Kodak preparing for bankruptcy...

[iamback]

...or at least it "is said to be preparing to file for bankruptcy" (emphasis mine).

Ironic, because I just went to an exhibition showing what an important role Kodak's early camera's played in art history. More on my Posterous blog.

[Bo Aakerstrom]

Should they not manage to sell off a bunch of patents they could be in a heap of trouble, apparently.

Remember reading somewhere about delaying the introduction of digital cameras being cited as one factor that started to downward spiral. I guess when you are really successful at doing what you are doing it is difficult to let go and move with the times.

At least they have some assets that can resolve the financial crisis, they would not be the first company to go down that route lately.

Funnily enough, I never used that much Kodak film back in the day, favouring Ilford for B&W and Fuji for colour.

[iamback]

Originally Posted by Bo Aakerstrom

Should they not manage to sell off a bunch of patents they could be in a heap of trouble, apparently.

Remember reading somewhere about delaying the introduction of digital cameras being cited as one factor that started to downward spiral. I guess when you are really successful at doing what you are doing it is difficult to let go and move with the times.

Indeed, though I also read they actually invented digital photography - which is odd: did they themselves not really believe it would take off?

ExtremeTech mentions this, too...

Originally Posted by Bo Aakerstrom

Funnily enough, I never used that much Kodak film back in the day, favouring Ilford for B&W and Fuji for colour.

Same for me, and later Agfa film for color - an earlier victim of the digital revolution...

I found some more news about it in a special topic on the Digital Photography Review site.

[donmcc]

I can understand them not promoting digital until it was too late. I worked for a company in the early days of DTP and came up with a method that would enable the University of Toronto Press to produce diplomas for a few cents each, instead of a few dollars (using laser instead of Ludlow linecasting).

My boss insisted in charging the same price, though. The result, a few years later other smart people discovered the laser tricks, and now all the diplomas are done at the various colleges. In fact the entire printing division of the Press is gone now.

Kodak probably used the same philosophy: We can't promote digital ... I will kill our cash cow (film and processing). They didn't understand that progress is inevitable, and if you don't promote your inventions, someone else will invent them.

Don

[Steve Rindsberg]

>> Kodak probably used the same philosophy: We can't promote digital ... I will kill our cash cow (film and processing).

And then they went and killed Kodachrome, the only cut of their cash cow that enjoyed a clear and unbeatable advantage over the competition. There was nothing like it, but their other color film lines? Lots of competition, some of it from better products.

[John Spragens]

Seems to me Kodak was at a disadvantage because it didn't make its own high-end cameras. Its DSLRs were all based on Nikon bodies. I'm not sure how that fits into the overall picture. But some of the other fragments include the excellent sensors it does make, some of which are used by other camera manufacturers. And the general trickiness of the point-and-shoot market -- which is, anyway, being undercut by the increasing quality of cameras in cell phones.

[iamback]

Indeed - I actually have an 8MP camera in my phone; while it doesn't have as many settings or quite the quality as my 6.1MP compact, it makes quite decent pictures. The result is that since I always have my phone on me, I never take my compact along any more.

(I've also started to use my Posterous site (see sig) to post some of my 'photographic notes' made with my phone.)

Meanwhile, of course, while consumer compacts are set to be replaced completely by camera phones, we are seeing more professional-level compacts appearing (with pricing way out of the range of the consumer market). Things are in constant flux, and companies not nimble enough to follow (or lead) will lose out.

[John Spragens]

Interesting perspective on digital offered near the end of this Economist piece ... by a top Fujifilm exec.

"The last Kodak moment?
"Kodak is at death’s door; Fujifilm, its old rival, is thriving. Why?"
<http://www.economist.com/node/21542796>

Thanks to Thom Hogan's post at bythom.com for the link.

[Kayza]

Originally Posted by Bo Aakerstrom

Should they not manage to sell off a bunch of patents they could be in a heap of trouble, apparently.

<SNIP>

At least they have some assets that can resolve the financial crisis, they would not be the first company to go down that route lately.

That's only a short term solution, though. They need to change their business model.

[Bo Aakerstrom]

Sure, as their main source of revenue is all but gone, that is indisputable.

Reading what is said on some forums they also need to improve the quality of their products. Selling a brand name only lasts for so long.