Pixel Magazine 16th January 2012

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THE MAGAZINE THAT UNDERSTANDS THE WORLD OF IMAGING, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

www.pixellive.co.uk

16/01/2012

BRAVE NEW WORLD

THE INSIDER

Does our industry know what a professional photographer is?

3 Pixel has been reinvented

THE NEWS

Movers, shakers, decision makers plus all the news 3-10

THE BIG INTERVIEW

The new landscape of imaging retail discussed by 4-7 those in the know THE BUSINESS

The views, facts and shaping imaging retail today

8

THE NEW WORLD OF IMAGING

The technology you can’t afford to ignore, which is expanding our retail world

10

LAUNCH PAD

The latest imaging products launched that you should not miss

Above: The First Issue of Pixel launched in February 1989

12-13

INFOLAB

Every issue we bring you an essential update from the 14 printing frontline BEHIND THE COUNTER

If you’re hands on in retail we make sure that you are 14 kept up to date and informed

Laura Knight - Editor

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FOCUS

The INSIDER

News New Premises for Tetenal

“David Bailey? Who’s he?” a phrase that may bring back memories to many of you and sound completely alien to others.

Either way it was the phrase that haunted many professional photographers for many years and came from a television advertisement for the the way), a great little camera, which launched in 1967 and ended production in 1984. It sold over ten million units during this period and is still an ebay favourite today. The premise for the advertisement was simple; professional photographer David Bailey was happy to shoot a wedding on the Trip (a mass market consumer camera) whilst the professional wedding photographer looked down on Bailey for using an amateur piece of kit. He of course had a large format camera sitting on a sturdy tripod.

That was in the 1970s.

Fast forward to 2011 and internationally acclaimed professional photographer David Eustace is striding the mountains and lakes of the Park proclaiming the Lumix Panasonic G3 (a mass market consumer camera) on television and in print as the perfect professional choice for creating stunning Professional photographers proclaiming the virtues of mass market cameras to reinforce the cameras quality. If it’s good enough for a professional then it has to be good enough for anyone and everyone. It’s a simple message clearly delivered. But my experience of dealing with manufacturers over the last few years has made me question as to whether or not they understand what they are producing, how they are pricing it, how they are marketing it and to whom.

As the quality of the image, which a photographic camera can produce since the advent of digital technology as improved, mind has become blurred. I would argue in fact that any camera below the £2,000 threshold is a possible professional camera and consumer camera, but that the likelihood of an average consumer buying a camera over £500 is greatly diminishing. All cameras above £2,000 clearly fall into a professional or serious user category. But it is this area below the £2,000 threshold that I wanted to look more closely at. Manufacturers and their marketing teams are happy and proud to let me know who the camera they have just launched is for but are they right when they dismiss certain cameras as not professional? And are they lacking an understanding of the professional market

and the way in which it sees cameras and new product?

I decided to speak with Grant Scott, the editor of the recently launched magazine for professional photographers Hungry Eye. Grant has also been a professional photographer for over ten years and has been involved with professional photographers for over twentyasked him what cameras he has currently in his camera bag when he goes on a commercial shoot. The list was both extensive and surprising; Canon 5Ds, 5D MKIIs, Hassleblad 500CMs with Polaroid backs, a Rollei, a an Olympus OM1 and an Olympus Z1. He then went on to list far more kit than we have room to list here. His explanation for this eclectic, nonbrand focused, century spanning collection of cameras was simple. He said this: “To me and to all professionals, a camera is just a tool, an extension of my arm and like all trades I need the right tool for the job. I have shot for Vogue on the GF1, for Sothebys on the Rollei, for Elle on the 67 etc, etc. I need a compact, I need a high spec DSLR and now I need cameras that shoot moving image. They are all tools that I need”.

Having spoken with Grant I then spoke to a number of other professional photographers, which he put me in touch with. They said the The professional will use whatever camera can deliver the end product they need, they are not interested in the marketing spin.

They are interested in what the camera delivers and how it delivers it. The consumer wants interested in the concept of professionalism outside of the brand recommendation that both Bailey and Eustace offer.

With the recent ‘launch glut’ of high priced, high performing cameras with more rumoured to be on their way. Perhaps it is time for the manufacturers to recognise that the professional market is not the elitist one they believe it to be and that it is in fact a far more open minded market than they currently understand. By dismissing the professional market I believe that they are in fact dismissing potential sales on the basis of marketing drives, which are based on an outdated understanding of the professional

Tetenal UK have relocated to Meridian Business Park, West Leicestershire.

