mike wilson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> From: Bob Shell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> >> This news story is interesting in that it refers to Kodak's digital >> business as expanding. I'm not sure that's accurate. The only digital >> cameras that Kodak was actually building were their pro cameras, and >> they recently discontinued their whole pro line of cameras and digital >> camera backs. Their point and shoot cameras are just rebadged products >> from the Far East. Yes, Kodak does make CCD imaging chips, but I don't >> know of any cameras using them, and they can't be selling them in any >> volume. Kodak has been floundering in its attempts to go digital. > >Maybe it's talking about the sales of consumer inkjets and paper. I would >take that with a healthy dose of skepticism, too.
When I was in Rochester last weekend I checked in with my friends who work at Kodak. The ones who work in the division that makes imaging chips seemed fairly optimistic but everyone else was absolutely gloomy. I know a chemist who works on inkjet papers and related stuff and he didn't seem optimistic about the way things were going at all. >> The only thing I know of that might keep ordinary color negative film >> in production is that in a number of states digital images are not >> allowed as forensic evidence, but I expect that will change over time. I wonder what states don't allow it now? My SO is a pathologist who occasionally serves as an expert witness in court. In New York State they don't even ask how the image was made. Our forensic pathologist friend in North Carolina does his photography exclusively digitally now. >> And, so long as motion picture companies shoot on film there will be a >> demand for those types of film. But that market is also going digital. >> >> I don't see a future for film as a consumer item. The days when you >> can go into a drugstore or Wally-Mart and pick up a few rolls of film >> are definitely numbered. >> >> As a specialty item for fine art photographers, black and white film >> should be around for some time, but will become increasingly expensive. >From the art shows at which I've sold prints I've noticed that, regardless of what the final print looks like (and I expect inkjets will catch up with wet prints before long), people like knowing (and being able to tell their friends) that the print hanging on their wall is a "silver gelatin" photographic print made in a real darkroom. This seems to apply only to black & white prints. Well, as long as they buy the print I'm not picky... -- Mark Roberts Photography and writing www.robertstech.com
