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Turning film cameras into digital cameras
Turning film cameras into digital cameras
Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a product
which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120 film cartridge, and you
can just load it into your old film camera. However, this product acts
like a digital "film", in which it will store images in digital
format, instead of into film, would you buy such a product? It is
just exactly like your old film cartridge, put into the back of your
camera, set the camera as it has a film in it, advance the lever ,
take photos, go to next shot, etc. The difference would be when you
complete the shots (24 or 36 exposure), you connect this cartridge to
your computer and downloaded the digital data, just like a media card
in your digital cameras. This product would be re-used again and
again, just like the digital cameras.
Some of you may said that is the same question whether there is a
"back cartridge" that can be fitted into the old Hasselblad, Mamiya RB
or M645, in which it changes into digital cameras. However, I heard
that this speacil back is very expensive. Correct me if such a product
exist for professional photographers, but at a very high costs! (such
that it is just easier to throw away the old cameras and buy a new
digital one).
The next question is whether technically this is possible. Will people
buy them, and use their old cameras (which some had invested heavily
before the digital era came to play). This sounds like a crazy idea,
but I sometime wonder that if it is possible. There are lots of smart
people and inventors in this world, and I am sure they have the brain
to create such a product. I am sure that this would not be welcomed by
digital cameras' manufacturers, as it will compete with their product.
Although some of the "players" are still the same (Kodak, Fuji, Nikon,
Canon, Pentax, etc).
Unfortunately, we are living in a world which are driven by narrow
"track of minds", set by big corporations which decided upon our
direction into the future.
Thanks for sharing my "dream". I am now awake from my day dreaming.
Thanks for the discussion.
Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a product
which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120 film cartridge, and you
can just load it into your old film camera. However, this product acts
like a digital "film", in which it will store images in digital
format, instead of into film, would you buy such a product? It is
just exactly like your old film cartridge, put into the back of your
camera, set the camera as it has a film in it, advance the lever ,
take photos, go to next shot, etc. The difference would be when you
complete the shots (24 or 36 exposure), you connect this cartridge to
your computer and downloaded the digital data, just like a media card
in your digital cameras. This product would be re-used again and
again, just like the digital cameras.
Some of you may said that is the same question whether there is a
"back cartridge" that can be fitted into the old Hasselblad, Mamiya RB
or M645, in which it changes into digital cameras. However, I heard
that this speacil back is very expensive. Correct me if such a product
exist for professional photographers, but at a very high costs! (such
that it is just easier to throw away the old cameras and buy a new
digital one).
The next question is whether technically this is possible. Will people
buy them, and use their old cameras (which some had invested heavily
before the digital era came to play). This sounds like a crazy idea,
but I sometime wonder that if it is possible. There are lots of smart
people and inventors in this world, and I am sure they have the brain
to create such a product. I am sure that this would not be welcomed by
digital cameras' manufacturers, as it will compete with their product.
Although some of the "players" are still the same (Kodak, Fuji, Nikon,
Canon, Pentax, etc).
Unfortunately, we are living in a world which are driven by narrow
"track of minds", set by big corporations which decided upon our
direction into the future.
Thanks for sharing my "dream". I am now awake from my day dreaming.
Thanks for the discussion.
Re: Turning film cameras into digital cameras
On Fri, 06 Apr 2007 19:28:31 -0700, aniramca wrote:
> Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a product
> which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120 film cartridge, and you
> can just load it into your old film camera. However, this product acts
> like a digital "film", in which it will store images in digital
> format, instead of into film, would you buy such a product? It is
> just exactly like your old film cartridge, put into the back of your
> camera, set the camera as it has a film in it, advance the lever ,
> take photos, go to next shot, etc. The difference would be when you
> complete the shots (24 or 36 exposure), you connect this cartridge to
> your computer and downloaded the digital data, just like a media card
> in your digital cameras. This product would be re-used again and
> again, just like the digital cameras.
> Some of you may said that is the same question whether there is a
> "back cartridge" that can be fitted into the old Hasselblad, Mamiya RB
> or M645, in which it changes into digital cameras. However, I heard
> that this speacil back is very expensive. Correct me if such a product
> exist for professional photographers, but at a very high costs! (such
> that it is just easier to throw away the old cameras and buy a new
> digital one).
> The next question is whether technically this is possible. Will people
> buy them, and use their old cameras (which some had invested heavily
> before the digital era came to play). This sounds like a crazy idea,
> but I sometime wonder that if it is possible. There are lots of smart
> people and inventors in this world, and I am sure they have the brain
> to create such a product. I am sure that this would not be welcomed by
> digital cameras' manufacturers, as it will compete with their product.
> Although some of the "players" are still the same (Kodak, Fuji, Nikon,
> Canon, Pentax, etc).