Marketing Director Craig Bird commented: “After a successful year of growth within the business, the next step was to place ourselves in a more convenient location. Since Tetenal won the exclusive distribution rights to Ilford’s inkjet photo paper range in August 2011, we’ve needed more space and a better environment to enable us to improve off junction 21 of the M1, which will be more convenient for our business going forwards. The new premises also offer us an inkjet training room.”

Tetenal has seen constant growth in turnover since it was established in the UK in 1989 and is a subsidiary of Tetenal Germany, which was founded in 1847.

Meridian Business Park, West Leicestershire

Calumet to Host New Workshop Programme Calumet is to offer new photo-workshops at key branches throughout 2012, in partnership with Epson Print Academy and aspect2i. The day-long courses, which will include capture, post processing and Euston branch on March 2. Workshops are tailored to enable photographers to master perfect black and white print’ with Paul Gallagher` and follow-up seminars will include the following topics: ‘Creating photos with impact’; ‘Essentials of travel photography’; ‘Understanding Lightroom’;

the market is going to be key to survival.

most from your DSLR’;‘Making exhibition quality prints’; ‘Photoshop essentials’; ‘Understand Photoshop Elements’ and ‘Close- up and macro photography’.

The courses will cost £85 for the day.

columns in the new look Pixel magazine helps with that understanding.

For bookings and more information, visit www.calumetphoto.co.uk

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THE NEW IMAGING RETAIL LANDSCAPE Whilst uncertainty surrounds the global economy and the future of the high street, new products and the convergence of technologies renewed the strength and relevance of imaging retailers.

PIXEL speaks to two key retailers who are embracing the potential our industry has to offer.

When did you last see the trade in a similar situation to the one it’s in now?

My immediate thought was the move from David Parkinson, Managing Director of Wilkinson Cameras Firstly, happy New Year, David. How was 2011 for you?

I can’t say I was sad to see the back of it. I’ve been in this business since 1986 and I’ve never known a year quite like 2011, it was challenging in so many ways. The global economy was obviously one struggle but there were other circumstances that were out of anybody’s control, such as the natural disasters affecting impact on stock availability, which is still ongoing, but of course it’s not just our industry that’s been affected. I wonder sometimes if it was the worst year ever for businesses like ours.

For the worst year ever, you seem to be in quite a strong position as we enter 2012.

We’ve been prudent. I think the biggest strength we have to trade on right now is the stability of our business. We didn’t get carried away when times were good. We didn’t make unrealistic demands on the business and that meant that there is now still money in the company. We kept to a quite old-fashioned way of doing business in that sense.

Traditional, perhaps, but it must have taken a good degree of foresight to prepare the business for tougher times when things were going so well?

Yes… I say old-fashioned but we mix those values in with being quite forward thinking in other ways. We evolve all the time and we are not afraid of new technology or new challenges, which has always been a problem for some people in our industry.

Nobody likes change but many of us have read ‘Who Moved my Cheese’ (a motivational book on how to embrace change in business, published in 1998), which seems just as relevant now as it was when it was written, to me. No one can stick to doing things the way they have always done them forever, no matter how successful they might have been… that’s just not how business works. Now we’re facing a time in this trade when the cheese is on the move again!

Change is happening and once more, those who try to ignore it will fail. History repeats itself and

example… that was a time when literally the whole trade swapped from one thing to another.

Looking at the trends we see now, like compact like APS. We’re usually pretty early to trends and we grabbed APS with both hands when it came out, which was a success for us even though it was short lived. Many think that because APS isn’t still around that it was a complete failure, but we made good money from it and once the boom was over, our APS customers simply moved on to buying other things from us.

And you think the same might happen with the products emerging now?

I’m not saying they’ll be as short lived, no, but I doubt they’ll be around forever. We’ve been early to the compact system camera party and we want it to be successful. Some will wait to see if it is a success before chancing their hand, by which point you could have missed most of the opportunities. We want it to work because it gives us lots to talk to our customers about, lots to sell, and it brings a big and different audience to sell to.

Not everybody agrees that there are any positives to grasp.

Well, you do have to look for them! CSC is a of the innovation and quality but because the manufacturers are throwing so much advertising and promotional weight behind it. Figures show us that compact camera sales are in decline, no doubt replaced to some extent with phone cameras, and other products are becoming more desirable which we then have the opportunity to sell.

So is a CSC a better choice for meeting the requirements of the new generation of customer?

Do customers change or do they just get younger? [Laughs] This is the point of the cycle at which new customers are coming on board, the cycle is repeating but this time it is the CSC. trend is?

Film and multimedia will become more a part of our business, I have no doubt. I don’t think we’ve even nearly hit the top of that trend. It’s

just beginning and we’ve all got to start looking more and more at video as it’s so easy for people to do and very popular already. We can’t ignore it. Everyone’s got to get involved and we have already to an extent but will do more so, because this market has such fantastic potential.

