A few useless facts from a local magazine: 1] 500 million cameras in use worldwide 2] 40 million new cameras sold a year worldwide (110 000 cameras A DAY) 3] At any given second 3000 pics a taken (180 000 a minute) 4] 3.3 billion rolls of film sold, down 5% from last year (most due to digital impact) 5] Single use cameras (recyclable) increased by 8% to 400 million (next to aluminum cans the most recycled product around) 6] Worldwide turnover (analogue, digital film & processing) in '01 was 91 billion euros and should have hit 93 last year. Halide is not dead yet, business is expected to be so good China is hosting its own Photokina in Beijing
Feroze ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, January 05, 2003 8:23 PM Subject: Re: Dumb Newbie Q - What Color ARE Color Negatives? > In a message dated 1/5/2003 12:21:11 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > > You don't have to. Just scan and print your photos yourself. The learning > > curve is a little steep I admit, but you only have to learn it once. Then > > you are the one in control, and the only limiting factor is > > your skill. > > > > Ciao, > > Graywolf > > Well, I will eventually, naturally. I already know how to use a computer drawing program, so I suspect my learning curve will be a lot lower than it would be for some. And that way I can be in total control and I will have only myself to blame if one I don't like the results. (Which is the way I like things). > > But if labs want to stay in business, something has to improve. > > Remember when the first VCRs came out? (you're older like me --so you remember ;-)). Everyone predicted that theaters would go out of business. > > Eventually there *was* a drastic fall off in theater business -- for quite some time (I think it's still down from where it was, but not sure, population growth has to be taken into account too). So movie production companies started planning on making more of their profits on videos. (Now dvds too.) > > And theaters changed to multiplexes so they could show more movies and attract more people; also smaller audience for each movie (cost effective). And they lowered their prices (for bargain matinees, anyway). And the theater business is doing just fine. > > So I imagine labs will never completely go out of business. There will be people who will never want to print their own pictures. But if labs want to compete with home printing, then they are going to have to have newer and newer technology. Or/and a change in the technology in film itself. I suspect the latter may be more significant. > > I've been watching with interest the development in digital SLR cameras this past year. There was an ex potential jump. There usually is. I expect more jumps over the next two years. So more and more people will do home printing, because that technology will jump as well. (But it must be remembered, also, that not everyone has a computer and/or that has one is that computer literate). > > There are tons of labs around here. An amazing number (not counting the drug stores, etc.) I expect that number will be cut in half (or more) in another five-eight years. > > Not my business, but I have wondered if labs aren't running scared. > > And, well, I am still a bit amazed that the technology isn't better right now (re: lab-wise). Sure, some labs are good, but many are not that good. Especially the drug stores. > > So this idle speculation -- brain storming -- really stems from my amazement more than anything else. > > I shut up now. Stuff to do and I have certainly babbled on enough. > > Later, Doe aka Marnie :-) Gray card stuff is interesting, btw (what I can understand of it, hehehe). > > >
