digipod

cliveh · Jul 29, 2017

I thought this was interesting if perfected to a high enough quality:-

https://www.digitaltrends.com/photography/digipod-turns-your-film-slr-into-digital/

Prof_Pixel · Jul 29, 2017

Oh my ,,, this has been tried/claimed many times since the mid-1990s.

Ian Grant · Jul 29, 2017

Every time its similar precursors have been almost marketable they have been been so out of date that no one would buy them.

Ian

Sirius Glass · Jul 29, 2017

I heard that they make good door stops and book ends.

Chan Tran · Jul 29, 2017

Even if it's only something like 6MP and only shooting with low enough noise at ISO 100 it's still good but it's must be 35mm full frame. Any smaller format then it's not like shooting film any more.

Sirius Glass · Jul 29, 2017

It is not like shooting film anymore. That is the point; it is not shooting film.

cliveh · Jul 29, 2017

But it could mean a use or film cameras when film is no longer available.

Sirius Glass · Jul 29, 2017

cliveh said:
But it could mean a use or film cameras when film is no longer available.

No need, there are already several digital backs for Hasselblads. For 35mm when the time comes buy a digital camera and continue using the same lenses.

Paul Howell · Jul 29, 2017

The post if dated 2013, as far as I know never made it to market. The Leica RD had a digital back, some early Kodak modified N90 Nikons also had a film back, so it not impossible, just don't see the market.

Ko.Fe. · Jul 29, 2017

I was the one to post it on RFF, as comment, not thread. But, here on APUG, could you, OP, hold it next time? Please. I'm on APUG to not to re-read this. Go DPUG for it.

Chan Tran · Jul 29, 2017

Sirius Glass said:
No need, there are already several digital backs for Hasselblads. For 35mm when the time comes buy a digital camera and continue using the same lenses.

Although there are many backs for the Hasselblad all of them are smaller than the film. Why don't they make it the same size. I don't ask for more MP just the same size as the film so that when you switch from the film back to the digital back your lens still works the same.

TheRook · Jul 29, 2017

With this gadget, one can pretend to shoot film.
But I'd much rather skip all the pretending nonsense and just shoot film! Why pretend when you can do it for real?

ac12 · Jul 30, 2017

Chan Tran said:
Although there are many backs for the Hasselblad all of them are smaller than the film. Why don't they make it the same size. I don't ask for more MP just the same size as the film so that when you switch from the film back to the digital back your lens still works the same.

The larger the sensor the higher the cost.
First, you obviously get less devices out of a single silicon waffer. So each device costs more, given a fixed cost per waffer.
2nd, in general, larger devices have a lower yield rate, because of defects. This relates to the first item.

Numbers that follow is for illustration only, not actual production numbers, because I have no idea what the cost of a single waffer is, nor the current yield statistics.

If you can make 100 DX size senors out of one waffer, you may be able make only 40 FX size sensors. The waffer size is constant, so the larger the sensor, the less sensors can be made out of the waffer. Divide cost of $5,000 per waffer by the number of sensors per waffer. The DX sensor would be $50, and the FX sensor $125. The larger sensors will cost more per sensor.

Now add failure rate. So if you have a 30% failure rate, you get 70 DX sensors @ $71, but only 28 FX sensors @ $179. The unit cost goes up because you have to divide the cost of the waffer by a smaller number of good sensors.
In actuality it is harder to get a GOOD large IC than a smaller IC. Because the larger IC has X times more area than the smaller IC, it is X times more likely to have a failure. At least this is how it was explained to me by an IC manufacturing engineer.

You can run the exercise for any size sensor, and do the math with the same results, the larger the sensor, the higher the cost of each sensor.

I would love to have a full 6x6 format sensor for my Hasselblad, but I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for it, nor pay the $$$$$$ for one.
Similarly the large format guys would love a 4x5 sensor, but you would only get ONE sensor out of a 7" waffer. Any defect in that sensor and it is gone. The production yield would be terrible.

