“Academy meets photokina” — established as part of the trade fair’s supporting program — has entered the next round. Students and graduates of universities and academies offering photography studies, from Germany and abroad, were invited to apply for one of the coveted stand areas at photokina 2010 in Hall 1. To be eligible for submission, projects had to be no more than one year old and suitable for inclusion under the motto “Unlimited – Exploring limits, experiencing limits, and exceeding limits.” From more than 50 submitted works, the jury has now selected the 22 universities that may present themselves and their work at photokina 2010.

The selection process was anything but easy. The jury was particularly impressed by the numerous entries — especially those from abroad — and the creative interpretations of the motto. In the end, the jury was convinced by the works of twelve German universities and ten European universities. These included the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts, Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design in Budapest, and Sabanci University in Istanbul. The German participants include Folkwang University Essen, the Hochschule der Bildenden Künste (Academy of Fine Arts) Saar, and the degree courses of the Universities of Applied Sciences in Hanover, Würzburg, Aachen, Mainz and Dortmund. Included in this press release is a full list of the participating universities.

Three of the 22 universities will also be presented with Promotion Prizes with a total value of €15,000. The Promotion Prizes are sponsored by the market research firm Gfk, the photographic trade association Ringfoto, and the Photographic Industry Association. The final decision regarding which three of the exhibiting universities will be recognized with a prize will be made on the opening day of photokina.

The universities that did not make it onto the Academy exhibition area will still have the opportunity to present themselves to photokina visitors: All the universities that were not selected for “Academy meets photokina” will have the opportunity to present themselves and their students’ projects by means of a DVD projected in a “Black Box”, as part of an overall program.

The DGPh information stand in the “Academy meets photokina” area offers participants the opportunity to present themselves to photokina visitors by means of informational material, catalogues, and books. The program will be complemented by the support of the magazine Zeit Campus, which will invite visitors to the Zeit Campus Lounge to view photo portfolios. The meeting point also offers a prominent gathering place in Hall 1, where the focus is on interesting discussions and the exchange of ideas.

To increase the visitors’ awareness of “Academy meets photokina” also during the trade fair and to strengthen international communication, “Academy meets photokina” is being branded with its own key visual, beginning immediately. By doing this, the organizers are hoping to further highlight the importance of promoting young talent at photokina.

Academy meets photokina 2010 — the participating universities

Internationale Photoszene Köln e.V. is working with IPK <festival>, Koelnmesse GmbH, the Visual Gallery at photokina and the “photokina: köln fotografiert!” event to promote Cologne as a major photography centre – the 2010 photokina will be the highlight of the city’s premiere photography festival.

In the summer of 2008, Internationale Photoszene Köln e.V. and Koelnmesse GmbH agreed to work together to promote the theme of photography in the city. The partners have formed an umbrella brand to intensify their collective efforts for 2010. IPK and Koelnmesse are designing campaigns and events to establish and promote Cologne as a leading centre for photography. Koelnmesse Executive Vice President Oliver P. Kuhrt and IPK e.V. Chairman Dr Norbert Moos announced their plans and presented the logo of the new brand at a joint press conference. The City of Cologne, represented by the Head of the Cultural Department, Professor Georg Quander, welcomes the collective activities and supports them beyond the existing financial commitment for the Internationale Photoszene. “photo.COLOGNE, die internationalen Wochen der Photographie” (“International Photography Weeks”) will be held every two years during the month of the photokina trade show.

After making several changes to the structure and organisation of Internationale Photoszene Köln e.V., IPK <verein> started working closely with Koelnmesse with support from the City of Cologne in 2008. This collaboration has led to the establishment of a shared umbrella brand, photo.COLOGNE (Internationale Wochen der Photographie (International Photography Weeks)). These partners are combining their efforts to strengthen and promote Cologne’s reputation as a premiere city for photography. “Internationale Photoszene Köln“ has become one of the most important and popular annual events in international photography, attracting nearly 20,000 people. The Visual Gallery and photokina, the leading international trade show, are the highlights of photo.COLOGNE’s activities. “Internationale Photoszene Köln e.V.” (IPK <verein>) is promoting the IPK <festival> under the shared umbrella brand while maintaining its independent character. The same applies for Koelnmesse, which will be involved in the international photography weeks with the Visual Gallery and popular “köln fotografiert!” (“Cologne takes pictures!”) event during the photokina trade show.

As Koelnmesse Executive Vice President Oliver P. Kuhrt stated, photokina thus “reconfirmed its position as the undisputed number one global trade fair for the entire imaging industry. This result was largely due to the tremendous innovation potential displayed by the fair, as photokina showcased not only the latest products but also the technologies and trends that will have a major impact on the market in the coming years.”

The fair generated a great deal of interest among international trade visitors and professional users from around the world, all of whom came to Cologne to learn more about the imaging technologies of tomorrow and new strategic approaches to the business. With 66 percent of the exhibitors coming from abroad and a larger number of participating countries (2006: 46 nations), the international nature of the fair was also once again enhanced. If visitor estimates for the final day are included, the imaging sector’s leading technology and trend show attracted more than 169,000 people to Cologne.

