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11-30-2017, 08:24 PM   #1
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Likelihood of there ever being a 35mm digital back/converter/retrofit ever?

I've been looking into this ever since 2012 when I got my first real camera...a Pentax ME Super. I love that thing. It's small, easy to carry, fun to shoot, and flawlessly designed in my opinion. I would shoot with it every day if I could, but film processing is a limiting factor. It's just so much easier to use my K-30 and start editing away as soon as I get home.

I've followed some projects people started to make a 35mm digital back, but nothing has ever gotten off the ground, as far as I can tell. Does anyone here know of anything close to being finished/completely finished. Do you guys think this will ever be a thing? I would love it so much. To be honest, If I had to gut an ME Super (not my original :P), rather than have simply a back, then I would. The form factor of some vintage cameras is just so much more appealing and comfortable to me.

11-30-2017, 08:39 PM - 1 Like   #2
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In a word, no. Many dreamed of a digital back for the Pentax LX, but it's not like switching to the bulk film back available for that camera. There are all kinds electronic linkage requirements for digital recording that are simply not available on any film-era bodies. And such a back would destroy the form-factor of a classic film camera, as the back would need a separate large battery at the very least. Some Hasselblads have interchangeable digital backs, but a new camera body had to be designed to accept them. It was not possible to simply make a digital back that would work on a film-era Hassy.
11-30-2017, 09:09 PM   #3
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How about this: Expect the Unexpected. digiFilm? Camera by YASHICA by YASHICA ? Kickstarter Not exactly a film back but..................... I've read through it and it seems an expensive toy unless I am misunderstanding something. 1/2.5" sensor with 'filter effects' produced by inserting a 'digifilm' cartridge. Not sure why all that could not be done in post like always, but if you want the illusion of shooting a film camera and producing a digital image, here you go.

Looks like they are funded at a bit over $1.2 million USD
11-30-2017, 11:58 PM   #4
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Consider the resoundingly unsuccessful Leica Digital Modul-R.

12-01-2017, 08:54 AM   #5
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The sad fact is that the electronics for the equivalent sensor size requires more physical space than the film did, between the space required to keep the sensor cool enough, and a powerful enough battery.
12-01-2017, 03:32 PM   #6
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The GoPro Session shows that a battery, microSD, processor, and Wi-Fi can be crammed into a pretty small package. Take out the sensor, display, and rugged shell, maybe shrink the battery a little, and I'm sure similar electronics could be packaged in the shape of a film canister. The biggest technical issue is fitting a sensor in the space where a thin slice of film normally goes. Cooling the sensor is something else I hadn't even thought of, and you'd have to have a way to tell the sensor you're about to take a picture so it knows when to turn on and off.

I wouldn't expect a 24MP high ISO monster either. With 6 or 10 MP at ISO 400 with a 32 shot battery life I think people would love it, but it would still be a novelty item. True digital SLR's would still offer much better performance and at a better price, so a "digital film roll" would only cater to hobbyists and enthusiasts. I'm sure if a large company like Sony really wanted to develop something today they could, it just wouldn't be worth the return on investment.

Last edited by TheOneAndOnlyJH; 12-01-2017 at 07:58 PM.
12-01-2017, 05:12 PM   #7
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Time to put that Silicon Film fraud on Kickstarter?

OP: Sorry, it's too problematic to have it done, it doesn't save anything and an integrated digital camera is a much better solution.
WPRESTO explained it nicely; the sensor wouldn't even know when you're taking the image. And, have you seen how unwieldy were the first DSLRs which were based on film models? Components are much smaller now, but still, ugly addon modules would be necessary.

The Yashica fraud is not it. It's a purely digital camera with a sensor smaller than my smartphone's, and with a cheap fixed focus junk lens. And you have to pay just to change the ISO.
On paper. In reality, I'm not convinced they even have a working prototype.

12-01-2017, 09:26 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by jatrax Quote
How about this: Expect the Unexpected. digiFilm? Camera by YASHICA by YASHICA ? Kickstarter Not exactly a film back but..................... I've read through it and it seems an expensive toy unless I am misunderstanding something. 1/2.5" sensor with 'filter effects' produced by inserting a 'digifilm' cartridge. Not sure why all that could not be done in post like always, but if you want the illusion of shooting a film camera and producing a digital image, here you go.

