[stoppingdown]

A few days ago I ran into my old Nikon FG, a completely manual/mechanical camera that I bought, used, a couple of years before switching to digital. I used it for a short time, but I enjoyed shooting something, once in a while, with a totally mechanical gear. Then, of course, it started collecting dust. All of a sudden I thought about posting here a totally useless topic, just for chatting, about the possibility of having a digital back - with minimal electronics - to be used with such mechanical cameras. I don't think I'd even buy it (unless it was really cheap); just to guess why there are lots of out-of-mass-market, kickstarter-like projects around, and why not that one.


Et voilà, just read:

 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sam...35mm-analo

[JJ_SO]

Pity it's about a decade too late. I also don't see the advantage of going back to 8, 12 or 16 MP when you get a used 36 MP D800 for around 1000 bucks if you're lucky. Most of all, I'm afraid that bodies lying around for more than a decade will grow some mechanical issues.

 

On the other side: I saw a second hand Leica R8 with 4 lenses for around 1100.- I just doubt that this evoce will be available for many old bodies - there was never a standard for their backs.

[stoppingdown]

The design also looks cumbersome - can somebody explain (or guess) why they decided to go with a glass focusing screen, that is then projected on the sensor, instead of directly place the sensor in the place where film was?

 

PS I don't think is a matter of megapixels... one would go that route just for the fun of using an old camera...

[mst]

It's a matter of sensor size. They use a smartphone camera module (so tiny sensor) to photograph the glass screen.

[stoppingdown]

It's a matter of sensor size. They use a smartphone camera module (so tiny sensor) to photograph the glass screen.

 

Thanks. So it's a way to keep costs down. So, back to my original point, I suppose that a "regular" back, APS-C sensor would be way too expensive for the little niche of market of this thing.

[JJ_SO]

I was looking at Kickstarter. It might be a good sign if someone has a keyboard which never saw a cleaning cloth since it came out of the box, but I consider typing on it as disgusting and contagious, so I'll pass for sure.

 

So they're kind of photographing a matte screen with a cellphone lens? I double pass. 

 

Plus, the back doesn't look much smaller tahn of the IQ bacls for Phase One  :wacko: At least, you cannot use the viewfinder anymore.

[Rover]

This looks awkward in the extreme. Who might need it apart from those with hardcore cases of nostalgia when the used market is awash in second hand DSLRs?..  :blink:

[toni-a]

the problem, how would the camera know you are shooting ?

a more practical alternative: just use film, you can even scan to a RAW / DNG file

with film you might maybe not get the same quality but get  at least more enjoyment and you will notice  your keepers rate will rise a lot

[Arthur Macmillan]

The allure of the old 35mm cameras was their manual focusing using split screens and such.  If they gave you that it might be fun!

[obican]

Just shoot black and white film and develop it at home. It's not expensive, nor really cumbersome.