Photo Imaging Expo is one of Asia’s largest exhibitions on photography and imaging that takes place every March. An exhibition, formerly known as Photo Expo, also used to be held in Osaka until 2004 (I used to go to this exhibition in Osaka every year). I remember that 2 exhibitions were jointly held back then; one was a "camera show" that showcased new cameras, while the other was a "photo and imaging show" where products such as strobe lights, tripod stands, printers, picture frames, and albums were introduced. Well in 2005, 3 independent exhibitions - the "Photo Expo," an exhibition featuring photo-related products, the "Lab System Show," which brought together laboratory-related equipment such as image development and printing products, and the "International Professional Photo Fair," an exhibition showcasing professional photo equipment - were combined to form the Photo Imaging Expo. It has evolved into a quite a large event that not only introduces new products, but also involves photo shoot sessions, talk shows, and seminars by professional photographers. It is an event that is suitable for a wide range of people from professional cameramen, owners of photo studios, to beginner photographers who are just getting started with a digital camera. According to the official website, there will be 40 courses that teach helpful tips for improving photography skills. You do not have to pre-register or pay a fee to participate. Business seminars focusing on 6 themes will also be held. For these seminars you have to register in advance, and not all of the seminars are free. Seats are limited, so if you plan to attend these seminars, I recommend that you register quickly.

The theme for this year’s Panasonic booth at the Photo Imaging Expo is "NEW IMAGING – From photography to moving image. A new world created by the LUMIX." My favorite camera is the "LUMIX" FZ5, but it has already been 4 years since I bought it. I can't believe it's already been so long, but compared to back then, there is so much more variety in the line-up and now you can do much more with them. The pixel count has more than doubled, and even with a 12x optical lens, the camera size has become dramatically more compact. Although I can shoot video with my FZ5, the new models let you "shoot impressive high definition video that you can even enjoy on the large screen TV," and the audio is very clear, too. Watching it on the large screen TV is so different from watching it on the small PC screen. In the Panasonic booth you will find the digital interchangeable lens camera, the "G1," which was also introduced in mino-san and hiro-san's entries, as well as cameras with which you can shoot high definition video and water/dust proof cameras. You can test these cameras out for yourself to your hearts content. Personally, I am very interested in the "face recognition" function advertised on TV, so I am looking forward to learning more about it and to test it out for myself (click here for more information about the new "LUMIX" product line up).

As you can see, there is so much to see in the Panasonic booth. From the official website, I also learned that the largest photo exhibition in the history of the Photo Imaging Expo will take place. I want to go take a look at the talk shows by professional photographers and skill improvement seminars as well, so I am a bit worried about being able to check everything out in 1 day. Well, I am going to make sure I am there when the door opens on the first day of the exhibition.

The entrance fee for the Photo Imaging Expo 2009 is 1,000 yen, but people who register in advance, or high school students or younger, and people with a student ID, senior citizen's pass, or a disability certificate may enter free of charge. For pre-entry registration, please visit the following website:

Photo Imaging Expo 2009

Period: March 26 (Thurs) – 29 (Sun)
Venue: Tokyo Big Sight (Tokyo, Japan)
Organizers: Camera & Imaging Products Association/Japan Photo and Video Accessory Association/Japan Color-photo Finishers’ Association/The Photo-Sensitized Materials Manufacturers’ Association
Official site：http://www.photoimagingexpo.com/

Digital Camera[LUMIX]