If you are thinking "Yeah, sure! That would be right!!". Then I don't blame you because that is what I thought when I read the email from B&H today. But I think it could be true. There is a universal digital back and a range of camera backs that replace the camera's rear door. There are 29 specific camera backs here: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/sear..._source=Newsletter+190313&utm_content=Retail& And the universal digital back is here: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/sear..._source=Newsletter+190313&utm_content=Retail& I don't know how well it all works but if someone has invested the R&D and manufacturing to get to this point then maybe it does work. I'll let others test it out!
Ray please excuse me if I sound a bit elitist but the reason I shoot film is I like the hands on approach to developing, printing and enlarging my photos. I know it is messy, time consuming and you have to get rid of the used chemicals safely but I like the tactile feel of producing a print compared to using a computer and printing it out. As you know I use both film and digital. Then again if they had a digital back that acted like a 5D mark 4 This is something that I could be interested in.
I'm sure Ray was posting this as fun and informational, not to take away from why any of us shoot film. It is an interesting idea to be able to get digital captures from old film systems. They clearly are marketing to some of the most popular old 35mm bodies. It would be fun to try out but not sure i want to put the money into it for my old K mounts. Note: I could relocate the thread to Canon Film SLRs or even General off topic since it is more about the film cameras instead of film photography, but also is available for other brands.
I know and I do have a lot of respect for Ray, if we take what we are interested too seriously it what would be the fun in being on this forum.
Hi Johnsey, Please relocate the thread if you feel it should be in another subject area. Maybe even duplicate it if that is possible.
Craig, I certainly do not think that you sound elitist because you still like shooting film. I know well the joy that comes from being involved in the process from start to finish. It is exhilarating. However, for my own personal reasons I have decided to shoot only digital nowadays but I still have two Spotmatics that I will never part with for sentimental reasons and they are unlikely to see any action again with film. For many years I ran the Spotmatic Forum on Yahoo and one of the guys I met there had one of the best collections of Spotmatics and Takumar lenses that you could imagine and one of his dreams was to have a digital back to put on a Spotmatic. I always thought that it would not happen. Sadly he is no longer with us but it looks like his dream has now come true and I know that he would have been one of the first to try it out. I am still trying to get my head around whether it is a genuine product that really works. But I don't think that B&H would be selling it if it didn't. What do you all reckon?
Ray I have only just got hold of a Spotmatic 2, I will have to take the top of the camera off to access the prism to clean the bits of deteriorated light seal out of it that is on the focusing screen. the light seals need to be replaced as well as the mirror buffer pad.According to what I have seen on You Tube adhesive backed felt should work for the buffer and 4 ply cotton yarn for the light seals. Have you had any experience in this task ? Any assistance would help. Thanks Craig.
Craig, you have come to the right place. I purchased a supply of light seal material and buffer pad foam some years back and I still have most of it. I have more than I will ever need so you are welcome to some of it. Please send me your address in a private message and we can discuss there.
Coming to this thread a bit late - I would really like something like this if it was really suitable for any camera, since I sell a lot of used cameras and lenses and it would be great for test shots. Unfortunately as I understand it there are some snags; it won't work properly on cameras that have motorized film advance or electronics in the back door (for obvious reasons in the latter case), and someone I know who bought one told me that aligning it absolutely right is a pain. You only have to do it when you put it on a camera, but of course for my special needs that wouldn't help. Plus in the case of some common standards you can often get a low-specification digital body cheaper than the adapter to use the back on a film camera - for example, I've picked up an Eos 300D and a 350D in the last couple of weeks, both under £20 - much lower resolution than this adapter, of course, but certainly adequate for a few ebay ads. Having said that, it may well be a great idea for someone who wants to convert e.g. an F1 or a Leica to digital and continue to use a lens outfit, it just isn't suitable for my needs.
If it fitted inside without needing any mods to the camera I might consider it but it looks plain ugly plus I have read the resolution is not great. I don't know if thats true - its third hand. - but its so ugly I wouldn't care. I'll stick to polluting the planet with chemicals at home rather than have someone in China wreck the planet on a mega scale while making digital cameras
