What do you think about Kodak stoppig making film cameras?

[auseyeidol]

what do you think of Kodak stopping making traditional cameras in favor of digital cameras???

http://www.livingroom.org.au/photolog/archives/kodak_to_stop_making_aps_cameras.php

[gsmx2]

I think the use of the word, "Traditional", is misleading. APS was introduced eight years ago, so hardly traditional. It seems it is going the way of Kodak's Instamatic....a simpler film to handle, but not really something for more than a snapshot photographer.

gsm x2

[Longwatcher]

Kodak has some inovative digital cameras (although they still need work to get to Canon/Nikon level) The dockable camera was a very cool idea for snap shot users. Film cameras are becoming obsolete and the faster they move away from them the better.

On the other hand, if they stop producing film I would be worried because they are one of the best film companies in the world and I would really like to be able to get film for my hassleblad for the rare occasions I use it.

I also note they are still producing the box camera, which makes sense.

Kodak is in my opinion doing a fairly good job of re-inventing itself for the digital age, now if they could only get with Canon and use the EF lens format for their next >14MP camera.

Please note I am slightly biased though as I occasionally work with Kodak government services folks on several projects and have gotten really nice tours of some of their Rochester facilities.

[Yance]

I never bought one of their cameras but they are mostly the low-end consumer variety so it wouldn't matter to me. Just as long as they keep manufacturing film - well at least black and white film!

[defordphoto]

What do I think about it? I could care less. I don't shoot film anymore and highly doubt I'll ever shoot it again. It'll sure reduce the pollution from all the horrible chemicals used in film processing.

[Yance]

Well there are certain things digital will never be able to do so I would rather that film stays around. I just ran across a site with beautifully done slit scan photography (http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~js4k-nmk/jrsdexp.htm). Film is a medium that can never be truly replaced by digital. It is entirely different and irreplaceable.

[stopbath]

So they are stopping APS format cameras. I've never used it. I have used 2 1/4, and 35mm, still video, and digital. I think APS is a great format for point and shoots, but perhaps it never really caught on. No sense trying to push APS when there isn't enough market. The digital market is opening up (still a long way to go) so why not divert funds from a sinking ship to a floating ship... 35mm will to become the domain of professionals, but that's still a few years off...

I doubt I'll ever use my film cameras again... (Don't feel like selling them though...)

The times they are a-changin'

[PacAce]

The last time I used a Kodak camera was in the 60's when I had one of their Instamatic cameras. I then discovered "real" 35mm cameras made by companies like Olympus, Pentax, Nikon and Canon and have never touched Kodak cameras since. I don't even use their film except when I don't have a choice. So, like that proverbial tree in the forest that fell, this event will also go unnoticed by me.

[twl845]

:!:
Right. Kodak is making some nice point and shoot digital cameras with the docking system. However, their so called higher end cameras need better engineering. In 2000, I was looking for my first digital camera, and at the same time Kodak came out with a "photography enthusiast" camera for people with some photography knowledge who want to be creative. The camera was the DC4800 with some manual controls. I plopped down my $800 and bought one. It took nice shots in good light, but was lousy in low light. I discovered too late that it had no TV shutter control setting, although it had an AV arperture setting. Go figure. Then while reading some reviews that comlained that the finish would crack, I noticed a nice crack in the finish of my camera. Then, I began noticing the battery charge lasting less and less after I had the camera about 2 years. Finally, one day I uploaded some photos to my computer, and along with the shots, was an exe. file from the camera. No way to restore the file. Then my camera wouldn't turn on, or stay on. I called Kodak and they said they would look at it for $150 or send me a different re-conditioned p/s camera with similar settings. Well, that was the time for me to bite the bullet and get my Canon G3.
On the plus side, they have a nice web site and support page for your camera model.

[Longwatcher]

Now I have had the Kodak DC4800 for over three years now, with no problems. Of course it mainly only gets used for loan to friends and the occasional insurance inventory shot, but the battery still works great and mine works better then my D60 in low light.

If I had gotten any other digital then the DC4800 based on what I have encountered since, I probably would not have bothered with the D60 as all of those other P&S from the same time frame took forever to take a shot.
The only annoyance I remember from orginally getting it was its default setting was on soft instead of sharp (which strangely enough does not bother me with the D60 and 10D I have now) and I thought that was really stupid at the time.

The docking station cameras since then have not been quite as good as that DC4800.

Just my opinion,

[twl845]

Longwatcher,
Glad to hear my experience is an isolated one concerning my DC4800.
I'm sure if I sent it in to Kodak, they could fix it because I'm convinced it's a software problem. I just can't afford it right now after buying a new camera. No telling how much it will ultimately cost to fix it.

[msvirick]

Like an earlier post, I started my digital photography with Kodak 4800.
It served me so well, alias it had a better lens. I have gratuated to 10D and gave my Kodak away ti a relative. Looking back it did beautiful pictures. If I could only afford a Kodak 14 megapixel camera!

[RichardtheSane]

If I could only afford a Kodak 14 megapixel camera!

£4000 for a kodak 14 dcwhatever or £5500 for a 1Ds. I know what I woudl choose - the quality camera :)

But then again a 1Ds won't make me a better photographer so I'll stick with my 10D till I need something better.