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"FILM IS DEAD" - Kodak

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Mark H.174110

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A bit of a stretch?? Well, here are some selected quotes from todays (9/25) front page article in the Wall Street Journal. You decide if I'm overplaying....

(unfortunately, this is visible on-line only to paid WSJ subscribers)

KODAK SHIFTS FOCUS FROM FILM, BETTING FUTURE ON DIGITAL LINES

Finally yielding to technology changes that have made its signature product outdated, Eastman Kodak Co. is preparing a big strategic move away from traditional film and plans to bet its future on new digital markets.

In a risky move that the company charactarizes as a historic shift, Kodak is expected to announce today that it will boost investment in nonphotographic areas and make new forays into digital territory dominated by big, entrenched competitors. It intends to compete head-on with Hewlett-Packard Co, Cannon Inc., and Seiko Epson corp. by launching a line of ink-jet printers for consumers

[......]

At the same time time, the company says it will make no more significant long-term investments in traditional consumer film - nothing, it says, as ambitious as its move to develop the alternative-format Advanced Photo System in 1996.

[.........]

In July, the company said the drop-off in film consumption is happening twice as fast as the company had expected at the beginning of the year.

[.............]

In the consumer arena, the company's profitable traditional film buisiness is being overwhelmed by filmless digital photography.
 
Mark H. said:
A bit of a stretch?? Well, here are some selected quotes from
todays (9/25) front page article in the Wall Street Journal. You
decide if I'm overplaying....

(unfortunately, this is visible on-line only to paid WSJ subscribers)

KODAK SHIFTS FOCUS FROM FILM, BETTING FUTURE ON DIGITAL LINES

Finally yielding to technology changes that have made its signature
product outdated, Eastman Kodak Co. is preparing a big strategic
move away from traditional film and plans to bet its future on new
digital markets.

In a risky move that the company charactarizes as a historic shift,
Kodak is expected to announce today that it will boost investment
in nonphotographic areas and make new forays into digital territory
dominated by big, entrenched competitors. It intends to compete
head-on with Hewlett-Packard Co, Cannon Inc., and Seiko Epson corp.
by launching a line of ink-jet printers for consumers

[......]

At the same time time, the company says it will make no more
significant long-term investments in traditional consumer film -
nothing, it says, as ambitious as its move to develop the
alternative-format Advanced Photo System in 1996.

[.........]

In July, the company said the drop-off in film consumption is
happening twice as fast as the company had expected at the
beginning of the year.

[.............]

In the consumer arena, the company's profitable traditional film
buisiness is being overwhelmed by filmless digital photography.
Click to expand...
 
"Dead" may be too strong a word, since I expect that there will always be those who find digital photography "beneath" their high standards. That the use of film is on the decline, however, cannot be disputed, and the day may well come when film will be come a niche market.

However, if there's anyone out there that wants to buy my Minolta Maxxum 7000i, complete with a Minolta 28mm wide-angle lens, plus a 100-300 Minolta telephoto, all in excellent working order, let me know .
 
I can see this as nothing but a good sign. We need another experienced company in the market that can:

(1) Produce imaging chips
(2) Produce enterprise level imaging solutions
(3) Integrate photofinishing with digital technology and

(4) Engage in competition with Epson so we won't have to pay 4000 per gallon of inkjet ink any longer.
 
i wonder, as the consumer consumption of film is replaced by digital, how long before film production declines to a point where prices rise quite a bit due to less volume savings (but perhaps the volume would have to drop immensely for those savings to evaporate)
McLean said:
"Dead" may be too strong a word, since I expect that there will
always be those who find digital photography "beneath" their high
standards. That the use of film is on the decline, however, cannot
be disputed, and the day may well come when film will be come a
niche market.

However, if there's anyone out there that wants to buy my Minolta
Maxxum 7000i, complete with a Minolta 28mm wide-angle lens, plus a
100-300 Minolta telephoto, all in excellent working order, let me
know .
Click to expand...
 
Oddly enough the sales of B&W is on the increase according several magazines

color film drop is mainly in the consumer area. Films like Portra, NPH etc do not show a equaly significant drop as 'gold' does. According a local shop.

