Citizen Systems Blog

The global health pandemic has thrown the European photographic sector a curveball of unparalleled proportions. With weddings & events all but on hold, amusement parks and labs largely closed, it's been a tough year, to say the least. The big question is, when will it end and when can we expect to get the wheels turning once more?

It was back in the spring of 2016 when PR and media production agency, MBG, first landed on the idea of building a photobooth. A venture that quickly evolved into a true voyage of discovery.
Jörk Schüßler, Marketing Director EMEA, Citizen Systems, caught up with Operations Manager, Steve Gibbs, to learn more about this unusual story for this, our latest blog feature.

There's no doubt about it; there is something quite glamorous about working in the world of photography. In its many guises, it can be an extremely rewarding way of life; not only financially, but also enriching for the soul with the ability to work in a creative field and making people happy along the way. What's not to like?

DI: What are the advantages of the Citizen OP-900II for portrait photographers? 

Schneider, the writing instrument manufacturer, is delighting visitors and employees with a new gift: the printed photo from the click-it Fotobox. The highlight: After a few seconds, the user holds a finished picture in his or her hands. The integrated Citizen printer, from the CX series, prints photos reliably and quickly – as a personal reminder or souvenir to keep.

It’s a true statement to make, that Dye Sublimation technology in modern photo printers is among some of the most reliable and best quality machines available. That said, not all printers are born equal. To clarify this point, Citizen Photo appointed a respected UK-based colour consultancy company to test a selection of leading dye-sub photo printers.
 
Many people will know the Citizen brand for their near-hundred-years of precision engineering in the watch industry, producing timepieces in Nagano, Japan, of exceptional quality and value, and then making them available for every ‘citizen’. For the first time, everyone could own a high-quality timepiece, which was previously the exclusive domain of Swiss watchmakers. What is perhaps lesser known, is the fact that Citizen is also prolific in many other areas of industry, and serve the photography market by producing dye sublimation printers for a vast number of specialist photographers and retailers across the globe. In fact, Citizen produces over 40,000 printers each and every year.

One of the major issues facing the ‘traditional’ event photographer is the upward shift in competition. Anyone can walk into a high street store or order an entry-to-mid-range DSLR or CSC camera online. Particularly, the advent of digital photography has given the ability to almost anyone to put their camera into ‘auto’ mode and call themselves a photographer. Everyone has access to an audience too, via social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, giving an immediate facility to share their ‘work’.

Historically, photographic retailers have been accused of dragging their heels, when it comes to technology. Many were resistant to digital imaging technology as it emerged into the market in the early 2000’s and as a result (in part), many have now closed their doors for good.