PMA - A different perspective

[gstark]

I've done trade events before, and several times helping exhibitors, but this time was very different, very interesting, and very much fun.

Talking with the people coming through Poon's stand .... I want to expand upon this aspect, because it made for a very interesting but different perspective of the show, and it - very surprisingly - called upon one's photography skills in ways that I didn't expect.

First of all, we need to understand the variety of the product range that we had at hand.

We had light modifiers, from simple diffusers that would sit on your hotshoe and diffuse the pop-up flash on the camera body, replacement diffuser caps for your SB600/800 etc, the Lambency diffuser (Gary Fong style), brollies, the Oh-Flash ring flash adaptors ...

We had remote RF flash triggers ....

We had remote camera releases .... IR for the D70/50/40/60 style bodies, tethered that would work for any camera, or for specified bodies, the same for wireless, and then tethered and wireless with live view capabilities.

We needed understand how these devices worked with all of the cameras that those people visiting the stands used. We needed to ask them questions of their equipment, their usage, and their needs, and translate that back into the products that they were asking about.

One lady was using a 40D and 430EX, but wanted to, at some future time, upgrade her flash and camera. She was enquiring after the Oh-Flash, which is a ring flash adaptor. This is a fairly simple but clever device that sits on your flash head and redirects the light into a ring pattern around your camera's lens. Different camera and flash dimensions dictate that there are a number of models of this available, and what you buy is dependent upon the combination of flash head and camera body in use.

Consider that the 580EX has a bigger flash head than the 430, and thus the opening where the Oh Flash mounts needs to larger or smaller, depending upon what it's connecting to at that point. Now also consider that a 40D is a very different body from, say, a 450D, or perhaps a 1DS Mk II.

There are five different models to accommodate the various camera and flash permutations that I've just presented, but the lady in question was thinking of upgrading her flash. This meant that she needed to think also in terms of getting two Oh Flashes, rather than just the one, because of the flash head's impact upon the purchase factors.

Those who were looking at the flash triggers ... were they wanting to keep their usage of CLS? .... were they using portable strobes, were they using studio lighting setups ....

How about the light loss through the use of the various modifiers?

We needed to know a lot about various cameras, well beyond our normal spheres of interest. One person asked me if there was an electronic camera remote available for a 'Blad SWC. Another asked after a remote for a G9, while one lady confided in me that on one stand she was was ridiculed for having just a 450D.

Throughout the whole three days of the weekend we were asking these sorts of questions and trying to give the best advice possible. It was fun, invigorating, and very tiring.

Again, a big thank you to Cameron and David for their assistance, and especially given that, for many of the products, yesterday was the first time that they had even seen them!

[surenj]

Nice report Gary. One thing I learnt was that the ring (oh) flash could be used a macro light.

one stand she was was ridiculed for having just a 450D.

I probably would have been kicked out of PMA for having a 350D

[aim54x]

I would have to admit that it was a very different experience to my normal retail gigs! I had lots of fun and learnt a lot about all the Phottix gear. Poon and his brother are great people and I am glad to have met them.

The variety of camera users out there is simply amazing as is the differing levels of acceptance. In contrast to Gary and my customer who had been ridiculed for using a 400D (I remember it as a 400D as opposed to a 450D) I met three gentlemen who used: Pentax, Sony and Nikon respectively and we engaged in a nice chat about the advantages and the mutual admiration of each other's systems (for the record the Pentax was a k200D, the Nikon was a D80 and the Sony was absent but a A700).

[gstark]

and the Sony was absent but a A700).

Thanx for reminding me, Cameron.

Over the weekend, I discovered yet another reason to disrespect Sony.

One of the products that was on display was, as I mentioned earlier, a little diffuser setup that works to diffuse the little built-in popup flash that your camera has. This mounts into your camera's hotshoe, with a couple of little arms that project forward of the flash head, and you mount the diffuser onto those arms.

Very simple.

Now, I've been involved in photography for a fairly long time, and to me the hotshoe is a pretty standard piece of equipment on a camera. Different manufacturers may mess with their own ancillary electrical contact setups, but I have never noticed that anyone has messed with the basic layout of the foot of the hotshoe.

Until now.

This diffuse comes with a "Sony adapter", the reason being that Sony have their own proprietary hotshoe.

They have got to be kidding!

[phillipb]

From memory, the last crop of Minoltas had a different mount maybe that's what Sony is stuck with.

[surenj]

I tried out a Sony during the show. It doesn't really feel right in your hands. Trust them to try to be idiotic! We all remember when they tried to install software on our machines .....

[DaveB]

From memory, the last crop of Minoltas had a different mount maybe that's what Sony is stuck with.

Indeed. Sony has stuck with the existing Minolta flash mount. You can't blame Sony directly for this one!

[gstark]

From memory, the last crop of Minoltas had a different mount maybe that's what Sony is stuck with.

Indeed. Sony has stuck with the existing Minolta flash mount. You can't blame Sony directly for this one!

I will defer to your greater knowledge in this area. It's still a crock, though.

[Mr Darcy]

and the Sony was absent but a A700).

Thanx for reminding me, Cameron.

Over the weekend, I discovered yet another reason to disrespect Sony.

Now, I've been involved in photography for a fairly long time, and to me the hotshoe is a pretty standard piece of equipment on a camera. Different manufacturers may mess with their own ancillary electrical contact setups, but I have never noticed that anyone has messed with the basic layout of the foot of the hotshoe.

Until now.

So you also disrespect Nikon.


