LEX the new E-Mount Film Camera

[farmersteve]

This could be interesting if they can pull it off! I have a bunch of e-mount lenses... http://www.lexoptical.com/index.html

 

[WilmarcoImaging]

Interesting. To me I am seeing an A7 that uses film instead of having a sensor.

 

[Paul Howell]

Not sure how they think it will work, E mount replaces both the mirror and film with a sensor, I don't see how the user will be able to view for focus. Maybe a modified translucent mirror, 90% of the light going to the film and 10% to a EVF.

 

[Richard Man]

Yet another "hey we can write code with an Arduino so we can make a camera!"

Focusing, shutter, all the boring bits will kill this one as well. At least now we naysayers can point to that REFLEX KickStarter as "see, we told you so, and we will tell you again."

 

[removed account4]

This could be interesting if they can pull it off! I have a bunch of e-mount lenses... http://www.lexoptical.com/index.html

i thought the world didnt need anymore 35mm cameras ?
looks cool though .. and i don't even know what an emount lens is ..!

 

[Cholentpot]

Not sure how they think it will work, E mount replaces both the mirror and film with a sensor, I don't see how the user will be able to view for focus. Maybe a modified translucent mirror, 90% of the light going to the film and 10% to a EVF.

Rangefinder?

 

[Wallendo]

Rangefinder?

Sony e-mount (formerly known as NEX lenses would not support any rangefinder functions. They also require an electronic linkage to set the aperture. In fact, my e-mount lens doesn’t even have focusing distances on the lens. An e-mount body is probably too thin to support Sony’s SLT mirrors.

It would be great if they could make this work, but I don’t see how it is possible. Fortunately for me, I still have several Minolta a-mount cameras which work well. I do own a Sony NEX, which is a very thin camera. Once a lens is added, most of the advantages of a thin camera are lost.

 

[Cholentpot]

Sony e-mount (formerly known as NEX lenses would not support any rangefinder functions. They also require an electronic linkage to set the aperture. In fact, my e-mount lens doesn’t even have focusing distances on the lens. An e-mount body is probably too thin to support Sony’s SLT mirrors.

It would be great if they could make this work, but I don’t see how it is possible. Fortunately for me, I still have several Minolta a-mount cameras which work well. I do own a Sony NEX, which is a very thin camera. Once a lens is added, most of the advantages of a thin camera are lost.

So point and shoot with integrated lens?

 

[AgX]

So far they made a type135 body with E/mount and some focal plane shutter.
Film is transported by turning knob and likely some advance control. Cocking will not be necessary as the shutter is motor driven.
A finder is lacking.
As they refer to film speed, there must be a meter already.


While LEX doesn't support DX coding you can select any ISO between 6 and 512,000.
I hope they will offer the respective film too ...

Did I overlook something so far?

 

[NortheastPhotographic]

It would almost certainly be scale focus, and it must be pointed out that many E mount lenses rely on digital correction to achieve the quality levels that are up to par. Thankfully Voigtlander is smart enough to make lenses that are available in both M and E mount. Just get an M4.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I'm an old dog that aspires to shoot more film than digital. The reality of my busy life that I don't have the luxury of darkroom time and digital cameras, mainly my phone camera is the one I shoot with the most. I love to travel and I shoot a mix of film and a Sony NEX-6. I was blown away by my E Mount kit lens. I already have too many film cameras that have good lenses, but I'm sure the E-Mount lenses will pair with film very well.

 

[AgX]

It would almost certainly be scale focus.

Yes, but still one would need a finder. And if that only would be a wire frame.

To my understanding the buyer is suppost to supply such himself. For instance an off the shelf accessory optical finder.

 

[cmacd123]

But the digital lenses do tell the camera the focal length and the distance they are focused. using a small mirror to run an auto focus system, or even push button range-finder manual focusing is possible in theory. the focal length could drive a moving mask, or even a zoom lens finder. the aperture is set electronically and could have a dial with a warning if you ask for a setting the lens can't do.

biggest technical snag is that many micro lenses only cover about a half frame area so the negatives would have to have big borders, or indeed the camera would have to be half frame.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

No worries, like the Reflex this one will spontaneously abort. Hopefully before it gets crowdfunded.

