"We want to get more people into photography. The biggest challenge is growing the market," says Ravi Khanna, Kodak's vice-president for the Asia Pacific region.

Kodak had identified affordability as one the biggest impediments to the growth of the camera maket in India when it priced KB 10 below the Rs 1,000 barrier. Besides affordability, Kodak reckons accessibility of cameras and other photography goods is another barrier its should now pull down.

"We are looking at various alternatives to figure out the right solution to the grow the market," Kodak India senior vice-president Rajesh Singh stated.

Besides rent out cameras, Kodak proposes to make available cameras on rent, expand the reach of Kodak Express processing laboratories and sell the cameras from non-traditional stores. The company has also introduced new models of cameras, the KEseries, with easy load features to supplement the existing range.

Around three months ago, Kodak India launched an initiative in Pune to rent out the cameras for as little as Rs 50 per week. The consumer gets the camera loaded with a roll to save him the bother of loading the film.

Alongside, the company put the cameras for rental not just at the studios and traditional photography goods stores but at local grocers.

The company is now toying with the idea of extending this experiment to other cities across the country. "We are experimenting with various options to make photography more accessible," Khanna said.

The company is planning to sell and rent cameras through the traditional phtotography goods stores, Kodak Express labs and consumers electronics dealers.

On expanding the chain of Kodak Express labs, Singh said the company was looking at expanding the presence to about 300 towns. At present, there are about 450 Kodak Express labs operating in 100 cities and towns across the country. Thecompany expects to add about 100-150 more each year.

Down the months, the company may launch its Advanced Photographic System (APS) digital cameras which combines ease of conventional camera which use silver halide films with advantages of digital technology. The film roll used in the APS is similar to silver halide coated film, except that it is more compact and has a magnetic coating which stores additional information.

The APS camera is more compact than the conventional camera and it permits mid-roll interruption. The camera is however about 25 per cent more expensive than the conventional camera.

"We have not decided yet as to when we should launch these cameras...it is a chicken-and-egg situation," remarked Khanna.

The launch of these cameras will have to be accompanied by the establishment of APS compatible mini-labs for processing of films. Since this would involve additional investment, the lab owners are unwilling to come forward to provide the processing facilities.