I just read this thoughtful, evocative blog in the NY Times:

Life--and Kodak--Remembered

Unfortunately this isn't unexpected but I had hoped that something miraculous would happen to avert the bankruptcy. I have such fond memories of my first camera - a Girl Scout branded Kodak camera that I received when I was 10. I still have some of the photos that I took.

Going bankrupt and going out of business are two different things. Hopefully they don't go out of business. I just bought a Kodak printer a few months ago.

I wonder how many young people will one day ask Mom or Dad "What did I look like when I was a baby?" And Mom or Dad will have to tell them that they didn't bother to back up all those digital pictures. At least with film cameras there were negatives to print more pictures from. However, I know people who have deliberately thrown away not only their pictures but also the negatives.

Kodak even invented the digital camera - but didn't run with it. What a difference it could have made!

Those of you of a ripe old age will remember the "Singer" sewing machine.

They pretty well had the market cornered in this part of the world (and just about every family had one) 70 years ago. And got a bit lazy, didn't bother with research and development, getting new-fangled ideas built into them, etc. Did those old "Singer"s know how to zig-zag?

Remember how there were some imported from Europe - Sweden? Italy? ("Pfaff", was it? ... and the "Necchi", if I remember correctly?) that could sew stitches in a zig-zag pattern ... and other patterns and a number of fancy things?

Sure gave Singer a run for their money!

ole joyful

I still have all my old Kodak cameras, including my brownies!
It really is so sad.....but proof if you don't keep up with technology you will be run over by those who do. I think the docking that they used on their digitals was cumbersome. My husband loves his Kodak that they use at his company but I gave mine up long ago.

They filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy which is the reorganization, not liquidation (yet). At this point they're not out of business. Their plan is to essentially concentrate on printers and ink and stake their future on that. I'm skeptical on their chances against the other big contenders but we'll see what happens. So far, there's room for them to keep a share and possibly grow. There is quite a market for now anyway. Seems to me, to be viable for more than the short term anyway, they'll need some new items and develop a long term strategy. They'll likely be absorbed by another company if they become somewhat successful or fade away if they can't compete I'd guess.

Sad to see them make the mistakes they made years ago when things started going downhill and they, like so many, thought they were invincible and the ones biting at their heels finally nipped enough their Achilles' was severed. They developed digital photography but gambled that people still wanted film and fell behind then couldn't recover.

Was just using a Kodak Carousel 760h slide projector a couple weeks ago at a friend's place. Brought back a lot of memories. Cameras, projectors, viewers and more but the "Kodak Moment" has disappeared for the most part. I wish them luck.

I will cringe the day I won't be able to buy 110 color film for my camera. It's a Kodak Instamatic.

Cynic...have to laugh because every time I hear parents talking about something bad their kids have done or said I just say "aahhh...a Kodak moment".

SamKaren
your resident DJ

Remember an outfit called "General Motors" that was in deep trouble a few years ago, looking at bankruprtcy ...

... got bailed out: became sort of "Government Motors" for a time ...

... revived, once again became "General Motors" ...

... and the former shareholders - got a shellacking.

Many sets of managers ... and Boards ... get too incestuous, possibly?

ole joyful

Kodak actually caught the changeover to digital photography early and revamped their business completely to account for it. They were the market leader in digital cameras for awhile. The problem is that there's simply far less profits in digital photography than there were in film. Most digital photos never get printed, whereas nearly all film-based photos were. Money was made on cameras, film, developing, photo paper, chemicals used in film processing, darkroom equipment, slide projectors, slide and movie screens, and lots of things that aren't needed anymore.