Kodak: The End of an Icon?

To some extent, I grew up with Kodak.  There have always been plenty of camera manufacturers around, but Kodak made photography accessible to the mainstream through simple, easy-to-use cameras.  Everyone could take a good picture with a Kodak camera, even Grandma. I’ve always looked at Kodak as a company that always was and would always be, similar to Ford, Coke and McDonalds.

Just because a company files for Chapter 11, doesn’t necessarily mean they are going the way of the Dodo. Many companies do this a means of consolidation and restructuring and based upon what Kodak has said in this post, they look to be doing exactly that.

It’s been awhile since I have used a Kodak camera. I think the last time was for some weekend excursion and I picked up a disposable one from a local grocery store.  The rise of the iPhone (or Android) has to have had an impact on the camera business.  That’s how I take the majority of my pictures.

Regardless of the restructuring outcome, I’m pulling for Kodak. I’ll be watching how the next few years go for them as a company. I admire how they’ve made the transition from the traditional camera to the digital camera without losing stride or they’ve embraced new technologies like Cloud Printing to keep current with the digital landscape.  And I know my mom (Hi, Mom) will always remember with fondness commercials like this one starting the late Michael Landon.

Got a comment or favorite Kodak moment you want to share? Leave a comment below or drop us a line on Twitter or Facebook.

 

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2012-02-06T14:47:13+00:00

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One Comment

  1. Mark Soper February 6, 2012 at 3:45 pm - Reply

    While I was shooting film (1967-2007), over 98% of my pictures were shot on Kodak film. Although I’ve switched to digital (Kodak and Canon point-and-shoots, Canon DSLR), those 40 years of photos are still important to me and my family, and I’m in the process of digitizing the best of them to make them accessible and enjoyable to a bigger audience. One of the most disappointing aspects of Kodak’s collapse is its pioneering role in the development of digital photography coupled with its refusal to push full-speed into digital until other companies owned the space.

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