Kodak to introduce Kodak Ektra smartphone

[amellice]

The phone will be priced at 550 USD.

http://www.kodak.com/consumer/products/ektra/default.htm

 

[Wallendo]

Looks like a nice dark-side camera, but seems fairly awkward to use as a phone.

 

[BAC1967]

I'd rather have the original Kodak Ektra camera.

 

[darkroommike]

Hope it does better than the Medalist Disc cameras.

 

[skorpiius]

Curious how this works out. Is there much of a market for a 'photography first' smart phone? And particularly within that market, is this camera significantly better than the top Apple and Samsung models>

 

[Wallendo]

Curious how this works out. Is there much of a market for a 'photography first' smart phone? And particularly within that market, is this camera significantly better than the top Apple and Samsung models>

I've seen an ad for a phone similar to this several years ago. It was essentially an android phone glued to the back of a trim digital camera (which is what this seems to be) I never saw one of those cameras in real life, so I doubt they sold well.

It is interesting that this camera will apparently only be available in Europe.

It has a bigger camera lens than the typical iPhone or Android but seems to be too big for a modern cell phone.

 

[StephenT]

How interesting. So Kodak is embracing digital - too bad they didn't jump on that 20 years ago!

The specs look good - hope it does well. Now with the Galaxy 7 out of the picture for a while, if they have those ready to go maybe they'll sell a bunch.

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

Oh dear!

 

[amellice]

yeah I'm not sure how this would be better than Pixel or iPhone 7 plus camera or Samsung S7.

 

[Rhodes]

Do one need a camera (ultra-compact) like a smartphone for 500€ or do one need a smartphone with camera abilities for 500€?
I think that people/photographers that want a phone for a few pics just for the nick of the moment have/are well served.
If they sell it for 150 or 200€, that could be combative and draw buyers.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

It's good that Kodak chose to enter a market where there isn't much competition.

 

[railwayman3]

Wonder what company has actually designed and manufactured this (thinking that a lot of "Kodak" stuff nowdays is just the name licensed for products from other manufacturers). And it seems very expensive against similarly priced smartphones, which give all the extras plus quite presentable "cameras" for many average users? (Just first reactions, not criticising or being negative)

 

[flavio81]

I'd rather have the original Kodak Ektra camera.

This.
The "Ektra" name should be reserved for really high-end cameras. Just as "ektar" was reserved for the best lenses.

Then the lens is labeled "Kodak Smart Lens". What a silly, tacky name!

 

[MattKing]

The link with the Super 8 technology is interesting.

Mostly though, I'm intrigued by the flat out attempt to market it as a camera that integrates the capabilities of a smartphone. And this isn't a licensing situation - it is Kodak who is marketing a product branded as Kodak and identifying it as a photographic product.

If I shot video, an f/2 lens, manual control and 4K resolution would be of interest.

 

[MattKing]

The "Ektra" name should be reserved for really high-end cameras.

Like this one?

 

[flavio81]

Like this one?

LOL ... you win this argument.

I just recalled that my first camera was exactly this camera, but in an all-black version. One of the most compact 110 cameras i've seen.

 

[BAC1967]

Like this one?

No, like this one:

Ektra2_3550 by Timothy Fuss, on Flickr

 

[Photo Engineer]

It will only be available in Europe for one year. If this test goes well, it will be introduced in the US.

PE

 

[mynewcolour]

http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/20/13333632/kodak-phone-ektra-bullitt

It doesn't sound great, whilst Apple are putting truly inovative camera technology into their phones.

 

[railwayman3]

Mostly though, I'm intrigued by the flat out attempt to market it as a camera that integrates the capabilities of a smartphone. And this isn't a licensing situation - it is Kodak who is marketing a product branded as Kodak and identifying it as a photographic product.

Not perhaps quite a full licensing situation, but it appears to be designed and manufactured by Bullitt Group ( https://www.bullitt-group.com/brands ), who apparently work with various other brands.