> Unfortunately, we are living in a world which are driven by narrow
> "track of minds", set by big corporations which decided upon our
> direction into the future.
> Thanks for sharing my "dream". I am now awake from my day dreaming.
> Thanks for the discussion.
I've not seen anything that looked like a 'film cartridge' but there are
indeed digital backs for a number of cameras.
On Fri, 06 Apr 2007 19:28:31 -0700, aniramca wrote:
> Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a product
> which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120 film cartridge, and you
> can just load it into your old film camera. However, this product acts
> like a digital "film", in which it will store images in digital
> format, instead of into film, would you buy such a product? It is
> just exactly like your old film cartridge, put into the back of your
> camera, set the camera as it has a film in it, advance the lever ,
> take photos, go to next shot, etc. The difference would be when you
> complete the shots (24 or 36 exposure), you connect this cartridge to
> your computer and downloaded the digital data, just like a media card
> in your digital cameras. This product would be re-used again and
> again, just like the digital cameras.
> Some of you may said that is the same question whether there is a
> "back cartridge" that can be fitted into the old Hasselblad, Mamiya RB
> or M645, in which it changes into digital cameras. However, I heard
> that this speacil back is very expensive. Correct me if such a product
> exist for professional photographers, but at a very high costs! (such
> that it is just easier to throw away the old cameras and buy a new
> digital one).
> The next question is whether technically this is possible. Will people
> buy them, and use their old cameras (which some had invested heavily
> before the digital era came to play). This sounds like a crazy idea,
> but I sometime wonder that if it is possible. There are lots of smart
> people and inventors in this world, and I am sure they have the brain
> to create such a product. I am sure that this would not be welcomed by
> digital cameras' manufacturers, as it will compete with their product.
> Although some of the "players" are still the same (Kodak, Fuji, Nikon,
> Canon, Pentax, etc).
> Unfortunately, we are living in a world which are driven by narrow
> "track of minds", set by big corporations which decided upon our
> direction into the future.
> Thanks for sharing my "dream". I am now awake from my day dreaming.
> Thanks for the discussion.
I've not seen anything that looked like a 'film cartridge' but there are
indeed digital backs for a number of cameras.
Re: Turning film cameras into digital cameras
On Apr 6, 11:02 pm, ray <r...@zianet . com > wrote:
> I've not seen anything that looked like a 'film cartridge' but there are
> indeed digital backs for a number of cameras.
I'd think there'd be real practical problems for many cameras.
First is PRICE - the "film cartridge" would probably cost more than
just a new point-and-shoot digicam if the film camera being converted
weren't an SLR. This would probably be true even of better 35mm non-
SLR film cameras like the Minolta HiMatic ones.
No $4 to park! No $6 admission! * w w w .INTERNET-GUN-SHOW . com
On Apr 6, 11:02 pm, ray <r...@zianet . com > wrote:
> I've not seen anything that looked like a 'film cartridge' but there are
> indeed digital backs for a number of cameras.
I'd think there'd be real practical problems for many cameras.
First is PRICE - the "film cartridge" would probably cost more than
just a new point-and-shoot digicam if the film camera being converted
weren't an SLR. This would probably be true even of better 35mm non-
SLR film cameras like the Minolta HiMatic ones.
No $4 to park! No $6 admission! * w w w .INTERNET-GUN-SHOW . com
Re: Turning film cameras into digital cameras
On Apr 6, 10:28 pm, anira...@yahoo . com wrote:
> Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a product
> which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120 film cartridge, and you
> can just load it into your old film camera. However, this product acts
> like a digital "film", in which it will store images in digital
> format, instead of into film, would you buy such a product? It is
> just exactly like your old film cartridge, put into the back of your
> camera, set the camera as it has a film in it, advance the lever ,
> take photos, go to next shot, etc. The difference would be when you
> complete the shots (24 or 36 exposure), you connect this cartridge to
> your computer and downloaded the digital data, just like a media card
> in your digital cameras. This product would be re-used again and
> again, just like the digital cameras.
> Some of you may said that is the same question whether there is a
> "back cartridge" that can be fitted into the old Hasselblad, Mamiya RB
> or M645, in which it changes into digital cameras. However, I heard
> that this speacil back is very expensive. Correct me if such a product
> exist for professional photographers, but at a very high costs! (such
> that it is just easier to throw away the old cameras and buy a new
> digital one).
> The next question is whether technically this is possible. Will people
> buy them, and use their old cameras (which some had invested heavily
> before the digital era came to play). This sounds like a crazy idea,
> but I sometime wonder that if it is possible. There are lots of smart
> people and inventors in this world, and I am sure they have the brain
> to create such a product. I am sure that this would not be welcomed by
> digital cameras' manufacturers, as it will compete with their product.
