Why is Kodak still the brand for photo memories ?
There are names that evoke much more than a brand. They are capsules of memories filled with emotion. Kodak is one of those names. For over 135 years, our company has shaped the history of photography. But above all, it has transformed the way we preserve our photo memories. By making them simple, accessible and long-lasting.
In a world where digital has taken over, Kodak remains a benchmark for authenticity. A link between the past and the present. A brand that continues to bring every captured moment to life with the same passion as yesterday.
Its strength lies in its ability to evolve without ever betraying its DNA. Kodak is not just a company. It is a collective memory. A thread connecting generations. A call to freeze life in order to better tell its story, today as in the past.
The history of Kodak, a century of photo memories
The beginnings of Kodak
The history of Kodak reads like a real adventure, a fascinating story combining innovation and the democratisation of the image. Founded in 1888 by George Eastman in Rochester, New York, the brand revolutionised the world of photography. Its iconic slogan, ‘You press the button, we do the rest,’ embodied a bold promise: to transform a technical art into a simple gesture accessible to all. Eastman wanted to make photography ‘as easy as using a pencil.’
From its inception, Kodak has produced a string of symbolic innovations that have left a lasting mark on the collective memory. The Kodak No. 1, launched in 1888, was the first consumer camera. It came preloaded with 100 exposures and included development, allowing anyone to capture moments without getting lost in the settings. The following year, transparent roll film replaced heavy glass plates, paving the way for compact and portable cameras. Then, in 1900, the Brownie, sold for one dollar (with film costing 15 cents), embodied total democratisation.
Kodak accompanies the arrival of colour
With the arrival of colour, Kodak further strengthened its heritage. KODACHROME, launched in 1935, became the first colour film for the general public to achieve worldwide success, followed in 1942 by KODACOLOR, the first colour negative for still photography. These innovations made it possible to capture photo memories in all their chromatic intensity, giving a new dimension to everyday images.
Between 1950 and 1989, the giant COLORAMA screens, perched atop New York's Grand Central Station, displayed spectacular photographs to an audience of hundreds of thousands of passers-by every day. The presence of Kodak cameras in these images reinforced the idea that Kodak was the ultimate tool for creating lasting photo memories.
Democratisation of film and disposable cameras
In the 1960s, INSTAMATIC cameras made amateur photography even easier. Their simplified film loading increased their popularity tenfold. Today, the style of the Kodak i60 film camera is directly inspired by the famous Instamatic 100 launched in the United States in 1963, proving that the aesthetics of these classics endure.
Finally, in 1987, Kodak innovated with the preloaded 24-exposure disposable camera, an instant hit for parties and family trips. These models, available in waterproof and built-in flash versions, offer a simple, stress-free experience for capturing spontaneous photo memories.
Together, these milestones demonstrate a common thread. Kodak doesn't just invent things. It shapes the way we capture and preserve precious moments, generation after generation.
Kodak in the digital age
As Kodak spans generations, it's not just a brand that evolves, it's a family story that continues to be written. At the dawn of the digital age in the 2000s, photography changed completely. Yet Kodak has remained true to its promise to maintain the simple emotion and reliability that have forged its DNA.
The development of digital technology at Kodak
In 1975, its laboratories designed the very first digital camera. A few years later, in 1988, the Create-a-print system allowed anyone to print their photos in-store in just a few minutes. The Easyshare range in 2001 simplified image transfer, and in 2005, Kodak launched its connected models, always keeping this central idea in mind: making photography accessible to everyone while preserving its soul.
In 2013, the PixPro range fully embodied this masterful transition. It offers a wide range of cameras, from compacts to bridge cameras, action cameras and 360° models. These cameras are designed for a variety of uses, from adventure to everyday simplicity. They allow each generation to capture moments in their own way while remaining true to the Kodak spirit.
