Reflex on Kickstarter

[jsrockit]

But for me this fails with the battery and a freaking arduino in a film camera. If there is something that I appreciate about film cameras it is that I don't need to charge them and if there is a battery in them it is enough to change it once a year.

If I'm going to be critical...this is it for me too. Seems like overkill, but then again... most people are used to charging things these days. I still think it is a cool project and even if I'm not going to buy it... I'm not going to be so cranky as to say it makes no sense.

By the way...

£99,222
pledged of £100,000 goal

 

[Axel]

So I do.

I think it is not possible to realise a pure mechanically camera with this budget.
And the aim of the project needs electronic anyway.

 

[Out to Lunch]

The project has reached its GBP 100,000 target.

 

[Huss]

And regardless of the specifics, what’s important is that campaigns like this help to prove the demand

The project has reached its GBP 100,000 target.

yup, so much for the curmudgeons.

 

[aizan]

lol, you're such a groupie, huss. not a bad thing in this case.

 

[jos58]

Being a film lover, I think this could be a very nice new slr.
My 'newest' film camera is about 35 years old, so I wouldn't mind something buying an actual new one.

 

[hamish_gill]

How so ?
Even if it did how do you expect that to translate ?

A larger film user base maybe .... I would be surprised.
I`ve been using film for over fifty years ....still do ....but I don`t see many of the current film community (as we apparently must refer to it) as showing any long term commitment.

I see a lot of trying to be different and fashionable posturing but little else that you would call sustainable over the medium to long term.

Clearly you are more optimistic .

I am - and I have no idea how you could possibly quantify your aspersions about users of film...?
Through my blog I hear from all sort of people ranging from new youngsters, to the elderly returning to film and everyone in between. These folks have vastly ranging styles and attitudes. This idea the new-to-film photographers are all in it for the fashion hipsters is myopic at best.

 

[Huss]

lol, you're such a groupie, huss. not a bad thing in this case.

I know, right?!
😉

It just gets me when film 'enthusiast' sites bemoan the death of film photography, then attack anything that would prevent that.
Misery loves company I guess...

Anyone can buy an old film camera, so what's the point of making a new copy of an old camera? This Reflex does bring new design to the table, as well as new hardware. How cool is this, that I can change film (easily) mid roll? That I can use countless lenses from different mfgs all on the same body? We've all heard the stories about buying a camera for the lens on it, cuz the camera was junk. I've found lenses at flea markets, and no matter how beaten up they were they always work. Bought them for pennies (ok $1..)

And the price point? It's fantastic. The last 'cheap' SLR was the plastic Nikon labelled FM10, and that cost more. And quite frankly using it was a sad homage to the better beginner cameras that came before.

$400 for an all new metal 35mm film SLR, with unique features is just outstanding.

 

[dmr]

I assume one market they're going for is people who have various lenses but no well-working bodies with which to use them.

One thing I did not see is anything that said the lenses would work with auto stop-down and wide-open metering and such.

I also did not see even a wild-guess price point. They said "accessible" which could mean anything between the price of a used Holga on Ebay or that of a high-end DSLR.

In any case I do wish them the best of luck.

 

[Huss]

I assume one market they're going for is people who have various lenses but no well-working bodies with which to use them.

One thing I did not see is anything that said the lenses would work with auto stop-down and wide-open metering and such.

I also did not see even a wild-guess price point. They said "accessible" which could mean anything between the price of a used Holga on Ebay or that of a high-end DSLR.

In any case I do wish them the best of luck.

All the info is on their kickstarter page. Prices, functionality etc.

https://www.kickstarter.com/project...ging-back-the-analogue-slr-camera/description

 

[BillBingham2]

With the Internet opening up niche markets around the world, projects like this can be successful. Time will tell if they make a larger go of this (e.g. electronic control in modules to give you auto aperture, Lord knows they have the space for it!).

Part of the beauty of KickStarter is that it does your first round of surveys. Not perfect but if you plan it right it really can be VERY helpful.

I'm excited about the offering, though I have no money to spend these days so I can't help out.

