A news story appeared a few days ago (March 6th - Amateur Photographer UK ) about a deal between Vivitar and Kodak to make new Kodak-branded 35mm cameras, including a 35mm SLR. A couple days later, Kodak’s UK communications people denied the story, which was based on a Vivitar press release. Regardless of whether Kodak and Vivitar have a partnership to build and sell new cameras, the story brings up some interesting questions. Kodak has recently been actively promoting and adding to their professional film line, spreading the message that they are in the film business for the long haul. And interest in film is on the rise. No one expects film to come back and replace digital cameras. But many pro photographers prefer film for certain types of work. And I’m actually seeing younger photographers, who learned with digital cameras, discovering the magic of film and the darkroom. So it doesn’t surprise me that there would be some interest in a new 35mm SLR camera.

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The End Of An Era: Polaroid Ends Film Production

Before there was the preview button on a digital camera, there were Polaroid cameras and film that made possible the thrill of taking a picture and seeing how it turned out right away.

Now that magic is fading into history. Polaroid Corp. recently announced it will no longer manufacture the instant film with the iconic white borders. The Massachusetts-based company stopped producing Polaroid instant cameras last year and will close factories that produce its film in the United States, Mexico and the Netherlands this spring.

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2008 PMA Coverage Complete

The 2008 PMA camera and photography tradeshow was held a couple of weeks ago in Las Vegas, Nevada. Read about the most interesting new photography products, product trends, film news, and more in my 2008 PMA Final Report. Four of us attended the show for PhotographyREVIEW.com. Check out the 20 articles we posted on digital cameras, lenses, software, camera cases, and even GPS for digital photographers! There are also over 20 videos demonstrating new digital cameras, cool camera features like Smile Detection, new camera cases, and more. Visit the 2008 PMA Gallery for almost 200 photos of new products, booths, and general show action.

2008 PMA Camera Tradeshow Final Report
2008 PMA Videos
2008 PMA Gallery
All 2008 PMA Tradeshow Coverage

2008 PMA Tradeshow
January 31 to February 2 - Las Vegas

The annual Photo Marketing Association tradeshow starts next week. PMA is the biggest camera and photography tradeshow in North America and takes place every spring. Last year there were nearly 700 exhibitors and over 20,000 attendees. It’s in Las Vegas again this year so camera company execs, PR and marketing folks, and camera shop owners and employees can get out of the office and party in Vegas for a few days.

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Kodak Enhances All Single Use Cameras with the New KODAK ULTRA MAX 800 Film, Offering Brighter, More Vibrant Colors
New Single Use Cameras Part of Broader Consumer Film Portfolio Improvements

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Jan. 14 — At the Photo Marketing Association’s Annual Conference and Exposition Jan. 31 – Feb. 3, Eastman Kodak Company will showcase its family of single use cameras, all of which will include the next generation of KODAK ULTRA MAX 800-speed color film. KODAK ULTRA MAX 800 Film, the best 800-speed film for low light and fast action, now offers even brighter colors. With more than 90 percent of Americans using single use cameras as a complement to their more expensive cameras, according to a study conducted by Kodak, the new offerings help retailers provide consumers relevant solutions for their picture-taking experience.

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Kodak Introduces Improved Versions of its KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 400-Speed Color Negative Films
Technology innovations result in finer grain and better scanning

ROCHESTER, N.Y., and TAMPA, Fla, Jan. 7 — In a move that underscores its ongoing support of the professional photography market, Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) today announced improved versions of its KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 400NC and 400VC films. Attendees at Imaging USA can see the latest enhancements to the award winning KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA color negative film family, which build on the successful introduction of improved PORTRA films in 2006. The finer grain of the PORTRA 400NC and 400VC films, combined with the spectacular skin tone of the entire portfolio, enable professional photographers to create striking, breathtaking photographs.

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Kodak Confirms Their Commitment to Film

On Tuesday, Kodak announced their first traditional black-and-white film technology improvement in about 20 years. Their new T-Max 400 black-and-white film has a level of sharpness and grain size comparable to what most people expect from ISO 100 films. The RMS (root mean square - a grain size measure) of the new emulsion is 10, compared to an RMS of 11 for the previous T-Max 400 emulsion. For reference, Kodak T-Max 100, world’s finest-grained 100-speed black-and-white film*, has an RMS of 8.

A new emulsion is a big deal for dedicated film photographers. Film choice isn’t just about choosing the right ISO for your light conditions. Every film type has its own unique tonal curve and photographers often choose a specific film type for its tonal qualities. Add the subtleties custom film processing and black-and-white film photography can be very subtle and nearly impossible to reproduce digitally. There’s also the question of process. A photographer with film in the camera will likely approach a subject differently than a photographer with a digital camera. Not being able to see your results immediately may make a photographer more cautious and lead to more varied exposures and angles.

Although there has been a lot of doubt about the future of film, it’s likely that the real differences between film and digital photography are just starting sort themselves out – especially in the fine art photography community. A recent Kodak study found that over 50% of photographers who shoot black-and-white prefer using film for their B&W work. The new Kodak T-Max 400 offers a new black-and-white film option and affirms Kodak’s commitment to professional photographers who choose film. Kodak continues to invest in film technology and expand their professional film portfolio. Last year they updated their professional C41 (negative) film line with new Portra negative film emulsions. Kodak continues to provide a full line of professional film products for professional photographers who choose film.

Related Content:
Kodak T-Max 400 press release
Kodak black-and-white film reviews
All Kodak camera and film reviews
Read and write film reviews
All Kodak news
Official Kodak black-and-white film page
Discuss film

*Kodak T-Max 100 information page