Kodak stays true to its roots
This bridge between heritage and modernity is Kodak's core strength. The transition to digital has not meant abandoning its roots, quite the contrary. It is confirmation that the essentials remain unchanged, regardless of the technology. Instant cameras once again provide the tactile pleasure of holding a photo memory. Waterproof models allow you to live life to the fullest, capturing the moment.
Kodak's philosophy remains intact. To give everyone the means to write their photo memories, generation after generation, one image at a time. Kodak continues to embody this magic, a gesture, a moment, a connection. Witness to thousands of family stories, the brand continues to unite those who have experienced film with those who live in the digital instant.
That's why Kodak remains, more than ever, the iconic brand for photo memories through the ages.
Kodak's film heritage
Why shoot with film?
At the same time, the film offering continues. Film, with its film stock, offers a unique experience. Unlike digital, you can't shoot endlessly. A colour film, for example, contains 24 exposures. You choose the film, load it, take your shots carefully, then wait for it to be developed in the lab. This process alone is part of the memory. Each image tells the story of both the moment captured and the way it was photographed. Every photo counts, because there is no screen to check or start over.
The Kodak i60
Inspired by the Instamatic 100 design, the Kodak i60 camera offers a tactile and contemplative experience. Choose your film, rewind manually, and use the built-in flash. It allows new generations to rediscover the authentic pleasure of film photography and experience a slow, thoughtful art form that captures moments in time.
Film images have a unique charm. Their grain, colour saturation and soft nuances all create a texture that cannot be found in digital photography.
Choosing film
Kodak film, Kodak UltraMax 400 135mm or Gold GB Film 200, extends this link between the past and the present. Between those who grew up in the film era and those who opt for instant digital sharing. Each photo is a concrete emotion, printed, tactile, to be kept.
Kodak, a brand that spans generations
Kodak is not just a camera brand. It is a name charged with emotion, a strong link between generations. Who doesn't have a ‘Kodak image’ in their mind? A slightly faded photo tucked into an old album, a childhood snapshot found in a tin box, or a snapshot hanging on the wall. These photo memories tell stories of moments in life, passed down from parents to children, from grandparents to grandchildren.
The importance of photo memories
For many, Kodak evokes childhood. Grandfather's camera that was brought out for weddings, the flash that lit up the living room at Christmas, or the disposable camera slipped into your bag for a seaside holiday. Back then, each photo cost something, required time, attention and patience. Perhaps that's what made them so precious. Unlike today, where we can take dozens of photos of the same moment, film photography imposed a slower pace, a more thoughtful approach. Each click of the shutter was a choice, an intention. It was this approach that made film photography so beautiful.
Kodak with future generations
Even today, younger people are rediscovering this pleasure of yesteryear. Accustomed to selfies and digital galleries, they are rediscovering the charm of images on paper, that unique feeling of holding a print in their hands. Photo memories no longer exist only on a screen; they are displayed, exchanged and shared.
Kodak is accompanying this rediscovery by skilfully combining innovation and nostalgia across its product range. The success of instant cameras and waterproof digital compact cameras in the PixPro range is proof of this. Photography retains its magical power to bring people together. Whether you use a film camera for its unique grain or a digital model for its speed and precision, the gesture remains the same.
Capture the moment, keep a record, create a lasting photo memory.
Kodak, the iconic brand for photo memories
Kodak has always spoken to all generations. Film enthusiasts rediscover the gestures of yesteryear, while younger people rediscover the pleasure of a carefully composed, printed and shared photo. This dual perspective, between memory and modernity, makes Kodak a deeply intergenerational brand.
In recent years, certain digital models such as the Kodak FZ55, priced at £112,22, have been a real hit on social media. Compact, affordable and easy to use, they have gone viral among young people looking for a simple and creative alternative to smartphones.
At its core, Kodak is not just a photography company. It is a memory company. A brand that has always stood for the idea that every image matters. A photo is a memory, a connection, a moment to cherish. And it is this loyalty to emotion that ensures Kodak continues to be part of family stories, one image at a time.