Picture This: New Format Cameras On Deck

Eastman Kodak Co. and Konica Corp. will jointly develop disposable cameras using an advanced format recently introduced by an alliance of film and camera makers, Konica said Thursday.

Konica will manufacture the new cameras, which will use Kodak’s flash unit technology, a spokeswoman said. Each company will put its own film in the camera to sell under that brand name.

Konica will pay a 1 percent licensing fee on shipments of the disposable cameras to the group of five companies that developed the new format - Kodak and Japan’s Fuji, Canon, Nikon and Minolta.

Sales of disposable cameras produced under the Advanced Photo System are to begin April 22 with other products based on the new format.