Kodak Stats

[CMoore]

I am reading that Time/Life series of Photography Books. I guess it was released in about 1980...maybe 25-30 books.?
It is a wonderful series for easy reading.
In the book called ...Photography Year 1981... they mentioned some interesting facts.
-Today, Kodak has centers in 46 countries and employs 125,00 workers. Kodak commands nearly 80% of the worlds "consumer market"... supplying it with almost 1,000 different types of film and paper.!
They supply 35 (Thirty Five.!) special films for astronomers. Most must be delivered to the observatories by refrigerated truck to protect the super-sensitive emulsions.

 

[markjwyatt]

The ones I have were published in 1971. They were a great series of books and what I read when I started in photography.

 

[CMoore]

The ones I have were published in 1971. They were a great series of books and what I read when I started in photography.

Oh Wow, 1971.....OK.
Obviously this series was produced for quite some time then.
Not sure the exact printing date of mine, i would have to look, but it obviously included through the year 1981.
They really are a fine resource and source of Enjoyment/Entertainment.

 

[mshchem]

Pretty amazing. EKCo was a lot like Apple and Microsoft in the day . Roll film and the cameras Kodak produced allowed everyday folks to make photos. Very similar to how cell phones have made it possible for everyone to crop, edit etc.

That Time Life series has been around, I downsized mine from the 70's sometime back. Lots of great photos and good information

 

[AgX]

In the book called ...Photography Year 1981...

Never seen that yearbook series over here. But the topics issues I of course got. I just had to dump surplus samples I once acquired to give away, but nobody wants them...

 

[AgX]

-Today, Kodak has centers in 46 countries and employs 125,00 workers

Now they got about 6000.

And Agfa-Gevaert, the fused company that is, in the heydays was at 1/4 of production of Kodak. Today, in spite of their shrinking, they have much more employees than Kodak.

 

[jvo]

there were at least 3 versions of this series - the first of the series were a grey hardcover cover a cloth, black binding, 10x10 inches in size - and yes, my first photography course - the "online" learning method of day! they are great!

 

[CMoore]

Yeah...mine are square format as well. Maybe 10-11 inches all around.
They are hardcover. Kind of a Silver/Gray color with a black binding.
Got them about 3 years ago on Ebay for only 45 bux... shipping included

 

[pentaxuser]

I have 3 I think of the 1970/71 vintage and they were well put together and designed to last in the form of a book

pentaxuser

 

[Nodda Duma]

The downside of that 80% market dominance is that the lack of good old-fashioned competition stymied research and development. Not to say it didn’t happen within Kodak itself, but it was not at a pace that other healthy markets experienced. There was no need for evolutionary progress when incremental progress worked just fine. That’s true of any market where one big entity dominates to such an extent. It wasn’t until Fujifilm broke out of Asia in a big way that R&D accelerated again (in the 90s).

 

[Photo Engineer]

Jason, I would argue some of that. There were big jumps in technology at that time initiated by EK including 2 electron sensitization and the use of Iridium and Osmium in emulsions. Dye layering technology also improved speed/grain, and the series of books illustrate the new C41 and E6 processes.

I just gave my set away to Nick.

PE

 

[AgX]

The downside of that 80% market dominance ...

Kodak's market share varied per region and per product. But as said once the Kodak/Agfa-Gevaert ratio alone was 4/1, and then there were many others manufacturers.

But yes, basic research was only done at the few big manufacturers. And amongst them Kodak had the advantage of size and not having lost more than a decade due to the war.

 

[markjwyatt]

... and the use of Iridium and Osmium in emulsions...

PE

Since we are talking about R&D, just wondering if Kodak ever experimented with cross-linking in emulsion ( as a hardening and stabilizing mechanism)? I was thinking about the longevity of photographic emulsions and thought something like this could help (maybe UV x-link to try and avoid shrinkage).

What was the iridium and Osmium for (this is one of the few situations where Osmium seems to have an application)?

 

[Photo Engineer]

Mark, hardening is one of the oldest of techniques used in all gelatin based photography. It does all of what you describe.

These heavy metals are used for sensitizing the emulsion and for improving latent image keeping and reciprocity failure along with causing speed increases.

PE

 

[markjwyatt]

Mark, hardening is one of the oldest of techniques used in all gelatin based photography. It does all of what you describe.

These heavy metals are used for sensitizing the emulsion and for improving latent image keeping and reciprocity failure along with causing speed increases.

PE

Thanks. Is "hardening" specifically cross-linking?

edit: does not look like it- more of a surface layer for hardening.

 

[AgX]

Jason, I would argue some of that. There were big jumps in technology at that time initiated by EK including 2 electron sensitization and the use of Iridium and Osmium in emulsions.

The last PhD work at the photochemical industry I know of was on this issue.
And not even at Kodak.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Thanks. Is "hardening" specifically cross-linking?

edit: does not look like it- more of a surface layer for hardening.

There are two types of hardening.

Cross linking is most commonly put into the gelatin when you coat it by use of Formalin or Chrome Alum.

Surface layer or "Case Hardening" is most often put in during the process. This is done by using things like Zircotan (Zirconium Sulfate).

Cross linking can also be done in the process.

PE

 

[falotico]

The Time/Life volume on "Color" is one of the best monographs on color photography I have ever seen.

 

[AgX]

Some volumes were quite common here at public libraries. But these times are gone...

 

[CMoore]

Looks like mine was printed or at least copyrighted in 1975...then reprinted as they added other specific books in the early 1980's.
My set has 24 books plus an "Index" that is about 40-50 pages...more of a big pamphlet than a book.
The "Photography Year 1982" is all black instead of silver, and just a bit smaller than the other books in the set.......

 

[jvo]

the silver/grey hardcovers are the original version... mine is 1972. i got mine by subscribing, one a month were sent "on approval" - you paid for it or sent it back. as a bonus they sent the 10x10 softcover booklets, an index, a camera buyers guide, and a small 3x8 spiral photo guide.... the newer versions were all black cover and smaller.

very enjoyable and i learned a lot!