Our lead article, comparing Smartphones with compact cameras, predictably led to a number of responses, ranging from the angry to the bizarre. One reader blamed all the Japanese camera manufacturers for the problems that they are facing from Smartphones. He claimed that in their anxiety to cut costs and increase profits, Japanese manufacturers gave technology relating to … [Read more...]

Hassselblad was formed by Victor Hassselblad in Gothenburg in Sweden, and rapidly became a leading manufacturer of medium format cameras and photographic equipment. The story goes that during the Second World War, the Swedes captured  a German surveillance camera and wanted to develop a similar camera for their own use. Victor Hasselblad established a workshop in Gothenburg … [Read more...]

As all of us know, Kodak or Eastman Kodak is an American company. Although its best days are over, at its peak, the Kodak brand name had an iconic following throughout the world. Kodak’s claim to fame has always been based on the film that it produced. Kodak had, however, during its heydays acquired camera companies, like Nagel of Germany and Chinon of Japan. Kodak … [Read more...]

There is no doubt that digital imaging has brought with it significant benefits. However, the fact that a digital image can be easily touched, retouched and manipulated very often raises the question of authenticity with respect to today’s photographs. It must be remembered that manipulation was also possible with film. In the case of film, manipulation took place in the … [Read more...]

Readers could be forgiven for thinking that most cameras come either from Japan or Germany. While Japan is responsible for majority of camera production, a lot of low end Japanese cameras are now produced in countries like China, Taiwan, Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam. The Japanese tend to produce all important components at their factories in Japan; these components … [Read more...]