We’re back to who moved my cheese, aren’t we! People don’t generally like to embrace change, but how many of those aren’t in business anymore, or won’t be soon? That’s a sad fact of business.

What other changes affect you, and how will you embrace them?

Sometimes, I think the way forward is to go back in time. For us, staying strong and growing the business will require going back to the way things used to be, recapturing the golden age of customer service and giving consumers reasons to come into the store again. It’s natural that people are looking for the best deal and you can’t criticise them for that. Our ‘Digital Splash’ show is in its third year now; it’s really well supported by all the manufacturers and heavily invested in; there are great deals and yet people still check the price on their iPad. As consumers ourselves, we all do it. I don’t think any of our trade could offer better prices than online suppliers without making a loss but if you can offer value for money, you can still win.

Many high street businesses have thrown in the towel because they don’t believe it’s possible to compete with online sales on price.

Well, it isn’t! You have to offer something they can’t get online which makes coming into your store worth the extra pound or two that they’d save, because it quite often does boil down to a small saving. However, there are ways to outweigh the appeal of the best price. Obviously your price still has to be competitive, but there are convenience, experience and peace of mind factors that are more important than a small discount and can sway the customer back in exchange is booming in popularity, obviously because people are short of cash, and this isn’t something they can really do online. We then transaction, which is also something people are more likely to do in store because they can see what condition the second hand goods are in and then have somewhere to come back to if it doesn’t work! This is something consumers don’t like about internet shopping and we need

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THE BIG INTERVIEW to identify these drawbacks in order to offer them what they really want in store.

We aim to educate our customers. Apparently

You mentioned the customer’s experience, is that something you will be focusing on?

on that.

cup of coffee and be shown how to create one.

your in store offering, are you looking at any products people might not necessarily associate with photography?

areas in to our stores… these are basically That’s part of your educational programme? but the areas were scrapped to make room for minilabs. Fortunately, now that minilabs are

them, to look at statistics and trends and be

can spend time with them and make them feel

Talking of new and relevant, where do you stand on social media?

and buy online. That experience is worth more to Big brands like Apple have been very successful in creating a popular and same rules apply to smaller chains and independents on the high street? opportunity to create a real brand personality

“ Just because someone’s buying enthusiast kit, it doesn’t necessarily mean they know what to do with it ”

just update when we want or need to. We used For example, we were recently able to add a

afford a holiday this year. At least they can still positively also crucial to success?

You make it all sound so easy! situation is what it is just because you want

can tell the ones who are likely to succeed. They that can work for your business, but you also people do pay.

What else has changed for you, and what are you doing about it?

Are you diversifying the business in any other ways? do wonder if the time has come round for a

will recoup the money when this decline does for the decline.

Photobooks are quite notorious for being a slow starter in the UK even though they’re popular elsewhere, so how will you get people interested in them?

Demonstration works well, simply because they

the situation we are in now does remind me of the last time these relationships were formed.

someone on work experience to put your deals

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BIRMINGHAM NEC 4-7 MARCH 2012 Trade registration: 01489 882 800 | Online registration via website or Focus App Non trade you’re welcome! Only £10 on site (£8 if pre-paid on-line) Tel: 020 8681 2619 - Fax: 020 8667 1590 - Email: info@focus-on-imaging.co.uk Image House, Coombe Avenue, Croydon CR0 5SD UK

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SHARE THE PASSION

23/09/2011 11:42 11/01/2012 12:31

THE BIG INTERVIEW embrace it, particularly before the point comes when you have no choice, then it can do your business the world of good. Maybe nobody has moved your cheese… perhaps you should move it yourself!

Reg Atkins, Managing Director of Park Cameras Happy New Year, Reg. How was 2011 for you? for us in which on paper, the numbers went backwards but our store progressed forwards.

I think consumers are beginning to truly understand that you can’t go online and buy from the fact that people will travel quite a way for the hands-on demonstrations and advice that we give, and then buy other stock whilst they’re here. We have free parking and it’s easy to get our customers.

There are many elements to our retail offering and regrettably the business to business side was badly hit by the wider economy in the last year. The struggle we still face is that our margins are continually driven down by the huge online retailers. I think it’s the same for all shops on the high street: the ones that are still there are the shops that have kept their margins. Some discounting does stimulate business but you have to stop somewhere and it’s my belief that many retailers have put themselves and their fellow traders at a disadvantage by discounting too much.

Do you think the loss of margin is more of a problem in our trade than others?