 

[Berri]

Not sure how they think it will work, E mount replaces both the mirror and film with a sensor, I don't see how the user will be able to view for focus. Maybe a modified translucent mirror, 90% of the light going to the film and 10% to a EVF.

a beam splitter like in movie cameras?

 

[penguin_man]

Hi, just wanna chime in, because i think a lot of people misunderstood projects like this.

Contrary to people here, i'm really looking forward to this project. Mainly because they're planning to open source their design and implementation. In a time where major camera producers aren't even thinking of introducing new film cameras, this is precisely what we need.

Give it enough time (+ sufficient adoption) and people will improve it. It may look dumb and crude at first, but things will get better. Just look at what Blender has achieved (its an open source 3d software).

I'm betting the future of film photography on projects like this, i'm not talking about 1 or 2 years from now where secondhand film cameras are still abundant, i'm talking about 8 to 15 years down the line where vintage cameras are getting harder to obtain and maintain (not to mention expensive). You also have to realize that educational institutions cant buy secondhand gear, and introducing film to new generations is high on my list. We need new film cameras, plain and simple.

'll be looking an eye on this (and also the other open source project :the PONF camera). PONF camera is also interesting, they're tackling it on the manufacturing front first by partnering with a few well known manufacturers.

A fully customisable and modular film camera with open source software that can be improved with a simple click is hugee on my book. You can probably even create an autofocus module using machine learning or something, the sky is the limit here. Things will improve over time. Thats why Tesla is so confident with their cars, they know that they can just update their cars with a simple OTA update.

yes, open source hardware is harder to do, but with the rapid improvements on manufacturing technology, this isn't that far fetched.

So, i'm really excited about this, and probably you should too.

 

[AgX]

penguin_man, welcome to Apug!

As you indicated we misunderstood the above project. Please explain to us what is actually offered.

This is what I understood out of it:

So far they made a type135 body with E/mount and some focal plane shutter.
Film is transported by turning knob and likely some advance control. Cocking will not be necessary as the shutter is motor driven.
A finder is lacking.
As they refer to film speed, there must be a meter already.

Did I overlook something so far?

 

[Chan Tran]

If I want another 35mm SLR it would be electronically controlled and yet full manual with no automation whatsoever. Not even a built in meter.

 

[mshchem]

F 100s are selling for $125 bucks . Why would anyone want something like this?

 

[jtk]

"LEX is designed to be so simple that with a 3D printer and a soldering iron you can build it yourself."

Will be fun for toy-camera-enthusiasts. Use of 3D printers is already available in many local DIY studios (like "internet cafes") for nominal prices.

 

[AgX]

Can I print the shutter too? That means I print the body and knobs. They sell me the shutter and meter? The film counter too, or is that printed by myself?

I mean, 20 posts so far and I am still kind of clueless. Have I got my slow on the uptake days again?

 

[aleckurgan]

'll be looking an eye on this (and also the other open source project :the PONF camera). PONF camera is also interesting, they're tackling it on the manufacturing front first by partnering with a few well known manufacturers.
A fully customisable and modular film camera with open source software that can be improved with a simple click is hugee on my book. You can probably even create an autofocus module using machine learning or something, the sky is the limit here. Things will improve over time. Thats why Tesla is so confident with their cars, they know that they can just update their cars with a simple OTA update.
yes, open source hardware is harder to do, but with the rapid improvements on manufacturing technology, this isn't that far fetched.
So, i'm really excited about this, and probably you should too.

I think that PONF camera deserves a thread of its own: "35mm is just the beginning; by 2019 we plan to create backs to accommodate instant film, 120 film, and large format sheet film."
Dead Link Removed

 

[E. von Hoegh]

I think that PONF camera deserves a thread of its own: "35mm is just the beginning; by 2019 we plan to create backs to accommodate instant film, 120 film, and large format sheet film.35mm is just the beginning; by 2019 we plan to create backs to accommodate instant film, 120 film, and large format sheet film."
Dead Link Removed

Wow! I can now get rid of my Nikons, Rolleis, Linhof, and Deardorff and do it all with one SLR... 35mm SLR.

Yes, it certainly needs a thread of it's own.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Rangefinder?

Not likely, there's no way to mecanically couple the lens.

 

[ic-racer]

Is this an April's fool joke? If not, what a piece of junk.