www.pixel.co.ukThe magazine ThaT undersTands The world of imaging, pasT, presenT and fuTure 8/3/2013

ISSUE NO. 892

News

®

New App Collates Photos Across Devices

Nero has released a free app for its photo sharing service. Connecting photos across iOS and Android devices, as well as popular social networks including Facebook and Google+.

NeroKwik allows users to organise their content by maintaining a cloud-based catalogue of high-resolution thumbnail images of the user’s photos. The original, full-size images stay where they were originally stored.

“Finding photos across multiple devices and online services is a huge challenge for consumers today and it’s only going to get harder,” said Nero Chief Product Officer Martin Stein.

“From our own research we know that more than six out of ten consumers with photo collections on multiple devices or online services struggle to find, browse or sync their photos. We are hoping to help solve this problem.”

SONy AND OlympUS: Share Deal CompleteDeal agreed last autumn sees Sony become Olympus’ biggest shareholder.

a Definitive Directionas the traditonal imaging market continues to evolve on a dialy basis, pixel continues to deliver to the broader imaging retail trade.

The Pixel offices received a handful of concerned phone calls when the recent

Jessops news first broke. A couple of concerned readers asked “will you continue?”

The answer, put simply, was “of course and why not?”

Whilst the traditional UK photographic trade will always be a valued and important element of Pixel’s readership, it is no longer the sole audience for the magazine and, whilst important, Jessops stores made up just a small section of our readership.

You will have noticed that, along with the design and composition of the magazine, Pixel’s spread of content has evolved over the last few months and this will be a continuing trend to introduce all areas of our readership to unique and valuable content, information and products that will, ultimately, help to keep business as up to date, diverse and profitable as possible.

We will always be the newspaper for the

imaging trade, but it’s the imaging trade itself which is changing to include more technologies and to offer more opportunities to more retailers than ever before. As more brands venture into the imaging world with connected technologies and products, we’ll be hearing from a wider variety of manufacturers, industry bodies and individuals. It’s a very exciting time and we’re pleased to be able to report on this fascinating and broader than ever - industry.

Sony’s NEX-N Breaks CSC Records Weighing approximately 210g, Sony’s new NEX-3N has taken the title of the world’s smallest, lightest interchangeable-lens camera with a large APS-C sized sensor.

The camera has also added to Sony’s connected capabilities by offering Trilluminos functionality, which means users will experience a dramatically expanded palette of vivid, ultra-realistic colours when videos and still images are played back on any Sony Bravia TV that supports “TRILUMINOS Display”.

Sony and Olympus have now completed a £400 million deal which was announced

last September and makes Sony Corporation the largest shareholder in Olympus, with nearly 35 million shares and giving Sony 11.46% of overall voting rights.

When the deal was agreed, both companies indicated that the synergy between their imaging businesses would be used to further both brands with new products and technologies. The respective companies currently offer two of the strongest brands in the growing compact system market.

Olympus has also moved to dispell rumours that it’s withdrawing from the SLR market, saying in a statement: “There is absolutely no truth in these reports. In addition to strengthening our offering of mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras in the future, the company will continue to offer digital single lens reflex cameras as in the past without any change.

Image courtesy of OlympusAmerica.com

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NewsFOCUS

Focus on Imaging 2013Another year, another Focus on

Imaging. By the time you read this, most of you will have been to the jolly old NEC to visit the show, which we all look forward to each year.

There has been a lot of talk about the ‘convergence’ market over the last few years and I myself am often found banging the drum to highlight opportunities that these trends present to the retail channel. This show, however, seems to maintain its popularity by remaining, largely a specialist, stills photography event.

I’ve been impressed by the organisation of Focus for many years and Mary (Walker) has really delivered something very valuable for a very long time to the traditional imaging sector. I once again visited BVE on the week of writing this piece for Pixel and it struck me

Peter Jones to Expand Jessops Brand?

Whilst the Jessops website still advises customers to wait for updates, there is some indication that Peter Jones is taking his first steps to inject new life into the brand.

According to Companies House documents, Peter Jones is now listed as the Director of Jessops Retail Limited, Jessops Europe Limited and Jessops Online Limited, which were all set up after the entrepreneur bought the Jessops brand name.

Customers visiting the Jessops website are prompted to sign up, using their email address, for updates as soon as they are available, although registered customers have reported no updates as yet.

Liquid Image is a leading manufacturer of action cameras who have been

honoured for both the design and functionality of their products by the CEA a number of times. Since the release of their first underwater camera mask in 2008, they have continued to develop products for underwater, snow, and motocross markets. The action camera segment is growing and developing rapidly in the UK, popular with enthusiastic photographers and able to tempt even those who usually use their smartphones, but need something more robust to capture their active sporting adventures.

Nick Grey, Managing Director of Hama said: “Liquid Image has had a fantastic reception in the UK as they have brought some really exciting products to the market. Hama are

in a strong position to build the Liquid Image brand and increase awareness of the fantastic ranges on offer.”

