The History of The Eastman Kodak Company
1881
Kodak was founded by George Eastman in Rochester, New York
1891
The first daylight-loading film camera is marketed to the Public
1895
Kodak begins to market the Kodak Pocket Camera.
1900
The first BROWNIE Camera is introduced.
1902
Kodak manufactures the film developing machine.
1923
Kodak introduces the Cine-Kodak, a line for creating amateur motion pictures.
1935
Kodak launches Kodachrome Film.
1954
KODAK TRI-X Film is manufactured.
1975
Stephen Sasson and Kodak invent the first digital camera.
1981
Kodak surpasses the $1 Billion mark on camera sales.
2004
Kodak stops producing film cameras.
2005
Kodak is the largest company in the digital camera industry.
2007
Kodak's presence in the digital camera industry begins to decline.
2012
Kodak files for chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Bibliography
"Eastman Kodak." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Apr. 2012. Web. 01 May 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastman_Kodak>.
Eastman Kodak Company was founded by George Eastman in 1889. The company was successful early on because they sold inexpensive cameras and different products such as film, chemicals, and paper. Kodak held a large percentage of both film and camera sales in the US by 1976. Kodak had a deep rivalry with Fujifilm. Kodak developed the first digital camera in 1975 but dropped it. By the 90's had begun its shift over to digital.
"George Eastman." Kodak. Kodak. Web. 8 May 2012. <http://www.kodak.com/ek/US/en/Our_Company/History_of_Kodak/George_Eastman.htm>.
George Eastman was a high school dropout, deemed "not especially gifted." His family was poor, and he supported his widowed mother and two sisters. When he was 14 he began his first business job. By his mid-twenties, he had started Eastman Kodak Company. He got his start with photography when a friend suggested he made a record of his vacation with wet plate. He never made it on his vacation because he had become so absorbed in photography. By 1880, he had invented a dry plate formula and patented a machine for preparing the plates at large quantities. In 1880, he begun selling the plates in Rochester. His goal was "to make the camera as convenient as the pencil." He produced the first film for cameras. He also believe advertising was of the up most importance. They used the slogan, "you press the button, we do the rest," when introducing the Kodak camera in 1888. The creation of the "Kodak Girl," with changing cameras and styles overtime but the same icon. He also treated his employees with fair wages. He donated large sums of his wealth to various programs. He died on March 14, 1932.
"Greenbelt Families and Their Kodak Cameras(1937-1945)." The Kodak Still Cameras. Web. 09 May 2012. <http://otal.umd.edu/~vg/amst205.S97/vj19/Project5-4.html>.
Kodak still cameras were the first camera that average families had access to use, because they were user friendly and inexpensive. The most popular kind of Kodak camera was called Baby Brownie. They were small box cameras that were cheap and really easy to use. The roll of film took smaller pictures but had more exposures than current day film. There was also a bigger Brownie camera but it did not sell as well. Kodak also manufactured a camera called Miniatures. These cameras were much better than the Brownies, quality-wise. But the Miniatures were mostly only used for special occasions. Kodak also designed cameras with a more contemporary look, but the price increase, causing a trend in determining economic class by type of camera owned.
"History of Kodak." Kodak. Kodak. Web. 8 May 2012. <http://www.kodak.com/ek/US/en/Our_Company/History_of_Kodak/Imaging-_the_basics.htm>.
George Eastman introduced the first simple camera to consumers in 1888. Kodak is known for photography; images used for leisure, commercial, entertainment, and scientific applications; and image developing and sharing. The company is ranked as a premier multinational corporation, recognised in almost every country. Known for it's expression, "You Press the Button, We do the rest."
"The Basic Elements of All Kodak Cameras." The Kodak Still Cameras. Web. 9 May 2012. <http://otal.umd.edu/~vg/amst205.S97/vj19/Project5-5.html>.
Eastman made his success by selling simple box cameras that were accessible to the majority of the population. The cameras were composed up of 5 major parts; the lens, which collected the light and focuses the image; the diaphragm, which controls the amount of light that enters the camera lens; the shutter, which controls the amount of time that the film is exposed for; the body, which houses all the components; and the viewfinder, which lets the person see what they are taking a photograph of.
Advertisement for Cine-Kodak. Digital image. Vintage Ad Browser. Vintage Ad. Web. 25 May 2012. <http://file.vintageadbrowser.com/i527534h4qs3py.jpg>.
Advertisement for Kodak Brownie Camera. Digital image. Vintage Ad Browser. Vintage Ad. Web. 25 May 2012. <http://file.vintageadbrowser.com/l-2q3plyquojdhek.jpg>.
