Was reading this months issue of Professional photographer and they had a nice article on how Kodak was phasing out their film r&d yesterday. Well I didn't pay it much heed until when listening to the radio today. Lunchtime news stated that Kodak is no longer going to be manufacturing anymore loadable 35mm film cameras but will continue for the time to make disposable cameras and film. Makes me wonder what all is involved in the 7 year plan they have been talking about. Anyhow just found this interesting. Thought some of you might as well.

Thanks for sharing...that's a shame...I hope they don't stop making there Kodak Digital cameras. I own one and like it a lot. Jinx

Sounds like they only told part of the story. Kodak will no longer be manufacturing APS cameras (that's understandable). They will no longer be selling 35mm reloadable film cameras in the US, Canada and Western Europe. They will, however, sell them in countries in Latin America, Eastern Europe, Asia, etc. And they will keep selling their disposable film cameras everywhere.

With these new markets (they say their is double digit growth in them for film cameras) and current markets, Kodak film isn't about to go anywhere (in fact, they're introducing some new films in February or March.

Yes Donald that is what I heard as well. They also stated that for the first time, digital cameras out sold film cameras this past year. So I guess we know where the future is going to be as far as cameras go! :)

Attached Link: http://www.photomediagroup.com/index.htm

I just read a little snippet today on Kodak in the Fall 2003 issue of PhotoMedia as to how Kodak expects it digital businesses to account for half it's profits and up to 60% of it's sales by 2006. They are also going to stop producing slide projectors by June 2004. When they announce that they're going to stop making film, that's when I'll flip out, have a coronary, and curse them to hell. Until then I'll continue to feel that film and film photography is still alive and kicking.

Hmmm if they are going to stop making slide projectors, I guess that means that their slide film is also doomed, how stupid is that? Guess we are going to have to use Fujichrome! Maybe we as photographers need to give them some feedback! What do you think? I know there are a lot of you in here that only shoot digital, but then there are those of us that shoot slide film and regular film.

Oh well - what the heck....been using Fujichrome since the early '90s - (maybe even earlier!). I might miss the K25 stuff, though (but not the 5 day processing time!)!

I don't think it means much for their slide film (their phasing out making slide projectors). Most people I know who shoot slides don't own a projector (I don't own one). I use a small viewer and a light table to pick out my slides. Slide film is probably still the main film choice of most pro commercial studio photographers. As for Kodak and digital, I think them going really deep into digital has been coming on for some time. When they bought Applied Science Fiction (makers of the great Digital ROC, Digital SHO, Digital GEM, Digital ICE, etc. digital photo plugins and technologies) I knew they were making a serious run at digital and not just playing around. -=>Donald

Well let's hope that they keep making their slide film! I too have a viewer, but also have a projector as well.

@Michelle: Thanks for this link Digital and traditional photography are very different and I think (or I wanna think) that the traditional photography has some years of life yet. But the digital photo is rising very quickly. The new cameras, well, the Canon 1Ds, for the moment, are an anticipation of how the digital can replace the traditional. Of course, for the photojournalists, the Canon 1D with 4Mpx is enough for their work; with eight photos/sec. they don't need rolls anymore. Also the 11 Mpx of the Canon 1Ds or the digital backs for the Hasselblad H1 are enough for publicity and Pros. And for the familiar use all the digitals are good. If we consider 4 big sectors of photographers: photojournalist, pros, family and artist. Only the artists and the National Geographic will use the rolls. Also in the group of the artist the digital photography is every time more usual. How many years yet? Are enough the artist to support this industry? Tetenal, Acutol, Aculux will be soon names of explosive cocktails.