.

Something that they can touch, feel and share in the traditional sense.

We’ve all heard the news about the ‘digital black hole’; well it’s very real and we’ve all lost pictures from mobile devices. Just last week, I upgraded from one iPhone to the next, and during the process I managed to lose a number of pictures of my daughter that weren’t backed up onto any other device.

Thankfully, I’m of the mind to print my best

message to your customer base: ‘preserve your memories, print your pictures – or risk losing them’. As our favorite ambassador of print, Roy Sealy puts it, “PRINT IT OR LOSE IT!” Thanks to the ease of digital and smartphone

in print FROM THE MAKERS OF PIXEL MAGAZINE

RETAIL SOLUTIONS FOR THE PRINT PROFESSIONAL

TRADE

2015

PIXEL TRADE AWARDS 2015 FRIDAY 4TH DECEMBER THE GRANGE CITY HOTEL, LONDON

Join us for the annual industry awards at this fantastic London venue, where we will recognise and congratulate the elite in our industry and where we will present the 2015 winners with the all important Pixel Trade Awards

BOOK A TABLE NOW (spaces are limited)

We have options for seating, accommodation and sponsorship for 2015. For more information please contact Patrick McCreanor on

01323 819 014 or patrick@lifemediagroup.co.uk

www.pixel.co.uk www.pixel.co.uk 1 25

Creative Commons - by Leo Hidalgo

THE PRINT REVOLUTION

“WE AIM TO DRIVE THE PRINT MESSAGE TO THE HUNDREDS, EVEN THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO WALK PAST YOUR STORE EVERY DAY WITH A POCKET FULL OF PICTURES”

It is our mission to work with the UK photo retail channel, helping where we can, to make it easy for customers to print their photos; to elevate the printing process from a nostalgic novelty to a regular routine. To arm our readers with a host of tools, to take the message to the streets via local press, shop windows, instore experts and a whole lot more over time.

Our campaign is designed not only to champion print, but also to open up revenue streams for the UK’s photo dealers. Selling the means to take a photo is one thing, but we all know that it’s just the beginning of the journey.

With the right kit, stores can offer all manner of printing and gifting services, from simple automated kiosks, to medium and large format printers for posters and bigger wall displays. Gifts like photo-books, albums, canvases and personalised merchandise that we all know and love, can open up fantastic business opportunities as they appeal to a wider audience - not just pro photographers and enthusiasts.

Essentially, the targets of this campaign are not the enthusiasts or pro photographers but, with our determination to reach them, the many potential customers that are out there. We aim to drive the print message to the hundreds, even thousands of people who walk past your store every day with a pocket full of pictures.

So what’s next?

For 26 years we have worked tirelessly to provide a voice for independent photographic and print retailers across the UK. We have seen first-hand how the industry has changed, as technology has developed and shoppers migrated online. Traditional camera stores are having to adapt.

26 www.pixel.co.uk

in print

RETAIL SOLUTIONS FOR THE PRINT PROFESSIONAL

We believe the first step is communication.

As such we have devised a toolbox of resources for you to use at your disposal, within which, initially you’ll find a press release. This preliminary press release can be tailored to include your own branding and is completely adaptable to ensure that the content is correct for your business and your area.

You’ll see that the press release warns of the dangers of keeping precious data in digital storage and divulges the solution to preserve these memories: print.

This has been written for you to send to your local newspapers, news websites, chambers of commerce and your own social media and web channels. There is increasing evidence of a growing interest in ‘buying local’ at the moment, so we are confident that you will also gain interest.

The Pixel design studio is creating a campaign logo and associated branding, along with some hard-hitting visuals for window and in store displays. We will also be providing window stickers and ‘Saviour of

Memories – Print Expert’ t-shirts for the go-to staff members for photo printing.

These elements form just the beginning of the campaign. A campaign that will evolve and grow as we all progress. There are more irons in the fire and much bigger event based concepts that will develop along with the campaign.

So – join us! Get involved. Let’s get the message out there! Be a part of a national awareness movement and grow your print business!

You can access your press release by heading to http://bit.ly/1cLlXgq or make sure that you’re signed up to the Pixel newsletter by going to www.pixel.co.uk For any further information, to talk to us with your ideas or to make suggestions for the future, get in touch with us by calling 01323 819007 and ask for Simon or Jenny, or alternatively email simon@lifemediagroup.co.uk or jenny@pixel.co.uk

Creative Commons - by slimmer_jimmer

UK BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER – MAC GROUP EUROPE MAC Group Europe is a sales and marketing company dedicated to supplying professional photographers, filmmakers, educators, and students with the world’s finest image-making tools.

