Thoughts on PDN PhotoExpo NYC 2007

[MJSfoto1956]

Just got back from the latest PhotoExpo in New York.
Here are some observations (in no particular order):


practically nothing shown on the floor regarding darkroom equipment -- you can surmise that practically speaking, the darkroom is essentially dead from a retail point of view
film being actively promoted by Kodak (less so by Fuji)
scanners starting to be promoted less visibly than in past years (although they are still very much in demand)
digicams of every size and shape were shown everywhere
several big announcements in medium format digital (including the big news that Hasselblad is dropping their H2 line of cameras and going to the closed H3 system)
lots of new papers both inkjet and analog
a dizzying variety of tripods from nearly a dozen manufactures, many of which weigh significantly less than equivalent technology of just 10 years ago
huge variety of camera bags for nearly every type of photographer
waaaay too much wedding photography suppliers hawking everything from albums and books to software and online sales sites
still a good deal of large format stuff if you know where to look
small vendors are alive and well -- many catering to medium and large format


http://www.magnachrom.com/downloads/pano.crop.400.jpg

More later...

[Bob Salomon]

Should have come by our booth. We were showing the new Technika 3000 and the new shift adapter for the Technorama 617.

[MJSfoto1956]

Should have come by our booth. We were showing the new Technika 3000 and the new shift adapter for the Technorama 617.

I came by three times -- each time I waited over 5 minutes to chat but you were so damn busy with others!!! ;)

Your other helpers did show me your new items tho...

[Bob Salomon]

Great.

[MJSfoto1956]

here is a photo of a cool dude who was hanging 'round the show with a way cool camera:

http://www.magnachrom.com/downloads/LouisMendes_0843.600.jpg

I got to chat with him and he had a pretty damn impressive portfolio of some unusual Polaroid portraits. Just goes to show that LF is alive an well!

[Helen Bach]

That's Lewis.

http://gallery.photo.net/photo/4975765-lg.jpg

[naturephoto1]

Should have come by our booth. We were showing the new Technika 3000 and the new shift adapter for the Technorama 617.

Bob,

Thanks for taking the time to show and let me handle the new Linhof Master Technika 3000. Beautiful camera and it does have that Linhof feel and precision.

Rich

[David A. Goldfarb]

Lewis is around wherever people are dressed up and might want to be photographed for a few bucks. I've run into him in the Village on Halloween, on Times Square, and in front of gospel shows with a crew of two other guys, also shooting Polaroid pack film in Graphics, photographing as many church ladies in their extravagant hats as they can before the show starts and at intermission. If I'm carrying my Technika he usually nods and smiles or we might exchange a few words if he has a lull and we're on the same side of the street.

[Greg Lockrey]

Bless him! May the photo gods smile on him. :) I wonder if he's making a living just doing this or if it's an opportunity sideline?

[Steven Barall]

The industry has changed in recent years and the Photo Expo is just a reflection of that. Vendors participate in the show because feel that they have something to gain. The weddings, events and seniors portraits businesses are a huge chunk of the photo industry so that's where the investment money is going to go as far as the vendors are concerned.

Digitalrailroad.net is the perfect example of how the business and the Photo Expo have changed. They are a web based international stock photo provider and they had a large presence at the Photo Expo. The thing is that the photographers get to maintain their own identities and personality within the structure of the agency so they don't feel like lost lambs as so many do in the structure of Getty or Corbis.

Digitalrailroad provides photographers with ways to make money and also a level of control that weren't easily available to them in the past. This is similar to the way that Photoshop and Epson can give photographers new revenue streams and greatly increased control over their production. This is what the new photo business is all about and of course it's going to be reflected in the makeup of the vendors at the Photo Expo.

[David A. Goldfarb]

Bless him! May the photo gods smile on him. :) I wonder if he's making a living just doing this or if it's an opportunity sideline?

He seems to be working hard at it, so I'm guessing he pays the rent this way.

[Ted Harris]

Just got back from the latest PhotoExpo in New York.
Here are some observations (in no particular order):

[LIST]
practically nothing shown on the floor regarding darkroom equipment -- you can surmise that practically speaking, the darkroom is essentially dead from a retail point of view
film being actively promoted by Kodak (less so by Fuji)
scanners starting to be promoted less visibly than in past years (although they are still very much in demand)
digicams of every size and shape were shown everywhere


More later...

Michael,

I know we were at the same show since we chatted twice :) but I saw it somewhat differently:

Darkroom-Omega Satter was there and there was some Jobo equipment on display. Noritsu was there as well and at least one traditional lab.

Film-I didn't get the feeling that Fuji was promoting film any less than they were promoting their digital products. In fact, it seems to me in retrospect that both kodak and Fuji had about equal space devoted to traditional and digital products. Harman Technologies seemed to be paying more attention to their papers than to their film (Ilford) but that was a very quick impression and not necessarily correct.

