Eastman Kodak -- inventors of the world's first digital camera -- is getting out of the camera business.

The US photographic firm announced on Thursday it will stop making digital cameras and pocket video cameras in the first half of this year.

Kodak filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month, and is now trying to rehabilitate itself under court supervision. The company says it is withdrawing from the camera business as part of its restructuring efforts.
Kodak says it will instead focus on its printer business, which has shown some promise.

Kodak was the first company in the world to sell color film, and invented the world's first digital camera in 1975.
But, the company's performance declined as it persisted with conventional film technology, while Japanese rivals enjoyed brisk sales of digital cameras and successfully diversified.

Friday, February 10, 2012 13:20 +0900 (JST)