Eastman Kodak to discontinue Kodachrome

[DainBramaged]

Paul Simon can kiss his Kodachrome goodbye: Eastman Kodak Co. is discontinuing the storied 74-year-old color film.

As photographers gravitated to digital cameras and newer film, Kodachrome sales plunged to less than 1% of Kodak's total film sales. About 70% of the company's revenue now comes from digital sales.

Kodachrome labs worldwide have dwindled to just one, Dwayne's Photo in Parsons, Kan., which will offer the service through 2010.

Supplies of the film, known for its rich, vibrant tones, are expected to last until early fall.

The move comes as Kodak tries to focus its business. In January, the company said it would cut up to 4,500 jobs, or 18% of its workforce. Kodak shares fell 23 cents to $2.62; a year earlier the stock sold for $12.34.


Created in the 1930s by musicians Leopold Godowsky Jr. and Leopold Maines, who timed their experiments with a metronome, Kodachrome is often referred to as being "made by God and Man," according to a Kodak spokesman.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-kodachrome23-2009jun23,0,5125640.story

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. It is sad.

But digital is the future, and it is now.

RIP, Kodachrome.

:patriot:

[napi21]

2. Sad indeed. It was always the top of the line film. So many things from when I

grew up are either going or gone!

Does this mean those little disposable cameras that are so popular at weddings are going away too?

[Statistical]

8. I doubt any disposable cameras use Kodachrome. n/t

[DainBramaged]

4. My beautiful Daughter is a photography major

except for B&W photos, ALL of her work is now digital. Her first Nikon (I gave her in 2003) when she became interested in film sits collecting dust. And the only film she ever used was Kodak. She said Fuji and the rest just blow.

[47of74]

9. I don't think I've used a film camera since mid 2003.

[ContinentalOp]

10. Wow, so you hate Japanese film too eh?

I think many photographers would disagree that Velvia "blows".

[Wilms]

13. She may not have realized. Each has it's place.

Kodachrome and Velvia are tied for first in my book until you factor in a particular subject. Then one film or the other comes in second.

[DainBramaged]

18. It's preference, and it's HER preference, no matter what those (ignored) may disagree

Why do people have to question everything? So jealous. Sorry you have to respond to ignorance. I could care less what the others think. And fortunately, neither does my Daughter.

[ContinentalOp]

25. LOL "Ignorance"!

Responding to a post that you didn't actually read because you have me on ignore is pretty much the textbook definition of ignorance. You're literally ignorant of what I said and yet you pretend to know what it was because I bought a Japanese car and therefore in your mind you know all you need to know about me. Unbelievable.

[anigbrowl]

14. It's Japanese. Therefore it must, by definition, suck...at least in the eyes of the OP.

Be quite interesting to know what nationality of camera daughter dear uses, since the only American-made cameras of note these days are for moving rather than still pictures.

[ContinentalOp]

24. He gave her a NIKON!

:rofl:

[anigbrowl]

29. Heh, didn't notice that. Oh, the irony!

[Wilms]

3. .

:cry:

[DainBramaged]

5. Words & music by paul simon

When I think back
On all the crap I learned in high school
Its a wonder
I can think at all
And though my lack of edu---cation
Hasnt hurt me none
I can read the writing on the wall

Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the worlds a sunny day, oh yeah
I got a nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama dont take my kodachrome away

If you took all the girls I knew
When I was single
And brought them all together for one night
I know theyd never match
My sweet imagination
And everything looks worse in black and white

Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the worlds a sunny day, oh yeah
I got a nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama dont take my kodachrome away

[madeline_con]

11. You beat me to it. That's the first thing that came to mind.

:rofl:

[TahitiNut]

6. Mama don't take my Kodachrome away!!

When I think back
On all the crap I learned in high school
Its a wonder
I can think at all
And though my lack of edu---cation
Hasn't hurt me none
I can read the writing on the wall

Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the worlds a sunny day, oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away

If you took all the girls I knew
When I was single
And brought them all together for one night
I know they'd never match
My sweet imagination
And everything looks worse in black and white

Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the worlds a sunny day, oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away

[DainBramaged]

7. Great minds think alike

:hug:

[Greyhound]

12. Will they release their formulas and manufacturing processes to the public? n/t

[Thegonagle]

15. Nope. They might sell it though. nt

[Yavin4]

16. This Should Have Been Done A Decade Ago

Good lord. American businesses have to adapt or die.

[DainBramaged]

17. Uh a decade ago film was still VERY popular, digital in it's infancy

as it was in japan. :eyes:


http://www.steves-digicams.com/diginews_jan99.html


Fuji today announced their new DS260HD, the latest addition to their line of digital cameras known as "Big Jobs."

With a 1280 x 1024 resolution it weighs in at a hefty 700g (23 oz) and measures 140 x 100 x 106.5 mm (5.5" x 3.9" x 4.2") but is completely dust and water proof. Designed for use in "dusty and dirty" situations this camera would fit in perfectly at a construction site.

