BPI News May 2016 Photo Trade Award Winners

OPEN NOW FOR: DIGITAL SPLASH, FUJIFILM, THE DPS GROUP, PHOTOXPORT & MORE!

Motivational May: Expert tips & tricks for the photo trade to inspire your staff and boost your business!

Discover why Rotolight’s new Anova Pro lighting solution is the toast of Hollywood & photographers too

BPI News gets to road test two brand new lenses from Sigma in the 30mm f/1.4 & 50-100mm f/1.8 for CSC & DSLR

ADVICE PRODUCT LENS TEST

Discover who won what in:• The TIPA Awards • The BPI News Awards See inside for full details!

Photo Trade Award Winners

PhotographicBritish

Industry newsYour inside track on the UK photo trade for more than 30 years www.bpinews.co.uk

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CONTENTS

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EDITOR Gavin Stoker

Tel: 020 8274 0578 Tel: 07990 974 367

ART EDITOR Michael O’Connell

EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES Please direct all editorial requests,

news and press releases to [email protected]

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created by Legacy Media Ltd or its agents is ©2016 Legacy Media Ltd.

ISSN: to be advised.

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04 NEWS What to stock and how to sell it from among the latest and greatest product releases this month

08 BPI NEWS AWARDS 2016 WINNERS There was a clear winner in our Promotion of the Year category; Our Product of the Year votes were more neck-and-neck, leading to two category winners

09 BECOME A MEDIA MOGUL WITH THE DPS GROUP The Kent-based supplier introduces the Indigo Inkjet range of media for Epson printers and more, a high quality yet cost effective alternative

10 TIPA AWARDS 2016 WINNERS Not only were BPI News readers voting last month – so were 27 representatives from the photo press, making for a who’s who of brand names recognised

16 ANOVA BRIGHT IDEA FROM ROTOLIGHT The Pinewood Studios-based lighting specialist has a new tool for photographers to play with that’s already the toast of Hollywood

18 STRONGER LINKS WITH FUJIFILM SEE PROFITS SOAR AT FROSTS Wendy Gray of Inspires Consultancy and Frosts Photo Centre outlines why she felt a shop re-fit necessary to align herself more strongly with Fuji’s brand

22 CULLMAN CUTS THE MUSTARD FOR BAGS AND TRIPODS Distributor Intro2020 has taken on a new agency in Cullmann, a brand which has been out of the UK market for two years but is back with a vengeance

24 SIGMA DELIVERS PAIR OF ACES TO TRADE BPI News Editor Gavin Stoker gets to road test two optics launched at Feburary’s CP+ show in Japan: a 50-100mm f/1.8 and 30mm f/1.4 lens

28 MOTIVATIONAL MAY: MORE BRIGHT IDEAS TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESS Business expert Adam Bernstein gives us the lowdown on how team building and staff encouragement can reap rewards when it comes to totting up takings

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PhotographicBritish

Industry news

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PhotographicBritish

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OPEN NOW FOR ANALYSIS + COMMENT + NEWS + FEATURES + MORE!

BPInewsOct13.indd 1

23/09/2013 19:25

2016 Trade Awards

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BPI News | December 2015 / January 2016 25

24 December 2015 / January 2016 | BPI News

BPI NEWS EXTRA

with a forward by Mr. Kazuo Ushida, President of the Nikon Corporation

‘Grays of Westminster – The Legend and the Legacy’ by Gillian Greenwood, is published January 2016,

Long-serving trade � gure Gray

Levett is what we’d term an

ideal interviewee: plenty of

stories to tell, and full and detailed

answers given to each enquiry. You

can’t help but imagine his customers

receive similarly comprehensive

responses. Indeed, as a young

camera shop assistant Gray recalls

being routinely drilled for technical

knowledge by an army sergeant-like

employer – resented at the time, but

appreciated as invaluable training

later on.Many in the trade will already

know that Gray was inspired to � rst

pick up the camera to photograph

rock and blues bands at club nights

as a student in Bournemouth –

subsequently getting a job at local

camera shop N Hartle Photographic

so he could buy equipment at a more

reasonable rate. “I was taking pictures

of bands like Jethro Tull on their

� rst tour of the UK, The Who, Black

Sabbath, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers

– groups like Ten Years After went on

to play Woodstock and become huge

stars,” he recalls.

Moving to London and taking

jobs at the London Camera Exchange

and Fox Talbot (“the number one

shop for the Nikon man”) in an e� ort

to broaden his career, a love of music

and imagery also stood him in good

stead when he and his camera later

spent � ve years in Los Angeles in the

late 70s/early 80s, epicentre of the

music and movie business. Naturally

he has many stories to tell from this

time and the years leading up to it

too – including � elding phone calls

from Kate Bush, who he’d fortuitously

met pre-stardom through a mutual

friend. The tale of him listening

to a teenage Kate playing piano

in the next room whilst he does

the washing up is charming and

fascinating in equal measure, as are

visits to his present emporium by

likes of Stanley Kubrick, David Suchet

and ‘o� the record’ A-listers.

Nikon-only specialist Grays of

Westminster – supplier of cameras to

A-list movie stars and Hollywood directors

– is celebrating 30 years in business

this year, with a commemorative book

released this January. BPI News speaks to

owner Gray Levett about surviving and

thriving through three decades

Gray matter still � ring after 30 years

Yes, Grays is not your average

camera shop and Gray Levett is not

your average proprietor. So, in some

ways it’s not so surprising that he’s

managed to weather the highs and

lows of 30 years in business – the

last 23 as a ‘Nikon only’ specialist.

He puts the longevity down to hard

work – having begun as a mail-order

specialist in a spare room at his late

sister’s (“good margins and very low

overheads”) – along with, of course,

exceptional customer service.

“You have to be a professional in

whatever you do in life if you want to

succeed,” Gray believes. “And if you

know your subject and can think with

the information and have manual

dexterity with your equipment,

any professional in that � eld will

recognise you as professional

too. Far more importantly, your

knowledgeable professionalism will

be communicated to the customer

and you will be listened to.”

From small acorns… to

copper plates

From a humble start in 1985 fuelled

by a £100 start up and tiny adverts

in the back of Amateur Photographer,

Grays in Churton Street, Pimlico, has

grown into a destination store with

a global customer reach, producing

its own Nikon centric magazine, and

last year gaining a Royal Coat of Arms

(see our previous feature in BPI News

Dec 14/ Jan 15).

“As customers became more

interested in visiting us, it became

imperative to move from the spare

room into shop premises,” Gray

recalls. “Originally the business was

just called ‘Grays’, but I realised that

by association with a location –

‘positioning’ as it’s called – it would

gain something that is known and

well thought of. I thought I’d need

to give people the impression that

my business had been established

for a long time – hence going for

the copper plate design style,

like bankers Messrs. Coutts & Co. I

wanted to give it a sense of heritage,

that wasn’t there to begin with.”

The Grays of Westminster logo is

therefore based on Gray’s personal

signature and the copper plate style

of Coutts. The former barber’s shop

in Churton Street was also given a

facelift to deliver an experience for

customers akin to entering a jewelers

rather than a high street camera

shop. “I never did developing and

printing and selling � lms because

you could get that in your chemists,”

he reasons. “So why not do the

things that you can’t get elsewhere?

Because we’re in very much a

secondary retail location that doesn’t

get much passing trade, we don’t

have cameras in our windows at all

– instead we have beautiful pictures

of equipment. Initially we did all the

major camera brands, but looking

through other store adverts I saw

that we didn’t particularly stand out

in any particular way from any other

dealer.”As regular readers will be aware,

the solution of going ‘exclusively

Nikon’ was inspired by a chance visit

to the all-year-round Christmas Shop

that used to be located near London

Bridge – an improbable success at

the time. “I thought that if you could

run a business selling products that

would only be in use for three weeks

per year, would it not be possible

for Grays of Westminster to o� er a

specialist service just selling one

brand and be equally successful?

Nikon had always been the camera

I’d wanted when I was a student

but couldn’t possibly a� ord. Funnily

enough I had owned a Canon before

and thought they were well made,

but back in the 1970s it was

the Nikon F that captured my

imagination. I loved the lenses

and liked the philosophy of the

company, in that everything was

based around the lens mount,

and so there was a degree of

non-obsolescence. I was also a

fan of the movie ‘Blow Up’, which

featured a photographer played

by David Hemmings shooting on

Nikon and Hasselblad.”

This romantic view carries

through to the way Grays of

Westminster now sells us the

‘romance’ of owning a Nikon.

“I used to stare in the windows

of camera shops at Nikons and

Hasselblads and think ‘oh my

God, I’d love to own one of

those. But when we announced

we were going to go exclusively

Nikon in 1992, a lot of people in the

trade thought we were insane and

wouldn’t last. But it just occurred to

me that there were a lot of camera

shops and you had to stick out. Nikon

UK also liked the idea very much.

“Now when I bump into certain of

the original naysayers they tell me:

‘Gray, I always knew it was a good

idea.’ It hasn’t been without its share

of blood, sweat and tears over the

past 30 years. But for anything in

this universe to be successful, you’ve

got to work hard. Nothing can be

gained without that learning curve.

Persistence is also, absolutely, the key

to longevity.”

The book by Gillian Greenwood

(Features Editor of Nikon Owner

magazine) commemorating 30 years

of Grays of Westminster – subtitled

‘The Legend and the Legacy’ – is

published January 2016, with a

forward by Mr. Kazuo Ushida,

President of the Nikon Corporation.

www.graysofwestminster.co.uk

“You have to be a

professional in whatever

you do in life if you

want to succeed. Far

more importantly,

your knowledgeable

professionalism will be

communicated to the

customer and you will

be listened to.”

“When we announced we were going to go exclusively

Nikon, a lot of people in the trade thought we were

insane. Now when I bump into certain of the original

naysayers they tell me: ‘Gray, I always knew it was a

good idea.”

Gray reveals his store’s traditional signage was inspired by old cheques from bankers

Coutts - this example signed by Charles Dickens and in Gray’s ownership!



PhotographicBritish

Industry newsPUTTING THE TRADE IN FOCUS EVERY MONTH • WWW.BPINEWS.CO.UK

OCTOBER 2013 • £3

GOLDEN SHOTS!Future best sellers from top tech show IFA

WE’RE MAKING OUR LIST…No need to check it twice as we spotlight bags, lenses, straps, filters & more to order now for Christmas!

YOUR INDUSTRY INSIDER

ESTA



BPInewsOct13.indd 1 23/09/2013 19:25

2016 Trade Awards

December 2015/January 2016

WINNERPROMOTION OF THE YEAR

Grays Of Westminster 30th Anniversary



PhotographicBritish




WE’RE MAKING OUR

LIST…No need to check it twice as we spotlight bags, lenses, straps, filters & more to order now for Christmas!


ESTABLISHED OVER 25 YEARS

OPEN NOW FOR ANALYSIS + COMMENT + NEWS + FEATURES + MORE!BPInewsOct13.indd 1

23/09/2013 19:25

2016 Trade Awards

February 2016

WINNERPRODUCT OF THE YEARSony A7R II

Introducing your BPI News Awards winners - see page 8

EDITORIAL | May 2016

Hello and welcome to the bumper May edition of BPI News – packed full of current industry developments. We’ve

ended up with a loosely awards themed edition – due to our publication date’s proximity to the announcement of the 2016 TIPA Awards and our very own BPI News Trade Awards winners – the latter voted for by you, dear reader. The successful finalists this year won their ultimate accolades from this magazine on the back of self-started social media campaigns, which galvanized their trade and wider fan base to vote, plus email submissions via our website, as requested last issue. So no grumbling if you didn’t win this time – we’re a democracy here, the numbers don’t lie and it really is your own fault!

That brings us neatly onto another major theme this issue: motivation… partly because we felt ‘Motivational May’ had a nice ring to it – and also because several articles this issue – including one with Wendy Gray of Frosts Photo Centre whose store has recently undergone a major re-fit, and our page 28 BPI business feature on getting the best from your staff/team – followed a similar line.

After the excitement of The Photography Show in March, and with thoughts starting to turn to Photokina this

September, this month also feels like a good chance to draw a breath and take stock. This is our eight edition of BPI News since I took the reigns (and ownership) from the previous publisher at the end of last summer – and, as when you embark on anything new that requires a period of bedding in and something of a learning curve (now I’m responsible for selling ad space as well as doing the lion’s share of the writing), time has really flown. So it’s good to catch up various trade members who we’ve run advertorials or promotions with over the past few months, and discover that BPI News is helping to make a difference to your

bottom line and draw in extra attention for your products and services. It’s also very heartening to be commended on the quality of the magazine. This, in turn, helps motivate us to strive to do even better… so thank you for that!

