The Photography Show 2016

Vertigo1 said:
You'd have thought the weekdays would be quieter than the weekend but apparently this isn't the case due to the influx of pros on the Mon/Tue, presumably as some are working at the weekends and many figure the weekdays will be quieter generally as this is often the case for big shows.
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Absolutely right. Somebody I know at Fuji reckoned the Monday was way busier than the weekend last year!
 
JonnyS said:
I would second that. We are also hoping for them to do their parade through the show on Saturday and Sunday afternoon so will let you know if that gets agreed.
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Any more news on this? Am wondering whether to buy a ticket for the ComicCon on the Sunday to take some pics. Last time I was there (without camera, d'oh!) loads of the cosplayers were around in the public areas getting food and so forth so not sure whether to fork out for a ticket to actually get into the show this time.
 
Thanks for the replied re: busiest days. :)

I'm mainly going to have some hands on with the Nikon D500 before I get one. :D Because of initial delays it may be months before I get one or see one in a shop, and I'd like to experience one before I can buy it. I thought I was still on the Nikon Pro User list, but apparently not, and so have not had any invites to events they have put on for the new cameras. :(

I saw that there was a demo of the D5/D500 tech on the Saturday, but I'm more interested in hands on with the camera, hence the question about busiest days. :)

Whatever day I go I will see what seminars, masterclasses and workshops are of interest on the day.
 
Vertigo1 said:
Ah, I notied the Nikon stage on the events but not the Canon one - are their events listed there or did I just miss them?

Canon do need to step their game up on the stand. I remember going back in 2012, shortly after the 5D3 was announced and, as a CPS member, had a one-hour preview/demonstration/hands-on with it in a private room round the back of the stand. They don't seem to go in for that kind of thing any more. It's also annoying that, whilst they have plenty of new lenses to fondle, you're not allowed to try the lenses on your body to take some test snaps (kind of understandable from a security point of view) or even put your own memory card in their bodies to take a few test snaps.

Basically Canon don't seem that committed to this show lately. I think they didn't even bother showing up one year.
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Canon's speaker programme isn't up yet but should be in the next week or so.

Since we launched the Photography Show in 2014 Canon have exhibited every year and been very supportive. It is a major investment for them and they put an incredible amount of effort into their show presence. This is the first year they have had a stage area but in previous years they have provided ambassadors across the show stages.
 
Vertigo1 said:
Any more news on this? Am wondering whether to buy a ticket for the ComicCon on the Sunday to take some pics. Last time I was there (without camera, d'oh!) loads of the cosplayers were around in the public areas getting food and so forth so not sure whether to fork out for a ticket to actually get into the show this time.
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We are expecting them to do their Saturday parade through the show. Not Sunday though.
 
wibbly said:
Absolutely right. Somebody I know at Fuji reckoned the Monday was way busier than the weekend last year!
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Yes it was. We definitely get more professional visitors on the Monday and Tursday as well as other people 'avoiding the weekend crowds'.
 
JonnyS said:
Yes it was. We definitely get more professional visitors on the Monday and Tursday as well as other people 'avoiding the weekend crowds'.
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Weekends were horrendous, people sitting on the floor eating sandwiches, people taking happy snaps of the models, shoving and pushing on demonstration stands. A lot of people started to go mid week to avoid this.
 
Blank_Canvas said:
Weekends were horrendous, people sitting on the floor eating sandwiches, people taking happy snaps of the models, shoving and pushing on demonstration stands. A lot of people started to go mid week to avoid this.
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Before my time I'm afraid but I had heard that. We had some crowding issues in 2014 but the move to the bigger hall, wider aisles and the huge catering area have made all the difference. The visitor feedback from 2015 was very positive.
 
JonnyS said:
We are expecting them to do their Saturday parade through the show. Not Sunday though.
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Ah damn, I'm going on Sun. Might just buy a ticket for the Comic Con, only £11

Blank_Canvas said:
Weekends were horrendous, people sitting on the floor eating sandwiches, people taking happy snaps of the models, shoving and pushing on demonstration stands. A lot of people started to go mid week to avoid this.
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It's much better in the last year or two but there's still an element of this at the weekends I think. The big stands like Canon seem to attract hoardes of people who want to play and fiddle with all the expensive bodies & lenses. Only human nature I guess but it does get a bit annoying at times when you want to have a good look at something you're interested in buying and it sometimes feels like the place is swarming with people who have no intention of buying anything, they just want to play with expensive toys.

