h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hmm, interesting link here...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3419211.stm

Kodak are in deep trouble and are cutting 15,000 jobs...

Now, if I were at all cynical I'd be thinking that their decision to stop producing 35 mm cameras was actually bu**er all to do with some think-tank's impression that 35mm film is about to be overcome by digital technology and more to do with the fact that they were bleeding money from their 35mm camera division (after all, Kodak is probably not one of the first names you think of when you're looking for a decent SLR (or even a compact for that matter!)

You're absolutely right Whisky. The article that started this thread is fairly wrong headed. Kodak has been changing it's focus away from traditional photography for years. They've also all but gotten out of the business of making printers for photolabs and other lab equipment. Their focus now is mostly on digital products and medical tech. Two fields they see as having great potential for growth. Kodak is an odd company. They've never fully recovered from the lawsuit they had with Polaroid in the eighties for stealing Polaroid's instant photography tech. If I recall correctly the judgement was $1 billion US, the largest penalty any company had ever had to pay to date. After that Kodak's management became very skittish and arrogant at the same time. They've narrowed the company's focus ever since while brazenly sticking to certain policies where change is needed. Kodak no longer seems to cater to it's customers they way Eastman did when he started the company. In the photographic industry, I've seen their arrogance run off many customers. I just don't think the company's 'heart' is in traditional photography anymore... But that does NOT mean that traditional photography is going away.


CZ

From what I can gather Kodak are continuing to produce, even research film - but for the vast majority of day to day users, who use compact cameras, digital is in the long run a much cheaper and more versatile alternative...Pros in studios will continue to use film for years to come...photojournolists have been digital since SLRs reached the 1 megapixel stage (you don't need high res to print a photo in a newspaper) - it's horses for courses!

I must admit, since I've gone to digital compact (I do have manual everything 35mm kit as well) the technique in my snapping has dropped markedly!

I manage a small photographic department and we have recently dumped Kodak for our film processing in favour of a local outfit, who are faster, produce better quality prints, don't lose customers pictures on a regular basis, are more reliable, offer more services, are cheaper......

Yes, Free Yourself from the Tyranny of the Great Yellow god!


CZ

And we have to deal with their dodgy cameras(mostly A(aaargh!)P.S. coming back for repair

I use the great green one if I have to use real film

As long as you're not referring to the Great Green Arkleseizure, then I agree. And for Quickie B&W I've always loved Ilford's c41 films. Kodak finally came up with a comparible product, but I only use it when I'm desperate.

Oh yes! Develop it on colour paper and you have automatic sepia tint, excellent idea!