Advertisement for Kodak Developing Machine. Digital image. Vintage Ad Browser. Vintage Ad. Web. 25 May 2012. <http://file.vintageadbrowser.com/l-1pberv1wtbzv3r.jpg>.
Advertisement for Kodak Kodachrome Film. Digital image. Vintage Ad Browser. Vintage Ad. Web. 25 May 2012. <http://file.vintageadbrowser.com/uvr6h84zkx5wrj.jpg>.
Advertisement for Kodak Pocket Camera. Digital image. Vintage Ad Browser. Vintage Ad. Web. <http://file.vintageadbrowser.com/l-ovmm4vun46bjjn.jpg>.
Eastman and Edison with the first daylight loading camera. Digital image. Kodak. Kodak. Web. 25 May 2012. <http://www.kodak.com/ek/US/en/Our_Company/History_of_Kodak/Milestones_-_chronology/1878-1929.htm>.
The first digital camera with Stephen Sasson. Digital image. Google Images. Google. Web. 25 May 2012. <http://www.shanelavalette.com/images/journal/jamesrajotte_stephensasson.jpg>.
George Eastman. Digital image. Kodak. Kodak. Web. 25 May 2012. <http://www.kodak.com/ek/US/en/Our_Company/History_of_Kodak/George_Eastman.htm>.
Kodak Logo. Digital image. Google. Google. Web. 25 May 2012. <.>.
Kodak TRI-X Film. Digital image. Google Images. Google. Web. 25 May 2012. <http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRnmfWiE2I8rIt16BQIPaRf8tyBYw1TFHiRnbB01Po0tSHWfyPMGhiMSEX43A>.
Kodak's net sales. Digital image. Google Images. Google. Web. 25 May 2012. <http://tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/kodak-graph1.jpg?w=640>.
"Kodak to Stop Making Cameras of All Kinds." New York Daily News. New York Daily News, 10 Feb. 2012. Web. 10 May 2012. <http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-02-10/news/31043489_1_kodak-filmless-photography-digital-camera>.
February 9, 2012, The Eastman Kodak Company announced that they would stop producing digital cameras, video cameras, and picture frames. The company was beaten out by Fujifilm in 1980s and was never able to recover. The company filled for bankruptcy in January. The digital camera business will be phased out, and their business will be focused on printing.
"The Last Kodak Moment?" The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 14 Jan. 2012. Web. 10 May 2012. <http://www.economist.com/node/21542796>.
Kodak's inovation on cameras allowed further inovations by other companies to make its film camera business antiqued. Kodak accounted for 90% of film and 85% of camera sales and was one of the most valuable brands up until 1990s. Over time the use of digital cameras have made Kodak obsolete. Fujifilm, its competitor has successful begun making the switch to digital, while Kodak has been slower to adapt.
"The Moment It All Went Wrong For Kodak." The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media. Web. 10 May 2012. <http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/the-moment-it-all-went-wrong-for-kodak-6292212.html?action=gallery>.
George Eastman founded Kodak in 1889. In 1891, Kodak went global, opening its first manufacturing site in London. In 1900, the Brownie camera was introduced, allowing the mass to have access to photography. In 1922, Kodak produced 147000 miles worth of motion pictures. The film used on the Apollo 11 Moon landing was Kodak. In 1975, Kodak produced the first digital camera. QuickTake, launched by Apple in 1994, was made by Kodak. In 2004 Kodak stops producing film cameras. In 2005, Kodak was the largest digital camera retailer in the US. The company's position as largest digital camera retailer falls to 4th in 2007, and 7th in 2010. Kodak faces employment cuts and a fall in share in 2011. Kodak files for chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2012.
Usborn, David. "The Moment It All Went Wrong For Kodak." The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, 20 Jan. 2012. Web. 10 May 2012. <http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/the-moment-it-all-went-wrong-for-kodak-6292212.html>.
Kodak had invented film which replaced photographic plates and allowed photography to become an accessible hobby for all. Kodak had become a household name in every families home because of their cameras and film. Kodak also invented the digital camera. Their invention of the digital camera opened up new possibilities for other camera companies, ultimately killing the Kodak film empire.
When You Come Back. 1889. Photograph. Kodak. Vintage Ad Browser. Web. 9 May 2012. <http://file.vintageadbrowser.com/l-c74371upkv8rbr.jpg>.
The advertisement is persuasively advising people to buy the Kodak Cameras because they will be able to take more than 100 lasting pictures without the hard work of other cameras. The Kodak system claims to reduce the labour on the picture-taker by leaving the processing up to the factory at a low cost. The advertisement also includes a caution message, and their motto, "You Press the Button, We do the rest."
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