Will Kodak have a stand @ The 2014 Photokina

WestEndBoy

I think that there is another interesting point to consider. Kodak saw disruption in its main business from digital sensor technology. Nikon and Canon only saw disruption in a component of their peripheral business, cameras being the peripheral business and sensors being the component. Certainly a very important peripheral business, but a peripheral business nonetheless. Canon and Nikon's main business (let's ignore steppers and photocopiers for the moment) is lenses and in fact lenses are what gives their "imaging systems" value. Particularly important is a wide selection.

Looking at it another way, Kodak had to throw out its core business for something new. All Canon and Nikon had to do was adapt their peripheral business around a little changed core business.

And I concede that it is arguable how "peripheral" cameras really are. However, the disruptive technology, sensors, are a small component of the camera. Besides the sensors, cameras are judged and designed around many non-sensor issues. So when this is considered, digital sensors, as much as they have changed photography, are a peripheral business to the main business, which certainly includes lenses and perhaps cameras.

manhattanboy

In 2003 when Thom wrote this, the largest selling producer of digital cameras was Kodak.

Their problem was not conservatism, but not knowing how to execute. Their attempt to get ahead of cannibalizing their own business is actually remarkable in the annals of big business, even if it failed.

What is troubling and I believe got us off on this kodak tangent to begin with is a similar "attempt" by Nikon and Canon to cannibalize their DSLR business with mirrorless. Call it poor execution, or being conservative, or timid, or whatever, its a problem.

haroldp

@WestEndBoy

I like your analysis.

For Kodak, the main business was film, chemicals, paper and processing.

Cameras were never profitable, and sensors only at military rates.

An $8.00 camera might consume $50.00 annually in film, chemicals, paper and processing.

@manhattanboy

Nikon / Canon need to find the equivalent of film, chemicals, paper and processing, for HP it is ink, for Gilette it is blades.

DSLR or mirrorless are mounts for lenses

... H

sevencrossing

I gather Kodak are unlikely to have a stand at this year's Photokina
but as there is a new thread on the original topic I have changed the title

Msmoto

Title: Will Kodak have a stand @ The 2014 Photokina

Yes, I am trying to understand how this title relates to content… but…. what the heck….

sevencrossing

Golf007sd Has started a new thread on the D750 ( which is what this thread was originally about )
as this one seems to have now gone completely off topic, I changed the title
but really, it needs closing

spraynpray

Changed the title? Really? Why? Frankly, who cares whether Kodak is at Photokina. Film is dead, they didn't keep up. It's very sad, but I'd rather worry about Nikon with all the mistakes they're making at the moment.

Photobug

+1 @spraynpray

I too am concern about Nikon mistakes and their financial they released. They had a big drop in revenue, something around 30%. Good to see operating income as a percentage up, that means they are doing something (cost reduction) to combat the declining revenue.

Don't think the sluggish market is very indicative, lots of company's are using this as an excuse which doesn't necessarily reflect the truth.

spraynpray

That cost reduction could be the source of the problem. Bit simplistic perhaps, but there is some reason for it.

Golf007sd

Golf007sd Has started a new thread on the D750 ( which is what this thread was originally about )
as this one seems to have now gone completely off topic, I changed the title
but really, it needs closing

Done