It has certainly hit our industry very hard. Think of the early 1980s, when Kodak and Minolta were among the biggest names, and the brands that are massive now were coming up behind them.

At the time, a customer might come in and buy a camera that would cost them three weeks’ wages …but there is no equivalent of that now.

Cameras are fetching roughly the same ticket £200 was a lot more money in real terms than it is now. As an industry, we need to get that sense of value back. The products are brilliant and worth good prices but consumers don’t really understand that, which is a real shame.

There is a lot of pressure to discount in order to compete with online trade. I suspect that there was a huge amount of loss leading over the Black Friday and Cyber Monday period and there is no sense in trying to match those prices just to get the instant custom, but retailers insist on trying!

There tends to be more margin available on premium products, but people dismiss those by saying that there’s a recession and consumers don’t have the money to spend. But, by stocking a £200 camera, on which your margin potential is about 2%, you are expecting consumers to have £200 to spend. So why not stock a £200 premium tripod, on which you stand to make

25% or so? If anything, those buying high end and enthusiast products are more likely to appreciate what the products are worth and part with the money, yet I think the lack of sales volume puts retailers off stocking these products.

Is this leading you to look at products that are outside of the traditional photographic offering?

We are embracing peripherals but there aren’t huge margins on those either. You’re not going to make the 20 or 30% on a tablet that you can on other things but they do sell and can lead to other sales that do offer higher margins. Optics such as binoculars are very strong in that sense sales is not high.

I think we’re coming to a time when products aren’t the point anymore. Everything’s available cheaper online and to try to make yourself the cheapest is to put yourself out of business. You have to sell on other things. For us, this means using our staff knowledge to promote add-on sales, being able to offer part exchange and second hand kit, and offering quality training sessions.

The photographic consumer has changed and developed and this means our businesses cannot continue doing what they have always done. It’s a shame but things do change and we just have to accept it.

“The important thing is to follow what consumers are actually doing with their images, and what they could be doing or might like to do” How do you think imaging retailers can change to avoid going the same way?

I think we need to be realistic and accept what has changed, then look at how we can get involved with new trends. Enthusiast-level photography is increasing, so we need to sell products that appeal to that audience. However, less pictures are being printed, so we need to inject some life into this area. The important thing is to follow what consumers are actually doing with their images, and what they could be doing or might like to do. Are we, as a trade, doing enough business on video projectors? I don’t think so.

Video is becoming more and more important.

Built-in video technologies are already of phenomenal quality and new functions are added all the time. It’s our job in the industry to get consumers excited about these developments and to use them.

Pictures and videos are the lifeblood of social media, so we also have to be able to do something there. Look at how quickly we have all become used to the term ‘going viral’ with regards to a video. I watched The Social Network (a 2010 biopic about Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook) recently, and I found the way Facebook started up absolutely fascinating. We only need something to spark

consumers’ imaginations so they share it with their friends, and we could create a real buzz around any feature or product. If the trade really put its strength behind the idea, we could start a huge trend. We have a potential other industries do not have in that sense. manufacturers could help this cause?

There are some great products being released.

I just wish the end consumer would understand the quality in the products they’re buying and I think the manufacturers could do more to help communicate that. At the moment there’s not as much interest as you think there should be over great products.

For example, I don’t think that the marketing has been right on CSCs to date. Some key features which really help us to sell the products aren’t even mentioned in the manufacturers’ advertising campaigns at all. It makes me wonder if this is because the brands in question are hesitant to promote features which make their CSC a rival for some of their other products.

I also feel some of the products were launched prematurely… cameras have been half-launched without enough lens options available, for example. Again, I wonder if perhaps these launches were meticulously planned but then various parts were delayed by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. In any case, there’s much more potential in this market to tap into.

As a trade, I also feel that we’re poor at offering point of sale information and some of this needs to come from the suppliers. The latest fast processors need fast memory cards, for example, but when the retailer tells the consumer that, it comes across as an obvious sales pitch.

Instead, the manufacturer needs to advertise what kind of card is best for each camera rather than hiding it in the small print in the manual. It’s the same situation with batteries, and these are premium products on which people could be making decent money.

What expectations do you have for the trade in 2012?

Hopefully plenty of good news and great products we can get behind. Canon have a big anniversary coming up so I wouldn’t be surprised to see some important launches from them.

CSC is clearly going to be a very important part of our business for some years to come but I don’t think it’s reached its full potential yet.

I think it would be good for us all if that took off even more this year.

However, I do fear for a couple of the big companies. There have been so many buy outs, restructures and shake ups that I’m really not sure how some of them are carrying on. I think the whole world is still suffering the aftereveryone down the line. As retailers, we need more support from suppliers and of course, more good news.

