For imaging retailers, finding affordable accessories under a brand name consumers know and trust is a Holy Grail kind of discovery. New Jersey-based C&A Marketing recently introduced an accessories division that answers both of the above criteria in the Polaroid Imaging Accessories Group and several new products have rolled out with more planned for later in 2011.
The company has announced anew tripod dubbed the A T T (all terrain tripod). It’s leg tips incorporate a unique 4-way interchangeable system which give the A T T “legs” in even the most challenging situations. The 4 way system includes industrial-grade magnetic disks (10 lb rating per disk) for metal surfaces, heavy-duty suction tips for glass and smooth surfaces, spiked tips for use on outdoor surfaces, and rubber tips for carpeted or porus surfaces. For increased versatility the A T T also features precision milled locking joints and textured rubber O rings to prevent the legs from slipping when wrapped around a surface.
The group also announced a new flash option, the Dua, the first lighting solution, they explain, to integrate both LED and TTL flash technology in a single footprint. The Dua flash was designed for users of interchangeable lens cameras with HD Video & Still image capture modes – a market segment which will be accounting for close to 70% of camera sales in 2011.
Despite it’s compact footprint, using the Dua Flash in “Flash mode” gives users access to a 4-step zoom, true TTL metering and other premium features. When used in video mode, the cool running Dua-Flash provides a full 3 watts of “day light white” illumination from its color corrected LED’s for up to 60 minutes. This also makes it ideal as a “flash replacement” when shooting stills in live view mode.
Speaking to the future plans for the Polaroid Imaging Accessories Group their new line, which is slated to encompass over 400 photo/video related accessory SKU’s, is designed, “to leverage the equity of the Polaroid brand as well as the growing demand for intelligently designed yet value-driven imaging accessories—a fact that will resonate with the countless consumers who prefer to enhance their existing imaging product rather than invest in a new one,” explained C&A Marketing’s Sam Ash, who heads up the company’s marketing division.
“In today’s value driven economy, consumers need a very real reason to trade up from a 10 or 12 mp camera” said Ed Rivera, the brand’s VP of Sales, “Many prefer to extend the usability of their product—and do so without overextending their budget—which is where our accessory line comes in. Case in point, rather than ‘trade up’ to a camera with a longer zoom, they can instead choose our lens converters which enable them to double or triple the focal length of their existing lens—and do so at a fraction of the cost of a new camera or lens.”
Rivera also pointed out that the line wasn’t just about extending usability of older cameras but newer ones as well. “Some level of HD-class video is now standard on even entry level cameras” pointed out Rivera, “Regardless if the footage is for YouTube or some level of commercial use, the days of shaky, dark and grainy footage being acceptable for web viewing are long gone. Today’s consumer expects the video produced by their digital camera to be “camcorder quality”, and will pay for intelligently designed accessories that will ensure it. That’s why we’re launching a full range of “Shooting Solutions”—lighting and stabilization products designed to optimize the video experience”.
For more information on the entire line of products offered by C&A Marketing see their site.
