Photography

The best of Photokina 2016

The best of Photokina 2016
New Atlas looks at some of the highlights of Photokina 2016
New Atlas looks at some of the highlights of Photokina 2016
View 99 Images
The eve of Photokina kicked off with Panasonic announcing that the GH5 is in development, and due to launch in 2017
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The eve of Photokina kicked off with Panasonic announcing that the GH5 is in development, and due to launch in 2017
Unfortunately the only GH5 models at Photokina were promptly placed in glass cases and not to be touched
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Unfortunately the only GH5 models at Photokina were promptly placed in glass cases and not to be touched
Sony then announced that it had been working on a new flagship camera too, the A99 II
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Sony then announced that it had been working on a new flagship camera too, the A99 II
The Sony A99 Mark II promises to be a fast DSLR-like camera aimed wildlife and sports shooters
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The Sony A99 Mark II promises to be a fast DSLR-like camera aimed wildlife and sports shooters
There was then a scrum to get close to Fujifilm's upcoming GFX medium format mirrorless camera
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There was then a scrum to get close to Fujifilm's upcoming GFX medium format mirrorless camera
When we got up close we were impressed by how the small the GFX series is compared to other medium format cameras
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When we got up close we were impressed by how the small the GFX series is compared to other medium format cameras
The way in which the detachable viewfinder on the Fujifilm GFX can be angled is also a nice touch
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The way in which the detachable viewfinder on the Fujifilm GFX can be angled is also a nice touch
Later in the day Olympus decided it was time to reveal its new flagship DSLR killer, meet the E-M1 Mark II
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Later in the day Olympus decided it was time to reveal its new flagship DSLR killer, meet the E-M1 Mark II
The mirrorless Olympus E-M1 Mark II promises to give the series a speed boost
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The mirrorless Olympus E-M1 Mark II promises to give the series a speed boost
Just before the doors opened for the first day of the show, press were given a preview of the upcoming Kodak 4KVR360 which has dual lenses
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Just before the doors opened for the first day of the show, press were given a preview of the upcoming Kodak 4KVR360 which has dual lenses
The lop-sided lenses of the Kodak 4KVR360 allow it to act as two cameras in one
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The lop-sided lenses of the Kodak 4KVR360 allow it to act as two cameras in one
The Photokina doors finally open to the public
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The Photokina doors finally open to the public
Nikon was showing of footage from its KeyMission 360 camera at the entrance to Photokina 2016
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Nikon was showing of footage from its KeyMission 360 camera at the entrance to Photokina 2016
Hanging VR viewers showed 360 action videos recorded with the Nikon KeyMission 360
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Hanging VR viewers showed 360 action videos recorded with the Nikon KeyMission 360
A Photokina visitor checks out some 360 VR footage
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A Photokina visitor checks out some 360 VR footage
The vast Canon stand showed of the full range of Canon's photo gear, from the EOS M5 to its photo printers
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The vast Canon stand showed of the full range of Canon's photo gear, from the EOS M5 to its photo printers
In the center of the Canon stand was a big 360-degree projection screen
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In the center of the Canon stand was a big 360-degree projection screen
Canon gave Photokina visitors a glimpse of the future with this concept 8K video rig
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Canon gave Photokina visitors a glimpse of the future with this concept 8K video rig
This concept 8K HDR display monitor from Canon had to be seen to be believed
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This concept 8K HDR display monitor from Canon had to be seen to be believed
Canon even supplied magnifying glasses for visitors to check out the detail of these stills from high res videos
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Canon even supplied magnifying glasses for visitors to check out the detail of these stills from high res videos
We got a chance to put the Canon EOS M5 though its paces
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We got a chance to put the Canon EOS M5 though its paces
The quirky flash ring macro lens on the Canon EOS M5
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The quirky flash ring macro lens on the Canon EOS M5
The halls at Photokina were packed with all sorts of photography gear
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The halls at Photokina were packed with all sorts of photography gear
GoPro had some of its Karma drones on display, albeit grounded
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GoPro had some of its Karma drones on display, albeit grounded
The GoPro Karma drone in its bag
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The GoPro Karma drone in its bag
The controller for the GoPro Karma drone
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The controller for the GoPro Karma drone
The gimbal stabilizer from the GoPro Karma drone
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The gimbal stabilizer from the GoPro Karma drone
The newly announced GoPro Hero5 was on show at Photokina
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The newly announced GoPro Hero5 was on show at Photokina
The new remote for the GoPro Hero5 looks like a good addition
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The new remote for the GoPro Hero5 looks like a good addition
The lens cover on the GoPro Hero5 can be removed
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The lens cover on the GoPro Hero5 can be removed
Which is great news for GoPro Hero5 users who get their camera scratched
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Which is great news for GoPro Hero5 users who get their camera scratched
GoPro representatives get a selfie on the camera-equipped car
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GoPro representatives get a selfie on the camera-equipped car
Olympus had a number of demos to show off the speed of their new cameras including models getting paint hurled at them