Sirius Glass · Jul 30, 2017

Sirius Glass said:
No need, there are already several digital backs for Hasselblads. For 35mm when the time comes buy a digital camera and continue using the same lenses.

Chan Tran said:
Although there are many backs for the Hasselblad all of them are smaller than the film. Why don't they make it the same size. I don't ask for more MP just the same size as the film so that when you switch from the film back to the digital back your lens still works the same.

Because digital is still not at the place it needs to be to replace film. Not resolution. Not sensor size. Not in dynamic range. Come back to talk to me when digital can compete with film on an equal basis.

eddie · Jul 30, 2017

Sirius Glass said:
Come back to talk to me when digital can compete with film on an equal basis.

I don't think it ever will. Not because it can't/won't in terms of measurable results, but because those that are drawn to film are drawn to it for reasons beyond the measurable. We like the lack of instant gratification, the tactile experience, the "rediscovery" which comes from seeing negatives on a lightbox, the patience required, among other attributes unique to film/darkroom.

Sirius Glass · Jul 30, 2017

I agree for those and other reasons.

Chan Tran · Jul 30, 2017

I am very much interested and not at all at the same time. I am interested only if it's full size. If he wants to use a smaller sensor put it in a smaller camera like Kodak disc then I am interested. The 35mm camera should shoot 35mm media whether it's film or digital.

Jim Jones · Jul 31, 2017

A 35mm film camera should shoot film. Period. Improvising a digital adaptor to one is rather like adding a huge luggage rack to a BMW just to haul junk around.

OptiKen · Jul 31, 2017

Kind of like putting wheels on a horse.
I think it's missing the point of why we even have film cameras in the first place.

AgX · Jul 31, 2017

Chan Tran said:
Why don't they make it the same size. I don't ask for more MP just the same size as the film so that when you switch from the film back to the digital back your lens still works the same.

As others said, this had already been tried. One problem is that the digitized type 135 casette has to commuinicate with the camera. Anyway, that cassette had been introduced, modified, but never got onto sale.

Chan Tran · Jul 31, 2017

AgX said:
As others said, this had already been tried. One problem is that the digitized type 135 casette has to commuinicate with the camera. Anyway, that cassette had been introduced, modified, but never got onto sale.

Many has been tried but none attempt to use a sensor the same size as the 35mm film. In my opinion it's not worth it unless one can use the 35mm FF sensor.

AgX · Jul 31, 2017

Chan Tran said:
Many has been tried but none attempt to use a sensor the same size as the 35mm film. In my opinion it's not worth it unless one can use the 35mm FF sensor.

It had been tried, over some years. And even discussed here years ago.
It was a container of the shape of a type 135 cassette, containing the electronics, and a sheet of the shape of a film strip sticking out, containing the sensor. Latest model resolution was 10MP.
The unit had to be dedicated to a certain camera model.
Well, it was in pre-Kickstarter times... actually around the turn of the century.

Chan Tran · Aug 1, 2017

AgX said:
It had been tried, over some years. And even discussed here years ago.
It was a container of the shape of a type 135 cassette, containing the electronics, and a sheet of the shape of a film strip sticking out, containing the sensor. Latest model resolution was 10MP.
The unit had to be dedicated to a certain camera model.
Well, it was in pre-Kickstarter times... actually around the turn of the century.

Does it have a full frame sensor?

Sirius Glass · Aug 1, 2017

Chan Tran said:
Does it have a full frame sensor?

Even if it did, it would not and could not match the resolution, tonality and dynamic range of print film, so basically who gives a _____ [insert favorite expletive here]?

Chan Tran · Aug 2, 2017

Sirius Glass said:
Even if it did, it would not and could not match the resolution, tonality and dynamic range of print film, so basically who gives a _____ [insert favorite expletive here]?

Oh I said in the beginning that I don't care much for quality. I just want a full frame sensor so that the lens would match. A 6MP sensor and only ISO 100 is OK for me but the sensor must be the same size as the 35mm frame otherwise it's not a 35mm camera and all the lenses are wrong.

digipod

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