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Rochester Photo News

Photo Engineer

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Today, Kodak sold it's core image sensor division to another company for an undisclosed amount. They can still use all current technology for their own products, but this does not mean much as they don't make digital cameras!

Scott's photo is closing January 1 2012. It is one of the last photofinishers in Rochester NY.

Hahn Graphic, one one of the last sources of quality analog products in Rochester closed last month.

PE
 

CGW

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Talk about futile gestures...
 

lensman_nh

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The sensor group was one of the jewels in the crown. I wonder if the patent portfolio that went with it was part of the sale?

Any word on who the buyer was?

J.

Update:

Google is my friend:

Platinum Equity. I have to wonder what they are going to do with it?
 

waynecrider

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Kodak doesn't make cameras but they do sell sensors as far as I know.
 

eclarke

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Too bad, My brother in law roomed with Scotty at RIT. They are still friends..
 

semi-ambivalent

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MaximusM3 said:
..and I just bought another 100 of Tri-X
Click to expand...

Of course, your purchase won't keep Kodak alive, but it will give you a nice supply of an emulsion it would appear you enjoy using. That's a pretty good reason in and of itself to buy it.

s-a
 

Ken Nadvornick

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MaximusM3

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semi-ambivalent said:
Of course, your purchase won't keep Kodak alive, but it will give you a nice supply of an emulsion it would appear you enjoy using. That's a pretty good reason in and of itself to buy it.

s-a
Click to expand...


That's the only reason, unfortunately. I wish these purchases would help Kodak but I'm not fooling myself. Call me a romantic, but I'm not one of those to simply say, "oh well, they are gone and I'll shoot something else". It's Kodak for goodness sake, and it's Tri-X. It's photography, beauty, heritage, history. I want to have enough of those yellow boxes to last me until my eyes give up.
 

Newt_on_Swings

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Its funny how the government stepped in a number of times these past few years to protect institutions that were supposedly a core element the the U.S. economy, from financial institutions, to manufacturing companies, to big technology. But a company such as Kodak, which over its company lifetime has aided the U.S. in a number of huge technological developments and products, as well as employed a substantial work force for the last 100 years, is being left in the dust, having to piecemeal itself apart. Its quite a sad story thats been unfolding, but the truth is, unless kodak does some huge technological leap frogging to boost its revenue, along with some realignment of its marketing department, this only seems as though it will get worse.
 

semi-ambivalent

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MaximusM3 said:
It's Kodak for goodness sake, and it's Tri-X. It's photography, beauty, heritage, history. I want to have enough of those yellow boxes to last me until my eyes give up.
Click to expand...

Ha! You're a creature of Branding. 'Our work is done here' Kodak's Marketing and R&D Depts. could say, about a lot of the people who hang out here. I'm one too.

s-a
 

bsdunek

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Having worked for a large, old company that finally sold everything off and went out of business (White Motors), this makes me sad. I don't think they can make it in the printer business. I'm not that knowledgeable, but I don't see ink cartridges the same as film (maybe razor blades?). Trying to 'leap frog' technology is very difficult. Been there, done that. Unless you have a good foundation and are up on a business, it's almost impossible to come up to speed fast enough.
I'm sure many good minds are working on their situation, but I fear for their demise.
 

c6h6o3

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If you can shop for buggy whips on an iPad (and you can) there will always be film, certainly as long as any of us is alive. I think Ilford will be the last man standing in the film coliseum. Fuji is just as capital intensive a business as is Kodak. They'll get out of the film business, too, sooner than later methinks.

If you want to have black & white film around in future years and are running low, support Ilford and not Kodak. Your purchase there will be something more than a mere exercise in futility.

I'm down to my last 10 sheets of 8x10 Tmax. When it's gone I'll order HP5+.
 
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railwayman3

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The difference is that a skilled worker, on his own, can make a top quality buggy whip in a back-yard workshop with relatively simple tools and materials. You can't make a 35mm film in that way.

(I agree with what you say about Fuji and Ilford...)
 

Joe O'Brien

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The difference is that a skilled worker, on his own, can make a top quality buggy whip in a back-yard workshop with relatively simple tools and materials. You can't make a 35mm film in that way.
Click to expand...

Well I'm glad I'm learning to pour plates then!
 

c6h6o3

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The point is that there's demand for buggy whips no matter how advanced transportation technology becomes. No matter how photography changes there will always be demand for film so someone will always make it. Perhaps this is a better example.
 

hoffy

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c6h6o3 said:
The point is that there's demand for buggy whips no matter how advanced transportation technology becomes. No matter how photography changes there will always be demand for film so someone will always make it. Perhaps this is a better example.
Click to expand...

AHHH, but what if the film was $100 a sheet or roll? I'm pretty sure that the demand for film and then its supply would dry up pretty damn quickly.....
 

c6h6o3

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hoffy said:
AHHH, but what if the film was $100 a sheet or roll? I'm pretty sure that the demand for film and then its supply would dry up pretty damn quickly.....
Click to expand...
Sure would. I guess we'll all just have to learn to pour wet plates. Or find another hobby.
 
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