They went down the proprietary hot shoe mount route a long time ago.
I don't think anyone can claim that the hotshoe for the Nikon F3 was anything even remotely resembling "standard".
Of course they learned their lesson and came back into the fold
Just to refresh your memory, here is the SB12 (for F3) flash "hotshoe" mount

[gstark]

Of course they learned their lesson and came back into the fold
Just to refresh your memory, here is the SB12 (for F3) flash "hotshoe" mount

I think the fact that they reverted to the standard format sums up this part of the discussion perfectly.

Thanx, Greg, for refreshing my memory on this one.

[Mr Darcy]

Nikon are still at it of course. Just more subtly.
My SB900 will not fit the third party adapters I use for putting an umbrella in front of it. I have to use the proprietary foot & pray the plastic screw thread does not strip out when I screw it to the stand.

[aim54x]

Nikon are still at it of course. Just more subtly.
My SB900 will not fit the third party adapters I use for putting an umbrella in front of it. I have to use the proprietary foot & pray the plastic screw thread does not strip out when I screw it to the stand.

I remember reading about this...they made the hotshoe on the SB-900 just a tiny bit thicker to help remove the 'loose-ness' that people complained about in the SB-600 and SB-800 BUT the big thing they claim is that it is still within the 'official' range for a standard hotshoe mount....but if it dont fit...

shame they made the screw thread on the stand plastic....SILLY NIKON!

[amashun1]

i think i've missed out many things in the show because i'm still new to this and don't know what i'm expecting. I also wasn't aware that you guys have a counter in the show otherwise i would at least drop by and say hi.

we stayed there for 1-2 hrs because i don't really know what i'm checking but i did enjoy the adobe's talk show and try out some Nikon lens.

we went there on Saturday btw.

[SuperJT]

I'm also still learning about the 3rd party equipment that is available. The PMA show highlighted both the good and the bad parts of the imaging industry.

The bad: Elitism with regards to certain people, their equipment and their brands (the place as well as some people were seriously full of it) as well as the absolutely disgraceful treatment of Mr Poon on Saturday (I got to say Hi to Gary quickly under the gaze of the hired goons watching to make sure nothing was being sold).

The good: The Canon stand (and I understand from reading here that Nikon and others may have had something similar) where you got to get your hands on a body and request the lens of your choice to play with. I got minutes with a tilt-shift, a 50mm F1.2L and an 85mm F1.2L on a 1DIII body - Truly awesome. Also, gaining an understanding of the higher end of the industry and really seeing how far things can go - be it a printing system, different types of paper (Kodak's metallic paper looked interesting but I think it has limited use) or a highend Eizo monitor.

The good was really good, but the overall experience was soured a bit.

[biggerry]

The bad: Elitism with regards to certain people, their equipment and their brands

welcome to tradeshows - however that said, I have been to various tradeshows at a professional level for aviation through to manufacturing and in terms of Tradeshows PMA was the least enjoyable (and thats for a tradeshow in something I enjoy doing outside of work). I was only there for the saturday and my first impression after doing a lap was - 75% w@#kers and 25% people worth talking to!

[gstark]

i think i've missed out many things in the show because i'm still new to this and don't know what i'm expecting.

Rather than considering what you might be expecting, perhaps look at these sorts of events from where your interests lie. In which direction would you like to take your photography, and how might you best achieve those outcomes?

Perhaps start at the stand of your camera manufacturer, and look at the various lenses that might be available for your camera. Try to find someone with a smile and a friendly face; on the short time I visited the Nikon stand, the person I was with was really quite grumpy - even moreso that I often am. He seemed as if he wanted to be somewhere else.

At other stands, ask after the purpose of what they have on display, and consider how that might fit in with your interests.

I also wasn't aware that you guys have a counter in the show otherwise i would at least drop by and say hi.

It wasn't actually "us" - it was Poon/HK Supplies/Phottix, who are good friends of ours. We were there to help him.

[amashun1]

Gary, noted with thanks.

Yep, we went to Nikon and tried 50mm/f1.4 and 35mm lenses because i want to know their difference and the famous 105mmVR. Also tried the D700 When we were at the Nikon counter, i think they were pretty friendly but gosh, there were too many people ask for testing so we waited for 15 mins to be served. i'm trying to convince my missus into this hobby too (actually she starts asking to go out for shooting on the weekend )

I did check out 2-3 counters for accessories which i believe they are from HK, well Chinese at least (i'm originally from HK too. so i always got a bit excited to see them in any shows)

It wasn't actually "us" - it was Poon/HK Supplies/Phottix, who are good friends of ours. We were there to help him.

i really don't want to be rude or show any kind of ignorance while i was there but didn't say hi. but look forward to put name on the face next year maybe?

Cheers,
Adrian

[gstark]

i really don't want to be rude or show any kind of ignorance while i was there but didn't say hi. but look forward to put name on the face next year maybe?

Adrian,

None of that is an issue. I know that a few other people skipped us throughout the show because we were so busy; they came back later, or not at all ....

None of that is problematic for us; it's how things are.

The best thing is to come along to one of our meets, and/or get involved in our challenges, and/or just join in the discussions here, as you're doing.

[amashun1]

Cheers Gary, if i'm upskilled then i may attempt some challenge later but at the moment it is too embarrass to show any picture to you guys.

Cheers,
A

[SuperJT]

Cheers Gary, if i'm upskilled then i may attempt some challenge later but at the moment it is too embarrass to show any picture to you guys.

Cheers,
A

Meh, give it a shot. I've done it twice - got reasonable reviews on the first lot and hammered (but with very constructive and appreciated criticism) on the second lot. If you live in a bubble, you'll always think that your pictures are good.

Good luck.