Kent Pearson, President of Liquid Image said: “Aligning with multiple divisions of Hama streamlines some of the activities

involved across

our distribution partners in Europe, so by adding the Hama UK to our distribution line-up, Liquid Image further expands its growth within the consumer electronics industry in Europe. Hama UK will begin

marketing the full range of extreme sport cameras including the Camera Masks, Camera Goggles, LED lights and accessories to their customers region wide, opening up untapped sales opportunities throughout the UK. This strategic partnership gives Liquid Image the opportunity to remain focused on innovation and product development while realising its tremendous growth potential inside the UK CE and Photo market.”

The InSIderSaying what you’re thinking and asking the difficult questions. each week the Insider reports from the front line of our industry.

that, with the two industries being so similar to each other, creatively, they are quite different in many ways. There are certainly lots of ways in which the photo retail sector can ‘pinch’ elements from the movie/broadcast arena to add interest and diversity to their offering. Indeed, many manufacturers are launching product that sits exactly in that middle ground. Lots of accessories to excite the customers that walk through the door.

My question to you therefore is this… How was Focus this year? Were the halls buzzing and what of innovation? Has the show diversified to offer a broader remit of imaging for its visitors and should it need to? Join me to discuss online at www.pixel.co.uk

Liquid AssetsAction Camera experts Liquid Image choose Hama UK for access to a variety of channels in the UK.

“ By adding Hama UK to the distibution line-up, Liquid Image further expands its growth within Europe.”

Dixons Closes Pixmania

In yet another attempt to streamline the brand, Dixons promised a restructure at the beginning of the year to remove disappointing anomalies from the goup’s results.

It seems that this restructure has come in the form of closing Pixmania outlets throughout Europe, most recently a string throughout France, Spain, Portugal and Belgium.

Pixmania was established in 2000 and bought out by the Dixons Retail Group in 2006. It has already been withdrawn from several markets across Europe, despite being a well-known brand, as Dixons continues to adjust its focus and concentrate on electronics again.

Canon Assists Pros at London Fashion Week

Those with an eye on fashion will have already seen evidence of the 12 initiatives Canon was part of during its official sponsorship of London Fashion Week.

Aimed at sharing Canon’s imaging expertise with the fashion industry, the projects included collaboration with photographers, designers and bloggers.

As Official Imaging Partner for the British Fashion Council and Official Sponsor of London Fashion Week for eight years, Canon supported the photographers throughout the week at its Canon Professional Services photographers’ centre with a team of technicians handing questions, and providing camera repair services and loan facilities. Canon has also been providing a free bus for all accredited photographers to travel between venues.

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Canon’s products have remained at the forefront of imaging in terms of both technological advances and consumer popularity throughout monumental changes to our industry. Lee Bonniface talks to Pixel about the opportunities opening to the UK imaging retail trade.

How is the market that Canon serves changing, particularly in

the UK?It’s fluctuating as different areas grow and decline, but in my opinion perhaps too much is being made of the decline. This is understandable because of the mindset of a recession, but it’s important that we don’t lose sight of the business opportunities open to us.

Take, for example, compact cameras: that’s a segment that’s currently in decline but still selling at four million cameras a year. That may well be a decline but it’s still four million cameras. Do you sell four million cameras? (Laughs) I know I don’t, but I’d like to. The point is that the segment still represents a huge amount of value, so just because an area is in decline, it doesn’t mean it’s no longer worth concentrating on. In fact, if other retailers are putting less focus on this market because they are struggling to see past the decline, there’s a fantastic opportunity for those who can to excel in this particular area and improve their own sales, regardless of the overall sales figures of the market.

Did you know the smartphone market declined last year? It may sound surprising, but it’s true, and we can hardly deny that is a successful and valuable part of the industry. Traditionally, we in the photography trade might not always embrace the Smartphone market but it’s great: it’s an excellent stepping stone that encourages more people to take

Capturing the future

photographs, and as the needs of those photographers’ progress, they’re going to want to move on to other imaging products. That’s another brilliant opportunity that’s already contributing to the growth of areas like superzoom compacts because they offer features smartphone photographers want but aren’t able to get on a phone, so they’re worth the extra investment, even though that user will continue to shoot on their phone too. The category that includes 10x Zoom compacts is currently in growth of about 30%, and that’s largely down to consumers looking for progression from the photography they’ve enjoyed on their phone.

So in your view, are some of the opportunities in our industry disguised as threats?At the moment, I think so. People have to start changing their minds about where the opportunities lie. Smartphones may have eaten into the market for entry-level compact cameras, but they’re helping step-up models to become more popular and they’re encouraging more people to develop an interest in photography, which can never be a bad thing for our industry.