According to Photographic Industry Association chairman Helmut Rupsch, the sector “presented itself in outstanding shape, as companies from the photographic and imaging industry impressively demonstrated their technological and innovation leadership at photokina. As a result, we’ve entered completely new dimensions in image communication – and this development is increasingly being driven by the tremendous power of images.” Rupsch was especially pleased by the significantly higher number of skilled young trade visitors and consumers who attended the fair: “Imaging has finally become a major area of interest among young target groups,” he said.

Optimized workflow concept
A concept successfully introduced in 2006 that aligns the hall structure with the complete imaging workflow was optimized by the photokina organizers for the 2008 event. The previous five product areas were reduced to only four this year, representing the entire imaging workflow: Image Capture, Image Processing, Image Storage, and Image Output. Exhibition space for accessory items was also attached to the relevant product segments of the imaging workflow this year. This optimization of the workflow concept met with tremendous approval on the part of exhibiting companies from abroad because they felt that the closer alignment of individual product areas with corresponding accessory groups was much more in line with consumers’ information needs. The resulting hall structure was also praised by visitors, who found it made for a clearer overview and thus better orientation.

Many exhibiting companies – among them Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, and Canon – underscored the importance photokina holds for them as a key international sector platform by once again expanding their exhibition space at the event. There were also a large number of new exhibitors at the fair this year – 239. As photokina’s organizers pointed out, the renewed participation of software giant Microsoft at this year’s fair sent a powerful signal regarding the impact that digital image communication is having on other business sectors. Alexander Hopstein, Senior PR Manager Central Europe for Adobe Systems, said this enhanced impact was also the reason his company decided to present its latest products to a global audience in Cologne: “A fair like photokina offers the perfect backdrop for major product announcements and world premieres. The response at our stand also shows that Koelnmesse has once again succeeded in ideally positioning the leading international digital imaging fair as a trend barometer and an engine of innovation. photokina is the number one fair for us to present our company and its creative products.”

Imaging sector booming: Vibrant ordering activity on the part of international buyers
Large numbers of trade visitors began streaming to the stands on the very first day of photokina, putting smiles on the faces of the exhibitors. Michael Langbehn, head of Retail Marketing/PR and Corporate Communication at Panasonic, describes the impact of the fair on his company as follows: “photokina was a huge success for us from both a marketing and a sales policy perspective.”

Both the decision-making authority of the trade visitors and their broadly international makeup were singled out for praise. Andreas Lippert, general manager of the Consumer Digital Imaging Group (CDG) and the Film Product Group (FPG) at Kodak GmbH, took a similar view: “Both the number of visitors from the retail sector and the quality of our discussions with them surpassed our expectations by far.” Jürgen Schmitz, Country Director Consumer Imaging at Canon Deutschland GmbH, also came to Cologne with great expectations – and was not disappointed: “For six days, we were literally surrounded by thrilled consumers, and our retail partners showed their appreciation for what we had on display by placing a greater number of orders than we had anticipated. In other words, it more than paid off for us to once again be here at the world’s leading fair for the imaging sector – photokina in Cologne.”

The share of trade visitors at the fair was 63 percent, with 40 percent of them coming from abroad. A total of 161 nations were represented in Cologne, thereby underscoring photokina’s tremendous international significance for the sector. The decision-making authority of the trade visitors was also impressive, as initial results of an independent survey show that around two thirds of such visitors (64.2 percent) are either the main procurement decision-makers at their companies or else have decision-making input.

Visitors to photokina were just as happy with this year’s fair as exhibitors were with the visitor response. In fact, 88 percent of the visitors said they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the range of products and services on display at the fair. Trade visitors’ assessments of their success in achieving their goals at photokina were also positive, with some 80 percent of such visitors saying they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the results of their visit, and 95 percent reporting that they would recommend the event to close business acquaintances.

The trends at the fair – for professionals and private users
In addition to highlighting the traditionally popular area of image capture, this year’s photokina also reflected the trend toward the increasing importance of segments for accessories and imaging services, such as digital photo frames, photofinishing, online services, and photo books. These segments have also clearly gained in importance in terms of visitor perceptions, as was confirmed, among other things, by the experience of Dr. Rolf Hollander, chairman of CeWe Color Holding AG: “This was a very successful event for our company – interest in our photo books this year was huge, which is probably why we attracted more visitors to our stand than in 2006. Now we’re really looking forward to photokina 2010.”

Digital reflex cameras attracted a huge amount of visitor attention in the camera segment, with all the major manufacturers displaying their latest models at photokina. Current trends focus on cameras that, in addition to offering high resolutions of up to 35 megapixels, are also capable of producing high-definition video, and are equipped with all the necessary state-of-the-art interfaces, including everything from wireless LAN to Ethernet and HDMI. This year’s top trends in the consumer segment included new camera functions such as intelligent face recognition, make-up and GPS functions, and the increasingly integrated and improved networking of camera devices with electronic products and appliances in the home. The software sector wasn’t lacking in innovations either, as the new image-processing software displayed at the fair is now offering previously unheard-of possibilities that significantly expand the creative scope of post-processing activities, while at the same time offering improved handling. Hot topics in the professional segment were new high-end digital camera backs with resolutions of up to 65 million pixels, as well as the trend toward large-aperture lenses for professional users, which stand out by virtue of delivering very high-quality images despite a rather small zoom range.