If our Big Interview has got you thinking and you’d like to share your opinions with the trade, please join the discussion on the forum at www.pixellive.co.uk.

We are also open to your suggestions for future interviewees via editorial@pixelmagazine.co.uk

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THE BUSINESS

News Light Blue Software Awarded Grant

based on Catchesides’ experience as a wedding photographer. The programme helps the user to organise diaries, contact lists, online galleries and more to simplify Hamish Symington told Pixel: “Our software is now at version 3, with a sizeable market both in the UK and around the world. We have some very important developments planned for 2012 which I can’t reveal yet, but the grant from the University will help us to go forward with these. We’re constantly developing our software so this funding and mentoring will be invaluable for the plans we have for 2012.

“Having this lump sum at our disposal will really help us to speed our product development and bring other people on board.”

Anglia Ruskin’s Centre for Enterprise Development and Research (CEDAR) was provided with a £50,000 donation to provide support for local businesses in June 2011.

New Light & Land Workshop: Filmmaking for Photographers Photographic workshop providers Light & Land have launched a brand new Filmmaking workshop, aimed at photographers shooting video on compact or DSLR cameras.

The workshop will be run in association with remote location cameraman Phil the most challenging and extreme environments on earth in temperatures from -43°C to +48°C and altitudes of up to 8,000 metres.

Based at the Four Pillars Hotel within the Cotswold Water Park, nr Cirencester this weekend workshop will be aimed primarily at those beginning to and will help them achieve a greater understanding of the production process from script to screen.

For more information or to book, visit www.lightandland.co.uk

Europe’s online shoppers spent approximately £43.6 billion over the festive period, but retail bodies say the numbers don’t add up.

of National Statistics and the British Retail Consortium paint a confusing picture of sales over Christmas. Whilst ONS numbers show increased sales over last year, the BRC face of reality” and did not correspond with feedback from the high street.

According to the ONS, the value of retail sales in November 2011 showed an increase of 4.6 per cent compared with November 2010. The average weekly amount spent online increased to £787.9 million from £546.4 million in October 2011 and is now estimated to account for 12.2 per cent of all retail sales the highest number on record.

The ONS has calculated that the UK online retail market is growing at a rate of 14% yearon-year, with Britons spending an estimated £5.9bn shopping on the internet. They say that the online retail sector grew 9.4% in the month of November alone.

(internet, mail-order and phone) sales growth actually fell in November after picking up in October. By their calculations, sales increased by 8.6% on November 2011, but this was the weakest growth since March and half the previous November’s increase, making the festive trading season a disappointing one for many retailers.

To an extent, KPMG’s results indicated that online retail faced many of the same challenges as the high street, as consumers hunted out drastically slashed prices.

Helen Dickinson, Head of Retail at KPMG, discount and promotion levels, particularly on electrical goods. As a result, retailers’ performance is suffering because of weak topline growth and declining margins.” KPMG’s impression of online retail patterns in the run up to Christmas was also similar to the high street in that consumers left their Christmas shopping later than previous years, but spent a similar amount of money on average.

The British Retail Consortium were also dismissive of the ONS’ claim that sales had grown by more than 3 per cent by value, giving 0.7 per cent as their idea of a more likely

variables accounted for, sales volume actually declined on the same period in 2011. of retailers’ experiences on the streets,” said British Retail Consortium Director General, reported to us showed November sales barely up on a year ago, the weakest growth for six months. The continuing high levels of preChristmas discounting and promotions are

© Dreamstime

Light Blue Software are among Three Cambridge companies who were awarded a £12,000 grant by Anglia Ruskin University in December.

Hamish Symington and Tom Catchesides developed Light Blue as an industry-

The Biggest Internet Shopping Season Yet

another symptom of weak demand. Retailers pound in the hope of attracting business which would otherwise go to their rivals.”

The Online Playing Field Europe’s Christmas shopping took place online, and further research indicates that convenience was as much a deciding factor as price. Retailers with websites which were devices such as tablets and smartphones lost out on business to competitors with smoother online offerings as consumers completed their shopping on tight deadlines for delivery by Christmas.

Pixel spoke to John McHugh, Vice President of Networking solutions provider Brocade, who found that consumers were likely to abandon their online shopping if it took more than a few minutes. people shopping on their smartphone or tablet were quick to go to a rival retailer if a page was not quick to load. Twenty seconds was the absolute maximum amount of time they would wait, and some clicked off after impact tablet and smartphone shopping was

dependent on the ability of retailers to provide quality services, and retailers are facing increasing pressure.”

