That "new" Kodak 35mm SLR camera...

[Vonder]

Anyone remember it? Anyone know if it's going to happen? Anyone care?

I thought it'd be neat, even if Kodak had nearly nothing to do with the creation and design of the thing.

 

[Ektagraphic]

I wonder what's up.

 

[fotch]

Info released at the PMA

 

[darinwc]

I dont think anyone cares. Somehow I dont think kodak is planning any amazing new film camera technology.

 

[cooltouch]

I believe there is still a viable niche market available for this type of camera: the entry-level photography student. Not all of them are willing to buy 20yo used cameras for their school work. Instructors will recommend (demand?) cameras such as this, and the students will buy them. Plus, at $200 for a camera, lens and flash, that's less than the cost of a single math or chemistry textbook.

Michael

 

[darinwc]

while there is a market for new entry level film cameras, that niche is allready being filled by importers like vivitar. Unless Kodak plans to invest in new technology to do something exiting, I think the market will answer with a yawn.

I give it 6 months.

 

[Ian Grant]

Initially Kodak were working with Vivitar, but it all fell through. Vivitar don't make anything they out source and always have done.

Whoever Kodak work with they have to ensure reliability, that's sadly missing in many Chinese made camera's but is easy to improve on quite quickly.

Ian

 

[Ektagraphic]

If Kodak did come out with this camera, I may buy it. A. To try it out. B. To show my support of analog film and cameras.

 

[jcorll]

Does anyone think that they will be developing a new mount? I am almost certain that they will work off of the existing Vivitar mounts. I think it would be a dumb move to try and develop a new mount. It's all about compatibility right?

 

[DanielStone]

I believe there is still a viable niche market available for this type of camera: the entry-level photography student. Not all of them are willing to buy 20yo used cameras for their school work. Instructors will recommend (demand?) cameras such as this, and the students will buy them. Plus, at $200 for a camera, lens and flash, that's less than the cost of a single math or chemistry textbook.

Michael

true that. my buddy just dropped $350 for his statistics textbook...

and that was the used price! new was like 435 or something wild.

thank God i'm a photo major

-dan

 

[DanielStone]

Does anyone think that they will be developing a new mount? I am almost certain that they will work off of the existing Vivitar mounts. I think it would be a dumb move to try and develop a new mount. It's all about compatibility right?

I believe the Vivitar cameras use the Pentax K-mount. At least the ones at my school do.

-Dan

 

[dougjgreen]

When you consider that a used Minolta X-570 or Nikon FG or FM can easily bought for $60-80 with a 50mm lens, and there are dozens of other similar used cameras out there and that those cameras are far superior - undoubtedly so if one put another $60 or so into a CLA, I simply wonder why?

 

[John Koehrer]

Capitalizing on the name. There's a lot to be said for the label even if it were to be a $200 special.
Kodak was never very successful at the high end market, but sure knew how to sell instamatics.

I know they had the Ektra and Medalist cameras that were sophisticated for their time, but they can't be called marketing successes.

 

[Ian Grant]

Capitalizing on the name. There's a lot to be said for the label even if it were to be a $200 special.
Kodak was never very successful at the high end market, but sure knew how to sell instamatics.

I know they had the Ektra and Medalist cameras that were sophisticated for their time, but they can't be called marketing successes.

What about their Graflex's and Recomar's and Retina's and their superb Canon & Nikon mount D***'s.

They can do it they just buy the company usually

Ian

 

[dynachrome]

New Kodak 35mm SLR

Yesterday I bought a Promaster 2500PK Super from an ebay seller for $19. This is one of the many Cosina-made SLRs but it has a few extra features. These are the pc flash socket (in addition to the hot shoe), a multiple exposure button and best of all a depth of field preview button. It's that last feature which was missing from the Pentax K1000 and which I think is very useful in explaining depth of field to students. At one time Kodak sold inexensive zoom lenses under the Kodak Gear name. They were made by Tamron and were sold in blister packs. Almost all of the parts other than the actual lens elements were made of plastic. As long as so many of the Cosina-made SLRs are floating around for such low prices I think the best Kodak could do is have Cosina make a camera for them. Even new, these cameras sell for about $169 with a lens. I now have a small collection of these Cosina-made SLRS which includes 5 Vivitars, two Yashicas, a Konica and the Promaster. The Olympus OM2000 had spot metering and the Nikon FE10 had aperture priority automation so these were probably the most sophistocated of the Cosinas. Even the 35-70 kit lens which came with the Vivitars isn't half bad.