A recent study from RS Consulting showed that tablet owners print, on average, over twenty pages per month, which is considerably more than non-tablet users. On top of that, they are likely to print more photos: 8% of tablet users print more than 20 photos a

month, compared to just 2% of non-tablet users, so it’s clear that they are a great audience to sell connected home printers to. Likewise, retailers need to truly embrace the internet and use it to their advantage rather than seeing online retail as a threat.

Some traders have found it a struggle to compete with online-only retailers. Can this change?It is changing as we progress towards more multichannel retailers, and I do think this is the way forward. When you only had the option to buy online from one retailer or in store from another, and the online seller was cheaper, their advantage was clear. However, if a bricks-and-mortar retailer also has a great website and is able to offer competitive pricing, which most find they have to now anyway, where is the online retailer’s advantage? The physical store can offer great customer service, demonstrations, click and collect, hands-on troubleshooting… a host of convenient, competitive features that most consumers will appreciate is worth paying an extra few pounds for.

Nobody is denying that the retail environment has changed, but the bricks-and-mortar retailer is still relevant and essential. They have the ability to actively sell to the consumer, rather than to just allow them to buy what they already want. This, in particular, is the strength of the imaging specialist who can encourage a consumer’s hobby and guide them to the right products which will get them great results and help their interest to grow, potentially securing that specialist a customer for life.

What effect has the closure of Jessops had on Canon’s business?At the time of this interview, we only have two weeks of figures to work from, but I think we can glean a reasonable picture from that. Lens sales do not seem to be affected,

“ People have to start changing their minds

about where the opportunities lie.”

Lee Bonniface, Consumer Imaging Group, Country Director, Canon UK & Ireland

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THE BIG INTERVIEW

which indicates that those who would have bought Canon lenses through Jessops have simply bought the same lenses elsewhere. DSLR sales do seem to have taken a bit of a knock, and I think overall we are expecting to recoup between 40 and 70% of the sales lost through Jessops through other retailers, and the rest will be offset by other markets.

Of course, in order to recover those sales, it’s crucial for us to support the other retailers visited by those who would have shopped at Jessops. Whilst the loss of Jessops is sad, it presents an amazing opportunity for the UK’s high street imaging retailers to step into the gap and snap up those customers, and since the news broke about Jessops we have had many of the top independent imaging dealers meet us at the Canon offices to discuss how we can support them at this time. There’s a concept we talk about called “transfer velocity” which boils down to the fact that smaller retailers can move more quickly to take up opportunities; they can make decisions and changes much faster than larger stores that may have the financial

means to act, but by the time the decision has been made at all levels, they have missed the window of opportunity. Smaller retailers have the transfer velocity to benefit from what would have been Jessops’ sales, and we as a trade are depending on them to do that in order to recover that business. It’s a shame Jacobs couldn’t have hung on for another year, as they’d be in a very strong position now.

It’s interesting to consider that there are 442 Jessops staff out there who we have trained to expert levels on our products – the same level that we train independents to - and I know from conversations with [Pixel] and others that these people are actively seeking employment within our trade, so that expertise will not be lost.

Ultimately, recouping losses is going to depend on a stable and supportive relationship with the trade. We are all businesses and we have to make sensible business decisions, but we will support retailers who are ready and willing to develop their business in response to the way retail and imaging are changing.

You still place a lot of value on in-store

retail, even though you encourage an online presence. Why do you think both are necessary?Imaging products are inherently both visual and hands-on, so they benefit from proper demonstration in order for the consumer to actually go home with the product that is best for them, which in turn will mean they continue to enjoy their hobby and step up to other products.

The average consumer doesn’t generally

“ Whilst the loss of Jessops is sad, it presents an

amazing opportunity for the UK’s high street imaging retailers to step

into the gap.”

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understand a lot of the terminology used in camera descriptions, which is even more the case now that some are stepping up directly from smartphones to quite advanced cameras. They don’t fully comprehend that not all megapixels are equal. For high quality products in particular, knowledgeable staff who can talk the buyer through their purchase and the accessories they will need to get the best results from it result in a happier customer who is more likely to make repeat purchases. This is why we support in-store retail so heavily.

It is, however, crucial to have an online presence that can be used to the store’s advantage. Your website is your shop window, so it should present your business in a great light and inspire the customer to come in store as well as giving them the option to buy online or order online and collect in store if that’s what they want to do. Most customers today begin their purchasing journey online, so we need to influence that consumer at every step, from first searching for a particular product or location right through to handing over their money. Social network promotion of stores is becoming important, and online reviews of physical stores are becoming an increasingly crucial

tool a consumer uses to decide where to shop.

Internet retail has been blamed for the downfall of lots of retailers, not just in the imaging trade, but it could be less to do with those retailers facing too much competition from the internet and more to do with them failing to capitalise on the opportunities it presents, and that’s a hurdle our industry must face. Hopefully many will be pleasantly surprised by the difference a functional online presence makes to their business. I truly believe that multichannel retailing is the way of the future.