As ever, if you think there are ways we can improve, drop a line to [email protected] – which is also the address for any matters of housekeeping, for example of you’re moving premises or job and want to continue receiving BPI. In the meantime enjoy the issue and do share your news and views with us.

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CANON JOINS SPRING CASH BACK BONANZA

OUR COVER star this issue is Sony’s latest super zoom model in the RX10 III, powered by 24-600mm f/2.4-4, 25x optical zoom lens, with glass supplied by Zeiss. Other key photo enthusiast enticing features to pitch to your customers include 20.1-megapixel one-inch sensor, with Bionz X processor handling the file sizes generated by its 4k recording capability with full pixel readout and no pixel binning. Indeed, the video features here are pro level, according to Sony, and include slow motion capture at up to 1000fps.

Auto focusing is as quick as 0.09 seconds, light sensitivity ranges from ISO64-12800, whilst obviously the lens reach makes it something of an ‘all in one option’ for photographers and videographers.

Available now, SRP for the RX10 III is a cool £1,250.

www.sony.co.uk

THE MANUFACTURER’S spring cash back is live and runs up until May 18th, with up to £250 cash back on selected products at participating retailers. Products in the promotion include the full EOS 5D series – on which the £250 cashback is offered, plus the latest in the high-end PowerShot G series, including the G1X MII, G3 X and latest G5 X.

Also featuring as part of the cash back is the Cinema EOS C100 (Including DVC kits), premium fixed

lenses and the full range of PIXMA PRO printers.

The usual T&C’s apply – so for more info visit: canon.co.uk/springcashback16

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Industry news Visit www.bpinews.co.uk

NEWS

INTRO2020 UNLEASHES THE BEAST(GRIP)

LOOKING to expand your customer base or reach new audiences? Distributor Intro2020 is offering up the trade stock of what is described as the world’s first universal lens adapter and camera rig for smartphones in the Beastgrip Pro – aimed at both phone photographers and videographers alike.

Available immediately, there are three kits in the product

family, including two with lenses, as follows: The Beastgrip Pro Rig (£139.99 SRP) is said to work with virtually any camera phone on the market and features a standard 37mm threaded filter/lens mount compatible with a wide variety of conversion lenses and filters. Usefully, it also features a cold shoe for mounting LED lights, microphones or other accessories.

The second option is the Beastrgrip Pro Rig plus Wide Angle Lens at 37mm 0.43x which is said to nearly double the field of view of the camera phone – making it perfect for shooting landscapes, concerts, sports or family photos. This is priced at a suggested £169.99.

The third current option adds an extra ultra wide Fish Eye lens to the above set up, at a retail price of a suggested £199.99. This is said to be perfect for those indulging in skateboarding, biking, snowboarding or skiing – and

wanting to film their exploits.www.intro2020.co.uk

variety offered will allow photo retailers to expand their offerings.

“When we look at most photo retail stores we are seeing the same

range of frames almost everywhere, so we wanted to see if we could offer an alternative,” Tetenal

Sales Director Phil Barker explains. “This resulted in

us approaching Gisela Graham directly to discuss offering their products to our market. They bought into our vision and we are delighted to be able to now offer a core selection of Gisela Graham products to our customers.

“The quality and variety is exceptional and the price points make them accessible to virtually everyone. We have produced a new catalogue which will show our customers how they can create a stunning product display which will hopefully in turn attract new customers into their stores.”

The Gisela Graham range of products is available from Tetenal now. Call 0116 289 3644.

www.tetenaluk.com

TWO NEW full frame lenses for Sony’s Alpha line up have been announced in the FE 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G OSS telephoto zoom and 50mm f/1.8 prime; the former being the brand’s longest reach E-mount lens to date, whilst the latter has been designed to deliver beautiful ‘bokeh’ effects.

www.sony.co.uk

THE DISTRIBUTOR has the answer for anyone in the trade having problems with shadows when taking passport or ID photos for customers: a bespoke LED light panel – developed over the past 12 months in conjunction with a UK lighting engineer.

It’s suggesting those in the trade visit the web site www.swains.co.uk and under the categories heading, click on ID and passport and look out for the new

ID Station Mono Passport Light, product code 139677.

For more information contact Swains on 01485 536200 or e-mail [email protected]

ATTRACT NEW CUSTOM WITH GISELA GRAHAM VIA TETENAL

SONY LENS DUO DELIVER FULL PICTURE

SWAINS’ PASSPORT TO SUCCESS

TETENAL has added the Frame and Giftware Design range from Gisela Graham to its product portfolio. The line up comprises frames, accessories and home décor items, with a number of different themes including Weddings, Child and Baby and Everyday Living. Tetenal believes that the sheer

BPI News | May 2016 5

NEWS

#Splash16

The biggest photo & optics event in the North of England

For further information and prices - please contact one of our team below

David Parkinson [email protected] 01772 696630 or 07767 434954

Alex Wilkinson [email protected] 01772 696631 or 07785 930932

Paul Edmondson [email protected] 01772 696630 or 07813 772256

• 12m x 4m carpeted fl oor fl ats• Laminated walling to form booth enclosure as per design up to 2.8m high• 2m x 1m laminated walling to form small store with lockable door • 1500mm wide x 3000mm high central columns support front fascia and company logo• Fabric ceiling scrim• Coloured translucent glass panels built into curved panel• Custom built laminated reception counters• 2 company logos per booth• 2 product plinths/counters per booth• Full colour vinyl printed (assume approx. 12sqm per booth)• 2 powder coated lighting beams per booth• 5 Tier Extra Heavy Duty Shelving racks (1 per booth)• Plug & play power & lighting

• Reception desk• Provide company logo on angled wall• Single sided fabric graphics mounted within frames• Plug & play power & lighting• 5 Tier Extra Heavy Duty Shelving racks (2 per booth)

• Vinyl/laminate fl ooring @ 3m x2m• Custom built white laminated walling• Black laminate fascia to front of booth• Company logos• 3m x 1.4m full colour vinyl graphic• Product display plinths• Plug & play power & lighting

Or any multiple of above, subject to availability

Platinum 12x4m (48sqm) Gold 5x5m (25sqm) Silver 2x3m (6sqm)

Will your brand be part of the biggest event in the North?Digital Splash 2016; Hosted and driven by the industry for the industry

Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th October 2016

The “Turn-up and go” packages

Photography

Videography

Sport Optics

Telescopes

Drones & much more

Following in the footsteps of our Digital Splash events over the last six years, Wilkinson Cameras lifts its famous event to another level.

A brand new prestigious venue on the waterfront in Liverpool (www.accliverpool.com) will be our biggest to date with more space, more presenters, greater product mix and most importantly more visitors.

www.wilkinson.co.uk/digitalsplash

PREMIUM OPTICAL company Zeiss has been manufacturing interchangeable lenses for Sony Alpha series products ever since the latter took over Konica Minolta’s camera business in the mid 2000’s. So it’s no surprise to see a freshly minted Zeiss lens arriving for the electronic giant’s popular E-mount incorporating, full frame A7 family of compact system cameras in the Zeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8 lens.

Intriguingly, this ‘Batis’ series lens (Zeiss further offers Touit and Loxia line ups) – the widest yet – features a built-in OLED display revealing focus

distance and depth of field. As anyone would expect given the Zeiss brand and resultant £1,188 SRP, the result is impressive image quality across the full frame.

In addition to offering auto focus and supporting all the operating modes of current E-mount cameras from Sony, the Zeiss Batis lens features a rubberized focus ring for precise manual adjustment. Furthering its pro-grade credibility, it’s also dust and weather sealed for use in a wide variety of conditions.www.zeiss.co.uk

ZEISS BRINGS ‘BATIS’ OUT TO BAT

THE HIGH-SPEED 6.8A four port USB charger from Ansmann is now in stock at its new distribution partner Peak Development, at £29.95 SRP, inc VAT.

“This is the automatic type that adjusts to the application to give maximum current,” enthuses Ansmann MD Paul Channel. It comes with a three-year German manufacturer’s guarantee and includes a

mains cable. Appealing to photo dealers looking to branch out, it’s compatible with Samsung, Apple, Nokia and HTC smartphones, plus MP3 players and navigation devices.

To order your own stock, get in touch via [email protected], call 01489 796979 or visit www.peak-uk.com

ANSMANN’S PEAK PERFORMER

TETENAL has once again passed its external assessment and been awarded the prestigious ISO 9001 charter mark for 2016. As those in the trade will be aware, ISO 9001 is the world’s most widely recognized Quality Management System and helps organisations to meet the expectations and needs of their customers, amongst other benefits. Each company applying for the Standard must have a management procedure in place to cover seven key areas of the business: customer focus; leadership; engagement of people; process approach; improvement; evidence-based decision making and relationship management.

Heading up the scheme for Tetenal is Finance Director Mark Norman, who says: “I’m really pleased that Tetenal has once more gained the ISO 9001 Standard. We see it as an important part of our business, which encourages us to continually look at our processes and improve them whilst ensuring that all our staff are given the best structure to help them improve as individuals, which in turn improves the level of service we offer to customers.” www.tetenaluk.com

TETENAL BOOSTS ITS ISO RATING

THE PERFECT binocular for beginners and outdoor enthusiasts looking for a solid, multipurpose accessory for their travels… is the pitch to the trade from distributor DirekTek for the Praktica Discovery Series.

This features a roof prism design and multi-coated optics to help deliver claimed crystal clear images at an affordable price. Built with a durable rubber body, these waterproof, fogproof and nitrogen purged binoculars can survive all conditions. DirekTek says that whether your customer is a birdwatcher, sports fan or traveller, they can be assured that these binoculars will last a lifetime. Both 8x42 and 10x42 models are available at a

trade price of £49, and come with a 25-year limited warranty.

For more email [email protected] or call 01494 471100.

www.direktek.co.uk

DIREKTEK INVITES TRADE ON VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY


#Splash16

The biggest photo & optics event in the North of England

For further information and prices - please contact one of our team below

David Parkinson [email protected] 01772 696630 or 07767 434954

Alex Wilkinson [email protected] 01772 696631 or 07785 930932

Paul Edmondson [email protected] 01772 696630 or 07813 772256

• 12m x 4m carpeted fl oor fl ats• Laminated walling to form booth enclosure as per design up to 2.8m high• 2m x 1m laminated walling to form small store with lockable door • 1500mm wide x 3000mm high central columns support front fascia and company logo• Fabric ceiling scrim• Coloured translucent glass panels built into curved panel• Custom built laminated reception counters• 2 company logos per booth• 2 product plinths/counters per booth• Full colour vinyl printed (assume approx. 12sqm per booth)• 2 powder coated lighting beams per booth• 5 Tier Extra Heavy Duty Shelving racks (1 per booth)• Plug & play power & lighting

• Reception desk• Provide company logo on angled wall• Single sided fabric graphics mounted within frames• Plug & play power & lighting• 5 Tier Extra Heavy Duty Shelving racks (2 per booth)

• Vinyl/laminate fl ooring @ 3m x2m• Custom built white laminated walling• Black laminate fascia to front of booth• Company logos• 3m x 1.4m full colour vinyl graphic• Product display plinths• Plug & play power & lighting

Or any multiple of above, subject to availability

Platinum 12x4m (48sqm) Gold 5x5m (25sqm) Silver 2x3m (6sqm)

Will your brand be part of the biggest event in the North?Digital Splash 2016; Hosted and driven by the industry for the industry

Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th October 2016

The “Turn-up and go” packages

Photography

Videography

Sport Optics

Telescopes

Drones & much more

Following in the footsteps of our Digital Splash events over the last six years, Wilkinson Cameras lifts its famous event to another level.

A brand new prestigious venue on the waterfront in Liverpool (www.accliverpool.com) will be our biggest to date with more space, more presenters, greater product mix and most importantly more visitors.

www.wilkinson.co.uk/digitalsplash

BPI NEWS EXTRA

BPI News is your mouthpiece to the industry. Send your news to [email protected]

Last issue we asked you to choose from amongst this year’s 30+ finalists, taken from the last 12 months’ worth of BPI News magazines, in order to select your Product of the Year and Promotion of the Year. We also

offered you self -promotional tools in the shape of PDFs of your finalist certificates, handed out to those lucky few at The Photography Show back in March, for you to Tweet and share on social media generally - with resulting

votes directed to our regular email address. All that was left was for us to tot up the votes received to declare our eventual winners as presented here.

We set out with the intention of having one Promotion of the Year and one Product of the Year. But mentions of both Fujifilm and Sony for the latter resulted in a vote that was too close to call, so we felt it only fair to recognise both manufacturers’ competing products.

