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Olympus finalizes deal with JIP to sell its Imaging business

30 Sep

In a press release shared today, Olympus has confirmed it’s come to a finalized agreement with Japan Industrial Partners Inc. [JIP] to transfer the Olympus Imaging business at the beginning of 2021.

In the announcement, Olympus says it’s transferring its Imaging business to a new wholly-owned subsidiary called the ‘New Imaging Company.’ On January 2, 2021, 95% of this company will be transferred to OJ Holdings, Ltd., a company created by JIP specifically for this transfer.

The acquisition includes all of Olympus’ global Imaging business, including all research and development, as well as manufacturing facilities. Sales, marketing and R&D operations will be relocated to a new headquarters located in Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan, while production will continue at Olympus’ Vietnamese factories in the Dong Nai province.

Olympus says the ‘New Imaging Company will continue to provide high-quality, highly reliable products’ and notes the ‘Zuiko and OM brands, which are grounded in optics and digital imaging technologies cultivated by Olympus over many years […] will be appropriately positioned to further pursue new developments.’

Once the deal is complete, Olympus will focus on its Medical and Scientific Solutions with a mission to ‘making people’s lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling.’

Press release:

Olympus Agreed on Transfer of Imaging Business with JIP

Tokyo, September 30, 2020 – Olympus Corporation (“Olympus”) today concluded a definitive agreement with Japan Industrial Partners Inc. (“JIP”) regarding the transfer of the Olympus Imaging business. Under the agreement, Olympus will transfer its Imaging business to a newly established wholly-owned subsidiary of Olympus (the “New Imaging Company”), through an absorption-type split. This is to be followed by transferring 95% of the shares of the New Imaging Company on January 1, 2021, to OJ Holdings, Ltd., a special purpose company established by JIP.

Olympus began the manufacture and sale of cameras using the Zuiko lens in 1936 and became one of the world’s leading camera makers. Olympus was among the first companies to make small, lightweight compact cameras with professional quality, such as the award-winning Olympus ‘OM’ and ‘Pen’ series. Driven by the desire to make people’s lives more fulfilling around the world, the company applied innovative technology and unique product development to distinguish itself in a highly competitive industry.

In recent years, however, the market has shrunk rapidly due to the evolution of smartphones, leading to a significant downturn for the digital camera market globally. Despite taking various steps to improve its cost structure and efficiency, Olympus’ Imaging business recorded operating losses for three consecutive fiscal years up to March 2020.

Under such circumstances, Olympus concluded that, by carving-out the Imaging business and operating the business under JIP, its business structure would become more compact, efficient, and agile, and it is the most appropriate way to realize self-sustainable and continuous growth. With a loyal following and long history of innovative products, the New Imaging Company would be committed to building on Olympus’ accumulated expertise and to continue providing customers with innovative, high quality cameras under the new business structure.

“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all our customers for their patronage and support of Olympus products, and for their passion devoted to photography. I have the utmost confidence that this transfer is the correct step forward in sustaining the value of our products and services,” said Yasuo Takeuchi, President and CEO of Olympus Corporation.

“At the same time, I am certain that this opportunity is the best choice for our long-time patrons, new customers and photography enthusiasts. Under the new company, the development, manufacturing, sales and service functions will continue tight collaboration to introduce new products that will satisfy customers,” Takeuchi added.

The agreement applies to Olympus’ global Imaging business, which includes all R&D and manufacturing facilities currently dedicated to its Imaging business. The New Imaging Company will continue to provide high-quality, highly reliable products. Built on a solid foundation, including the Zuiko and OM brands, which are grounded in optics and digital imaging technologies cultivated by Olympus over many years, the New Imaging Company will be appropriately positioned to further pursue new developments.

Head of sales and marketing, R&D and designing departments for imaging products will be relocated to the headquarters of the New Imaging Company in Hachioji, Tokyo. Production will continue at the location in Dong Nai province, Vietnam, where imaging products are currently manufactured. The New Imaging Company will continue to provide customer support for the imaging products which have been manufactured and sold by Olympus.

Following the transfer of the Imaging business, Olympus will concentrate on Medical and Scientific Solutions, in our ongoing efforts toward making people’s lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling.

Information on the New Imaging Company is as follows. Company name: OM Digital Solutions Corporation Location: Hachioji, Tokyo Representative Director: Shigemi Sugimoto Business operations: Operations involving the manufacture and sale of digital cameras (primarily mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras), interchangeable lenses, IC recorders, and other audio products Capital: Not fixed

For the details about the company split and the transfer of shares, please refer our corporate disclosure “Signing of Definitive Agreement for Divestiture of Imaging Business.” (https://www.olympus-global.com/news/ir/2020/)

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Fujifilm XF 50mm F1.0 R WR will sell for $1500 this fall

03 Sep

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Fujifilm has formally announced its XF 50mm F1.0 R WR portrait prime lens, the world’s first F1.0 lens for mirrorless cameras that includes autofocus capability. It’s also the 35th lens Fujifilm has developed for its lineup of X-series cameras.

The XF 50mm F1.0 has 12 elements in nine groups, and contains one aspherical element and two extra-low dispersion (ED) elements. It has a rounded diaphragm and its wide maximum aperture means that, paired with Fujifilm’s X-Pro3 and X-T4 cameras, users can autofocus at a luminance level of -7EV. That’s dimmer than a night lit by a quarter moon.

