Industry News


The Photography Show Spotlights Push For Mirrorless, Wedding Albums and Innovative Gear Accessories

March 21, 2019

By Greer McNally

Kate and Brent Kirkman of By Lumiere share their insights with the crowd at NEC's The Photography Show in Birmingham, England. "Mirrorless was the biggest conversation that we had over the four days," Kate says. "DSLR users were keen to understand the benefits of shooting mirrorless and we had a big turnout for the Wedding and Portrait Stage Talk where we discussed how Sony has made shooting weddings easier."

Last weekend, The Photography Show took over Hall 5 at Birmingham’s NEC Exhibition Centre in the UK. For those unfamiliar with the expo—now in its sixth year—TPS is the UK’s largest photo and video event, with over 250 exhibitors setting up stands across the four days, just outside England’s second largest city.

Visitors poured through the gates, cameras in hand, to discover the latest new and quirky tech innovations the industry had to offer and listen to industry giants like Martin Parr, Pete Souza and Annie Griffiths chat about their careers. All of the major brands were in attendance, hoping to score points in the hard-fought mirrorless market (as we’ve seen in latest looks at Panasonic’s Lumix S1 and S1R, Canon’s EOS R and EOS RP, Fujifilm’s X-T30 and X-T3, and Nikon’s Z 6 and Z 7, which was briefly reviewed in this roundup and will be more thoroughly tested for Rf‘s upcoming May issue).

Canon, who was debuting its new RF 70-200mm F/2.8L IS USM lens, ran daily workshops with photographer/filmmaker Clive Booth so that visitors could try the EOS R mirrorless system. Meanwhile, Nikon School training manager Neil Freeman talked shooting landscapes with the Nikon Z 6 and Z 7 mirrorless cameras, with the brand launching an ultra-wide lens mount compatible with both models.

The influence of the expanding wedding market was evident everywhere. Many of the big-name brands had wedding professionals on their speaker lineups, such as videographer Emma Wilson of Story of Your Day who discussed her experience shooting with the EOS DSLR system at Canon, while Kate and Brent Kirkman of By Lumiere shared their love of the a7R III at Sony (which we reviewed in person last year, as well as provided technical specs).

The wedding and portrait stage drew in the crowds, as speakers delivered hints and hacks on tackling bad weather, capturing emotion and working with the bride and groom to get that perfect shot.

Among the topics discussed by smaller brands were three key themes: USB and packaging branding, smart camera bags and wedding albums. USB 4 Photographers stood out with its extensive range and adaptable offering in packaging. Figbags hit the mark with its British-made leather camera bags, designed by medical photographer Krystina Reynolds. The brand delivered products that were both practical and professional and at a more accessible price point than its rivals. But it was the wedding albums sector that dominated, with their own gallery section in the hall, displaying some of the best examples around.

Also of note on the accessories front were Broge’s telescopic carbon-fibre composite poles. Light enough to transport yet strong enough to carry serious kits, the poles extended up to 10 meters. Also gaining attention was Bouncelite, a flash modifier, which worked with a flashgun to deliver a practical light solution in awkward locations.

The DJI Osmo Pocket really made the tech crowd happy. The tiny three-axis stabilized handheld camera—DJI’s smallest so far—could be the first serious contender for GoPro in the active market, and it’s definitely worth checking out.

Greer McNally is a freelance writer and photographer who inherited her love of photography from her dad. She’s talked ex-wives with Don McCullin, cat photos with Rankin and can’t wait to catch the Diane Arbus exhibition in London next week.

RELATED LINKS

“The Quirky” Wedding Photo/Video Duo on Staying Fresh in a Changing Industry

15 Telephoto Lenses for Mirrorless and DSLR Photographers

Heads Up: Where Photo Gear is Going in 2019