> Although some of the "players" are still the same (Kodak, Fuji, Nikon,
> Canon, Pentax, etc).
> Unfortunately, we are living in a world which are driven by narrow
> "track of minds", set by big corporations which decided upon our
> direction into the future.
> Thanks for sharing my "dream". I am now awake from my day dreaming.
> Thanks for the discussion.
It's been done. The old Nikons had removeable backs. When things
first went digitial, you would swap off the back and put on a digital
back.
On Apr 6, 10:28 pm, anira...@yahoo . com wrote:
> Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a product
> which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120 film cartridge, and you
> can just load it into your old film camera. However, this product acts
> like a digital "film", in which it will store images in digital
> format, instead of into film, would you buy such a product? It is
> just exactly like your old film cartridge, put into the back of your
> camera, set the camera as it has a film in it, advance the lever ,
> take photos, go to next shot, etc. The difference would be when you
> complete the shots (24 or 36 exposure), you connect this cartridge to
> your computer and downloaded the digital data, just like a media card
> in your digital cameras. This product would be re-used again and
> again, just like the digital cameras.
> Some of you may said that is the same question whether there is a
> "back cartridge" that can be fitted into the old Hasselblad, Mamiya RB
> or M645, in which it changes into digital cameras. However, I heard
> that this speacil back is very expensive. Correct me if such a product
> exist for professional photographers, but at a very high costs! (such
> that it is just easier to throw away the old cameras and buy a new
> digital one).
> The next question is whether technically this is possible. Will people
> buy them, and use their old cameras (which some had invested heavily
> before the digital era came to play). This sounds like a crazy idea,
> but I sometime wonder that if it is possible. There are lots of smart
> people and inventors in this world, and I am sure they have the brain
> to create such a product. I am sure that this would not be welcomed by
> digital cameras' manufacturers, as it will compete with their product.
> Although some of the "players" are still the same (Kodak, Fuji, Nikon,
> Canon, Pentax, etc).
> Unfortunately, we are living in a world which are driven by narrow
> "track of minds", set by big corporations which decided upon our
> direction into the future.
> Thanks for sharing my "dream". I am now awake from my day dreaming.
> Thanks for the discussion.
It's been done. The old Nikons had removeable backs. When things
first went digitial, you would swap off the back and put on a digital
back.
Re: Turning film cameras into digital cameras
On Apr 6, 10:07 pm, "Pat" <gro...@artisticphotography.us> wrote:
> On Apr 6, 10:28 pm, anira...@yahoo . com wrote:
>
> > Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a product
> > which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120filmcartridge, and you
> > can just load itintoyour oldfilmcamera.
<heavily edited, for brevity>
> It's been done. The old Nikons had removeable backs. When things
> first went digitial, you would swap off the back and put on adigital
> back.
Hello, Pat:
The Nikon SLR "digital backs" were supplied by Kodak, however.
Cordially,
John Turco <jtur@concentric . net >
On Apr 6, 10:07 pm, "Pat" <gro...@artisticphotography.us> wrote:
> On Apr 6, 10:28 pm, anira...@yahoo . com wrote:
>
> > Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a product
> > which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120filmcartridge, and you
> > can just load itintoyour oldfilmcamera.
<heavily edited, for brevity>
> It's been done. The old Nikons had removeable backs. When things
> first went digitial, you would swap off the back and put on adigital
> back.
Hello, Pat:
The Nikon SLR "digital backs" were supplied by Kodak, however.
Cordially,
John Turco <jtur@concentric . net >
Re: Turning film cameras into digital cameras
On 2007-04-14 02:24:43 -0400, jtur@concentric . net said:
> On Apr 6, 10:07 pm, "Pat" <gro...@artisticphotography.us> wrote:
>> On Apr 6, 10:28 pm, anira...@yahoo . com wrote:
>>
>>> Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a product
>>> which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120filmcartridge, and you
>>> can just load itintoyour oldfilmcamera.
>
> <heavily edited, for brevity>
>
>> It's been done. The old Nikons had removeable backs. When things
>> first went digitial, you would swap off the back and put on adigital
>> back.
>
>
> Hello, Pat:
>
> The Nikon SLR "digital backs" were supplied by Kodak, however.
>
>
> Cordially,
> John Turco <jtur@concentric . net >
And also, it wasn't just the back, the body was modified as well.
Kodak made two series one out of Nikon bodies and the other with a
Canon body.
--
Jim <jen....not....home..remvdots...@....yahoo
On 2007-04-14 02:24:43 -0400, jtur@concentric . net said:
> On Apr 6, 10:07 pm, "Pat" <gro...@artisticphotography.us> wrote:
>> On Apr 6, 10:28 pm, anira...@yahoo . com wrote:
>>
>>> Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a product
>>> which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120filmcartridge, and you
>>> can just load itintoyour oldfilmcamera.