The wide, focus-by-wire focus ring gives users 120° of rotation, allowing for precise movements. It weighs in at 845g (1.86lb), and is dust, moisture and freeze resistant down to temperatures of -10°C (14°F).

Fujifilm says the XF 50mm F1.0 R WR will be available in Fall 2020 at a price of $ 1499 USD ($ 2000 CAD).

Press release:

Heralding a new age of portrait photography: FUJINON XF50mmF1.0 R WR Lens

Introducing the world’s first F1.0 lens with Autofocus*1

Valhalla, N.Y. – September 3, 2020 – FUJIFILM North America Corporation is pleased to announce the launch of the FUJINON XF50mmF1.0 R WR Lens (hereafter “XF50mmF1.0 R WR”), the world’s first autofocus lens with a maximum aperture of F1.0, designed for mirrorless cameras. The XF50mmF1.0 R WR is the 35th interchangeable lens for the lineup of X Series digital cameras.

“We’re really excited about the XF50mmF1.0 R WR,” said Victor Ha, senior director of marketing and product management for the Electronic Imaging Division of FUJIFILM North America Corporation. “Not only is it the fastest interchangeable lens Fujifilm has ever produced, but it’s also an incredible tool for visual storytellers to use in telling their stories because its autofocus can achieve critical focus at very shallow depth of fields.”

XF50mmF1.0 R WR Features:

Achieves an Incredibly Shallow Depth-of-Field

The XF50mmF1.0 R WR consists of 12 lens elements in nine groups and also contains one aspherical element and two extra-low dispersion (ED) elements to achieve optimum control of spherical aberration. Used at or near to its maximum F1.0 aperture, XF50mmF1.0 R WR can produce an astonishingly narrow depth-of-field. Its precision-engineered, rounded diaphragm produces large, smooth bokeh for a professional look. Use this new power in selective focus to keep only the subject’s eyes in focus and to create captivating, close-up character images. “But it’s not just for portraits,” said Ha. “Take this lens out onto the street or into a lifestyle session and you’ll turn cluttered locations into clean backdrops with unrivaled subject separation.”

More Options in Low-Light Conditions

The very wide, maximum aperture on XF50mmF1.0 R WR means there are more options when it comes to making images in low-light conditions. At night, or in darkened interiors, XF50mmF1.0 R WR offers the widest apertures yet seen on an XF Lens, allowing more light to be drawn in when capturing your image. The FUJINON XF50mmF1.0 R WR lens also easily achieves fast shutter speeds that freeze movement and keep ISO settings lower for detail-rich results. Alternatively, combine high ISO settings with the F1.0 aperture for incredible versatility and use in other low-light applications like astrophotography.

World’s First F1.0 Autofocus Lens for Mirrorless Cameras

As the world’s first autofocus F1.0 lens made for any mirrorless system, including full-frame, XF50mmF1.0 R WR brings more light to the sensor than any previous XF lens, making it possible for the autofocus to operate on FUJIFILM X-Pro3 and X-T4 cameras at -7EV luminance level. Leaving behind a previous limit of -6EV luminance level with other XF lenses X Series users now have fast and precise low-light autofocus, even in near-darkness. With the added benefits of on-sensor Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF), Face/Eye AF and a powerful DC (direct current) motor, precise and fast autofocus at shallow depths of field is now also a possibility.

120° of Precise Focus

To make the most of its super-shallow depth-of-field, focusing must be precise. As a result, XF50mmF1.0 R WR has a focus ring that has been designed to be more accurate than any previous XF Lens. This makes it possible to adjust the focus from the minimum focusing distance to infinity very precisely. For this, XF50mmF1.0 R WR uses 120° of rotation in its focusing ring to let you focus manually with minimal error – and to achieve accurate focus when using your X Series camera’s Focus Peaking and Focus Assist modes. The 120° of rotation also makes autofocus movements notably precise and deliberate, while the lens’ engineering is designed to minimize focus shift effects during image making.

Lightweight, Durable, Weather-Resistant Design

Despite being a fast, F1.0 lens, XF50mmF1.0 R WR is a lens you can use to make amazing pictures almost anywhere. Measuring 4.07in (103.5mm) long and weighing 1.86 pounds (845 grams), the lens is still quite compact and portable. Like all other weather-resistant XF Lenses, it is sealed in 11 locations to protect against moisture and dust, as well as being capable of use in temperatures down to 14°F (-10°C). When allied to a similarly specified, weather-resistant X Series mirrorless digital camera body, XF50mmF1.0 R WR lets you make unique images in the toughest environments.

Pricing and Availability

The XF50mmF1.0 R WR lens is expected to be available in Fall 2020 at manufacturer’s suggested retail prices of $ 1,499.95 USD ($ 2,000.00 CAD).

For more information, please visit https://fujifilm-x.com/en-us/products/lenses/xf50mmf1-r-wr/.

