This site requires new users to accept that a small amount of member data is captured and held in an attempt to reduce spammers and to manage users. This site also uses cookies to ensure ease of use. In order to comply with new DPR regulations you are required to agree/disagree with this process. If you do not agree then please email the Admins using info@nikondslr.uk after requesting a new account. Thank you.

 Moderated by: chrisbet, Page:    1  2  Next Page Last Page  
Is this a distraction or a temptation.   -   Page   1
"I'm Back" digital MF back  Rate Topic 
AuthorPost



Posted: Sat Jul 20th, 2019 05:09
 
1st Post
jk



Joined: Sun Apr 1st, 2012
Location: Carthew, Cornwall, United Kingdom
Posts: 6987
Status: 
Offline
If you had a old film MF camera would this tempt you?

https://www.dpreview.com/news/2243143760/im-back-mf-is-a-400-digital-back-for-analog-medium-format-cameras


My feeling is that 16MP is OK but if it was 24MP and also preferably on a larger sensor it might be more tempting.



____________________
Still learning after all these years!
https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none
 




Posted: Sat Jul 20th, 2019 09:46
 
2nd Post
Iain



Joined: Thu Apr 5th, 2012
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
Posts: 1487
Status: 
Offline
Wouldn't tempt me sensor is too small.

 




Posted: Sun Jul 21st, 2019 03:28
 
3rd Post
Gilbert Sandberg

 

Joined: Mon Apr 16th, 2012
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 196
Status: 
Offline
JK,
I agree, especially on sensor sizes.
Also I would not support the venture of producing an item like that back.
I do own some (collectable 6x6) Bronica but I would not invest in any digital back for it, regardless of the price, unless the sensor was of appropriate size (55x55).
Anyone who wants to use aged 6x6/6x7 gear would be served better by using any of the current film-scanners.

One general remark: we have read about many attempts at after-market "affordable" digital backs, has anyone seen any succesful attempts ?
Regards, Gilbert

 




Posted: Sun Jul 21st, 2019 16:27
 
4th Post
GeoffR

 

Joined: Wed Apr 11th, 2012
Location: Denham, United Kingdom
Posts: 301
Status: 
Offline
Basically a camera taking a picture of a screen on which the image from the lens of the host body is focused. This means that the focused image is quite dim and thus the sensitivity of the camera in the back needs to be appropriately high. The images on the linked page seem to show vignetting which would need to be corrected, preferably by the back.

I'm not tempted by this one any more than I was by the 35mm version. My only remaining film cameras are a pair of F5s, for which there is no back available. When I used one a couple of years back to check the calibration of a Pentax ME Super I discovered that AF has come a long way since 1996.

Nice idea but for me it appears to fall some way short of matching the performance of these cameras with film and a good scanner.

 




Posted: Sun Jul 21st, 2019 17:19
 
5th Post
jk



Joined: Sun Apr 1st, 2012
Location: Carthew, Cornwall, United Kingdom
Posts: 6987
Status: 
Offline
I think the products flatters to deceive.
I would want at least a 44x33mm but preferably a 60x60mm sensor (mega costly) and at least 24MP to be interested.



____________________
Still learning after all these years!
https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none
 




Posted: Sun Jul 21st, 2019 17:53
 
6th Post
Robert



Joined: Sun Apr 1st, 2012
Location: South Lakeland, UK
Posts: 4066
Status: 
Offline
Missing the boat comes to mind.

Like Geoff remarks, film and a scanner would be a much better way of using old cameras in the digital age.

You can buy a lot of film for the cost of a good digital body.