MEET YOUR BPI NEWS AWARD WINNERS FOR 2016

Promotion of the Year winner: Grays of Westminster WHY THEY WON: Grays of Westminster managed the feat of galvanising tens of its trade partners and customers to drop us a line in support and, as a result, was a clear winner for Promotion of the Year – its nomination based on our original article from BPI News December 15/January 16 covering the 30th anniversary of the store and commemorative book. This from the same shop we featured last year for receiving its very own coat of arms!

OWNER GRAY LEVETT OF GRAYS OF WESTMINSTER SAYS: “I am delighted to hear that we have

won the BPI Promotion of the Year for our 30th Anniversary and the release of Gillian Greenwood’s new book ‘Grays of Westminster – The Legend and The Legacy’ published to commemorate our history.

“I would like to personally thank everyone that voted for us. This means a great deal to all of us here at Grays of Westminster.”

BPI NEWS EDITOR GAVIN STOKER SAYS: Sheer number of votes that came in for Grays aside, it was a clear winner this time for the passion, enthusiasm and effort

invested into promotion of the store, a unique institution in more ways than being purely Nikon only.

Product of the Year 1 winner: Fujifilm X-Pro2

WHY THEY WON: The collective vote for this year’s awards aside, as we said in our original Product of the Month review:

‘The most thrilling element of the X-Pro2 is probably the hybrid viewfinder that gives us the natural view and sightlines of an optical viewfinder but includes electronic overlays of key shooting info; in other words it’s a best of both worlds shooting experience. Thankfully the X-Pro2 is so quick to respond and commit images to memory that you don’t really think – or notice – what the camera is doing. Which is kinda as things should be. You concentrate on communicating with your subject, getting them in focus and correctly framed – and let Fujifilm do the rest.’

GENERAL MANAGER THEO GEORGHIADES SAYS: “We are delighted that the X-Pro2 has

been awarded Product of the Year by BPI News readers. This is a highly prestigious award and one that we are honoured to receive. The Fujifilm

X-Pro2 continues to exceed both customer and retailer expectations, building on the strength of the Fujifilm X-System. Every week we receive overwhelmingly positive feedback from both professional and enthusiast photographers telling us how happy they are with the camera and the overall experience from Fujifilm.

This Award is another testimony to the hard work and very highest of production values which Fujifilm take very seriously. I’d like to extend my thanks to everyone involved in the development and launch of the X-Pro2.

GAVIN SAYS: The X-Pro2 is one of our favourites among recent releases, so we felt confident that the trade might feel the same way – and so it has proved!

Product of the Year 2 winner: Sony A7R Mark II

WHY THEY WON: Because, in short, you guys voted for it. But we had ourselves already lit the touch paper by making the camera a Product of the Month back in our February edition. We said in our review: ‘when the A7R II is compared with what a medium format body or standalone 4K video camera would cost, its reasonable price and performance suggests this is a real alternative.’

SONY UK HEAD OF IMAGING FREDERIK LANGE SAYS: “We are very thrilled to have been awarded the

Product of the Year award for the Sony α7R II by BPI News. Since we launched the camera the response from both consumers and trade has been fantastic, the α7R II is part of an award winning range of products that demonstrate the technical innovation Sony is capable of producing. It was a popular model at the recent Photography Show where we were able to demonstrate the capabilities of the full frame sensor to photographers of all abilities. And, with a growing family of lenses to compliment the camera, including the new G Master f/2.8 models we are opening up the shooting possibilities for great photography for amateurs, enthusiasts and professionals alike. Many thanks again to you and your readership!”

GAVIN SAYS: This is another solid addition to the Alpha 7 series of cameras that have really taken the trade – and creative industry – by storm.

Agree or disagree with who came out on top in our 2016 awards? As ever, direct your opinions to [email protected]

BPI News | December 2015 / January 2016 25

24 December 2015 / January 2016 | BPI News

BPI NEWS EXTRA

with a forward by Mr. Kazuo Ushida, President of the Nikon Corporation

‘Grays of Westminster – The Legend and the Legacy’ by Gillian Greenwood, is published January 2016,

Long-serving trade � gure Gray

Levett is what we’d term an

ideal interviewee: plenty of

stories to tell, and full and detailed

answers given to each enquiry. You

can’t help but imagine his customers

receive similarly comprehensive

responses. Indeed, as a young

camera shop assistant Gray recalls

being routinely drilled for technical

knowledge by an army sergeant-like

employer – resented at the time, but

appreciated as invaluable training

later on.

Many in the trade will already

know that Gray was inspired to � rst

pick up the camera to photograph

rock and blues bands at club nights

as a student in Bournemouth –

subsequently getting a job at local

camera shop N Hartle Photographic

so he could buy equipment at a more

reasonable rate. “I was taking pictures

of bands like Jethro Tull on their

� rst tour of the UK, The Who, Black

Sabbath, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers

– groups like Ten Years After went on

to play Woodstock and become huge

stars,” he recalls.

Moving to London and taking

jobs at the London Camera Exchange

and Fox Talbot (“the number one

shop for the Nikon man”) in an e� ort

to broaden his career, a love of music

and imagery also stood him in good

stead when he and his camera later

spent � ve years in Los Angeles in the

late 70s/early 80s, epicentre of the

music and movie business. Naturally

he has many stories to tell from this

time and the years leading up to it

too – including � elding phone calls

from Kate Bush, who he’d fortuitously

met pre-stardom through a mutual

friend. The tale of him listening

to a teenage Kate playing piano

in the next room whilst he does

the washing up is charming and

fascinating in equal measure, as are

visits to his present emporium by

likes of Stanley Kubrick, David Suchet

and ‘o� the record’ A-listers.

Nikon-only specialist Grays of

Westminster – supplier of cameras to

A-list movie stars and Hollywood directors

– is celebrating 30 years in business

this year, with a commemorative book

released this January. BPI News speaks to

owner Gray Levett about surviving and

thriving through three decades

Gray matter still � ring

after 30 years

Yes, Grays is not your average

camera shop and Gray Levett is not

your average proprietor. So, in some

ways it’s not so surprising that he’s

managed to weather the highs and

lows of 30 years in business – the

last 23 as a ‘Nikon only’ specialist.

He puts the longevity down to hard

work – having begun as a mail-order

specialist in a spare room at his late

sister’s (“good margins and very low

overheads”) – along with, of course,

exceptional customer service.

“You have to be a professional in

whatever you do in life if you want to

succeed,” Gray believes. “And if you

know your subject and can think with

the information and have manual

dexterity with your equipment,

any professional in that � eld will

recognise you as professional

too. Far more importantly, your

knowledgeable professionalism will

be communicated to the customer

and you will be listened to.”

From small acorns… to

copper plates

From a humble start in 1985 fuelled

by a £100 start up and tiny adverts

in the back of Amateur Photographer,

Grays in Churton Street, Pimlico, has

grown into a destination store with

a global customer reach, producing

its own Nikon centric magazine, and

last year gaining a Royal Coat of Arms

(see our previous feature in BPI News

Dec 14/ Jan 15).

“As customers became more

interested in visiting us, it became

imperative to move from the spare

room into shop premises,” Gray

recalls. “Originally the business was

just called ‘Grays’, but I realised that

by association with a location –

‘positioning’ as it’s called – it would

gain something that is known and

well thought of. I thought I’d need

to give people the impression that

my business had been established

for a long time – hence going for

the copper plate design style,

like bankers Messrs. Coutts & Co. I

wanted to give it a sense of heritage,

that wasn’t there to begin with.”

The Grays of Westminster logo is

therefore based on Gray’s personal

signature and the copper plate style

of Coutts. The former barber’s shop

in Churton Street was also given a

facelift to deliver an experience for

customers akin to entering a jewelers

rather than a high street camera

shop. “I never did developing and

printing and selling � lms because

you could get that in your chemists,”

he reasons. “So why not do the

things that you can’t get elsewhere?

Because we’re in very much a

secondary retail location that doesn’t

get much passing trade, we don’t

have cameras in our windows at all

– instead we have beautiful pictures

of equipment. Initially we did all the

major camera brands, but looking

through other store adverts I saw

that we didn’t particularly stand out

in any particular way from any other

dealer.”As regular readers will be aware,

the solution of going ‘exclusively

Nikon’ was inspired by a chance visit

to the all-year-round Christmas Shop

that used to be located near London

Bridge – an improbable success at

the time. “I thought that if you could

run a business selling products that

would only be in use for three weeks

per year, would it not be possible

for Grays of Westminster to o� er a

specialist service just selling one

brand and be equally successful?

Nikon had always been the camera

I’d wanted when I was a student

but couldn’t possibly a� ord. Funnily

enough I had owned a Canon before

and thought they were well made,

but back in the 1970s it was

the Nikon F that captured my

imagination. I loved the lenses

and liked the philosophy of the

company, in that everything was

based around the lens mount,

and so there was a degree of

non-obsolescence. I was also a

fan of the movie ‘Blow Up’, which

featured a photographer played

by David Hemmings shooting on

Nikon and Hasselblad.”

This romantic view carries

through to the way Grays of

Westminster now sells us the

‘romance’ of owning a Nikon.

“I used to stare in the windows

of camera shops at Nikons and

Hasselblads and think ‘oh my

God, I’d love to own one of

those. But when we announced

we were going to go exclusively

Nikon in 1992, a lot of people in the

trade thought we were insane and

wouldn’t last. But it just occurred to

me that there were a lot of camera

shops and you had to stick out. Nikon

UK also liked the idea very much.

“Now when I bump into certain of

the original naysayers they tell me:

‘Gray, I always knew it was a good

idea.’ It hasn’t been without its share

of blood, sweat and tears over the

past 30 years. But for anything in

this universe to be successful, you’ve

got to work hard. Nothing can be

gained without that learning curve.

Persistence is also, absolutely, the key

to longevity.”

The book by Gillian Greenwood

(Features Editor of Nikon Owner

magazine) commemorating 30 years

of Grays of Westminster – subtitled

‘The Legend and the Legacy’ – is

published January 2016, with a

forward by Mr. Kazuo Ushida,

President of the Nikon Corporation.

www.graysofwestminster.co.uk

“You have to be a

professional in whatever

you do in life if you

want to succeed. Far

more importantly,

your knowledgeable

professionalism will be

communicated to the

customer and you will

be listened to.”

“When we announced we were going to go exclusively

Nikon, a lot of people in the trade thought we were

insane. Now when I bump into certain of the original

naysayers they tell me: ‘Gray, I always knew it was a

good idea.”

Gray reveals his store’s traditional signage was inspired by old cheques from bankers

Coutts - this example signed by Charles Dickens and in Gray’s ownership!



PhotographicBritish



GOLDEN SHOTS!Future best sellers from

top tech show IFA

WE’RE MAKING OUR LIST…No need to check it twice as we spotlight

bags, lenses, straps, filters & more to order now for Christmas!

YOUR INDUSTRY INSID

ER

ESTA



BPInewsOct13.indd 1

23/09/2013 19:25

2016 Trade Awards

December 2015/January 2016

WINNERPROMOTION OF THE YEAR

Grays Of Westminster 30th Anniversary



PhotographicBritish






ESTABLISHED OVER 25 YEARS

OPEN NOW FOR ANALYSIS + COMMENT + NEWS + FEATURES + MORE!BPInewsOct13.indd 1

23/09/2013 19:25

2016 Trade Awards

February 2016


Sony A7R II



PhotographicBritish






ESTA



BPInewsOct13.indd 1 23/09/2013 19:25

2016 Trade Awards

March 2016


Fujifi lm X-Pro2


SpecialistPhotographic Proofing Canvas CAD

BPI NEWS PRODUCT FOCUS

When it comes to printers for the trade, we’ve covered the hardware

options offered by Kent based supplier the DPS Group in the past couple of issues – including the exciting new P-series from Epson. For May we’re looking at getting the

most from your large format Epson printer in terms of available media and paper – naturally also available from the one source.

Here the DPS Group is offering up

time. What’s more, we are always looking for new products for new and innovative applications. The whole ethos is that quality printing materials don’t have to cost the earth.”

Current photographic paper choices in the Indigo range include Premium Matt Coated Paper, Ultra White Satin Photo Paper, Ultra White Glacier Photo Paper, Lustre Pro Photo Paper, Satin Pro Photo Paper, as well as double sided and Water Resistant Matt Coated Paper. It also has a bunch of specialist media for creating banners, films and vinyl media for specialist use.

In short whatever your market or

business Indigo Inkjet produce print media to suit your needs in a range of sizes. For more info see www.indigo-inkjet.co.uk

Dealer enquiries are very welcome. In fact, members of the trade interested in finding out more about not just Indigo but moreover the wide variety of inkjet media options available via the DPS Group are strongly advised to get in touch with Maneesh Patel or Gary Crawley on 0208 466 7230, or email [email protected]

www.indigo-inkjet.co.ukwww.thedpsgroup.co.uk

a new print media brand in Indigo Inkjet. DPS’ MD Maneesh Patel describes Indigo’s offerings as “very cost effective but very high quality”, adding that the Indigo Inkjet range covers poster paper, photo, and general usage paper at great prices.

