“The iPhone and the Samsung Galaxy, etc. are pretty generic, so having an exceptional camera is a market we think people are going to want”, Clarke said. Still, no denying the sleek look of the Ektra. Available for £450/€500 starting November or December of this year, the Ektra might not be the revival of the Kodak name many were hoping for, but it’s a decent option nonetheless. In 2015 it released the not-so-well-received IM5. Kodak is no stranger to the phone landscape. There is a slight bump from the optics to support the 21-megapixel sensor from Sony below. No zoom, but it does feature OIS.
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Kodak has announced the new Kodak Ektra Smartphone, a smartphone designed for photographers, with a 21 megapixel sensor, f/2.0 lens, optical image stabilisation, 4K video recording, a physical shutter release button, and a camera grip on the left of the smartphone.
Atkins says the decision to bring back the Kodak K was validated when the company carried out brand recognition research, revealing that 58% of respondents recognised the brand from the outline of the logo alone. The phone sits completely flat when placed on its back, which is covered in a faux-leather style material that mimics the Ektra camera’s original covering. Can’t launch a smartphone without a touchscreen.
Before there was Apple or Google or Facebook, there was Kodak.
Significantly, a manual mode allows more advanced users to be creative by adjusting the exposure, focus, white balance and shutter speed. Other features of the smartphone are 5-inch display, 2.3GHz processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB inbuilt storage and 3000mAh. A Super 8 app gives professional effects that remind of the Kodak Super 8 film stock. You can add more room with microSD cards. Corning’s Gorilla glass provides screen and lens protection.
No official plans for a United States rollout are in store, although company representatives promised to keep an eye on the demand in the country and adjust their strategy accordingly. Tim Sheppard, head of applications and market intelligence at Bullit, which oversaw the creation of the phone, told WIRED the £449 device is “not a mass market play”.
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