BPI News May 2015

WHO GETS YOUR VOTE? OPEN NOW FOR 2015 TIPA AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENT

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Winning predictions from BPI NewsNEWS 4Featuring 4K shooting cine cameras and Selphy printer from Canon, plus the first 4K Nikon compact. Camera drones take off in a big way via the affordable DJI Phantom, doing well with retailers including LCE, whilst Tetenal promotes analogue photography and print

INTRODUCING MR APPY 6We’re not just talking about Fujifilm’s ever smiling Peter Wigington, but rather his new cartoon pal designed to help promote the brand’s free-to-download Fujifilm Imagine app; easier enabling your cus-tomers to place print orders with you via smartphone or tablet

TRADE SALES TIPS FROM THE TIPA AWARDS 2015 7As mentioned in our editorial opposite, photo industry brands and products both big and small have been singled out for praise by the European imaging press as the annual line up of winners is announced. Could they have an impact on your own product sales?

A RETURN TO NEDIS IS A RETURN ON INVESTMENT 16We once again feature pro-active distributor Nedis, whose cam-paigns, brochures and specialist promotions are inspiring dealers to also stock non-photographic items, that are both complementa-ry and high margin, alongside standard photo gear

ROTOLIGHT’S GAME CHANGER MAKES THE FINAL 25We told you (opposite) that this issue (and the past few weeks) has had something of an awards theme. Rotolight is currently up for one for its innovative Neo on-camera LED light, pitched at both photographers and videographers. Find out why you should stock it

EDITORIAL

CONTENTS

BPI News May 2015

It’s all about awards this issue. I’m just back in from the Sony spon-sored World Photography Awards,

celebrating the best of the best among photographers both professional and amateur – and earlier last month the 2015 TIPA Award winners were an-nounced, spotlighting the best prod-ucts in a number of specialist categories. Obviously it’s this second batch of victors that will be of most interest and use to the photographic trade – from manufacturers who value the recognition and promotional opportunities the TIPAs possibly bring, to photographic retailers who, in a declared winner, have extra ammunition when pitching that product and attempting a sale. To help out, we have included a comprehensive winners’ report, beginning on page 7 of this issue. It is also surprising (though, on reflection, not a total shock), how many TIPA winners this year are also previous recipients of Product of the Month profiles in BPI News, and were subsequently BPI News Awards finalists last month. A case of great minds thinking alike, something in our crystal balls, or just that cer-tain photo gear was obviously streets ahead of what else was around at certain times of the year? Whatever. As it now transpires, you read it here first. Elsewhere this month we catch up with the latest plans for the PhotoLive day-long roadshows this summer, mixing paid for photographic workshops with a free-to-enter retail area, and we also discover how, on the mini lab and photo processing front, winners at this year’s FDIS Awards (also announced in BPI News April) are making their membership and recognition count for their businesses. Told you it was all about awards this issue. The real test though is to make them count and deliver extra footfall and revenue. Let us know how you get on and see you back here next month for what I can’t believe will already be our June edition. That’s something we didn’t see coming. Gavin Stoker, Editor

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EDITOR - Gavin StokerEmail: [email protected]: 07990 974 367Please direct all editorial requests, news and press releases [email protected]

PUBLISHER - Clive InsleyEmail: [email protected]: 01344 625131Tel: 07713 622 304Please direct all advertising enquiries and sponsorship opportunities to Clive.

Publisher’s Office: 12 Holmes Close, Sunninghill, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 9TJ.BPI Partners Ltd accept no ultimate re-sponsibility for accurate reproduction of digital artwork created by third parties. Insurance and carriage of products sub-mitted for inclusion in reports rests with the owner. News, data, prices, interviews and opinion are printed in good faith E&OE. Content including advertising artwork created by BPI Partners Ltd or its agents is ©2015 BPI Partners Ltd. ISSN: to be advised.

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COVER: PARIS EN PRINTEMPS…. Never one to miss the opportunity to twin a pretty girl with one of its cameras, Olympus UK has enlisted the fashion blog-ging fraternity to pitch its PEN range to women, commissioning a special Parisien shoot. Cherchez la femme! Olympus event report: http://bit.ly/1Gu2TQV

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NEWS

THE NEW ANSMANN Powerline Vario is a fast charger for most Li-Ion and Li-Po batteries used in digital cameras, camcorders, mobile phones, PDAs and MP3 players which also charges 2 x AA/AAA rechargeable batteries – a great charger for all cameras, flash and digital products. The status of the batteries is displayed on the LCD display with following signals: CHARGING: individual bars flash separately for 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% charge BATTERY FULL: all four percentage increments are on POWER: the whole LCD display flashes once then stops ERROR: all bars flash Charging current is 600mA for 3.7V Li-Ion batteries, 500mA for 7.4V batteries, and1000mA for two AA/AAA cells. Two flexible contact pins can be adjusted to charge most types of Li-Ion and Li-Po batteries. A 1m USB to Micro USB cable connects to the USB traveller power supply with wide range input (100-240V AC) and interchangeable mains plugs for worldwide use (Euro, UK, US and AUS), plus a 12V USB car adaptor. A handy re-sealable plastic bag is included to store the accessories included. ANSMANN offer a 3 year warranty on this product. Suggested Retail Price including VAT – £29.95

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ULTRA HIGH definition is all the rage this month as, like rival Nikon, Canon has pitched in with new 4K video recording additions to its line up – this time aimed at pros. The new specialist tools are: the EOS C300 Mark II, which up-grades the C300 with dual Digic DV5 processors; a compact video camera in the XC10 which is suggested as a sup-porting camera, or as a standalone solution for independent film-makers; plus a 24-inch 4K monitor in the DP-V2410 for on-set colour manage-ment and grading. The latter is expected to ar-rive in Europe the last quarter of this year. With a September release date, the C300 Mark II has a SRP of £11,299, whilst the XC10 is more af-fordable at a suggest-ed £1599.99 and has an earlier arrival of June. www.canon.co.uk

THE UK winner of Tetenal’s inaugural European Analogue Photographer of the Year Competition has been announced. Entries were judged across five categories – Portrait, Landscape, Architecture, People/Lifestyle and Wildlife. Dr Michael Pritchard FRPS, Director-General of The Royal Photographic Society (left in photo) joined Tetenal UK Marketing Manager Craig Bird (right) and Jeremy Roy, Tetenal Key Accounts & Darkroom Product Manager for the UK judging at the Bath offices of the RPS. The overall winner (a Portrait) was Tomas Januska’s Meda above, impressing the judges with the engaging subject and photographic expertise. “It was great to see so many entries come in, as it was the first year of the competition so we didn’t really know what kind of response we would get,” says Tetenal’s Craig Bird. “We had great help in communicating the competition from the likes of the Royal Photographic Society and Silverprint in London and we will hopefully run the competition again next year.” The UK winner joins the other overall country winners in a final Hamburg judg-ing to find the 2015 B&W Analogue Photographer of the Year. Judges include F. C. Gundlach, regarded as the most important fashion photographer of West Germany’s early post-war period. For more info on the competition, together with images of many of the entries, see: www.since1847.tetenal.com

Canon turns heat up to 4K

The new EOS C300 Mark II above, and one-inch sensor super-bridge 4K model the XC10, below

Tetenal announces photo comp UK winner

BPI News | May 2015 5

NEWS

I’m voting for SNP!… that’s Selling National Photography! When the current elec-tion fever subsides, consumers’ minds will finally start thinking of summer holidays...and hopefully deciding it’s time to update their camera, lenses and gadget bags. And this is where ’we’re all in this together’ – selling the benefits of photography as an art form and an industry. Let’s encourage the majority of people to take more photographs, or ‘life memories’ as they’re referred to

in the States. Perhaps put together a few kits of your own from various suppliers (forming, if you like, your own ‘coalitions’) to suggest a great deal at key price points. Go that extra mile to get your customers’ vote. Share your feedback, news and views with publisher Clive Insley via [email protected] or call 07713 622304.

Game of dronesCOULD – or should – your customers’ next camera be a drone? With sales of consumer orientated camera drones on the up, and stockists including pho-to specialists such as London Camera Exchange, Chinese manufacturer DJI has announced what it is terming the possible “future of aerial imaging and video”. It has launched not one but two updates to its Phantom series. These are the Phantom 3 ‘Professional’ – a 4K shooting unmanned aerial vehicle with gold detailing and a suggested retail price of £1,159 – plus a second model in the Phantom 3 Advanced. The lat-ter records 1080P video, costs a more affordable £899 SRP, and is outwardly distinguishable via its silver detailing. Both models of the Phantom 3 offer a 94° field of view lens with f/2.8 aperture. This, it said, helps to flatten out the im-age, with a larger sensor size and better dynamic range also featuring. For more information on camera drones and their possibilities an online community has been set up at skypixel.com

DISTRIBUTOR Swains has been ap-pointed channel distributor for all Eyefi WiFi cards. The line up includes the new TIPA Award winning Eyefi mobiPRO 32GB WiFi Pro card which offers selec-tive transfer, wireless RAW, JPEG & video transfer and secure networking at the studio and on location. Speak to your Swains Sales Manager for more info. Alternatively call Swains head office on 01485 536200 or email: [email protected]

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Alberto Spinelli, Canon Europe Director of Digital Services shakes on the deal with Lifecake CEO and co-founder Nicholas Babaian

Suit your SelphyFOR THOSE customers of yours wanting high quality prints on the go Canon is offer-ing its new compact and stylish CP1000 Selphy printer, capable of outputting prints in 47 seconds direct from camera, USB port or memory card, and fea-turing a tilt up LCD screen for reference purposes. Being a portable printer this one utilises dye sub tech-nology, and there is an optional bat-tery pack accessory for those wanting

EPSON is offering your customers a new range topping inkjet photo printer for output up to A2 with built-in Wi-Fi connectivity and a roll paper option. The desk-top SureColor SC-P800 device features a new nine colour UltraChrome HD ink set (vivid light magenta, vivid magenta, yellow, light cyan, cyan, matt black, photo black, light light black and light black), claimed to deliver not only vivid results but also the deepest blacks on the market and, of key importance for any gallery prints, improved light-fastness. A roll paper option affords the reproduction of panoramic photos and banners, with three paper paths including a front-loading fine art paper path. A 2.7-inch touch screen monitor allows printing to take place independently of a computer, while it’s also Epson’s first 17-inch printer to feature Wi-Fi connectivity. Print resolution is 2880x1440 dpi while it weighs 19.5kg – with the smallest footprint of any A2 printer. www.epson.co.uk

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CANON has acquired London based digital start up Lifecake – known for its photo sharing app for families that allows parents to store, organise and share key moments of their off-springs’ lives – which it claims is a major step in boosting its digital consumer services business. Canon says this brings it clos-er to its ambition to play a part in every image taken no matter what device is used.

Canon acquires photo archive Lifecake


MINILAB NEWS

For more info contact Peter Wigington on 01234 572138 or email [email protected]

Introducing Mr Appy

Fujifilm’s latest marketing construct to encourage your customers to download its free Fujifilm Imagine app to their smartphone and start ordering prints is the loveable ‘Mr Appy’. BPI News learns more from the company’s Peter Wigington

the concept behind the promotional tool. “He is a mobile phone stuffed with photos. He loves photos but doesn’t like being weighed down with a belly full of them. He wants to tell us how to get our smartphones back in shape. He has a single-minded message to communicate; namely download the Fujifilm Mobile Imagine App from either Google Play or the Apple Store today.”