The major professional image output highlights included single-pass inkjet printers, UV-LED printers, and water-based latex inks. Specialist retailers also expressed great interest in the new dry lab systems on display, as these offer them numerous opportunities to generate added value.

Supporting program: Information for imaging professionals and popular events for photography enthusiasts
Along with its presentation of the latest new products and services, photokina 2008 once again featured a top-class supporting program that offered trade visitors from around the globe true added value and brought the fascination of photography closer to end consumers who are enthusiastic about photography. The supporting program’s lectures and symposia were especially popular among international trade visitors this year. Highlights here included the International Business Forum “Memories on Demand,” the DGPh Presentation Forum “Digital storage – film-based archiving?” and the “The photo market in the drugstore sector – future opportunities” symposium, which was targeted at decision-makers in the sector. Also attracting a tremendous number of visitors were the Impressions XXL and Underwater Imaging World special areas, as well as impressive computer-generated images in the Computer Generated Imaging special section.

Praise from visitors and artists for the Visual Gallery 2008
The Visual Gallery in Hall 1 was once again a major cultural highlight at photokina this year, as it featured 17 individual exhibitions that impressively spanned the fields of photo documentation, photographic design, and artistic photography. Enthusiastic visitors were able to roam over an area of 4,000 square meters to survey the fascinating creative possibilities offered by the technologies presented at photokina. The works presented ranged from pictures taken by famous photographers such as Thomas Hoepker, the American multitalent Dennis Hopper, Bettina Flitner, Esther Haase, and Mercedes Barros to works by up-and-coming artists who participated in the competitions organized by the German Association of Freelance Photographers (BFF) and Canon. “The importance of the more than 170-year history of photography for our cultural development was impressively demonstrated here,” said the internationally renowned fashion photographer F.C. Gundlach, who is also an honorary director of the BFF.

Participating photographers also had words of praise for the event. Said Thomas Hoepker, whose retrospective in the Visual Gallery attracted a great deal of interest this year: “I’m very happy that I was able to stage an exhibition here – exactly 50 years after winning a prize in the Jugend photographiert competition for young photographers at photokina in 1958. All the exhibitions here are definitely worth seeing in terms of both their content and their artistic value.” photokina cooperation partner BFF was also very satisfied with this year’s Visual Gallery, at which the association presented, among other things, its “Brave New World” exhibition that featured an impressive interface between analog and digital photography. “The Visual Gallery makes a very valuable and necessary contribution as a supplement to photokina – we felt very comfortable here with our six exhibitions as part of the larger range of works on display,” said BFF Board of Management speaker Barbara Burg.

Grandiose premiere for photokina Party Night
IMMOTION – the photokina Party Night celebrated a grand premiere at this year’s fair with some 5,000 excited young guests in attendance. This “experiment” in utilizing music and images to get young people more interested in photokina was a complete success. “I can’t imagine a better proof that images truly appeal to every age group,” said Koelnmesse Vice President Oliver P. Kuhrt. photokina’s organizers believe the success of the photokina Party Night confirms the correctness of their strategy aimed at attracting a younger audience to the event. Participating partners from the industry were also very satisfied with the party premiere. IMMOTION supporters included famous names from the international imaging industry such as Epson, Samsung, Kodak, CeWe Color, and Fujifilm.

Fascinating photos all over Cologne: “photokina: cologne takes photos!”
The fascination of images was apparent throughout the entire city of Cologne during this year’s photokina, as a new event featuring image presentations created a festive atmosphere in many parts of town. The organizers of photokina staged this brand-new photo event in 2008 in order to further spread the passion for photography beyond the trade fair grounds to encompass the entire city. Under the title “photokina: cologne takes photos!” the event format perfectly complemented this year’s World of Imaging, with visitors to the city being asked to take their own photographs from September 6 to 28, as well as being generally encouraged to become more familiar with the topics of photography and imaging. The event’s success shows that the organizers were correct with their bold approach, as nearly all the workshops, photo shootings, and photo city tours conducted in cooperation with Cologne companies and institutes were completely booked, while a large number of people also attended the many photography exhibitions staged throughout the city. “photokina: cologne takes photos!” took place under the auspices of the mayor of Cologne, Fritz Schramma, and was co-sponsored by the city, the 19th International Photoscene Cologne, and various public and private institutions.

photokina 2008 in figures
A total of 1,523 exhibiting companies from 49 countries participated in photokina 2008, where they presented their products and services on a gross exhibition area of 210,000 square meters. The share of exhibitors from abroad rose slightly, to 66 percent (2006: 65 percent). The exhibitor figures can be broken down as follows: a total of 336 exhibitors and 183 additionally represented companies attended from Germany; 652 exhibitors and 352 additionally represented companies came from other countries. If visitor estimates from the final day of the fair are included, photokina 2008 attracted some 110,000 trade visitors and professional users from 161 countries, as well more than 59,000 interested consumers, all of whom took advantage of the various opportunities the fair offered to obtain – at a discount – information on products, applications, sector trends, and visions of the future at exhibitor stands, the Visual Gallery, and the events in the comprehensive supporting program.*

*All figures have been calculated in accordance with the guidelines of the Society for Voluntary Control of Trade Fair and Exhibition Statistics (FKM) and are subject to audit by a certified auditor (www.fkm.de).

