Harbinger
January 22, 2004
Is this the beginning of the end for film in photography? CBS is reporting that Kodak, the company historically most associated with photos, plans to completely stop selling user-loadable film cameras in the US and western Europe. (As an upside, this also means they will stop selling those damned APS cameras. That system was deeply flawed from the beginning.)
Obviously, this isn't the first sign but it's definitely a significant move for the industry. It's not surprising to see Kodak making this move earliest. For starters, it was a pioneer in digital slr cameras selling models when $10,000 was considered cheap for a digital body. The company's execs haven't been blind to the coming trend. Kodak's film camera quality and selection had gradually died on the vine so it represents no great loss.
Will film ever die? Would I mourn the loss? Well, those are topics for another post.
Consider Polaroid's problems, which developed as far back as a couple years ago. Folks attributed that to the company's unwillingness to embrace digital technology.
Consider, too, that the way of business and technology is to change with the times. When was the last time you dialed a rotary phone or listened to a tube radio? Sure, those products are made for a niche market, but consumers have moved on.
dan