Making retailers ‘appy too!

As regular readers of BPI News will be aware, Fujifilm’s Imagine Mobile app offers an easy way for your customers to turn their photos into a wide variety of products – including prints, photo gifts, canvasses and posters. It also integrates with customers’ Fujifilm Imagine online accounts, so images can be used from there as well. Orders completed and placed securely using a mobile device

at any time of the day or night – so yes, you can be winning business even as you sleep – are fulfilled by you as the chosen retailer. “The flexibility of the character allows us to reach our target audience in many different ways, using various forms of media. It also allows us to re-use the character with no fees / royalties or additional related costs that are associated with advertising. The plan is that the TV character can be easily adapted for in-store point of sale, be brought out at trade shows, on the high street, and be marketed digitally and via mobile. “While we are initially introducing the character to encourage downloads of the Fujifilm Imagine app, longterm we hope that he can tell the rest of the Fujifilm Imagine story…” To find out more about

Most of us now have phones bulging with images that we never print. But Fujifilm has the solution to get our phones back in shape: its free-to-download

Fujifilm Imagine app – newly promoted by its ‘Mr Appy’ character. First seen at The Photography Show on the Fujifilm stand, the cartoon is now starring in his own YouTube video at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqR4TS-A7w4

marketing opportunities and point of sale featuring the Mr Appy character to help get Fujifilm’s message across to your customers, please contact Peter Wigington on 01234 572138 or email [email protected]

Peter Wigington with the debut screening of Fujifilm Imagine’s new friendly personality for their app – at The Photography Show

“No other major photographic company is doing more to promote printing to the general public,” says Fujifilm’s Marketing Manager Peter Wigington. As usual, it’s all about simplifying the route to print for your customers in order to maximise profit potential for your own business. And the message is simple: download the Fujifilm Imagine app, choose the photos you want to print with a finger tap, and upload them quickly and easily. Your customers can then choose to have their high quality prints delivered to their homes or to collect them in store. Even better, your customers’ images are stored in the Cloud free of charge courtesy of Fujifilm, ready to be viewed on line, on their phone or via an in-store kiosk – and then printed again and again for as long as they want to. “Mr Appy is a cute and friendly character,” Peter continues, by way of explaining


Technology editors and journalists throughout Europe have put their heads together

once again to come up with an annual list of the best of the best as regards the imaging trade; all providing extra fuel to help you pitch the products to your customers. This year Nikon has a trio of victors in the D810, named Best Professional DSLR, the D5500, our own BPI News Product of the Month for March, which takes home Best Entry Level DSLR, while the Coolpix P610 bags Best Superzoom Camera. As we squeezed in a mention of last issue, Sigma took two awards. Its 24mm f/1.4 DG Art Lens (see more, p16) was acclaimed Best Expert DSLR Prime lens, while Best Entry Level DSLR lens went to the 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM. Panasonic was also in clover, with its DMC-GM5 awarded Best Advanced CSC, the DMC-LX100 Best Expert Photo/Video camera and the FT6 rugged model ‘Best Rugged Camera’. A quartet of accolades meanwhile went to Canon. Its EOS 7D Mark II took Best Expert DSLR, the 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Best Expert DSLR Zoom Lens, the EF 11-24mm f/4L USM Best Pro DSLR Lens, while, unusually, Best Easy Compact Camera was split between three compacts: the IXUS 160, 165 and 170. Best Premium Compact went to the Fujiflm X100T, which also bagged Best Expert Compact Camera for the X30 and Best Expert CSC Zoom Lens for the XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR. Best Imaging Innovation was another former BPI News Product of the Month in the Intro2020 distributed Lytro Illum, whilst

Trade sales tips from TIPA Awards 2015

10000 was Best Projector. Samsung wasn’t left out either, its flagship NX1 taking Best Professional CSC. Sony made it a trio of wins with its A5100 bagging Best Entry level CSC, its A7S Best Pro Photo/Video Camera and the ILCE-QX1 ‘smart’ lens for use with smartphones took Best Mobile Imaging Device. Best CSC Prime Lens went to the Zeiss Loxia line up and Best Pro Lighting System was the Profoto B2 (see p9). The Pentax K-S2 took Best Advanced DSLR, its 645Z was best Medium Format Camera and the WG-M1 was Best Action Cam. With Best Photo Bag ‘bagged’ by Think Tank Photo for its Airport International Classic, Best Inkjet Photo Paper was won by Canson for its Infinity Photo Lustre Premium PRC 310gsm. Closer to home, Canon, Nikon, Panasonic and Sony have all made the annual Which? Magazine shortlist for Best Photography Brand, whilst Wex Photographic is competing against John Lewis, Screwfix, Richer Sounds and Lush for Best Retailer. www.tipa.com

another of its brands – Tamron – took Best Entry Level CSC Lens for the 14-150mm f/3.5-5.8 DI III. Continuing, Manfrotto’s BeFree carbon series tripod was, simply, ‘Best Tripod’. Best Portable Flash went to the Nissin Air System, distributed by

Kenro (see p13), while Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II – Product of the Month for our April issue – was garlanded with Best Expert CSC. Epson picked up Best Photo Scanner for the Perfection V850 Pro, Best Photo Printer went to the SureColor P600, and its EH-LS

TIPA AWARDS 2015

A gathering of TIPA judges, left, and a gathering of TIPA award winning products below


Nikon debuts 4K CSCThere’s also a new ‘J’ series Nikon this month. As dealers are well aware, the interchangeable lens Nikon ‘1’ family is notable for its one inch sensor size, which is physically larger than the 1/2.3-inch chip found in most fixed lens cameras, yet still smaller than all DSLRs and most CSC rivals. The 20.8 megapixel J5 however, complete with a nod at the retro styling of competing Fujifilm and Olympus models, feels the most grown up ‘J’ series camera yet by featuring plentiful bells ‘n’ whistles to hook ‘proper’ photographers, as well as a flip-up 3-inch selfie-enabling screen to appeal to any customer stepping up from a smartphone. The other key selling point to pitch to punters is 4K video capture; a first for the Nikon range, ensuring the J5 joins a select handful of premium quality video-shooting rivals in Panasonic’s GH4, Samsung’s NX1 and Sony’s R7s – all bulkier, pricier cameras. Here, a compact kit zoom lens keeps proportions manageable (SRP £429.99 with 10-30mm PD Zoom lens). After flirting coyly with CSC for a while now as DSLRs are more traditionally its bag, the J5 suggests a more meaningful chapter in Nikon’s relationship with smaller format system cameras. SRP starts at £349 body only.

Among this year’s TIPAs, Nikon has a trio of victors, two of which were previously

Product of the Month in BPI News. The D810 was named Best Professional DSLR – having been our Product of the Month last September – whilst the D5500, our Product of the Month this March, took home Best Entry Level DSLR. The third TIPA winner was the 60x optical zoom Coolpix P610, which was named Best Superzoom Camera by the European technical press; its judges spread across 27 magazines and 16 different countries. Nikon MD John Walshe tells BPI News: “It is an honour for Nikon to win TIPA Awards across two highly competitive DSLR categories, as well as an accolade for the innovative Coolpix P610 super zoom. This model combines high-performance Super ED glass with an EVF and a 7.5cm vari-angle LCD screen, so we’re delighted to see it acknowledged by the esteemed TIPA judges.” As regular BPI News readers and Nikon retail partners will be aware the 24.2 megapixel D5500 is notable for being the first Nikon DSLR with an 8.1cm vari-angle LCD touch screen. Ergonomically designed, its deep grip, lightweight and slim-line body ensures ultimate comfort, according to the manufacturer. Our own March 2015 review of the D5500 noted: “With what feels like a smaller than average footprint for a DSLR – it will sit in the palm of your customers’ hands, particularly with retractable 18-55mm kit zoom selected – operational controls remain well within finger and thumb reach. We also liked the fact that Live View is now on a switch encircling the shooting mode dial, rather than being secreted away on the backplate. Stereo microphones located just behind the pop up flash complete the impression that this is a fully featured camera despite the smaller body size and relatively simplified control layout. Even with the kit lens attached, detail is commendably clear and colours naturalistically rendered, making this a very good starter DSLR option. Suggesting anyone who buys this looking to improve their smartphone snaps can’t go far wrong may seem like scant praise, but the D5500 could well be all the DSLR most amateur

Three was the magic number for the photo stalwart at this year’s TIPA Awards, voted for by luminaries in the European technical press… while the brand also debuted its first ever 4K camera…

Nikon scoops TIPA trio, unveils 4K shooterTIPA AWARDS 2015

Nikon TIPA winners at a glance: D810, D5500 & Coolpix P610. For further information visit www.nikon.co.uk

snappers ever require.” Referring to future TIPA winner the D810 last September, we originally said: “Pro grade cameras aren’t cheap, yet at a body-only £2,699.99 the dust and weather sealed magnesium alloy bodied D810 feels pretty fair to us, especially for what is going to be a main tool for those who earn money from photography as a living. From the top plate down, the D810 is a chunky beast with plentiful buttons, knobs and dials to allow user customisation to the nth degree; yet, there is enough here that feels immediately familiar without having to delve into the manual in order to start shooting on the camera. We were lucky enough to be shooting with a great quality lens in the 85mm f/1.4, which proved itself – in tandem with the D810’s full frame sensor – of delivering some creamily smooth ‘bokeh’ – concentrating focus on a narrow portion of the frame and selectively blurring the surrounds to draw our attention even more closely to the subject. This lends the D810’s images an almost 3D effect, and when you have 36.3 megapixels’ worth of detail piled in on top, you’re not going to hear us complaining. In two words: simply stunning. For Nikon users who value resolution over speed of capture, the full frame 36.3 megapixel D810 handles like a dream.”

One-inch sensor, 4K resolution – a formula for movie success

Success on three levels – TIPA awards for the D5500 (top, with articulated touch screen); D810 lower right with 36 megapixel full frame sensor; and P610 below, in red, with 60X optical zoom, WiFi, NFC, built-in EVF and articulatedrear screen.

In related news, the manufacturer is also offering your customers updated firmware for its D4S, TIPA winning D810 plus D750 DSLRs, mainly designed to improve workflow for pro video applications and usability with external recorders. The new firmware is should arrive this summer, the company says.

