Leigh Camera Club will be leading camera clubs and photographic societies into the digital revolution by staging the Essex  Nine - Way Club Competition, which has been running annually for 45 years  for slides entered by nine clubs in Essex.                                                                    

For the first time on Thursday, February  11 it will be staged as  a digital projected image competition.

Clubs from all over Essex will be travelling  with  their supporters to Leigh Community Centre in Elm Road, Leigh, to compete in the competition from 7.45pm.

Current holders of the massive shield awarded to the winners. which is  as high as a small man, are Chelmsford, who are aiming to retain the trophy for a third year.  Challenging,  them will be host club, Leigh and Benfleet, Maldon, Ingatestone, Colchester, Rayleigh, Photofold from Billericay and the other local club Southend They  have all entered what they consider their best six digital images to be considered by top Kentish judge Keith  Evans FRPS, DPAGP, who will be travelling from Sevenoaks  to judge the event.

He will view  randomly selected projected images on a giant screen and award marks for each image out of 20.

The high tech digital projector plus laptop and special software was purchased by the Leigh club with help from a Small Lottery Grant.  Each club will have a chance of getting 120 marks and the marking between clubs is likely to be very tight.

Besides the giant winning club shield  a smaller version goes to the author of the image from all the entries considered the best  by the judge..

Admission on the night is free to the public and refreshments will be served in the interval.

For full details of Leigh Camera Club phone 01702 478717