A similar study by Experian found that almost half of a study group of shoppers would abandon an online shopping transaction if the security checking procedure took ‘too four minutes.

Online retail is set to account for a growing proportion of discretionary spending and issues such as site usability and speed are likely to come to the fore as the use of mobile devices to shop increases. Ultimately, the quest for the best price was the factor which drove consumers online for their Christmas shopping, but the perceived shortcomings consumer expectations and shopping habits.

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THE BUSINESS

VAT Crackdown will “Level the Field”

Closures

In addition to the end of Low Value Consignment Relief (LVCR), European tax authorities are cracking down on distance sellers who fail to comply with VAT regulations.

Digital Future

LVCR, known by some as the Channel Islands Tax Loophole, has allowed retailers to avoid paying VAT on goods under a set value by bringing them into the UK via the Channel Islands but is due to end from 1st April 2012.

The UK Government has said that the move was primarily intended a presence in the Channel Islands and smaller enterprises, who cannot. In the Autumn Statement it was estimated that the end of LVCR will raise additional tax of between £90 m and £150 m in the Now European tax authorities are said to be increasingly monitoring distance selling and taking an interest in distance traders, of EU Member States. HMRC is also reported to be working with the overseas tax authorities under mutual assistance.

Andy Spencer, Head of Consultancy at Accordance VAT Compliance, reports several instances where European tax authorities have alerted HMRC to possible breaches of distance selling thresholds within their own countries. “There is even anecdotal evidence of one tax authority asking delivering companies to provide them with information. If the correct VAT isn’t charged to clients and paid to the appropriate tax authority, penalties and interest may be anything from 5% to 300% of the VAT due.”

Tighter enforcement of tax on imports and penalties for avoidance is likely to target unscrupulous online retailers who offer unbelievably low prices by failing to charge the appropriate tax. “This crackdown is phenomenal news,” commented Jeff Scowen, owner of Jeff Scowen Photographics. As a wholesaler to the imaging trade, Jeff has frequently spoken out against the Channel Islands VAT relief and the disadvantage at which it puts all but the largest retailers. Jeff told Pixel that he believes “this is another great step towards a level and “The difference between the Channel Islands loophole and international sellers avoiding VAT is that, at the time, the loophole was legal whereas neglecting to pay tax that is due is not. But both practices are underhanded in my opinion and both create an unfair

The last major manufacturers of motion picture ceased production of analogue models.

Aaton, ARRI and Panavision have all stopped manufacture

with no choice but to face the adoption of digital technology in the future. Filmmakers who have continued to buy and use the parts and repairs a challenge as manufacturer support is phased out, which could lead to a boom in the selling prices of secondhand equipment The cessation of production on almost all analogue moviemaking equipment in recent years has been attributed to rapidly declining

production community website Creative Cow: “Almost nobody is

discontinuations will add availability of equipment to the compelling case for making the all-important switch to digital.

“Ultimately, both practices skewed the market, affecting prices and denting Government should be looking at recouping money from those who do not play by the rules, which it turn helps those who do business properly. Action does need to be taken on these issues so let us hope this trend continues.”

Tax rules governing distance selling apply to VAT-registered companies selling to non-VAT registered individuals or organisations in other countries.

In the past, some sales have managed to slip through without the appropriate

“The Channel Islands loophole was putting people out of business, particularly in CD and DVD retail. In our trade, it primarily affected fell below the stipulated value and sell in high volumes.

For a clear guide to distance selling, rules, penalties and compliance, visit www.hmrc.gov.uk

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THE NEW WORLD OF IMAGING

Zounds Good!

Hama bring Zound Industries’ range of audio products to the UK Hama have extended their vast portfolio of products by partnering with Zound Industries. This new arrangement will make Hama sole UK distributor for their popular audio accessory and headphone ranges including Urban Ears, Coloud and Marshall Headphones, which were previously available in the UK through EuroTech distribution.

John Goodwin, Sales Director, Hama UK, spoke to Pixel about the potential audio accessories can offer imaging retailers.

“The addition of Zound Industries to our portfolio allows us to help our key retailers further enhance and diversify their offering.

This is part of Hama’s mission to add value and offer additional margin opportunities to customers who source products from us.”

When asked if this was a product area Hama expected imaging retailers to be expanding into, John said: “We certainly see it as an opportunity we can provide for all of our customers. After all the person taking the image is also the person listening to the sound delivered through headphones, particularly as moviemaking becomes more prominent within photography. We do acknowledge that Hama can offer the training and information to allow them to branch out into new areas of technology and product if that’s something they want to do, and this is a really promising area for the imaging retailer to consider.