The D810 follows up the TIPA success of the original D800


To get up to speed and watch videos illustrating what the Profoto range is capable of, please visit www.profoto.com/ontolightshaping

Profoto TIPA win shines new light on B2TIPA AWARDS 2015

It’s always nice to get your efforts rewarded. And good for the trade to be able to slap a shiny new

sticker of approval on their products to give customers added impetus to purchase. Profoto arguably needs no additional push, as it is a brand well regarded and recommended among pro photographers. Nevertheless its B2 off-camera flash system, described as five times more powerful than the average speedlight, has won Best Pro Lighting System at the annual TIPA Awards, which isn’t bad at all for a product only announced as recently as March. As regular BPI News readers will be aware, the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) is an international, non-profit association supporting the interests of the specialist imaging trade press. It represents 28 independent photographic magazines and each year the editors of the member magazines vote for the best products introduced to the market during the previous 12 months, taking into account innovation, cutting-edge technology, design, ease-of- use and the price to performance ratio of the products. “Lighting flexibility leads to lighting creativity, and the Profoto B2 Off-Camera Flash can be utilised for a wide variety of lighting setups in both on and off-camera operation,” purred the TIPA judges. “The B2 has TTL and HSS compatibility with both Canon and Nikon cameras, but, place it in manual mode, and the B2 also works with most other brands. The 250Ws B2 Head can be set in a wide 9-stop energy range and has a fast recycle time ranging from 0.03 to 1.35 seconds. The B2 can also be used with Profoto’s entire assortment of Light Shaping Tools. This means that photographers can choose from more than 150 different tools and shape the B2’s light into any light imaginable.” Profoto’s own Product Manager Johan Wiberg adds: “Our ambition when we first started designing the Profoto Off-Camera Flash system was to create a solution that pushes the boundaries of what can be achieved on a fast and hectic on-location shoot. We closely observed the needs of wedding and portrait photographers and decided to try to make their jobs a little easier. Now,

Looking to attract more high-end customers? Profoto is the go-to lighting brand for enthusiast and pro photographers, so it’s little surprise that its portable B2 off-camera flash has won Best Pro Lighting System at the TIPAs. BPI News discovers more about the proposition…

looking at what we are offering, I dare say we’ve succeeded.” The B2 is described as a lighter, more portable counterpart to Profoto’s B1 off-camera flash, successfully launched back in 2013, and itself a former TIPA winner. Comprising a battery pack and a head, with the battery light enough to be worn on the shoulder or hip, the B2 can either be mounted onto a monopod or camera bracket to allow the photographer to keep moving and working relatively fast. Alternatively the suggestion is to place both light and battery pack on a stand and wirelessly control them

from the camera. The head is of the same size and weight as a speedlight, while being five times more powerful – so immediately the kit’s advantage is plain to see (on-camera, above). For those seeking to piggyback sales with the Profoto B2, there’s the obvious advantage of the off-camera flash system also including the new OCF Light Shaping Tools, which are also smaller, more lightweight and comprised of fewer parts making them fast and easy to mount and to

use. Said assortment comprises four new softboxes, a new Grid Kit, a new Snoot and a new Barndoor. Specialist retailers looking to stock Profoto lighting solutions should contact [email protected] or call 01442 204919 for further details. It’s also worth mentioning the company also currently has a 0% consumer finance option – available between May 1st and 31st August, which it tells us it can ‘facilitate’ through dealers.

NEW:THE PROFOTO OFF-CAMERAFLASH SYSTEM

“I hadn’t enjoyed using flash for many years. The ones I tried were either too bulky or too restraining. The Profoto Off-Camera Flash System has changed that. Now, I can move around freely, follow the inspiration and control the light in whatever situation I may find myself. For me, it feels like the beginning of something new.”

- Australian wedding photographer Yervant

© YERVANT

See the world’s best photographers using Profoto Off-Camera Flash on profoto.com/uk/offcameraflash

Profoto Ltd | Unit 21 Mcdonald Business Park, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 7EB| PHONE 01442 204919

201139_F2_Profoto_May15_210x297mm.indd 1 31/03/2015 11:36

36 May/June 2015 ƒ2

ƒ2 May/June 2015 37

Photographs by Rossella Vanon

D1 Kit OffersA complete, portable studio solutionEvery purchase of a D1 Studio-Kit (2 head) will

receive a FREE RFi Softbox KitRFi Softbox-Kit consits of an RFi Softbox 2’x3’,

RFi Softgrid 50º, Profoto Speedring.Every purchase of a D1 Studio-Kit (3 head) will

receive a FREE Softlight KitSoftlight Kit consits of Softlight White, 25º Grid

and Diffusor.

Every purchase of a D1 Basic Kit wil receive the

following for FREE; Profoto Umbrella Deep Silver L (1.3mDiameter)and an Umbrella L Diffusor.

AVAILABLE FROM YOUR DEALER UNTIL THE END OF JUNE 2015 Profoto Ltd | Unit 21 Mcdonald Business Park, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 7EB| PHONE 01442 204919

Find out more about D1 profoto.com/uk/d1

201143_F2_Profoto_May15_210x148.5mm.indd 1

31/03/2015 14:32


ƒ2 May/June 2015 35

Rossella Vanon is an

enthusiastic and award-

winning freelance fashion

and beauty photographer, based

in Stratford, London. For this issue,

we were working on a guide to

hire studios, which follows after

this profile. At The Photography

Show, Rossella wanted to tell us

about the new studio she had just

opened – and it’s available for hire.

We then learned that we have

already used her photography

– she’s one of the élite band of

photographers chosen by high

end studio flash makers Profoto

to showcase their products in

advertising.

A quick look at the shots of the

studio itself on the new website

was persuasive too. Who does

not love bare brickwork when

lime wash and plaster has been

allowed to weather and flake off?

Combined with an amazing glass

daylight roof, this typical East

London atelier just has a great feel.

Fashioning a career

Rossella came over to the UK

eight years ago from Italy and her

feet have hardly felt the ground

beneath them – it has been an

upward flight in the photographic

world from the start. From modest

beginnings using the front room

of shared accommodation as

a studio, she is now a much

sought-after photographer with an

impressive reputation for beautiful

high colour in softly lit images.

She has worked alongside some

of the most professional teams in

the industry, building an extensive

client list and in March she opened

her own studio:

www.huddlestudios.com

Huddle Studios are available

for hire to the local community

and visitors. Her idea is that if

you create a space that you enjoy

working in yourself, others will too.

The furnishings in the building

have been created from recycled

and reclaimed materials by her

partner, Paul Smorthit, who is a

joiner by trade and passionate

about making unique furnishings

and props. They particularly

wanted to create a space with a

relaxed atmosphere and friendly

welcome that was multi-functional,

with the ability to accommodate

training and workshops as well as

professional photo shoots.

Rosella has had good and bad

experiences in the past using

outsourced studios. Most are very

MAKING SPACERossella Vanon found that hire studios

often lacked the character she wanted

from a workspace – so with her partner

she’s opened a community-facing studio in

East London, Huddle Studios

good, but turning up with sixteen

people to run a workshop only to

find out the studio had closed was

one of the worst – not only did she

lose her money, but had the extra

hassle of having to reorganise the

day at record speed. Having her

own studio gives her the flexibility

and continuity that she needs to

carry out her job, and opening up

to the public for hire helps sustain

the project.

With a professional approach

to running her business, Rossella

has factored in the cost of running

the studio and passes this on to

her clients when quoting for her

work undertaken in the space. She

feels by using her own premises

instead of hiring other studios,

she is building foundations to

invest in her long-term future. The

responsibility is high and leases on

studios don’t come cheap, but with

additional support from Profoto

who sponsor Rosella’s workshops,

she can look forward to the

studio space being well used and

hopefully attracting some regular

hire customers.

Rosella also has a book coming

out in early September, Lighting

People. The ability to turn her hand

to different projects spreads her

potential to generate income –

and she’s a lady who has certainly

worked out how to balance a

love of photography with the

economics of running a business,

something very important if you

want to succeed.

– Diane E. Henderson Á

www.rvanonphotography.com

Phot

ogra

phs ©

Ros

sella

Van

on

Profoto –pro-active advertising and star user Rossella Vanon featured in the May/June ƒ2 Freelance magazine. B2 rig used on-camera, right, with big appeal to the active shooter

The award-winning B2

and B1 systems with new

accesssories


TIPA AWARDS 2015

The camera stalwart is riding high this month on the news that its Olympus OM-D

E-M5 Mark II, with much discussed 40 megapixel output mode, was garlanded with ‘Best Expert CSC’ at the 2015 TIPA Awards, the annual gongs debated and awarded by Europe’s imaging press. This is on top of the same camera bagging our Product of the Month for our April 2015 issue of BPI News – an honour, surely, to give any manufacturer a warm glow – thus making for a double whammy of acclaim for the latest update, to feed back to your customers. We said of the E-M5 MKII: “Olympus has tweaked an already good enthusiast’s camera to make an even better one, with a potentially wider customer reach.” TIPA judges added that it “delivers a wide away of creative options”, whilst describing the 5-axis image stabilization system as “a breakthrough technology.” As regards activity surrounding its premium end OM-D and PEN series, the pro-active brand is pushing forward with plenty of street walks and daylong seminars throughout spring and summer, coordinated via the dedicated ‘Image Space’ website (www.olympus-imagespace.co.uk). These include a shooting tour of historic Portsmouth and HMS Victory taking place on the actual 250th anniversary of its original launch, plus another ‘big top’ event this June in conjunction with Gifford’s Circus and pro photographer brand ambassadors Damian McGillicuddy, Rob Pugh and Neil Buchan-Grant. Such events are designed to put kit in the hands of photo enthusiasts and, ultimately, cash in your tills when attendees subsequently invest in Olympus cameras and accessories. An additional push is being provided with the extension of Olympus’ free battery grip promotion, redeemable by purchasers of the earlier E-M1

Extended zoom Stylus takes aim at DSLRs

Arriving hot on the heels of last month’s SH-2 announcement, Olympus’ Red Dot Award winning Stylus 1 also gets an update this month with stock hitting Europe of the Stylus 1s, below, previously announced late last year in Japan. The evolutionary upgrade arrives with the latest Firmware and a focal range that stretches from 22.4mm to 510mm. The lens is now compatible with Olympus’ WCON-08X wide-angle converter lens, while the 1s itself boasts slim, all-metal casing with ‘new textures’ said to make it easier to hold, an elegant blue lens ring familiar from the brand’s Zuiko Digital lens family, plus an eye-level electronic viewfinder with sensor for those wanting a compact with handling similarities with a DSLR. Expect a UK price around £400 (based on 548 Euros SRP). www.olympus.co.uk

Olympus news at a glance: E-M5 Mark II wins TIPA, TG-4 Tough newly launched, Stylus 1s is latest compact upgrade

The start of the summer season sees the updating of Olympus’ action camera offering in the Raw-shooting TG-4, while the Stylus ‘1s’ hits Europe. The brand is also celebrating the E-M5 Mark II winning a big trade award at the 2015 TIPA’s and its FREE grip offer extended until August 31st…

Olympus buffs up for summer, picks up TIPA

camera, which now runs until August 31st this year, as flagged up last issue. The HLD-7 grip is worth £189.99, so an opportunity your customers will doubtless want to take advantage of while the offer’s still on.

Tough camera, easy purchase decision

There’s new Olympus kit this month too. Arriving quickly after the TG-860 is the action-ready TG-4 ‘Tough’, promising to ‘make light of the dark’ thanks to its f/2 maximum aperture 25-100mm equivalent lens. The camera can be operated at underwater depths of 15 metres without additional housing according to the blurb, and on this model there is a new Underwater HDR option. It is also drop proof from a height of 2.1 metres,

crushproof to a weight of 100kg, freeze-proof down to -10°C and dust proof into the bargain. Suggesting application beyond merely pointing and shooting, the GPS and Wi-Fi equipped TG-4 also has the ability to capture Raw files – therefore extending its potential audience of buyers – while macro shots up to 1cm from a subject are a possibility. Suggested pricing is £350 and the camera is available from May in black and red (above and below). What might be of added interest to dealers is that there’s a whole host of accessories available to piggyback on sales, including a macro light, fisheye converter lens, hard case with ‘carabiner’ hook plus underwater casing to extend use to a depth of 45 metres.

E-M5 Mark II 5-axis stabilisation meets Marrakesh dusk, right…

Photo: Jay McLaughlin


E-M5 Mark II

YOU ARE FREEFollow 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.

