Edinburgh Napier University has announced a new collaboration with Sony that gives students “hands-on access to the latest digital camera technology used on real commercial projects, as well as professional mentorship”.
“For over 60 years, Napier University has been at the forefront of photography education in Scotland,” said a press release.
“With around 140 students currently enrolled across three years and rapid growth expected, the school aims to help students explore the full breadth of contemporary photography including cutting-edge digital practices and prepare them for the demanding and competitive reality of the professional creative industry.”
Across Napier’s Film and Photography School, students are already using a selection of Sony’s full-frame professional cameras and lenses, including the Sony Alpha A7V and A7IV for photography, and the FX2, FX3 and FX30 from Sony’s Cinema Line for filmmaking.
The collaboration addresses a “growing challenge in photography education”: helping students who have grown up with smartphone cameras understand the transformative step-change and creative possibilities of professional imaging.
Emile Shemilt, programme leader for photography, Edinburgh Napier University, said: “Some students come to us with a feeling that the ubiquitous availability of smartphone images has diminished the status of photographers.
“However, with Sony’s cameras and lenses, the sheer quality and the level of detail mean that you can work with an image in ways you simply can’t with smartphones. The quality of the images from Sony’s cameras is a revelation to the students.”
Sony Ambassadors – working industry professionals – visit the school to share insider experience, knowledge, techniques and skills with Sony cameras, creating what Shemilt describes as an “immediate uplift in student enthusiasm and creative ambition”.
“Our USP is the ability to help students transition from personal exploration into a professional working mindset. With our collaboration with Sony, working at the technological forefront expands what students believe is possible.”
The school’s programme also reflects the industry’s evolving demands, teaching video alongside still photography.
Sony cameras are “ideal for this hybrid role”, it said, “with a wide dynamic range, extremely high resolution, high frame rates and accurate autofocus”.
“They allow students to take the highest quality photographs and make all types of films, from documentaries to drama, with a single camera model.”
Mark Preston, B2B sector manager at Sony, added: “We are proud that Edinburgh Napier has chosen Sony to support their vision of empowering photography and film students to reach their creative potential with the latest digital camera technologies.
“Bridging the gap with industry in this way ensures that their students graduate with real-life experience of working with the tools that are setting industry standards right now.
“It is exciting to see many other leading film and photography schools across Europe follow Napier’s example, equipping the next generation of digital storytellers with the skills and technology to enter the industry ready to make their mark.”