Scanners-I thought they were at least as visable as last year. Aztek wasn't there but Kodak/Creo was and with staff from HQ in Isreal and an IQSmart 3 up and running demos contstantly. Microtek had their booth dedicated entirely to scanners instead of scanners, monitors and flat screen TVs as last year ... and had a working model of their new scanner, the M1, on display. I'm assuming that Epson and Canon and HP all had their scanners on display although I didn't pay enough attention to notice.

OTOH, the industry is changing and there will, IMO, continue to be an increasingly large presence of non-film based technologies present at the show. The first year that the five largest spaces included Apple and Adobe was, for me, a harbinger of things to come.

[Duane Polcou]

An abundance of lighting gear + return of the spokesmodels. I remember years ago Westcott would have Dave Mecey from Playboy give demos, right on the trade show floor, with a live model on posing and lighting, then show slides of his celebrity portraiture and glamour work. For free; just walk on over. It was like going to school.

Then we became so politically correct with a cork wedged up our ass that God forbid anyone should be offended at the tres horrible sight of a millimeter of cleavage.

Well, I happen to like lighting demos with live models, and they were back (Male models as well, lest I be sexist). I guess marketing people suddenly had the epiphany that photographers as a group are in no small way comprised of voyeurs who don't own razors. Duh.

[John Voss]

My wife and I were planning to go on Friday, but at the last minute, decided not to. It's interesting to read this thread because it echoes my lack of regret for missing it given the overwhelming dominance of digital (to which I bear no ill will, but not much interest).

As Ted Harris observes: "OTOH, the industry is changing and there will, IMO, continue to be an increasingly large presence of non-film based technologies present at the show. The first year that the five largest spaces included Apple and Adobe was, for me, a harbinger of things to come."

I probably won't even register next year.

[naturephoto1]

My wife and I were planning to go on Friday, but at the last minute, decided not to. It's interesting to read this thread because it echoes my lack of regret for missing it given the overwhelming dominance of digital (to which I bear no ill will, but not much interest).

As Ted Harris observes: "OTOH, the industry is changing and there will, IMO, continue to be an increasingly large presence of non-film based technologies present at the show. The first year that the five largest spaces included Apple and Adobe was, for me, a harbinger of things to come."

I probably won't even register next year.

John,

Unfortunately there is no other "game in town". I still thought it was worth the trip without question. I spoke to the people at Leica and checked on the R system and anything coming; HP Marketing and Bob Salomon and looked at the Linhof Master 3000; Schneider USA and had a chance to see the Super Symmar XL 80mm lens; Bogen Imaging and looked at their new Gitzo tripods; Light Impressions and Larry Proctor and confirmed the continuation of the arrangement for the APUG 15% discount; Fuji Film USA; View Camera Magazine and spoke with both Steve and Ted; visited with Keith Canham Canham Cameras) and Keith Soderstrom (Ries Tripods); etc.

Rich

[MJSfoto1956]

The key thing is that it is definitely worth it if you can get in for free (e.g. clearly press people such as myself and Ted for example would be silly to pass up the event). Otherwise at $40 per person, I can see that for a dedicated LF person, there is not a huge amount of value other than to keep "current". Hence my post starting this thread.

OTOH, there was a LOT of news regarding MF (especially in regards to lots of baby view cameras designed to hold those precious MF digital backs), but there simply was not as much "new" in the traditional LF department other than what has already been mentioned.

Clearly, the now-annual View Camera Conference would be a much more satisfying venue for the dedicated LF aficionado who has no interest in the latest trends in ubiquitous digital photography. However, for those of us who like ALL formats and ALL technologies, I happen to think it is a great (if somewhat overwhelming) venue.

[Bob Salomon]

The key thing is that it is definitely worth it if you can get in for free (e.g. clearly press people such as myself and Ted for example would be silly to pass up the event). Otherwise at $40 per person, I can see that for a dedicated LF person, there is not a huge amount of value other than to keep "current". Hence my post starting this thread.

All exhibitors at PhotoExpo have free passes for the trade show that we mail out to antone who asks for them or who requests literature from us within a couple of months of the show. There is no need for anyone wanting to see the trade show part of the show to have to pay for admission.

[David Spivak-Focus Magazine]

Any truth to the rumors that they're doing the show in November next year?

[Helen Bach]

You can get in to PhotoPlus for free if you register online beforehand, just like most trade shows. You don't need an invite or a press pass.

Best,
Helen

[Bob Salomon]

Any truth to the rumors that they're doing the show in November next year?

PDN PhotoPlus International Conference & Expo 2008
October 23-25, 2008
Jacob Javits Convention Center
New York City