The trade shows and industry conferences worth tracking in 2026, and why they’re different from film festivals
Introduction
Film festivals are about the work: films get screened, awards get handed out, distribution deals get made. Industry events are about the tools and the craft behind that work. These are the trade shows and conferences where camera manufacturers unveil new gear, working cinematographers trade notes, and software companies show off what’s coming next in editing and VFX.
If you’re trying to plan a year around learning new equipment, scouting gear before a purchase, or just keeping up with where the industry is headed, this is the calendar that matters more than the festival circuit.
Major Industry Events
These ten events cover the full range of the industry, from broadcast infrastructure to cinema gear to editing software, roughly in the order they land on the calendar.
- CES (Consumer Electronics Show), Las Vegas, USA, in January. The world’s biggest consumer tech show. Camera and imaging news is a small slice of a much larger event, but it’s often where new sensor tech, AI editing tools, and drone announcements first surface.
- BSC Expo, London, UK, in February. Run by the British Society of Cinematographers, this is a tightly focused show on cinematography, lighting, and grip equipment, with hands-on demos and masterclasses from working DPs.
- WPPI (Wedding & Portrait Photographers International), Las Vegas, USA, in March. The largest annual trade show for wedding and portrait photographers, with a strong education track alongside the vendor floor.
- The Photography & Video Show, Birmingham, UK, in March. The UK’s largest consumer photography and video show, with major camera brands and hundreds of exhibitors under one roof.
- NAB Show, Las Vegas, USA, in April. Run by the National Association of Broadcasters, this is the largest event in the calendar for production, broadcast, and media technology, covering everything from cinema cameras to streaming infrastructure.
- Cine Gear Expo, Los Angeles, USA, in June. Held on the Universal Studios backlot, this is where working cinematographers and camera crews go to handle the newest cameras, lenses, lighting, and grip gear in person.
- SIGGRAPH, Los Angeles, USA, in July. The major annual conference for computer graphics, VFX, and animation technology, with research presentations alongside a large exhibition floor.
- IBC (International Broadcasting Convention), Amsterdam, Netherlands, in September. Europe’s answer to NAB, and one of the largest broadcast and media technology events in the world, drawing well over a thousand exhibitors.
- Camerimage, Torun, Poland, in November. Part festival, part industry gathering, Camerimage is built entirely around the art and craft of cinematography, with awards, screenings, and gear showcases aimed squarely at working DPs.
- Adobe MAX, Miami Beach, USA, in November. Adobe’s annual creativity conference, where updates to Premiere, Lightroom, Photoshop, and the rest of the Creative Cloud lineup typically get their first public showing.
2026 Events Calendar
As with the festival calendar, treat these as a planning reference. Exact dates get confirmed a few months out, so check each event’s official site before booking travel.
| Month | Event | 2026 Dates | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | CES | Jan 6–9 | Las Vegas, USA |
| February | BSC Expo | Feb 12–14 | London, UK |
| March | WPPI | Mar 1–5 | Las Vegas, USA |
| March | The Photography & Video Show | Mar 14–17 | Birmingham, UK |
| April | NAB Show | Apr 18–22 | Las Vegas, USA |
| June | Cine Gear Expo | Jun 5–6 | Los Angeles, USA |
| July | SIGGRAPH | Jul 19–23 | Los Angeles, USA |
| September | IBC | Sep 11–14 | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| November | Camerimage | Nov 7–14 | Torun, Poland |
| November | Adobe MAX | Nov 10–12 | Miami Beach, USA |
Which Ones Are Worth Attending
Not every event on this list is relevant to every kind of shooter. NAB and IBC are built for broadcast and production professionals and can feel overwhelming if gear isn’t your focus. Cine Gear and BSC Expo are smaller and more hands-on, better suited to cinematographers who want to physically handle cameras and lighting before buying. WPPI and The Photography & Video Show lean toward working photographers, especially anyone shooting weddings or portraits. SIGGRAPH and Adobe MAX matter most if your work happens mostly in post, whether that’s VFX, motion graphics, or color and editing.
A reasonable approach is to pick one or two events a year that match what you’re actually working on rather than trying to hit all of them. The gear and software on display move fast enough that even one well-chosen trip a year keeps you current.
Conclusion
Festivals show you where the art form is headed. Events like these show you what you’ll actually be shooting, cutting, and grading with to get there. Between the two calendars on this site, you’ve got a reasonably complete map of the year in film and photography, whether your interest is in the work itself or the tools behind it.