For those wanting a higher end solution, the DPS Group can supply this too. “Apart from inks, we supply the full range of consumables; from maintenance tanks and ancillaries, to over 15 of the key photo and photo finishing brands as regards papers in roll and cut sheet format,” Maneesh confirms. “These include high end Hahnemuhle and Innova fine art media, alongside the great value Indigo Inkjet options.”

Make Indigo your ‘go to’ for inkjet media

The pitch is that Indigo Inkjet large format media gives you real quality and value for money in one of the broadest ranges of consumables available for a wide range of applications, suitable for everything from large format prints to outdoor signage – along with the promise of perfect results every time.

“Right now, Indigo Inkjet has one of the largest selections of high quality media under a single brand,” enthuses DPS Group MD Maneesh Patel. “We are constantly expanding our range with new uses and applications being met all of the

Contact DPS Group’s Gary Crawley now on 020 8466 7230 regarding Indigo Inkjet media

Indigo Inkjet has a brand new website to go with its extensive print media offerings - see indigo-inkjet.co.uk - trade enquiries welcome!

“For anyone running a minilab or large format

printer, Indigo Inkjet print media is very cost effective but very high

quality. The range covers poster paper, photo,

and general usage paper at great prices.”

– Maneesh Patel, MD the DPS Group

We’ve covered the DPS Group’s Epson printer options in the past couple of BPI’s – so this time our dealer focus shifts to its many media options, including a comprehensive, great value and moreover high quality new range in Indigo Inkjet

BECOME A MEDIA MOGUL WITH INDIGO INKJET FROM THE DPS GROUP


BPI NEWS EXTRA

AWARDS 2016

The voting may have taken place on April 1st, but there are no fools when it comes to the winners in the 2016 TIPA Awards. Agreed

on by the great and the good of the specialist photo press, with trophies due to be presented to the winners at this year’s Photokina in Cologne this September, TIPA also has a cooperative partnership with the Camera Journal Press Club (CJPC) in Japan, making this a truly global thumbs up for those featured in our report.

From BPI News’ perspective at least, it appears like the right cameras, lenses and accessories (mostly) won the correct awards.

A who’s who of the photo trade…

For example, Nikon has a pair of winners up its sleeve in the D5 and D500 (below), which were named Best Professional DSLR in the ‘Action’ category and Best Expert APS-C DSLR r espectively. It also took the gong for ‘Best Imaging Innovation’, which went to its Nikon Snapbridge wireless solution.

Canon meanwhile took Best Professional DSLR in the ‘High Res’ category for the EOS 5DS and 5DS R (top), and Best Photo/Video Professional Camera for its EOS-1D X Mark II (above) DSLR. In fact it bagged five awards in all – with its compact cameras in the IXUS 285 HS (right) and PowerShot G5 X taking the honours for Best Easy Compact Camera and Best Expert Compact Camera, respectively. Its printers also got the nod, with the Canon Pro-1000 being named simply ‘Best Photo Printer’.

Not to be outdone, Sony is represented by way of its A68 (Top, right), which was named Best Entry Level DSLR, plus the A7R II – also, coincidentally, getting the nod from BPI News this issue – which

took Best Professional Mirror-less CSC. Not done yet, the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM (right) optic was named Best CSC Prime Lens and the Cyber-shot RX1R II (below) took Best Full Frame Compact Camera. Best ‘Action cam’ meanwhile also went to Sony’s HDR-AS50 (bottom).

Editors from the Technical Image Press Association – spread across 27 magazines from 15 countries and five continents – have met to draw up their annual list of the ‘best of the best’ photo products from the past 12 months – including camera bodies, lenses, tripods, photo paper, flashgun, software and more. BPI News drills into who won what in order to boost your own sales power when it comes to pitching them to customers…

BIG HITTERS THE BIG WINNERS IN THE 2016 TIPA AWARDS



TIPA AWARDS 2016

Taking the honours for Best Full Frame DSLR meanwhile was the Pentax K-1.

Tamron’s lenses, distributed by Intro2020 in the UK, also got a look in. Best Entry Level DSLR Lens went to the 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DI II VC (Above, left) and the Best DSLR Prime Lens was the SP 35mm f/1.8 Di VC USD (Above, right).

Olympus bagged a trio of TIPA’s, with Best Advanced Mirrorless CSC going to its OM-D E-M10 Mark II and its M.Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm f/2.8 Pro being named Best CSC Wide Angle Zoom Lens. The third award was for the Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 (below), garlanded as ‘Best Rugged Camera’.

One, two, three, four, five awards each

Fellow Four Thirds sensor partner Panasonic was also recognized in the 2016 TIPA’s. Best Superzoom Camera went to the Lumix DMC-FZ300 (below), the Best Entry Level CSC Lens went to the Lumix G 25mm f/1.7 ASPH and the Best Camcorder – the only such product in this year’s TIPA line up – was named as the Panasonic HC-WXF991/WXF990/VXF990/VXF999.

One of our own favourites in Fujifilm’s X-T10 (below) took Best Entry Level Mirrorless CSC from the TIPA judges. The same manufacturer’s X-Pro2 (right) – another winner in BPI News’ book (see News this issue)

– also got rewarded, being named as Best Expert Mirrorless CSC. Fujifilm bagged its third TIPA – this time Best CSC Telephoto Zoom Lens – for its XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR.

Leica also got a look in with its ‘SL’ camera, (right) which was acclaimed as Best Premium Camera by TIPA’s bigwigs.

Other lenses to feature in the awards included a triple whammy for Sigma. The manufacturer’s 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art (Above, right) got recognised as Best DSLR telephoto Zoom Lens, while the 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM Art (Above, left) got voted the Best DSLR Wide Angle Zoom Lens

for its distinction of being the world’s first full frame f/2 constant aperture zoom. The third TIPA award for Sigma went to its 20mm f/1.4 GD HSM Art lens, designed to bring out the full potential of high megapixel DSLRs. This was voted Best Professional DSLR lens.

In terms of accessories, Best Portable Flash went to the Nissin i60A (above)– previously

featured in our April cover date issue as part of our article on its distributor Kenro – whilst Best Tripod was said to be the Manfrotto 190GO! Carbon Fibre.

www.tipa.com

“One of our own favourites in Fujifilm’s X-T10 took Best Entry Level Mirrorless CSC from the TIPA judges. The same manufacturer’s X-Pro2

– another winner in BPI News’ book (see News this issue) – also got rewarded…”

To find out more about the voting process behind the TIPA Awards, direct your browser to: www.tipa.com


BPI NEWS EXTRA

The electronics brand has a new premium Lumix G system camera in the serious-looking 16 megapixel GX80, which is about video just as much as stills – plus it’s continuing its successful demo days at National Trust properties this spring and into summer…

NEW LUMIX ILLUMINATED BY PANASONIC

Panasonic’s recently announced Lumix DMC-GX80 incorporates 4K video

capture at 25 fps and 5-axis image stabilization built into the camera body, with a new shutter unit design minimising vibrations and a new image processing engine delivering greater colour accuracy. The high-resolution video option provides photographers with the ability to extract an 8 megapixel stills from a 4K video clip – a standard feature on Panasonics these days. Likewise seen elsewhere in the Lumix series is its ‘Post Focus’ function, allowing photographers to alter what they want sharp in the frame after the fact.

In terms of composing shots, crucially we get that DSLR-like

handling, albeit in a more compact form factor. We also get a Live View Finder with 2764K-dot resolution, 100% field of view and an eye sensor built in, to avoid the need for additional button presses. For those who want to avoid post processing later, creativity is extended via 22 on-board digital filter effects.

“The GX80 has an exceptionally strong start with editor evaluations,” Panasonic’s Head of Imaging Marketing Barnaby Sykes tells us, directing us to the fact that it has already picked up five star write ups from the likes of PhotographyBlog and ePhotozine online.

‘The Panasonic Lumix GX80 brings some of the very best

features from all mirror-less cameras and delivers them in an extremely competitively priced package,’ said the latter, which has already awarded the GX80 ‘Editor’s Choice’. Meanwhile PhotographyBlog suggested ‘Panasonic has brought a very, very

strong contender to the game with the new Lumix DMC-GX80’ and awarded it an ‘Essential’ badge.

“Thanks to some hard work by our colleagues in Japan we were able to get seven review samples ahead of our embargo being lifted which enabled us to get some excellent press coverage from the get go,” enthuses Barney. This also resulted in an early First Impression review in Amateur Photographer as well, which wrote: ‘At first sight it looks as though Panasonic may well have hit on a Goldilocks formula; not too big, not too small, and not too expensive either. When shooting 4K with the GX80 we found that footage was incredibly steady.’

SRP is from £509 body only, with UK product availability from May 9th.

Panasonic has also been running a pre-order campaign whereby photographers buying one from an authorised retailer will qualify for a free street photography workshop with one of its photographer ambassadors; not only that, but there was a free leather camera case and free battery up for grabs by early birds too.

Panasonic introduces the Lumix G system GX80 model this spring/summer: offering 8 megapixel grabs from 4K

The Panasonic team (including Mark Baber, shown here) is again out on the road at National Trust properties this summer - aiming to get cameras into hands and ultimately encourage sales in your stores!


PANASONIC PROMOTION

video capture and tilting rear screen for easier framing and composition. Find out more at www.panasonic.co.uk

National Trust partnership

Panasonic’s promotional teams are going back out on the road this spring and summer, from May through ‘til October. Once again it’s all about getting cameras into the hands of the general public. Limited quantities of Lumix cameras will be available for loan by visitors to National Trust properties up and down the country. Plus there will be ‘photo walks’ with Panasonic’s Lumix G photographer ambassadors, including Esther Ling… the hope being that National Trust members then go on to buy a camera when done.

Members of the public are being instructed to find a National Trust property and date that suits them

and come along. They will be able to touch and try the latest 4K models and will be instructed in the art of extracting an 8-megapixel still image from 4K footage, so they never miss a crucial moment. They even get to keep the SD card they’re loaned with the camera. Models to play with include the GH4 and HC X1000 camcorder – also capable of 4K recording. Usual admission fees will apply to the National Trust properties themselves – unless you’re already a paid up member of course.

Panasonic’s 2016 roadshow was due to kick off at Killerton in Devon on Saturday 7th and 8th of May. Especially of interest to your enthusiast photographer customers will be the fact that Lacock Abbey

in Wiltshire is back on the roadshow tour this year, a country house with monastic roots and once home to

Fox Talbot, the scientist, inventor and photography pioneer.www.panasonic.co.uk

Panasonic’s photographic ambassadors, including Esther Ling, shown here setting up for an introductory talk to National Trust members, will also be out in force this spring and summer, offering first hand experience of camera use


BPI NEWS EXTRA


BPI News attended last month’s European launch of the new Hasselblad H6D medium

format camera in East London. As you’ll doubtless be aware by now, the new model upgrades the previous H4 and H5 offerings and comes with the choice of either a 50MP or 100MP sensor – though the cameras are outwardly identical apart from their model numbers (50c or 100c respectively).

Hosting the company’s first launch this year, Hasselblad’s CEO Perry Oosting told those in attendance that this was “a completely new electronic platform. We started from scratch and are very proud to launch our first product of 2016.”

Perry handed over to Product Manager Ove Bengtson to run through the main bullet points, who continued the theme by adding

that: “This is the best medium format camera that you can work with. We’ve completely re-designed the heart of the camera to cope with 100MP files and 4K video. There’s also a new rear display plus dual storage options – with the CFast card slot providing speed and the additional SD card slot meaning that pictures can be saved to two cards at the same time, or JPEG files to one and Raw files to the other.

“For video we also added a number of ports, including USB 3.0 and a Type C connector.” The camera further features a customised designed display screen, which Ove promises is “very crisp, with sharp colours and contrast. It has all the modern touch features of a smartphone – so smartphone users will feel really familiar when using this camera.” The screen can also be customized: “You can add icons for your most

a new range of lenses for an even better performance; such optics featuring a small orange square, indicating that they prompted a better shutter performance. He added that shutter speeds of up to 1/2000 sec with full flash sync are achievable with the H6D.

Video is obviously another area of increasing importance for working photographers – though obviously the large file sizes generated, and the processing power required, are major considerations for any manufacturer. The 50MP version of the H6D boasts Full HD video capability at 25fps according to Ove, whilst the larger 100MP offers users 4K video. Here Hasselblad have added an HDMI port for an external monitor. “It also doesn’t have an internal microphone, so we have provided the ability to add an external microphone,” he told BPI News.