The next photokina Cologne – World of Imaging – will take place from Tuesday, September 28 to Sunday, October 3, 2010.

With 1,523 companies from 49 countries exhibiting, the turnout for the sector’s leading trade fair remains strong. “No other trade fair offers such a comprehensive range of products and services from the world of imaging and for the photographic and imaging sector. In the world of global digital communications, photokina can truly claim to be one of the leading events of its kind,” said Koelnmesse Executive Vice President Oliver P. Kuhrt.

The fair’s organizers – Koelnmesse and the Photographic Industry Association – are expecting approximately 160,000 visitors from all over the world, who will learn about the latest products, services, and trends related to all aspects of imaging media. With 66 percent of the exhibitors coming from abroad and an increase in the number of countries represented (2006: 46 countries), there has once again been a moderate increase in the fair’s international character. photokina thereby strengthens its position as the imaging industry’s most important global business platform, Kuhrt said.

This year many of the exhibiting companies – including Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, and Canon – are also once again expanding their exhibition areas. photokina’s organizers also are pleased to report their success in attracting new exhibitors. More than 200 companies have decided to exhibit at photokina for the first time. Kuhrt said he is particularly delighted this year that photokina’s importance on the international stage has convinced the global player Microsoft to once again take part with a large stand at the fair, following the presence of the company from Redmond at the 2004 event. In addition, General Imaging, a new supplier in the camera segment, will for the first time present its products at photokina.

Optimized workflow concept
As Kuhrt reported, the fair’s successful concept of aligning the entire imaging workflow with the event’s hall structure will be further improved and optimized for photokina 2008. The previous five product areas have been reduced to only four this year, representing the entire imaging workflow: Image Capture, Image Processing, Image Storage, and Image Output. Moreover, accessories will now be presented in the imaging workflow product area they are used in, said Kuhrt. This optimization measure reflects the wishes of the market for effective implementation of the workflow concept in the form of a stronger consolidation of the individual product areas supplemented by accessory presentations. At the same time, the new setup results in a clearer and more compact hall structure.

The trends at the fair – for professionals and private users
Along with displays of new cameras, lenses, printers, services, and accessories for specialist users, professionals and consumers, the event’s organizers expect photokina to be dominated by the questions of which simple and creative methods will be offered to consumers for printing images, and which new possibilities for displaying images will be used in the digital age. Particularly noteworthy here is the dynamically growing area of individually produced photo books.

In the consumer segment, the organizers report, this year’s trends include new camera functions such as intelligent face-recognition, GPS functions, and the increasingly tightly meshed and improved networking of devices with electronic products and appliances in the home. Sector experts also expect entirely new solutions to be presented in the image processing segment, products that will greatly expand creative freedom in post-processing – all with even better image quality and increasingly intuitive operation. Multifunctionality and mobility are the defining trends for the coming generation of high-tech cameras. This also will mean a further increase in the pixel counts of the new camera models’ resolutions. On exhibit will be cameras featuring more and tinier pixels on increasingly small sensors as well as products equipped with larger and larger pixels on sensors with image areas that correspond to those of traditional medium-format film images. photokina 2008 exhibitors also will present single-lens reflex cameras for HD video recordings as well as HD video cameras with high-resolution photography features.

Hot topics in the professional segment are new high-end digital camera backs with resolutions of up to 65 million pixels, as well as the trend toward high light-intensity lenses for professional users, which stand out by virtue of delivering very high quality images despite a rather small zoom area. When it comes to professional image output, trade visitors will find many new products – from single-pass inkjet printers and UV-LED printers to water-based latex inks and the possibility of printing in excellent quality on a nearly endlessly diverse spectrum of paper and materials, even including textiles, plastic film, and metal plates.

First class supporting program offers more value for trade visitors
The photokina organizers also presented some of the initial highlights of the supporting program for the 2008 event. Returning this year will be the traditional GfK Market Briefings, which provide retailers and industry representatives from around the world with concise, up-to-date basic and background information and detailed market studies. Further highlights include the “Memories on demand” International Business Forum, where top international decision makers in the sector will discuss the effect digital imaging technology is having on consumer lifestyles. Rather than focusing solely on technological innovations, the forum will primarily address the question as to which new business models are best suited to meeting modern consumer requirements. photokina’s organizers expect international top managers from the industry and the retail sector to participate in the forum.

DGPh presentation forum “Digital storage – film-based archiving?”
In an event titled “Digital storage – film-based archiving?”, the science and technology section of the German Society for Photography (DGPh) will be joining photokina organizers to stage a presentation forum at photokina 2008 that will showcase the opportunities and limitations of film-based and digital archiving.

