The prestigious Gamma and Keystone agencies, known since 2007 as Eyedea, have signed a deal with Getty Images that will see the leader in stock imagery distribute more than 750,000 images shot by some of the world's best photojournalists.

The deal, in effect, seals the fate of the prestigious French agencies, which will now become "static" stock agencies - with no new material submitted to the agencies' archives. However, these archives, instead of being distributed by the two agencies, will be marketed by Getty Images.

In a statement issued to BJP, Getty Images says that the deal doesn't represented an acquisition. "Getty Images is an image partner and the partnership is purely representation of Gamma Keystone material," says Steve Blogg, director of editorial content and product development at Getty Images.

The deal was initiated by François Lochon, Gamma's former managing director, who, last April, successfully bought the Eyedea group for €100,000, ending years of uncertainty for the archives' future.

In 1999, Hachette Filipacchi Photo Group, a division of Hachette Filipacchi Médias, acquired both agencies before selling them in 2007 to investment fund, called Green Recovery. However, after making a loss of more than €3m last year, the fund asked for protection from creditors as it looked at ways to revive, dismantle or sell the agencies. Earlier this year, a French court ruled that Lochon's offer represented the best chance for the agencies' survival.

The prestigious archives span more than 75 years of European history, with images from key historical events such as the Algerian War, Paris during the Belle Epoch to images of Princess Grace of Monaco. "The Gamma-Keystone collection will provide Getty Images' customers with access to one of the richest veins of archival photography in Europe," says Getty Images.

While only 55,000 images from both collections can be purchased at the moment, Getty Images says that it plans on making all 750,000 images available in the future. "The overall volume of around 750,000 images comes from existing digital imagery that is being reformatted to our data standards," says Blogg.

However, the archives hold more than 10 million images in print, negative and glass plate form. Getty Images plans to study the feasibility of adding further images to the 750,000 that have already been digitised. "The staff in the Gamma and Keystone offices are managing the scanning and metadata processes, although we are working very closely with them on this and will make a content plan based on the vast extent of analogue material that has never seen the digital light of day," says Blogg. "We sincerely believe that this relationship will strengthen the great brands on a wider level around the globe thus ensuring a long lasting legacy of one of France's finest archives."

To view the collections, visit the Getty Images website.

This article was first published on 27 October 2010, before being updated on 04 November 2010 with Getty Images' answers to BJP questions.