Sorry if that sounds "superior" or derogatory, I don't mean it to :)
 
Definitely going this year, just not sure which day. Leaning towards the Sunday though do have a days holiday to take..
 
Wonder if and when the next Canon cashback offer will arrive. The last two years there has been a Spring Cashback offer on from Canon and some show vendors have been offering double this for purchases at the event.
 
Vertigo1 said:
The big stands like Canon seem to attract hoardes of people who want to play and fiddle with all the expensive bodies & lenses. Only human nature I guess but it does get a bit annoying at times when you want to have a good look at something you're interested in buying and it sometimes feels like the place is swarming with people who have no intention of buying anything, they just want to play with expensive toys.

Sorry if that sounds "superior" or derogatory, I don't mean it to :)
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Are own needs always seem more important than anyone else. ;)

If I go, I'm going with the main intention of trying out the Nikon D500. Anything else I see and do there would be a bonus. I'm intending to shell out £1500+ sight unseen on a camera! Not if I can help it. :) If there are people in front of me, as long as they are not being unreasonable in the time they hog with equipment, then that would be fine with me. I would be going to try the D500, and hopefully the 16-80mm lens. Maybe a quick look at the D5 too, but not really interested in anything else. :rolleyes: If there were no queues for something I may have a look, but I'm really only interested in looking at things I have an intention to buy. I know other will just want to play, and that's fine, they have taken the time/spent the money to go so they can do what they want. :)

I would rather look at a camera at a show than try it in a shop, where I have no intention of buying from said shop. And that is if a shop has a camera to show off anyway. I don't think there will be many D500's in shops initially. :( :rolleyes:
 
Do you still get the people who, for some unknown reason, wear all of the camera equipment they own? Cameras, lenses, video lights, tripods...
 
rob-nikon said:
You can make a game of it, it amazes me the ones who bring a long lens that's really no good in the NEC.
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I met 6-7 others last year and we handed over a camera to someone for a very boring, standard group shot - he must have been the only person there who didn't have the fogiest idea on how use use a modern day camera and didn't understand about pressing the shutter button halfway for focusing then fully for the shot lol - to this day, so blurred was the final shot that we still cannot work out who was standing where!! :)
 
st599 said:
Do you still get the people who, for some unknown reason, wear all of the camera equipment they own? Cameras, lenses, video lights, tripods...
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I just booked a ticket for Sunday :cool:

Will be driving up from Dagenham , anyone fancy a car share ?
:canon:
 
Rather a shock to read about Bowens - assuming the story is true of course.

On another subject I was planning on catching the train on Monday after this weekend until someone reminded me which month the show is on :oops: :$
 
Hopefully someone else will do the stage and lounge.
 
I'd imagine they'll get someone to take it - even if they have to pretty much give the space away for free, they'd surely rather do that than have the empty space.
 
EdwardL said:
Talk Photography lounge? :)

After all, I think there was a coffee machine and sandwiches in there last year ...
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Yes, I remember tripping over the sandwich munches as they sat on the floor, legs outstretched causing a general nuisance. Or was that the year before ?
 
Blank_Canvas said:
Yes, I remember tripping over the sandwich munches as they sat on the floor, legs outstretched causing a general nuisance. Or was that the year before ?
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Year before I think. We put in a huge new catering area at the top of the hall in 2015 and its there for 2016 too. There will also be more seating and a coffee bar in the welcome area once the show is open.
 
JonnyS said:
Year before I think. We put in a huge new catering area at the top of the hall in 2015 and its there for 2016 too. There will also be more seating and a coffee bar in the welcome area once the show is open.
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I'm going to give it another go this year and attending on the Monday. Just waiting for my complimentary ticket to turn up.I had the email to say it was on the way. 25% off Virgin trains is a good deal too. It's good that improvements have been made to the venue so thanks for that.
 
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Vertigo1 said:
Ah, I notied the Nikon stage on the events but not the Canon one - are their events listed there or did I just miss them?

Canon do need to step their game up on the stand. I remember going back in 2012, shortly after the 5D3 was announced and, as a CPS member, had a one-hour preview/demonstration/hands-on with it in a private room round the back of the stand. They don't seem to go in for that kind of thing any more. It's also annoying that, whilst they have plenty of new lenses to fondle, you're not allowed to try the lenses on your body to take some test snaps (kind of understandable from a security point of view) or even put your own memory card in their bodies to take a few test snaps.

