photokina Photographic Show Suspended For Indefinite Time

Photokina 2020 Coronavirus

Well that comes unexpected, despite the global pandemic. Koelnmesse, the organizer of the show, announced that “photokina at Cologne location [is] suspended for the time being”.

Press release:

photokina will be suspended until further notice

After 70 years, decreases in the imaging market force a hard cut

In view of the further massive decline in markets for imaging products, Koelnmesse has decided to discontinue organising photokina at its Cologne location for the time being. “Unfortunately, at present the framework conditions in the industry do not provide a viable basis for the leading international trade fair for photography, video and imaging,” according to Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse. “This hard cut after a 70-year shared history was very difficult for us. The trend in this industry, with which we have always had a close and trusting partnership, is very painful for us to witness. But we are facing the situation with a clear, honest decision against continuing this event, a decision to which, unfortunately, we have no alternative.”

Even before the coronavirus pandemic began, the imaging market was already subject to strong upheaval, with annual declines in the double digits. The momentum in this direction intensified massively in 2020, most recently reporting a decline in the 50-percent range. Recently, these developments have had a profound effect on photokina, which – in Cologne since 1950 – for generations has been the top address for the imaging industry and ranks among the most favourably and emotionally charged brands in the trade fair world.

Since 2014, Koelnmesse, together with the German Photo Industry Association, has taken its cue from downward market trends, responding with adjustments to the underlying concept of the trade fair as well as considerable investment in new exhibitor and visitor segments. “These changes in conceptual design, along with a shift in intervals and a change of dates, did not fundamentally improve the situation of the event,” says Oliver Frese, Management Board member and Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse. “While there are more photographs taken today than ever before, the integration of smartphone photography and videography, together with image-based communication, e.g. via social media, was not able to cushion the elimination of large segments of the classic market. As a result, the overall situation is not compatible with the quality standards of photokina as a globally renowned brand representing the highest quality and professionalism in the international imaging market.”

Koelnmesse has made its decision in close coordination with the German Photo Industry Association. Kai Hillebrandt, Chairman of that association, remarked: “Our partners in Cologne have done everything in their power to maintain photokina as the leading global trade fair. Nonetheless, an event held in 2022 could not have met the expectations of the entire imaging community that those efforts were intended to serve. That is why we, on behalf of our association, are joining them in taking this regrettably unavoidable step. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the team in Cologne for a tremendous 70 years together!”

Photokina 2020 Has Been Cancelled Due To Coronavirus Outbreak

Photokina 2020 Coronavirus

It was to expect and it happened. Photokina 2020 has been cancelled because of the Coronavirus outbreak.

Press release:

photokina 2020 is cancelled

After intensive consultation, Koelnmesse GmbH has decided to cancel photokina 2020, originally planned to be held 27 to 30 May 2020. The next instalment of the leading international trade fair for photography, video and imaging will be presented from 18 to 21 May 2022. The Imaging Innovation Conference will not be celebrating its première in 2020 as originally planned; a new date will be coordinated.

In general the management team of Koelnmesse has decided not to organise any own events on the part of Koelnmesse until the end of June 2020. This decision is supported by the crisis management team of the City of Cologne, which also recommended in its meeting on 18.03.2020 to cancel the trade fairs during this period.

This also happens against the background of the agreement reached on 16.03.2020 between the German federal government and the governments of the German states – laying down common guidelines for dealing with the coronavirus epidemic and explicitly including the general closure of trade fairs and exhibitions. This impairs the planning security for Koelnmesse and the participants of the trade fairs in Cologne far beyond the scope of the current scenarios. With this early announcement, Koelnmesse wants to give its exhibitors and visitors planning security.

The decision not to host the next edition of photokina until May 2022 was made with in view of several factors: Even before the appearance of the coronavirus, the imaging market was already subject to strongly dynamic movements. This trend will now gain momentum and must be factored into plans for the upcoming photokina. Added to this is the fact that our customers’ resources are already under heavy strain in 2021 – as a result of general economic trends as well as rescheduled events on the global trade fair calendar. The orientation towards 2022 gives everyone involved time enough to design the next photokina with an eye to the needs of the market, and of our exhibitors and visitors.

Kai Hillebrandt, Chairman of the Photo Industry Association [Photoindustrie-Verband e.V. (PIV)]: “It goes without saying that PIV completely stands behind the decision taken by Koelnmesse to cancel photokina 2020. The health of exhibitors and visitors is top priority at the moment. As the conceptual sponsor of photokina, we will do our utmost to assist the Koelnmesse with the planning of the next edition of photokina.”

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Leading Manufacturer Reaffirm Their Commitment To Photokina 2020

Photokina 2020 Coronavirus

Photokina 2020 released a (German) press release where some big players in the industry reaffirm their commitment to the “leading exhibition” in the photography industry.

Canon will be present at photokina 2020. Nikon, Olympus and Leica already released press releases where they explain why they are not present at photokina 2020.