*1 Among interchangeable lenses for mirrorless digital camera systems as of September 3, 2020, according to Fujifilm data

Fujifilm XF 50mm F1.0 R WR specifications

Principal specifications
Lens type	Prime lens
Max Format size	APS-C / DX
Focal length	50 mm
Image stabilization	No
Lens mount	Fujifilm X
Aperture
Maximum aperture	F1
Minimum aperture	F16
Aperture ring	Yes
Number of diaphragm blades	9
Optics
Elements	12
Groups	9
Focus
Minimum focus	0.70 m (27.56″)
Maximum magnification	0.08×
Autofocus	Yes
Full time manual	Yes
Focus method	Internal
Distance scale	No
DoF scale	No
Physical
Weight	845 g (1.86 lb)
Diameter	87 mm (3.43″)
Materials	Magnesium alloy
Sealing	Yes
Colour	Black
Filter thread	77 mm
Hood supplied	Yes

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Olympus to Quit the Camera Business, Sell Brands to Investment Fund

28 Jun

The post Olympus to Quit the Camera Business, Sell Brands to Investment Fund appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Olympus is leaving the camera business.

After three years of financial struggle, the company has decided to sell its camera division to Japanese Industrial Partners (JIP), a firm known for its ability to successfully restructure unprofitable businesses.

In recent years, Olympus has become more heavily invested in other aspects of its business, and while the company attempted to keep its camera division moving forward, it has struggled to compete with players on either end of the spectrum. Smartphones have eaten into profits generated by hobbyist cameras, while APS-C and full-frame cameras have maintained an edge against Olympus’s semi-professional and professional models.

Then, last fall, rumors of an Olympus camera division shutdown were denied by the CEO, though it’s clear that the company was on a firm downward trajectory; as indicated in the official announcement, Olympus was hit hard by an “extremely severe digital camera market, due to, amongst others, rapid market shrink caused by the evolution of smartphones.”

And while Olympus’s mirrorless lineups were praised for their compactness and sharp lenses, the company struggled to find a habitable niche, especially as “small-but-powerful” became a common refrain of Google Pixels, iPhones, and more. And the release of higher-end bodies such as the OM-D E-M1 Mark III and the OM-D E-M1X wasn’t enough to pull more serious photographers away from leading brands such as Nikon, Canon, and Sony.

So what comes next?

JIP plans to take over the Olympus camera brands by the end of 2020. The announcement indicates that a “definitive agreement” will be signed by September 30th, with the two companies aiming to “close the transaction by December 31, 2020.”

JIP will then “succeed and maintain the research and development functions and manufacturing functions globally…to continue to offer high-quality, highly reliable products.”

This is technically good news for Olympus photographers. JIP will at least attempt to rebuild Olympus’s camera division in the interests of its current consumers. But if the camera market continues to bleed, it may be impossible for JIP to turn things around, leading to a more permanent end for the brand.

And here’s another important question:

What does this mean for the camera industry as a whole? Is Olympus an anomaly? Or is the first of many? At present, even leading camera companies are struggling to find footing, which makes me wonder whether we might witness the fall of at least a few more camera brands before the market stabilizes.

Now over to you:

What do you think about Olympus’s decision? Will it impact Olympus consumers? And will we see the decline of other major camera brands? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Olympus to Quit the Camera Business, Sell Brands to Investment Fund appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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Olympus agrees to sell imaging business by the end of the year

25 Jun

Olympus has announced it’s agreed in principle to divest itself of its imaging business by transferring it to a new company that will continue to run it. The company that will run the new business is Japan Industrial Partners, and Olympus hopes that the final agreement will be made in September and the deal closed by the end of the calendar year.

In a statement, Olympus says the new company will carry on making and selling camera equipment and suggests it will maintain R&D and manufacturing facilities around the world. Crucially, the new company will also provide support to existing Olympus camera owners.

After three years of losses Olympus says it needs a more ‘compact, efficient and agile’ corporate structure and claims having a new company run the camera business is the only way to make it survive and grow. The company blames the rise in smartphones as a continuing factor in the decline of the camera market, and says it has done what it can to reduce costs. However, further cost-cutting is to come as the imaging business is prepared for its transfer so that it can be taken on in a more ‘profitable and sustainable’ condition.

Press release:

Signing of Memorandum of Understanding for Divestiture of Imaging Business

Olympus Corporation (“Olympus”) and Japan Industrial Partners, Inc. (“JIP”) hereby announce that, today, the parties signed a memorandum of understanding to carveout Olympus’s Imaging business to a new company (“NewCo”) and subsequently transfer its shares to a fund managed, operated or otherwise handled by JIP (the “Transaction”).
After the due diligence and further discussions and negotiations, the parties are aiming to sign a legally- binding definitive agreement for the Transaction (the “Definitive Agreement”) by September 30, 2020. We will promptly make further announcement if any matters relating to the Transaction that needs further announcement occur.

1. Background and Purpose of the Transaction
Olympus’s Imaging business began with the manufacture and sale of a camera using the photographic lens Zuiko in 1936. Through innovative technology and unique product development capabilities, Olympus has developed and launched various products, aiming to contribute to make people’s lives more fulfilling. Those products include: Olympus Pen, the innovative half-sized camera; Zuiko Pearlcorder, the world’s first micro-cassette tape recorder; and Olympus OM-D series, the mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Olympus has implemented measures to cope with the extremely severe digital camera market, due to, amongst others, rapid market shrink caused by the evolution of smartphones; Olympus has improved the cost structure by restructuring the manufacturing bases and focusing on high-value-added interchangeable lenses, aiming to rectify the earning structure to those that may continue generating profit even as sales dwindles. Despite all such efforts, Olympus’s Imaging business recorded operating losses for 3 consecutive
fiscal years up to the term ended in March 2020.