Basically Canon don't seem that committed to this show lately. I think they didn't even bother showing up one year.
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They did this with the new 200-400 a couple of years ago.
 
Hi..is it possible to book the Canon stage events or is that a free for all?
 
EdwardL said:
Rather a shock to read about Bowens - assuming the story is true of course.

On another subject I was planning on catching the train on Monday after this weekend until someone reminded me which month the show is on :oops: :$
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Taken from the comments in that article (no idea if it's real or not but it sounds it):

Hi all,

Thanks to those who are refusing to be drawn into the speculation game.

It's usually good journalistic practice to ask questions before posting speculation and rumour. As it happens, David's post is spot on. We will be sending out a general press release on Monday so everybody knows where we stand.The plain facts are that those who are in the know, are aware that Bowens has been due to release new products for some time.

The new management (which includes me) took the decision to put off a new product launch until the products were absolutely spot on for our target audience. They are (inevitably, as anyone seriously involved in NPD will know) running a smidge later than we would have wished and TPS is really too early for us. Now that we have a much better view of release dates for our NPD ( of which news soon) we have decided not to use valuable time, effort and money on two launches and concentrate our resources on one nearer the time. However, we DO have new products to launch into the continuous lighting/video market, so please come along to BVE next week, where you can see the new Mosaic II (Got to get a sell message in there somewhere!).

Meantime, we still have lots of work to do on our new flash products, which will be killers...

Alan Walmsley

Sales & Marketing Director, Bowens International
 
Alan, thanks for your post. I have some sympathy for Bowens but this is a very poor public relations move.

I think it would have been decent to still do the training sessions etc for the public even if you had to state it was last years gear. Its the extreme lateness of your decision which is the let down.

I will be at the show and was mainly going to check out lighting. I will still be doing so, but someone else will be getting my trade even if your new products when finally launched, turn out to be wonderful. I am not risking buying into a system whose producers seemingly have little regard for clients and for the host show by cancelling every aspect of a product stand so very late in the day, made worse by the loss of a large and popular demonstration stage. I am also left wondering about the self awareness of Bowens, so will not risk buying from you now, or for some years until stability is proved.

Bowens have proved unreliable in a very public way, so could be unreliable in future product support and indeed in attitude (that of Bowens, not of you as a person). If Bowens had gone ahead with the demos, even if dropping the other aspects, I would have felt much more positive about Bowens than I do now, as I would have seen them as having issues but going all out not to let customers and the host show down. The total cancellation sadly comes across as financial panic or perhaps even worse than that, as very poor business foresight in many directions. This does not give a sound impression of a good company to buy replacement studio kit from.

Sorry to be harsh, but it is perhaps better to know how your customers feel. I wish Bowens all the best and hope they recover from whatever ails.
 
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simonbarker said:
Taken from the comments in that article (no idea if it's real or not but it sounds it):

Hi all,

Thanks to those who are refusing to be drawn into the speculation game.

It's usually good journalistic practice to ask questions before posting speculation and rumour. As it happens, David's post is spot on. We will be sending out a general press release on Monday so everybody knows where we stand.The plain facts are that those who are in the know, are aware that Bowens has been due to release new products for some time.

The new management (which includes me) took the decision to put off a new product launch until the products were absolutely spot on for our target audience. They are (inevitably, as anyone seriously involved in NPD will know) running a smidge later than we would have wished and TPS is really too early for us. Now that we have a much better view of release dates for our NPD ( of which news soon) we have decided not to use valuable time, effort and money on two launches and concentrate our resources on one nearer the time. However, we DO have new products to launch into the continuous lighting/video market, so please come along to BVE next week, where you can see the new Mosaic II (Got to get a sell message in there somewhere!).

Meantime, we still have lots of work to do on our new flash products, which will be killers...

Alan Walmsley

Sales & Marketing Director, Bowens International
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When it was Focus on Imaging, the organisation was chaotic and the cost of exhibiting was high.
Now that Future are running the show, the organisation has improved a lot but the costs have gone up substantially, it could be argued that the show is pricing itself out of the market.
Arguably, the only people who can now make the show pay are the people who are selling cheap products at high profit margins, and shifting old stock that otherwise would just go on Ebay.

