It's not only bad news (Kodak)

[MattKing]

You are not going to hear me ever defend many of the choices made by Perez and the Kodak board that led into the downward spiral and bankruptcy - other than the fact that they didn't eliminate photographic still films entirely.
I think, however, that they were faced with an incredibly difficult set of circumstances, and it would have taken an awful lot of luck and taking risks that turned out better than expected to have saved what we like most about the old Kodak.

 

[Nzoomed]

You are not going to hear me ever defend many of the choices made by Perez and the Kodak board that led into the downward spiral and bankruptcy - other than the fact that they didn't eliminate photographic still films entirely.
I think, however, that they were faced with an incredibly difficult set of circumstances, and it would have taken an awful lot of luck and taking risks that turned out better than expected to have saved what we like most about the old Kodak.

Well I do agree, although under his management over that decade, it appears things were badly managed from the start when the company was still making good turnover.
I dont think that digital can be blamed entirely, but if they had the foresight, they probably could have made changes early on to downscale production rather than leaving it to the last minuite.

Their digital cameras were never ever that successful either, but its interesting that they are now introducing a cellphone with a "decent" camera inside, will be interesting to see how that goes.

Film seems to be the only decent thing that they can do and do well.
The good news is that the decline has halted, and sales seem to be increasing if anything.
I think with enough time and good marketing, business strategy, we will see a good future for film, even if less is being sold, there is still a market that exists. The key is to produce it profitably, and it looks like they are now able to do that by the looks of things.

 

[cmacd123]

it would have taken an awful lot of luck and taking risks that turned out better than expected to have saved what we like most about the old Kodak.

But it i hard to imagine a company that took so many really dumb moves, knowing that they had to diversify, but somehow expecting to get a deal on another cash cow business like film and paper was in its heyday. buy and sell companies like "Stirling drug" enough times and you can fritter away a lot of capital.. (I thought at the time Stirling drug was an excellent fit, consumer products sold in drug stores, made with chemicals that Kodak knows how to make, Fuji actually is in a similar space with some of their cosmetic products.)

 

[Roger Cole]

I guess he came out of a Dilbert strip... The archetypical Dilbert CEO.

A classic "PHB" - "pointy haired boss."

Kodak was in a bad place true enough, but Perez managed to turn bad into catastrophically awful.

 

[Nzoomed]

A classic "PHB" - "pointy haired boss."

Kodak was in a bad place true enough, but Perez managed to turn bad into catastrophically awful.

+1

 

[AgX]

Concerning the praising of the new Kodak top management:

Steven Overman,

President, Consumer & Film Division
Chief Marketing Officer
Senior Vice President at Kodak

"Kodak is the only company in the world still manufacturing Super-8 motion picture film."


That is not true.

Reason enough for me not to listen further to him. A wise decision, seen that Kodachrome thing.

 

[Nzoomed]

Concerning the praising of the new Kodak top management:



Reason enough for me not to listen further to him. A wise decision, seen that Kodachrome thing.

He is correct in the sense that they are the only film manufacturer that is producing super8 themselves.

The likes of Pro8mm and Wittner-Cinetec are basically buying bulk rolls of film from Kodak, Fuji and Agfa, etc and slitting it down, perforating it and packaging it into super8 cartridges.

I dont know any other film manufacturer that currently sells super8 film.

 

[MattKing]

I think there is some European (Orwo?) Super 8, but that is black and white only.

 

[Nzoomed]

I think there is some European (Orwo?) Super 8, but that is black and white only.

From what i see, Orwo only go down to 16mm.

Orwo is available from wittner or pro8mm by the looks though.

 

[cmacd123]

some of the third party Super 8 film is actually packaged in super 8 cartridges purchased from Kodak. like backing paper they have some "Critical Black Magic" to get the film to run right. you can order them in lots of 168 units for US$3.04 each (525 dollar batches in other words) under Cat 154 8759 from Kodak at (800) 621-FILM (3456) Shipping is extra and prices change often.

you will of course have to devise a way to wind on the film, and get an ultrasonic welder to seal the cartridges.