The Photography Show is the destination event for all image creators. Whether you're a seasoned professional, a keen enthusiast or you've just been bitten by the photography bug, you'll want to head to the Birmingham's NEC on 18-21 March to be inspired by a host of experts, learn new photography and video techniques, get hands-on with the latest kit and find fantastic deals.
The show is brought to you by Future Plc, the publishers of TechRadar, and it's an unmissable date in the diary for anyone looking to take the next step in their photography journey.
One of the main appeals of The Photography Show for many visitors is the chance to get hands-on with the latest cameras and kit.
Whether you're looking to take advantage of some of the fantastic deals to be had at the show and want to try before you buy, want to pick the brains of the experts that'll be on hand, or simply have a play with some big telephoto lenses, there's a wealth of kit on show.
To that end, we thought we'd take a look and see what the big camera names will be offering photographers who visit their stands.
Canon
Canon will be celebrating 30 years of its EOS system at The Photography Show, and you'll be able to travel through time and get hands-on with landmark cameras like the EOS 650 and EOS 1 series. You'll also have the chance to try out the latest additions to the Canon range, including the EOS 800D and EOS 5D Mark IV, and experience first-hand the EF 1200mm f/5.6L USM lens – boasting the world’s longest focal length and largest aperture, it's one not to be missed.
Live Stage
Throughout the show, Canon’s Live Stage will host to talks from inspiring, industry-leading photographers and videographers, including Canon Ambassador Jeff Ascough and Canon Explorers Clive Booth and Andy Rouse.
The highlight will arguably be a talk by legendary photographer Sebastião Salgado, who'll be in conversation with Clive Booth on the Tuesday (March 21) at 11am. It's a ticket-only session, but the good news is that tickets are free of charge, and will be available from 10am on the morning of the talk on a first-come first-served basis, so make sure you get there nice and early!
Nikon
With 2017 being Nikon’s 100th Anniversary, this year’s Photography Show will mark the start of the brand's celebrations in the UK. An interactive Nikon stand will showcase the company's range of DSLR models, including the D3300, D7200, D500, D810 and D5, while you'll be able to get your hands on Nikon's huge array of lenses as well.
Nikon School Stage
Central to the stand will be the Nikon School Stage, where a host of inspirational speakers includes the current lineup of Nikon UK Ambassadors: David Yarrow, renowned for his fine-art wildlife photography, Leon Neal, award-winning news photographer, Richard Peters, known for his wildlife photography and back garden safari project, award-winning landscape photographer Jeremy Walker, and Game of Thrones stills photographer Helen Sloan.
The stand will also play host to speakers including commercial fashion photographer Dixie Dixon, internationally acclaimed photographer Joe McNally, multi-award-winning sports photographer Bob Martin, portrait, lifestyle and wedding photographer Kate Hopewell-Smith, and fitness, sports and portrait photographer Tom Miles.
Fujifilm
In addition to Fujifilm's usual Touch and Try areas, where you can get your hands on all of its latest products including the new GFX 50S Medium Format mirrorless camera, the X-T20 and the X-T2, there will be live talks on the Fujifilm stand every hour.
Workshops
Professional photographers who shoot with the X and GFX systems will be giving talks on the official TPS stages and theatres, and every day Fujifilm will be running workshops during which you'll be able to borrow a camera you’ve got your eye on – and a professional photographer will help you get the most from it.
Panasonic
Panasonic's excellent Lumix GH5 will be making its first appearance at a consumer trade show, allowing visitors to see the camera for the first time.
Panasonic has also teamed up with Camera World and London Camera Exchange to give visitors the chance to secure exclusive show offers on the Lumix and Lumix G range (available from their stands at D21 and E51 respectively).
Video Theatre
Sponsored by the Lumix GH5, The Photography Show introduces the Video Theatre for the first time. It's a perfect way for visitors to learn how to expand their skill set, as this dedicated video area will cover integrating moving images into your project, bringing your stories to life and the key differences in camera set-up and post-production for movie-making.
Olympus
First introduced at the show last year, Olympus once again is offering its free and extremely popular ‘Clean and Check’ service for Olympus users on the stand – check your camera in early to avoid disappointment.
Not only that, but you'll also be able to get your hands on new cameras like the OM-D E-M1 Mark II, along with other OM-D and PEN cameras, as well as Olympus’s lineup of M.ZUIKO lenses.
An audience with...
You can also hear from Olympus Visionaries and Ambassadors, who will be hosting a series of free and informal ’Audience with’ sessions on the stand. Many will also be shooting live and speaking on the Show Stages, including the Beginners Conference, 360° Wedding Photography, Fundamentals of Fashion Photography and the Turning Pro Conference.
Sony
This year Sony will be hosting a new stand at which you can see and test out its cameras, lenses and accessory lineup.
You'll be able to try out Sony's Alpha A7 full-frame range of mirrorless cameras paired with G Master lenses, as well as the likes of the A6500 and RX100 V, while it will also be your first opportunity to try Sony's new mid-range telephoto prime lenses, the FE 100mm f/2.8 STF G-Master OSS and FE 85mm f/1.8. Both are newly released, so you’ll have the chance to get your hands on them before anyone else.
Live demos
Make sure you catch all the live demos and talks at the Sony stage, from flair bartending demonstrations to talks by photographers who've shot on some of the biggest movies and more!