XXL Photo Album
One of the most unusual attractions at photokina 2008 will certainly be the world’s largest photo book, the XXL Photo Book. With its ten pages measuring three meters in length and two meters in height, it’s not only the largest photo book in the world, it’s also sure to be the highlight of the trade fair in Hall 10.2. The giant photo book will be surrounded by photo kiosks and photo printers. All visitors to photokina can contribute to the photo book by printing out their digital images at one of the print stations and gluing it into the blank XXL Photo Book.

XXL Impressions – large format image presentation and projection
The “XXL Impressions” Projection Arena, which will be located in an impressive special area, will focus on image presentation and projection. It will demonstrate to trade visitors and end consumers how to underline the emotional impact of good images by presenting them in an impressive manner. The aim of this event is to show photographers that there’s a presentation and projection solution for every requirement, no matter how large or small the budget. Professional users, such as photographers, advertising agencies, travel agents, museums, architects, and companies, will also receive practical instructions on how to choose customized solutions that meet their particular needs.

Dennis Hopper’s photos in the Visual Gallery
The Visual Gallery will once again serve as a cultural highlight at photokina 2008 by presenting the best works of internationally renowned photographers and award-winning young talents. The “top act” at this year’s Visual Gallery will be photographs by the U.S. actor and director Dennis Hopper. The exhibition includes portraits of David Hockney, Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, and Andy Warhol. In addition, the internationally renowned top photographer and photojournalist Thomas Höpker, who now lives in New York, will be presenting works that are high points of his career in photography. In the 1950s, he had just turned twenty when two of his early works received awards in the photokina competition “Jugend photographiert”. Further highlights at the Visual Gallery will include exhibitions from the “Cicero Gallery for Political Photography,” MAPHO (Museum for Architectural Photography), the C/O Berlin Cultural Forum, and the German Association of Freelance Photo Designers (BFF).

Fascinating photos all over Cologne: “photokina: cologne takes photos!”
With a brand-new photo event, the organizers of photokina want to spread a passion for photography beyond the trade fair grounds to encompass the entire city of Cologne. The new event format “photokina: cologne takes photos!” will accompany this year’s photokina, with visitors to the city being asked to take their own photographs from September 6 to 28, 2008. In cooperation with Cologne-based companies and institutions, an extensive program will be on offer in the city center, including workshops, photo shoots, photography city tours, competitions, and exhibitions. Thanks to unusual locations and exciting events, participants are certain to have enormous fun while learning more about the medium of photography. “photokina: köln fotografiert!” (“cologne takes photos”) will take place under the auspices of the mayor of Cologne, Fritz Schramma, and is co-sponsored by the city, the 19th International Photoscene Cologne, and various public and private institutions throughout the city. With this, Cologne aims to establish a top-notch image-based festival every two years in order to complement the photokina trade fair and to prove the city’s importance as a major center for photography.

All the important products and trends will be presented in full at photokina 2008 (September 23-28) in Cologne, the only trade fair that offers visitors such a comprehensive overview.

No signs of fading : Image sensors better all the time
Digital reflex cameras are currently one of the fastest-growing products of the photography and imaging industry. And the professional models are traditionally the most important technological showpieces for the manufacturers in this segment. More new professional DSLR cameras are expected at photokina. The image sensors in these cameras (with full-frame versions becoming increasingly popular) have resolutions of well over 20 million pixels, and the cameras’ new types of image processors guarantee sensationally fast data processing. The speed of professional cameras, or the number of images that can be recorded per second, is also being raised beyond the now common rate of 10 shots per second. Another trend in this area involves image processing programs that automatically optimize image data within the camera. For example, perspectives are corrected or the desired color effects are applied. Furthermore, the professional camera models and systems in particular will be incorporated even more efficiently into telecommunication and navigation systems in the future.

A separate universe of image quality (once again): High-end digital camera backs
After some of the DSLR models had surpassed the 20 MB mark of increasing resolution, the gap initially shrank between these cameras and the significantly more expensive digital camera backs for medium and large-format cameras, which had maximum pixel counts of almost 40 million. At this year’s photokina, however, the manufacturers of digital backs are once more putting themselves comfortably in the lead: with over 50 million and sometimes as many as 65 million pixels, uniformly distributed on huge new image sensors, they clearly represent the cream of the crop when it comes to resolution. New objectives with innovative designs will also be shown, since only the very best optical products can suitably reproduce motifs at this extremely high resolution. All told, however, the true added value of the new backs results not only from the higher resolution but also from new functions, faster operation, higher quality due to increased sensitivity, greater dynamic range, better results in the studio and on location, and a longer period of service in exchange for the investment. Visitors to photokina will also be able to see the world’s first full-frame camera system based on the current 645 film format. It provides the largest available sensor area with a coverage of 53.9 x 40.4 mm.

Viewed objectively: The return to wide apertures and maximum-performance imaging
No matter how tempting it is for photographers to use a single lens to cover a maximum range of focal lengths, the disadvantages are clear, particularly for professionals: numerous lenses and multiple glass-air contact points make a mega-tele-zoom lens system not only heavy but also susceptible to extraneous light and reflections. Image quality is generally curtailed as a result. The trend in professional photography therefore leads in a different direction, namely, toward wide-aperture lenses with a rather small zoom range but outstanding image quality – or even increasingly toward lenses with a fixed focal length. Since the design of these lenses requires practically no compromises due to zoom features, they are the top of the line when it comes to aperture and imaging quality. Other trends in lens design for professional cameras include extreme focal lengths, above all in the wide-angle range; even better antireflection coatings; and even higher performance in image stabilizers, ultrasonic motors, splash guards, focus limiters and autofocus precision. All the manufacturers are exhibiting the latest products in these segments at photokina.