On the subject of the wider trade, how keen are you to target retailers

outside of what might be considered to be ‘traditional’ imaging retail?It’s a very interesting consideration right now, because we’re looking at what areas of the market could replace Jessops for us, and if they’re interested in doing so, how we make that happen. It’s a question of getting the right places to stock the right ranges.

Distributors are a factor in these decisions, and we use a broad range to distribute to all the channels we sell into. You might be interested to note that Euronics are a top ten customer for us across Europe, but not for the UK market. This is generally due to the different way imaging and electronics are sold in Europe, but who’s to say a similar arrangement couldn’t work here? Certainly, if the retailers are interested and can make the sales, then we would consider it. I don’t think that the Euronics opportunity would compensate for the Jessops loss, as it’s a different level of the market: Euronics retailers

and similar stores wouldn’t have the space or the experience to stock that range of hobbyist and high-end amateur equipment, but there’s still that 4 million compact camera sales to go after, so it’s an interesting idea.

I think the key to success for retailers is going to be in targeting areas of the market that aren’t already over saturated. If everybody goes for the same areas of growth, for example the vacancy left by Jessops, they’ll be limiting themselves to a very small share, but to become a renowned specialist in any segment – even if it’s a smaller one – should serve them well.

We’re already having these conversations with retailers but, of course, we want to have more, and I really encourage anybody who is seriously looking at this opportunity now to get in touch with us. It’s interesting for me to hear what customers want from Canon. More demo days? More press attention and publicity on the mid-range products? Let us know.

Many of our readers were reassured to see Canon at Focus again. Will our readers be able to meet with Canon at any other events this year?It’s really important in times like these that we speak to our customers – both retailers and end users – directly. It’s a good opportunity to introduce them to new products and engage them with the brand.

We can’t support all exhibitions, but they’re an important tool for reaching key markets.

Finally, what are the ambitions for the Canon brand in 2013?A major drive in 2013 will be to maintain and build on what we achieved in 2012. [See Fig. 1] We’ll be further focussing on high-end DSC, as there’s that potential to harness the enthusiasm of photographers stepping up from smartphones. All brands have a responsibility to try and improve the market with innovative product and information, and we certainly have the strength to do that.

Our photo organising and sharing cloud service, Project 1709 as it’s currently known, is in beta at the moment but it’s going to be huge. It will be offering our customers a huge amount of added value – real value that will be useful to them every day – and I’m sure it will be very popular. We’re just in the process of choosing the right name for it at the moment, which is an important decision when you think how big it could be!

Services are an increasingly big and important part of retail, at manufacturer and retailer level. Ours are intended to be of benefit for the consumer and the trade, not just us, and we’ll be encouraging retailers to develop and enhance their own services to offer.

There’s a massive amount of opportunity in this trade at the moment, and I’m very excited to work with retailers on making the most of this. Now is your time and we’re here to support you.www.canon.co.uk

28%Canon ended the year 2012 with No. 1 share in value, taking over 28% of the market.

Fig. 1Canon 2012 Highlights,

£29.8 Canon’s EOS 600D was the highest value SLR of 2012 with £29.8 million sales out.

3% Canon finished 2012 growing to No. 3 in the fixed lens category, with 3% growth in volume as we saw markets decline by -20%.

51%Canon’s 2012 SLR performance remained at No.1, taking over 51% of the market in both value and volume.

Courtesy of GfK Sales Data

million

37% Canon remained No. 1 in the lens market, gaining 10% in volume to reach 37% whilst seeing £83.5m sale out.

“ There’s a massive amount of opportunity in this

trade at the moment, and I’m very excited to work with retailers on making

the most of this.”

canon.co.uk/EOS6D

Power to exploreExplore the full-frame world with the compact and lightweight EOS 6D. Featuring integrated Wi-Fi and GPS the EOS 6D is ideal for travel photography from stunning landscapes to pin sharp portraits.

Latitude 63,57.443NLongitude 19,22.8429WLens EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USMShooting Mode Aperture Priority AEAperture f/11.0Shutter Speed 1/1600 ISO 400

©Richard Walch. Canon Ambassador

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www.pixel.co.uk 7 canon.co.uk/EOS6D

Power to exploreExplore the full-frame world with the compact and lightweight EOS 6D. Featuring integrated Wi-Fi and GPS the EOS 6D is ideal for travel photography from stunning landscapes to pin sharp portraits.

Latitude 63,57.443NLongitude 19,22.8429WLens EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USMShooting Mode Aperture Priority AEAperture f/11.0Shutter Speed 1/1600 ISO 400

©Richard Walch. Canon Ambassador

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8 www.pixel.co.uk

NewsPhotoshop for Phones

Adobe has launched a new version of Photoshop Touch, optimised for iPhone, iPod touch, and Android smart phones.

Inspired by the Photoshop Touch for tablets, the phone app brings core features of Photoshop software to mobile devices.