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Olympus had a number of demos to show off the speed of their new cameras including models getting paint hurled at them
... and parkour guys doing various flips and tricks
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... and parkour guys doing various flips and tricks
Sigma brought the big guns to Photokina in the form of this monster 200-500-mm lens
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Sigma brought the big guns to Photokina in the form of this monster 200-500-mm lens
The newly announced Sony A99 II was the big attraction at the Sony stand
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The newly announced Sony A99 II was the big attraction at the Sony stand
Sony had even cut one of its A99 II in half to show Photokina visitors what it's made of
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Sony had even cut one of its A99 II in half to show Photokina visitors what it's made of
Martial art experts were at hand to help Photokina visitors test the focus speed of the A99 II
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Martial art experts were at hand to help Photokina visitors test the focus speed of the A99 II
Sony showed off the low light focusing ability of its cameras by pointing them into dark rooms
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Sony showed off the low light focusing ability of its cameras by pointing them into dark rooms
A visitor to the Sony stand a Photokina tests the low light focusing ability of an A7 series camera
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A visitor to the Sony stand a Photokina tests the low light focusing ability of an A7 series camera
Some people still print their photos
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Some people still print their photos
Epson was showing its latest printing technology
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Epson was showing its latest printing technology
There were a number of technical photography and lighting demos
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There were a number of technical photography and lighting demos
Zeiss wanted to be sure it had the biggest lens at Photokina 2016
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Zeiss wanted to be sure it had the biggest lens at Photokina 2016
Inside that big Zeiss Otus lens visitors were able to find out about the history of the firm and its lens developments
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Inside that big Zeiss Otus lens visitors were able to find out about the history of the firm and its lens developments
Shoulderpod was displaying some of its stylish smartphone camera rigs
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Shoulderpod was displaying some of its stylish smartphone camera rigs
The Zeiss Exolens system consists of some of the best smartphone lenses available
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The Zeiss Exolens system consists of some of the best smartphone lenses available
The Zeiss lenses improve the photographic game of your iPhone
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The Zeiss lenses improve the photographic game of your iPhone
Zeiss put on a wilderness display for users to test its DSLR lenses
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Zeiss put on a wilderness display for users to test its DSLR lenses
Visitors were able to test some of the Zeiss DSLR lenses
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Visitors were able to test some of the Zeiss DSLR lenses
The Leica Sofort is the first instant camera from the firm
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The Leica Sofort is the first instant camera from the firm
The Leica Sofort prints look good on the new Leica instant film
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The Leica Sofort prints look good on the new Leica instant film
Polaroid had employed a mime artist to help promote its Snap Touch instant camera
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Polaroid had employed a mime artist to help promote its Snap Touch instant  camera
The Impossible Project I-1 analogue instant camera works with your smartphone
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The Impossible Project I-1 analogue instant camera works with your smartphone
More instant prints from the Impossible Project I-1 analogue camera
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More instant prints from the Impossible Project I-1 analogue camera
At the other end of the market is was the new Hasselblad X1D
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At the other end of the market is was the new Hasselblad X1D
We got to get our hands on the Hasselblad X1D
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We got to get our hands on the Hasselblad X1D
Hasselblad was also showing off a model of its concept 75-megapixel square format modular camera
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Hasselblad was also showing off a model of its concept 75-megapixel square format modular camera
The V1D 4116 concept is part of Hasselblad's 75-year anniversary celebration
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The V1D 4116 concept is part of Hasselblad's 75-year anniversary celebration
Over at the Nikon stand stage there were a series of photographers talking about their work
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Over at the Nikon stand stage there were a series of photographers talking about their work
At the center of the Nikon stand was a yet another VR display
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At the center of the Nikon stand was a  yet another VR display
There were plenty of experts on hand to offer advice at Photokina 2016
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There were plenty of experts on hand to offer advice at Photokina 2016
The Nikon KeyMission 360 was on display once the doors to Photokina opened
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The Nikon KeyMission 360 was on display once the doors to Photokina opened
Nikon also announced the KeyMission 170 which is a more traditional 4K action camera
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Nikon also announced the KeyMission 170 which is a more traditional 4K action camera
And the KeyMission 80 which is designed as an everyday shooter
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And the KeyMission 80 which is designed as an everyday shooter
The ultraLUUV stabilizer did a great job of creating smooth GoPro footage
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The  ultraLUUV stabilizer did a great job of creating smooth GoPro footage
The ultraLUUV adds a gimbal to the firms traditional solid stabilizer
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The  ultraLUUV adds a gimbal to the firms traditional solid stabilizer