Professional image-processing software : Huge potential for innovation
How can we continue to improve and/or correct photographs after they are taken? This is the question being asked not only by the cameramakers but also, and especially, by the suppliers of the corresponding software. One of the leading software developers has produced a “light-field objective” from 19 miniature lenses situated adjacent to one another. With the image data obtained in this way, the definition or sharpness of the photo on the display can be enhanced or lowered after the photo is taken. That means it is later possible to “sharpen” even those areas of the subject that were not sharp when the image was shot, and vice versa. In another project, three filters (a clone scanner, a resampling detector, and a color filter array detector) are being used to make even the smallest manipulation of digital images discernible. These techniques would make it possible to identify an unmanipulated image beyond doubt, so that it would constitute undisputable evidence, for example. But engineers also continue to experiment with the opposite approach, namely, perfect image processing. Through “intelligent subject recognition,” even crude modifications in images, such as cutting out parts of the subject, are seamlessly mended and suitably adjusted to the remaining, surrounding parts of the image.

Printing I: Digital printing becomes faster, better – and more interesting
More and more imaging professionals are taking advantage of digital printing to offer their customers complete production applications after the photographs are taken. The trend in digital printing is toward fast, single-pass inkjet machines. And in regard to technologies, the manufacturers are being remarkably innovative: water-based latex inks, UV-LED printers and “Cristal Point” processes are optimizing the existing markets and opening up new ones. Many of these technologies and applications can be seen and tested at photokina, the international imaging trade fair.

Printing II: Inkjet sets the standards for images
Consistently larger, better and more versatile: modern inkjet processes are continually opening up new application possibilities and image qualities for professional photographers. The latest printer models provide an image output that is over 1.2 meters in width. And there is an almost infinitely varied range of papers and materials to satisfy any need, including even textiles, plastic films, and metal plates. The latest inks not only set standards with regard to stability, economy, and image brilliance, they can also be used in the best possible combinations according to the image desired. Black-and-white prints, for example, are printed with a variety of gray and black shades – in a quality that was inconceivable only a short time ago. With the professional inkjet printers, a great deal of image production has once more returned to the end users and photographers in photo studios, and the associated businesses have returned along with it, such as photobooks, calendars, and photos on textiles.

Printing III: Professional photobooks are strong sources of revenues and profits
For portrait, wedding, and event photographers, professional photobooks have become one of the most important sources of revenues and profits. The procedure is generally as follows: using software provided by the photobook maker, the professional photographer creates a photobook which is then burned onto a DVD as a file and sent to the photobook producer via the postal service or the Internet. The wedding photobooks, in particular, are generally finely crafted with high-quality materials. Similarly, special formats, exquisite bindings or the very finely crafted fine-art books give end customers the exclusivity they desire and the professional photographer attractive revenues and profit margins. In another trend, professionals are photographing and designing sales brochures in large volumes at low unit prices for real estate agents, for example. In the photobook segment, the production of book pages on photographic paper is also being viewed with great optimism. It is clear that these new photobooks are also particularly suitable for portrait photographers because of the image quality.

Lighting systems: Compact and lightweight, powerful and stable
Photography requires light, that goes without saying. But since there often is none, or too little of it, professionals turn to lighting systems. Small-scale portrait studios, school photographers, and users in museums and public agencies are primarily opting for the new compact models that offer low weight, high flexibility, and a level of performance that is generally adequate for these purposes. Editorial and travel photographers also tend to choose this solution, mainly because the systems are highly compact and portable. On the other hand, modern flash systems will be the preferred option for those who work in large studios and require absolute performance and color stability, as well as fashion and portrait photographers, who need the shortest possible flash and recycle times. These flash systems offer more than their compact siblings with regard to creativity too. The well-known makers of flash systems offer ring flashes, strip lights, surface lights, spots, and much more, including special flash heads.

Bags et cetera: Lively colors and innovations
Suppliers of professional camera bags are spicing up these product lines too. The new models offer not only lively colors but also improved features, such as a 360° rain cover that provides complete protection from the elements while continuing to give the photographer fast access to his equipment. There are novelties inside the latest generation of bags too. An extremely variable interior layout can accommodate a whole digital SLR setup. The inner lining is made of elastic protective material to keep sensitive digital equipment from harm. Zipper pouches at the front and side offer protection and fast access to batteries, small accessories, and other items. Memory card pouches inside the cover ensure that the cards are protected and readily available for a quick replacement. In addition to the interior features, one of the most important aspects of a camera bag is how comfortable it is to carry. Improved designs, new non-slip materials and unprecedented opportunities for variation make the new generations of camera bags practically a part of the human body that adjusts perfectly to the user’s movements.

