Las Vegas, NV—More than 250 leading manufacturers of photographic, video and other visual communication hardware, software and professional services shared their latest technologies with the thousands of photographers and filmmakers attending the annual WPPI Wedding and Portrait Photography Expo at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, March 2–4, 2015.
The three-day expo was part of a weeklong conference featuring 200+ educational seminars and classes conducted by 150 prominent speakers, and several special evening events like a keynote by Joe McNally.
Attendees had the opportunity to experiment with new imaging hardware and software products designed to help photographers improve their workflow, expand their skill sets, and build upon practices for increasing their business and profits.
“There’s nothing that compares to the WPPI Expo. It’s an epic ‘toy store’ for photographers and the biggest of its kind in North America!” said Jason Groupp, WPPI director of Education and Membership. “This is the tangible counterpart to sessions that focus on helping photographers expand and market their services, and conduct business in a cost-effective, profitable manner.”
The following is a sample of exhibitors participating in the 2015 WPPI Expo.
Bay Photo showcased eco-friendly maple wood prints on ½-inch thick, certified-sustainable maple wood board. Photographers can choose a natural finish and the wood grain will appear through the light areas of the image. A white finish is also available, with a white ink underlay so that images “pop” off the wood. Wood prints are available in various sizes with a universal mount.
Canon USA exhibited imaging products to serve the needs of wedding and portrait photographers and filmmakers, including EOS DSLRs, cinema and video cameras, imagePrograf wide-format printers, Pixma Pro printers and high-resolution REALiS projectors. The Canon booth featured expert stage presentations, product demos and a photo gallery.
DNP Imagingcomm America demonstrated new dye-sub photo printers for pro photographers and photo retailers. The flagship DS620A is said to be “the world’s most compact professional-grade photo printer” producing 400 prints/hr. The DS80DX duplex printer offers printing options, in matte and glossy finishes, for photos, photo books, calendars and cards in-store and on-site. Its printing and duplexing units can be separated for easy deployment.
The company also announced its Total Protection End User Promotion registration is extended through March 31, 2015. All qualifying purchases made by March 25 of new DS40, DS80, and RX1 printers through authorized resellers are eligible for a free three-year Advanced Exchange service contract.
Lowepro displayed the Pro Roller x-series AW with its MaxFit system. Photographers can maximize the gear they carry and protect it during travel from studio to location, or abroad. The patent-pending MaxFit system is designed to be easy to customize and maximize interior space. Other features include rugged new wheels and trolley, a high-impact-resistant exterior, a built-in all-weather cover, and a Reserve Pack that unzips from the hard-shell case.
Lytro demoed its latest camera, the Lytro Illum. With a single exposure, photographers can adjust aperture, use selective focus, tilt, focus spread, animate and even 3D to bring pictures to life.
Nikon showing its full line, including the D750 DSLR and new Nikkor lenses, such as the lightweight AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4PF ED lens. The 24.3 megapixel D750 is compact and inherits some of the best elements from Nikon’s full-frame professional cameras, including a 51-point AF system, 6.5-fps bursts and low-light capability.
Profoto’s booth featured Tamara Lackey, Joe McNally, JP Elario, Brian Marcus, Dixie Dixon, Justin & Mary, Michelle Turner, Ryan Brenizer, Jared Platt, Sal Cincotta, Mike Allebach, Vanessa Joy and Jaleel King all sharing their professional tips and tricks.
Sigma Corporation of America exhibited the new Sigma dp0 Quattro, the fourth P&S camera in the series that was announced last year. It incorporates a fixed 14mm f/4 lens (21mm equivalent) and is optimized to maximize the performance of the series’ Foveon Quattro Direct image sensor. Also on view was the new Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens. The wide-angle lens is designed for full-frame DSLRs, and when used on digital cameras with an APS-C-size image sensor, it effectively becomes a 38mm.
SpinLight’s 360 modular system was on view. A modifier system designed to allow photographers to both take away light and direct light exactly where they want it, easily and instantly, it can rotate bounce cards 360º. It features a selection of modifiers and an integrated gel system that offers various lighting possibilities without having to remove the ring module from the flash. The SpinLight 360 securely attaches to most speedlights and can be used on-camera and off.
Tamron had its latest Tamron SP full-frame lenses on show, including the SP 15–30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD, a full-frame, fast, ultra-wide-angle zoom with image stabilization—and visitors could enter to win one. Attendees also got $200 rebate savings on the Tamron SP 24–70 and SP 70–200mm and a $50 bonus rebate on other select lenses when they purchased one from an authorized exhibiting dealer during the show. Booth visitors could also sit down for an espresso and chat with a leading pro photographer at the Tamron café, and bring any Tamron lens to the booth for inspection.
Think Tank Photo displayed a new mirrorless compact camera bag series. The Urban Approach 5 ($119.75) holds one medium to large CSC with lens attached, one to three additional lenses and an 8-inch tablet. The Urban Approach 10 ($134.75) holds one medium to large mirrorless body or compact DSLR with lens attached, two to four additional lenses and a 10-inch tablet. The Urban Approach 15 ($169.75) backpack is designed to hold a complete mirrorless camera, a 15-inch laptop, a 10-inch tablet, a smartphone and space for personal items.