Under such circumstances, Olympus considers that, by carving-out the Imaging business and by operating the business with JIP, the Imaging business’s corporate structure may become more compact, efficient and agile and it is the most appropriate way to realize its self-sustainable and continuous growth and to bring values to the users of our products as well as our employees working in the Imaging business. Olympus therefore has decided to sign the memorandum of understanding for the Transaction.

JIP has strong track records in supporting strategic carve-outs that realize growth potential and encourage autonomous growth. By adding support from JIP, the NewCo, as the successor of reputable brands such as “OM-D” and “ZUIKO,” will utilize the innovative technology and unique product development capabilities which have been developed within Olympus, and will realize continuous growth of the business by bringing better products and services to the users and customers and by making itself a productive and rewarding work place for its employees.

2. Imaging Business after the Transaction
NewCo will succeed and maintain the research and development functions and manufacturing functions globally as reformed under the contemplated structuring reforms to continue to offer high-quality, highly reliable products; and also continue to provide supports to the imaging solution products that have been distributed by Olympus.

3. Outline of the Transaction
The specifics of the Transaction shall be decided in the Definitive Agreement after careful examination and consultation between the parties. The parties currently consider the outline of the Transaction shall be as follows.
The parties will proceed with the actions and procedures for Transactions in full compliance with applicable laws including consultation obligations and other requirements under local employment laws.

Structure

Olympus’s Imaging business will be transferred to the NewCo by way of company split or otherwise, and then, shares in the NewCo will be transferred to a new company to be established by JIP.
Signing of Definitive Agreement: Scheduled to be signed by September 30, 2020
Closing: Olympus and JIP strive to close the Transaction by December 31, 2020.

Structuring Reform
Prior to the closing of the Transaction, Olympus plans to implement structuring reforms to the Imaging business aiming to change the business structure of Imaging business to be more profitable and sustainable. We are currently investigating costs and other impacts of the structuring reform. If any future event which requires disclosure arises, Olympus will announce it promptly.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Filmmaker uses COVID-19 work lull to make and sell $10 3D-printed camera battery cases

07 May

A documentary film maker from Utah has designed and built a series of battery holder magazines that he says help to solve the problem of knowing which batteries are fresh and which are depleted. The 3D printed magazines hold three or four batteries from common cameras and allow the batteries to be inserted contacts up for dead batteries and down for fresh ones.

Tim Irwin, who is printing the magazines in his basement, had been meaning to come up with a solution to this problem for a while, and had tried downloaded plans for 3D printed magazines in the past, but found they always broke. ‘I originally found files on Thingiverse that worked for a bit. But all the designs I tried from there ended up breaking because of a weak point in the print’ he explains. ‘When the travel restrictions around Covid 19 hit every one of my gigs was cancelled or postponed, so it seemed like prefect time to dive into this side mission. I designed my own from scratch and refined it over a long period of time until I was happy with the product. I’m always looking for ways to make my kit more efficient, quick, and organized. The Battery Mag was born out of that.’

Tim has designed the magazine so that when fresh batteries are loaded with their contacts down they are isolated from each other and from anything else the magazine might come into contact with, so the risk of shorting is avoided. And with deads loaded with the contacts facing up it is easy to see at a glance which battery to reach for next in fast moving situations.

Tim, who owns Functional Films, makes commercial video documentaries and says he is usually on the road shooting about 140 days a year. That has all stopped due to the coronavirus out-break, so this is how he is filling his time.

The Battery Mags are available for Panasonic DMW-BLF19, Canon LP-E6/N, Pentax DLI90, Sony NP-FZ100, Sony NP-FW50 batteries and he says a unit for Panasonic S cameras is also in production. The magazines are $ 9, $ 10 and $ 14 each, respectively, and can be ordered via the Battery Mag website.

For examples of Tim’s work see his Instagram page.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Instaproofs Review: An All-In-One Platform to Sell Your Photography Online

19 Apr

The post Instaproofs Review: An All-In-One Platform to Sell Your Photography Online appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.

Looking for a better way to share and sell your photos online? Then Instaproofs might be the right solution for you.

Whether you do in-person sales or online, Instaproofs can help you organize your sessions, sell products and prints, and even help with contracts. Read more about the platform in today’s article review.

Instaproofs Review: An All-In-One Platform to Sell Your Photography Online

What is Instaproofs?

Instaproofs is a subscription-based platform online that helps photographers use online galleries to sell products, prints, and digitals to their clients worldwide.

They have been around for 15 years and over time have improved their platform to offer beautifully-designed galleries, easy user-friendly cart systems, and create more avenues for photographers to earn more after completing their work.

They are similar to other services like Pixieset and require a monthly subscription. Although, they do have a free plan available for those who use online galleries for in-person sales and can work within the 3GB limit.

Here are the current monthly options for Instaproofs that you can choose from:

Key features

The key features that Instaproofs offers are:

Online gallery platform and shopping cart with custom pricing and products
Cloud storage
Contacts and invoicing
Mobile apps
Digital delivery
Reports
Multi-lingual
Marketing tools and email tracking
Managed accounts for multiple users
Migration services from previous online gallery service (extra charge for this $ 3 per gallery).
Lab fulfillment services
Watermarking
Quick payments through Stripe

The service also offers a 14-day free trial so you can poke around and see if it’s right for you and your business.

