The Ethics of using film profits to develop digital video

[Alessandro Machi]

Was it ethical for motion picture houses to use film rental profits to develop their eventual digital camera replacement? My opinion is no, and I doubt I'll change my mind, but what is the justification for accelerating the presumed demise of film by using profits from film camera rentals to build prototype digital video cameras?

 

And second question, if digital film cameras made just 5 to 10 years ago by the motion picture camera rental houses have since been obsoleted, while their motion picture film camera counterparts of the same age are still go strong, would this constitute fraud if the film camera rental houses were trying to claim the digital cameras had better imagery than their film cameras?

 

I think this is a serious matter, made moreso by the bashing that Kodak receives by an un understanding public at large. Kodak's reputation has been irrevocably harmed because of the siphoning of film camera rental profits being diverted to digital film camera research and development.

[Chris Millar]

Is this what you're referring to ?

 

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2012/02/09/business/09reuters-kodak.html?_r=1&hp

 

Justification: er, business ?

 

Just vote with your wallet if you're not happy - but I don't think ethics comes into it, unless you'd like to elaborate ?