THE RUMOUR The Rumour is a round up of gossip and hints currently circulating the internet. The views here are not necessarily those of Pixel Magazine and have not been communicated simply things we have heard from those who may know!

Rumour has it that… Olympus is developing a new mirrorless camera that

Urban Ears Headphones

with Zound Industries was part of a continuing expansion programme.

“Whilst Hama is recognised as a major player in the photography market, we do intend to expand all of our categories in line with technological innovation and trends. We are now in the world of the connected consumer, particularly when it comes to the customers of electronic and imaging stores, so it’s important for Hama to be able to offer a complete solution across all categories. These new lines will provide new revenue streams for each

- via 4/3 Rumors Rumour has it that… early screenshots of Mac OS X 10.7.3 developer builds reveal Macs will soon have ultra high

- Via Macrumors For more information about Hama’s ranges, visit www.hama.co.uk.

Rumour has it that… Sony Ericsson’s new Xperia “super phone” will have a 13 megapixel camera

The Star of Christmas?

After failing to meet expected sales in Q3, tablets were back at the top of the tree over Christmas.

Tablets were off to a subdued start to Christmas, selling a lower-thanpredicted 18.1 million units during the third quarter. Analysts at market research company IDC predicted that tablet shipments would reach 19.2 million units from July through to September, but the sector still grew almost 24 percent sequentially and more than 260 percent on the year before.

This growth continued over Christmas, partly thanks to the release of Amazon’s Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble’s own tablet, and lead IDC to increase their predictions for yearly sales from 62.5 million units up to 63.3 million.

The Kindle Fire and the Nook were expected to give Android an increase in market share from about 32 percent to around 40 percent. It’s Apple’s iPad that is expected to make way for this increase, with market share dropping to around 59 percent, although the absence of new HP products in the market will also allow Android a better

sold 11.1 million iPads, whilst Samung sold just over a million Galaxy units.

Rumour has it that… Sony will be releasing a number of full frame DSLRs in the spring.

predict tablet computers will continue to grow for the next four years, and by 2015 the devices will sell 60% of the number of PC units sold. They predict this will amount to approximately 326 million tablets, 148 million of which will be iPads.

Left to Right: iPad 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab, HTC Flyer

Rumour has it that… Canon, Sony and other manufacturers may increase prices to help with deteriorating margins

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Name: Olympus LS-100 RRP: £449 Release Date: January 2012 The new LS-100 delivers uncompressed 96kHz/24bit Linear PCM, which is complimented by eight-track recording and overdubbing capabilities to turn sounds and individual tracks into complete compositions.

Besides its integrated stereo mics, the LS-100 also features dual XLR/ Phonecombo jacks to facilitate the direct connection with professional external microphones or other musical equipment. www.olympus-europa.com

Name: Color

RRP:

Name: RRP: Release Date:

Release Date:

Nikon’s new professional camera offers a 16.2-megapixel FX-format sensor, phenomenally high ISO and Nikon’s powerful EXPEED3 image processing engine, for complete versatility when recording still images and broadcast quality video. Designed with the sports photographer in mind, this camera’s low-light capabilities extend to shooting in moonlight and it features illuminated buttons and an improved portrait grip to make usage more comfortable.

Delivering up to 11 fps stills and with a 0.1 sec start up time, it’s faster than any other Nikon DSLR camera. For video, it offers Full HD in various frame rates with up to half an hour of continuous recording and FX and DX based formats as well as in native Full HD (1920x1080) crop. For those who need the purest video output for professional quality editing, the D4 offers the possibility to output the uncompressed live view to external recorders and monitors. Other highlights include external stereo microphone input, an audio out for external headphones and dual card slots for high-speed CF and XQD formats. www.nikon.com

X-Rite ColorMunki Display (monitor calibration device); Kodak Colour Management Check Up Kit (a visual check of on-screen and print accuracy

Name RRP: £699 Release Date:

View is created for anyone who works with digital images and includes X-Rite ColorMunki Display, PChOOD Monitor Hood Pro (a universal monitor hood suitable for 15 – 26” screens) and Color designed for the accurate assessment of prints).

Name: RRP:

Canon have announced a new compact camera with a large CMOS sensor, designed to produce DSLR levels of image quality and control in a highly portable metal body. Created for professional and serious 5 processing power, a new precision Canon lens and extensive manual control. It’s Canon’s aspect, 14.3 Megapixel CMOS sensor measuring within EOS DSLR models. Featuring the same pixel size and structure as the EOS 600D, and a provides DSLR image quality in a compact body. www.canon.co.uk

Release Date: Irudis have developed a new software plug-in for Final Cut Pro which is designed to meet the demands of videographers and post-production pros and enables enables advanced photographic-style grading for video editing. The result is a powerful and intuitive plug-in tailored to correct video footage suffering from adverse capture conditions such as poor exposure, lack of contrast, blocked shadows and highlights, improper white balance etc.