In-Depth Review

Galleries

These three the are the biggest features that Instaproofs provides. Whether you are a digital delivery photographer or focus more on prints, there are endless features that you can take advantage of to get you more sales.

The online galleries support high-resolution images up to 50MB per image making sure that you’re able to offer your clients the best image quality available for their images. You’re also able to upload smaller resolution images if you’re looking to present the images during in-person sales. This can save you storage space the monthly plan.

The galleries also have the option of choosing the image you want to be featured for the entire gallery as well as category featured images which can be different. You’re also able to upload the HTML code for a video slideshow if you’ve created one – all to captivate your clients right from the start.

When setting up your galleries, you have all the options in the same window so that you can set up the purchase minimum, slideshow music, whether you want the photos to display mostly horizontal or vertical, choose a price list for the gallery, and categories.

Currently, they’ve added the option to upload to multiple categories simultaneously for faster uploads making it easier to organize and categorize the images for your clients.

Adding custom links and music to the slideshows is also a great way to engage your clients during the selling process. Another great plugin: Direct uploading from Aperture, Lightroom, or FTP applications.

Not into selling digitals? You don’t have to. The galleries offer the photographer to have a minimum purchase amount, offer only web-sized digitals or only watermarked digital images.

You have full control over how you want to set up each individual gallery. You can give your clients permission to hide images, download all, or none, and a customized link. You can also have guests who enter the link to only be able to purchase images and not download at all. Each gallery is personalized as much or as little as you want.

From the galleries, you’re able to create mobile apps that hold 50 images from a particular gallery. You can also make one without a pre-existing gallery, where the client can save the mobile app onto their smartphone and have 50 images to view and share on the go! Especially useful to do sneak peeks/previews.

Shopping cart and selling

Instaproofs’ motto is “Sell more prints” and that is exactly what they aim for. More than a digital delivery service, they make it really user friendly for photographers to set up price sheets, sales, coupons, and products to the storefront for clients to purchase.

You can also choose to create add-ons so that you can maximize the sale. Rather than just selling a print, you can also add on the frame and offer your clients more value for their purchases.

When creating the shopping cart, you can also use lab pricing and a certain markup percentage to make it easier to set pricing. This can be really useful for beginner photographers who are getting into selling products and don’t really know how to go about pricing their prints and products.

From the cart, you can activate whether you’ll want to sell prints in black and white and/or sepia. This is a preference and each photographer can set up the cart as they wish.

There are many features to the shopping cart that gives the photographer full control of what to sell, how many, bulk pricing, options for black and white or sepia, cropping to help clients crop properly, lab fulfillment, pricing sheets, discounts, sales, coupons, promotions, and much more.

It’s a complete selling platform for you and user friendly for your clients. You will need a Stripe account in order to activate the storefront in order to get paid.

Contracts and invoicing

Instaproofs have added contracts and invoicing to their services and allows photographers to create their own contracts or use a pre-made template.

Choose templates for weddings, portraits, model releases for both adults and minors, independent contractor agreement (freelance work or similar) or you can make your own.

Just fill in the fields and required information, then choose to save a draft or finalize and send it to your client for signature.

Right from the contracts window, you are also able to create an invoice for your client by filling in the information fields for the invoice.

You can also choose an online gallery for the invoice in the event that you’ve already made a gallery.

Choose to attach the contract to the invoice, add an auto-reminder, and save your invoices as templates for future use.

Reports

Another great feature for photographers is to get reports of what you’re selling, products most purchased, email deliveries, and much more. This can be really great to see how your business is doing year to year.

Pros and cons

The biggest pro for signing up with Instaproofs is the number of features it offers photographers all from the same platform. Meaning, you don’t have to use different services to send gallery invites, emails including cart and expiration reminders.

The service allows photographers to ultimately customize the entire interface from adding your logo to the galleries, custom links, custom products, and print options, add-ons, and pricing sheets.

Instaproofs also has a referral program that gives existing users the opportunity to get more storage (2gb per referral) when a photographer signs up and says you sent them. It’s a great incentive if you’re a satisfied customer.

The con may be the price and limited galleries in the free and basic options.

There is also a commission fee for the free option and limited cloud storage.

We’ve rounded other top services so you can compare them and determine which is best for your business.

Instaproofs leads in cloud storage in the bottom level monthly subscriptions but doesn’t offer an unlimited version for companies with a higher volume. Which is a big con if you’re a multi-photographer studio that needs unlimited galleries and storage space for high resolution selling and viewing.

Also, it’s important to note that Instaproofs isn’t an online archiving site and so if you’re looking for a service that backs up your digital files, you might want to look elsewhere. It’s primarily for uploading client photos and selling photo products.

Conclusion

Instaproofs has a lot of features that aren’t just bells and whistles. Many of the top photographers like Jonathan Canlas, Laura Murray, and Abby Grace use Instaproofs for their own businesses.

Having an all-in-one platform for both product-based photographers and digital format photographers, with customization in all of their features, gives you a great advantage in generating more sales and offering a beautiful and easy to use interface for your clients to view, enjoy, share, and buy their images.

With a 14 day free trial, you can try it out yourself and see if it’s the right service for you and your photography business.

The post Instaproofs Review: An All-In-One Platform to Sell Your Photography Online appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.