Brief specifications: 1.5 Megapixel 1/2" Interlaced CCD (1280 x 1024, 640 x 480), SmartMedia, 3x Zoom (35mm - 105mm), ISO 100, 1.8" LCD, Included Lithium Ion rechargable battery.

The camera will be on sale in Japan on 21st March 1999 at 128,000 Yen (US$1100) (No news on worldwide availability yet). An optional 28mm wide angle adapter will also be on sale at the same time for 9,800 Yen (US$85).

CMPnet affirms that new cameras are coming from Agfa, Epson, Sony and Toshiba in a January 29 article called "Cameras: A Snapshot of Digital's Future". These cameras will be shown at the upcoming PMA Show in Las Vegas, Feb 18, 19.

They don't really tell us anything we haven't already reported here. Agfa has the CL50, a 1.9 megapixel (interpolated), 3x zoom camera. Epson will officially unveil their PhotoPC 750Z with 1.25 megapixel and HyPict interpolation up to 1600x1200. Sony would not comment on their new camera but just look down the News Page here and you'll see the article about their DSC-F55K 2.1 megapixel camera and let's not forget the long-awaited DSC-D700 CyberShot Pro. And Toshiba will show their new PDR-M4, a 2-megapixel camera with 3x zoom.

[Yavin4]

19. Kodak Should Have Moved Out of Film A Decade Ago

It's not like digital cameras popped up out of no where. The film business was already headed toward digital in 1999.

[DainBramaged]

22. gee, I guess you're the expert then

:eyes:

[Canuckistanian]

28. I and other serious phtographers would have screamed bloody murder

Digital cameras are only now reaching the resolution of the lowly 35mm film SLR. I think 12MP is the equivalent.

10 years ago, you were lucky to be able to afford a 2MP camera.

And don't forget, there are larger formats than the 35mm. I also have a 6X4.5 and a 6X6 camera that take the much larger 120 film. And digital cameras still can't touch that kind of resolution. And there are STILL 4"X5" and 8"X10" cameras being used for high end advertising work.

Digital cameras are good. But they're STILL not good enough for some professionals work.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

20. No, the timing is right.

Ten years ago, digital wasn't up to snuff by any stretch of the imagination. Now, it is.

[Yavin4]

21. From Wiki, Regarding the Digital Camera

History:

The first true digital camera that recorded images as a computerized file was likely the Fuji DS-1P of 1988, which recorded to a 16 MB internal memory card that used a battery to keep the data in memory. This camera was never marketed in the United States, and has not been confirmed to have shipped even in Japan.

The first commercially available digital camera was the 1990 Dycam Model 1; it also sold as the Logitech Fotoman. It used a CCD image sensor, stored pictures digitally, and connected directly to a computer for download.<6><7><8>

In 1991, Kodak brought to market the Kodak DCS-100, the beginning of a long line of professional SLR cameras by Kodak that were based in part on film bodies, often Nikons. It used a 1.3 megapixel sensor and was priced at $13,000.

The move to digital formats was helped by the formation of the first JPEG and MPEG standards in 1988, which allowed image and video files to be compressed for storage. The first consumer camera with a liquid crystal display on the back was the Casio QV-10 in 1995, and the first camera to use CompactFlash was the Kodak DC-25 in 1996.

The marketplace for consumer digital cameras was originally low resolution (either analog or digital) cameras built for utility. In 1997 the first megapixel cameras for consumers were marketed. The first camera that offered the ability to record video clips may have been the Ricoh RDC-1 in 1995.

1999 saw the introduction of the Nikon D1, a 2.74 megapixel camera that was the first digital SLR developed entirely by a major manufacturer, and at a cost of under $6,000 at introduction was affordable by professional photographers and high end consumers. This camera also used Nikon F-mount lenses, which meant film photographers could use many of the same lenses they already owned.


I was in business school from 1994-96, and I read Harvard Business Review case studies on the inertia a Kodak and how George Fisher tried to change the culture. It was crystal clear back then that digital photography was the future. Kodak was too slow to move into this sphere, hence their loss of market share and laying off of workers.

[DainBramaged]

23. Hence their loss of market share

So, back in 1998 when digital cameras were selling for about $1000, Kodak should have just dropped film and gone full digital?

It makes sense that, when there is a transition from one technology to another, and you go from a technology using CONSUMABLES (film) to HARDWARE (cameras and memory cards) manufactured overseas. jobs will suffer. Kodak tried to give film lovers and those that were unaccustomed to digital pictures and computers time to transition.

But you have a degree, don't let us disagree with you. We aren't Harvard smart. (PS, I have a BA in business administration, but I guess I'm not worthy).

[Yavin4]

27. I Brought Up The HBS Review Article

to support my point that Kodak, and its CEO, George Fisher, were well aware of the impending digital revolution in the mid-1990s. Heck, this was even before the internet boom really took off.

Corporations have to stay ahead of the technology curve or be overtaken by it.

Tower Records should have bought out Napster, when it was in its infancy, and worked with the music industry to harness online delivery of music. They didn't, and we all know what happened to Tower.

[ContinentalOp]

26. Wha? That's pretty ridiculous.

They're still making Ekatchrome btw.