Death of the Expo?
Focus on Imaging Expo 2011
There used to be a real buzz at photographic expos with photographers comparing kit and swapping hints and tips, views on gear and information about the bargains to be had.
Focus on Imaging 2011 was crammed with photographers but much of the buzz was missing. Possibly partly down to the internet, which gives access to all the latest information so readily that most new products lose some of their ‘must-see’ attraction. Companies release dribbles of information and there is massive speculation about the ‘what will it have?’ questions, but by the time for displaying it in all its glory arrives, the new product has lost some of its wow factor because we know what it is already.
This year there was a lot of space devoted to printing and particularly large format and/or canvas, firmly underlining the primarily professional market target of the event.
Not that amateurs/enthusiasts were sidelined in any way. There was plenty for everyone and the range of cameras available to play with or purchase was phenomenal. In the late 1970s 70% of the cameras on display would have been 35mm SLRs, with the remainder made up mostly from medium format, TLRs and rangefinders. Whatever the equivalent was then of the current crop of ultra-micro portables such as the Nikon S3100 and Olympus FE-5040, they would not have featured on the radar. On the one hand this demonstrates the ‘inclusive’ nature of digital photography, but on the other it shows a real need to shift product – to anyone.
Then there were the tripods – a plethora of three-legged beasties from positively dinky to enormous (and very tall). The Manfrotto display was a forest of legs and Giotto, Calumet and Vanguard added to the mix.
For me the biggest surprise (or not, as it happened) was the much-vaunted Nikon D7000. With a body weight of less than 700g (ex-battery) it felt like a toy. I have no doubt that the D7000 is an admirable performer, but holding it reminded me of the first time that I drove a Mini (the original type). It was far too close to the ground for me to feel comfortable, despite its incredible road-holding capabilities. Everything felt too close together (Mini and D7000) and, despite having no doubt that the magnesium alloy construction is durable, it didn’t feel like a camera that was suited to rough handling. I’d be afraid that I’d break it.
With talks and demonstrations on everything from lighting to software, there was something for everyone except Canon, who didn’t have a stand, having announced two weeks before the event that they wouldn’t be playing at Focus this year. Only Canon knew why, citing ‘marketing strategy’ at one point. It was a disappointment for those Canon fans who hadn’t heard the news.
Interestingly, although I asked several of the displaying people technical and other questions about the products they were pushing, hardly any of them knew the answers, which may be further indication (on top of Canon’s absence) that the expos are not as important as they used to be to the larger players in the marketplace. You can outsource expo staff but not the knowledge of experienced sales staff it appears.
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