“Mobile phones are increasingly the primary tool for people to take and edit photos,” said Winston Hendrickson, Vice President Products, Creative Media Solutions, Adobe. “Adobe is dedicated to serving our customers and we heard, loud and clear, that fans wanted some Adobe imaging magic on their smartphones.”

Users can access features such as layers, selection tools, filters, tonal and colour adjustments; apply effects and add graphical text and edit images as large as 12 megapixels with layers.

THE BUSINESS

Samsung was named the Device Manufacturer of the Year at the Global

Mobile Awards after achieving number one status in the total mobile phone market as well as in the smartphone market last year.

The Galaxy S III was named Best Smartphone, having achieved worldwide sales of over 40 million units to become the world’s leading smartphone.

The Galaxy Camera was named Best Mobile Enabled Consumer Electronics Device for answering the demand from consumers who want to be able to share their images instantly

Samsung sweeps awards and reveals a grand plan for connected devices at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona

Better Connectedwithout having to compromise on quality.

“We are committed to changing the way customers experience mobile technology, in all categories and markets,” said JK Shin, Head of IT and Mobile Communications Division, Samsung Electronics.

At the end of February 2013, a significant investment took place to

completely redevelop the Panasonic area of the Park Cameras showroom, designed to improve customers’ shopping experience and showcase the latest products across their compact camera, compact system camera, and camcorder range including It is now easier than ever for customers to try the latest products using Park Cameras’ innovative showroom.

The Panasonic area of the showroom has been designed so that customers will be able to try out the range of products and easily see what accessories are available to enhance their photography.

The Personal TouchWhen visiting the store, customers will see two Panasonic TV’s mounted on the wall providing customers with product information and example shots, taken with Panasonic cameras.

As ever, Park Cameras’ team of experts are on hand to guide customers and offer advice, and in-depth product information as well as giving valuable recommendations on the best products for visiting customers.

Commenting on the new developments, Reg Atkins, Managing Director of Park Cameras said: “This new area of the shop is the perfect way for customers to touch and try the impressive

range of cameras available from Panasonic; a feature we think sets us apart from any other independent photographic retailer.”

Park Cameras continues its showroom redevelopment with a new “Touch and Try” Panasonic Experience

“ The showroom has been designed so that customers can try out the range

and see what accessories are available to enhance their photography.

“We heard loud and clear that fans wanted some Adobe Imaging magic

on their smartphones.”

Y.H. Lee, an executive in Samsung’s mobile business, said that Samsung plans to double its tablet sales over last year’s, which experts suggest would put sales at about 40 million units this year. Samsung’s market share in the segment improved to over 15% in the final quarter of last year.

The Galaxy Camera was named Best Mobile Enabled

Consumer Electronics Device at Mobile World Congress.

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Mitsubishi Electric’s CP-K60DW-S is a compact, lightweight and durable dye sublimation printer that requires minimal installation space. With 4x6" and 6x8" prints available in either gloss or matte finishes the newly developed image processing method allows for the reproduction of excellent, high resolution, true to life prints. What’s more, users can produce 2 different print sizes from 1 roll of media with minimum waste within seconds. The CP-K60DW-S is a truly versatile printer that is compatible with the Mitsubishi Click and Kiosk systems along with Windows PC.

Features 2 print sizes, 1 media Instant prints in seconds Compact size High Resolution prints Matte finishing option

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One compact printer.Two print sizes.One roll of media.

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Be creative

This simulated image of the above feature shows how you can quickly preview photos in folders. samsung.com

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www.pixel.co.uk 11

THE BUSINESS

highest participation rate with 100% of photo specialist stores taking part.

Chris Bowen, Country Head for Sony UK and Ireland, commented: “alpha=alfa has been one of the most successful and rewarding sales incentive programmes we’ve ever run in the UK. By giving sales staff the tools they need to assure customers they are making the right purchase, we are broadening their product knowledge and helping them to sell more cameras.”

We want retailers to use their new-found knowledge to inspire customers to take the best pictures possible. It is also important for us to be able to give something back to the people who work hard on our behalf, advocating Sony up and down the country.”

Sony has awarded Richard Menkin employee of London Camera

Exchange, Chester with the impressive prize of a brand new Alfa Mito after completing the second phase of its alfa=alpha sales incentive programme, specially created to educate and encourage photography retailers to increase sales of Sony.

Phase two of Sony’s alpha=alfa programme was launched on the 24th October 2012 and mirrored the first phase of the incentive. The scheme offered independent photography outlets the chance to win weekly spot prizes - and the ultimate prize of an Alfa Mito.

To be in with a chance of taking home the grand prize, entrants had to complete tailored online training modules that provided them with a greater understanding of Sony Digital Imaging products.