Also covered in the introduction to the H6D was the fact that Hasselblad has improved and made better its new Phocus 3.0 software to make its user interface and experience “more modern.”

“We’ve added adjustment layers for selective editing and it now supports video playback,” Ove tells us, wrapping up by noting: “We’re very proud we still make cameras in Europe, and in Sweden, with Hasselblad’s motto remaining ‘handmade in Sweden.’”

We spotted a number of UK specialist retailers in the crowd at the event, so it will be interesting to see how many of the latest Hasselblad – claimed to be its easiest to use and most accessible camera yet, despite sizeable price tag – make their way into high street retail.www.hasselblad.com

used functions to the rear screen – providing instant access to every setting in the camera,” he told BPI News.

Hasselblad body, Sony sensor

Hasselblad revealed that both the 50MP and 100MP sensor (the latter providing an ISO range from ISO64 to 12,800 with dynamic range, the company says, being close to 15 stops) were CMOS sensors from Sony, and that the intention to raise the pixel count to 100 megapixels had been on the roadmap for a while. Ove added that such sensors had “transformed medium format cameras from being purely studio based. As you need to make super big prints to see any noise, you can use the camera for many things.

“The system is better than anything else that we have seen. The H5D already produced the most accurate colours possible but there is always something that can be improved. The H6D is a step better. Regardless of the subject being photographed, the camera will always produce proper colours.”

Whilst there were no new lenses announced alongside the camera/s, Ove revealed that it already possessed

“This is the best medium format camera that you

can work with. We’ve completely re-designed the heart of the camera to cope with 100MP files

and 4K video.” – Hasselblad Product

Manager Ove Bengtson (shown right, with

CEO Perry Oosting, left)

… the words of recently appointed UK MD Simon Coleman, shown below with the new medium format body, set to retail from £17000 upwards to those looking to upgrade. BPI News gets the background from CEO Perry Oosting and Product Manager Ove Bengtson, also pictured

“WE’RE BACK”’ HASSELBLAD TELLS TRADE AT H6D LAUNCH


MINILAB NEWS

As PhotoXport is official distributor of Noritsu dry lab printers to the UK

photo trade – a company which boasts a heritage stretching back almost 50 years – it makes sense for the two to sit down and chew the fat once in a while. There have been major developments too at Noritsu of late, including the fact that Noritsu Koki Company transferred their shares for Noritsu Koki Works to a private company last month. This marked an occasion Noritsu has called its ‘independence day’, witnessing a name change to Noritsu Precision Company – though obviously customers will continue to see just the familiar, long term ‘Noritsu’ branding. The gist is that it’s received support to enable the company to take things to the next level. Or as Noritsu President Michio Fujimoto said: “While this has no direct impact for our worldwide customers, this independence provides more opportunity to focus on future imaging products.”

The other major news is new hardware available too. Recent innovative solutions PhotoXport and Noritsu have shared with the photo trade have included its Green QSS (Quick Service

Systems) series drylab line up, plus the spanking new multi platform, HPT consumer kiosk. Described as both beautiful and state-of-the-art, the Windows and iOS compatible HPT kiosk will officially launch at Photokina in Sept, but PhotoXport has already started rolling it out an

early version to the trade.The other option for those

yet to tap into the potential and highly profitable audience for photobooks is Noritsu’s Quick Service High Quality Photobook; deliverable on site in under 20 minutes.

Shoji Nishibayashi, General Manager of the NPC Sales Unit and former R&D engineer informed those present at Noritsu’s Japanese summit, attended by PhotoXport in

April that: “Noritsu too must evolve and to do so in the right direction. This requires worldwide market information and to focus on many complex and challenging topics.” Mr. Nishibayashi added that the three-day think tank had provided “valuable insight for

future products as well as helping groom the path for an exciting Photokina. I am pleased with the results and this will not be the last Worldwide Strategic Sales meeting.”

In the meantime, interested trade members should contact PhotoXport MD Derek Fieldhouse regarding its Noritsu Green Lab offerings on 0116 2675907.

www.photoxport.com

PhotoXport’s MD Derek Fieldhouse recently visited Noritsu Precision Company in Japan to take part in a three day ‘think tank’ - in advance of the latter exhibiting at Photokina in September – and shares his thoughts here on how the UK trade can benefit from some Far Eastern thinking

PHOTOXPORT & NORITSU BRING FAR EASTERN PROMISE BACK HOME

Get started with the entry-level Noritsu Green Simplex dry lab. “It offers the same output capacity as a Fuji or Epson – but we believe it’s significantly cheaper,” Derek says. There is also a duplex version that offers double sided prints and adjustable paper platen that can accommodate around 36 different paper types, including third party papers.

The next step up is the Noritsu QSS Green standard edition. This automatically offers duplex printing on different surfaces from different paper manufacturers, allowing for photo book production. Watch a promo video at: youtu.be/0BPCnR5Zpvo

Top of the range meanwhile is the Noritsu QSS Green II. With the industrial build of a wet lab, yet with a dry lab engine, it’s built for a hammering and to produce millions and millions of prints. This has all the key features of the popular D1005HR and over 3000 prints can be produced before new paper needs loading. See the video at: youtu.be/0BPCnR5Zpvo

3 NORITSU GREEN DRY LABS TO CHOOSE!

“It is currently believed that 80% of all image captures are by a camera phone. Consumers

printing patterns are also evolving and images captured are often displayed on high-resolution smartphone displays with colours that exceed

the technology of prints only 10-years ago. Noritsu too must evolve and to do so in

the right direction.” – Ron Kubara, Director, WorldWide Strategic Sales

& Planning, Noritsu Precision Company

PhotoXport MD Derek Fieldhouse (third from right, front row) and Noritsu’s Ron Kubara (front row, far left) met up with colleagues for a three day summit in Japan to discuss requirements for their perspective territories and Noritsu’s direction going forward


Contact PhotoXport MD Derek Fieldhouse regarding Noritsu Green Lab offerings on 0116 2675907


Showcased for the first time at last month’s NAB trade show in Las Vegas, UK lighting specialist Rotolight wants to share its latest Anova PRO continuous LED light solution with photo retailers and suppliers. BPI News learns why this ‘game changer’ offering excellent trade margins should be added to your stock forthwith…

ABritish success story, Rotolight, recently in these pages for its award winning

Neo LED light, has an exciting new product to share with the UK photo industry – as well as anyone involved in the growing market for video production. Being pitched as a ‘game changer’, and the world’s most advanced LED flood light, the Anova PRO is a continuous LED light with flash sync capability built in – and is designed for use either on location or in the studio.

Set to retail from £999.99 + VAT – with June release date planned and pre-orders beginning now – the promotional push involves shots of A-list film stars taken by celebrity portrait photographer Mark Mann with the Anova – Rotolight is

famously based at Pinewood Studios and naturally has a close connection with the movie world.

Mann, a Leica ambassador, used the Anova at the Sundance Film Festival to shoot a galaxy of stars including Jack Black, Spike Lee, Margot Robbie, Jason Swartzman, Ejiofor Chewetil, Zachary Quinto, Jason Sudekis, Chris Pine, Johnny Knoxville, guitarist Slash and James Franco and says: “I’m really enjoying the flexibility and just like the camera the lights guide the shot. The build quality is exceptional as is Rotolight’s support. It was really easy to shape the light with Rotolight LEDs in a way that was complimentary to each subject, keeping a palette of warm skin tones, from a natural looking soft light.”

Like the Neo, the flicker-free Anova PRO can be used as a modeling light and allows LED lighting to be incorporated into any photographer or videographer’s digital workflow. A key fact is that

‘ANOVA’ BRIGHT IDEA FROM ROTOLIGHT

it is up to 43% brighter than the previous generation, featuring revised electronics, 10% weight reduction, revised yoke design and a new Flash Sync Trigger input for camera shutter release synchronization at up to 150% of maximum continuous light output.

Fellow portrait photographer Greg Gorman is also a fan, using it to shoot another Hollywood actor – Andy Garcia of Untouchables fame. “I chose the Anova as I had to capture a lot of images in a short period if time,” he notes. “It’s very good in terms of quality and as a very good source of light. What impressed me most was the octagonal shape – for better catch lights – and the beautiful skin tones I was seeing for the first time from an LED. The compactness,

portability, weight and the fact that it can be battery driven with a life of three-and-a-half hours convinced me that this was an essential tool for my portrait photography. It’s something I know is going to give me a great picture – my new favourite light!”

Industry approved, from Pinewood to Hollywood

As with the Neo before it, an important feature of the Anova PRO is True Aperture Dimming, whereby it automatically adjusts to the brightness the photographer (or DSLR videographer) chooses. As we mentioned in our write-up of the Neo last issue, the True Aperture Dimming feature accurately calculates the correct aperture (f-stop) for the subject at a given distance, eliminating the need for metering and allowing the creative person involved to concentrate on shooting their subject instead.

But in fact this is just one of four unique innovations as regards the

SRP for the Anova PRO starts at £999 + VAT, but may well be the only light your photographer & videographer customers need. Excellent margins are available to trade partners.

Rotolight products are available to the photographic trade via Digital Distribution.

“What impressed me most was the octagonal shape – for better catch lights – and the beautiful skin tones I

was seeing for the first time from an LED.” – Award winning photographer Greg Gorman


ROTOLIGHT PROMOTION

ANOVA PRO INNOVATIONS AT A GLANCE:• CineSFX provides users with a

powerful arsenal of customisable lighting effects for those shooting video footage, for example: Strobe, Lightning, Fire, Cycle, Throb, Police, TV, Spin, Weld, Spark, Film, Neo and Gunshot. Includes wired remote trigger functionality and wireless control (Wi-Fi models only), along with

rolling shutter compensation. In short CineSFX saves significant time and cost to otherwise achieve similarly powerful lighting effects.

• Flash Sync and remote triggering allows Anova Pro to be integrated into a traditional photography workflow whilst providing a hyper

accurate modeling light, plus control of flash power/duration colour temperature and offset, combining the best of both legacy strobe technology and continuous ‘shoot what you see’ light output.

• True Aperture Dimming calculates and displays the

correct aperture (f-stop) for a subject at a given distance, aiding workflow by eliminating the need for metering.

• Designer Fade mode provides custom fade up/fade down effects for DSLR videographers and cinematographers, reducing time required in post production.

Anova Pro – the other three being CineSFX, Flash Sync and Designer Fade – in combination “set to revolutionise the industry”, according to Rotolight MD Rod Aaron Gammons. “This product is a revolutionary product, we feel, in that it bridges the gap between legacy strobe technology and continuous lighting, for the first time offering the benefits of both systems without the typical limitations of either.

“Added to this we have the fact that it is 43% brighter than the previous generation, with many new innovative features. Additionally it is now 25% less expensive than the previous model starting at just £999 ex VAT (SRP) with excellent margin opportunities for the trade.”

But don’t just take his word for it. Visual Hollywood effects veteran Stefan Lange says of Rotolight’s new Anova PRO: “The CineSFX mode that’s built into the Rotolight Anova PRO is an advantage to any production. It’s fast – it doesn’t matter if it’s a feature, a drama or a documentary, it’s always going to come out and add that little effect.

Celebrity portrait photographer Mark Mann has used Rotolight’s Anova to capture a whole host of Hollywood actors, including Chris Pine (above) and Margot Robbie (left). He was most impressed by its soft light and delivery of warm skin tones.

There isn’t a job I wouldn’t take it on.” The Guild of Television has already recognized Anova with its prestigious ‘Seal of Approval’ award, the first time in its history it has been given to a lighting manufacturer.

There will be three iterations of the Anova PRO available to buy. It’s also worth reiterating that it’s 25% less expensive than the previous model.

It’s available in either Bi-Colour (6300K-3150K) ‘Standard’ 50 beam angle (for greater straight line output), 110 ‘Ultrawide’ (for soft-fill, flood or Chromakey), or fixed colour 5600K. Suggested pricing is £999.99 for the latter, whilst the ‘Standard’ and ‘Ultrawide’ are £1049.99 SRP, all prices excluding VAT. Optional Wi-fi models are available separately,

arriving in Q4, and which have the advantage of allowing the light to be controlled via Magic Eye iPhone or iPad App (also available in the fourth quarter).

Good competitive margins are available to trade partners.

www.rotolight.com

Email [email protected], call 01442 230022 or visit www.ddltd.co.uk for more


MINILAB NEWS

Boost your print sales in 2016! Get in touch with Peter direct on 01234 572138 or via [email protected]

I actually started at Frosts when I was 15 – donkey’s years ago. Frosts was a family run pharmacy

business; John Frost had a passion for photography and started up the Photographic Society in Sutton Coldfield. He was a pharmacist by trade but was one of the first to put in a photo lab. The business grew to include 11 stores. Most were subsequently sold to Boots, but my shop and the staff in it were kept as a specialist photo retailer.

