fbenz Posted January 2, 2007 Share #1 Â Posted January 2, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) Anyone out there know if Leica or any other supplier is planning to provide a digital back for the M6? Â Not sure it is even possible, but have been fantasizing about the possibility of retrofitting my M6. I'm sure it wouldn't be the equivalent of the M8, but is intriguing to consider the possibility. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 Hi fbenz, Take a look here Digital Back for M6. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
johnkuo Posted January 2, 2007 Share #2 Â Posted January 2, 2007 I'm pretty sure no one is undertaking such a project. What would be the point now that we have the M8? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbenz Posted January 2, 2007 Author Share #3 Â Posted January 2, 2007 Mostly, the point is price (am assuming a back would be considerably less expensive than an M8)... and the potential of having a camera that could serve as both a film camera and a digital. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnkuo Posted January 2, 2007 Share #4 Â Posted January 2, 2007 I think Leica has proven to us the technical difficulties in doing so, and if any company would develop such a digital back, it would cost signficantly more than the M8 due to the R&D and the economy of scale. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
4season Posted January 2, 2007 Share #5 Â Posted January 2, 2007 Mostly, the point is price (am assuming a back would be considerably less expensive than an M8)... and the potential of having a camera that could serve as both a film camera and a digital. Â Leica already did that with the Digital Modul-R which currently sells for $5950, plus another $3-4K for the camera body itself. How many would you like to buy today? The proper way to switch between film and digital with an R8/9 is to buy a second R9: You do not want to remove one of these digital backs more often than you have to because it's kind of awkward to do so, and the sensor is totally exposed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted January 2, 2007 Share #6 Â Posted January 2, 2007 Leica already did that with the Digital Modul-R which currently sells for $5950, plus another $3-4K for the camera body itself. How many would you like to buy today? The proper way to switch between film and digital with an R8/9 is to buy a second R9: You do not want to remove one of these digital backs more often than you have to because it's kind of awkward to do so, and the sensor is totally exposed. Â The exposed sensor is an advantage when one wants / needs to clean it, and it comes with a protective cover if you want to change back to film. Â I have yet to come across anyone who has taken the back off on a regular basis, though. Â I am pretty sure that a back for the M6 would technically be impossible. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchoIankov Posted January 2, 2007 Share #7  Posted January 2, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have thought about that as well. The only relatively inexpensive way to do it is NOT to have LCD.  It has to be full frame (no new lenses needed).  So, a sensor with a battery on the left (where the film is) and SD card (or 2) on the right (where the film goes) which fits in M6 back.  Maybe permanent conversion (no going back to film easily).  There will be no-preview (there isn’t one on film) or any other feedback from the back. Probably a beep sound when the card is full.  Obviously, RAW only.  Maybe USB or Bluetooth for control/transfer from PC/MAC/PDA/Mobile phone (settings/ISO,…).  I cannot see why that is not possible.  Well at what prince?  Will it sell? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted January 2, 2007 Share #8 Â Posted January 2, 2007 This thread isn't for real is it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted January 2, 2007 Share #9 Â Posted January 2, 2007 I think it is called a M8. :D Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riley Posted January 2, 2007 Share #10  Posted January 2, 2007 yes it sounds easy doesnt it there was once a project up for a digital back but it was for universal use problem with that approach is, most cameras are quite different still, it always seemed tempting to be able to use your old 35mm kit  now the notion of using a high value rangefinder has some appealing aspects its a high value camera, with the desired quality lenses there is no auto-focus to be concerned with flash sync stuff is fairly basic  problem #1 is this, how do you instruct the sensor that it needs to process an image? its not connected to the shutter, so the shutter release mechanism doesnt 'tell' it what to do  now there was a medium format back that got around this by neatly plugging the back into the flash sync. problem with that here is the limited speeds of the sync, im not sure how that would work  it 'must' be FF you say.....well thats a big call sounds like it would be a good idea doesnt it see its FF, it must be good well, i dont think thats the case, fact is i never thought so  if M8 was designed by me it would be four-thirds sensor just not the ones that are out now, of course, that would have meant new lens kit digital Olympus Pen ?  anyway back to the plot lol non-retrofocus wide-angle lenses dont work at all well with FF as we have learned with M8 (and others) the light strikes the sensor from differeing angles the use of an AA cut filter causes softness at the edges because the lights travels/reflects throughout the glass via the glasses translucent properties that is why Leica/Kodak use such a thin filter of .5mm  the additional and unwanted refraction defeats the optical performance of the lens, it will be clearer in the centre, but blurred at the edges  ther is a way around that, actually i can think of several, but i will nominate this one you could use a permanent mount adapter, and Leica R glass this is because the greater distance from the lens back to the digital film yields a straighter light path, a property called telecentric.  