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January 14, 2004
Kodak Shutters 35mm, Focuses on Digital
In my predictions for 2004, my number 6 headline was ""Nikon Discontinues 35mm Photography Line, Concentrates on Digital."
I imagined this headline because of the tremendous gains in digital photography in 2003, and the apparent failure of film photography, including APS, to address market erosion, except at the low-end (but watch out for my headline 4, on camphones and the low-end digital market - as camphones become ubiquitous, the bell may toll for disposable film cameras).
Well, it's only two weeks into the New Year, and it's not Nikon, but - hot on the heels of my China moonshot headline - this prediction is now a reality.
Kodak has announced that it will stop selling traditional film cameras in Europe and North America, and concentrate instead on digital.
Kodak based the announcement on a need to focus on high-growth areas, and reflects the surging demand for digital cameras, which in 2003 outsold film-based cameras in the US for the first time. Last year, 12.5 million digital cameras were sold in the US, compared with 12.1 million film cameras. The balance is expected to tilt even further to the digital side in 2004.
In the meantime, Kodak will continue selling its disposable film cameras in Europe and North America, as well as film and other accessories .
Posted by Sam in Photography
Comments
When you imagined this headline, you should have also realized that the term "35mm" does NOT only refer to film photography - but also digital. It's a common and annoying misconception. It refers to the sensor or frame size of an imaging device. 35mm has come to define a type of photography - using a handheld, SLR cameras with interchangable lenses - as opposed to medium and large format photography, etc.
Posted by: Andrew Phelps at January 15, 2004 5:30 AM
Agreed. Also for most digital cameras do not use the 35mm format except for a few expensive pro cameras (e.g., Canon EOS-1D) that use the full 35mm sensor (and thus can be accurately called 35mm digital SLR).
Posted by: Ken at January 15, 2004 6:08 AM
Mea culpa! I'm enough of a hobbyist to know this, but got into the journalistic compress-the-headline-till-it's-not-technically-accurate and the write-to-appeal-to-the-masses ruts.
Posted by: Sam at January 15, 2004 10:21 AM
I'm looking for information on 35mm shutters. Example: How it's works. The effects that it provides when using it. Who was the creater of it. Any information will be very helpful.
Thank you
Posted by: Susan Brissett at March 22, 2004 3:25 PM