Find out more at your local dealer or visit olympus.co.uk

*CIPA

Standards as of 12/2014


Bright idea for extra sales IN RELATED news Fujifilm has announced that its new fast/bright aperture Fujinon XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR lens will be available from mid May at £729.99 SRP. Its fixed focal length is equivalent to 24mm in 35mm film terms, whilst minimum focus distance is 15cm. As well as being able to achieve striking ‘bokeh’ effects, also part of the pitch to your customers is that the lens is weather and dust resistant and can work in temperatures as low as -10°C, making it a great match with Fuji’s own X-T1. With this latest addition, there are now five fast aperture Fujinon lenses for ‘X’ series compact system cameras, including the XF 23mm f/1.4R, XF 35mm f/1.4R, XF 56mm f/1.2R and the XF 56mm f/1.2 R APD lens.

If you’re looking for additional help when pitching equipment to your customers, citing a major award is

always going to go down well. And, among the familiar names getting nods from trade press collective TIPA this month is Fujifilm, which has no fewer than three products singled out for praise. The TIPA for Best Premium Compact has gone to the X100T. Bagging Best Expert Compact Camera is the X30, while Best Expert CSC Zoom Lens goes to the XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR. The X100T and X30 had already picked up prizes at the ‘iF Product Design Awards’ in March for their retro styling, where the waterproof FinePix XP70 also picked up an award. The TIPA judges’ impression of the X100T can be summed up in one word: ‘impressive’. They went on to say, in full: ‘The 16.3 MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS II sensor and EXR processor in the Fujfillm X100T delivers impressive options and capabilities in this compact, integral lens (f/2, approximately 35mm equivalent) camera. The high-resolution optical Advanced Hybrid Viewfinder (2.360K-dot) has a rangefinder aspect to it. By turning the focusing ring, users can select Focus Peaking and Digital Split Image mode, plus magnification of the area focused upon can be inspected for fine focus control. The finder also allows for what Fujifilm dubs ‘Real-time Parallax Correction.’ Other impressive features include an incredible top shutter speed of 1/32,000th second, seven customisable ‘Fn’ (function) buttons, Full HD video with numerous selectable frames rates (with optical finder viewing) and built-in WiFi for transfer and remote camera operation via the company’s Camera Remote app.’ Of the X30, the TIPA bigwigs had the following to say: ‘Photographers want a compact camera for a day trip or casual vacation photography that still delivers features they expect and high-quality images. Compact (118x71x 60mm – 4.7x2.8x2.4 inches) and lightweight (423g), the X30 contains a 12MP 2/3-ich X-Trans CMOS II sensor for Raw and JPEG stills and MOV format video with stereo sound. The Fujinon 4x

TIPA AWARDS 2015

Fujifilm news at a glance: X100T, X30 and XF 16-55mm lens all win TIPA Awards, plus new XF 16mm f/1.4 launched

Not content with having its X-T1 camera named Product of the Year in our BPI News Awards last month, the manufacturer has continued to bag plaudits – this time from the Technical Image Press Association…

Triple TIPA triumph continues Fuji’s winning streak

zoom (equivalent to 28-112mm in 35mm terms) only changes by one stop when travelling from wide to telephoto settings (f/2-2.8) and offers an f/11 minimum aperture. Shutter speeds top out at 1/4000th second and ISO ratings go as high as 12,800. Frame rates of 12 per second can be achieved, plus image stabilisation is built in. A 2.36 million dot resolution EVF is dubbed a ‘real time’ viewfinder with a 0.005 second display lag time.’ The third TIPA for Best Expert Lens went to the XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR (above) as mentioned. Of this product, the press collective said: ‘Another in the expanding line-up of Fujifilm’s well-sealed lenses, the XF 16-55mm is constructed with 17 elements in 12 groups with three aspherical and three ED glass elements. This lens offers a 24-84mm equivalent range and uses 14 sealing points in its weather- and dust-resistant design. It features a nine-bladed diaphragm, 1/3 EV increment settings and a minimum focusing distance of less than 12 inches (30.4cm). With the newly

developed Nano-GI (gradient index) coating technology, the lens is said to effectively inhibit flare and ghosting. The lightweight internal focusing system and twin linear motor make for quiet, speedy AF with an acquisition time as fast as 0.06 seconds.’ Fujifilm’s Marketing manager Lucy Edwards (right, with BPI News winner’s certificate last month) was delighted to see her brand do the TIPA triple: “We were thrilled to receive these awards. They wholeheartedly endorse our great range of X series products. Fujifilm’s strategy of listening to consumer feedback and acting on it to continually improve its products is gaining photographers’ respect and making an impression on the market.” www.fujifilm.co.uk

X-30 models above, and X100T below


To become a Kenro stockist or to request a latest catalogue and further product info call 01793 615836 now

TIPA AWARDS 2015

Kenro is walking on air after its latest TIPA win: Nissin Air to be specific… a system that

grabbed the annual gong for Best Portable Flash from the European trade press. As TIPA itself noted, the Nissin Air System is a radio-transmission wireless flash system that includes the company’s Di700A flash and Commander Air 1, recently launched in the UK and previewed to the trade back at The Photography Show in March. “We received an overwhelmingly positive response to the Nissin Air System, both from our Nissin stockists and end users visiting the show,” says Kenro MD Paul Kench. “The excitement generated for this new product has now been heightened by the news that the Nissin Air System has also received a TIPA Award. The Nissin i40 won this same award last year and has been hugely successful. It looks as though Nissin have managed to raise their game yet again with this new addition, and we are really excited for the Nissin range in 2015!” The Di700A flash and Commander Air 1 boasts 2.4GHz radio transmission with a coverage of up to 30 metres (about 100 feet) and is uninterrupted by angle of view or normal obstacles that would plague optical wireless transmitters. Different transmission channels and radio IDs can be set, ensuring no misfires due to other units that might be operating in the vicinity. The Nissin Commander Air 1 can control up to three groups of Di700A units, and combinations can be mixed for use as wireless TTL or manual flash. The flash offers high-speed sync of 1/8000 second, second curtain sync, plus an electronic zoom head for enhanced coverage in the 24-200mm range. The kit option that includes Di700A flash and Commander Air 1 is £199.95 + VAT SRP.

It’s official: Kenro has ‘Best Portable Flash’Yet another award for the already much acclaimed Nissin flash brand, distributed in the UK by Kenro, which also previews its Takeway Clampod and new frames and albums line-up

‘small but strong’ stabilisation device (see more at takeway.tw) that can hold any device weighing under 3kg, including camcorder, DSLR, smartphone or tablet computer. A ballhead with a quick release plate allows for quick mounting, while the ballhead rotates 360°. Other ballheads can be installed for a higher weight load capacity, according to the manufacturer. A soft plastic handle and precise screw allow the clamp to be fixed tightly. The maximum load capacity of the clamp, which is claimed to be fashioned from aerospace grade aluminium alloy, itself is 40kg (maximum load using the included ball head, however, is 3kg). The product itself weighs just 200g including ballhead. “As always, there are good potential margins to be made on Kenro distributed items,” adds MD Paul Kench (below). www.kenro.co.uk

A stable product you’ll want as a stock fixture

Also previewed recently by Kenro was the new Takeway (not ‘Takeaway’) Clampod, above, which launches mid May and is described as “extremely exciting”, as well as its forthcoming new range of photo albums and frames, below. “We previewed this new range at The Photography Show and had an excellent reaction, especially to the

new shabby chic, distressed wood frames, as well as the new designer photo albums,” adds Kenro’s Paul, talking about his company’s stable fixture of frames and albums. “We are currently finalising detailed product information for the range and hope to announce this soon – so watch this space!” Aimed at everyone from selfie shooters to seasoned pros meanwhile, the Takeway Clampod (SRP 49.95 + VAT) is described as a

Takeway Clampod in action, below, and right

Nissin Air flash Di700A front and rear, with Commander Air 1 left, and system diagram

Toulon Series Blu

Symphony Classic Copper Finish

Milton Series Champagne Euro Traveller Memo


TIPA AWARDS 2015

LOOKING for a new action camera to pitch to punters? Not content with TIPA wins for its DMC-GM5, DMC-LX100 and the FT6 rugged camera, Panasonic has launched the HX-A1 camera with the promise of hands free shooting for your customers in the harshest of environments. SRP is £179.99 and availability is from June. The cylindrical device, above, claims to be waterproof to 1.5 metres, freeze-proof down to -10°C, plus dust proof. Applications include filming the action whilst white water rafting, skiing or racing for which Full HD video capture is provided. Alternatives are shooting HD footage at 1280x720 pixels and 60fps, or 848x480 pixels clips at 120fps, so four times the regular frame rate, thus allowing for playback in slow motion. Built-in Wi-Fi allows the device to be hooked up with any Wi-Fi camcorder in Panasonic’s range to create a wireless twin camera if so desired. Plentiful accessories to pitch to customers include an optional Head Mount (VW-HMA1), Multi Mount (VW-MKA1) and Tripod Mount (VW-CTA1), giving users a wide range of options for attaching the camera to gog-gles, shoulder bags, helmets or – yes – a tripod. An Extended Battery option (VW-BTA1) pushes total recording time up to two hours, 45 minutes. Weighing just 45g, other key features of the HX-A1 include f/2.8 lens, microSD card slot, 2.7 megapixel JPEGs, 30cm minimum focus distance and 0 Lux Light Mode for shooting in darkened conditions. In related news the manufacturer has announced new Firmware (Ver 2.2) for its GH4 flagship designed to improve the video capability further – in adding an ‘anamorphic’ 4:3 mode recording in 3328x2496 pixels (equating to 8.3 megapixels approximately) – as well as making it possible to set 1/16000 sec shutter speed man-ually when using the electronic shutter. Direct your customers now to: http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/ www.panasonic.co.uk

TIPA winner Panasonic now ‘ready to wear’ and GH4 firmware updated

Visit www.bpinews.co.ukSupported

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Panasonic product specialist Mark Baber shows off 1/16000s setting on his GH4 at the Edinburgh Photovision roadshow

HOPING to steal Panasonic’s lead in the travel zoom category, its electronics rival Sony has introduced a pair of new pre-mium zoom compacts in the HX90 and WX500, both sharing an 18.2 megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor and 30x optical reach. Taking aim at the enthusiast, the Sony HX90 (£330 SRP) follows on from the HX50 and HX60 and features the neat trick of a pop up viewfinder, while an ‘HX90V’ variant adds GPS for a tenner more. The pitch here is that this is the world’s smallest camera in its class to fea-ture a 30x zoom and a 638,000-dot reso-lution OLED viewfinder with eye sensor. It also comes with a flip-up/ 180° tilting LCD screen with 921K dot resolution. Sony’s Product Manager Claire Beard told us at the London launch that as “there is still a big trend for selfies” this was the company’s response, and that “the pop up viewfinder has allowed for an opti-mized screen size” on the backplate in comparison with the likes of Panasonic’s TZ70. She added that the HX90’s pre-mium-look design was deliberately “in the shape of the RX range” and that the chassis had been ‘revolutionised’ to add a more durable grip. The camera also comes with five axis image stabilisation, 7 customisable buttons and a funky lens control ring. Alternatively direct your customers to the more affordable Sony WX500 for a suggested £280, an update of the

previous WX350 that omits the HX90’s pop-up viewfinder. This second new model comes in a choice of black, red and white bodies. Extras for the cameras include a body case Sony describes as ‘stylish’. Additionally, two new A-mount high performance Zeiss lenses have been introduced for the likes of the A99 and A77 Mark II (or E-mount cameras with the aid of adapter) and are available to pre-order now: the Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm F2.8 ZA SSM II standard zoom and Vario-Sonnar T* 16-35mm F2.8 ZA SSM II wide angle zoom. Both have improved AF speed, coatings and weatherseals. These followed just a couple of days after the launch by Carl Zeiss of two new prime AF lenses for the Sony FE full frame mirrorless system, under the name of BATIS – a 25mm f/2 and and 85mm f/1.8 stabilised, both using an OLED display to show distance focused and aperture in use. Pre-orders in US dollar prices indi-cate they will be very competitive com-pared to Sony’s own Carl Zeiss options. In further Sony News, British pho-tographer Simon Norfolk was crowned Landscape Photographer of the Year at the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards for his series mixing fire and ice When I am Laid in Earth. Overall winner of the coveted L’Iris D’or was American Photographer John Moore for his imag-es of the Ebola crisis in Liberia. www.sony.co.uk

Have zooms, will travel

Top left: trio of WX500 compacts in colours, HX90 with pop-up finder. Top right: new ZA 16-35 and 24-70 zooms. Left: Simon Norfolk’s winning fire and ice.


