The History of Kodak by Mary Bellis Updated January 24, 2018
In 1888, inventor George Eastman invented dry, transparent and flexible photographic film (or rolled photography film) as well as the Kodak cameras that could use the new film.
Eastman was an avid photographer and became the founder of the Eastman Kodak company. "You press the button, we do the rest" promised Eastman in 1888 with this advertising slogan for his Kodak camera.
Eastman wanted to simplify photography and make it available to everyone, not just trained photographers. So in 1883, Eastman announced the invention of photographic film in rolls. Kodak the company was born in 1888 when the first Kodak camera entered the market. Pre-loaded with enough film for 100 exposures, the Kodak camera could easily be carried and handheld during its operation. After the film was exposed, meaning all the shots were taken, the whole camera was returned to the Kodak company in Rochester, New York where the film was developed, prints were made, the new photographic film was inserted. Then the camera and prints were returned to the customer.
George Eastman was one of the first American industrialists to employ a full-time research scientist. Together with his research scientist, Eastman perfected the first commercial transparent roll film, which made possible Thomas Edison’s motion picture camera in 1891.
George Eastman Names Kodak "The letter "K" had been a favorite of mine — it seems a strong, incisive sort of letter. It became a question of trying out a great number of combinations of letters that made words starting and ending with "K" - George Eastman on the naming of Kodak
RESPONSE QUESTIONS: 1. Why did Eastman name his company “Kodak”? 2. Why did Eastman start a photography company and invent a new type of camera?