New Kickstarter: Open source Medium Format camera

<p>There's a new kickstarter for an open source medium format/large format/instax wide/polaroid camera, intended to take a large variety of different backs and different lenses. With the state of film camera production today I think an open source camera intended for users is exactly what is needed. <br /> Here's a link to an interview that honestly has a lot more information on the product than the kickstarter:<br /> <a href="http://emulsive.org/articles/the-mercury-project-the-answers-yes-now-whats-your-question">http://emulsive.org/articles/the-mercury-project-the-answers-yes-now-whats-your-question</a><br /> And the kickstarter:<br /><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/294564710/mercury-the-worlds-first-universal-camera">https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/294564710/mercury-the-worlds-first-universal-camera</a></p>

<p>*I have no association with the company or founder</p>

<p>Tiny niche in a fading residual market? I'm guessing this isn't happening, especially with the surviving stock of cheap medium format gear collecting dust. Big problem remains sinking demand for film and the narrowing selection of film materials that reflect it.</p>

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<p>Tiny niche in a fading residual market? I'm guessing this isn't happening, especially with the surviving stock of cheap medium format gear collecting dust. Big problem remains sinking demand for film and the narrowing selection of film materials that reflect it.</p>

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<p>Valid points except, I think, for film. My understanding is that the demand for film has started to level at one of its highest points of the past decade. Also the kickstarter camera can take fuji and (according to the emulsive article) impossible instant offerings, a growing film sector for which there are few camera options.</p>

<p>That "high" point isn't very meaningful. Show me data indicating this recovery? Fuji stopped making pack film due to absent demand. IP's product isn't a patch, quality-wise, on the old stuff. Instax? Please...</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I took a look at the links given above, and I wouldn't be interested. The 4x5 version won't work out of the box with regular sheet film holders, and the idea of using rubber bands to prevent light leaks would be a deal breaker, especially with the current cost of sheet film. Option B is finding 50+ year old Grafmatic holders in good working order, which I'm sure could be done with enough effort, but why? You would still have an inconvenient, slow to operate camera with a lot of potential issues with compatibility for lenses and film backs.</p>

<p>I just took a look at the kickstarter link. They met their goal. So maybe the idea isn't so far-fetched after all?</p>

 

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<p>They met their goal.</p>

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<p> <br>

With 212 people. Which would confirm Watson's points.</p>

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<p>That "high" point isn't very meaningful. Show me data indicating this recovery? Fuji stopped making pack film due to absent demand. IP's product isn't a patch, quality-wise, on the old stuff. Instax? Please...<br>

</p>

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<p>Well, most recently: <br>

"Kodak never stopped producing film stock and we have actually sold more film stock this year, so far, than last year. I cannot give you the exact number but in Europe, for instance, we sold twice as much 35mm camera negative film in the first quarter of this year compared to the year before. So, we have doubled our sales and there is global growth"<br /><br>

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Kodak-to-revive-infrastructure-for-film-in-India/articleshow/53349242.cms</p>

<p>and another:</p>

 

Mod: Verbatim posting of content from another site is not allowed. Please use the link.

 

<p>http://www.apug.org/forum/index.php?threads/photokina-2016-analog-thriving.140666/</p>

<p>One more: </p>

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<p>Kodak will sell 10 million rolls of film this year, a far cry from its heyday of a billion rolls and the dawn of digital. Yet its once-core business has turned a key corner.<br>

"Our film volumes have stabilized over the last two months," said Wayne Martin who is the Vice President of Film and Chemicals. "We have actually hired 50 to 60 people."</p>

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<p><a href="http://13wham.com/news/top-stories/kodak-ektachrome-relaunch-is-job-security-for-rochester-employees">http://13wham.com/news/top-stories/kodak-ektachrome-relaunch-is-job-security-for-rochester-employees</a></p>