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[email protected] April 7th 07 03:28 AM

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.


ray April 7th 07 04:02 AM

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.


Pat April 7th 07 04:07 AM

Turning film cameras into digital cameras
 
On Apr 6, 10:28 pm, 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.


dj_nme April 7th 07 04:27 AM

Turning film cameras into digital cameras
 
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 he
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0209/02091903siliconfilmagain.asp
There has been no news on that front since 2002.
A quick search through Goolge.com yeilds this:
http://www.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.


[email protected] April 7th 07 05:05 AM

Turning film cameras into digital cameras
 
On Apr 7, 12:28 pm, 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.


Charles April 7th 07 05:05 AM

Turning film cameras into digital cameras
 
On 6 Apr 2007 19:28:31 -0700, 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.



Sounds like the old "silicon film."

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0109/01...mvaporizes.asp

Chuck April 7th 07 05:11 AM

Turning film cameras into digital cameras
 
Companies would rather sell you a new camera and lenses!
There were a limited number of digital converter backs a few years ago.
I did see notices that they were being discontinued from several of the
mfrs.

"Charles" wrote in message
...
On 6 Apr 2007 19:28:31 -0700, 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.



Sounds like the old "silicon film."

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0109/01...mvaporizes.asp




David J. Littleboy April 7th 07 08:13 AM

Turning film cameras into digital cameras
 

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.

http://auction-team.de/new_highlights/2003_10/045.htm
http://rlfc.world.coocan.jp/PlaywBod...ollei3003.html

I doubt anyone'll do it though.

David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan



Malcolm Stewart April 7th 07 08:27 AM

Turning film cameras into digital cameras
 
wrote in message
oups.com...
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...


Google for Leica's DMR. There's a post today on the AP bulletin board
suggesting that it's now been discontinued.

--
M Stewart
Milton Keynes, UK



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com


Michael J Davis April 7th 07 10:21 AM

Turning film cameras into digital cameras
 
observed
On Apr 7, 12:28 pm, 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".



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