The Photography Show - is it worth it?

The NEC is more convenient for us - more expensive to drive there than London, but more convenient nevertheless. We (my wife goes too) are undecided about attending and probably won't. We aren't looking for any equipment specifically, although we did buy things we didn't know we needed last year. What always interests us are any new books, and this year two big stands are absent, leaving only Rocky Nook.

So, it's wait and see. If reports from people who attend tomorrow and Sunday are such as to encourage us, we may go. Otherwise, if it's back to the NEC next year, we'll go then.

Sue has sometimes popped in to a parallel show as we usually stay over for two days.
 
If anyone goes, please let me know about R5 pricing. Otherwise not looking to go.

I got bombarded with digital and print advertisings about https://www.waleswestphoto.com/
That's at least practically doable if it is actually any good at all?
 
Fuji are doing some good deals. £1250 for an xt50 with 16-50 lens.
About £250 less then the best current price
 
The Photography Show back at the NEC this year. Does anyone know how last years at the eXcel went down given all the comments on here about the decision to alternate it.

Also what is everyone expecting from this years now that its fully settled down post Covid, the change back to March from September and the return to the NEC after the eXcel variation?
 
jamesev said:
The Photography Show back at the NEC this year. Does anyone know how last years at the eXcel went down given all the comments on here about the decision to alternate it.

Also what is everyone expecting from this years now that its fully settled down post Covid, the change back to March from September and the return to the NEC after the eXcel variation?
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It was brilliant last year. Very easy for me to get to from where I live and there was plenty of opportunity to shoot outside the venue.

It helped because the day i went had a nice bright sunny day that when it was over the sun was in golden hour overlooking the themes.

I'm going again this year but staying in Nottingham and driving from there.

Much prefer it to be in London
 
jonneymendoza said:
It was brilliant last year. Very easy for me to get to from where I live and there was plenty of opportunity to shoot outside the venue.

It helped because the day i went had a nice bright sunny day that when it was over the sun was in golden hour overlooking the themes.

I'm going again this year but staying in Nottingham and driving from there.

Much prefer it to be in London
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were those opportunities provided by any of the exhibitors (ie mini photowalks) or just generally. I guess it being on the Docks and at the end of the runway does provide some variation
 
jamesev said:
were those opportunities provided by any of the exhibitors (ie mini photowalks) or just generally. I guess it being on the Docks and at the end of the runway does provide some variation
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Yes they were provided by exhibitors but I went off on my own
 
I really enjoyed it last year, and easy for me to get to from here I live. I was going to go to Birmingham this year but it clashes with another trip unfortunately.
 
Hoping to make it this year but there’s nothing I need in reality . We shall see
 
I have a complimentary ticket for this year, but the cost of flights and possibly a hotel night make it uncertain. I've enjoyed going previously to the NEC shows, but not realistically being able to bring anything much back with me on a plane makes it bothersome. It's even more expensive if I come over on the ferry with the campervan to avoid that problem. So I can't decide.
 
Never been before so it's a first for me. Very familiar with the NEC but not the show. I've done loads of gigs and other exhibitions there. Really don't know what to expect. I don't know whether to hide my plastic or take it. I think like most of these shows, you really need to know your prices.
 
I went last year and I really enjoyed it. Good amount of stands and spread around enough it didn’t feel too cramped. Cambridge photography show changed venues last year and I’ve always had a good time there but this time the room it was in was just too small - you were treading on peoples shoes throughout.

Hopefully I’ll go again this year - it was fun!
 
I was pondering going to see what all the fuss was about, and it looks like they have some good speakers.
But then I noticed it’s the same weekend as the Photo North festival in Leeds, so I think I’ll go to that as it’s more accessible and Leeds itself is more interesting to mooch around afterwards than the NEC!
 
jerry12953 said:
I went once a few years ago and found it far more useful for looking at accessories like bags and tripods than cameras and lenses which are widely reviewed anyway and pretty much the same wherever you go.
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This, at least it gives you the chance to handle items and compare which, unless you go to the largest stores. is not possible on the high street. If I like something and can't get it on the day I usually ask whether they will honour the price if I get it at say Park or Cambrian, and the answer is usually yes. If it is Cambrian, the answer is always 'yes we know Sarah, not a problem'.
 
lindsay said:
I have a complimentary ticket for this year, but the cost of flights and possibly a hotel night make it uncertain. I've enjoyed going previously to the NEC shows, but not realistically being able to bring anything much back with me on a plane makes it bothersome. It's even more expensive if I come over on the ferry with the campervan to avoid that problem. So I can't decide.
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"a complimentary ticket" is that one of those ones that says things like "what lovely hair you have today" or " well don't you look sharp in that get-up" at random times?

MartinJvilla said:
Never been before so it's a first for me. Very familiar with the NEC but not the show. I've done loads of gigs and other exhibitions there. Really don't know what to expect. I don't know whether to hide my plastic or take it. I think like most of these shows, you really need to know your prices.
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better to have it and not use it that not have it and need it
 
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jamesev said:
"a complimentary ticket" is that one of those ones that says things like "what lovely hair you have today" or " well don't you look sharp in that get-up" at random times?
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'twould be nice if that were the case! No, more prosaically, it's a Press Pass.
 