Our customer base now is a real mix. We have quite a few elderly people coming in with tablet PCs they’ve been given by their family, wanting to know how they can get the pictures off, plus youngsters with mobile phones. We also have an awful lot of mums come in.

I’ve also been working with Fujifilm three days a week for the

past six years, travelling the country and visiting fellow FDIS retailers. That relationship was born out of my retail background.

Fujifilm’s Peter Wigington came to see us with a suggestion of how Fujifilm could support the business, so we became part of FDIS and suddenly it was bingo! We had our kit, our signage and away we went. However I felt at the time there was still more that could be done in terms of support from Fujifilm, because

I had their name on my shop and was in effect advertising the brand. Luckily, before I took over at Frosts, the owners sent me on a business course, teaching me how I could grow my business and improve my figures. That gave me the tools to do so. I shared my thoughts on how I felt the FDIS retail support could be enhanced and in true Fujifilm style

they got it straight away and asked me to come on board to help provide specialist business support to the other FDIS stores in the group. That birthed Inspires Consultancy.

Lots of retailers are happy to stick their heads in the sand and

think that it’s everyone else’s fault if their business isn’t doing well. The fact is that people do still use the high street, but if they’re not using you let’s see why and see if we can improve it – and that’s what I do.

“It’s not about a customer coming in and printing off hundreds and hundreds of photos anymore – it’s

about them being creative with their photos and that’s what we wanted to try and put across in the shop. The business is: ‘bring us some images and we’ll show you

what we can create with them’.” – Wendy Gray, Frosts Photo Centre

Team players: Fujifilm Marketing Manager Peter Wigington (centre, top) and Frosts’ Wendy Gray (below Peter) have worked together to help re-align Wendy’s store more closely with the very recognisable Fujifilm brand.

Celebrating 50 years in Europe in 2016, innovation has always been Fujifilm’s driving force; which means constantly refreshing and reinvigorating its offerings. Encouraging and aiding its FDIS members to do just that is Retail Support Consultant Wendy Gray of Inspires Consultancy who also owns and runs Frosts Photo Centre. Practicing what she preaches, Wendy recently had the great idea of a re-fit to make the most of the weight and recognition the Fujifilm brand brings…

STRONGER LINKS WITH FUJIFILM SEE PROFITS SOAR AT FROSTS


FUJIFILM FDIS PROMOTION


New fit-out matches new Fujifilm logo

I have always been a strong advocate of Fujifilm so I wanted to align myself even more closely. We regularly invite prospective new FDIS members to the store to either see the lab in action before they buy or have customer service training after they have and I felt that my store wasn’t perfect. The layout was fine and the sales were good but it didn’t give me the complete image I wanted to better represent my connection to Fujifilm.

Three years down the line from taking the store over I felt I was ready to make my mark and had an idea how the store should look. I wanted my brand to be a lot stronger because listening to customers in the store they would either say “I’m in the photo shop” or “I’m in the Fujifilm shop”, they wouldn’t say “Oh I’m at Frosts Photo Centre”. The Frosts bit is the staff. So I needed the Fujifilm brand to stand out – that’s a lot stronger that the name of the store.

I also wanted a bright airy store that was contemporary and reflected the colours of Fujifilm’s new logo, including the black and the red and the white. Now it looks

nice and fresh and you can see all the products on the walls. It’s not about a customer coming in and printing off hundreds and hundreds of photos anymore – it’s about them being creative with their photos and that’s what I wanted to try and put across in the shop.

The business is: ‘bring us some images and we’ll show you what we can create with them’. We get that message across via point of sale material and staff training. Because when the customer comes in asking ‘can I get a print off this?’ well of course they can, but there is a whole lot else we can do. The staff ask lots of questions to find out what the customer wants and then provide a range of options. Instead of it just being a standard print it’s now going out as a piece of wall art, a canvas print, or they can create a montage or a photo book. So we end up selling a higher end product on which we then make more margin. The way the industry is now, you’re not a lab technician any more – you’re a salesperson and you’ve got to sell those services to

Wendy Gray and her team at Frosts Photo Centre were aiming for a fresh, airy contemporary look with their re-fit, with products very visible to customers entering the store. Newly fitted interior (above) and old shop look (below)

Before

After


MINILAB & PRO LAB NEWS


If only Michelangelo could have used Fujifilm Wallpaper on the Sistine Chapel…If your store or lab is looking for a way to bring in new customers and expand your range of services, have you considered offering Fujifilm’s Wallpaper Media?

Photographer Nick Turley recently turned to the product, and Leeds based lab CC Imaging, to help him fulfill a brief to provide imagery for the ceiling of a new restaurant opening.

“There’s a motoring theme running throughout the whole restaurant,” says Nick, “and we were briefed by our client to look at putting together a selection of photographs that tapped into this and which would be displayed on the ceiling/wall in the bar area. The idea was to create one complete artwork that would become an integral part of the decoration.”

The spaces to fill on the ceiling came in a range of different sizes and Nick needed to find a pro lab

that could understand the unusual nature of the job and who might suggest a suitable media to print on. “I chose to work with CC Imaging in Leeds because it was a lab I knew well and I was aware of their reputation for high quality printing and attention to detail. They advised that Fujifilm Wallpaper would be the perfect media to use.”

Mark Senior (Right), co-MD of CC Imaging, says: “This was a first for us but we knew we had the facilities to cope and we felt confident that Fujifilm’s Wallpaper Media would be up to the job. The images were created in Fujifilm ImageHunter software and printed on an Epson Stylus Pro 11880 64-inch inkjet printer. With the help of Fujifilm’s Mark Wade, their inkjet media and software specialist, the whole process was really straightforward. The ink went down really well, with no smudging or banding, and, importantly, the colours from roll to roll also matched perfectly. The media was also quite lightweight despite coming in rolls that were

the customer. And the only way you can do that is by demonstrating exactly what you can do. Although we really tried hard to promote the services that we were doing before, it probably wasn’t putting the message across as well as we wanted – but now it is. The visuals are very strong and eye catching and the store’s not cluttered anymore; it all helps the staff do their job.

In terms of kit we have the Fujifilm DL450 Drylab as the main lab plus a Frontier-S DX100 Drylab, five DCP10 kiosks front of store, plus an instant photo book machine. We also do all photo gifting on site. We’ve got a 44-inch wide format printer so we can print up to A0

size, which is great and have a mini studio too. If someone is coming in for a passport photo we’ll take one in a studio environment and hopefully get an extra sale from that too. And we still do film processing too: on an average day we process about 30-odd films, but yesterday I was surrounded by 160 rolls of film. We do processing by post and act as a fulfillment site for other FDIS members. It wasn’t about me wanting to take their business, but rather not wanting to see them turn business away. I find it really difficult when I hear a retailer say ‘sorry we can’t do that’, because they’re losing a customer. So I always say to retailers that I coach that if they’re

not sure they can do something then phone me and we’ll find a way of doing it.

Despite offering all these services our store footprint is actually tiny, about 450 square feet, but we’ve made the most of the space available. There are five staff in total, including my manager John Stanley, and sometimes I’ll go in on the two days when I’m not working with Fujifilm too. I also have the ability to see online what the day is like and how many customers have been served and what the average sale is. The staff are very much figure driven themselves, so we share all of that information; even our apprentice knows how the business

is performing. I don’t think the owner should keep that back from their staff because it makes the staff part of the business. They know how much we’ve got to make to improve the business and they get rewarded for it. We’re really good team players and work well together!

Find out more about Frosts Photo Centre by paying a visit to their website at www.frostsphotocentre.co.uk

For more on the benefits of becoming a member of Fujifilm’s FDIS network the man you need to speak with is Fujifilm’s Marketing Manager Peter Wigington on 01234 572138 or email [email protected]

Fujifilm’s ImageHunter software has been designed specifically for large and wide format printers - so perfect if you’re producing wallpaper!

42 inches wide, and our fear that it might be difficult to hang was unfounded. In short, Fujifilm has got the product exactly right.”

For more information on Fujifilm’s extensive range of large

format media or the Fujjfilm ImageHunter or Shiraz Carbon RIP software please contact Mark Wade on email [email protected] or call 07747 017216


A members only partnership withthe market leader in photo imaging.

Providing a modern marketing solutionfor photo retail within your business.

The perfect solution to increase yourprofit margins from photo retail.

The perfect picture

For more informationplease call 01234 572138 orvisit www.fdisphotoretailers.com

For more informationon the benefits of FDIS membership or torequest a brochure please call Peter Wigingtonon 01234 572138 or email [email protected]

TRADE 2015

Print Franchise of the Year


Call Intro2020 now on 01628 674411 to place your order for Cullmann camera bags and tripods,

Intro2020 has renewed its partnership with Cullmann bags and tripods – a brand it first

distributed more than three decades ago when it was Introphoto.

“We must have finished distributing before 1986 as it wasn’t in our product line up when I joined,” Intro’s Marketing Manager Jane Nicholson recalls. “Not sure where the brand went to after us, but I know that the product had limited distribution for many years. We didn’t feel that was acceptable, so have brought back an old friend to re-introduce it to the trade and a fresh generation of photographers.” New in stock at

168cm, a minimum height of 19cm, four section legs and a maximum load of 4kg. A special feature of all new Nanomax models is what’s described as a triangular aluminium profile for the tripod legs and centre column, which, according to the manufacturer, makes for reliable anti-twist protection.

Also well worth stocking and ideally suited to professionals looking for a ‘workhorse’ support is the slick and contemporary-looking ‘Titan’ model in gunmetal silver, featuring heavy-duty watertight legs and solid body made of anodized trapezoidal aluminium. Unsurprisingly the tripod is designed to support a heavy body and lens set up – with maximum sustainable load a whopping 21kg.

Cullmann’s comprehensive product line up available via Intro2020 includes the Nanomax 460M tripod, above and left, and the contemporary ‘Titan’, aimed at pros, shown top right

Intro2020 is therefore an extensive range of photo accessories bearing the rejuvenated Cullmann branding.

Supporting dealers to the (Nano)max

Those dealers looking to introduce a new range of tripods to their stock will want to investigate the fourth iteration of Cullmann’s ‘Nanomax’ tripod in the 460M. This model includes a two-way pan-head, quick-release platform and centre column which can be removed – allowing the photographer to use the Nanomax 460M as a monopod instead. Fashioned from aluminium, the tripod comes in black, offers a maximum height of

Other features of note include an air-cushioned centre column, helping to guarantee a solid platform for jitter-free shots – whether it’s used for stills or video work. Maximum height is 162cm and minimum height is 74cm. Not only is this tripod precision made in Germany, it also comes with an impressive 20 year warranty for peace of mind.

CULLMANN CUTS THE MUSTARD FOR CAMERA BAGS & TRIPODSDistributor Intro2020, which worked with the brand some 30+ years ago, is re-introducing Cullmann bags and tripods to the UK market – a location it hasn’t been seen in for the past two years. BPI News finds out why this is great news for retailers looking to bag themselves some excellent margins and resulting profit…


INTRO2020 PROMOTION

email [email protected] or simply visit www.intro2020.co.uk for the full specifications and lowdown

to the camera without having to place the backpack on the floor, whilst a flexible yet robust inside partition with a soft inside lining can be removed to convert the backpack to a leisure backpack. A rain/sun cover offers protection against wet and heat, plus there is a convenient flap provided for transport your jacket or bicycle helmet. Inner dimensions are 160x140x290mm.

We then move into a slew of destination-themed bags. The Madrid Sports Maxima 125+ (Above) is a attractive mix of grey with orange detailing. Suitable for storing CSC equipment (camera and two lenses), it can also be used for a sporty leisure bag. The padded back of the bag and the wide shoulder padding with anti slip strip contribute to comfortable carrying. The interior also includes a compartment for a tablet of up to 10 inches in size. Interior dimensions are 230x90x150mm.

Moving further south we come to the Cullmann Sydney Pro Maxima 425 (Top Right). This should be pitched as the bag for ‘ambitious photographers and videographers’, suitable for medium size DSLRs and a tablet up to 13-inches in size. The base of the bag is made of rubberised,

skid-resistant material, which is said to be durable and easily

cleaned. Inside the bag is a detachable camera insert and convenient organiser at the front. A notebook compartment is suited

to tablet PCs up to 13-inches in size,

and once again we get a rain/sun cover. Inner dimensions are 350x230x110mm.

