27th March 2015
ISSUE NO. 949D
INSIDE
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NEW CAMERA BAGS FROM CRUMPLER, MANFROTTO GOES MOBILE, ‘MOST POWERFUL WIFI SD CARD EVER’, BRAUN LAUNCH UNDERWATER SELFIE STICKS AND MORE...
Braun Launches Underwater Selfie Stick
In Brief – A Look Back At The Photography Show Ahead of our full show review in the monthly issue, here’s a brief round-up of how it all went...
Taking advantage of the current market trend, Braun has launched the Selfie Stick FUN range in three different colours, in addition to the Braun Underwater Selfie Stick. Kenro’s Managing Director Paul Kench said: “Selfie Sticks are not only a great add-on for camera sales, they open up a massive new market for those with just a smartphone. Every camera retailer should be pushing these devices as they also make superb gifts!” RRP: £30.78 (inc. VAT)
Impossible Launches ‘Next Generation’ B&W Film Impossible has launched B&W 600 Generation 2.0 film, for use with Polaroid 600 and Impossible hardware cameras. “Impossible has held off labelling any film ‘next generation’ until we felt they truly were” explains CEO Oskar Smolokowski. “This is our first truly instant film with image emergence in just 20 seconds. We are now making the fastest analog instant film in the market. Contrast, tone and ease of use are also significantly beyond what we’ve delivered before – I’m really proud of our team for this achievement” SX-70 and Spectra editions will follow in May. PHOTO -
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Trade shows are always tiring – they involve standing up for hours on end, pitching to a neverending stream of visitors, keeping customers happy and battling the inevitable tiredness from late nights and early starts. But they can also be fruitful – boosting sales, opening doors to potential customers and helping your brand establish itself further in this competitive industry. Everybody at The Photography Show has worked incredibly hard to engage, entertain and serve the thousands of visitors who streamed through the doors this year. The dedication is commendable! The Pixel team was there in force, alongside Life Media Group’s filmmaking and photography journal Hungry Eye. We did the rounds of Hall 5, stopping off to see all the newly announced products from the VIDEO
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likes of Canon, Fujifilm and Nikon. Jeremy Gilbert, Group Marketing Manager at Nikon UK, said: “Looking out at the crowds queuing to get into the show before 10am, it still gives me a huge sense of excitement. Moving to the bigger hall at the NEC gives the show greater gravitas. The Photography Show is now a major focal point for Nikon in the year. The show is perfect for showcasing kit, but also inspiring and motivating more people to get involved in photography.” Visitors were invited to get handson at most exhibits, including at Panasonic’s live arena – where they could have a go shooting boxers, gymnasts and fencers with a range of LUMIX cameras, including the highly acclaimed GH4. The live performances certainly -
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gave the show more of a buzz, while ongoing talks and seminars at various stands helped motivate and inspire visitors. While a handful of retailers we spoke to were disappointed with their sales figures during the show, all said it had been a fantastic opportunity to talk to a wider range of visitors. Ivor Chamberlain, Sales Director for Manfrotto Distribution, commented: “Not only has the show attracted our traditional audience, but we have seen a much broader demographic of visitors than ever before, and that can only be a good thing for the industry.” You can read a more comprehensive review of the show in our next monthly issue, out in April. -
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WELCOME To Pixel Magazine The Photography Show may be over but for most of us, the work has only just begun. As we all know, the days directly after a trade show are a crucial time for following up on connections. It’s tempting to curl up in a dark place and hibernate for a few days (or weeks) but despite the achy feet and lack of sleep, now is the ideal time to follow up on potential leads and start tackling that massive stack of business cards. The general consensus (without seeing any official stats or figures) is that the show was a roaring success, attracting more people than ever and, perhaps more interestingly, a much wider audience than usual. We’re busy putting together a full review of The Photography Show (from a trade perspective) in our next monthly issue, which we’ll be sending out at the end of next week. Elsewhere in this issue, Canon
has some good news to rave about, Lytro announces its first ever light field photography studio, and the new flagship smartphones from Galaxy pave the way for wireless charging in the coming year. This issue may be a short one, but it’s just long enough for an excuse to kick back with a tea and a biscuit! Zoe Thomas, Editor
Eyefi Introduces ‘Most Powerful WiFi SD Card Ever’ The app maker has unleashed the Eyefi Mobi Pro SD card The Eyefi Mobi Pro is a new 32GB WiFi SD card - described by the company as ‘the most powerful WiFi SD card ever’. Mobi Pro is the latest in the company’s product portfolio and combines wireless transfer features with photo apps and integrated cloud services for photographers who need speed, power and convenience. . “Mobi Pro is the flagship product from Eyefi that builds on state-of-the-art wireless image transfer and syncing we pioneered with Eyefi Mobi and Eyefi Cloud,” said Matt DiMaria, CEO of Eyefi. “By adding RAW wireless transfer and workflow features demanded by
photography customers around the world as well as powerful, automated photo categorisation and search features it is now easier than ever to find, access and enjoy all your photos on any device at any time.” Key Selling Points: • Selective transfer Gives photographers control over which images transfer from their camera to their mobile device
Get On Yer Bike!
New camera bags for bicycles from Crumpler
Crumpler, the ‘gear for urban living’ brand, has gone back to its cycling roots with new messenger bags. The brand started out in Melbourne in 1995, when a group of bike messengers got frustrated with the quality and style of their bags, so decided to make their own. Today, they make everything from wallets to tablet and smartphone cases. The new Multi Photo cases are ‘inspired by the bike scene’
and made with functional black tarpaulin and nylon. Crumpler said: “The Multi Photo collection offers a suitable model for every photographer and consists of four bags in bike messenger style as well as a backpack.” They are designed to free space for cameras, lenses and personal belongings. The backpack has outer straps for a tripod and accessories can be attached with the exterior ‘Love Handles’.
