K Davis Posted September 22, 2009 Share #1 Posted September 22, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Appropo of the amazing interest in the M9 which does appear to be a tour de force of rangefinder technology I started musing on the relationship between Kodak and Leica. Before Kodak launched the pre-loaded 35mm cassette Leica users had to load their own. Did Kodak pave the way for the growth in the Leica market and in its use in so many historical situations? Kodak was responsible for exploring the potential for digital image capture but now seems to be well behind the rest of the commercial pack. However Kodak has created the sensor that allows us rangefinder users to at least contemplate a future with our favourite cameras in the digital age in both the M8 and the M9 even if we haven't bought one yet. In both these cases we are (were) at the point of a revolution, not so much technological (that had already happened in both the case of 35mm film and also now in the case of digital capture) but more user oriented where Leicas were used to capture the critical moments of our history, will they be used to do this again? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted September 22, 2009 Posted September 22, 2009 Hi K Davis, Take a look here Leica and its debt to Kodak?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Shootist Posted September 23, 2009 Share #2 Posted September 23, 2009 Could you post a link to some artical that states Kodak made the per-loaded film cassette specificallly for Leica. I think you have it a little backwards. Kodak made the cassette and then Leica started using it. I think it was in Kodak's best interest to develope a perloaded cassette to get more people involved in taking pictures Or maybe I'm not understanding your statement. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted September 23, 2009 Share #3 Posted September 23, 2009 You're not understanding the statement. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
K Davis Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share #4 Posted September 23, 2009 I can see why you might think that I was inferring that Kodak made the cassette specifically for Leica in the same way that they have made the M8 and M9 sensor for them. As Dodger says I'm not saying that Kodak made the 35mm cassette specifically for Leica, they most definitely did not, their prime motivation was selling film and as I understand the events it was the introduction of the cassette and the Retinas that made 35mm so popular. However Leica would have benefitted enormously from the introduction of the pre-loaded cassette particularly once other film manufacturers started using it. All I'm surmising is that in both instances Kodak have been instrumental in the growth / continuation of Leica and not through any altruistic tendencies, just the way business is. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDM Posted September 23, 2009 Share #5 Posted September 23, 2009 The Kodak 35mm pre-loaded film cassette was actually developed for the Retina cameras. It was serendipity that it happened to matche the dimensions of the Leica cassette and could consequently be used interchangeably. It was a symbiotic relationship that Leica users bought a lot of Kodak film and that Kodak film was able to best exploit the qualities of Leica cameras. It's obvious that Kodak is one of the few sensor makers that aren't part of larger camera-making conglomerate. Do you think Canon or Nikon or Sony are going to develop that microlens technology to sell to a market competitor? It's purely a case of Kodak being the only sensor maker willing to take on the task. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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