From Instamatic to Instagram: Keeping up with the changing world of photography

Kodak EK4 Instant Camera

When Kodak launched the Instamatic camera in 1963, it was hailed as a cheap and easy-to-use alternative for the average photo-taker.  An instant success, Kodak went on to produce 50 million of them by 1970.  When a pocket version was introduced in 1972, it took just under three years to sell 25 million.  That was back in the era dominated by the "Kodak Moment", back when the iconic brand commanded 90% percent of film sales and 85% of camera sales in the United States.

Fast forward to today, and the 132 year old business is struggling to stay alive.  The company that first made cameras affordable to the general public isn't even making them anymore.  For years CEO Antonio Perez has said the future of Kodak is digital.  Except for digital cameras...and for Kodak Gallery (that's going too - the online photo sharing website is being sold).  So hopefully a lot of people like to print their photos, because Kodak is betting the farm on that business.

It's easy to blame Kodak for being slow to change, for inventing the digital camera and still being late to the party when it came to actually embracing digital technology.  Yet according to a Bloomberg article on corporate lifespans, the average Fortune 500 or equivalent company is only around for 40-50 years.  Despite its current situation, Kodak overall had a good run.

Still, it's hard not to ask: "What if?"  What if Kodak could have come up with a social media application that revolved around photography?  What if Kodak could have beaten two Stanford grads to the punch in creating Instagram?  The smartphone-based photo sharing app has become immensely popular since its debut 2010, with 30 million users on the iPnone.  The Android launch on Tuesday fetched a million downloads in 24 hours.

Instagram uses your smartphone's camera to create retro-looking photographs.  Inspired by Polaroid instant photos of the past, the app's developers have created a series of filters that users can select to make their pictures look old.  The app then helps you share those images with friends with the simple touch of a button.  Ironically, these pictures capture the nostalgia of photos taken with the Instamatic and other Kodak cameras of the past.

It's worth mentioning that innovation does not always translate into profit.  Kodak has certainly proved this in recent years, and social media apps and websites aren't immune to similar challenges.  A Wall Street Journal article reported Instagram's worth is estimated to be $500 million, but adds lining up additional financing has had some challenges.  Some potential investors have been skeptical that its popularity will ever translate into significant revenue.  Hopefully Instagram will have better luck at it than Kodak, and hopefully Kodak's days of innovating aren't over either.