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THE LAUNCHPAD LAUNCH PAD

Name: Honl Photo Baby Bounce RRP: TBC Release Date: Immediate

Name: Sigma RRP: TBC Release Date: January 2012

Name: Honl Photo Traveller 16 RRP: TBC Release Date: Immediate A portable softbox for off-camera use which is easy to set up and attach to a shoe-mount

www.honlphoto.com

www.sigma-imaging-uk.com

www.honlphoto.com

Hama’s AHA Outline Camera Bag Your customers can mix security and protection with fashion when they

Name: RRP: TBC Release Date: TBC

other camera equipment; in addition inner dividers.

a leather case will also be released.

Check www.hama.co.uk to see products with an extensive list of suggested cross-sells for the perfect combinations.

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INFOLAB

The FUTURE is Premium Kodak’s Darren Johnson shares his expert view on the role of the Minilab in 2012.

From my point of view, there are two key trends that will affect the Minilab and the way related businesses trade in 2012.

– nearly 60% of respondents in a recent study in the UK when asked the question how they stored, viewed and shared their pictures

Darren Johnson

a perception that it’s expensive. In truth we market can become.

active users, 70% of whom are outside of the US, who collectively upload a total of more than 250 million photos per day. It’s a revolution in how people interact and stay

clear that the industry needs to connect with photos they are so keen to share.

Last year, Kodak introduced Social Network Connectivity to the Kodak Picture Kiosk, which means consumers can access the photos they’ve published or shared online via the kiosk

million books, with Kodak’s own research

books in an hour or less.

that innovation in the market will provide a

inspirational products, which creates new opportunities for retailers. By 2013, half the market value of photo output will be captured Premium Products made in-store.

Connectivity

held back by lack of awareness, the time

Darren Johnson is the Regional Business Director and Vice President, Retail System Solutions, Paper and Output Systems and Film Products, EAMER.

BEHIND THE COUNTER

WORD On The STREET ‘twas the season to be shopping as statistics showed high footfall before Christmas. But was this the experience of Pixel’s readers on the high street?

Pixel Live Forum

Christmas looked bleak with footfall

Phototrade: but you can only do what you can do. I’ve

the same time last year. But numbers were

take it home, sorted. Buy online - it may turn up, it may not.

Scubadave: They always pull this delivery

PhotoImaging:

expressed by members of the forum at pixellive.co.uk, who have been candidly

Camshop: [NB: Camshop had previously today spite the weather we have stormed on

Forum member Last One Standing asked “So, truthfully, how is the xmas trade?” and received a sudden injection of life.

Pete: I’ve been too busy to post! We’re

CREDITS & CONTACTS

Mark Amies: issues with home delivery on BBC Breakfast

Editor: Laura Knight 01323 437946 l.knight@parkview-publishing.co.uk

Editorial Assistant Harriet Weston 01323 411601 h.weston@parkview-publishing.co.uk

Subscriptions Amelia Wellings: 01323 433708 a.wellings@parkview-publishing.co.uk

Editorial Director: Grant Scott 01323 437941 g.scott@parkview-publishing.co.uk

Managing Director/Publisher:

Production Design: Laura Knight 01323437964 l.knight@parkview-pubishing.co.uk

Sales Director: Simon Skinner 01323 433700 s.skinner@parkview-publishing.co.uk

Acounts: Clare Fermor Amelia Wellings 01323 433708 c.fermor@parkview-publishing.co.uk a.wellings@parkview-publishing.co.uk

01323 411601

Join the debate! The forum at pixellive. co.uk is quick, easy and free to join. Open and honest, it’s the place for the industry to discuss the issues that matter. Sign up to see what everybody’s talking about.

Published by 19 The Avenue, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 3YD 01323 411 601 Printed by Gemini Press Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex 01273 464884

All material in this publication is strictly

is taken in compiling the contents but the publishers of Pixel Magazine assume no arising from the participation in any offers, in Pixel Magazine are correct at the time of going to press.

Copyright Life Media Group LTD 2012 ©

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FREE!

TERMS & CONDITIONS Ilford Galerie roll paper available is across the entire Galerie roll range in 17” to 44” rolls. Prices are for a limited time. E&OE. Please contact Jeremy Roy on 07879 882 663 for further information on this offer, Epson printers and Ilford Roll paper. www.pixellive.co.uk 15

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Th e Professional’s Choice

Find out more at www.finepix-x100.com or scan the QR code on your smartphone.

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