Alternatively you might want to

point your photographer

The Sydney Maxima 425+ camera bag from Cullmann, available now via Intro2020, is pitched at ambitious photographers and videographers and has space for tablet or notebook alongside camera body and lenses

punters who own medium to large DSLR gear, in the direction of the Amsterdam Maxima 520 Gladstone (Right) bag – a special feature is the unique opening, which opens along the entire length of the top of the bag and enables rapid access to all their equipment. The bag is well padded on the inside with numerous compartments plus two lockable front pockets with additional flaps on both sides for access to memory cards. The outer material of the Amsterdam bag is hardwearing and water repellent. The interior measures 360x200x170mm.

Our final bag to spotlight on this spread is the Lima Backpack 600+ (Below) aimed at ‘outdoor loving’ photographers. This is said to be able to cope with a large amount of camera equipment plus a laptop up to 15.6-inches, whilst a ventilation system ensures what Cullmann describes as a ‘pleasant airy feeling’ on the back. Convenient Velcro fasteners allow you to open the camera compartment securely and just wide enough to remove the camera quickly. Inner dimensions are 290x150x390mm.

For further details and to order stock of all of the new Cullmann tripods, bags and accessories covered here, please speak to your regular Intro2020 contact NOW or get in touch direct on 01628 674411. Alternatively, for more info please point your web browser at:

www.intro2020.co.uk/pages/cullman.html

From Amsterdam to Sydney, it’s in the bag

As those in the trade will be aware, Intro2020 already has plenty of experience when it comes to marketing and supplying camera bags – and the latest line up from Cullmann should slot seamlessly in among your current offerings.

As one would expect, again there is comprehensive choice here, so we’ve picked out some highlights. Accommodating medium DSLRs with a standard 18-55mm zoom lens attached is the Ultralight Pro Maxima 120 (Above) bag in black. Despite being lightweight, a high level of protection is claimed, thanks to use of tear-proof RipStop nylon material with a waterproof floor to the bag to keep your customers’ camera kit dry when the bag is placed on wet ground. There is a net pocket on the side for a smartphone, whilst the inner lid pocket contains several stowage compartments and the shoulder padding is said to be ‘skid proof’. Inner dimensions are 200x160x120mm.

A further carry option comes in the shape of the Cullmann Ultralight Sport 300 Day Pack (Right), available in black/blue or grey/orange. The camera compartment is opened from the back, protecting equipment from theft. A side opening provides direct access



All lenses sold via Sigma Imaging UK come with the benefit of a three year limited warranty. For more info on

Above: The Sigma 50-100mm handles well as a jack-of-all trades option, delivering attractive shallow depth of field effects with attractively blurred backgrounds as these test shots straight from the Canon body prove. Facing page: The 30mm also delivers subtle ‘bokeh’ effects, making it perfect as a portrait lens - even when the Editor is snapping selfies!

SIGMA DELIVERS PAIR OF ACES TO TRADEBPI News field tests two new lenses from Sigma in the 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art telephoto zoom – which has freshly bagged a TIPA Award – plus the 30mm f/1.4 DC DN prime lens. Both were originally unveiled in February in Japan and showcased to UK enthusiasts for the first time at The Photography Show in March…

500mm f/2.8. The result is a claimed exceptionally smooth operation even during continuous shooting, whilst the polycarbonate construction is durable and weather resistant. Immediately responsive in terms of auto focus when twinned with our Canon body, it looks, feels and handles like a professional piece of kit, with edge to edge sharpness maintained from widest to maximum telephoto setting, an effective focal length of 75-150mm on an APS-C sensor incorporating camera.

focusing distance is a metre – and claims a new standard for zoom lens image quality. In short we found it a very useful all-in-one option. When attached to the camera body, particularly a consumer model like the 550D we were using, the combination is reassuringly weighty for its £999.99 suggested retail price; and one you’ll need two hands to support.

An enhancement on this lens comes in the shape of Sigma’s Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM), the new version being 30% slimmer than before. The diameter of the 9-blade rounded lens diaphragm is also the second largest in the Sigma lens line up after the Sigma 200-

We reported on Sigma’s latest lens releases, arising out of February’s CP+

Show in Japan, in our March cover edition of BPI News. Promising best-in-class optical performance, this month the manufacturer has sent us one of each to have a play with, coinciding helpfully with some seasonally fine spring weather – and the icing on the cake of a TIPA win for one of them (See box out here, plus our page 10 round up, for more).

50-100MM F/1.8 DC HSM ART TELEPHOTO ZOOM

“Immediately responsive in terms of auto focus when twinned with our Canon APS-C DSLR body, Sigma’s 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art telephoto zoom looks,

feels and handles like a professional piece of kit”

as we write, fits are available for Sigma, Canon and Nikon mounts, with Sigma having previously stated that it sees the audience as not just photographers but videographers too – this lens additionally featuring a tripod socket and inner focus/inner zoom mechanism.

Aside from the fact it is now newly an award winner in its own right, the key pitch to customers here is that the Japanese made ‘Art’ series lens covers the focal lengths of three prime lenses in one package: 85mm f/1.8, 105mm f/1.8 and 135mm f/1.8. Described as ‘a true game changer’, the optic is said to be ideal for delivering portraits or close ups with subtle bokeh effects – closest

The larger of the two lenses, this one aimed at DSLR users (we tried it out on a Canon APS-C DSLR body) is Sigma’s second f/1.8 APS-C format telephoto zoom lens in the 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art, which comes supplied with a petal type lens hood. A TIPA Awards winner


SIGMA NEW LENSES PROMOTION

both the 30mm f/1.4 DC DN and TIPA winning 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM, visit: www.sigma-imaging-uk.com

The second new lens we got to take out for a springtime spin is the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN, again made in Japan, and which slots into the manufacturer’s ‘Contemporary’ product category. The selling point here is that this is an ultra bright compact, lightweight standard lens available for both Micro Four Thirds and Sony E-mount. Suggested retail price is an affordable £299.99. Accessories include a supplied extra

portraits (even selfie images!) or still life shots. To be precise, the lens offers a 35mm equivalent focal length of 60mm when twinned with a Micro Four Thirds camera and 45mm on the Sony E-mount system. We added it to an Olympus OM-D

E-M10 camera body, making for a near perfect pairing it has to be said, the compactness of the lens itself matching the small form factor of the Four Thirds sensor incorporating Olympus.

Once again we found the lens’s AF operation in conjunction with the camera to be seamless. Interestingly, a stepping motor has been incorporated to allow for an auto focus performance described as both quiet and exceptionally quick, and can testify that that is a very fair – and accurate – description on behalf of its manufacturer. This is obviously a useful feature too when

TRIPLE TIPA WIN FOR SIGMAThe manufacturer is at the forefront of the familiar names mentioned as part of this year’s TIPA trade awards, as voted for annually by the global tech and photo press.

As well as the 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art getting recognised as ‘Best DSLR telephoto Zoom Lens’, Sigma’s 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM Art lens has been voted ‘Best

DSLR Wide Angle Zoom Lens’ for its distinction of being the world’s first full frame f/2 constant aperture zoom.

The third TIPA award for Sigma has gone to its 20mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens, designed to bring out the full potential of high megapixel DSLRs. This was voted ‘Best Professional DSLR lens’.

As regular BPI News readers will be aware, the TIPA Awards are voted for by 27 publications spanning Europe, South Africa, Canada and the USA.

30MM F/1.4 DC DN PRIME LENS

long lens hood.This prime lens offers a focal length

of around 50mm, an angle of view similar to human vision, and obviously thanks to the f/1.4 brightness, allows for attractively flattering shallow depth of field effects when capturing

“We were very pleased with the life-like quality of the shots we got from the Contemporary class Sigma

30mm f/1.4 DC DN – in conjunction with a Four Thirds sensor we were even able to pick up droplets of water

on a duck’s undercarriage!”

shooting videos, plus it’s perhaps worth noting here for those who intend to put it to such a use that the Sony fit lens is also compatible with Sony E-mount Fast Hybrid AF. We were very pleased with the life-like quality of the shots we got from the 30mm – in conjunction with the Four Thirds sensor we were even able to pick up droplets of water on a duck’s undercarriage, when photographed from a few feet away!

One other general feature to note is that all new Sigma lenses are evaluated with the manufacturer’s own ‘A1’ MFT measuring system, they’re made in Japan – with all the quality control and expertise that implies – and feature a brass bayonet mount as standard. Seek out your regional Sigma representative to order your own stock in now.

www.sigma-imaging-uk.com


NEWS

OLYMPUS UK chose to commemorate the 80th birthday of Olympus Cameras with an exhibition of 80 photographs taken by photographic ambassador John Nassari (pictured below) behind the scenes at the swish Mandarin Oriental Hotel in London’s Knightsbridge. Having debuted at an invite-only night at the hotel itself, the collection of photographs was due to move to the Art Bermondsey Project Space for public view at the time of writing.

Nassari was given unprecedented access to all areas of the hotel over a period of several months in 2015. This allowed him to experience its workings first hand. Remaining unobtrusive whilst the hotel was operational was challenging, although using the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II allowed him to quietly observe and capture the staff as they went about their very diverse, busy duties.

www.olympus.co.uk

OLYMPUS CELEBRATES 80TH ANNIVERSARY IN 80 SHOTS

NO NEW camera from Leica this month, but instead a software update (3.0.0.0) for its Leica S (Typ 007) medium format camera.

Stated improvements include an automatic lens update, whereby lenses with older firmware will now be automatically recognised and updated, plus user-defined programming (customisation) for the Live View button, as well as the shutter release button, which can now be programmed for AE lock. Also new is the fact that the AUTO-ISO setting is now displayed on both panels, video recording (REC) is displayed on the panel on the top plate, and GPS and WiFi are displayed as icons on the camera’s back panel. In addition, the new firmware includes several enhancements in camera performance.

Registered Leica S customers can log into the Leica owners area on its website to download the firmware.https://owners.leica-camera.com

THE COMPANY is reporting that it is in its best interests to close its current Harrow factory, as it continues to position itself as an independent company. Regular BPI News readers will be aware that Kodak Alaris was formed out of the purchase of the imaging division of Eastman Kodak, and has been pretty pro-active since, debuting its Kodak Moments App to encourage more printing from smartphones and tablets which built on brand goodwill and recognition. Current proposals are that the factory closes this coming November, but before that a period of consultation is taking place, with Kodak Alaris’ Head of Operations Brian McGowan saying that the company would do everything it can to redeploy employees and provide support to those employees who leave the company on redundancy terms. Its HQ will remain in Hemel Hempstead and all other branches of the business are unaffected.www.kodakalaris.com

LEICA S GETS FIRMWARE UPDATE

KODAK ALARIS’ STATE OF INDEPENDENCE


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BPI NEWS BUSINESS ADVICE

MOTIVATIONAL MAY: BRIGHT IDEAS TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESSBusiness expert Adam Bernstein shares some clever ideas with BPI News readers on motivating your staff and co-workers to give your business some added ‘oompf’….

It’s remarkable that some managers are in positions of authority not because they’re

good with people, but because they’ve been in the business long enough to slowly rise to a position of seniority. While they may be proficient in their work, their poor

interpersonal skills can affect the mood and the success of the firm. With bricks and mortar retail dependent on physical contact and enthusiastic engagement with the buying public, more so now than ever before, anything that has an impact on the public perception

of a shop should be kept high on the management’s agenda. So with this in mind, how should managers motivate their staff to perform at their best and show the business in the best (and hopefully most profitable) light?

It’s important to understand

that commanding individuals to undertake a task isn’t the same as motivating them to do it. The reality is that individuals have to want to do something; coercion is never going to work long-term (and may even be considered bullying in some instances). In essence, most staff


BPI NEWS BUSINESS ADVICE

members are only really going to do something if the possible outcome appeals to them in some way.

The main motivators

There are two main motivators that managers can use to achieve a given outcome - extrinsic and intrinsic. The former occurs when a factor ‘external’ to the individual causes them to take action. A good example would be the carrot of double time pay for working on a Sunday. In general, many managers use extrinsic motivation to get things done through what is, in effect, bribery, promises and compliments.

The problem with this form of motivation is that its effects rarely last… and so larger and larger incentives to keep the motivation going are inevitably required. Boosting someone’s salary or sales commission doesn’t last long as a motivator, as they soon become used to the extra money (or become annoyed by the amount of tax taken when they see the payslip).

The other form of motivation, intrinsic, follows when someone takes a course of action for reasons personal to them. Good examples here would be going the extra mile to help a customer with a refund when they’ve genuinely lost a receipt, or alternatively, working over lunch to help a customer who doesn’t understand what type of camera they need. Everything people do is ultimately determined by the values they hold – the standards to which they live their lives and their attitudes and behaviours.

Understanding staff

Managers who are good with staff are the ones who understand what makes people tick and what interests them. The time they invest with staff in creating a bond, finding the intrinsic motivators and matching those to extrinsic options is often well spent.