SanDisk proved it has got enough storage to keep up with mega megapixel camera with its new 1 TB SD card
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SanDisk proved it has got enough storage to keep up with mega megapixel camera with its new 1 TB SD card
Fujifilm announced that it will be launching a new square format instant film and cameras
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Fujifilm announced that it will be launching a new square format instant film and cameras
Instax Square is due to launch in the first half of 2017
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Instax Square is due to launch in the first half of 2017
This ultra large print was created from an image taken with Fujifilms upcoming GFX camera
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This ultra large print was created from an image taken with Fujifilms upcoming GFX camera
YI Technology announced that it was getting into the mirrorless camera game with its M1 camera
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YI Technology announced that it was getting into the mirrorless camera game with its M1 camera
Yes, the YI M1 does look a lot like a cheap Leica T
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Yes, the YI M1 does look a lot like a cheap Leica T
LowePro announced it new FlipSideTrek split bag at Photokina
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LowePro announced it new FlipSideTrek split bag at Photokina
The Joby Action Jib lets you shoot at high angles and create movie-like camera movements with your smartphone or action camera
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The Joby Action Jib lets you shoot at high angles and create movie-like camera movements with your smartphone or action camera
There were lots of chances to take photos, like this flower and model combo at the Fujifilm stand
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There were lots of chances to take photos, like this flower and model combo at the Fujifilm stand
YI Technology was also proud of its 360 Jump action camera rig
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YI Technology was also proud of its 360 Jump action camera rig
Ricoh didn't have any new cameras to show off, but its Theata S was still a popular draw
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Ricoh didn't have any new cameras to show off, but its Theata S was still a popular draw
There were lots of chances for people to shoot selfies, like this visitor to the Ricoh Theta S display
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There were lots of chances for people to shoot selfies, like this visitor to the Ricoh Theta S display
Over at Panasonic we got to test the new G80 camera
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Over at Panasonic we got to test the new G80 camera
Panasonic had a model on a swing for people to take photos of, for some reason
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Panasonic had a model on a swing for people to take photos of, for some reason
The DJI Osmo Mobile lets users shoot stabilized footage with a smartphone
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The DJI Osmo Mobile lets users shoot stabilized footage with a smartphone
The DJI Osmo Mobile is surprisingly easy and comfortable to use
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The DJI Osmo Mobile is surprisingly easy and comfortable to use
DJI obviously also had some drones doing their thing
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DJI obviously also had some drones doing their thing
The DxO One iPhone camera add-on gives a compromise between portability and quality
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The DxO One iPhone camera add-on gives a compromise between portability and quality
A recently announced update to the DxO One camera lets it make use of its Wi-Fi connectivity
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A recently announced update to the DxO One camera lets it make use of its Wi-Fi connectivity
As such there are now plenty of new add-ons for when using the DxO One camera not attached to an iPhone, like this yellow waterproof case
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As such there are now plenty of new add-ons for when using the DxO One camera not attached to an iPhone, like this yellow waterproof case
Sony wanted everyone to know how good the stabilization is in its new FDR-X3000 action cam, by putting one on a vibrating handlebar
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Sony wanted everyone to know how good the stabilization is in its new FDR-X3000 action cam, by putting one on a vibrating handlebar
While the action cameras from Polaroid might not be the most powerful, they are probably the cutest
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While the action cameras from Polaroid might not be the most powerful, they are probably the cutest
The Vuze camera shoots 3D VR 360 footage which looked great on an HTC Vive
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The Vuze camera shoots 3D VR 360 footage which looked great on an HTC Vive
The 36 camera packing Panono offers the highest resolution 360 footage with its 108-megapixel shooting
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The 36 camera packing Panono offers the highest resolution 360 footage with its 108-megapixel shooting
The Berlebach wooden tripods looked great
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The Berlebach wooden tripods looked great
3 Legged Thing used Photokina to launch its new Punks range of tripods
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3 Legged Thing used Photokina to launch its new Punks range of tripods
As with other 3 Legged Thing tripods, the new Punks models have a distinctive look
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As with other 3 Legged Thing tripods, the new Punks models have a distinctive look
It was time for us to leave Photokina
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It was time for us to leave Photokina
But not before visiting the Olympus Perspective Playground
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But not before visiting the Olympus Perspective Playground
At the Olympus Perspective Playground there were plenty of interesting things to photograph
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At the Olympus Perspective Playground there were plenty of interesting things to photograph
Like almost every other visitor to Photokina 2016, we also had to take the almost obligatory shot of Cologne Cathedral
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Like almost every other visitor to Photokina 2016, we also had to take the almost obligatory shot of Cologne Cathedral
New Atlas looks at some of the highlights of Photokina 2016
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New Atlas looks at some of the highlights of Photokina 2016
View gallery - 99 images

