New Camera, and Other Innovations Underscore Kodak’s Commitment to the Film Category
At the Photo Marketing Association’s Annual Conference and Exposition, Eastman Kodak Company today unveiled enhancements to its consumer family of film capture products, most notably the newly redesigned KODAK HQ Maximum Versatility Single Use Camera that features a silver-colored body with a simple, clean and modern design, which is 20 percent smaller than the camera it replaces. This comes close on the heels of the recent KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA Film launch; and together, they underscore the company’s ongoing commitment to the film category.
“With consumers in the US purchasing nearly a half million rolls of KODAK film and single use cameras each day, film and single use cameras are still relevant consumer products – even in light of the growing consumer digital capture market,” said Laurent Dartoux, General Manager of Film Capture, Eastman Kodak Company. “In a world where consumers use both digital and film, we focus on providing them with the best choices to capture and print their stories. Our new single use camera and enhanced consumer films provide consumers with the ability to take a great picture virtually anytime, anywhere.”
The new KODAK HQ Maximum Versatility Single Use Camera features an improved design, combined with the KODAK EKTANAR Lens and Kodak’s 800-speed film, to deliver the same high-definition pictures, with unbeatable clarity, of any 800-speed single use camera that consumers have come to expect from HQ. Approximately 60 percent of Americans own more expensive film or digital cameras but still turn to single use cameras when they want to protect their camera or if that camera isn’t available.
In addition to the redesigned HQ, Kodak continues to enhance its consumer films, both in terms of features and availability. At PMA, Kodak introduced new, reformulated versions of its KODAK GOLD 100 and KODAK GOLD 200 consumer films, which offer consumers brighter colors. Specific features of the films include:
- KODAK GOLD 100 Film, a classic film for those who prefer to shoot at low speeds, now offers more color saturation for brighter, more colorful prints. The fine grain and high sharpness of this 100-speed film makes it the perfect choice for enlargements.
- KODAK GOLD 200 Film, with an extra stop of speed, now delivers even brighter colors and deeper color saturation than before, for sharp, snappy prints. KODAK GOLD 200 Film is also great for enlargements, or for obtaining very high-quality results when scanning for digital output.
In addition to offering new films, today Kodak announced that it will re-brand its KODAK MAX Versatility 400 Film as KODAK ULTRA MAX 400 Film, and KODAK MAX Versatility Plus 800 Film as KODAK ULTRA MAX 800 Film. With the new branding, currently in place outside the U.S. and Canada, Kodak provides consumers with an easier way for them to find the film they want — wherever they go.
KODAK ULTRA MAX Film provides consumers with a film they can use, regardless of photo situation, in all conditions. Considered the world’s most versatile film, KODAK ULTRA MAX 400 Film provides the best skin tone reproduction, the fastest speed, and the widest latitude among 400-speed consumer films. Delivering consistently bright, vibrant pictures across a wide range of lighting conditions, plus accurate skin-tone reproduction for natural-looking “people pictures,” KODAK ULTRA MAX 400 Film provides consumers with a film they can use in all conditions. KODAK ULTRA MAX 800 Film, with its higher speed, is the perfect choice for fast action and is the best 800-speed film for low light.
The first shipment of the redesigned KODAK HQ single use camera to retailers began February 19, 2007. The new KODAK GOLD 100 and KODAK 200 Films will be available on a stock turnover basis beginning in Q1 2007. The new ULTRA MAX 400 and ULTRA MAX 800 Film packaging started appearing after February 19, 2007.
About Eastman Kodak Company
Kodak is the world’s foremost imaging innovator. With sales of $13.3 billion in 2006, the company is committed to a digitally oriented growth strategy focused on helping people better use meaningful images and information in their life and work. Consumers use Kodak’s system of digital and traditional products and services to take, print and share their pictures anytime, anywhere; Businesses effectively communicate with customers worldwide using Kodak solutions for prepress, conventional and digital printing and document imaging; Creative Professionals rely on Kodak technology to uniquely tell their story through moving or still images; and leading Healthcare organizations rely on Kodak’s innovative products, services and customized workflow solutions to help improve patient care and maximize efficiency and information sharing within and across their enterprise.
More information about Kodak (NYSE: EK) is available at www.kodak.com.