>
> <heavily edited, for brevity>
>
>> It's been done. The old Nikons had removeable backs. When things
>> first went digitial, you would swap off the back and put on adigital
>> back.
>
>
> Hello, Pat:
>
> The Nikon SLR "digital backs" were supplied by Kodak, however.
>
>
> Cordially,
> John Turco <jtur@concentric . net >
And also, it wasn't just the back, the body was modified as well.
Kodak made two series one out of Nikon bodies and the other with a
Canon body.
--
Jim <jen....not....home..remvdots...@....yahoo
Re: Turning film cameras into digital cameras
In article <2007050122220450073-@newsgroups . com cast . net >,
Jim@?.?.invalid writes
>On 2007-04-14 02:24:43 -0400, jtur@concentric . net said:
>
>> On Apr 6, 10:07 pm, "Pat" <gro...@artisticphotography.us> wrote:
>>> On Apr 6, 10:28 pm, anira...@yahoo . com wrote:
>>>
>>>> Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a
>>>>product
>>>> which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120filmcartridge, and you
>>>> can just load itintoyour oldfilmcamera.
>> <heavily edited, for brevity>
>>
>>> It's been done. The old Nikons had removeable backs. When things
>>> first went digitial, you would swap off the back and put on adigital
>>> back.
>> Hello, Pat:
>> The Nikon SLR "digital backs" were supplied by Kodak, however.
>> Cordially,
>> John Turco <jtur@concentric . net >
>
>And also, it wasn't just the back, the body was modified as well. Kodak
>made two series one out of Nikon bodies and the other with a Canon body.
Not with all of them - the early Kodak backs fitted specific UNMODIFIED
Nikon and Canon camera bodies and could be used interchangeably with
film backs. The only "modification" was the special focus screen, which
was an interchangeable item on the cameras in any case.
* w w w .mir . com .my/rb/photography/companies/Kodak/index.htm shows an
early Kodak back that fitted on a standard Nikon F3.
* w w w .mir . com .my/rb/photography/companies/Kodak/index1.htm shows
the DCS-4xx series which fitted standard Nikon F90/N90 series cameras -
check the note near the top of the page, interchangeable with a standard
film back.
* w w w .mir . com .my/rb/photography/companies/Kodak/index2.htm shows
the DCS-1c 3c and 5c series designed for unmodified Canon EOS cameras.
The Kodak manuals (downloadable from the pages) also state these backs
are compatible with unmodified cameras.
These cameras all had electronic shutter controls accessible through the
motor drive interfaces and, importantly, a space of several millimetres
between the film plane and the shutter blind.
Later Kodak backs used modified cameras.
--
Kennedy
Yes, Socrates himself is particularly missed;
A lovely little thinker, but a bugger when he's pissed.
Python Philosophers (replace 'nospam' with 'kennedym' when replying)
In article <2007050122220450073-@newsgroups . com cast . net >,
Jim@?.?.invalid writes
>On 2007-04-14 02:24:43 -0400, jtur@concentric . net said:
>
>> On Apr 6, 10:07 pm, "Pat" <gro...@artisticphotography.us> wrote:
>>> On Apr 6, 10:28 pm, anira...@yahoo . com wrote:
>>>
>>>> Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a
>>>>product
>>>> which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120filmcartridge, and you
>>>> can just load itintoyour oldfilmcamera.
>> <heavily edited, for brevity>
>>
>>> It's been done. The old Nikons had removeable backs. When things
>>> first went digitial, you would swap off the back and put on adigital
>>> back.
>> Hello, Pat:
>> The Nikon SLR "digital backs" were supplied by Kodak, however.
>> Cordially,
>> John Turco <jtur@concentric . net >
>
>And also, it wasn't just the back, the body was modified as well. Kodak
>made two series one out of Nikon bodies and the other with a Canon body.
Not with all of them - the early Kodak backs fitted specific UNMODIFIED
Nikon and Canon camera bodies and could be used interchangeably with
film backs. The only "modification" was the special focus screen, which
was an interchangeable item on the cameras in any case.
* w w w .mir . com .my/rb/photography/companies/Kodak/index.htm shows an
early Kodak back that fitted on a standard Nikon F3.
* w w w .mir . com .my/rb/photography/companies/Kodak/index1.htm shows
the DCS-4xx series which fitted standard Nikon F90/N90 series cameras -
check the note near the top of the page, interchangeable with a standard
film back.
* w w w .mir . com .my/rb/photography/companies/Kodak/index2.htm shows
the DCS-1c 3c and 5c series designed for unmodified Canon EOS cameras.