Throughout the programme, employees were incentivised to learn about and sell the current alpha and NEX ranges, specific CyberShot Ranges and all E and A mount lenses. For every Sony product sold by a

participating employee, points were earned resulting in their names being entered into weekly prize draws. Upon achieving their store sales target set at the start of the programme, staff that completed tailored training

modules were entered into a prize draw to win an Alfa Mito. Participating stores were encouraged to enter via online portal the ‘Sony Photo Zone’.

Alpha=alfa has been one of the most successful sales incentive programmes Sony UK has run to date. Not only was there a clear increase in the sales figures of Sony products over the programme period, but it also had the

Mitsubishi Electric’s CP-K60DW-S is a compact, lightweight and durable dye sublimation printer that requires minimal installation space. With 4x6" and 6x8" prints available in either gloss or matte finishes the newly developed image processing method allows for the reproduction of excellent, high resolution, true to life prints. What’s more, users can produce 2 different print sizes from 1 roll of media with minimum waste within seconds. The CP-K60DW-S is a truly versatile printer that is compatible with the Mitsubishi Click and Kiosk systems along with Windows PC.

Features 2 print sizes, 1 media Instant prints in seconds Compact size High Resolution prints Matte finishing option

vis.mitsubishielectric.co.uk | printer.info@meuk.mee.com | t: 01707 278684 | f: 01707 278541

CP-K60DW-S from

£775+VATIncludes one box of

CKK76R media

One compact printer.Two print sizes.One roll of media.

11457 Pixel Half AD - March04 2.indd 1 28/02/2013 11:43

Sony’s ‘alfa-alpha’ programme becomes their most successful sales incentive scheme to date.

Points Make Prizes for Sony Sellers

“ To be in with a chance of winning, entrants had to

complete online training modules that provided them with greater understanding of Sony products.”

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12 www.pixel.co.uk

Your Essential Guide to the Latest Launches

Name: Bowens Limelite RangeRRP: VariedRelease Date: Varied

Bowens launches new Limelite ranges for videographers and photographers.Limelite, the subdivision launched last year by Bowens International to service the growing videography and broadcast market, launched two new Mosaic lighting products: Tungsten and Bicolour LED panels.

Tim Haskell, Limelite Business Development Manager said: “The Limelite range has developed significantly since we launched this division last year. When we first announced our Mosaic Daylight LED panel it set a benchmark as the most competitively-priced high output product in its class. Now we have added a tungsten panel and a new hybrid Bicolour model, which employs a blend of daylight and tungsten LEDs in alternate rows – enabling the creation of a wide range of colour temperatures from just one panel.

“We are also introducing our M7+ Field Monitor which boasts all the features, connectivity and value of the original M7 model, plus extra control features favoured by many professional users. These include focus peaking; a Zebra exposure monitor; a false colour filter and a histogram display.”

Limelite is also launching an all-new, easy to set and program Studiolite DMX 2, 4 and 8-tube fluorescent lighting range, together with a new range of quick-mount accessories, and Comodo: a range of fully modular DSLR camera rigs in three kit forms, specially developed for Limelite customers, including a hand-held rig; a lightweight shoulder rig and a full professional shoulder rig – all of which will be shipped with a follow focus system and a fully fitted metal flight case.

Name: PNY Pro-Elite Plus High-Speed Class 10 SeriesRRP: 16GB: £59.99, 32GB: £89.99, 64GB: £129.99Release Date: TBC

Ultra High Speed Memory, ideal for the latest HD products and requirements.These cards boast read speeds of 95 MB/s, write speeds of 90 MB/s and are designed for the most demanding photographers. Ideal for sports and action photography, the cards’ speed and flexibility takes full advantage of a camera’s burst mode. Certified Class 10 and UHS-1 (Ultra High Speed), they are also ideal for full-HD video.

Name: Prolite Lighting RangeRRP: MBX500 - £1079.00; MBX1000 - £1249.00; M-PACK 500 - £1083.00; M-PACK 1000 - £1463.00; HEAD1000- £380.00; M500 - £650.00; LED400 - £824.00.Release Date: March 2013

Priolite is a range of highly portable, battery powered monolights (monoblocs) and power packs designed for the demands of the new generation of photographers.The Priolite range is built around their own state-of-the-art monolights and power packs, which feature fully interchangeable, integrated Lithium-ion battery packs. This innovative technology allows the Priolite range to deliver ultra-fast flash durations – even when used cable free.

The Priolite MBX1000 sits at the top of the monolight range. This compact monolight gives 1000 watt-seconds of flash power. It is cable free and operates independently of mains voltage and because it is powered by a Li-Ion battery, it’s high in capacity and light in weight. It gives a fastest flash sequence of 5 flashes per second, and needs less than 2.5 seconds re-cycle to full power. This versatile monolight provides a flexible range per charge: from over 160 flashes at 1000 watt-second and 320 flashes at 500 watt-second, right through to 6000 flashes at 16 watt-second. It also gives a very fast flash duration of 1/4500 sec at full power. Finally, a 100 watt, dimmable halogen modeling light means that the Priolite MBX1000 offers the perfect lighting solution for today’s modern photographer.

