Next Big Thing...or vaporware?

The 'perfect' lens that could revolutionise imaging | Daily Mail Online

Three months early, surely ?

I assume there will be some "core" to it. - I don't expect it to become a single element Otus killer soon but maybe it can be a kit zoom replacement prime or serve in other less demanding fields like eye glasses? -There are nano surface structure bifocal contact lenses already, so I am expecting more things to come.

I think it's a great idea. I have no fear that the lenses I'm using now will be made redundant - if it comes to that. Mirrorless has already made the DSLR redundant, and new lens technology - and there are several contenders - may very well do the same for conventional compound lenses. Nobody wants to carry around massive telephotos. But who knows? The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

The technology is nothing new. It is a variant on Fresnel lenses, already introduced by Canon. The micro-prism concept has long been used in manual focusing screens. The chief advantage is being thin and flat. Image quality takes second place, even in the Canon version.

Yeah, a lot of these things don't always pan out the way the creators expect. Look at Solar Roadways, which is a complete failure, both in theory and in practice. I admire the idea - I'm always up for a better idea - but you have to be honest about what works and what doesn't.

I still wish the digital 35mm film cartridge to retrofit any old 35mm film camera would have happened. It would have been fun to play with.

I still wish the digital 35mm film cartridge to retrofit any old 35mm film camera would have happened. It would have been fun to play with.

 

 

i remember one on the market but it never happened. it looked like a 35mm can with a tongue that held the sensor. i was going to buy it.

 

ah digital will never happen!

 

interesting read.....

History doomed to repeat itself? Project promises digital cartridge for film SLRs

 

 

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Edited January 5, 2018 by paul ron

Maybe an entire digital back replacement would have been the way to go, of course, which model 35mm would it be designed for unless there could be a way to make it adjustable. One back fits all cameras, lol. It would have to be a Transformer. Guess we won't see it with current technology.

 

I think Hasselblad got it right with the 50C digital backs for the old film camera. LINK Just a bit out of reach for mortals at $15.5k, at least for this mortal.

@mark: Used DMR+R8/9 combos dropped into the kind of affordable price range, although I wouldn't call them bang for the buck or versatile.

Maybe custom 3 D printed back replacements to hold the digital stuff could be the desired solution?

But lets be somewhat realistic: It is already annoying to fine tune DSLR AFs via menu. Doing the same to sensor holding plastic with files and shims should be worse. I have no clue how rigid and pseudo precise 3 D printed stuff turns out. I liked my old cameras. But when I buy a used M8 or Df to replace them I have at least hope for a refund if the entire thing doesn't work at all or hope for hired help when it starts bitching. I wouldn't be overly comfortable moving a more expensive electronics module from one fishy camera adapter to another or see an unused film beater fall apart just after I finally got my back replacement into the needed shape.

the canister with the tongue would be universal for all 35mm cameras. remove the preasure plate and the sensor tongue will fit right in.

the canister with the tongue would be universal for all 35mm cameras. remove the preasure plate and the sensor tongue will fit right in.

 

I looked at my Nikon FE, FM2N, and F2A. The F2A's shutter opening is farther from the film canister than in the FE and FM2N. The sensor tongue on a digital cartridge would therefore need to be adjustable by the consumer, or the manufacturer would have to make camera specific sensor tongues for the hundreds (thousands?) of different film cameras.