KODAK is gambling that a new camera unveiled yesterday in Los Angeles, London, Tokyo and New York, will persuade consumers to pay at least 20 per cent more for their photography needs.

The Advantix camera's features include easy to load film improved composition ability and electronic negative storage.

US photography and copying giant Eastman Kodak hopes its more user friendly way to store negatives will spur the stagnant reprint and enlargement market.

Kodak and four Japanese partners - Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd, Minolta Co Ltd, Canon Inc and Nikon Corp - have developed the Advanced Photo System at a reported cost of around $1 billion (£641 million).