There can’t be many fine art inkjet paper manufacturers currently celebrating 150 years

in the photographic business, whilst also picking up a TIPA Award. But French paper manufacturer Canson is rightly enjoying the fruits of its labours; its Infinity Photo Lustre Premium PRC 310gsm bagged Best Inkjet Photo Paper from the Technical Image Press Association, a claim also given credence by an exhaustive test in Professional Imagemaker magazine’s April/May 2015 edition, which declared the Infinity range a ‘firm favourite’. This same test added that: “the dark storage lives are all in excess of 250 years so you can use any Canson media and pass it down the generations with confidence.” The Infinity series from Canson offers a selection of fine art digital photo papers, canvasses and archival storage boxes – the aim being that every print produced is your customers’ very own masterpiece. Indeed TIPA’s judging panel said of Canson’s Infinity Photo Lustre Premium PRC 310gsm: “The quality of an inkjet print is

TIPA win takes Canson to Infinity – and beyond!TIPA AWARDS 2015

cellulose acid-free paper base coated with a structured polyethylene and a microporous receiver layer, and is compatible with both dye and pigmented inkjet printers. The combination of an extra-white base and stunning lustre finish brings out the best in colour and monochrome images.”

CANSON ® INF IN ITY PAPERS .

EVERY PRINT A MASTERPIECE.

A range of Digital Fine Art Photographic papers,c a n v a s e s a n d a r c h i v a l s t o r a g e b o x e s .w w w . c a n s o n i n � n i t y . c o m

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for y e a r s

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of course dependent on the skill of the printmaker and the content of the image, but having a paper that will deliver optimal results can be just as important. Canson Infinity

Canson celebrate 150 years of photo paper making in 2015

TIPA award winning Canson Infinity Baryta & Infinity

Photo Lustre Premium PRC 310gsm

Photo Lustre Premium RC 310 gsm offers a flexible and sturdy weight of 310 gsm (grams per square metre) that does not pose challenges to most inkjet printer feeds yet delivers a print that will mount well and will not be easily damaged during handling. It consists of an alpha

Canson trade enquiries to Alexa Guignes (above at the SWPP show):[email protected] www.cansoninfinity.com


BPI NEWS PRODUCT OF THE MONTH

As we revealed last issue, Sigma took two awards at this year’s TIPAs. Its 24mm f/1.4 DG ‘Art’ lens was acclaimed Best Expert DSLR Prime Lens, while Best Entry Level DSLR Lens went to the 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM. With this in mind we asked the brand to send us a 24mm to play with…

What constitutes art is always going to be open to debate. But there’s

no arguments when it comes to the build and quality of Sigma’s new 24mm f/1.4 DG Art lens, announced back in February at the CP+ imaging show in Japan and already the recipient of a TIPA award for Best Expert DSLR Prime Lens as we went to press last month. The judges said that ‘combining a fast maximum aperture with a wide angle lens opens up intriguing photo opportunities.’ We’re naturally sceptical, so could this lens really be the winner it’s cracked up to be? To find out we asked Sigma UK to send us over a sample to have a play with. As this optic is primarily intended for full frame cameras, we twinned it with Nikon’s full frame D810 (a fellow TIPA

Winning shots from a winning lens

low illumination thanks to the combination we found

of exceptional focal plane sharpness and gorgeous bokeh –

or background blur – rendered by nine rounded aperture blades. That

f/1.4 maximum aperture naturally lets in plenty of light, whilst closest focusing distance is 9.8 inches, so you can get stunning near-macro shots with a very narrow depth of field to soften potentially distracting peripheral elements, as well as giving a ‘3D feel’. The lens also delivers plenty of peripheral brightness at the edges of the frame, with superb control of distortion. Put simply, Sigma seems to have it covered, or, as the blurb puts it, it is seeking to ‘re-define expectations’ for a fast aperture full frame wide-angle prime lens. Each optic is also tested using its makers’ high 46-megapixel resolution Foveon sensor ‘A1’ MTF measuring system prior to leaving the factory. One handy, intuitive feature is something that is part of the update on this particular lens. It features a full-time manual focusing mechanism that switches to manual focusing by rotating the focus ring, even when AF is being used; a feature first introduced on the 50mm Art lens. This allows you to concentrate more on the subject, and less on fiddling about with settings, which is exactly how it should be. Available now, the Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG ‘Art’ lens comes with an SRP of £799.99.

heavy combination. Finding it to be a much more natural

and ‘balanced’ fit on the more solid feeling D810,

we set off to find some spring images worth taking. Incidentally the lens is also available in Canon and Sigma mounts. Its manufacturer states that the fixed focal length or prime lens is ideal for capturing a variety of photography subjects, including cityscapes, mountain ranges, astrophotography and weddings – and is also suited to video. We tried it out on heath and parklands. The 24mm is also claimed to excel at indoor photography in

Equipment imported by Sigma Imaging UK Ltd comes with the added benefit of a 3-year warranty. See www.sigma-imaging-uk.com

For more info and spec, please visit:www.sigma-global.com/en/lenses/cas/product/art/a_24_14/

winner) for our test images, and also tried it out on the APS-C sensor Nikon D5500 (whereupon the 24mm becomes the equivalent of a 36mm), which, with the lens weighing over 600g on its own, made for an admittedly front

Close, wide and distanttest shots by Gavin Stoker



BPI NEWS BUSINESS BOOSTER

Nedis UK’s National Sales Manager Alastair Wilson has been in touch to update us

on its retail partners, who have either returned to the fray and to profit with Nedis, or have simply extended their product offerings through the switched-on distributor. J&A Cameras is one such retailer enjoying success with the broad range of complementary Nedis products. Indeed it has just undergone a re-fit at the time of writing to broaden its scope for selling new ranges. “This is a business that has become very diverse with multiple product lines,” outlines Alastair. “It was originally a camera shop, but, because of changes in the photo business, has now got involved with selling Bluetooth connectivity products and Thonet & Vander professional speakers alongside a wide array of Camlink photographic items such as batteries and chargers. All of a sudden everything is rip roaring and we’ve done as much business since the start of this year with them as we did all of last year.” Alastair notes that the business model of reps dropping in at a retailer every month is a now thing of the past – something that is true of all companies – and dealers need to be proactively responding to a distributor’s emails, checking out their stock offerings online and placing orders that way too. “Dealers are having success with us and their stories are the same; if you rely just on selling cameras these days in a large photo store it’s a tough game – but there is no reason why you can’t sell Bluetooth connectivity products too.”

Barn-stormin’ it with Nedis in Barnstable

Manager Phil Cuss of Barnstable’s J&A Cameras has been stocking Nedis gear for some time now and echoes fellow retailers by revealing that the supplier’s items are not only complementary to photography equipment – they also attract new and additional custom to the store. “As a camera shop we’ve had to diversify into some different markets and move with the times and keep an eye on trends and

With the promise of multiple product lines complementary to any photographic business and much better profit margins than camera sales typically afford, it’s no wonder that distributor Nedis UK’s customers keep returning. This month we hear from two of them making a big success of the retail partnership

A return to Nedis is a major return on investment

Nedis UK offers thousands of complementary product lines for photo specialists, as detailed here. Get in touch with Alastair Wilson and the Nedis team to place an order on 0116 253 0325 or speak to your area sales rep

in our shop windows and draws in more customers via Bluetooth speakers, retro style radios. They get us attention and bring people into the shop which is beneficial all round. The Thonet & Vander speakers offer very good sound quality – if a customer asks for a demo, we can do that, no problem – so we’ll continue to stock them along with future ranges from Nedis UK.” Aside from winning new custom by thinking outside of the box with audio equipment, Camlink batteries and Konig branded action cameras are also popular with J&A Cameras’ traditional customer base. “They’re a fantastic alternative to GoPro, for a very affordable price,” says Manager

that’s great as we have space for other products from companies like Nedis, which lets us branch out and make new customers,” Phil reveals. “It also enables us to put some colourful and exciting products

Alistair Wilson of NEDIS, left, with J&A Cameras stocking Camlink, Konig and Thonet & Vander lines

J&A MD Tim Pugsley, left. Konig action cameras from £39.99, retro radio, and Thonet & Vander speakers (from £100).


Phil. “We see young children getting into the action camera market. GoPros are expensive, but the Konig action cams are great for teenagers wanting to get into it without expense or worry – and they’re actually great quality. With Nedis we also don’t need to stock dozens and dozens of one single product – re-ordering is very simple, they’re a great company to work with and turnaround is both swift and efficient.”

In perfect Concord

The second retailer going great guns with Nedis is Concord Foto Centre in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, managed and in the ownership of Paul and Jan Brown for the past six years. “Cirencester is a lovely town in which to go shopping and the business itself is having great success with our Konig action cameras,” Alastair reveals. Many fellow retailers are also putting themselves in the driving position and getting streets ahead of rivals with the Konig branded dash camera, flagged up in our March and April issues this year. “We got involved with Nedis because they offer some very good value for money products and there’s

“We got involved with Nedis UK because they offer some very good value for money products and there’s a reasonable margin on them, which is very important.”Paul Brown, Concord Foto Centre

A return to Nedis is a major return on investment

a reasonable margin on them, which is very important obviously these days,” reports Paul from Concord Foto Centre. “They seem to be quite a high quality spec, particularly the action cameras. We have had Sony cameras in before and not had too much success with them and GoPro as the market leaders are very expensive – we’ve bought these in as a budget line and there seems to be a lot of interest in them. We have them in the window but we have what is probably the smallest photo store in the UK – we’re only 100sq ft – so we have to be quite careful with what we choose to stock. Hopefully the product will go well for us. Our main business is actually photo processing and you don’t need a huge shop to do that. Previously to us taking this place over, it had always been a camera shop, and since Jessops has left the town there has been more of that sort of business around. So we do stock a few cameras and accessories, even if it is not our main business. But the weather is getting better, Easter’s come and gone which is usually a watershed for us, and we’re finding it busier now and these Nedis products doing well.” www.nedis.co.uk

MAX FIVE STAR RATING FOR

FEATURE, BUILD, PERFORMANCE

AND VALUE

Nedis UK offers thousands of complementary product lines for photo specialists, as detailed here. Get in touch with Alastair Wilson and the Nedis team to place an order on 0116 253 0325 or speak to your area sales rep

Last issue we reported on our BPI News Awards, recognising the Product of the Year and

Promotion of the Year, with 30 finalists drawn from the preceding 12 months. Nedis UK won the grand prize of our Promotion of the Year accolade for its winter flyer campaign. This promotion, specially aimed at the peak pre-Christmas period, introduced many dealers to the Camlink and Konig product lines. Last month we caught up with Nedis UK’s delighted MD Arvind Patel (top) to personally deliver his winner’s certificate, as pictured. The distributor’s latest April/ May flyer (right) was inserted with BPI News last issue and also seems to have worked the same magic. In the fact the two dealer shops featured opposite opened up Nedis accounts or renewed their interest in its brands on the back of it. “When we were looking to promote our latest offers and product ranges to the trade there was only one place to go – BPI News,” says Arvind. “The plan seems to have worked. Dealers have seen our promotion and got in touch to place orders. We’ve also heard from old friends who have been inspired to top up their stock with our new high margin products, such as those from Konig, Camlink and Thonet & Vander. The trade does really seem to be making the connection.”