MAC Group Europe manages the sales, marketing and distribution of Benro photo and video tripods, Tenba bags and cases, MeFOTO tripods, Induro tripods and Vü filters in the UK, France, Germany and Ireland, with more exciting brands in the pipeline.

We are a team-oriented company with a fast-paced entrepreneurial culture on a mission for strong growth. The key is our team of highly creative people who understand our customers and are excited about providing them with innovative and profitable products to sell.

Job Overview: We are looking to recruit a Business Development Manager to bring new business opportunities to reality as well as managing existing accounts.

Reporting into the Sales Director you will be a key member of the sales team. You will be expected to grow existing accounts to ensure all opportunities are maximised. You will also develop accounts and drive new business in areas that have not been fully utilised.

You will be responsible for managing your own diary and will spend the time required to meet customers and understand their needs. This will involve travel across the UK, so you will need to be highly motivated and committed to the role. We are looking for a self-starter with ambition and a tenacious approach.

In return you want to be part of a success story – a growing business that can offer you the rewards you

deserve and a long term future. You will be required to represent the brands at dealer training sessions, presentations, tradeshows and other events.

Requirements: • Good knowledge of photographic products.

• Excellent communication skills / presentation skills are essential.

• Able to work with minimal supervision.

• A self-starter with ambition.

• Work on own initiative We offer a competitive salary and benefits package that is commensurate with experience.

Please send CV and cover letter to Gary Sutton at gary@macgroupeu.com

www.pixel.co.uk 27

BRAND FOCUS

The Impossible Dream?

AS COMPANIES WITH DECADES OF CELLULOID HISTORY CLOSED THEIR DOORS ON PRINT BUSINESS, ONE COMPANY DECIDED TO LAUNCH THEIRS, AND NOW THEY ARE FLOURISHING. ALEX HOLBROOK, FROM IMPOSSIBLE HQ, TALKS TO PIXEL’S SIMON SKINNER ABOUT THE RISE AND RE-INVENTION OF INSTANT ANALOGUE PHOTOGRAPHY AND POLAROID

S

imon: Alex, remind us of the Impossible story, where did it come from, how has it grown and where is it heading? Why Impossible?

Alex: In 2008, our founder, Florian ‘Doc’ Kapps, would not accept the possibility that instant analogue photography might die because of the digital revolution, and so he set off on a journey to save it - purchasing the last Polaroid factory on earth and saving 200 million Polaroid cameras from becoming obsolete.

There is a quote by Edwin Land, the founder of Polaroid and creator of the world’s first instant camera and film, that lends itself perfectly to us and inspired the name: ‘Never undertake a project unless it’s manifestly important and nearly impossible’. We started in a small apartment in Vienna, now we have a Berlin HQ and offices in the US, Asia and across Europe, as well as our own store in Paris.

28 www.pixel.co.uk

SS: Why do you think Impossible has become so popular?

AH: I think people are returning to the tangible and want something that cannot be lost digitally. We are seeing a huge rise in the generation that did not grow up with instant film (really), I think to them, this is not a novelty but an additional way to express themselves ‘IRL’. There’s a huge difference between the eight carefully framed and shot photographs you end up with when you get to the end of your film-pack and the thousands of digital images we take every day.

Our film reacts to temperature and light, you have to learn how to use it and master it - which enables a real connection to be made to your pictures. Instant analogue photography makes you frugal; you only have a number of shots in your pocket, so you have to really be sure what you want

to shoot - making you more concise. Every picture really means something.

SS: What product has gathered the most interest and why?

AH: Our film! One of the reasons is because we have recreated an art form - we have had to invent a totally new formula. We have never used the recipe that Polaroid did. Many of the chemicals they used are now either banned or the manufactures went out of business when Polaroid closed its doors. When you take a picture with our film and watch it develop, you are witnessing more than 5,000 chemical interactions occur - the exposure of an instant film is thought to be the world’s most complex manmade chemical reaction.

SS: One of the most interesting products to leave the Impossible factory of late is the Instant Lab, ‘bridging the gap’

in print

RETAIL SOLUTIONS FOR THE PRINT PROFESSIONAL

between analogue and digital. Tell us about that?

AH: The instant lab is a device that turns your digital photos into real, instant analogue ones.

It is basically a miniaturised dark room.