____________________
Robert.

 




Posted: Tue Jul 23rd, 2019 04:48
 
7th Post
jk



Joined: Sun Apr 1st, 2012
Location: Carthew, Cornwall, United Kingdom
Posts: 6987
Status: 
Offline
Well there was a subtle hint on my thoughts about this in the Topic heading.
I used the word "Distraction" first!. :-)



____________________
Still learning after all these years!
https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none
 




Posted: Tue Jul 23rd, 2019 05:57
 
8th Post
Robert



Joined: Sun Apr 1st, 2012
Location: South Lakeland, UK
Posts: 4066
Status: 
Offline
'All' it needs is a 24x36 sensor which is thin enough to fit between the film/image mask and the spring back plate in almost any film camera to achieve this but in who's interest?  It would need considerable investment, be an expensive device and would produce, at best a primitive digital camera, no better than the original camera, except it would provide digital files instead of slides or negatives.

For the retro enthusiast there is still the 'df', sworn by - by some, ignored by others.

Digital cameras have moved photography forward so much, I don't see any point in trying to resuscitate old technology, especially with such a crude approach.  You can still buy film, the guy who used to process my films still processes but offers to digitise the images for the same cost as printing a set of proof prints. Used to be a tenner.



____________________
Robert.

 




Posted: Tue Jul 23rd, 2019 11:55
 
9th Post
GeoffR

 

Joined: Wed Apr 11th, 2012
Location: Denham, United Kingdom
Posts: 301
Status: 
Offline
Robert wrote:
'All' it needs is a 24x36 sensor which is thin enough to fit between the film/image mask and the spring back plate in almost any film camera to achieve this but in who's interest?  It would need considerable investment, be an expensive device and would produce, at best a primitive digital camera, no better than the original camera, except it would provide digital files instead of slides or negatives.

For the retro enthusiast there is still the 'df', sworn by - by some, ignored by others.

Digital cameras have moved photography forward so much, I don't see any point in trying to resuscitate old technology, especially with such a crude approach.  You can still buy film, the guy who used to process my films still processes but offers to digitise the images for the same cost as printing a set of proof prints. Used to be a tenner.

I have to agree with that, since 2000ish cameras have improved markedly. AF is faster and more accurate, high ISO noise has reduced and metering is more consistent. Who would want to go back to a film body to produce digital files?

OK I can see that for those who love their MF lenses and manual exposure modern cameras are not ideal. The tripe I have heard about using a current Nikon in manual exposure mode is frightening, simply select M and use the command dials, if that's too complicated then you might as well go back to film too.

 




Posted: Tue Jul 23rd, 2019 13:55
 
10th Post
Robert



Joined: Sun Apr 1st, 2012
Location: South Lakeland, UK
Posts: 4066
Status: 
Offline
The vast majority of my photography is with older manual focus lenses and manual control of exposure.  Not just because I'm too tight to buy modern lenses but because they are in my opinion better in many ways.  To use a modern lens with manual focus is somewhere between not easy and almost impossible, depending on the lens.  With most of the old MF lenses it's a pleasure.

The splash screen has taken to kicking in again...

I suppose for people with low expectations, a digital back might be fun but not really compatible with most serious photographers.  I read complaints about the image quality and functionality of current top cameras so I don't give a cobbled together accessory from a start up venture much of a chance, the paying public can be a bit fussy.



____________________
Robert.

 

Reply
1st new
This is topic ID = 1724     Current time is 22:15 Page:    1  2  Next Page Last Page    
Nikon DSLR Forums > Camera and Lens Forums > Camera Accessories and Extras. > Is this a distraction or a temptation. Top

Users viewing this topic

Post quick reply

Go to top
Go to end
Messages
Home
Recent topics
Unread posts
Last posts
Splash

Current theme is Modern editor



A small amount of member data is captured and held in an attempt to reduce spammers and to manage users. This site also uses cookies to ensure ease of use. In order to comply with new DPR regulations you are required to agree/disagree with this process. If you do not agree then please email the Admins using info@nikondslr.uk Thank you.


Hosted by Octarine Services

UltraBB 1.173 Copyright © 2008-2025 Data 1 Systems
Page processed in 0.0676 seconds (67% database + 33% PHP). 81 queries executed.