Kodak-Branded PixPro S1 Camera: Will It Help?

Kodak struck a deal to allow the use of its name with the production of a camera by JK Imaging that will be known as the Kodak PixPro S1 — a micro four-thirds mirrorless camera. Additionally, JK Imaging will also release future compact and superzoom cameras using the Kodak name. Is it just me, or does this seem cheap to anyone? Is this something that will help Kodak with its financial difficulties, or do you think it’s a poor product?

I only ask because, honestly, this camera seems a little late to the party. For now, there don’t seem to be any incredibly new, innovative features that separate it from the already extremely well established mirrorless market led by Nikon, Olympus, Sony, Samsung, Fuji, and other huge names. Could a naming licensing deal help Kodak with its financial troubles, or will it hurt them in the end? It all depends on how good this product really is. But what do you guys think?

Via PhotoRumors.com

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jonathan bae
We may not buy them, but a lot of people at Walmart and Target will buy them if it’s price-competitive. A retail employee with little camera knowledge will tell customers it has the “same megapixel, same sensor and same specs as the Nikon but $50 cheaper. Would you like to purchase a 2-year protection with that sir?”
http://twitter.com/SamBeasleyPhoto Sam Beasley
The only way it would make a difference for the better is if the camera was so incredibly innovative that it blew everything else out of the water. I just don’t see that happening.
I have an affinity for the Kodak name—Portra is still one of my favorite color films—and they may be doing well in B2B (at least according to this article http://whattheythink.com/articles/55894-kodak-does-it-have-future/ ) but as far as consumer products go, they have a lot of ground to recover.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000008818945 Ryan Botts
Exactly, I’ve recently spent some time working in the camera department of a large store in Hawaii. We sold everything from a $50 compact to the 1DX and the D4. Even with me trying my hardest to convince them, some customers just wanted the cheapest camera. Unless this “Kodak” ends up being some amazing camera, its only going to sell to those people that can’t see past the price differences of this camera and its competitors.
vivanteco
JK Imaging have licensed the brand and are using it on cameras that they sell. This is not an Eastman Kodak camera, it is a JK Imaging made and sold camera that has a Kodak logo on it thanks to a licensing arrangement between JK and EK
http://www.facebook.com/keith.michael.33 Keith Michael
There is something to be said about brand equity and Kodak used to have a lot more of it. Unfortunately, the way EK is repositioning to recover from bankruptcy involves a lot of intellectual property sell-offs. I think that alone has something to say about the value of a brand… and not in the best way.
Being a Rochester native, and knowing friends/family who have ties to the company, I want nothing more than to see the iconic company come back. However I don’t think this move will be the ultimate game-changer. Who knows though.
http://www.facebook.com/mikael.sundberg.92 MIkael Sundberg
My Volvo V70 will not be a Ferrari just by changing the label on the grill
http://twitter.com/ralphhightower Ralph Hightower
Kodak sold their portfolio of digital patents. If I remember correctly, Google, Microsoft, and Apple formed a consortium to buy the patents.
I’ve read where a few professional photographers have switched from digital to film.
Kodak was reknowned for their film. Their digital cameras prowess? Nah. Although, one of the two digital P&S cameras we have is a Kodak EasyShare, the other is an Olympus. Both are several years old and bought by my wife.
My camera is 30 years old, a Canon A-1 and so, yes, I have a vested interest in seeing Kodak survive as a film manufacturer.
http://www.facebook.com/andy.the.awesome Andy Kerr
Of the 40 or so cameras I’ve collected in a range spanning about 90 years, the Kodaks are never the quality cameras—almost without exception, they’ve been inexpensive (often gimmicky) ways for people to get into photography and start using film. I’ve got a few Kodaks I think are classy, but they’ve got bellows on them.
http://twitter.com/Jwainesworth J Dreier
Kodak needs to stick with and embrace what they do best. Film.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=608052131 Dave Kirwin
I was more drawn to the GPP advert for photography in Dubai – mainly because the image is flipped.
On the Kodak front, they missed the boat big time and no amount of paddling in a dingy is help them catch the ferry.
Dave
Might be a good idea to wait for the specs and image quality before deciding if its a good or bad camera.

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