PMA Show Report; New Photographic Products For 2010; Our Annual Report On The Tools Of The Craft

Every year about this time we present a report on the new products that appeal to photographers in a number of categories, all gleaned from our visit to the annual Photo Marketing Association (PMA) Show. As we have for the past few such reports, we concentrate on many of the product categories that do not often get the spotlight grabbed by new cameras, many of which are announced throughout the year and not always in conjunction with a trade show’s schedule. While we consider cameras the mainstay and where new technology is often incorporated, thus perhaps of most interest, there is a very large supporting cast of lenses, lighting, bags, printers, papers, tripods, and other items that are key supporting actors in the photo play.

This year we had four reporters and veteran Shutterbug contributors covering the show floor—Jon Canfield, Joe Farace, Robert Mayer, and Jack Neubart, each of whom bring their long experience and legacy knowledge to bear in their reports. Their charge was to spend the time finding products that would be of most interest to Shutterbug readers among the hundreds of show booths and thousands of products showcased. While their coverage and reports are comprehensive and exhaustive, there is no way that I expected them to cover every product in every category, only that which caught their interest and eye. In addition, I asked them to limit their reporting to those products that were displayed at the show.

If you do not see a product from your favorite brands it could be a result of the latter limitation. We will of course bring you news of non-show attending companies and their products here in the magazine and on our web News Desk at www.shutterbug.com, where you’ll also find a company list that allows you to click through for immediate access to more detailed information on any and all products reported on here. Just go to the Instant Links line on the homepage and click through to find that information.

That said, we hope you enjoy this report and use it as a resource throughout the coming year. Many of the products discussed here are just now arriving on store shelves and into Internet shopping sites; if not, some will surely be available in the summer and fall. Manufacturers often use these shows to gauge interest and give a hint of what might come, so in some cases there are items, duly noted, that are wishful thinking rather than actual products.

We present these product reports in the spirit of sharing our discovery of accessories to your photographic endeavors. We hope that this report gives you a good sense of where photography is heading, and how vital and fun the art and craft we all love can be.
—Editor

Manufacturers/Distributors’ website addresses can be found by visiting the Instant Links section of our website at: www.shutterbug.com/currentissuelinks/.

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