The Kodak manuals (downloadable from the pages) also state these backs
are compatible with unmodified cameras.
These cameras all had electronic shutter controls accessible through the
motor drive interfaces and, importantly, a space of several millimetres
between the film plane and the shutter blind.
Later Kodak backs used modified cameras.
--
Kennedy
Yes, Socrates himself is particularly missed;
A lovely little thinker, but a bugger when he's pissed.
Python Philosophers (replace 'nospam' with 'kennedym' when replying)
Re: Turning film cameras into digital cameras
aniramca@yahoo . com wrote:
> Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a product
> which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120 film cartridge, and you
> can just load it into your old film camera. However, this product acts
> like a digital "film", in which it will store images in digital
> format, instead of into film, would you buy such a product? It is
> just exactly like your old film cartridge, put into the back of your
> camera, set the camera as it has a film in it, advance the lever ,
> take photos, go to next shot, etc. The difference would be when you
> complete the shots (24 or 36 exposure), you connect this cartridge to
> your computer and downloaded the digital data, just like a media card
> in your digital cameras. This product would be re-used again and
> again, just like the digital cameras.
"Silicon Film" has been a vaporware product from a company called Imagek
since September 1999.
Digital Photography Review has the latest news on that here:
< * w w w .dpreview . com /news/0209/02091903siliconfilmagain.asp>
There has been no news on that front since 2002.
A quick search through Goolge . com yeilds this:
< * w w w .google . com .au/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&channel=s&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=silicon-film+vaporware&spell=1>
Line wrap on you reader may have beoken the link, so just search for
"silicon-film vaporware"
> Some of you may said that is the same question whether there is a
> "back cartridge" that can be fitted into the old Hasselblad, Mamiya RB
> or M645, in which it changes into digital cameras. However, I heard
> that this speacil back is very expensive. Correct me if such a product
> exist for professional photographers, but at a very high costs! (such
> that it is just easier to throw away the old cameras and buy a new
> digital one).
Before digital, most professional medium format SLR cameras had the
entire film transport as a removable "film back" and can be transposed
with a Polaroid back, a sheet-film back or a 35mm film back.
There have been digital backs for medium format cameras for about the
last decade, companies that make tham include: Leaf, Dicomed, Kodak and
I'm sure there are a few more I've forgotten.
> The next question is whether technically this is possible. Will people
> buy them, and use their old cameras (which some had invested heavily
> before the digital era came to play). This sounds like a crazy idea,
> but I sometime wonder that if it is possible. There are lots of smart
> people and inventors in this world, and I am sure they have the brain
> to create such a product. I am sure that this would not be welcomed by
> digital cameras' manufacturers, as it will compete with their product.
> Although some of the "players" are still the same (Kodak, Fuji, Nikon,
> Canon, Pentax, etc).
For medium format cameras with removable backs it is (at minimum) a
relatively simple mechanical connection and a connection to the shutter
that's required to mate to camera (even to a purely mechanical camera,
with no electronics) to a digital back.
Apart from the mounting mechanism, there is no real space constraint on
how big the digital back can be.
For 35mm (and smaller) cameras, there is no "drop in" digital solution.
To make a digital film cartridge that can fit in a wide variety of 25mm
cameras and only take up as much space as a roll of film would seems to
be an insurmountnable challenge.
Even Leica, when they designed and built their digital rangefinder
camera (the M8), added about six milimetres of depth to the camera body
to allow for the digital capture componants.
> Unfortunately, we are living in a world which are driven by narrow
> "track of minds", set by big corporations which decided upon our
> direction into the future.
> Thanks for sharing my "dream". I am now awake from my day dreaming.
> Thanks for the discussion.
aniramca@yahoo . com wrote:
> Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a product
> which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120 film cartridge, and you
> can just load it into your old film camera. However, this product acts
> like a digital "film", in which it will store images in digital
> format, instead of into film, would you buy such a product? It is
> just exactly like your old film cartridge, put into the back of your
> camera, set the camera as it has a film in it, advance the lever ,
> take photos, go to next shot, etc. The difference would be when you
> complete the shots (24 or 36 exposure), you connect this cartridge to
> your computer and downloaded the digital data, just like a media card
> in your digital cameras. This product would be re-used again and
> again, just like the digital cameras.
"Silicon Film" has been a vaporware product from a company called Imagek
since September 1999.
Digital Photography Review has the latest news on that here:
< * w w w .dpreview . com /news/0209/02091903siliconfilmagain.asp>
There has been no news on that front since 2002.