 

[Sirius Glass]

What about their Graflex's and Recomar's and Retina's and their superb Canon & Nikon mount D***'s.

They can do it they just buy the company usually

Ian

My thoughts too.

Steve

 

[brianmquinn]

Somehow I dont think kodak is planning any amazing new film camera technology.

We aren't looking for something new. What we need is some company to supply the next group of photographers with a decent SLR so the market for film use does not totally dry up. No new film shooters = no film at all in the long run.

 

[Leighgion]

The used market is fine for individuals inclined to research and shop around, but is a no-go for organizations (like photography departments at schools) that need a steady and reliable supply that can be called on with a minimum of fuss, or people who just want to be able to walk in, wave their plastic and walk out with exactly what they expected. This is the market that a currently produced, basic film SLR can service.

 

[lns]

The used market is fine for individuals inclined to research and shop around, but is a no-go for organizations (like photography departments at schools) that need a steady and reliable supply that can be called on with a minimum of fuss, or people who just want to be able to walk in, wave their plastic and walk out with exactly what they expected. This is the market that a currently produced, basic film SLR can service.

This is so true.

When the high school kids around here sign up for photo class, if there isn't an old SLR lying around somewhere, the moms all go to buy a new camera. They don't want to haunt garage sales. They've never heard of KEH. They just want an inexpensive working camera quickly. It's just another school supply to buy. The (few remaining) local stores stock the basic Nikon or Vivitar film SLR for that reason.

In fact, if there no longer are new cheap film SLRs available at retail, the school will likely stop offering the film class. Our high school doesn't have the budget to buy film SLRs in bulk and loan them out to Photo I students. That's probably what's driving Kodak, and if they can afford it, it's a great idea. I'd also suggest offering simple film point and shoots, for the older folks who aren't going to go digital but want a snapshot camera. There are more of them than you think. And those digital p&s cameras are way too complicated.

-Laura

 

[John Koehrer]

What about their Graflex's and Recomar's and Retina's and their superb Canon & Nikon mount D***'s.

They can do it they just buy the company usually

Ian

Forgot about the Retinas didn't I? Still, their most successful marketing has been low end, high volume product.
Graflex wasn't sold as a "Kodak" brand. The Recomar may have been popular in Europe but in 30+ years in the trade I've only seen them at the occasional camera show & not often, at that.
Are you suggesting that Kodak is successful in competing against Nikon in the digital SLR market? If so, where are they in the market today and weren't they using a Nikon chassis?

 

[Vonder]

There is a huge problem in this market. You simply can not find a new 35mm SLR without help. Try entering 35mm SLR into a web search. You'll find the EOS 1V without too much trouble, but nobody is buying THAT beast for a high school class. The only inexpensive 35mm SLRs in production today are the Vivitar and Nikon intro models, and you need to ask for help to gain THAT knowledge. I have no doubt that many camera stores don't know or don't care about those two offerings and will happilly tell the student (or his mom) that you really should buy a digital SLR and then get a used film body (from their pile of used junk) that you can use for class and throw away when you're done.

 

[Admbws]

Funny. I just did a quick search for "35mm SLR" and came across a question on Yahoo! Answers that adds weight to some of the points raised.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090907151851AAVj5lm

The question is still open. We could jump in with some advice but doesn't the fact the question needed to be asked indicate a failure somewhere?

 

[jcorll]

Again, It is probably just an "innovative" idea that Kodak had to get back into the camera-making business. Whatever comes out as the end product could be anything. (Most likely a [cheap] SLR though)