These are only some of the innovations and trends of the photography and imaging industry that will be of interest to professional photographers. Visitors to photokina can look forward to more highlights, because the photography and imaging industry has a number of surprises in store: from geo-tagging and digital projectors to compact ultra-high-capacity memory units and the latest software for professional image processing. A visit to photokina in Cologne will be well worth your while!

Multi-functionality and mobility are the key trends for the upcoming generation of high-tech cameras. However, the more complex the functions, the bigger the challenges are for ensuring ease of operation. Complexity increases the demands on smart automatic camera systems as well as consumers’ reluctance to deal with the diversity of functions.

Although people don’t want to be burdened by too many devices, they are also adverse to systems that are too complicated to operate. The more functions a camera has, the more developers have to make sure that these features are easy to use. This fact also explains the development of two seemingly contradictory trends in companies’ product ranges. On the one hand, toward cameras that are real all-rounders, and, on the other, to veritable specialists.

Whereas, for example, the sensors in cameras for professional photography are becoming increasingly larger to accommodate more pixels and achieve a higher level of sensitivity, the objective with easily portable, multifunctional all-rounders is to integrate more and more functions into smaller and smaller microchips. The latter is achieved, for example, by using a state-of-the-art chip design in which the light-sensitive surface of individual pixels is increased by making the associated processes and transistors smaller or placing them directly under the pixels. If professional cameras allow users to operate all functions manually in line with their individual decisions, optimum results can be achieved with sophisticated automatic systems employing artificial intelligence that make the camera extremely easy to use for the general public.

Bridging the gap between the two types of cameras
People who take pictures with compact cameras will sometimes miss the creative photographic possibilities of an SLR system. Likewise, SLR photographers would often wish to benefit from the convenience of a compact device. Manufacturers have therefore frequently tried to combine both types of cameras into a single model. They have done so by, for example, integrating live view into SLR photography and tried to replace the optical view-finder with an electronic view-finder display. The advantages of interchangeable lenses have largely been neutralized by super-zoom features.

Optical view-finders are complicated and space-consuming devices that affect the camera’s size. Electronic view-finders on the other hand make designs possible that are considerably more compact than any existing SLR camera and also allow the use of substantially lighter and smaller lenses.

Because many users of compact cameras complain that picture motifs do not appear in the desired quality on the view-finder display in bright sunlight, high-quality compact cameras now come with optional optical view-finders that can simply be attached to the hot shoe.

Online portals such as YouTube have popularized the sharing of film clips. Many photographers prefer moving pictures to stills in certain situations, while users of video cameras will sometimes only wish to take a single photo of a particular scene. This fact has been recognized by the manufacturers of both types of products. At photokina 2008, exhibitors will present single-lens reflex cameras for HD video recordings as well as HD video cameras with high-resolution photography features. Even SLR cameras will offer video functions that fulfill the needs of professional users.

New records in the pixel race
Records are being continuously broken in the race for more pixels, which is increasingly turning into a never-ending marathon among manufacturers. Producers are announcing more and tinier pixels on smaller and smaller sensors as well as new records for larger and larger numbers of pixels on sensors with image areas that correspond to those of traditional medium-format picture cameras. Sensors with image areas ranging down to miniature formats already provide resolutions of over 20 mega pixels. And medium-format microchips measuring 6 x 4.5 cm achieve up to three times as many pixels or more. In addition to the widespread models with APS-C-format sensors, manufacturers of digital reflex cameras are now increasingly offering cameras with high-resolution full-format sensors. However, people who think that this will allow them to reactivate their old miniature lenses are mistaken, since the new generations of cameras with high-resolution sensors above 20 mega pixels require new lenses that can optimally handle this capacity.

Editors of Germany’s largest online diving portal, Taucher.net, will take questions throughout the trade fair and will be supported by four internationally renowned underwater photographers. Wolfgang Pölzer (www.unterwasser-fotos.com) is from Austria and Eckard Krumpholz (www.photos-subjektiv.de) comes from Germany. Both are underwater photography professionals who have received a lot of attention by publishing in various domestic and international magazines over the past few years. If you’d like to hear a presentation in English, you’ll surely be inspired by one of the most exciting newcomers in underwater photography, Steve Jones (www.millionfish.com). The British photographer is one of the world’s leading photographers, and although he’s still an amateur, he has already gained access to the highest level of major players.

Todd Gary Essick (www.essickphoto.com) from the US has also been active in those spheres for many years. Raised near Chicago, he studied art in Florida and then launched his photo career as a journalist for the Associated Press Miami. Todd gained worldwide fame thanks to his aesthetic nude photographs portraying “sirens” of breathtaking grace and beauty, minus diving equipment and neoprene suits, along with sometimes ferocious underwater creatures.

Throughout the entire trade fair, Todd Essick will share exciting stories and techniques from his bag of tricks and will have a few surprises in store for photokina visitors.

Trend 1: Photographs are becoming multifunctional
Whether they are used as an illustration to complete a document or as a single glossy picture in an album, are carried around in a wallet or framed on the wall – photos have become multifunctional. The information stored in these images can be interpreted and used in many ways. They can be linked to databases in order to obtain more information.

