Interview with Greg Morrison, Kodak Canada Digital Brand Manager

P: 1-What are Kodak's goals for Canada in 2005? (# cameras expected to be sold, where can consumers buy Kodak digital cameras, ads in print and TV, etc.)

GM: Kodak is delivering against the digital strategy it revealed in September 2003. Overall, sales in digital products and services rose 48% in the second quarter of 2004, following a 44% increase in the first quarter. Kodak digital cameras can be purchased across Canada in numerous retail outlets of all sizes.

P: 2-In what market segment is Kodak digital cameras positioned: point-and-shoot, beginner, serious, advanced?

GM: Kodak has cameras designed to meet photographers whose skills range from point-and-shoot to advanced amateur. Kodak names its cameras in a way that allows consumers to easily identify the type of Kodak digital camera suitable for their interest and skill level.

P: 3-Kodak has introduced many exciting new digital cameras last year, but seems to have none targeted to the advanced amateur/prosumer market segment. Yet these are the enthusiasts that can evangelize your brand to the other market segments. Any plans to target that segment in the near future?

GM: The KODAK EASYSHARE Z7590 is designed for advanced amateur photographers. The camera unites a professional quality SCHNEIDER-KREUZNACH VARIOGON 10X optical zoom lens; the KODAK Colour Science image-processing chip for rich, accurate colors; dual-sensor, low-light precision auto focusing; and multiple shooting modes for optimal creative control. The camera also has a live histogram, which enables users to determine if the subject is going to be over, under, or exposed correctly. You use the histogram to make adjustments in your exposure to capture the scene the way you envisioned it. Additionally, this camera supports the new IMAGELINK print system.

P: 4-The digital camera market is crowded with many players and models, and consumers have a hard time comparing and distinguishing between the many models. What do you want the consumer to think of when they think "Kodak"?

GM: Innovation and Ease-of-Use should be top-of-mind for anyone looking to purchase a Kodak digital camera.

Innovation: Kodak continually provides new products and services allowing consumers to take, share, and print digital photos easily and affordably. For example, in January we announced the Kodak EasyShare-One - a first-of-a-kind digital camera designed as much for sharing pictures as for taking them, transitioning consumer photography from point-and-shoot to point-and-share. No other digital camera gives people such extensive ability to take, organize, share and print their pictures.

Ease-of-use: All Kodak digital cameras are designed to be incredibly easy to use, with automatic settings, dedicated buttons for sharing and picture deletion, and intuitive menus. Additionally, many of our cameras have a digital photo album that makes it easy to share favourite pictures on the high-resolution LCD screen. Kodak EasyShare digital camera owners can quickly select pictures for printing and e-mail - right on the camera - with a touch of the exclusive, red-jeweled "Share" button.

P: 5-Many entry-level models are now private-labeled, and Kodak probably also sells models it does not necessarily design and manufacture. In this case, why should a consumer choose a Kodak over another brand?

GM: For more than 100 years, Kodak has regularly brought innovative "firsts" to the photography market. In the last 30 years, there have been significant developments in the digital imaging space. For example, in 1976 Kodak developed the world's first digital camera prototype. Since that time Kodak has introduced breakthrough technologies to consumers and most digital cameras on the market today contain Kodak proprietary logic to simplify or improve the consumer experience. Additionally, Kodak undergoes extensive consumer research to determine what design and feature elements people want in digital cameras. This research ensures that Kodak cameras are created with consumer wants and needs in mind.

P: 6-Readers have written to complain about the deficiencies they find in today's digital cameras -- and wonder who is addressing these issues:

a. High megapixel resolution without apparent equivalent gain in image quality (file size is growing but image quality still a problem with loss of detail and noise in images)

GM: Resolution continues to get better and better as time progresses and often, technology that at one time only existed in high-end digital cameras continues to make its way into cameras of all levels. For example, with a 3-megapixel camera, consumers can print an 8x11 photo. Additionally, Kodak cameras have patented Kodak Colour Science technology that provides colour accuracy under any lighting condition, improved colour consistency, increased sharpness and perfectly exposed pictures for outstanding image quality.

b. Long shutter lag is really frustrating, making it impossible to take candid shots of baby, toddler in motion

GM: Shutter lag has reduced significantly over the past number of years and this trend will continue. Kodak states this "click-to-capture" time with all of its cameras, which can be useful when researching which camera to purchase. When compared to a traditional film camera, there are digital cameras with a comparable click-to-capture time - they tend to be the more advanced models.

c. Since most parents buy a digital camera to take pictures of their kids inside the house (birthdays, concerts, and other special events, most of them conducted indoors), there is a growing frustration that digital cameras have a flash that is too weak, AF that does not lock, images that are too noisy, and AF lag that is too long. Is there any good news for the consumers for the near future in regards to Kodak digital cameras addressing these issues?

GM: Kodak cameras include scene modes that adjust the shutter and aperture speeds to help ensure you can take a great photo despite difficult subjects, lighting etc. Examples of scene modes available on various Kodak cameras include:

• Portrait - places the subject in sharp focus, softens the background;
• Landscape - provides maximum sharpness for distant scenes;
• Sport - captures a subject in action without blurring;
• Night Portrait - clearly captures both subject and background at night;
• Party - use for photos of people in indoor setting in lower light;
• Children - captures action photos of children in bright light;
• Burst - lets you take up to 3 pictures in quick succession at 3 fps.
  

P: 7-The latest news concerning the 4/3 System is that Kodak has signed up. Just what does this mean in terms of practical digital camera offerings?

GM: The Four Thirds System standard was designed for digital SLR cameras and lenses to maximize the performance potential of digital imaging sensors. The 4/3 System enables the design of dedicated, high-performance digital camera lens systems that are more compact than 35mm film SLR camera lens systems. This results in product advantages for users such as compact size, handling ease, and enhanced functionality.

P: 8-What are Kodak's warranty concerning returns and exchanges?

GM: Kodak digital camera warranties tend to be determined by the retailer. For return and exchange policies, as a rule of thumb you should expect a one-year warranty concerning a defective product, however, you should always check with the retailer for the most accurate information.

P: 9-Why should I buy a Kodak?

GM: For over a century, people around the world have trusted Kodak to help them capture and preserve memories through pictures. Kodak is earning that same trust in the digital age by making it easier than ever to hold onto both everyday and once-in-a-lifetime memories. Only Kodak provides the complete connection between taking, storing, organizing, printing and sharing digital pictures, so that people can easily do more with their photos. Kodak is a name consumers can trust to deliver innovative digital cameras that produce pictures to last a lifetime.

Greg Morrison, Product Marketing Manager/Digital Capture and Home Printing, Kodak Canada