A digital back for your old 35mm slr.

[Flynn]

Nikon seem to be toying with the idea.

http://www.petapixel.com/2012/12/17/nikon-patent-shows-a-back-for-turning-film-slrs-into-digital-cameras/

[Charlotte]

By the time anyone gets this working and to market, all the old SLRs will be junk anyway 

Much as I'd like to revive a lovely old Nikon, I suspect that it'll be much less hassle to just buy a new D900, D500 or whatever the latest whizzbang happens to be...

[Gus]

Junk  I would still love one for my F75

[clarion]

Do you think they'd do one for an SP?

[Flynn]

By the time anyone gets this working and to market, all the old SLRs will be junk anyway 

Much as I'd like to revive a lovely old Nikon, I suspect that it'll be much less hassle to just buy a new D900, D500 or whatever the latest whizzbang happens to be...

You're forgetting that even though production ended earlier this year Nikon still sell a film slr, the F6, and the F5 is hardly long in the tooth. There are many of those still in regular use. I even have an F2 that is in perfect working condition. If Nikon produced digibacks for the F line they'd be onto a winner.

[perpetual dan]

I've got an FM2 that I'd love to turn digital. I suspect that clockwork to drive the digital gubbins is asking a bit much, and a pair of button cells won't last long, so I'm not sure where the batteries will go.

[Flynn]

I've got an FM2 that I'd love to turn digital. I suspect that clockwork to drive the digital gubbins is asking a bit much, and a pair of button cells won't last long, so I'm not sure where the batteries will go.

Same place a motor drive would go.

[Tewdric]

Some firm or other put some pictures of a mock up of something like his about ten years ago and it came o nothing.  My guess is Nikon have found someone is close to making it work and have bagged he patent to neutralise a potential threat to new digital camera sales. 

So, in other words, don't hold your breath..

[Jaded]

What would the lifespan of a film SLR be? Particularly a slightly more modern one with electronics?

I'd imagine an old manual one would need new light seals, and the shutter would slow down over time. Anything else to go wrong on a well used one?

[rogerzilla]

Few cameras have mechanical (clockwork) shutters, although these do slow down (or suffer from fade where the second curtain catches up with the first).  Most cameras made since about 1970 either work or they don't, and anything older is probably worth servicing since it will have been made with that in mind.

[Flynn]

What would the lifespan of a film SLR be? Particularly a slightly more modern one with electronics?

I'd imagine an old manual one would need new light seals, and the shutter would slow down over time. Anything else to go wrong on a well used one?

Plenty of companies are still providing CLA for old slrs. I had an OM1 and an Asahi Pentax K1000 done recently.

[David Martin]

The digital back could be triggered directly from the body via an X-sync. Get that happily working and you have the ability to put that digital back anywhere, even on a LF camera. Or via a post-acquisition trigger (ie cock, shoot, as per film. The cocking motion would trigger data processing.)

I'd definitely be keen to try one on the F2.

[rogerzilla]

I'm not sure what's in it for Nikon, and it probably won't happen because they'd rather sell you consumer electronics on an endless upgrade cycle.

Remember Silicon Film, the second* most famous vapourware of all time?

http://cultureandcommunication.org/deadmedia/index.php/Silicon_Film


*the most famous being Duke Nukem Forever (it got a lifetime achievement award from Wired, IIRC), which took over a decade to come out

[Martin 14]

By the time anyone gets this working and to market, all the old SLRs will be junk anyway 

Much as I'd like to revive a lovely old Nikon, I suspect that it'll be much less hassle to just buy a new D900, D500 or whatever the latest whizzbang happens to be...

One mans junk is another mans living

[LEE]

This was an idea that had some merit before you could pick up a new Nikon D-SLR (D3100), with kit zoom lens for £350.

[LEE]

This was an idea that had some merit before you could pick up a new Nikon D-SLR (D3100), with kit zoom lens for £350.

I just noticed that you can get the Canon EOS 1100D (entry-level DSLR) with 18-55 kit zoom for..... £264 !!

That's just ridiculously cheap.  £50 Cheaper in fact than the 2Mp Fuji "snapper" I bought in 2001.

[fred the great]

Junk you say All I need is a digital back for my A 1 Canon and I would have all the equipment and lens's needed to be a professional

[clarion]

All The Gear?

[fred the great]

Humour monsewer

[De Sisti]

I just noticed that you can get the Canon EOS 1100D (entry-level DSLR) with 18-55 kit zoom for..... £264 !!

From where?

[Polar Bear]

I googled and found it immediately in the 'top 50 deals'.   My google fu is usually pretty poo... 

[Flynn]

This was an idea that had some merit before you could pick up a new Nikon D-SLR (D3100), with kit zoom lens for £350.

Not an F2 though is it, and you can't remove the back and use film if you choose.

[Charlotte]

All I need is a digital back for my A 1 Canon and I would have all the equipment and lens's needed to be a professional

It doesn't take much these days.

[LEE]

This was an idea that had some merit before you could pick up a new Nikon D-SLR (D3100), with kit zoom lens for £350.

Not an F2 though is it, and you can't remove the back and use film if you choose.

Well an F2 is a box with a hole in it, nothing more (like all cameras). 

If you have decent glass then I think it's better to fit that to a decent DSLR than trying to somehow retrofit a digi-back onto a film camera.  If you are prepared to carry a digital back around, presumably in some form of protective case, then you may as well carry around a DSLR body.

I doubt the price of an (worthwhile) F2 compatible digi-back would be much less than a full-frame DLSR body.

[fred the great]

All I need is a digital back for my A 1 Canon and I would have all the equipment and lens's needed to be a professional

It doesn't take much these days.

I just ignored your link as  a matter of good practice