PHOTO & IMAGING SHANGHAI

About the fair

Photo & Imaging Shanghai is an annual international exhibition of photography and digital-imaging equipment and technologies, held in different Chinese cities. It lets participants sign new business contracts and agreements, find partners and expand their client base. The show covers the entire imaging workflow — input, processing, recording and output — presenting modern photography technologies, photo and video gear, photographic equipment and more. With the rise of platforms such as Weibo, Facebook and Twitter, the share of young visitors has grown significantly.

Manufacturers making what this fair covers

Factories in our directory whose product lines match this fair. Worth contacting before you book the trip — or instead of it.

Planning the trip

• Register the badge online. Every major fair issues visitor badges in advance, and on-site registration means queueing on the busiest morning of the show. Registration usually opens one to two months out.
• Check the visa position early. China's entry rules have changed repeatedly in recent years, including visa-free arrangements for a growing list of countries and transit exemptions. Confirm what applies to your passport for this month, and ask the organiser for an invitation letter if a business visa is needed — issuing one is routine.
• Book accommodation before the dates firm up. A large fair fills its host city and rates move accordingly. Cancellable bookings made early cost less than confirmed ones made late.
• Decide which halls before you arrive. The bigger Chinese fairs run to several halls across separate phases, and walking them without a plan burns a day. Shortlist the stands you need and treat anything else as a bonus.
• Plan the follow-up, not just the visit. Business cards collected at a fair convert poorly once you fly home: quotes arrive in patchy English, samples stall, and the time difference eats a day per exchange. Deciding who handles that before you travel is what makes the trip pay for itself.