Don't worry, film is here to stay for many years to come
 
Their cameras, management, and stock price all suck. Goodbye, Rochester.
 
digi-dork said:
APS.... what an awful format. Haven't seen or even heard anything
about it in years.
Click to expand...
--

For decades Kodak seemed to specilise in generating new film formats --- and then dumping them:-

620 (anyone remember that?) It was 120 on a skinny spool.
126 (the original 'Instamatic') Had lots of merit. Now v hard to get.
110 ("Pocket Instamatic") Less film for the same money! Not missed!
Disc Film (Don't TALK to me about Disc film/cameras!) Total cr@p.

APS (Hmm...too little, too late) Or maybe people just got wise, after all the others.

If Kodak have got out of the business of developing new film based "projects" (which were mostly just marketing exercises anyway) it will be a great relief for all of us.

Regards,
Baz
 
And hello Mexico
where they build a brand new plant to produce film

BTW

Ever looked on ebay how many traditional camera's sell very well. No real bargains there. Would be different if film was dead.
Local shops state that when they sell a reflex 80% is traditional.

Film will be here in bulk for at least another 10 years...

I don't worry, film has been proclaimed dead for the last 4-5 years now and still I haven't heard one shop stopping selling it.
 
GothtinPowers said:
i wonder, as the consumer consumption of film is replaced by
digital, how long before film production declines to a point where
prices rise quite a bit due to less volume savings (but perhaps the
volume would have to drop immensely for those savings to evaporate)
Click to expand...
a good point but don't think it will happen. film is ancient technology that doesn't benefit from large scale production anymore. it will just fade in numbers until you have to look for it in specialty stores. film has been overpriced for decades so even if it should rice a little in production cost there is plenty margin.

with regards to film being dead. of course it is. has been terminally ill for a couple of years now. kodak knew this very well but fed the nostalgic film consumers lies like "there's a lot we can do with film yet" (direct quote from earlier this year) so the demand for film wouldn't drop prematurely.

truth is as always secondary to profit with corporations. in fact a second is not even in their repertoire.
 
Well read your news again. B&W films sales are up. Color Pro film is not half as much impacted as consumer film is. Still a very huge lot of people requiring the much better quality of film. Or not willing to invest over 1500$ for a body because their current reflex of a few hunderd buck is doing its job very well.
Dan Frederiksen said:
with regards to film being dead. of course it is. has been
terminally ill for a couple of years now. kodak knew this very well
but fed the nostalgic film consumers lies like "there's a lot we
can do with film yet" (direct quote from earlier this year) so the
demand for film wouldn't drop prematurely.
truth is as always secondary to profit with corporations. in fact a
second is not even in their repertoire.
Click to expand...
 
--
JohnnyBGood

Did a quick Google research: in Wikipedia under "film format" found out there has been a film format (probably introduced by Kodak) for every number between 101 and 130! And btw 127 film is still produced ....in Croatia and available in the US!
 
Yeah, this digital stuff is just a fad...
reinierv said:
And hello Mexico
where they build a brand new plant to produce film

BTW
Ever looked on ebay how many traditional camera's sell very well.
No real bargains there. Would be different if film was dead.
Local shops state that when they sell a reflex 80% is traditional.

Film will be here in bulk for at least another 10 years...

I don't worry, film has been proclaimed dead for the last 4-5 years
now and still I haven't heard one shop stopping selling it.
Click to expand...
 
much like the saying of B&W is dead ....... Yeah I agree that Film will become a minority in day to day & business / Casual image taking. Bulk of the market will be digital also. But Film will be here to stay for quite some while.

I had yet to figure how they can match digitally my 8X10 in the field , or if they ever will in short to medium term future ...

--
Franka
 
reinierv said:
And hello Mexico
where they build a brand new plant to produce film
Click to expand...
Some parts of the world will still be using film for a long time. So maybe Kodak could hve a monopoly there.
reinierv said:
BTW
Ever looked on ebay how many traditional camera's sell very well.
No real bargains there. Would be different if film was dead.
Local shops state that when they sell a reflex 80% is traditional.

Film will be here in bulk for at least another 10 years...

I don't worry, film has been proclaimed dead for the last 4-5 years
now and still I haven't heard one shop stopping selling it.
Click to expand...
 
I can attest to the fact that Kodak has invented batteries that spew in your electronic device after 6 months of use.. then says that their batteries can leak without being defective. This makes quick work of their repair or replace battery warranty.

Maybe there's a reason for their declining financial health. I know I won't be supporting their products any more.
 
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