railwayman3
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- Apr 5, 2008
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Kodak uses much of the income from analog to fuel their digital work. Analog is their cash cow. If Kodachrome could be made with any profit, do you think that they would stop production? NO WAY!! Kodachrome cannot be made at any level except at a loss.
Kodak gave away the Kodachrome patent for K-14 but no one would manufacture a compatible film as they did for the previous process. There was not much profit in it even then, in the 80s! So, Kodak became the only Kodachrome manufacturer reducing the market from a total of 4 down to 1.
PE
IDK, but I find it rather difficult to believe that Kodachrome always either made little profit or lost money, else why continue making it for so many years? The Kodak factories in US, France and England (and maybe Canada?) all made Kodachrome, and there were a dozen or more Kodak labs in different countries...certainly not a niche product then.
IMHO, the deterioration and poor QC in the processing service was a major problem. I know of many people, myself included, who switched to Fuji and Agfa in frustration and despair, and that must have lost Kodak not only business from Kodachrome, but also E6 sales over many years. But it's history now, I know.