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Sigma’s new Classic Art Prime Cine and /i Technology PL lens kits to sell for $44K

07 Dec

Sigma has announced the pricing and availability for its upcoming Classic Art Prime Cine and /i Technology-compatible Cine Art Prime PL-mount lenses. These are variants of its Art Cine Prime with simpler coatings for a classic cinema aesthetic. The company plans to release the Classic Art Prime Cine line as a set of 10 lenses in January 2020 for $ 43,999; these lenses will only be available as part of the full set.

Unlike the Classic Art Prime Cine lenses, the /i Technology-compatible versions will be released for individual purchase in two different batches, the first going up for sale later this month and the second going up for sale in late January 2020. The lenses will be available from authorized dealers.

The /i Technology versions communicate shooting metadata to camera bodies that are compatible with Cooke’s communication protocol.

The following /i Technology-compatible lenses will be priced at $ 3,899 each with availability listed below:

20mm T1.5 (late December 2019)
24mm T1.5 (late December 2019)
28mm T1.5 (late January 2020)
35mm T1.5 (late December 2019)
40mm T1.5 (late January 2020)
50mm T1.5 (late December 2019)
85mm T1.5 (late December 2019)

The remaining three new /i Technology-compatible lenses will be priced at $ 5,499 each:

14mm T2 (late January 2020)
105mm T1.5 (late January 2020)
135mm T2 (late January 2020)

The movie Top Gun: Maverick scheduled to hit theaters early next year was shot using early versions of Sigma’s new FF High Speed Prime /i Technology-compatible lens, according to the company. As the name indicates, these lenses are compatible with the /i Technology communication protocol from Cooke Optics.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Panasonic to sell remaining stake in semiconductor joint venture in face of ‘aggressive’ competition

03 Dec

Panasonic has announced it’ll be selling off its minority stake in its semiconductor joint venture for $ 250M to Taiwan’s Nuvoton Technology Corp after deciding it would need to invest more than it is prepared to do to compete and expand in the market.

Back in 2014, Panasonic offloaded a majority of its semiconductor unit to a joint venture with Isreali semiconductor manufacturer TowerJazz. The joint venture, which is owned 51% by TowerJazz and 49% by Panasonic, was initially believed to be sold as a whole, but TowerJazz has since confirmed in a statement that it will retain its majority stake and ultimate control of the operation following the transition:

‘TowerJazz, the global specialty foundry leader, clarifies following recent press releases in connection with the sale of Panasonic semiconductor business to Nuvoton that it will not sell its TPSCo shares and will maintain its 51% ownership and Board control in TPSCo.’

Part of the semiconductor business is involved with making imaging sensors for cameras and smartphones, as well as for numerous industrial purposes. It isn’t clear at the moment exactly how this will impact the company’s camera division or the upcoming 8K organic sensor planned for the 2020 Olympics, but all intellectual property and contracts are to be transferred to the buyer in June next year — a month before the start of the Olympics.

Panasonic says it’s tried to streamline its semiconductor business and that it has divested parts of the business already to make it less expensive to operate, but that it would need much more investment to expand the division and to compete in an aggressive market.

The sale may not have very much effect at all as the majority of Panasonic’s Lumix cameras use third-party sensors, and the majority of sensors made by the division being sold were for the automotive business and industrial applications. However, the division lists 16MP CMOS sensors for stills cameras and 20MP Super 35mm sensors for broadcast cameras in its offering. Whether the technology and manufacturing facilities for the 8K organic sensor are also part of the deal we have yet to discover.

We have contacted Panasonic for comment and to clarify what this might mean, if anything, for its camera business. We will update the article if we receive a statement.

Press release:

Announcement of the Transfer of the Semiconductor Business

OSAKA, Japan – Panasonic Corporation (hereinafter, the “Company”) announced that it will transfer (hereinafter, the “Transfer”) the semiconductor business mainly operated by Panasonic Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd. (hereinafter, “PSCS”), which is a 100% consolidated subsidiary company of Panasonic Equity Management Japan G.K.(hereinafter, “PEMJ”), a 100% consolidated subsidiary company of the Company, to Nuvoton Technology Corporation (hereinafter, “Nuvoton”), a Taiwan-based semiconductor company under the umbrella of Winbond Electronics Corporation group, and enter into the Stock and Asset Transfer Agreement (hereinafter, the “Agreement”) with this company. A decision was authorized by the Board resolution today.

1. Background and Purpose
The semiconductor business of the Company has shifted from the AV area to the automotive and industrial area over the last few years. The Company has positioned the “Sensing” technologies such as image sensors, and the “LiB Application” technologies such as IC for battery management and MOSFET for LiB battery circuits protection as the focus areas, and the Company has aimed to grow its business by consolidating resources in these areas.

In the meantime, in April 2014, the Company transferred the semiconductor wafer production process of the Hokuriku Plants (Uozu, Tonami, Arai) to the joint venture company formed with Tower Semiconductor Ltd., an Israel based foundry company. Furthermore, in June 2014, the Company transferred its semiconductor assembly plants in Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia to UTAC Manufacturing Services Ltd. (hereinafter, “UTAC”) having its headquarter in Hong Kong. The Company has been strengthening its competitiveness by becoming an asset-light company, consolidating and eliminating its offices and production bases in both Japan and overseas for the mitigation of business risks.

