Show Reports

As is our wont each year we take to the aisles of the PMA Show, the annual and largest photo equipment show in the US, in search of new and innovative products for photographers. This year we had six reporters, including Jon Canfield, Jack Neubart, Jason Schneider, Robert Mayer, Peter Burian, and, new with us at PMA this year, Ibarionex Perello, covering their respective beats; our Managing Editor Bonnie Paulk and Associate Editor Andrea Keister, as well as yours truly, also attended, which meant Shutterbug had more editorial coverage at the show than any other publication, US or worldwide.

Each reporter covered areas in which they have experience and knowledge, and the assignment was to wear their photographer's hat as they covered their categories. The show is large and spread over two floors, so legwork, advance knowledge, and some helpful tips from fellow reporters all helped get it done.

There were many more products at the show than we could possibly cover here. In addition, some companies with new products didn't attend; we'll cover any new products or those from non-attendees in subsequent issues, and of course on our website's News Desk, which gets refreshed with breaking news each and every working day. Nevertheless, our full team of reporters and staff, and our dedication of this issue to the show report, means this is the best and most coverage of the show you'll find in any publication.

The reports that follow are broken down into fairly obvious categories, although there has been some shifting of borders of late. You can read through them all sequentially or just flip to the areas of interest to you. Regardless of your specific interest there are two reports that I recommend for all--our "Weird and Wonderful" and "Best of Show." One celebrates innovative and fun products; the other reveals each of our takes on the influential products and trends that we felt worthy of special mention, regardless of our respective beats.

So, this month's features are dedicated to the tools and technology that will be on store shelves soon and that may change the way we capture, store, and manipulate images in the future. We hope you enjoy the reports and each writer's take on what's ahead.

Manufacturers/ Distributors