The image datasets from the latest generation of cameras, as presented at photokina 2008, store not only data about all exposure parameters but also the coordinates of where the image was shot. Through an integrated WLAN module, photos can be downloaded directly into Internet albums. But that’s not all: through the integrated WLAN technology, the camera can link itself to databases that can, for instance, give information about the name of a building in the photo, such as when it was built, what it is used for, and whether it is of historical importance. The images can also be transferred onto other people’s cell phones so that the recipient can be navigated to the location where the photo was taken. And there’s more: through the database, the photographer can not only find out where he is and what he has just photographed, he can also find out if there are any other interesting buildings and sites near his location, or where the nearest restaurant is.

Trend 2: Always say cheese? – intelligent face recognition
The recently added facial recognition camera technology is far more than a complex tool for optimizing portrait photos. If at first the technique served to define faces in images and to optimize their sharpness and exposure, nowadays, the advanced techniques can not only recognize a large number of people in a picture, but also distinguish them and interpret their expressions. The camera can recognize if a person is smiling or frowning and can then use this information to automatically take a picture of a person at the moment they are smiling. More complex technologies can also recognize faces. If the person in the picture has been allocated an identity, in other words a name, then any subsequent photos of the same person can automatically be stored in a specific folder under their name by the intelligent control system. Facial recognition not only plays an important role when taking the photo. If checking a group photo, for example, when the image is viewed, the facial recognition function can quickly and reliably determine if all persons were captured optimally, if anyone had their eyes closed or grimaced.

Trend 3: All together now – the networking of digital worlds
The greatest challenge of digital photography is the wide range of types of appliances with which photos can be taken, displayed, transferred, received and stored. Complex technologies and software are needed to ensure that all these appliances can communicate and be integrated with one another without problems. If one looks at the many types of large displays with different aspect ratios, it becomes obvious how complex the technologies have to be to optimally display photographs with varying numbers of pixels, aspect ratios and storage formats. The digital technology can deliver the requirements, yet only the software industry can produce the needed “nervous system” for the successful combination of zeros and ones to optimally process images for as many communicating appliances as possible. The tedious processes of analogue transmission such as the one used by the traditional AV output of a camera, through which the photo is transported on to the TV screen – where it usually appears in disappointingly bad quality – is a thing of the past. Through the standardized HDMI port, the photos now appear on the new HDTV screens in optimal quality.

Trend 4: The kick after the click
Through digital image files, good results have become predictable. In addition to adapting analogue image processing and printing techniques like dodging and burning, filtration and retouching, the ability to manipulate at the level of individual pixels enabled the development of new tools for influencing the final images. “Morphing”, the technique that is used for the step by step, seamless transition of photos into a panorama or a mosaic has been around for a while now. For some time now, series of images with different lighting have been combined into so-called HDR pictures with apparently remarkable subject luminance ranges. Through new techniques and powerful image processing algorithms, photos with varying focus points can be combined into images with significantly extended depth of field. Photos can also be scaled so that even if their aspect ratio is changed, the content of the image remains undistorted. This is achieved through a new “seamcarving” technique which can produce fascinating picture manipulation, without distorting the contents of the picture. Photo motifs can be squeezed or stretched without giving the impression that the picture has been distorted.

Many of the cameras being displayed at photokina 2008 will already have powerful functions for post exposure image optimization integrated into them. In addition to simpler functions like contrast optimization or retouching redeye caused by flash, other functions are now also being offered that automatically straighten distortions created by tipping and tilting the camera when photographing architectural images.

Trend 5: “Green” energy and fuel cells for cameras
Digital photography is reliant on mobile energy. At photokina there will be a range of alternative energy sources to be seen as well as rechargeable and disposable batteries for camera and other types of mobile multi-media appliances. In addition to environmentally friendlier primary and rechargeable batteries, innovative energy sources based on solar and fuel cells will also be a topic. Leading manufacturers from the camera and energy sector have registered patents for these innovations. Fuel cells, like the ones that are to be integrated in digital SLR cameras can supply more energy for a larger number of exposures.

A varied combination of presentations and practical demonstrations will give visitors insights into the latest digital stereo 3D technology and the entire S3D imaging workflow. Visitors will be able to experience a 42-inch S3D advertising display without 3D glasses, S3D film viewing technology for home use, two to eight synchronized S3D digital cameras, S3D lenticular grid advertising prints, lots of S3D photos and S3D videos, and much more.

The target audience that will be addressed includes not only ambitious beginners but also future-oriented professional photographers. Hall 10.1, stand: D21

Further interesting information about S3D here

What’s special about the technology is the work process involved, which this year’s photokina will demonstrate step-by-step: CGI takes conventional image production and processing to whole new levels of complexity because it requires integrated use of technical equipment including cameras, photo labs, digital technology, image processing, and 3D programs.

Thanks to these new processes for achieving photo-realistic visualization, users can take advantage of previously undreamed-of possibilities. Use of this innovative technology now makes it possible for abstract content to be visualized in entirely new forms.

At a Solution Center in Hall 4.1, the principles and work approaches involved in computer-generated images will be demonstrated by Prof. Jostmeier’s team from the Georg Simon Ohm University of Applied Sciences Nuremberg.

See the making of Computer Generated Imaging (Video)