A stable choice

It’s the ideal time now to stock the König Traveller tripod (right) that bagged the Gold Award in the Digital Photo magazine Group Test for tripods below £60. The publication said: “König is better known for its audio products, but this test reveals that König is able to pack the most important features into a tripod as well. The Traveller has fantastic specifications; we love the ability to invert the centre column for low angle shots and adjust the leg angles. Its metal ball head was the best one on test too; it’s solid and locks off securely with a single lever. The head is detachable, providing the possibility to upgrade in future.”

BPI News promotion works for Nedis & its dealers

Valid till 30-04-2015

Our König Traveller Tripod was test winner

by Digital Photo

NEDIS offers you stability!page 13

webshop.nedis.co.uk

20 May 2015 | BPI NewsTEL: 0116 289 3644 | e-mail: [email protected] | www.tetenaluk.com

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BPI News | May 2015 21TEL: 0116 289 3644 | e-mail: [email protected] | www.tetenaluk.com

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Charlie Waite – Platinum Etching 285Landscape photography is much about discovery and photographers can only fully relish the rewards of their efforts when seen in the form of a print. The paper used for that print has to be as carefully considered as the image made. Discovering Fotospeed’s Platinum Etching 285 has been a revelation to me and has proved a vital tool in my ongoing quest to match pre-visualisation with end result.

John Swannell – Platinum Baryta 300As a photographer I aim to capture the spirit of my subject. While technology has changed over the years the one thing I feel remains the same is the importance of the printed image. Fotospeed’s Platinum Baryta bridges the gap between the traditional darkroom papers and todays digital media. I find that whilst it is known for reproducing superb B&W images it should never be under estimated as a paper for colour work.

Trevor & Faye Yerbury – Natural Soft Textured Bright White 315As traditional darkroom printers it has taken us many years to discover the right paper for our digital images that will capture and hold all of the shadow and highlight detail we demand. Natural Soft Textured Bright White is our preferred paper.

Joe Cornish – Smooth Cotton 300I aim to crystallise the endlessly varied light, colours and texture of nature in my landscape photographs. At the end of a chain of photographic processes, the print is the culmination and fulfilment of that effort, and the paper is critical to the success of the print. Fotospeed’s Smooth Cotton 300 is my paper of choice.

For samples or to find your nearest stockist please contact usTel: 01249 714 555Email: [email protected]

Professional InkJetMedia & Inks

The new Fotospeed Signature range brings together five ofthe world’s leading photographers with four of Fotospeed’smost popular, award-winning fine art inkjet papers:Smooth Cotton 300, Natural Soft Textured Bright White 315,Platinum Baryta 300 and Platinum Etching 285.

“ We are thrilled to be working with such a successful and diverse group of photographers. Each one has helped set the bar in their genre and it is a pleasure to see their work realised on our papers.”

Toby Herlinger Sales Director at Fotospeed

To launch this new partnership we will be running a photo competition with prizes over £5000 up for grabs.

Email [email protected] to receive your entry pack.

Pin sharp imaging, a wide colour gamut and a high D-max are all achieved with Signature’s state of the art manufacturing technologies, in both the paper base and the ink receiving layer.

Practical+SWPP_A4.Authors3.indd 1 26/02/2015 14:27

Charlie Waite – Platinum Etching 285

Landscape photography is much about

discovery and photographers can only fully relish

the rewards of their efforts when seen in the form

of a print. The paper used for that print has to

be as carefully considered as the image made.

Discovering Fotospeed’s Platinum Etching 285

has been a revelation to me and has proved a vital

tool in my ongoing quest to match

pre-visualisation with end result.

John Swannell – Platinum Baryta 300

As a photographer I aim to capture the spirit of

my subject. While technology has changed over

the years the one thing I feel remains the same is

the importance of the printed image. Fotospeed’s

Platinum Baryta bridges the gap between the

traditional darkroom papers and todays digital

media. I find that whilst it is known for reproducing

superb B&W images it should never be under

estimated as a paper for colour work.

Trevor & Faye Yerbury – Natural Soft Textured

Bright White 315

As traditional darkroom printers it has taken us

many years to discover the right paper for our

digital images that will capture and hold all of the

shadow and highlight detail we demand. Natural

Soft Textured Bright White is our preferred paper.

Joe Cornish – Smooth Cotton 300

I aim to crystallise the endlessly varied light,

colours and texture of nature in my landscape

photographs. At the end of a chain of photographic

processes, the print is the culmination and fulfilment

of that effort, and the paper is critical to the success

of the print. Fotospeed’s Smooth Cotton 300 is my

paper of choice.

For samples or to find your

nearest stockist please contact us

Tel: 01249 714 555

Email: [email protected]

Professional InkJetMedia & Inks

The new Fotospeed Signature range brings together five ofthe world’s leading photographers with four of Fotospeed’smost popular, award-winning fine art inkjet papers:Smooth Cotton 300, Natural Soft Textured Bright White 315,Platinum Baryta 300 and Platinum Etching 285.

“ We are thrilled to be working with

such a successful and diverse

group of photographers. Each one

has helped set the bar in their genre

and it is a pleasure to see their work

realised on our papers.”

Toby Herlinger

Sales Director at Fotospeed

To launch this new partnership we

will be running a photo competition

with prizes over £5000 up for grabs.

Email [email protected]

to receive your entry pack.

Pin sharp imaging, a wide colour

gamut and a high D-max are all

achieved with Signature’s state of

the art manufacturing technologies,

in both the paper base and the ink

receiving layer.

Visit Fotospeed atThe Photography Show 2015

STAND E81

Email [email protected]

to receive your upload entry pack.

WIN A SIGNED LIMITED EDITION PRINT

FROM OUR PRO AMBASSADORS...

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Web solutions for the serious photographer

www.theimagefi le.com/try tel: 0208 166 5688

More helpful advice from James at theimagefile

Is your websitemobile friendly?

Search engines rarely give information about their indexing habits or algorithms they use, so when Google recently announced the date and the focus of their algorithm changes we can sort of guess it’s going to be a serious update (to the extent that some bloggers are referring to it as “Mobilegeddon”).

Google stated:“Starting April 21, we

will be expanding our use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. This change will affect mobile searches in all languages worldwide and will have a significant impact in our search results.”

So, it is time to make sure that you have a mobile friendly website. Google have made it easy to test things by creating a tool where you can enter your web address and get an instant result on how mobile friendly you are. You should try it out (just Google “Mobile Friendly Test”).

Act now while you still have time to make sure that you are not going to be negatively affected by this change.

All websites built on theimagefi le system automatically have a mobile friendly site included; with mobile friendly client galleries, shopping cart, cropping tools and payment options. The mobile version is lean, showing no logos or background images by design, to make your site fast for visitors.

So what should you do? Check your website using the Google mobile-friendly test tool to make sure that you haven’t added any content, widget or table that will not display properly.

If you experience any issues in the first instance you should contact your web designer for assistance. Try to hide unnecessary content in the mobile version, and avoid lots of text links bunched together on pages which makes things tricky for finger navigation. Ensure all photos in your web pages are optimised so they load quickly on the page. Set widths in percentages rather than pixels where possible. Try to get the most important information “above the fold” (near the top of the page without needing to scroll down); especially on your home page. Make sure your contact page forms and purchase buttons work properly on a mobile and try to display a telephone number to help visitors that might need assistance.

Remember… if you are doing things right this change will benefit your ranking and your business!

All websites built on theimagefi le system automatically have a mobile friendly site included; with mobile friendly client galleries, shopping cart, cropping tools and payment options. The mobile version is lean, showing no logos or background images by design, to make your site fast for visitors.

How to reach a wider audience

Even if you don’t sell Inkjet papers, you should sell this one

Why, we hear you ask? Because many mobile phones and cameras now offer panoramic shooting modes… but how does the consumer get to have a print of that special

holiday landscape vista shot, demanding to be proudly hung in the hallway? Fotospeed’s Panoramic Paper starter pack with an SRP of £29.95 (subject to your normal trade discounts) is a great incentive to get yourself and your staff up to (Foto)speed on the benefits and spin off sales. Firstly your customers who are already buying their favourite A4 inkjet papers can now print 210mm x 594mm panoramic images with a near 3:1 ratio on their normal A4 size printer. So there is no need to buy an expensive roll of paper just to print their favourite panoramic shot.

Secondly because the Test pack has 4 sheets of 6 different Fotospeed papers (including their latest Platinum Baryta 300, Platinum Etching 285 and Smooth Cotton 300 paper from the new Signature range launched at the Photography Show) it’s an inexpensive way to try out the different surfaces of paper, which can all make or break that great shot.Thirdly...and this is the clever idea: Offer your customers a one-off panoramic print service. Simply buy the paper at trade prices, print it on your premises, and make a healthy margin on each print. There are extra sheets included for profiling, plus a full template guide and free technical advice – all of which have made Fotospeed’s Panoramic Paper Starter pack a top seller! “This pack absolutely flew at The Photography Show and helped us turn many more photographers and retailers on to Fotospeed’s leading proposition,” says the brand’s Toby Herlinger (photo, top). After receiving a Maximum 5 star rating in Amateur Photographer magazine last year, the Panoramic Starter pack has additionally just been given the thumbs up for professional users from Mike McNamee’s Professional Imagemaker report in the April /May issue. ‘Using the Fotospeed Panoramic paper trial box is an excellent idea for a beginner and if you have a commercial project in mind a single print sale will recoup all your costs with lots to spare,’ reads the report. Email [email protected] or call 01249 714555 for more details. www.fotospeed.com

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24 May 2015 | BPI NewsTEL: 0116 289 3644 | e-mail: [email protected] | www.tetenaluk.com

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As you may recall from reading our introductory article in March, the Neo LED on-

camera light from UK-based family firm Rotolight has been heralded as the ‘next industry standard’ for both photographers and film-makers. It’s capable of putting out a powerful 1077 lux at three feet (or 707 watts tungsten bulb equivalent), which is claimed to be twice the power of competing LED on-camera lights. The excitement around the device appears to be no mere hype, as the product has been selected as a finalist in the IABM (International Association of Broadcast Manufacturers) Game Changer Awards 2015. The Rotolight Neo was identified by the judges as one of the most innovative new products to be exhibited at the 2015 NAB Show, the world’s largest show event covering filmed entertainment, which was held in Las Vegas this April. “As a member of the IABM, Rotolight is very proud that our latest product Neo has been recognised in the prestigious Game Changer Awards, 2015,” says MD Rod Aaron Gammons. “We firmly believe the Neo is set to become the new standard in on-camera and location lighting. The latest range of innovative features that we have unveiled for NAB, will enhance the versatility and power of Neo, cementing it as an invaluable tool for cinematographers, cameramen and photographers alike.” The first units were now shipping as BPI News went to press.