In contrast the MBX500 features an 80 watt LED modeling light. In addition both the MBX1000 and the MBX500 offer user insertable replacement batteries, to give the photographer total control.

The Priolite range also offers 2 professional battery power packs. The range is further complemented by the M500, a powerful mains powered moonlight and the LED400, a portable video light system for the location photographer wishing to balance daylight with a similar light source.

Name: Google Chromebook PixelRRP: £1,049Release Date: Immediate

Google’s new Chromebook offers extra touch sensitivity and fast processing for superior image editing. This Chromebook has the highest pixel density (239 pixels per inch) of any laptop screen on the market today, to offer sharp text, vivid colours and extra-wide viewing angles. Touch capability makes it simple and intuitive to do things like organise tabs, swipe through apps and edit photos.

The Chromebook Pixel’s touchpad is made from etched glass, honed using a laser microscope to ensure precise navigation. The Pixel also has full-range speakers for crisp sound (particularly essential for video editing), a 720p webcam for clear video, and a total of three microphones designed to cancel out surrounding noise. Powered by an Intel Core i5 Processor and a solid state flash memory architecture, the Pixel performs remarkably fast and offers industry-leading WiFi range thanks to carefully positioned antennas and dual-band support.

One terabyte of Google Drive cloud storage is included with the Pixel, to enable them to save, access and share photos, videos, documents, and alltheir content from all of their devices, from anywhere.

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THE LAUNCHPADLAUNCH PAD

Name: Nikon Coolpix S3500RRP: £129.99Release Date: Immediate

Nikon updates the hugely successful S3300, the bestselling camera across all categories in Europe, with the colourful S3500.The range offers a wide-angle zoom lens, 720p video recording, and in-camera filter effects. A selection of 18 scene modes automatically optimise camera settings for popular picture taking scenarios, and the retouch menu has a raft of options for enhancing photos on the spot, including quick effect mode in playback. Examples include Selective Colour, which converts your image to monochrome and then adds a splash of colour to the area of your choice, while Cross Screen adds a starry effect to bright objects.

The S3500 also boasts a 20-megapixel CCD sensor, sharing via Eye-Fi X2 card (or later version) to transmit digital photos in JPEG format directly to a smart device or PC, (720p) video recording available at the touch of a dedicated movie-record button.

Name: Nikon D7100RRP: D7100 (Body only): £1099.99 / €1329.00, D7100 and 18-105mm lens kit: £1299.99/€1579.00Release Date: 21st March

Nikon’s new enthusiast-level DX format camera, the 24.1-megapixel Nikon D7100, offers technology found in the D4, plus wireless sharing and more. By not employing an optical low pass filter (OLPF), the sensor makes the most of its megapixels for impressive high resolution. The high ISO sensitivity of 100-6400, extendable to 25600 brings superior results even in poorly lit or dark environments, as well as clearly capturing fast-moving subjects. High-speed continuous shooting is assured at up to 6 fps,.

The Nikon D7100’s AF system offers professional-level performance by employing the same algorithm as the D4. The 1.3x crop function offers a range of unique options that expand the possibilities of DX format. Firstly, it opens up greater potential for your existing and new lenses by offering an additional 1.3x telephoto effect. In this mode, 51 focus points cover an even wider area of the frame, right up to the edges, for exceptional subject acquisition. It also allows for faster operation of up to 7 fps continuous shooting and Full HD movie recording up to 50i/60i. The Nikon D7100’s light and rugged body with magnesium alloy top and rear covers has superior dust, drop and weather resistance, making it a highly robust yet conveniently light camera for its class. High standards of image quality and ease of operability continue in Full HD Movie, allowing you to shoot Full HD (1920 x 1080) at frame rates of up to 60i/50i in 1.3x crop mode and up to 30p/25p/24p in DX format. A range of creative effects like Selective Colour can be applied in real time. While a stereo microphone is built in, the Nikon D7100 is also compatible with an external microphone ME-1.

With wireless capability via the optional WU-1a Mobile Adapter, images from the Nikon D7100 can be transmitted to a smart device for sharing.

Name: Sony personal Content StationRRP: TBCRelease Date: Summer 2013

Sony’s new Personal Content Station allows users to store, share, view and access images fom any of their connected devices without a PC. This wireless home hub gives users centralised control over their content, even if it was captured and sits on several different devices, such as their camera, phone and tablet, without the hassle of transferring it to a PC.

The Personal Content Station connects to a home network to store, view and share photos and videos from multiple devices including smartphones, tablets, cameras and camcorders. It supports data transfer through a Wi-Fi connection, a USB connection or memory cards - with 1TB of storage space.

Using near field communications (NFC) technology, with just one touch, users can automatically begin transferring their photos and videos to the Personal Content Station. This ‘One-touch backup’ is managed easily using a smartphone or tablet by the ‘PCS Manager’ App. For non-NFC devices, users can simply start the transfer process by following the instructions on the App.