A quick search through Goolge . com yeilds this:
< * w w w .google . com .au/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&channel=s&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=silicon-film+vaporware&spell=1>
Line wrap on you reader may have beoken the link, so just search for
"silicon-film vaporware"
> Some of you may said that is the same question whether there is a
> "back cartridge" that can be fitted into the old Hasselblad, Mamiya RB
> or M645, in which it changes into digital cameras. However, I heard
> that this speacil back is very expensive. Correct me if such a product
> exist for professional photographers, but at a very high costs! (such
> that it is just easier to throw away the old cameras and buy a new
> digital one).
Before digital, most professional medium format SLR cameras had the
entire film transport as a removable "film back" and can be transposed
with a Polaroid back, a sheet-film back or a 35mm film back.
There have been digital backs for medium format cameras for about the
last decade, companies that make tham include: Leaf, Dicomed, Kodak and
I'm sure there are a few more I've forgotten.
> The next question is whether technically this is possible. Will people
> buy them, and use their old cameras (which some had invested heavily
> before the digital era came to play). This sounds like a crazy idea,
> but I sometime wonder that if it is possible. There are lots of smart
> people and inventors in this world, and I am sure they have the brain
> to create such a product. I am sure that this would not be welcomed by
> digital cameras' manufacturers, as it will compete with their product.
> Although some of the "players" are still the same (Kodak, Fuji, Nikon,
> Canon, Pentax, etc).
For medium format cameras with removable backs it is (at minimum) a
relatively simple mechanical connection and a connection to the shutter
that's required to mate to camera (even to a purely mechanical camera,
with no electronics) to a digital back.
Apart from the mounting mechanism, there is no real space constraint on
how big the digital back can be.
For 35mm (and smaller) cameras, there is no "drop in" digital solution.
To make a digital film cartridge that can fit in a wide variety of 25mm
cameras and only take up as much space as a roll of film would seems to
be an insurmountnable challenge.
Even Leica, when they designed and built their digital rangefinder
camera (the M8), added about six milimetres of depth to the camera body
to allow for the digital capture componants.
> Unfortunately, we are living in a world which are driven by narrow
> "track of minds", set by big corporations which decided upon our
> direction into the future.
> Thanks for sharing my "dream". I am now awake from my day dreaming.
> Thanks for the discussion.
Re: Turning film cameras into digital cameras
On Apr 7, 12:28 pm, anira...@yahoo . com wrote:
> Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a product
> which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120 film cartridge, and you
> can just load it into your old film camera. However, this product acts
> like a digital "film", in which it will store images in digital
> format, instead of into film, would you buy such a product?
Do a search on "Silicon Film". It's a lengthy saga, with little sign
of any real product despite a lot of calls for investors...
It's a nice idea, but has some *very* significant practical
difficulties, which is largely why digital backs are not made for the
35mm market.
On Apr 7, 12:28 pm, anira...@yahoo . com wrote:
> Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a product
> which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120 film cartridge, and you
> can just load it into your old film camera. However, this product acts
> like a digital "film", in which it will store images in digital
> format, instead of into film, would you buy such a product?
Do a search on "Silicon Film". It's a lengthy saga, with little sign
of any real product despite a lot of calls for investors...
It's a nice idea, but has some *very* significant practical
difficulties, which is largely why digital backs are not made for the
35mm market.
Re: Turning film cameras into digital cameras
<mark.thomas.7@gmail . com > wrote:
>
> Do a search on "Silicon Film". It's a lengthy saga, with little sign
> of any real product despite a lot of calls for investors...
Yep.
> It's a nice idea, but has some *very* significant practical
> difficulties, which is largely why digital backs are not made for the
> 35mm market.
It would be possible and even reasonable with the Rollei 35mm SLR.
* auction-team.de/new_highlights/2003_10/045.htm
* rlfc.world.coocan.jp/PlaywBody/Rollei/3003/Rollei3003.html
I doubt anyone'll do it though.
David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan
<mark.thomas.7@gmail . com > wrote:
>
> Do a search on "Silicon Film". It's a lengthy saga, with little sign
> of any real product despite a lot of calls for investors...
Yep.
> It's a nice idea, but has some *very* significant practical
> difficulties, which is largely why digital backs are not made for the
> 35mm market.
It would be possible and even reasonable with the Rollei 35mm SLR.
* auction-team.de/new_highlights/2003_10/045.htm
* rlfc.world.coocan.jp/PlaywBody/Rollei/3003/Rollei3003.html
I doubt anyone'll do it though.
David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan
Re: Turning film cameras into digital cameras
mark.thomas.7@gmail . com observed
>On Apr 7, 12:28 pm, anira...@yahoo . com wrote:
>> Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a product
>> which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120 film cartridge, and you
>> can just load it into your old film camera. However, this product acts
>> like a digital "film", in which it will store images in digital
>> format, instead of into film, would you buy such a product?
>
>Do a search on "Silicon Film". It's a lengthy saga, with little sign
>of any real product despite a lot of calls for investors...