While this matching process sounds easy on paper, it’s actually quite an art – and one that not everyone can master. It requires an understanding of an individual’s personal circumstances, abilities, level of education and experience. And this boils down to asking questions and listening to the answers. Even better, a good manager will discover something during the process that needs fixing

and then go on to offer a solution where possible.

So when should such an exercise be run? The answer is, of course, that it’s a continual process that can be carried out in ad hoc conversations, formal appraisals or in meetings.

Money isn’t everything

In terms of extrinsic motivations, managers shouldn’t be deluded into thinking that just offering money is the cure-all panacea. Staff in the world we live in now consider it their right to be paid at the true market rate – even if retail is not known for its extravagant pay. This means that in addition to paying the going rate, firms need to think about other benefits to keep staff working onside.

Staff nowadays want – need – to develop themselves to enhance their market potential, so that they are an attractive prospect to other employers. If you can’t help, then staff may well move to another firm that can.

In our increasingly complex lives, many strive to achieve a good work life balance. After all, there’s no point in being either the richest man in the cemetery or the most powerful individual with no friends or family. Retailers that help staff achieve this balance are on to a winner, especially if they take pains to considerately manage staff who are needed in-store late into the evening, or to work over weekends and bank holidays.

While (most) businesses aren’t a democracy, staff still like to think that they have some level of input as regards the decisions that may affect them. Any organisation which ignores this is on a hiding to nothing.

The information age has enfranchised everyone with the

notion that they’re entitled to communication. The workplace is no different – people aren’t stupid and owners that treat staff as though they are will lose out.

It’s often said that people have short attention spans. While this clearly won’t apply to everyone, it nevertheless makes sense to give staff plenty of achievable goals with plenty of positive feedback for the instances where goals have been achieved. The warm glow of recognised success works wonders for morale.

And let’s not forget the obvious. People aren’t automatons – they require interesting tasks to keep them satisfied, motivated and engaged. Drudgery is a perfect reason to leave for a new job.

Be constructive

Everyone has an ego. But no matter the level of massaging that it may need, the point is that staff work better when they get feedback that isn’t destructive or demoralising. Sure, praise should be offered when work has gone well and a customer is happy (or the shop has benefitted in some way), but when things go wrong, staff shouldn’t be excoriated. Instead, it would be better to criticise constructively, and possibly privately, and look to see how the issue should be dealt with if it arises again. So, for example, when a customer lets off steam as he voices the fact that he felt ignored by a staff member, instead of ticking off that individual, look to see how the ‘welcome’ could be better handled by everyone in the shop.

Six monthly or even annual appraisals are a good place for constructive criticism. But care needs

to be taken so that staff feel that the appraisal is valuable and not a witch hunt; avoiding a ‘blame culture’ is absolutely key. Staff who worry that they could be blamed for an error will be more likely to bury it, leaving the problem either unfound, or ripe for growing, unchecked, into something larger.

No one can work like a Trojan without degradation in performance. Employees should be encouraged to take any unused leave or owed hours. It’s not only a legal right to take leave, but if it’s not used then it is invariably lost. Another facet of this is to suggest team-building days where – as a business – staff offer time to a (local) good cause. Not only does it raise the shop’s profile in the community, but it also can help to bond staff members together in a semi-social environment.

Lastly, businesses which succeed have owners and managers that lead by example – people who embody the principles the business or shop espouses and who are true to the ethics of the owners. If staff can see that managers are putting in as much time and energy as them, instead of sloping off for a long lunch, they’ll be more willing to go the extra mile. It’s the age-old principle that ‘positivity breeds positivity’.

Managers should review the points made earlier and if anything is missing, it should be placed on the agenda as soon as possible. Equally important is the need to establish a routine that leads to updated profiles of staff, with a view to matching them to the motivators that can be offered.

Businesses that think about what staff really respond to, will find a smoother and more harmonious route to success.


NEWS

Kei Nomiyama, Japan, Open Photographer of the Year, 2016 Sony World Photography Awards

NO FLIES ON SONY WPA WINNERS

ANYTHING that encourages people to take up a camera and appreciate the art that can result has only got to be a good thing for the photo trade. With this in mind, late April saw the announcement of the victors in the annual World Photography Awards, once again in partnership with Sony and now it its ninth year. Open Photographer of the Year went to Kei Nomiyama of Japan for his striking fireflies image entitled ‘Enchanted Bamboo Forest’ (pictured). His photograph was shot in the mountains of Shikoku Island and captures the Luciola parvula firefly at the beginning of the rainy season.

Meanwhile Iranian photographer Asghar Khamesh bagged the grand prize of L’Iris d’Or Photographer of the Year for his images of acid burn victims. Altogether, 14

Professional category winners were announced, with recipients selected from a record breaking 203,103 submissions this time around.

World Photography Organisation CEO Scott Gray said: “I hope that the winning work this year can provide an inspiration to other photographers, helping to push their creative boundaries, whilst also serving to build the wider appreciation of photography.”

The World Photography Organisation hosts a year-round portfolio of events including the Sony World Photography Awards, the world’s largest photography competition, and international art fairs dedicated to photography, Photo Shanghai and Photo San Francisco.

For more info see www.worldphoto.org

PRODUCT OF THE MONTH

PANASONIC LUMIX DMC-TZ80Coming out of Easter and

approaching the summer holiday season it seemed

sensible to focus on a travel camera this issue. Panasonic arguably pioneered the travel zoom compact – seeking to distance itself from the bog standard 3x zoom models of the time that have latterly fallen by the wayside – of which the TZ80, along with its bigger brother in the TZ100, is the latest iteration.

The TZ80, in replacing its TZ70 predecessor, manages to squeeze in a 30x zoom equivalent to 24-720mm in 35mm terms and f/3.3-6.4 aperture range whilst being small enough to conveniently fit in the pocket of your holiday shorts. Not only that but it’s Full HD and 4K video equipped (at up to a respectable 30fps) and features Panasonic’s latest talking point in its re-focus after the event Post Focus technology. Suggested retail price was in the region of £359 on launch back in February.

Making the camera family-friendly is the fact that pictures can be captured and/or reviewed via a prod or a finger swipe of the touch screen at the back, as even the youngest members will be familiar with from handling their Mum’s

smartphone or Dad’s tablet. There is a smaller (0.2-inches) eye-level electronic viewfinder top left of this LCD, to appease photo enthusiasts, but to be honest we hardly used it over the course of a week’s holiday as the 1040dot resolution screen proved perfectly usable, unless we were shooting in direct, bright sunlight.

The TZ80 feels well-built and solid in the hand thanks to its mainly metal construction. Though the zoom stands proud of the body when in use, we didn’t feel as though it was especially vulnerable. The ridged rubber-feel grip at the front, although not prominent, also ensured that the camera didn’t slip from our grasp when we were slapping on the sunscreen.

As this is a Panasonic, the images it delivers are bright, detailed and colourful enough to look at their best when displayed on your widescreen telly, tablet or PC monitor, though we also enjoyed selecting the built in ‘Expressive’ colour filter when we wanted to give visuals even more punch. In short this is an easy to use, reliably performing camera that makes for fuss-free holiday shots.www.panasonic.co.uk

‘Cape’ expectations: As a holiday camera the TZ80 is perfect for delivering panoramic shots at its widest setting, or getting in close from afar thanks to its powerful 30x zoom

a new range of frames, gifts and accessories to help you attract a new kind of customer.

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Tetenal are proud to be working with Gisela Graham to bring these beautifully designed products to the Photo Retail market.

We have carefully selected a number of products which we believe complement your photo print based business whilst allowing you to create a beautiful visual display which will attract new customers into you store.

This is an exciting addition to the standard range of photo frames and gifting products and your opportunity to add a well respected, worldwide brand to your store.

You can request a full brochure and price list by e-mailing [email protected] or see the range by visiting www.tetenaluk.com/gg

ABOUT GISELA GRAHAMFrom small beginnings Gisela Graham has built up one of Europe’s leading giftware design companies. Having made her name crafting beautiful decorations for Christmas and Easter, she turned her creative flair to designing useful, pretty things for the home and garden.

Gisela founded her business more than 30 years ago with a borrowed £27, starting her business at the kitchen table when her children were small. She recalls ferrying components and paint to outworkers around London, in a 2CV with a child in the back, with Terence Conran among her first customers.

Gisela is personally in charge of a talented in-house team of designers at the converted stable-yard that serves as her London office. She’s involved in the design and selection of every one of the 4500 products in her range and sells to shops worldwide.

INTRODUCTION

From small beginnings Gisela Graham has built up one of Europe’s leading giftware design companies. Having made her name crafting beautifuldecorations for Christmas and Easter, she turned her creative flair to designing useful, pretty things for the home and garden.

Gisela was born in Germany andeducated at Goettingen and BerlinUniversities. While her father wanted her to follow in his footsteps andbecome a lawyer, her ambition from earliest years was to own a shop. Giselafounded her business more than 30 years ago with a borrowed £27, starting her business at the kitchen table when her children were small. She recallsferrying components and paint tooutworkers around London, in a 2CV with a child in the back, with Terence Conran being among her firstcustomers.

Gisela is personally in charge of atalented in-house team of designers at the converted stable-yard that serves as her London office. She’s involved in the design and selection of every one of the 4500 products in her range and sells to shops worldwide.

Gisela Graham Limited12 Colworth Grove

Browning StreetLondon SE17 1LR

T: +44(0)20 7708 4956E: [email protected]

Gisela Graham, Managing Director, Gisela Graham London

www.giselagraham.co.uk

THE PHOTO STALWART has released an Android version of its SnapBridge app, which enables constant connection of a compatible Nikon digital camera to a smart device, via Bluetooth, whilst, it says, consuming little power. It is already available,

naturally, in an iOS version for Apple users. Nikon says SnapBridge is now a standard feature in all of its new cameras for 2016, beginning with the D500 DSLR, released into stores at the end of April.

www.nikon.co.uk

DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF NIKON?

DISTRIBUTOR Just Ltd has added Dust Patrol’s range of sensor cleaning products to its catalogue, described as comprehensive and affordable – plus available with 17mm, 20mm or 24mmm swabs. “They manufacture and package their swabs, pads and solutions in the USA to a high standard and we are excited to expand our cleaning catalogue with this excellent brand,” says Just Ltd’s MD Peter Brogden, who can be reached on 01793 855663 or via [email protected]

JUST BANISHES DUST


a new range of frames, gifts and accessories to help you attract a new kind of customer.

AVAILABLE NOW FROM


Tetenal are proud to be working with Gisela Graham to bring these beautifully designed products to the Photo Retail market.

We have carefully selected a number of products which we believe complement your photo print based business whilst allowing you to create a beautiful visual display which will attract new customers into you store.

This is an exciting addition to the standard range of photo frames and gifting products and your opportunity to add a well respected, worldwide brand to your store.

You can request a full brochure and price list by e-mailing [email protected] or see the range by visiting www.tetenaluk.com/gg

ABOUT GISELA GRAHAMFrom small beginnings Gisela Graham has built up one of Europe’s leading giftware design companies. Having made her name crafting beautiful decorations for Christmas and Easter, she turned her creative flair to designing useful, pretty things for the home and garden.

Gisela founded her business more than 30 years ago with a borrowed £27, starting her business at the kitchen table when her children were small. She recalls ferrying components and paint to outworkers around London, in a 2CV with a child in the back, with Terence Conran among her first customers.

Gisela is personally in charge of a talented in-house team of designers at the converted stable-yard that serves as her London office. She’s involved in the design and selection of every one of the 4500 products in her range and sells to shops worldwide.

INTRODUCTION

From small beginnings Gisela Graham has built up one of Europe’s leading giftware design companies. Having made her name crafting beautifuldecorations for Christmas and Easter, she turned her creative flair to designing useful, pretty things for the home and garden.

Gisela was born in Germany andeducated at Goettingen and BerlinUniversities. While her father wanted her to follow in his footsteps andbecome a lawyer, her ambition from earliest years was to own a shop. Giselafounded her business more than 30 years ago with a borrowed £27, starting her business at the kitchen table when her children were small. She recallsferrying components and paint tooutworkers around London, in a 2CV with a child in the back, with Terence Conran being among her firstcustomers.

Gisela is personally in charge of atalented in-house team of designers at the converted stable-yard that serves as her London office. She’s involved in the design and selection of every one of the 4500 products in her range and sells to shops worldwide.

Gisela Graham Limited12 Colworth Grove

Browning StreetLondon SE17 1LR

T: +44(0)20 7708 4956E: [email protected]

Gisela Graham, Managing Director, Gisela Graham London

www.giselagraham.co.uk

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