Once every two years Photokina takes over Cologne, turning the German city into the centre of the photographic world with more than one thousand firms coming to show off their wares. We've spent the last few days trawling the halls to discover and try out the best cameras, lenses, and other photo accoutrements. Read on to see what we found.

As ever, it's been the major camera firms dominating the Photokina headlines with cameras which were released just in time to show off here. Big announcements included the Fujifilm GFX, Panasonic GH5 and the Olympus E-M1 Mark II. And we've already had hands-on sessions on with upcoming cameras including the Canon M5 and the Polaroid Snap Touch, with plenty more to follow shortly.

The eve of Photokina kicked off with Panasonic announcing that the GH5 is in development, and due to launch in 2017
The eve of Photokina kicked off with Panasonic announcing that the GH5 is in development, and due to launch in 2017

But Photokina isn't just about these headline grabbers, it's about the whole imaging sector. As such there are smartphone camera accessories, point-and-shoot cameras, printers and high-end video production systems, all on show across the vast exhibition center.

The Zeiss Exolens system consists of some of the best smartphone lenses available
The Zeiss Exolens system consists of some of the best smartphone lenses available

VR cameras were all over the exhibition this year too. There was barely a stand without a VR viewer of some description, and Nikon even had a metal container full of them outside to show off footage from its KeyMission 360 camera.

A Photokina visitor checks out some 360 VR footage
A Photokina visitor checks out some 360 VR footage

There was also a prevalence of drones and gimbal stabilizers dotted around too. While the big boys of DJI and GoPro were undeniably the biggest draws, there were still plenty of others which stood out from the masses of wannabes out there, we were quite taken with the Luuv stabilizers.

The ultraLUUV adds a gimbal to the firms traditional solid stabilizer
The  ultraLUUV adds a gimbal to the firms traditional solid stabilizer

Bags and camera straps are things photographers will always need, and there were new options on show from the likes of LowePro with its FlipSideTrek split bag, and BlackRapid showing off its new Breathe range of camera straps which are designed to get less sweaty.

More instant prints from the Impossible Project I-1 analogue camera
More instant prints from the Impossible Project I-1 analogue camera

But perhaps the most unusual boom in products was the retro revival, with firms like Leica even getting in on the instant camera action, alongside Fujifilm, Lomography, and Impossible Project which was showing off its I-1 Bluetooth analogue instant camera.

Olympus had a number of demos to show off the speed of their new cameras including models getting paint hurled at them
Olympus had a number of demos to show off the speed of their new cameras including models getting paint hurled at them

But Photokina wasn't all tech gawking, there were plenty of chances for people to actually use their cameras and take photos too. While this consisted of the dated "standing pretty woman" variety, there were also more technical demonstrations and chances for manufacturers to show off their cameras' capabilities – such as Olympus' E-M1 Mark II being used to shoot paint splattering and parkour displays. Sony chose to demo the fast-focusing of its A99 II with martial arts displays.

At the Olympus Perspective Playground there were plenty of interesting things to photograph
At the Olympus Perspective Playground there were plenty of interesting things to photograph

There were also interesting options with a highlight being Olympus's Perspective Playground, where visitors who were willing to make a 15-minute shuttle bus journey got to borrow a camera and snap away at the art exhibition. There were also plenty of photo walks where people got to snap the almost obligatory shots of Cologne Cathedral.

Like almost every other visitor to Photokina 2016, we also had to take the almost obligatory shot of Cologne Cathedral
Like almost every other visitor to Photokina 2016, we also had to take the almost obligatory shot of Cologne Cathedral

To see the other things which caught our interest at Photokina, including news and new releases we weren't able to fit in, check out our image gallery.

View gallery - 99 images
1 comment
1 comment
guzmanchinky
Apparently "real" camera sales decreased 30%. Everyone just uses their smartphone now. I think someday all photos will be VR 3D. Maybe.