Another film bites the dust...

[akmc_in_au]

I doubt that this affects many people on pBase, but it's an interesting passing in the history of photography. 40 years from now when the grandkids see a movie from the '70's or 80's with a Polaroid camera in it, I wonder how many people will be able to explain what it was.

Anyway, for those who haven't heard...

http://www.smh.com.au/news/biztech/pola ... 10681.html

(Extract only) Polaroid is dropping the technology it pioneered long before digital photography rendered instant film obsolete to all but a few nostalgia buffs.

Polaroid is closing factories in Massachusetts, Mexico and the Netherlands and cutting 450 jobs as the brand synonymous with instant images focuses on ventures such as a portable printer for images from cell phones and Polaroid-branded digital cameras, televisions and DVD players.

This year's closures will leave Polaroid with 150 employees at its Concord headquarters and a site in the nearby Boston suburb of Waltham, down from peak global employment of nearly 21,000 in 1978.

The company stopped making instant cameras over the past two years.

{Snip}

He said the company plans to make enough film to last customers until next year.

[wolfeye]

I always wonder about decisions like this. Is the market too small to make a profit? I doubt it. Is there too small a profit to satisfy greedy CEOs and angry shareholders? There ya go. When companies like this hit their heyday, as they did in the 70's, they *could* be paying off equipment and building debt so they don't have that overhead. But instead they invest in more stuff, taking on more debt. Then when the heyday ends they sink into bankruptcy or dissolve.

Typical American riches to rags story.

[tsienni]

But....long live the Holgaroid !!