Kodak Notices People Really Dig This Digital Stuff
from the slowly,-but-surely... dept
For many years, we’ve been hearing Kodak say that they understand how digital technologies are a threat to their film business and how they were maneuvering to deal with that. However, it was clear that they were having trouble weaning themselves off their film cash cow and were letting others really take the lead in digital photography. In some ways, this probably made sense – since the time frame for the “death of film” has been greatly exaggerated, and there was no reason Kodak shouldn’t continue to profit off of it while they could. However, now they’re saying that they really, really (no, really) believe in the power of digital and are shifting their entire business to focus on digital technologies. Step one in this field is to take on the printing companies, but they’re looking at many different possibilities with the idea that they are not going to fallback on their film business any more. It’s a big task to make such a big shift, so it will be interesting to see how well Kodak pulls it off. Still, it’s better than fighting all the way until the bitter end, and it’s good to see them announce a definitive break with their film roots, as that should set the overall focus of the company in a much more forward-thinking manner.
Comments on “Kodak Notices People Really Dig This Digital Stuff”
RIAA
If only the RIAA would do the same. They would still be here in ten years.
Ofoto
Kodak moved into the digital business a couple of years ago with their purchase of Ofoto.
Re: Ofoto
Yeah, I said they’ve made efforts in the space. They had done so well before they bought Ofoto. However, they were still mainly based on their film business.
What’s big about this announcement is that they’re now admitting that they are no longer going to focus on their film business and, in fact, are seeing that as an obsolete offering.
That’s quite different than just putting your toes into the digital photo business.
Re: Re: Ofoto
One of the great things about Kodak is that you can buy a disposable camera, make all your pictures and then have them “developed” to digital on a Kodak Picture CD. I’ve yet to find a reasonably priced water-proof camera, and for that reason alone Kodak rocks.
Other digital players should worry
Kodak has decades of experience in optics and color chemistry, so much so that they are considerably ahead of academic (i.e. public domain) knowledge on anything related to imaging. Only PhD’s are considered for most jobs at their headquarters. When they start making digital cameras with better colors, better optics, other companies should worry.
Re: Other digital players should worry
Actually, I’ve used two different Kodak digital cameras in the past and my favorite thing about them was the really great colors that other digital cameras didn’t seem to often match.
Re: Re: Other digital players should worry
the basic problem with kodak digital cameras is that they are designed by dorks/nerds ie completely lack any of that porsche/good looks type stuff. while they might be functional, they are not attractive. this is where the japs have it all over them. that and kodork is very arrogant/greedy.