I hope this doesn't affect their CEO's Christmas bonus.
I'm with railwayman... everybody is using cell phone cameras these days, nearly everbody. It's been the quiet revolution in snapshots over the last couple years.
It's kinda crazy, but if you think about it, it's really the perfect camera for anyone that doesnt ultimately want anything more than just a decent image of an event. You're carrying your phone with you anyways, and the quality is quickly becoming acceptable.
And beyond that, since they're convinced that mega-pixels are the only measure of photo quality, they think they're right in there with the best digital cameras!
I know it's a poor venue for discussing this, but I took a picture photographed with the new iPhone 4S, and I did some minor adjustments in Photoshop, and subsequently printed an 8.5 x 11 on the Epson R2400, and it is a gorgeous print! The camera in that phone is actually damned good, especially in low light it's miles better than my own iPhone 4, and better than the little Nikon P&S digital camera too. I don't think there's a future for digital cameras other than what's in a phone, or an SLR. I wouldn't be surprised to see an SLR that you can dock the iPhone to either, or have pictures transferred via Bluetooth while you're shooting. The possibilities are endless, and I believe we've only just seen the beginning yet.
I don't know if that adds anything to the discussion or not, as I feel I'm digressing a little, but in my mind what's happening at Kodak will hopefully allow the company to survive, while some really tough sacrifices have to be made. It's bound to have sad consequences, but hopefully some good news for those that still have a job.
I know it's a poor venue for discussing this, but I took a picture photographed with the new iPhone 4S, and I did some minor adjustments in Photoshop, and subsequently printed an 8.5 x 11 on the Epson R2400, and it is a gorgeous print!
What is extraordinarily odd to me is that the digicam makers haven't caught on and made web-ready cameras that would, you know, have twitter or facebook button on the back or something. It's what the kids want and very easy to implement.
Not surprising at all! And bear in mind the bigger picture which is that more and more people want to share their shots rather than print them with any seriousness. Like I've been saying for some time, digicam makers are going to get their clocks cleaned by even cheaper smartphone cameras, with which sharing is easy and natural. There is s till a big gap between the pocketable smartphones and the "serious" dslrs.... many of which don't even need to have mirrors, frankly.
What is extraordinarily odd to me is that the digicam makers haven't caught on and made web-ready cameras that would, you know, have twitter or facebook button on the back or something. It's what the kids want and very easy to implement.
There's already a dead end taking shape with mirror-less bodies designed to look like their film ancestors
Well, I don't think it's a dead end at all. Many of us who happily use RFs don't think it's a dead end at all. Yes, mirrorless cameras have a long way to go, and there will be many incremental advances before it's fully mature, but... that's exactly what you want when creating a new market. Hear me now believe me later, cameras with mirrors (including digitals) will go out of mass production within a decade.
Well, I don't think it's a dead end at all. Many of us who happily use RFs don't think it's a dead end at all. Yes, mirrorless cameras have a long way to go, and there will be many incremental advances before it's fully mature, but... that's exactly what you want when creating a new market. Hear me now believe me later, cameras with mirrors (including digitals) will go out of mass production within a decade.
I talked to Audrey Jonckheer via email a few days ago, she said in terms of film being produced, it is the way it has always been, is business as usual at Kodak and that they look at the numbers closely every month. The products have to be used in sufficient quantities for it to be produced, reasonable for sure.
So I think more promotion on our part is in order, the advertising budgets for many companies, not just Kodak, have been tightened over the years post Sept. 2008 and some have not fully come back as ad and marketing departments took to social media to get the word out at a much lower cost. Kodak has good presence on Facebook and I am now going to post regularly there to give a visual plug to what is being done with Kodak films. It really is up to us to keep film around and that includes helping ALL film makers advertise and market.
People can make a difference, consumers can make a difference, we all film shooters can make a difference and change things.
Not only shooting film on a regular basis by ourselves, but also spread the word being active to get others interested in the joy of shooting film.
Film has so much to offer.
If you show it to others interested in photography, especially younger photographers (at least that is my experience) and explain the possibilities and strengths of the medium and what makes it unique, you will have success (again my experiences; I've got many people into shooting film during the last years).
Imagine, if each film shooter convince at least two or three others to shoot film.
Then photo film will be on the safe(r) side.
It is the duty not only of film manufactureres, but especially the duty of the specialised distributors like Freestyle, Maco, Fotoimpex etc., and the duty of professional labs.
They must stop their inactivity and start marketing for film.
They want to sell film, therefore they have to convince consumers to buy film.
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