Reply to: Kodak

[doodab]

And Konica had a long record of innovation (ISTR first TLR, first camera with coated lens, first TTL metering, first autofocus), whereas Kodak mainly had a long record of trying to leverage a lock on the film market with devious ways to sell you less silver for the same money.

Lens coatings were Zeiss. The first TLRs predate the first konica cameras. Kodak have a strong record of innovation as well, they actually invented the bayer pattern used to enable colour digital photography.

The big difference is that kodak made most of their money from film, whereas the other companies named make most of their money from cameras & lenses. People buying digital cameras are still buying cameras, but they aren't buying film anymore. Ironically Kodak reacted to this and at one point were #1 in digital camera sales in the US, but they needed to cut other parts of the business while they were still profitable and it was too little too late.

[Ignis Fatuus]

Konika went first and they are older than Kodak.

And Konica had a long record of innovation (ISTR first TLR, first camera with coated lens, first TTL metering, first autofocus), whereas Kodak mainly had a long record of trying to leverage a lock on the film market with devious ways to sell you less silver for the same money.

[Paddy]

Mismanagement. They had a whole slew of really valuable patents and failed to adapt to changing conditions. Look at all the other old "names" that have adapted; Nikon, Zeiss, Leica etc etc. No-one to blame but the people running the company IMVHO.

Konika went first and they are older than Kodak.

[Ignis Fatuus]

Mismanagement. They had a whole slew of really valuable patents and failed to adapt to changing conditions. Look at all the other old "names" that have adapted; Nikon, Zeiss, Leica etc etc. No-one to blame but the people running the company IMVHO.

They all made things that are still around, e.g. lenses, so they didn't need to adapt much. Kodak made something that isn't around in the way that it was, so they really needed to adapt large-scale. Few large companies ever do that. Mostly they just die when their time is up.

[Lockhouse]

Mismanagement. They had a whole slew of really valuable patents and failed to adapt to changing conditions. Look at all the other old "names" that have adapted; Nikon, Zeiss, Leica etc etc. No-one to blame but the people running the company IMVHO.

[BrilloPad]

Kodak's UK pensioners may face fight with creditors - Telegraph

The company has $5.1bn in assets and $6.8bn in debt. "It's going to be long bankruptcy," said Paul Silverstein, a lawyer at Andrews Kurth in New York.

Well of course its going to be long - how else are the lawyers going to get their hands on the $5bn?

[PRC1964]

I'm quite sad to hear they may go under. But not sad enough to rush out and buy anything they have for sale.

Anyway, thanks for the memories...

When I think back
On all the crap I learned in high school
It's a wonder
I can think at all
And though my lack of education
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 world's
a sunny day
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
Everything looks worse
in black and white

[Paddy]

Another part of Kodak up for grabs.

http://www.cinesite.com/showreels/television

[EternalOptimist]

I used to like the lolipop thing. oh and the ukelele, that was good too

[doodab]

It's really the decline of film that did for them. They had an early lead in digital imaging (they actually invented the "bayer array" system that most CCD based imaging systems use) but they should have been much more aggressive in pursuit of the emerging digital imaging market.

[DodgyAgent]

For a company with a name as well known as Kodak to go out of business is a testament to not employing enough contractors....

FTFY

[Joeman]

For a company with a name as well known as Kodak to go out of business is a testament to poor leadership....

[Paddy]

Kodak's core business is not home photography but is cinematic film and processing.

Cut price movies are often done in HD video.

[redgiant]

I always found it strange they didn't go into memory card production as they had the brand name in film that could be used to get a good section of the market.

Seems they have gone the way of Polariod who did the same back in 2008.

[The Spartan]

I read something recently that camera sales were down due to people using their mobile phones but the upshot was SLR sales have been strong guess they made a wrong turn there. Hopefully they'll be able to sell some of their patents