A game changing system

By way of a case study, director and special effects technician Manex Efrem (above) – who has worked on Gravity, War Horse and Band of Brothers among many other productions, recently chose the Rotolight Neo for a shoot in Bali. “Rotolight have created a lighting system that will really change the way we work,” he enthuses. “The fact that it’s lightweight and powerful with excellent versatility in terms of control will optimise workflow. The quality of the LEDs and its colour reproduction is ideal when working with talent for ENG (electronic news gathering), guerrilla style

Rotolight’s ‘game changer’ makes the finalBPI NEWS PRODUCT FOCUS

Previously the subject of a BPI News’ feature (March 2015, page 13) which promised ‘good competitive margins to trade partners’, Rotolight’s innovative Neo on-camera LED ring light is now shipping and is a finalist in the IABM Game Changer Awards 2015….

Direct trade enquiries about Rotolight Neo to Digital Distribution (www.ddltd.co.uk). Email [email protected] or call 01442 230022

documentaries and location work. I can’t wait to get my hands on the new three-head kit, which is going to be the ultimate production kit for anyone working in the field or studio!” Regular readers will be aware that Rotolight’s own history includes the use of its products in the production of major blockbusters including Skyfall and Captain Phillips. Of course the Neo is also eminently suitable for photographers as well as videographers benefitting from its constant, even light source. Suggested retail price for the Rotollight Neo is £249 and the device weighs 345g. Rotolight products are available to independent photographic specialists via Digital Distribution (www.ddltd.co.uk). Email [email protected], or call 01442 230022. www.rotolight.com

Key features of the innovative NeoRotolight’s Neo includes three groundbreaking features that set it apart from the crowd:● Designer Fade mode for custom fade up / fade down production effects. True Aperture Dimming accurately calculates the correct aperture (f-stop) for your customers’ subject at a given distance. ● The Rotolight Neo offers an arsenal of Cinematographic Special FX (CineSFX), designed in collaboration with leading cinematographers and Visual FX artists such as Stefan Lange (SkyFall, Dark Shadows, Batman). This provides customisable creative visual lighting effects, on set or on location, to simulate Strobe, Lightning, Fire, Cycle, Throb and TV.● Rotolight has also developed a 10-piece Add on Colour FX filter set which includes a selection of well-known cinematic filters such as ‘Rust’, ‘Mist Blue’ and ‘Hollywood Frost’ that, when combined with the CineSFX mode, makes Neo an incredibly versatile lighting tool.

Neo on-camera, top right; Manex Efrem at work, above; and new threeheadkit withrollingcase

26 May 2015 | BPI News#PhotoLiveEventBook your ticket today at photo-live.com

Birmingham11 July

Bath01 August

Leeds5 September

London12 September

LOCATIONS:

Birmingham | Bath | Leeds | London

RELEASE YOUR POTENTIAL

PhotoLive is an event for photographers by photographers.

Join us and learn the latest techniques from top professionals, see what’s new from a range of leading brands and brush up on your skills to take your photography to the next level.


For the second year running the organisers of The Photography Show are putting the show on the road. PhotoLive is pitched as the event for passionate

photographers of all levels, and is taking place at four separate locations across July, August and September this year. The idea is that it will be accessible to keen photographers up and down the UK – so drawing in a fair amount of business for participating trade exhibitors. The show will be rocking up to Birmingham on July 11th, for which tickets are now on sale, as they are for the second PhotoLive event of the summer, at Bath on August 1st. September sees an event added in Leeds on the 5th, whilst the ‘tour’ concludes in London on the 12th. Incidentally, each show day is a Saturday and entrance to the retail area – which is a key component of each event – is free to visitors. Seminars with the pro photographers giving tutorials and workshops are £20 each, and the pitch to attendees is that when they are not learning from the top photographers, they will be able to explore a number of exciting brands in the retail area and upgrade their kit and accessories. Naturally exclusive show deals should also entice visitors to spend – and remember, this event is designed to attract people who are particularly enthusiastic and passionate about their hobby. If you’re considering exhibiting, the man you need to speak to is Richard Macey, 020 7042 4284 or email: [email protected] Or for media partnerships and marketing opportunities, contact Grace Turner on 020 7042 4303 or correspond via [email protected] www.photo-live.com

TRADE SHOW NEWS & PROMOTION

Future’s Head of Marketing Matt Pierce has been in touch to reveal that

his company is up for three media industry ‘Oscars’, having made the shortlist for the 2015 Professional Publishers Association (PPA) Awards, due to take place on July 9th at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Mayfair, London. Digital Camera World has been nominated for ‘Consumer Media Brand of the Year’, as well as ‘International Consumer media Brand of the Year’. The Photography Show meanwhile has been nominated for ‘Event of the Year (Consumer media)’. March’s main photo event is up against the NME Awards, Red’s Women of the Year Awards

Future’s Head of Content & Marketing Matt Pierce looks forward to the 2015 PPA Awards in July

Future Publishing eyes ‘UK Oscars’

and events from brands including Grazia, Wallpaper, Company and Livingetc. In the Consumer Media Brand of the Year category, Digital Camera World fights it out with household names including Radio Times, Time Out, Cosmopolitan and Good Housekeeping. While in the International category, its competitors include FourFourTwo, Evo, The Economist and Jamie magazine. Matthew Pierce, Future’s Head of Content and Marketing for Photography, says: “We’re really proud to have been nominated in the publishing industry’s most prestigious awards. The Photography Show and Digital Camera World are both up against some huge brands, so it’s an achievement to be in the running. But we’re keeping everything crossed for the awards evening in July”. www.ppa.co.uk/events/ppaawards2015/shortlist/

Exhibitors wanted for PhotoLive summer tour

Images are not representative of the actual product - Trade Only - While Stocks Last - All prices exclude VAT and Delivery

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To discuss f2 advertising plans, call Diane Henderson on 01572 223508 or email [email protected]


ANSMANN POWERLINE 4 PRO chargerT he � rst vital message from this short test is – replace your old NiMH cells! Like many photographers, I’ve got rechargeables which date back to the invention of NiMH, not to mention a few vintage NiCads. I have used Ansmann for many years and their Energy Check battery tester is a vital accessory, used to test alkaline as well as rechargeable batteries found in recesses of camera bags, in drawers, or even when negligence takes over, in � ashguns and other gear. The Powerline 4 Pro charger, for AA and AAA cells, does away with the need for a separate battery tester as it has a complete range of readout functions – operating voltage of each cell, charge ‘on board’ remaining in mAh, charging current in mA, estimated time to charge, dead or useful status of cell. In addition, it allows global or individual setting of discharge and refresh functions, and by using the two outer battery slots only, a super-fast charge. It comes with a car adaptor, and

US/UK/EU compatible multi AC adaptor. The illuminated display is mostly easy to read though some of the smallest function indicators are a challenge to eyesight. What’s good is that this charger really diagnoses each battery’s state and lets you discard worn-out, decade-old cells with con� dence – it also shows the big bene� ts from brand new ones like the 2500mAh AAs provided to test. This unit has enabled me to dispose of over a dozen very old cells (even some Ansmann – well past their thousand-cycle life, no doubt) and regenerate my best ones. Thanks, LIDL, for selling me brand new ones which are dead on arrival! Not only that, this charger has a 1A 5v USB port ideal for charging my Sony cameras which no longer come with an external charger, and rely on USB. The power at 1A is exactly right, and also safe for charging smartphones and tablets. As ever, Ansmann keeps up to date but I guess when this unit was introduced they didn’t anticipate the ‘in camera charging’ trend,

which makes this, at around £35 SRP, cheaper than the camera makers’ own USB adaptors. – DKÁwww.ansmann.co.uk

Displaying just how much charge is on board, above, and discharge/refresh and test functions below.

NISSIN i40 FLASHGUN

f2Tried&Tested

f2Tried&Tested

T here have been small cameras for years before today’s mirrorless heroes arrived but for some reason no-one had thought of scaling down the traditional fully featured tilt and swivel bounce � ashgun. Sure, there were smaller examples around, and there were and are mini guns with limited features. It took Nissin, already well respected for their Nikon and Canon compatible TTL wireless � ash units, to make a gun truly in proportion with the Sony A7, Fuji� lm X and Olympus OM-D series cameras. The Nissin i40 is so small that you don’t believe it can � t into its neat case, but on opening, a quarter of the space turns out to be occupied by the e� ective white di� user in a velcro top compartment. Sorry , we forgot to photograph the fact that four AA cells � t neatly into the di� user too. A tripod threaded

� ash shot foot pops into another slot of the case. This is a wireless remote capable TTL � ash with HSS high speed sync, LED video light (9 power levels), manual control from 1/256 to 1/1, TTL compensation from -2.0 to +2.0EV in half stop steps, and an optical slave cell thrown in for good measure. The zoom covers 24-105mm and at the tele end, the GN is 40m/ISO100, which equals to GN27 based on a 60° angle of coverage. It’s enough, when today’s cameras can be used con� dently at ISO 1600. It uses four full sized AA cells and that gives this tiny � ashgun great stamina and fast recycling (1/10th to 4s) with from 220 full power up to 1,700 maximum pops. It has a bounce card and a wide-angle di� user spreading coverage to match a 16mm lens (FF). And it costs under £150. – DK

Á www.kenro.co.uk

i40 seen with Sony Multi Function Accessory shoe – another rare feature

f2may2015.indd 16

02/04/2015 01:57

ƒ2 May/June 2015 1PHOTOGRAPH BY RICHARD CRAIG

ƒ2 FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER

ROSSELLAVANONMAKING SPACEIN EAST LONDON

RICHARDCRAIG ON LOCATIONIN QATAR

HEIDILEVINE A WOMAN’SEYES IN GAZA

MAY/JUNE 2015 • £4.95

INNERSPACE

STUDIOS TO HIRE

Leica TSony A6000

Nikon D5500Sigma dp1 Quattro

SHARP TOOLS FOR TRAVEL

f2may2015.indd 1 02/04/2015 02:25

Test outƒ2’s greatexposureNew mini test reports highlight products to trust in quality formatenthusiast-to-pro magazine

Going against print media trends, Icon Publications Ltd’s bi-monthly f2 Freelance Photographer title has

increased subscriptions, news trade sales and revenue following its return to the original publishers a year ago. Selling on the strengths of top quality highly individual content, printed superbly on a 150gsm silk paper with a matte laminated cover, f2 is an ideal platform for advertising niche market products with special appeal to the independent professional, aspiring freelance and high-end enthusiast. Test reports and reviews are unbiasedand don’t give ‘star ratings’ – just valuablecomments and conclusions. Now thereis a new small logo, f2 Tried & Tested,which can be used to highlight productsthat f2 magazine has featured. We’re very happy to see our logo andextracts from reports used in advertisingor catalogues – as Photomart have donewith our test of the Summit 600C flash.

f2 Freelance Photographer is published in April, June, August, October, December and February with cover dates May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December, January/February and March/April. “Our magazines remain on sale for 60 days”, said publisher and editor David Kilpatrick, “and the cover date is current for a full three months after mailing. The same goes for our Apple Newsstand and other digital editions available for Android, Kindle, and e-Readers. The latest cover (left) has a QR code which goes straight to the digital editions if anyone frames it with their smartphone. ”

BPI NEWS MEDIA FOCUS

f2Tried&Tested

Get your new key productsin front of ourreaders, the tradeand the professionals

To put forward a product for f2 Tried & Tested act now in time for the next issue which goes to press late May for first week June on-sale and mailing – email [email protected] deadlines – testing in June for issue our early August, testing in August for Q4 sales season issue out early October

f2Tried&Tested

Photo trade or retail? Send your name and mailing address to [email protected] to be added to our FREE trade circulation for

ƒ2 and Master Photography magazines!



