He seemed far more interested in "proving" that it worked, than explaining what it did and how it worked. Instead, just try to understand that the roughly 7 billion people on this planet aren't all the same and don't all share your expectations and preferences. I think Leica planned to do a similar thing, one that would offer a choice though, when it produced its first digital rangefinder, but it apparently was not possible.ĭid some people hate Epson's decision, yes, and I can understand this, since different people want different things.Īgain, I would chose an FM2 over any DSLR if you can't understand why, so what. You're making the assumption that everyone cares about having the most up-to-date AF (read about the AF on rangefinders)…frankly, I love the fact that when Epson came out with the first digital rangefinder, the RD-1, it still had a frame advance lever.
DIGIPOD DIGITAL FILM SERIES
You're not everyone and it is not hard at all to imagine that some people who might already own a Leica M6 or a Nikon F series might want to slap in a high-quality, removable digital sensor. I don't know why anyone would want to put a digital sensor into an old film (non-medium-format) SLR, with outdated AF, internal structure (digital sensors don't need anything to advance film, but need more battery power), etc. Today's Lesson: A rangefinder is not a DSLR and vice versa. Nevertheless, nostalgia ergonomics existing inventory the curiosity factor of those on the more artistic side of this hobby/profession the perpetual stream of hipsters or other factors could possibly make this a worthwhile pursuit. And for pleasure of use and feel, I'll take my Nikon FM2 over any DSLR.Īgain, it would be niche at best, and certainly demand for such a device would be lower than it would have been a decade ago. Price a digital rangefinder these days ain't cheap. In such a case, it is not impossible that a profitable venture could emerge, albeit one that is extremely niche (Not everyone measures financial success by the billions).Ī number of folks still exist who enjoy film cameras because the cameras themselves possess qualities or a price tag not available in the digital domain. Let's even go so far to say that it is "full frame" and at least 20 megapixels. If he gets that money, and the project comes to fruition, it could mean new life for that Nikon F you picked up at that yard sale and never got around to using.Whether this specific device even materializes is still highly questionable, so the following hypothetically assumes that someone creates an affordable 'pod' (US$400 or less) that is compatible with 35mm film cameras. That said, even with all these questions, we really hope that Jackson gets funded. And frankly, we’d like to see a few more photos taken with the thing. Also, how does the sensor distinguish between shots - is it constantly powered up? And with such a small sensor, the focal length and DOF of your old lenses are going to be remarkably different. Getting the focal plane perfectly in place is potentially difficult, and not ever camera has the same amount of distance from the spool to where light hits the film. Jackson explains that the pod will let you set the ISO/ASA when you insert it, and you can account for different shutter types, too. We’re incredibly hopeful for what the DigiPod might be able to do - but there are still a lot of potential questions. If you want in, a DigiPod will start at £299, and we assume if the larger ones get made, they’ll cost more.
At 2000 backers, he’s planning a 1-inch sensor, and at 5,000 a 4/3rds sensor. Jackson’s prototype right now is just a 1/2.5-inch sensor, but he’s promising that if it gets fully funded with 1000 backers, it’ll jump to a 2/3-inch version.
With the DigiPod, it’s a small sensor placed in a 3D printed housing that mirrors the size and shape of a 35mm roll of film. But in this case, developer James Jackson seems to have a pretty concrete setup, with a working prototype and all. There’s also the RE 35 April Fools Joke that’s been doing the rounds for a while. More than a decade ago, a company called Silicon Film Technologies attempted it, but never managed to ship a product. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen concepts like this. And now, for the first time, it looks like someone’s actually managed to do it - and it’s called the DigiPod. A digital sensor that mimics the size and shape of a film cannister, so it could easily slip into most analog cameras, would mean giving new life to old gear. “Digital film” has long been something of a holy grail for photographers.
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