we should all know that kodak recently laid off a few thousand employees. but stooping to this? the last gasp of a troubled corporation, surely?
reuters
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">NEW YORK (Reuters) - Eastman Kodak Co., the No. 1 maker of photographic film, said on Tuesday it has filed suit against Japan's Sony Corp. alleging that the consumer electronics company infringed 10 of Kodak's patents related to digital photography.
In a suit filed in a New York Federal Court, Rochester, New York-based Kodak alleged that Sony's products use technology invented by Kodak, including an "electronic camera utilizing image compression and digital storage."
Kodak, which is undergoing a tough transition toward digital products amid the decline of its film business, and Sony are among the leaders in sales of digital cameras, which do not use film and record images on computer chips and built-in memory cards.
Kodak's oldest patent in the matter was granted in 1991. The most recent, awarded in 2003, was for a device and method for capturing and selecting digital images to be printed.
Kodak spokesman Gerard Meuchner said the lawsuit follows the failure of talks between the companies that Kodak hoped would produce a licensing pact.
"We have attempted to resolve the matter with Sony for almost three years, and the discussion between us have not led to a suitable licensing agreement," he said.
A Sony spokesman said he had just become aware of the suit and had no comment.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">dunno. last year was kodak's biggest ever year for motion picture film sales though.Originally posted by miker:
we should all know that kodak recently laid off a few thousand employees. but stooping to this? the last gasp of a troubled corporation, surely?
according to who? kodak?
maybe this is just a more public suit because the spotlight is on them.
Kodak is more than just a filmmaker. They are huge in industrial chemicals and their satelite divison is growing by leaps and bounds. I don't think that some hits to their Still Imaging sector will stop them.
As for the suits if you don't have patent suits then you are dead. Every company is trying to defend their patents. I don't see anything in that article to make me think that Kodak is about to die.
Good Luck
My understanding is that most of what Kodak,as well as other film manufacturer's lost,was in the field of medical imaging.X rays,MRI's and such are all moving rapidly toward digital imaging and storage.
This had no effect on motion picture film manufacture.
Marty
It is my understanding that Kodak owns one of the world leaders in Medical Imaging. They purchased them in October maybe?? Kodak has so many fingers in so many pies that I don't really think that a drop in traditional films sales will destroy it.
Good Luck
Just more digital badgering.
And who needs talkies, huh?
It almost seems like video is finally receiving equal rights after years and years of discrimination.
Video is tired of sitting at the back of the bus. Especially since the bus was created by film in the first place.
But is it intelligent for video to enjoy or encourage the genocide of film? Or vice versa? I prefer film over video any day of the week. But I do appreciate the technological advances in both film and video.
For those of you who prefer video over film - is it because it's cheaper or easier? Don't say both. Which reason is more dominant?
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ March 12, 2004 11:20 PM: Message edited by: GREATwarEAGLE ]</font>
I think within 10 years time film and video will be the same. The difference will be lenses and lighting, not so much resolution.
Right now I much prefer film.
Right now, I can't afford film for the lifecycle of a production.
Right now I have post production facilities sitting on my laptop mostly superior to anything that was around 10 years ago - but it requires DV.
I think the digital technology from Sony/Panasonic/Lucas is proving to be a real threat to traditional film processes and I believe that overtime digital will surpass chemical. Film buffs will be regarded with the same raised eyebrow as the vinyl afficiandos.
You just have to keep an eye on the world of audio/music to see where visual/film is heading over the next ten years.
Like someone said in another thread though, because filmmaking (should that be moviemaking?) is becoming more accessable we will see more drivel, much like during the DTP boom. But it dies down and the truly talented shine through.
"American Film Idol" <shudder>
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