ANSMANN POWERLINE 4 PRO chargerT he � rst vital message from this short test is – replace your old NiMH cells! Like many photographers, I’ve got rechargeables which date back to the invention of NiMH, not to mention a few vintage NiCads. I have used Ansmann for many years and their Energy Check battery tester is a vital accessory, used to test alkaline as well as rechargeable batteries found in recesses of camera bags, in drawers, or even when negligence takes over, in � ashguns and other gear. The Powerline 4 Pro charger, for AA and AAA cells, does away with the need for a separate battery tester as it has a complete range of readout functions – operating voltage of each cell, charge ‘on board’ remaining in mAh, charging current in mA, estimated time to charge, dead or useful status of cell. In addition, it allows global or individual setting of discharge and refresh functions, and by using the two outer battery slots only, a super-fast charge. It comes with a car adaptor, and

US/UK/EU compatible multi AC adaptor. The illuminated display is mostly easy to read though some of the smallest function indicators are a challenge to eyesight. What’s good is that this charger really diagnoses each battery’s state and lets you discard worn-out, decade-old cells with con� dence – it also shows the big bene� ts from brand new ones like the 2500mAh AAs provided to test. This unit has enabled me to dispose of over a dozen very old cells (even some Ansmann – well past their thousand-cycle life, no doubt) and regenerate my best ones. Thanks, LIDL, for selling me brand new ones which are dead on arrival! Not only that, this charger has a 1A 5v USB port ideal for charging my Sony cameras which no longer come with an external charger, and rely on USB. The power at 1A is exactly right, and also safe for charging smartphones and tablets. As ever, Ansmann keeps up to date but I guess when this unit was introduced they didn’t anticipate the ‘in camera charging’ trend,

which makes this, at around £35 SRP, cheaper than the camera makers’ own USB adaptors. – DKÁwww.ansmann.co.uk

Displaying just how much charge is on board, above, and discharge/refresh and test functions below.

NISSIN i40 FLASHGUN

f2Tried&Tested

f2Tried&Tested

T here have been small cameras for years before today’s mirrorless heroes arrived but for some reason no-one had thought of scaling down the traditional fully featured tilt and swivel bounce � ashgun. Sure, there were smaller examples around, and there were and are mini guns with limited features. It took Nissin, already well respected for their Nikon and Canon compatible TTL wireless � ash units, to make a gun truly in proportion with the Sony A7, Fuji� lm X and Olympus OM-D series cameras. The Nissin i40 is so small that you don’t believe it can � t into its neat case, but on opening, a quarter of the space turns out to be occupied by the e� ective white di� user in a velcro top compartment. Sorry , we forgot to photograph the fact that four AA cells � t neatly into the di� user too. A tripod threaded

� ash shot foot pops into another slot of the case. This is a wireless remote capable TTL � ash with HSS high speed sync, LED video light (9 power levels), manual control from 1/256 to 1/1, TTL compensation from -2.0 to +2.0EV in half stop steps, and an optical slave cell thrown in for good measure. The zoom covers 24-105mm and at the tele end, the GN is 40m/ISO100, which equals to GN27 based on a 60° angle of coverage. It’s enough, when today’s cameras can be used con� dently at ISO 1600. It uses four full sized AA cells and that gives this tiny � ashgun great stamina and fast recycling (1/10th to 4s) with from 220 full power up to 1,700 maximum pops. It has a bounce card and a wide-angle di� user spreading coverage to match a 16mm lens (FF). And it costs under £150. – DK

Á www.kenro.co.uk

i40 seen with Sony Multi Function Accessory shoe – another rare feature

f2may2015.indd 16

02/04/2015 01:57

Formore information please call

01234 572138and speak to PeterWigington or email [email protected]

YOUWANT: YOU NEED:

YOU GET:

Passports& Visas

90%

Canvas& Posters

MARGIN*

MARGIN*

60%

PhotoGifts

MARGIN*50%Albums

& Frames

MARGIN*65%

Printsfrom cameras &mobile phones

MARGIN*65%

*Gross margins shown are an average across all FDIS stores and will vary depending on selling price. These figures are shown as a guide only and do not represent a guarantee of gross margin, profit or loss by Fujifilm UK Ltd.

More Profit Ad 320x222:Layout 1 26/9/14 12:45 Page 1


In our April issue of BPI News we carried an item on Fujifilm’s 2015 FDIS Conference, the

highlight of which – to the winners at least – is the annual Fujifilm Business Endeavour Awards (FBEA), with prizes including not only commemorative certificates but also financial help with marketing to the tune of £500 each plus free FDIS (Fujifilm Digital Imaging Service) membership for a year. To be in with a chance of winning Fujifilm asked its business partners to complete a six month audit and develop a detailed sales and marketing plan. Each store also had to devise initiatives to achieve a set of defined business goals and measure performance by recording customer numbers and sales figures. As mentioned last month the grand prize of ‘Shop of the Year 2015’ went to the Pillbox Pharmacy, based in Irvinestown, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Pillbox became an FDIS member in 2009 but tells BPI News that it has been providing a photographic service for over ten years. Like fellow FDIS members, one of the advantages it sees as being part of a network is that it receives a wide range of branded signage and point of sale material, all designed to catch customers’ eyes and promote the photo printing side of the business. This comes backed with a wealth of marketing and business support, designed to help them establish their FDIS store within the local community as the place to go for all things photo. Obviously being chosen as the FDIS ‘Shop of the Year 2015’ in recognition of their efforts in promoting photo printing and related services on the high street is an enormous achievement for Pillbox Pharmacy owner Neil McConnell and his dedicated staff. Throughout their six-month audit period, the business was tasked with keeping meticulous records to measure customer totals and average transaction values. Their

To learn more about the benefits of becoming one of Fujifilm’s network of FDIS dealers, please call Marketing Manager Peter Wigington on 01234 572138 or email [email protected]

Four score… thanks to Fujifilm FDIS membershipLast issue we pictorially showcased the quartet of winners in Fujifilm’s annual Business Endeavour Awards, given out to deserving members at its 2015 Conference. This issue we hear from the businesses themselves, discover why they won and how they are focusing on the future with renewed confidence and vigour…

MINILAB NEWS

completed FBEA entry pack had to include all of the above as well as details of the promotions and other initiatives that had been put in place and the results of each one. “In business, it is sometimes difficult to be objective,” notes Neil when asked about the value of such processes as described above. “However, the process and subsequent award have shown that our business is moving forward and the set goals are being achieved. We are doubly delighted, as our Enniskillen Photoshop store also won an FBEA award this year. These multiple awards coming to Northern Ireland will increase awareness to

“We’ve already seen new customers in the store since we posted photos of our FDIS win on Facebook and Twitter” – Neil McConnell, co-owner Enniskillen Photoshop, left in photo above with Sabrina and Justin McConnell on his right. Below, with the certificates for Pillbox Pharmacy, his original business which scooped the top award.


To learn more about the benefits of becoming one of Fujifilm’s network of FDIS dealers, please call Marketing Manager Peter Wigington on 01234 572138 or email [email protected]

Four score… thanks to Fujifilm FDIS membershipboth professional photographers and the general public.” The review of his business has also inspired Neil to put in place ‘many’ plans for the future: “Top of the list is to launch the new Fujifilm Imagine mobile app and the online kiosk. This will be great for our customers as they can then order prints on the move or from the comfort of their own homes and either come in to collect them or have them delivered by post. Apps and online shopping are now an essential part of the modern business and we very much see it as helping us to continue the successes of the last year.” The additional win for the Enniskillen Photoshop – co-owned by Neil McConnell in partnership with his brother Justin and his wife Sabrina McConnell – is all the more newsworthy since that business only opened its doors 15 months ago. But with the Pillbox Pharmacy already a FDIS branded store it made sense to utilise the benefits to be had from FDIS membership when looking for a strong photo brand for the new store. Justin and Sabrina have been very focused on creating the ideal shop layout with a comprehensive range of photo products and services, wide format printing and photographic studio, in tandem with their resident photo expert Jerry Donnelly. “It felt fantastic winning this award after just 15 months,” says Justin. “During that time we have worked hard to grow the business and stay one step ahead of the competition. We pride ourselves on our professionalism, print quality and efficient service towards our customers. It’s a great sense of achievement when all your hard work pays off. We’ve already seen new customers in the store since we posted photos of our FDIS win on Facebook and Twitter.” Asked about his future plans, and what the review of his business has taught him, Justin replies: “We are going to keep everything fresh by changing the shop displays both internally and externally on a regular basis. One of the initiatives we started as part of the FBEA award was a social media campaign and we plan to keep developing this

“more promotions; displays, fun days and using the tools that our FDIS membership provides them with. We’ll also be look at holding a wider range of cameras and accessories.” The fourth and final FBEA winner this year is CC Inks from Eastwood, Nottingham; but it wasn’t always so rosy for the business. Feeling the pinch at the height of the recession in 2008 and on the brink of closing down, CC Inks reached out to join the Fujifilm Digital Imaging Service (FDIS). It’s fair to say that Fujifilm’s help with promotional materials and marketing has helped turn the business around – and now the future looks much more optimistic.“Advertising promotions and circulating a new price list every few months to the local area has kept everything fresh and current,” says owner Chris Meynell. “We have also made improvements in shop layout, window displays and in-store advertising.” A customer incentive scheme has also been implemented and is proving very popular. On top of this the new shop layout has created more space and a friendlier atmosphere for the customers, Chris believes. “We knew we had great competition from the other FDIS stores, which makes winning even better. We’ve already started working on ideas to win the Fujifilm Shop of the Year 2016”. To be in with a chance of winning a Fujifilm Business Endeavour Award for 2016, your own business obviously needs to sign up to the Fujifilm Digital Imaging Service – if it hasn’t already! The man to speak to here is Fujifilm Marketing Manager Peter Wigington on 01234 572138 or email [email protected]

second time in as many years. We are grateful for the recognition we have received from Fujifilm for our hard work during the past year.” She continues: “This award could not have been achieved without the support of all those customers that visit our store on a regular basis. We always try to make our customers feel welcome and special from the moment that they enter the store to when they leave. We like to think that we offer a great service, good value and always with a smile.” Plans for the rest of 2015 include

Below: Chris Meynell of CC Inks, Eastwood, Nottingham (photos, left) received the Fujifilm Business Endeavour Award last month from Neill Harris of Fujifilm, and Wendy Gray from Inspires.

with new products and promotional campaigns. New services and products will be added throughout the year to increase sales, and the main aim is to create a one-stop-shop for everything photographic.”

Happiness in Harrow, eagerness in Eastwood

Back on the UK mainland, and Razzaq Digital of Harrow have just bagged their second ‘FBEA’. The business joined the FDIS network in 2011, but has been providing a photographic service for over eight years. It goes without saying that Sumi Hasan, who the runs the photo side of her brother Hassan Bhanji’s business, knows the importance of promoting photo imaging and says that they “are extremely honoured to have won the prestigious Fujifilm Business Endeavour award for the

Above – the team from Razzaq Digital of Harrow (Fujifilm photo gifts display, right) with Sumi Hasan centre – “We always try to make our customers feel welcome and special from the moment that they enter the store”.


Documents

BPI News May 2015