B2 (;->

 

[Michael Markey]

I am - and I have no idea how you could possibly quantify your aspersions about users of film...?
Through my blog I hear from all sort of people ranging from new youngsters, to the elderly returning to film and everyone in between. These folks have vastly ranging styles and attitudes. This idea the new-to-film photographers are all in it for the fashion hipsters is myopic at best.

Pleased to hear it.

 

[aizan]

One thing I did not see is anything that said the lenses would work with auto stop-down and wide-open metering and such.

like most adapters, the i-plates do not seem to offer full-aperture metering. you're stuck with stop-down metering.

i think the fact that they gloss over this spec is a sign that they're targeting the reflex to newcomers who aren't familiar with old-fashioned lingo and how manual focus slr lenses work.

and what the heck is "DOF: inverted preview"? they probably just mean that it has a DOF preview button.

looks like they updated the specs today. i was worried that viewfinder coverage would be low due to the mirror box having to accommodate the shortest flange back distance, and it turns out that the coverage is a fairly low 90%.

 

[ptpdprinter]

and what the heck is "DOF: inverted preview"? they probably just mean that it has a DOF preview button.

I think what it means is you press the "inverted" DOF preview lever to open up the lens to focus. Otherwise, the lens is always stopped down for metering and exposure, which is pretty kludgy. But hey, it's new, so we should all praise it and jump on board. I think users are going to be shooting wide open at fast shutter speeds most of the time to avoid the inconvenience, so there will be a lot of talk about bokeh, which will make it seem even cooler.

 

[Huss]

and what the heck is "DOF: inverted preview"? they probably just mean that it has a DOF preview button.

It shows the stopped down view as default, you push the button for it to open the lens to focus. Smart as this way you are always shooting at the intended aperture, w/o having to remember to stop down before you shoot.

 

[Huss]

I think what it means is you press the "inverted" DOF preview lever to open up the lens to focus. Otherwise, the lens is always stopped down for metering and exposure, which is pretty kludgy. But hey, it's new, so we should all praise it and jump on board.

No-one has a problem with adapting lenses on digital cameras using these methods. In fact they say how freakin' awesome it is that you can adapt any lens.
But now with a new film camera this all of a sudden becomes a problem? There is no other way to do this and have mount interchangeability.

 

[aizan]

It just gets me when film 'enthusiast' sites bemoan the death of film photography, then attack anything that would prevent that.

the way things are in this brave new world, i'm more into bemoaning the end of the post-digital golden age of camera collecting. we had it real good for a while, with low prices on great cameras.

a handful of sellers from japan have basically taken over the auction site, sweeping up the supply and raising prices.

aside from that, most of the new projects to revive film photography are targeted at a younger demographic: generation z. no duh the old guys are grumpy.

 

[ptpdprinter]

No-one has a problem with adapting lenses on digital cameras using these methods. In fact they say how freakin' awesome it is that you can adapt any lens.
But now with a new film camera this all of a sudden becomes a problem? There is no other way to do this and have mount interchangeability.

I use a mirrorless camera and the EVF automatically adjusts so that the viewfinder always stays bright. I don't know how DSLR users feel about it or how they adjust their shooting style to cope with it.

 

[ptpdprinter]

It shows the stopped down view as default, you push the button for it to open the lens to focus. Smart as this way you are always shooting at the intended aperture, w/o having to remember to stop down before you shoot.

Most lenses have had automatic apertures since the early 1960s so you didn't need to remember to stop down. It hasn't been an issue for the past 50 years. I remember what a revelation it was when I upgraded from my Dad's old Exakta VX he bought during the Korean War to a modern Pentax in 1973. I wouldn't want to go back at this stage. The only things modern about this camera are the electronic shutter and non-replaceable rechargeable battery. Would button cells (or even AAs) have been a better choice so you are not left stranded when the battery dies?

 

[aizan]

I think what it means is you press the "inverted" DOF preview lever to open up the lens to focus. Otherwise, the lens is always stopped down for metering and exposure, which is pretty kludgy. But hey, it's new, so we should all praise it and jump on board. I think users are going to be shooting wide open at fast shutter speeds most of the time to avoid the inconvenience, so there will be a lot of talk about bokeh, which will make it seem even cooler.

oh, gotcha. so the button is really more for "full-aperture focusing," not so much for DOF preview. 😎