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Technology - Reuters
Kodak to Stop Selling Traditional Cameras in U.S.
1 hour, 12 minutes ago Add Technology - Reuters to My Yahoo!
By Franklin Paul
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Eastman Kodak Co. (NYSE:EK - news) on Tuesday
said it will stop selling traditional film cameras in the United
States, Canada and Western Europe, another move by the photography
company to cut lines with declining appeal in favor of fast-growing
digital products.
With sales of digital cameras poised to overtake film cameras for the
first time this year, Kodak is redefining itself in an effort to keep
pace.
But the No. 1 maker of photographic film will continue to sell
one-time use cameras in the West and expand its sales of these and
other film-based cameras -- and film -- in emerging markets where
demand is on the rise.
Shares of Kodak eked out narrow gains on Tuesday after the
announcement, and was one of the few blue chip stocks to close higher
on the New York Stock Exchange (news - web sites).
The move comes amid Kodak's controversial plan to focus on high-growth
digital products, such as medical imaging systems and production
printing, and reduce dependence on its declining film business. Late
in 2003, Kodak said it would stop making slide projectors, but still
manufactures color slide films.
"Every one of these steps indicates more and more the strength of
Kodak's conviction of moving toward digital," said analyst Shannon
Cross of Cross Research. "However, the jury is out on whether (the
digital strategy) will work."
Blaming declining demand, the Rochester, New York-based company said
it would by the end of this year quit making reloadable cameras that
use 35-millimeter film, including those in the Advanced Photo System,
or APS, format.
In 1996, when it was unveiled, Advantix was hailed by Kodak as the
"most important photographic announcement since Instamatic
cartridge-loading cameras were introduced in 1963."
FILM STILL GROWING IN EMERGING MARKETS
Kodak will still make film for existing Advantix and other cameras,
and intends to introduce new high-performance 35 millimeter and
Advanced Photo System films next month.
Camera makers typically make little profit -- or lose money -- on
hardware, but enjoy strong margins from sales of supplies such as film
and paper, which much be replaced frequently.
Kodak said that it plans to continue making reloadable cameras that
use 35-millimeter film in emerging markets, such as China, India,
Eastern Europe and Latin America and that it will introduce six new
cameras in those markets this year.
"(We) estimate that there are 60 million Chinese consumers who have
the purchasing power to participate in photography, but have not
bought their first camera," said Kodak spokesman Charles Smith.
Under Kodak's new strategy, unveiled in September, it will shift its
investments into digital markets with greater growth potential than
the waning film market. But film still provides ample revenue for
Kodak -- over 120 million rolls of film are sold each year
industry-wide.
According to estimates by InfoTrends Research Group, global film
camera shipments in 2004 will shrink to 36 million units from about 48
million in 2003, while digital camera shipments will rise to 53
million from 41 million units.
Other companies that helped develop APS -- Canon Inc (7751.T), Fuji
Photo Film Co. Ltd.(4901.T), Minolta Co Ltd.(7753.T), and Nikon
Corp.(7731.T) -- will continue to make APS cameras.
"The consumer who has APS likes it a lot, but the growth potential is
probably tapped out from Kodak's standpoint," said Gary Pageau,
spokesman of the Photo Marketing Association, an industry
organization.
Shares of Kodak closed up 3 cents at $26.36 in New York Stock Exchange
trade on Tuesday.
saludts
" AT" <spamn...@bellsouth.net> escribió en el mensaje
news:MU_Mb.44502$PP5....@bignews4.bellsouth.net...
También la Disney ha cerrado los estudios donde nacio Mickey Mouse en USA porque los costes de hacer
una pelicula con papel y boli son muxo más caros que hacerlas en ordenador (Pixar).
Dar por muerto al equipo químico cuanto antes, que a la larga os va a salir más caro que un riñón
comparado con el equipo digital.
--
ToroDePie.
"Javivi (Romerator)" <javivi...@rincongrafico.com> escribió en el mensaje
news:bu2vjs$d87dd$1...@ID-178419.news.uni-berlin.de...
¿Que se fizo el rey D. Juan?
Los infantes de Aragón, ¿qué se fizieron?
Pues lo mismo: 'derechos a se acabar e consumir...'
Yo tengo mis cámaras 'antiguas' cogiendo polvo. El único producto que
probablemente se salve de la quema será la cámara 'de usar y tirar'... En
artes gráficas, la película -consumida antes en enormes cantidades- está
desapareciendo reemplazada por el 'directo a plancha'. Es el fin de una
época. También eran 'imprescindibles' las máquinas de escribir en las
oficinas. Y el 'papel carbón' no podía faltar... Y unas y otro han
desaparecido...
Saludos
Javier
"ToroDePie" <nosc...@alcorreo.com> escribió en el mensaje
news:bu3kf2$da6ha$1...@ID-126904.news.uni-berlin.de...
Lo que si que está muertos son los sistemas "revolucionarios" que iban a
jubilarlo, caso del APS.
Saludos
Habrá un nicho, pero será eso, un nicho. Muy pequeño. Cuatro gatos. Dicho
sea con todos los respetos y solidaridad, que a lo mejor yo 'me acojo al
nicho...'.
El APS no es el primer sistema que fenece. Recuerdo la 'cámara disco' -de
calidad tan desastrosa como pequeño era el negativo- y dos sistemas -uno de
Agfa- similares al APS. Luego estuvo el formato de la Instamatic (el 127,
creo que se llamaba). Pero esos están 'enterrados en sepultura'. Ni en
'nicho'' siquiera.
Saludos
"hgb" <hgbh...@wanadoo.es> escribió en el mensaje
news:bu4bp0$d696c$1...@ID-98060.news.uni-berlin.de...