would it sell? ask yourself, would you really want to put yourself thru what Leica have been through from you guys these past few months? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted January 2, 2007 Share #11 Â Posted January 2, 2007 This thread isn't for real is it. Â The thread is real, but some of the ideas seem to be somewhat far fetched Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted January 2, 2007 Share #12  Posted January 2, 2007 now there was a medium format back that got around this by neatly plugging the back into the flash sync. problem with that here is the limited speeds of the sync, im not sure how that would work  As far as I know, the classic M6 will fire the flash (via the flash sync port) at all speeds. I don't think this is true for the later models (M6TTL and M7).  I'm sure a digital back is technically feasible but it would inevitable end up being (at best) a big lump on the back of an otherwise elegant M6, be limited in numerous ways vis-à -vis the M8, and end up being not significantly cheaper than an M8. I'd be surprised if Leica even considered the possibility of a digital back beyond perhaps a few low level discussions. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnastovall Posted January 2, 2007 Share #13 Â Posted January 2, 2007 The great Vaporware company Silicon Film keeps promising and promising it real soon. Â They even have a current website. I'm sure they would be happy to take your money now for a product to be delivered later. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riley Posted January 2, 2007 Share #14  Posted January 2, 2007 The great Vaporware company Silicon Film keeps promising and promising it real soon. They even have a current website. I'm sure they would be happy to take your money now for a product to be delivered later.  must be the second time around then John, heres the news of their demise  NEWS! - Silicon Film suspends operations!  Silicon Film demos EFS-1: Digital Photography Review  yes Ian, no way would it be elegant or even as easy or succesful as all that its not like its a DIY project is it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rona!d Posted January 2, 2007 Share #15 Â Posted January 2, 2007 No modern shutter? Lost chance. A size of an EOS 1Ds MkII? This is not an M-camera. A price similar to the DMR? Will not sell, even not to collectors. Â A nightmare? Yes. A joke? Not impossible. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nemeng Posted January 2, 2007 Share #16 Â Posted January 2, 2007 ...problem #1 is this, how do you instruct the sensor that it needs to process an image? its not connected to the shutter, so the shutter release mechanism doesnt 'tell' it what to do ... Â The new(ish) Hasselblad CFV digital back does it without any problems or requiring a sync-chord interconnect :?) Â There are other problems though: bulky, won't be full-frame and the killer... super-expensive. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riley Posted January 2, 2007 Share #17  Posted January 2, 2007 on expense most people dont understand that the price of sensors goes up inordinately compared to size  i have read where the cost difference between APS C and FF is in the order of 20 x Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted January 2, 2007 Share #18 Â Posted January 2, 2007 I wouldn't have thought that the M6 had the necessary electronics to connect the body to a new digital back. The R8 and R9 both have a shed load of gold contact points to enable the camera to "talk" to the back and the base unit housing the computer. The M6 doesn't need these and therefore doesn't have them. Â Techically, this is a complete non-starter. Â Financially, it would be a disaster, even if it were possible. Â Leica have provided M users with a digital solution. They are not going to spend millions on a second, more compromised one. Â Why should they? No other camera company in the world offers a digital back solution, especially not for cameras from the eighties. The R8 (from the late 90s) only qualifies for the DMR because it shares so much with the R9. If the R9 had been on a different chassis, the R8 would have remained a film-only camera. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted January 2, 2007 Share #19 Â Posted January 2, 2007 The new(ish) Hasselblad CFV digital back does it without any problems or requiring a sync-chord interconnect :?) Â Ahh - the Hassy Classics have a mechanical link between the shutter release and any back (normally used to sense whether the dark slide has been removed or not, and block the shutter action if it is still in place). Bet you anything the CFV back has a little microswitch that's triggered by the start of the shutter release movement in the camera via that same "feeler" pin and yells "exposure coming!" to the sensor. Â As to an M6 back - LEICA has specifically said they will never produce one. Â Among other things, M cameras do not have a "back" that can be replaced with digital - they have a flap to aid in film loading. Not the same thing. Â As to saving money - the Leica DMR at $6000 (?) is actually the LEAST expensive digital BACK available in any format, whereas comparable complete digital camera bodies (changeable lenses, at least APS-sized sensors) are now as inexpensive as $499 (Pentax). Â Bottom Line - when you can get a NEW, factory-fresh M8 for $4800, would you pay $6000 to keep an M6 up and running as digital? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_parker Posted January 2, 2007 Share #20 Â Posted January 2, 2007 Exciting thought though - one day it'll happen !! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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