>
>It's a nice idea, but has some *very* significant practical
>difficulties, which is largely why digital backs are not made for the
>35mm market.
>
There was such a thing proposed and got to prototype stage, IIRC, back
around 2000-1. Then I decided to sell my Leica M3 rather than to wait
for such a chimera camera.
Of course, Leica developed a digital camera back for the R series. - Is
it still available?
Mike
[The reply-to address is valid for 30 days from this posting]
--
Michael J Davis
<><
Some newsgroup contributors appear to have confused
the meaning of "discussion" with "digression".
<><
mark.thomas.7@gmail . com observed
>On Apr 7, 12:28 pm, anira...@yahoo . com wrote:
>> Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a product
>> which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120 film cartridge, and you
>> can just load it into your old film camera. However, this product acts
>> like a digital "film", in which it will store images in digital
>> format, instead of into film, would you buy such a product?
>
>Do a search on "Silicon Film". It's a lengthy saga, with little sign
>of any real product despite a lot of calls for investors...
>
>It's a nice idea, but has some *very* significant practical
>difficulties, which is largely why digital backs are not made for the
>35mm market.
>
There was such a thing proposed and got to prototype stage, IIRC, back
around 2000-1. Then I decided to sell my Leica M3 rather than to wait
for such a chimera camera.
Of course, Leica developed a digital camera back for the R series. - Is
it still available?
Mike
[The reply-to address is valid for 30 days from this posting]
--
Michael J Davis
<><
Some newsgroup contributors appear to have confused
the meaning of "discussion" with "digression".
<><
Re: Turning film cameras into digital cameras
>>It's a nice idea, but has some *very* significant practical
>>difficulties, which is largely why digital backs are not made for the
>>35mm market.
>>
> There was such a thing proposed and got to prototype stage, IIRC, back
> around 2000-1. Then I decided to sell my Leica M3 rather than to wait for
> such a chimera camera.
>
Nope. It is now generally recognised as a ploy to fool venture capitalists
into giving someone a load of money.
> Of course, Leica developed a digital camera back for the R series. - Is it
> still available?
>
>
They do: * w w w .leica-camera.de/photography/r_system/digital-modul-r/
(site in German).
>>It's a nice idea, but has some *very* significant practical
>>difficulties, which is largely why digital backs are not made for the
>>35mm market.
>>
> There was such a thing proposed and got to prototype stage, IIRC, back
> around 2000-1. Then I decided to sell my Leica M3 rather than to wait for
> such a chimera camera.
>
Nope. It is now generally recognised as a ploy to fool venture capitalists
into giving someone a load of money.
> Of course, Leica developed a digital camera back for the R series. - Is it
> still available?
>
>
They do: * w w w .leica-camera.de/photography/r_system/digital-modul-r/
(site in German).
Re: Turning film cameras into digital cameras
"Jeroen Wenting" <jwenting at hornet dot demon dot nl> wrote:
>
>>>It's a nice idea, but has some *very* significant practical
>>>difficulties, which is largely why digital backs are not made for the
>>>35mm market.
>>>
>> There was such a thing proposed and got to prototype stage, IIRC, back
>> around 2000-1. Then I decided to sell my Leica M3 rather than to wait for
>> such a chimera camera.
>>
>Nope. It is now generally recognised as a ploy to fool venture capitalists
>into giving someone a load of money.
>
>> Of course, Leica developed a digital camera back for the R series. - Is it
>> still available?
>>
>>
>They do: * w w w .leica-camera.de/photography/r_system/digital-modul-r/
>(site in German).
The Leica Digital Modul-R has been discontinued, because the main
supplier (Imacon) insisted on a minimum order size that was considered
much too large by Leica Camera (info from a Leica press release).
Stocks of new Digital Modul-R backs are now very low.
The relationship between Imacon and Leica has deteriorated to such an
extent that it could be described as hostile. The problem started
when Imacon merged with Hasselblad, with whom Leica Camera's
relationship has been sour for some years.
Look no further than the expensive and ultimately abortive development
work done on Leica lenses for medium format, and the introduction of
the Hasselblad X-Pan.
"Jeroen Wenting" <jwenting at hornet dot demon dot nl> wrote:
>
>>>It's a nice idea, but has some *very* significant practical
>>>difficulties, which is largely why digital backs are not made for the
>>>35mm market.
>>>
>> There was such a thing proposed and got to prototype stage, IIRC, back
>> around 2000-1. Then I decided to sell my Leica M3 rather than to wait for
>> such a chimera camera.
>>
>Nope. It is now generally recognised as a ploy to fool venture capitalists
>into giving someone a load of money.
>
>> Of course, Leica developed a digital camera back for the R series. - Is it
>> still available?