Manfrotto Goes Mobile
Manfrotto has created new all in one ‘photographic solutions’ for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus The brand has expanded its smartphone case family KLYP+ to include two cases for the newest iPhone models. The cases are made out of polycarbonate, designed to protect the phone from scratches and bumps. Each one comes with a small kickstand to prop the device up on a desk or table, and it can also be fitted to a tripod adaptor. The KLYP+ range is available in black/anthracite, white/cool grey and red/anthracite and is, according to Manfrotto, ‘perfect for those who
or to their computer for editing, sharing and syncing. • Wireless RAW & JPEG file transfer Fast, wireless transfer of both RAW and JPEG give photographers flexibility. They can send JPEG images to a mobile device for instant preview, quick editing and sharing with others, or directly to desktop for post-processing
love to capture special moments using the stylish, compact and intuitive accessories in the KLYP+ range.’ Manfrotto is also launching four new interchangeable lenses that can be screwed onto the camera case – joining the current fisheye and telephoto 1.5x lenses. The new additions include a telephoto 3x, super wide angle, polariser and two in one lens that enlarges the file of view and turns into a macro lens by unscrewing the top.
with tools such as Adobe Lightroom. • Infrastructure and direct mode network support Images are securely and automatically transferred whether shooting on location, at home or in a studio. Away from home, Mobi Pro creates its own WiFi hotspot to enable instant transfer. At home, Mobi Pro connects to a local network to transfer images at high speeds.
RRP: £65.99
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NEWS Lytro Launches World’s First Light Field Imaging Studio Lytro’s new studio has been launched in the heart of Tokyo’s fashion district, providing a hands-on opportunity for visitors to get to know light field technology. “Lytro Studio transports the flourishing light field ecosystem we have cultivated into a physical experiential space,” says Jason Rosenthal, CEO of Lytro. “With its culture of innovation and active photography, fashion and creative communities, Tokyo is the perfect city to host this studio and illustrate the intersection of technology and imaging.”
2015 ‘Breakthrough Year’ For Wireless Charging New Samsung Galaxy smartphones set the pace for wireless charging in 2015 Samsung has announced the launch of its new flagship smartphones the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy edge, featuring built-in capabilities for wireless charging for both PMA and Qi standards. This announcement has nudged the wireless power industry, which can now confidently up its
shipments over the next year. David Green, an analyst at IHS Technology, believes total shipment numbers could exceed 100 million by the end of the year just from mobile handsets. He said: “The decision to provide a ‘dualmode’ receiver capable of receiving power from either a PMA or Qi
transmitter is also an interesting step. Infrastructure investment is on the increase, as shown by recent tie-ups such as Starbucks with PMA in the USA, and the IKEA announcement of Qi equipped furniture at MWC.” Unlike in the past, manufacturers are now keen to provide a ‘seamless charging experience’ for their end-users, so dual-mode receivers are likely to be an increasing trend for new product announcements throughout 2015.
Canon Is ‘Interchangeable Lens Market Leader’ For 12th Year Running Canon has announced that it is ‘global number one’ in terms of market volume within the interchangeable lens digital camera market This marks the 12th year that the company has been labelled as such. Canon’s run as market leader began in 2003, a time when digital SLR cameras were still very much in their infancy, and coincided with the launch of the company’s EOS 300D. Offering consumers a compact, lightweight design at a competitive price, the EOS 300D set the stage for Canon’s growth in the digital SLR market. Since then, Canon has launched a host of competitive products, including the EOS-1D series for professional users, and the EOS 5D series, its first fullframe sensor to employ a videocapture function.
CREDITS & CONTACTS
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More recently, in October 2014 Canon launched the EOS 7D Mark II for advanced-amateur users, which, according to the company, has ‘garnered high acclaim’ for its fast continuous shooting speed of 10 frames per second and ‘superior’ autofocus performance. The range was further bolstered in February of this year with the introduction of five new camera models. The new line-up
includes the EOS 5DS and 5DS R, which boasts the world’s highest pixel count among 35 mm fullframe sensor digital SLR cameras; the EOS 760D and EOS 750D – two entrylevel digital SLR cameras; and the EOS M3 – a digital compactsystem camera for enthusiast photographers. Furthermore, Canon recently celebrated a notable lens-manufacturing milestone with the production of its 100 millionth EF-series
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interchangeable lens for EOS cameras. Canon’s extensive EF lens-series line-up, which currently comprises a total of 97 models, introduces EOS users to a wide spectrum of equipment to help them progress their skills. In its official statement, Canon said: “From the EOS 300D right up to the EOS 7D Mark II and recent 2015 unveilings, it is Canon’s impressive camera line-up and dedication to progression that has kept the company ahead of all rivals over the last 12 years – reaffirming it as an industry defining company which shapes trends and meets consumer needs head on.”
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Gemini by Bowens
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E-M5 Mark II
*CIPA Standards as of 12/2014
YOU ARE FREE Follow your creative visions with the new OM-D E-M5 Mark II. Capture spur-of-the-moment photos and movies in breathtakingly clear quality thanks to the world’s most powerful 5-axis image stabilisation*. This OM-D is also ready to go wherever you go, in any situation. The compact build won’t weigh you down, while the robust construction is set for taking on the elements: dust, splashes and freezing temperatures. Freedom has never felt so free – with the OLYMPUS OM-D.
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