A key feature is a built-in video transcoder that automatically converts high-definition AVCHD videos to MP4 format for playback on smartphones or tablets. The original files remain on the Personal Content Station untouched and at their original quality and resolution. Its HDMI output lets users view photos and videos on large-screen TVs in full HD (up to 1080/60p) quality.

Users can also manage and post photos and videos stored on the device to cloud network services or social media sites.

Name: Sony NEX-3NRRP: Approx £400 with kit lens, £600 with twin lens bundleRelease Date: March 2013

Sony’s latest CSC is a lightweight, easy to use E-mount compact camera with built-in flash. The NEX-3N has an easy-to-hold grip that fits comfortably in the hand with a screen that instantly flips through 180 degrees for fuss-free arm’s-length compositions. A newly added zoom lever on the camera body allows smooth, fingertip control of focal length with compatible lenses. The brand new Auto Object Framing helps you get better looking, more professional results without effort.

The powerful sensor is the camera’s key to capturing exquisitely detailed photos and sparkling Full HD movies that stand out from the crowd – it is able to grab more light in comparison to ordinary compact cameras. It is also easy to create pro-style background blur effects with a collection of interchangeable E-mount lenses, just like you’d achieve with a bigger, bulkier DSLR camera.

The camera’s large sensor also boosts maximum sensitivity to ISO 16000. The NEX-3N is also the first NEX interchangeable lens camera from Sony that offers support for new TRILUMINOS Colour technology, which offers an expanded palette of vivid, ultra-realistic colours when videos and still images are played back on any BRAVIA TV that supports it.

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INSIDE TRACK

HTC Bucks Megapixel Trend

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Smartphone brand promotes the “quality over quantity” ideal

The magazine that provides retail solutions for the print professional, distributed free with Pixel Magazine

Sign & Digital UK: Shaping UpBig names confirm attendance at leading UK print exhibition.

Sign & Digital UK 2013’s organisers say they have witnessed a flurry of

bookings with big name exhibitors committing

to significant space at the event. This news is particularly reassuring, taking into account that Digital Print UK recently announced they were

cancelling their show this year due to lack of support from potential exhibitors.

Epson, Roland DG, Hybrid Services/Mimaki, Agfa Graphics, All Print Supplies, Digital Print Innovations, AXYZ, PrintMax, Signwaves, Delcam, Granthams, Blackburn Metals, Radecal Machine Sales & Services, Maxicam and The Sign Group

are amongst the brands that have already confirmed their presence at the event.

Rudi Blackett, Sign & Digital UK’s Event Director commented: “We are delighted to report strong stand sales already for Sign & Digital UK 2013, which will be held in 2013 at the NEC, Birmingham from April 30th to May 2nd. The show is well established as a business event for the sign & display graphics industry and the growing number of end users of signage and digital printing output. Exhibitors at the 2012 show have reported significant sales onsite – confirming that Sign & Digital UK is without doubt a must-attend annual event for businesses.”

HTC says the new sensor, faster shutter speed, and f/2.0 aperture in its

latest phone all mean “fantastic pictures and video” and “incredible shots of fast moving things and people in poor light, whether indoors or out.”

You know the old saying: Less is more. Many critics, myself included, have long insisted the imaging industry ignores this maxim, constantly emphasising megapixels instead of picture quality — when in fact more pixels crammed into a fixed-sized sensor simply means smaller pixels, which gather less light, and yield an image with more noise.

The resolution competition that long engulfed the camera business also crept into camera phones, with 5-, 8-, 13MP and even higher resolutions stuffed into small sensors.

As phone-maker HTC puts it: “The smaller the pixel, the less light each one collects. This results in more visible noise and other defects in both still images and video.”

Now HTC is going against the tide with its latest One phone: four million pixels on a standard-sized sensor instead of the 8–13MP. That means larger photosites that each capture 300 percent more light, the company claims.

The 2–micrometer “UltraPixel” has effectively twice the surface area compared to the typical 1.4 micrometer pixel “found on 8MP solutions from leading competitions,” HTC adds. With the One, “there are less megapixels, but the quality of each pixel is substantially higher than the industry average.” This means reduced noise, better low-light capture, and improved overall image quality, HTC says.

With lower resolution, the file size of each image is smaller, “requiring little, if any, compression when sharing, uploading, backing up, or storing in the cloud,” the company says. “This maintains the captured image’s inherent quality.”

The One also features a lens with an

F2.0 aperture — the largest available on a smartphone camera, the company claims, letting in “44 per cent more light than the iPhone 5.”

It also provides a gyroscope-based, multi-axis optical image stabilisation. “While OIS is not new to cameras,” the company says, “this is a significant milestone for smartphones.” The gyroscope detects motion, and the lens physically moves in the opposite direction to counter it.

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