However, the competitive environment surrounding the semiconductor business has become extremely severe due to aggressive expansion of competitors, huge investments in the focused area, and industry reorganization through M&A. In such an environment, the Company has come to believe that the even stronger business operation and the continuous investment is critical in order to achieve a sustained growth and expansion of the semiconductor business. Accordingly, it has concluded that the best option would be to transfer the business to Nuvoton, which highly appreciates the Company’s accumulated technical and product capabilities and therefore has a potential to lead stable growth by leveraging those capabilities.

2. About the Transfer
(1) Business restructuring before the Transfer: Just prior to the Transfer, the Company will restructure the semiconductor business as follows.

All shares of Panasonic Industrial Devices Systems and Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter, “PIDST”) and Panasonic Industrial Devices Engineering Co., Ltd. (hereinafter, “PIDE”), which are wholly-owned subsidiaries of PEMJ, will be handed over to PSCS by way of company split.
The semiconductor business-related intellectual property rights and certain business contracts held by the Company and/or the Company’s subsidiaries and the semiconductor business-related assets and debt of the Company will be handed over to PSCS by way of either company split or asset transfer.
All PSCS’s shares held by PEMJ will be handed over to a to-be-established, wholly-owned subsidiary of PEMJ (hereinafter, the “PSCS Holding Company”) by way of share transfer.
The semiconductor-related components (lead frame) business of PSCS will be handed over to a to-be-established, wholly-owned subsidiary of PEMJ by way of company split.

(2) Details of the Transfer: Upon completion of the business restructuring above, the Transfer will be carried out as per the details below with target effective date of June 1, 2020 (scheduled).

PEMJ will transfer all PSCS Holding Company’s shares to Nuvoton.
The business of Panasonic Industrial Devices Semiconductor Asia (an in-house company in charge of development and sales of semiconductors; hereinafter, “PIDSCA”) under Panasonic Asia Pacific Pte Ltd. (a Singaporean entity owned by the Company through its subsidiary; hereinafter, “PA”) will be handed over to Singapore- based entity owned by Nuvoton.
Certain facilities and inventories attributable to the semiconductor business of Panasonic Semiconductor (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter, “PSCSZ”) will be transferred to China-based entity owned by Nuvoton.

3. Other
The Agreement is based on the precondition of obtaining approvals from the authorities responsible for competition laws and other government agencies of the respective country and region. In addition, the planned date of the Transfer including business restructuring before the Transfer may differ significantly in light of the duration required for completing the procedures for obtaining approval and other procedures concerning permissions etc.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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How to Sell a Travel Story to a Magazine and Help Fund Your Travels

10 Sep

The post How to Sell a Travel Story to a Magazine and Help Fund Your Travels appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kav Dadfar.

There is nothing quite like when you sell a travel story to a magazine. Seeing all your hard work in print gives you a great sense of satisfaction. Editorial work has changed a lot over the past few years, and you must prepare yourself for some rejection. However, if you follow this simple process of selling a story, and don’t give up, you will reap the rewards.

Also note, once you have built up a few relationships with editors, things get simpler. Once editors know and trust you, they will be far more receptive to your pitch for a story.

How-to-Sell-a-Travel-Story

Publication research

Once you have an article idea, it’s always a good idea to research the type of magazines that may be interested in printing your story. Magazines differ significantly from one another. To give your story the best possible chance of publication, aim to pitch it to the right place.

For example, if your story is about walking, then pitch it to magazines that specialize in hiking or outdoor activities. Go to your local shop and flick through the magazine you intend to pitch to and see if it would be the right fit.

Also, research their submission process. Many publications have clear guidelines on how to submit work.

An example of a travel article in 360ºMagazine by Jennifer Bell.

Find a fresh angle

When you have your list of possible publications, ensure your story is fresh and unique. You don’t want to pitch ideas that are the same or similar to articles already recently published.

Most publications publish their articles on their website too, so check that what you are pitching is different. Also, remember to check upcoming articles as well. It may be that your article idea is set to feature in the next few issues.

The publication’s media pack is usually a good place to search for this sort of thing.

How to Sell a Travel Story to a Magazine and Help Fund Your Travels

Destination research

Now that you have your angle and a list of preferred publications, it is time to research your topic. Researching your topic is one of the most important aspects of any shoot, and one rarely mentioned when discussing selling a story to a magazine. Many photographers will have you believe everything just comes together out in the field. But the reality is very different.

If your story is on the best museums in a certain city, then make sure you have a list of the museums you plan to visit. Write down everything from the best times to be there to the most important exhibits. If your angle is about hiking, then plan your walk to factor in the best times at viewpoints for photography.

The more you research, the better your shoot will be.

How-to-Sell-a-Travel-Story

Prepare for rejection

If you want to be successful in any industry, you have to accept rejection along the way. Even as a pro with years of experience behind you, not every pitch will be successful. If only it was…

The key is not to take rejection personally. Don’t let it discourage you from pitching a different story to the same publication. If you are lucky and the editor gives you some feedback, take note of their suggestions, and work on these areas. Never get angry or burn your bridges with anyone as you will have an impossible task to win them round again.

How-to-Sell-a-Travel-Story

Shoot plan

Once you’ve got your angle and completed your research, its time to start putting a shoot plan together. Your shoot plan should be more than just a list of locations – think of your shoot plan like an encyclopedia of your shoot. Include anything relevant like opening times, best times to shoot (sunset/sunrise), and logistics of getting to your required shoot locations.