>>
>>
>They do: * w w w .leica-camera.de/photography/r_system/digital-modul-r/
>(site in German).
The Leica Digital Modul-R has been discontinued, because the main
supplier (Imacon) insisted on a minimum order size that was considered
much too large by Leica Camera (info from a Leica press release).
Stocks of new Digital Modul-R backs are now very low.
The relationship between Imacon and Leica has deteriorated to such an
extent that it could be described as hostile. The problem started
when Imacon merged with Hasselblad, with whom Leica Camera's
relationship has been sour for some years.
Look no further than the expensive and ultimately abortive development
work done on Leica lenses for medium format, and the introduction of
the Hasselblad X-Pan.
Re: Turning film cameras into digital cameras
mark.thomas.7@gmail . com wrote:
> On Apr 7, 12:28 pm, anira...@yahoo . com wrote:
>> Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a product
>> which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120 film cartridge, and you
>> can just load it into your old film camera. However, this product acts
>> like a digital "film", in which it will store images in digital
>> format, instead of into film, would you buy such a product?
>
> Do a search on "Silicon Film". It's a lengthy saga, with little sign
> of any real product despite a lot of calls for investors...
>
> It's a nice idea, but has some *very* significant practical
> difficulties, which is largely why digital backs are not made for the
> 35mm market.
>
The Imagek, aka Silicon Film has been "Fartware" since 1997. Fartware is
like vapourware, but has a stink to it!
mark.thomas.7@gmail . com wrote:
> On Apr 7, 12:28 pm, anira...@yahoo . com wrote:
>> Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a product
>> which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120 film cartridge, and you
>> can just load it into your old film camera. However, this product acts
>> like a digital "film", in which it will store images in digital
>> format, instead of into film, would you buy such a product?
>
> Do a search on "Silicon Film". It's a lengthy saga, with little sign
> of any real product despite a lot of calls for investors...
>
> It's a nice idea, but has some *very* significant practical
> difficulties, which is largely why digital backs are not made for the
> 35mm market.
>
The Imagek, aka Silicon Film has been "Fartware" since 1997. Fartware is
like vapourware, but has a stink to it!
Re: Turning film cameras into digital cameras
mark.thomas.7@gmail . com wrote:
> On Apr 7, 12:28 pm, anira...@yahoo . com wrote:
>> Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a product
>> which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120 film cartridge, and you
>> can just load it into your old film camera. However, this product acts
>> like a digital "film", in which it will store images in digital
>> format, instead of into film, would you buy such a product?
>
> Do a search on "Silicon Film". It's a lengthy saga, with little sign
> of any real product despite a lot of calls for investors...
>
> It's a nice idea, but has some *very* significant practical
> difficulties, which is largely why digital backs are not made for the
> 35mm market.
I remember reading about this when they first announced it. At the time
digital cameras were about a megapixel max and I was thinking it might
be nice for my aging Canon F1, and a collection of FD lenses. I
couldn't figure how they could package it, and make it work with any
camera. How do you preview, display photos for a couple of good ones.
It seems it would have to be camera specific to adjust for varying
differences between the cartridge and the sensor, and how would it know
when the shutter was about to fire. I supposed the sensor could be
"armed" the shutter fire, and perhaps the cocking lever store the photo.
Anyway, technology overtook the need for it, I bought the bullet, and
a couple of EF and EFS lenses, as well as a Canon 300D since replaced
with a 30d.
mark.thomas.7@gmail . com wrote:
> On Apr 7, 12:28 pm, anira...@yahoo . com wrote:
>> Let's for the moment we think "out of the box". If there is a product
>> which has the shape of either a 35 mm or 120 film cartridge, and you
>> can just load it into your old film camera. However, this product acts
>> like a digital "film", in which it will store images in digital
>> format, instead of into film, would you buy such a product?
>
> Do a search on "Silicon Film". It's a lengthy saga, with little sign
> of any real product despite a lot of calls for investors...
>
> It's a nice idea, but has some *very* significant practical
> difficulties, which is largely why digital backs are not made for the
> 35mm market.
I remember reading about this when they first announced it. At the time
digital cameras were about a megapixel max and I was thinking it might
be nice for my aging Canon F1, and a collection of FD lenses. I
couldn't figure how they could package it, and make it work with any
camera. How do you preview, display photos for a couple of good ones.
It seems it would have to be camera specific to adjust for varying
differences between the cartridge and the sensor, and how would it know
when the shutter was about to fire. I supposed the sensor could be
"armed" the shutter fire, and perhaps the cocking lever store the photo.
Anyway, technology overtook the need for it, I bought the bullet, and
a couple of EF and EFS lenses, as well as a Canon 300D since replaced
with a 30d.