Your device’s screen is used like a projector, and the lens inside the Instant Lab focuses your image directly onto analog film. There are no wireless or digital connections; this is the difference between it and most other portable printers. You have to operate a manual shutter that is the only barrier between light and the light sensitive film right below it.

People are seeking the hands-on approach; the fact that part of this device is manual. It also enables you to really look at your digital photos and choose which ones you would like to make real. This enables you to create something that really means something to you or someone close to you.

SS: The analogue camera has become a kind of status symbol in itself, do you find with your restored Polaroids it’s as much about the camera’s own aesthetic as the photograph it takes?

AH: That is a great question! I think, as there is a smaller Impossible user base than when compared to Polaroid, when you see someone now with a classic Polaroid there is an element of intrigue. The SX-70 camera is seen as one of the greatest gadgets of all time, alongside Apple products - which is an incredible statement. It is a beautiful camera with an iconic design and I think this does make it popular. However, our most popular film is the 600 type white frame colour, the classic! And these cameras are maybe not as iconic design wise.

SS: What’s the future of Impossible?

AH: We hope Impossible will continue to inspire and enable people to express themselves creatively through a medium that is not digital. In the next five years we will have reached some pretty big milestones and it will be our 10th anniversary! We will have launched a camera - the first Polaroid format camera for 15 years. We will also have made around 2 million, if not more, films. The film will also have evolved and be as fast, if not faster, than Polaroid was.

SS: What’s your favourite Impossible Camera and Film?

AH: For spontaneity at parties and out with friends, the classic 600. For more planned and focused shoots the SX-70. My favourite films are the colour square black frame and the B&W round frame.

SS: Thanks Alex.

“PEOPLE ARE SEEKING THE HANDS-ON APPROACH, WE ENABLE YOU TO REALLY LOOK AT YOUR DIGITAL PHOTOS AND CHOOSE WHICH YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE REAL” www.pixel.co.uk 29

NEWS BITES

NEWS BITES

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

ARTIST CREATES TYPEWRITER PRINTER

FESPA AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Moscow-based artist Dmitry Morozov has created a photo booth that prints portraits of people using a Brother SX4000 typewriter.

The system, dubbed ‘i/o’, consists of the typewriter, an Arduino for controlling the operations, an Apple iSight camera, and a lamp.

Subjects simply stand in front

The FESPA Awards celebrate print excellence, inviting printers from FESPA’s global print community to demonstrate their most creative and inspiring work.

The Awards were judged onsite at FESPA 2015 in Cologne, Germany by renowned print industry experts including: Jacek Stencel, Owner & Founder of PASJA - screen & digital printing

of the camera to have their face captured and then wait for the typewriter to type out the dark areas of the image.

company; Josep Tobella, Screen Printing Consultant and Hwie-Bing Kwee, Owner of Omnimark.

British winners included DS Smith, Novalia, The Print House, PressOn, Digital Plus, Aura Graphics, Debi Keable (artist), and Forest.

LONDON PRINT START-UP WINS $2M INVESTMENT Pryynt is a service that enables photos to be sent to print directly from a mobile. Over 40 photo

apps have now signed up to the service, including four of the top 10 photo apps, each with an active user base of 500m+.

‘Everyone loves sharing photos through mobile apps but often

that’s where these images stay – on a screen,’’ said James Washer, founder and CEO of Pryynt. ‘‘We want to help people reclaim some of the physical from the digital by making quality photo printing

super easy and accessible.

The great thing about Pryynt is that everybody wins, apps can monetize with zero investment and zero friction whilst offering their user a fantastic experience.”

PHOTOMART BECOMES DISTRIBUTOR FOR SINFONIA Photomart has signed a deal to become exclusive distributor of Sinfonia’s CE1 and S2 digital photo printers in the UK, Ireland and North Africa.

Lewis Martindale, Managing Director of Photomart, said: “An important element of positioning Sinfonia printers to meet the demands of retailers and commercial

CREDITS & CONTACTS

in print

RETAIL SOLUTIONS FOR THE PRINT PROFESSIONAL

photographers is having diverse distribution and support.

“Photomart’s established track record and logistics network, global reach and ability to fulfil products quickly and efficiently have

made us the obvious choice for technology manufacturers, like Sinfonia, to distribute their products.”

Already widely accepted in the photo retail industry, dye sublimation printing is still a

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

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relatively young technology. Over the last couple of years however print quality has improved to such an extent that commercial dye sub printers are now gaining increasing popularity, even among the most discerning professional photographers, with significant impetus. Industry experts predict the current dye sub market will double by year end 2017.

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