Amazing! This guy turned a Konica S3 into a digital rangefinder.

citizen99 said:
I like the completely simple, manual, ability with a purely mechanical film camera to:
- choose film ISO
- select shutter speed directly, not automatically or via a menu
- select aperture directly, not automatically or via a menu
- focus directly, manually

So in a digital back add-on, I would look for:
- A control to set the ISO
- A button to 'Save to Memory'

Simples (at least in principle) 😉. But I don't see a 'market' for it.
I believe (others may correct me or give detail on this) that it is possible to get effective emulation of this in some high-end digital camera(s), but at a cost way out of consideration for me. Especially as I am most interested in MF.
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I and I think many with us, would also like to see those simple qualities in a digital camera.
But this guy does not really describe he coupled i.e. iso etc. of the Konica with the digital parts. Maybe it is a bit too good to be true. I wonder if it's a hoax.
Frank
 
Very cool from a technical standpoint, but that seems like an insane amount of work and trial and error. Obviously not something that would be a commercially viable thing.

At the end of the day, if he's basically shoving a compact camera in a rangefinder body… wouldn't it be easier to produce a rangefinder bodykit and lens mount to fit over a mirrorless body? That way you could pick your vintage lens without an insane amount of soldering and such.

Still, a really neat item.
 
I am applying with a group of people for a grant to give out 3D printers to all schools in several Florida counties so that kids integrate technology into learning science. This technology is really useful.
 
This innovation will not be appealing to every person who wants a camera. It is welcomed here so much by RF users who want to use again film cameras as digital cameras, but a company that makes cameras may have a different perspective on the business side of it all.

Am I wrong here? Maybe I am.
 
I wonder what the costs was for converting the S3 from film to digital (material and labor). If the cost was very high, then maybe this innovation will be less likely to turn into a wide spread business venture. It would be AWESOME if this innovation results in us having the capability of using our favorite film cameras as excellent digital cameras. Could IS be added?
 
Merlijn53 said:
What puzzles me is that so many people here would like their analog cameras to be adapted to digital in this way. I mean, most of us like film and film cameras and if we want to use digital, we get a digital camera, so why sacrifice one of our beloved analog cameras to make it digital?
Frank
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Because;

We want a digital camera to feel and handle like the film cameras we love and have become accustomed to. A direct shutter speed ring that only controls shutter speed. An aperture ring on the lens that controls the aperture only (with nice click half stops). A ISO dial that only only sets ISO. A brilliant uncluttered reflex (and interchangeable) viewing screen that snaps into focus with manual focus lenses. In a word, I want it to feel, handle and focus just like my OM-1n, but have the option of digital. That's where an interchangeable back comes in. If you can unclip the film back and clip on a Recordata back that communicates with the camera via contacts in the camera than why not a digital back. Leave off the filter stack if you need to clear the shutter curtains.


PS No! that thinly disguised, oversize, and button encrusted Nikon DSLR is not an FM2n that shoots digital.
 
When I saw the thread, I thought I was in for another camera covered with duct tape and blobs of epoxy putty, but nope, he really did it right!
 
I can get a new Olympus EP2 (or later model) for less than $400. I then use my Leica or Zeiss lenses on it. It is difficult to beat such a set-up in cost.
 
This is fantastic!

I completely applaud the thought and work that went into this, It's certainly beyond anything I could manage.

Only complaint is that he made the back left handed.
 
zuiko85 said:
Because;

We want a digital camera to feel and handle like the film cameras we love and have become accustomed to. A direct shutter speed ring that only controls shutter speed. An aperture ring on the lens that controls the aperture only (with nice click half stops). A ISO dial that only only sets ISO. A brilliant uncluttered reflex (and interchangeable) viewing screen that snaps into focus with manual focus lenses. In a word, I want it to feel, handle and focus just like my OM-1n, but have the option of digital. That's where an interchangeable back comes in. If you can unclip the film back and clip on a Recordata back that communicates with the camera via contacts in the camera than why not a digital back. Leave off the filter stack if you need to clear the shutter curtains.


PS No! that thinly disguised, oversize, and button encrusted Nikon DSLR is not an FM2n that shoots digital.
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+1

Have to agree with Fred, the current Digital M's are as close as anyone has gotten.

If you could drop a 1/4 mm or so on each side of the frame I bet you could build a very nice system to custom building true digital additions to analog bodies. I wonder if there is an open source chip set to deal with ASA/ISO, battery condition and memory space. Shoot RAW all the time. No LCD or buttons other than I/O.

I bet you could sell a 16MB full frame-ish mode for $700 USD with the customer supplying the body.

I like to think of that poor attempt by Nikon as having been Be-Dazzled.....
 
I wonder whether this gentleman will next modify other film cameras or not. Maybe he should be invited to join RFF as a member?
 
Wouter said:
I'd be interested in a converted slr or rangefinder without the lcd screen, but with a usb port to attach an external screen.
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Or a tiny screen like that on my Canon 10D, just for making sure you got the shot. No need for live view, since you never had it on the unaltered body. A real digital OM1/2.
 
raid said:
I wonder whether this gentleman will next modify other film cameras or not. Maybe he should be invited to join RFF as a member?
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I think he could be invited by rff to engage in a discussion that aims to develop concepts for the conversion of several cameras, as well as the concept for a start-up company. I believe this community has the interest, knowledge, demand and (hmm) capital to help him getting this on the road. I would really like to talk about concepts for Leica M, Olympus OM, Minolta XE series, Pentax Spotmatics, Canon P, Nikon S, etc.. Ever heard of the term 'disruptive technology' ... This might be a bridge technology, right ..
 
There have been attempts by Nikon and by Leica (2012). There is also a guy in the UK who is claiming to have a conversion for SLR cameras.
 
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