BillBingham2
Registered User
Walt Fallon was the last engineer to lead Kodak, after that it's been financial folk, and all down hill.
Kodak used to have some world class optics engineers who made some great glass.
The challenge B38 and alike was they were designed for MASSIVE runs. I worked in paper sensitizing one summer and learned a ton. My guess is that film production was about the same amount of pain to get the emulsions flowing right. The steel industry had the same problem back in the late 70's early 80's with facilities and smaller more agile sites eating their lunch.
In the 70's and 80's they were always working on new emulsions I saw one that was way cool back in the mid 70's Plus-X sized grain, pushed Tri-X (600) sensitivity. Sadly they could not repeat the formula.
The Polaroid suit was just plain sloppy on Kodak's part. Lots of companies didn't understand the importance of a well managed retention schedule back then. They did the wrong thing and got caught. Lots of companies do the wrong thing, not too many get caught and don't settle.
They invented the digital camera and pulled a Saturn/GM just after GM did. Saturn was to be a brand new, ground up, marvel car. Ended up being just another car, nothing special over all. GM didn't let them really try, worried about their cash Cows (that had Mad Cow already). Kodak was worried about the impact on their core lines.
I haven't been back to Rochester in over 15 years. I think I'm going to see the same things as I saw in Mill towns out east.
B2
Kodak used to have some world class optics engineers who made some great glass.
The challenge B38 and alike was they were designed for MASSIVE runs. I worked in paper sensitizing one summer and learned a ton. My guess is that film production was about the same amount of pain to get the emulsions flowing right. The steel industry had the same problem back in the late 70's early 80's with facilities and smaller more agile sites eating their lunch.
In the 70's and 80's they were always working on new emulsions I saw one that was way cool back in the mid 70's Plus-X sized grain, pushed Tri-X (600) sensitivity. Sadly they could not repeat the formula.
The Polaroid suit was just plain sloppy on Kodak's part. Lots of companies didn't understand the importance of a well managed retention schedule back then. They did the wrong thing and got caught. Lots of companies do the wrong thing, not too many get caught and don't settle.
They invented the digital camera and pulled a Saturn/GM just after GM did. Saturn was to be a brand new, ground up, marvel car. Ended up being just another car, nothing special over all. GM didn't let them really try, worried about their cash Cows (that had Mad Cow already). Kodak was worried about the impact on their core lines.
I haven't been back to Rochester in over 15 years. I think I'm going to see the same things as I saw in Mill towns out east.
B2
Skiff
Well-known
That was the case in the past. The MP market is now even a bit smaller than the still film market.
And Kodak is the only film manufacturer which, at least today, needs the current movie film demand to keep its line running.
All other film manufacturers worldwide are not dependant on the MP market at all.
Which is extremely good for us film photographers.