IMO (for what it's worth) Bowens have punched far above their weight at this show for years, they must have spent a fortune on what amounts to vanity marketing, with no realistic prospect of any worthwhile return.
Those of us who are in the trade (and especially those of us with Chinese connections) know that things have been difficult for them for years, and especially since their move to China, and that they have been trying to improve their market share, overcome production problems and introduce new products by changing their management team (more than once) and, although they are our competitiors, I wish them every success with this because they are an ethical Company who, like us, are having to deal with competitiors who seem to have no business ethics whatever and who could be said to be deceiving their own customers and damaging the market. It seems to me that some very bad business decisions have been made in the past and that Bowens are now trying to get the business functioning efficiently - good luck to them for having the courage to make the right decisions!

So they've pulled out - so what? They aren't letting the show organisers down because they will have already paid the full costs to the show organisers, what they will be saving is the very high cost of staffing, including hotels, transportation, and all the add ons that make it so expensive. They aren't the first to do this, Canon are known for doing it and they are a much larger business.

I don't think that they are letting the public down either, by not running demonstrations. There are plenty of other demos running and it's impossible to see all of them. And most of the demonstrators are nothing more than "celebrity photographers" who talk the talk but can't walk the walk, they are famous for being famous and for their presentation skills, not for their photography, so no real loss there.

Bowens' new products aren't ready for launch, and they don't see the point of spending all that extra money when they have nothing new to show, and that seems to me to be a very sensible decision..
 
MidnightUK said:
Alan, thanks for your post. I have some sympathy for Bowens but this is a very poor public relations move.

I think it would have been decent to still do the training sessions etc for the public even if you had to state it was last years gear. Its the extreme lateness of your decision which is the let down.

I will be at the show and was mainly going to check out lighting. I will still be doing so, but someone else will be getting my trade even if your new products when finally launched, turn out to be wonderful. I am not risking buying into a system whose producers seemingly have little regard for clients and for the host show by cancelling every aspect of a product stand so very late in the day, made worse by the loss of a large and popular demonstration stage. I am also left wondering about the self awareness of Bowens, so will not risk buying from you now, or for some years until stability is proved.

Bowens have proved unreliable in a very public way, so could be unreliable in future product support and indeed in attitude (that of Bowens, not of you as a person). If Bowens had gone ahead with the demos, even if dropping the other aspects, I would have felt much more positive about Bowens than I do now, as I would have seen them as having issues but going all out not to let customers and the host show down. The total cancellation sadly comes across as financial panic or perhaps even worse than that, as very poor business foresight in many directions. This does not give a sound impression of a good company to buy replacement studio kit from.

Sorry to be harsh, but it is perhaps better to know how your customers feel. I wish Bowens all the best and hope they recover from whatever ails.
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If you want Alan or Bowens to see your response it may be better to contact Bowens directly or comment in the link as Alan hasn't posted in this thread. SimonBarker copied the response from the link posted earlier in caseanyone didn't look at the comments in the link.
 
Garry Edwards said:
Now that Future are running the show, the organisation has improved a lot but the costs have gone up substantially, it could be argued that the show is pricing itself out of the market.
Arguably, the only people who can now make the show pay are the people who are selling cheap products at high profit margins, and shifting old stock that otherwise would just go on Ebay.

IMO (for what it's worth) Bowens have punched far above their weight at this show for years, they must have spent a fortune on what amounts to vanity marketing, with no realistic prospect of any worthwhile return.
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Very enlightening comments, thanks Garry.
 
Chipper said:
Hi..is it possible to book the Canon stage events or is that a free for all?
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Hi Chipper

It is an open stage in the same way as the live stage, wedding and portrait stage will work. No need to buy tickets.

Jonny
 
Chipper said:
Hi..is it possible to book the Canon stage events or is that a free for all?
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JonnyS said:
Hi Chipper

It is an open stage in the same way as the live stage, wedding and portrait stage will work. No need to buy tickets.

Jonny
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Chipper, usually its just a case of turning up a bit early at any of the open stages if you want to sit somewhere. Its always nice to be at the sides or the back if you decide to slope off early to catch another talk. Its better than being at the front and doing it, I've seen a few do it before!
 
Try to sit as far away from any other talk areas or food areas as the seating allows. The new show is much better designed, but there used to be lots of problems of noise overlap from various demos or people snacking/chatting so the demo you were sat at got drowned out. As I said though, last year was a big improvement on this.
 
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