Make a note of other potential locations you can visit. It’s also worth putting together some contingency ideas in the case of bad weather or unforeseen closures. The key to a good shoot plan is to make it as easy as possible to capture the shots you want to take.

The last thing that you want to be doing is rushing around, wasting valuable shooting time.

How to Sell a Travel Story to a Magazine and Help Fund Your Travels

Image variation

The reason that a shot list is so important is it ensures you cover the shots that you need to capture, and will also give you variety. Your images should include a range of details, people, buildings, landscapes/cityscapes, food, and anything else that would be relevant to your story.

The more variation and options you can provide an editor, the more chance you will have of selling your story.

How-to-Sell-a-Travel-Story

Tell a story

The big difference between a story and just documenting a place is the story you are trying to tell. You want to try to make sure your piece isn’t just a photographic list of places. The key is to take the viewer on a journey with you. It is also important to take notes of all the necessary information that accompanies your story. People’s names, places, names of food dishes – you never know what might be needed.

The final piece should be a coherent story that has a variety in the shots.

How-to-Sell-a-Travel-Story

The pitch

Some people prefer to pitch their idea before embarking on their journey. While this is a safe option in regards to knowing you wouldn’t be wasting money unnecessarily unless you already have a relationship with an editor, it can be difficult. Even if an editor does like your idea, it is very unlikely they will offer you a commission straightaway. Any agreement will usually be on a speculative basis so they will not be under any obligation to buy your article afterward.

I personally believe you are best to pitch a finished piece that’s ready to go to press. Whatever approach you decide to take, the pitch is the most crucial part of the process. You’ve put in all that hard work and investment, so it’s important to get your pitch just right so you make a great first impression.

Your email should be direct and well thought out, showing off your knowledge of your subject. It should be backed up with the credibility required to give the editor confidence in you and your work. Take your time composing your pitch email and run it by friends and family for feedback. It’s okay to send a follow-up email a couple of weeks later but don’t keep pestering the editor. If you haven’t heard back after a couple of emails, assume it hasn’t been successful.

How to Sell a Travel Story to a Magazine and Help Fund Your Travels

Submission

If you do get that great bit of news that your story has been accepted, make sure to follow all submission guidelines. Otherwise, your piece will more than likely be rejected. Your text should be proofread to avoid any spelling or grammatical mistakes. Even if you are just providing images, typos make you look unprofessional.

The majority of publications will also have strict guidelines for images, so be sure to follow these. It’s a good idea to read these before you start your edit as there will usually be guidelines on color space, sharpening and even cropping. Many publications prefer to do this in-house.

How to Sell a Travel Story to a Magazine and Help Fund Your Travels

What next?

So you’ve sent your pitch and nothing even after the follow-up. You can either try another publication or go back to the drawing board with a different story. However, even if your story has been successful, be sure to go back with other ideas. Even if it takes time, going back to the same editor might be a little easier now that they have seen your work.

How to Sell a Travel Story to a Magazine and Help Fund Your Travels

Publications have limited space for freelance photographers to pitch stories. Inevitably there is also a huge amount of competition for any available space. The best way to give yourself a chance is to really research the publication and pitch something that would be too good for them to turn down.

Do you have any other tips about how to sell a travel story to a magazine? If so, share with us in the comments below!

The post How to Sell a Travel Story to a Magazine and Help Fund Your Travels appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kav Dadfar.

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Kodak Alaris is actively looking to sell off its paper and film unit for an estimated $34M

06 Feb

A surprising report has revealed that Kodak Alaris, specifically its film unit responsible for bringing back Ektachrome 35mm film products, is up for sale. The business move was revealed by Inside Imaging, which reports that at least part of Kodak Alaris may be split off and sold as soon as next month.

Though the company had not publicly revealed its plans, some details emerged from a recently discovered financial report lodged with the UK’s Companies House in December 2018. According to the report, which covers a time period of January 1 to March 31, 2017, Kodak Alaris’ Paper, Photochemicals and Film (PPF) unit has been up for sale since January 2018 following the board’s decision to ‘actively divest the business to a buyer with greater market synergies.’

The report indicates the unit has a conservatively estimated value of $ 34 million and that ‘advanced discussions with a bidder’ for the PPF unit are currently underway. Kodak Alaris, at least based on the financial report, anticipates the sale will happen by March 31, 2019, but with the potential for spilling over to a later date.

Kodak Alaris’ sole shareholder is the Kodak Pension Plan, a UK pension fund referred to as KPP2 that acquired Kodak Alaris from Eastman Kodak for $ 325 million in 2013. With Kodak Alaris came £1.5 billion / $ 2.7b in debt, and though Kodak Alaris is a profitable business, its bottom line after taxes has seen huge losses.

Kodak Alaris CEO Marc Jourlait confirmed to Inside Imaging that the company has ‘privately briefed’ potential customers on its intention to ‘explore sale of some or all of our assets.’ The PPF unit is already ‘at an advanced stage of negotiations with a potential buyers [sic].’

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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How to Sell a Travel Story to a Magazine and Help Fund Your Travels

Publication research

Find a fresh angle

Destination research

Prepare for rejection

Shoot plan

Image variation

Tell a story

The pitch

Submission

What next?

Kodak Alaris is actively looking to sell off its paper and film unit for an estimated $34M

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