Looks like they are funded at a bit over $1.2 million USD
See, I wish they could make something like this film cartridge, but one that could be placed into any standard 35mm camera. That can't be so hard, right?
12-01-2017, 09:33 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by Vicioustuna2012 Quote
That can't be so hard, right?
Of course not. That's why it has already been done a dozen times /sarcasm.

Your idea has been floated many, many times by folks who really like the old film camera body style. The reality is that it is not going to happen. Just not possible to put the electronics and battery needed into something that would fit into a film body. Or figure out how to get the analog controls of the camera to communicate with the digital system that just got stuffed into the film bay. Personally I never liked the film bodies, and I think the K-3 is about as perfect as you can get for my hands and shooting style. But I recognize others like different bodies.

Perhaps the closest anyone has come is the Nikon DF, and for a mere $2,500+ you can have one
12-01-2017, 11:23 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by jatrax Quote
Of course not. That's why it has already been done a dozen times /sarcasm.

Your idea has been floated many, many times by folks who really like the old film camera body style. The reality is that it is not going to happen. Just not possible to put the electronics and battery needed into something that would fit into a film body. Or figure out how to get the analog controls of the camera to communicate with the digital system that just got stuffed into the film bay. Personally I never liked the film bodies, and I think the K-3 is about as perfect as you can get for my hands and shooting style. But I recognize others like different bodies.

Perhaps the closest anyone has come is the Nikon DF, and for a mere $2,500+ you can have one
I've actually been researching it a lot, and from what I've gathered, it's actually very possible to create such a device, but the problem is the market is so small, no company is going to dump that much money into it when there's going to be little to no return on investment. The technology is certainly capable of fitting into the package required.
12-02-2017, 07:40 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by Vicioustuna2012 Quote
The technology is certainly capable of fitting into the package required.
Source? Sorry, but I find that impossible to believe. If nothing else how are you going to sandwich the sensor into the area that used to hold a thin sheet of film?
12-02-2017, 08:08 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by jatrax Quote
Source? Sorry, but I find that impossible to believe. If nothing else how are you going to sandwich the sensor into the area that used to hold a thin sheet of film?
I mean, just look at a GoPro...or any of the high end smartphones with 20mp cameras in them. Yes, the sensors aren't as large or high quality as those on a DSLR, but the tech is definitely possible. There's seemingly just little to no market for it, so no one is going to fund that. But, to say that it's technically impossible is not accurate at all.
12-03-2017, 09:36 AM - 1 Like   #13
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Well I took your OP stating a "35mm digital back" as asking for a 35mm sensor but I see that could be interpreted in different ways. I still maintain that it is not possible to:
1) Put a digital sensor in the same space the film plane occupied on a existing film camera
2) Connect the analog controls of a film camera to a digital back
3) Include both the electronics and any meaningful size battery in the space currently occupied by the film canister.

QuoteOriginally posted by Vicioustuna2012 Quote
I've actually been researching it a lot, and from what I've gathered, it's actually very possible to create such a device
Again please post a source, I am curious to see and read what made you think it could be done.
01-05-2018, 07:28 PM   #14
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The only issue I can see is iso, if you could sort the sensor out all would be good or have changeable sensors for the range of iso's because the camera already has shutter, aperture, the zx or mz models had the =/- capabilities so all that is needed is a data collection back you don't even need a screen but would be helpful. I have been hanging on to al my mz's in Oz/zx's in the states just for this but so many years on I guess with everything getting smaller someone might do it and these zx/mz-5 were the best film cameras ever made in my books. They could make one setup that could be adaptable to all camera back styles one does all old film cameras with different adapter plates/backs.

Or even a self developing film that you run through a film scanner would work then reuse it who knows what is around the corner.

Last edited by Kombivan; 01-05-2018 at 07:38 PM.
01-05-2018, 08:24 PM   #15
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I had several film bodies from several brands, including an SP-F. I find digital bodies better in every way except for the viewfinder, which I can't use for manual focusing - but I only have APS, not full frame digital. There was a mechanical appeal to older bodies that new cameras can't or don't seem to replicate, but in terms of functionality, newer is vastly better, and virtually nobody would sacrifice the functionality for mechanical appeal. The older bodies didn't have the number of input devices necessary for digital.
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