Go Tokura, Chief Executive Officer Image Communication Business Operations at Canon states:

With the imaging industry at a significant turning point, we expect photokina to fulfill its role as the leading exhibition in the global photographic and imaging industries. Canon is pleased to announce new products at photokina, contributing to the industry’s success.

So, Canon “is pleased to announce new products”. Expect the EOS-1D X Mark III and maybe a new EOS M and a new EOS R camera.

The machine translated photokina 2020 press release is after the break.

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Nikon, Leica And Olympus Will Not Attend Photokina 2020

Photokina 2020 Coronavirus

Well, this comes as a surprise. A big player like Nikon not going to attend Photokina 2020?

That’s what a Photokina 2020 press release unveils (emphasis mine):

“We look forward to strong demand and applications from both the new and the classic segments of companies like Canon, CEWE, GoPro, Sony, Panasonic, Kodak Alaris, Sigma, Tamron, Carl Zeiss, Hasselblad, Hahnemühle, Arri, Rode Mikrophones, DJI and Insta360”, says Christoph Werner, Vice President of Koelnmesse. These are contrasted by cancellations, including from Leica, Nikon and Olympus.

It’s not just Nikon to let us puzzled. Leica is a traditional German camera manufacturer and maybe it is even weirder that they do not partecipate to Photokina 2020. Wonder if there are more, untold reasons that motivated Nikon, Leica and Olympus to not attend Photokina 2020.

Photokina 2019 Has Been Cancelled, Comes Back in 2020

Photokina

Well, this comes as a surprise.

Photokina 2019 has been cancelled. The next Photokina will happen in May 2020. Is this a sign of the crisis the photo industry is experiencing?

Photokina press release:

The next photokina will take place in May 2020

Imaging industry and Koelnmesse decide on new starting point for the new annual cycle

Following a successful photokina 2018, the German Photo Industry Association (PIV), as conceptual sponsor of the trade fair, and the event’s organiser Koelnmesse have agreed not to organise the next leading global trade fair in May 2019, as initially planned, but in May 2020. From Wednesday 27 May 2020 to Saturday 30 May 2020, all the market leaders in the imaging industry are expected once again in Cologne. The decision to postpone the start of the announced annual cycle by one year is intended to give all participants the opportunity to further develop the new concept for photokina and to tap into new target groups among exhibitors and visitors in order to heighten the status of the trade fair as a global platform for the photography and imaging industry.

“photokina 2018 clearly exceeded our already optimistic expectations with groundbreaking innovations and 180,000 visitors from 127 countries,” explained PIV’s CEO Rainer Führes. “As a result, we set the bar very high for the next event. It is therefore unlikely that, in May 2019 after just over seven months, we will once again be able to create the same enthusiastic atmosphere that characterised photokina 2018. This is why we have decided to start the planned annual cycle in 2020. The Photoindustrie-Verband would like to thank Koelnmesse for its willingness to quickly comply with this request. This shows once again the great professionalism and excellent customer orientation that has characterised our trusting partnership for decades now.”

“We understand that even the most powerful technology companies cannot ensure that they will once again be able to bring such innovative strength to the exhibition halls as we experienced at photokina 2018 within an extremely short lead time of just seven months,” added Koelnmesse’s CEO Gerald Böse. “It is precisely these innovations, however, that shape the character of photokina as the world’s leading trade fair – as does the presence of all the leading suppliers in the industry as well as important users, retailers and service providers worldwide. In order to make sure we can continue to fulfil this requirement in the future and meet the expectations of exhibitors and visitors with every event, we have responded flexibly to PIV’s wishes. This will ensure the continued unique impact and public appeal of one of our flagship trade fairs in the future.”

This year, photokina had successfully presented itself with a new concept, which included the increased involvement of new exhibitors from innovative areas such as mobile, imaging analytics, digital workflow and moving images, as well as a stronger focus on experience for visitors. This combination of experience and product presentation, which was very well received by younger target groups in particular, ensured full halls, overcrowded workshops and spectacular presentations on the event areas, in front of which large crowds of people repeatedly formed, despite the trade fair being shortened by two days. As a result, the trade fair was mentioned not only in conventional media but also in digital and social channels such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to a greater extent than in previous years. The newly created Imaging Lab, in which start-ups, investors and scientists presented and discussed new imaging applications, also proved to be an important impetus for the entire industry. Together with numerous groundbreaking innovations from established imaging companies, this resulted in a showcase of the great dynamism with which the imaging industry is positioning itself for the digital future and which will also shape photokina 2020.

Is There Something You Would Like To Ask Canon at Photokina 2018?

Photokina 2018

The people at LensVid will be at Photokina 2018, and they are ready to hold interviews with Canon, Nikon, Sony, and the likes and peers in the industry.

If there is an original question you’d like to ask Canon, or if you have a suggestion for an interview, then feel free to sound off in the comment section. LensVid’s Iddo will have a look and eventually collect the best questions which might make it into the interview with Canon at Photokina. In any case we will share LensVid’s Photokina interview with Canon here on Canon Watch in a week or two.

Photokina 2018 starts September 26, 2018.