But I'm sure you're gorgeous, Lindsay!!! :P
 
lindsay said:
I have a complimentary ticket for this year, but the cost of flights and possibly a hotel night make it uncertain. I've enjoyed going previously to the NEC shows, but not realistically being able to bring anything much back with me on a plane makes it bothersome. It's even more expensive if I come over on the ferry with the campervan to avoid that problem. So I can't decide.
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The whole point of these events is you are reasonably local and can walk in to nosy around, test stuff, maybe bag a little discount - last day is obviously the best day for that. By the time you pay for expensive travel it becomes just easier and cheaper to visit your local camera store or buy from one of hk retailers. You get all sorts of educational content from tier 1 experts on YouTube, and just as little as 130 or so buys a whole year of visualeducation access

I am 45min away from nec, so you may see me there. Well maybe 70min now since they really messed up m42, and then i like to walk into the show from free parking off site so add another 20min
 
LongLensPhotography said:
The whole point of these events is you are reasonably local and can walk in to nosy around, test stuff, maybe bag a little discount - last day is obviously the best day for that. By the time you pay for expensive travel it becomes just easier and cheaper to visit your local camera store or buy from one of hk retailers. You get all sorts of educational content from tier 1 experts on YouTube, and just as little as 130 or so buys a whole year of visualeducation access

I am 45min away from nec, so you may see me there. Well maybe 70min now since they really messed up m42, and then i like to walk into the show from free parking off site so add another 20min
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exactly, as a local, i've not been since the re-aranged covid show and it was really poor. Going with former colleagues again this year for the first time since pre-covid so hoping its improved.

For me its a 20 minute train into new street, change line and then 15 minutes or whatever out the other side so makes sense financially. Don't expect to buy anything though but worth a nosy to see the accessories.
 
As above, unless you really want to try a lens on your camera, that you won’t find in stock locally*, then reviews etc let you know what you want.

But for things like bags and tripods, or even presentation products, the best way of getting an idea what they’re really like is at the show.

Online reviews simply can’t compete with how something feels in your hand.

*At the last NEC show I actually compared the RF 28-70 f2 24-70 2.8, 24-105 f4 and the 24-105 2.8,

I couldn’t possibly find all those in stock at a local dealer even 30 yrs ago. My local friendly Jessops might have ordered them in for me 20 yrs ago, but it certainly would be unusual to see all of them in a provincial shop.
 
I went for many years, but not really good for bargain hunters and tbh if you just want to get hands on kit, you're better off heading to your local independent (if you have one) or failing that, Wex.
 
Phil V said:
As above, unless you really want to try a lens on your camera, that you won’t find in stock locally*, then reviews etc let you know what you want.

But for things like bags and tripods, or even presentation products, the best way of getting an idea what they’re really like is at the show.

Online reviews simply can’t compete with how something feels in your hand.

*At the last NEC show I actually compared the RF 28-70 f2 24-70 2.8, 24-105 f4 and the 24-105 2.8,

I couldn’t possibly find all those in stock at a local dealer even 30 yrs ago. My local friendly Jessops might have ordered them in for me 20 yrs ago, but it certainly would be unusual to see all of them in a provincial shop.
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Agreed it does cover a wide range of manufacturers all under one roof, something no single store could hope to do unless its a big warehouse-eque one like Wex Norwich.
 
jamesev said:
Agreed it does cover a wide range of manufacturers all under one roof, something no single store could hope to do unless its a big warehouse-eque one like Wex Norwich.
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Unless you live fairly near Norwich, that’s not really helpful though.

Three and a half hours from here to WEX in Norwich.
 
I thought about going this year to see Gary Gough as he's speaking but tickets plus parking is £50 and it's only across hall 5 which doesn't seem worth the money when you read peoples experiences from previous years.
 
Phil V said:
Unless you live fairly near Norwich, that’s not really helpful though.

Three and a half hours from here to WEX in Norwich.
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isn't Norwich pretty much 3.5 hrs from everywhere. But yes the point was that its not often that you can get so many manufacturers in one place


Kieran_89 said:
I thought about going this year to see Gary Gough as he's speaking but tickets plus parking is £50 and it's only across hall 5 which doesn't seem worth the money when you read peoples experiences from previous years.
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I guess everyone takes different things from it. Personally once a year to see as many manufacturers and speakers in one place is worth it. But it seems that whereever it was held it would incur ticket price and transport which would come in at about £50. £10-19 seems to be pretty much standard for a ticket to an all day event these days so it down to what you want to get out of it.

It is good that its alternating between London and Birmingham now as going EVERY year was getting a bit samey so bi-yearly is about right now
 
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Phil V said:
Unless you live fairly near Norwich, that’s not really helpful though.

Three and a half hours from here to WEX in Norwich.
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Norwich WEX are awful, they won't let you touch anything, i'm being serious, not even a lens from an unsealed box. Putney branch is pretty good.

LCE on the other hand are super helpful at every branch i've been to.
 
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