Digitalize your favourite film camera
15:47
What if you could pick up that old gear you used to love photographing with, but just can’t be bothered to use because of the hassle of using film over digital? Surely a thought that has crossed the minds of many of us who think that all that really was essential in a camera body had already peaked by the late 70’s.
Well, there was actually an attempt at a concept enabling you to do just that. Back in 1998 a company called Imagek (later Silicon Film) introduced a digital film concept.
Dpreview hosts an article, dated 1999, containing images of a prototype and the specs. A digital film cassette than can store 24 images, designed to fit common professional and prosumer camera bodies and equipped with a sensor boasting a whopping 1.3 megapixels!
A post on photo.net from 2004 includes a brochure like image for yet another prototype mockup. The thread also contains a good summation describing the general atmosphere surrounding the project:
It isnt vaporware; more like no taxes; peace in the middle east; the 100MPG carburetor; the paperless office or paperless bathroom; a woman who has only one pair of shoes; kids who dont ask for money; etc.
Whether or not it was ever more than a joke is hard to say, but, sadly, this dream will probably never be a reality.
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7 Responses to “Digitalize your favourite film camera”
Very interesting. If there’s a market for digital cameras that resemble 70’s snapshots (and 8mm film), the Zumi, why wouldn’t there be a market for digitizing your old film gear (even if the quality wasn’t that good)? Digital film would be something for Lomo, perhaps?
Comment by pni — 05.10.2009 16:55
I agree completely. I love to use my old gear, and even though I use film mostly because it allows me to work in a traditional wet darkroom, I wouldn’t mind having a digital roll of film to use every once in a while.
And I would absolutely use it in my Lomo.
Comment by nikc — 05.10.2009 22:25
Muistan aikoinani innokkaasti odottaneeni tätä vimpainta kun digijärkkärit olivat vielä jotain muuta kuin kuluttajatuotteita.
Comment by janne — 05.10.2009 23:25
Siis nimenomaan tätä, vai haaveilitko vain että joku keksisi tällaisen? Itse kuulin tästä vasta eilen…
Comment by nikc — 06.10.2009 14:19
Juuri tätä – tai ainakin täysin samalla periaatteella toimivaa – filmin tilalle heitettävää modulia. Nimestä en nyt mene takuuseen, kun siitä on jo kymmmmmmmenen vuotta.
Comment by janne — 06.10.2009 20:56
Eiköhän se ollut sama sitten, en ainakaan onnistunut hakemalla löytämään muita yrittäjiä.
Comment by nikc — 07.10.2009 09:53
[…] promises to deliver what Silicon couldn't. The sub full-frame sensor is a bit of a let down, but the prospect of having all that film gear […]
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