Seems like the OM's that are data-back capable would be able to work with a
rudimentary interface with an intelligently-designed digital back.
The pressure plate occupies roughly the plane that the image sensor needs to
fall in. The OM's are manual focus, would need to be manual exposure
setting, or operated in that mode. The critical need would be for the
digital back electronics to 'read' the image sensor at the right instant
after the shutter is open. This could probably be triggered from the x-sync
signal.
You'd have to set the shutter at 1/60 for a full image-sensor illumination
at once. I suppose you could incorporate higher shutter speeds
electronically in the digital back, with a setting separate from the camera
setting... but manual exposure only. Once the image sensor is scanned, the
digital back could write the data to a storage device, and reset on its own.
Image processing software could compensate for the lesser illumination of
our non-digital spec Zuikos to get an even image despite those nasty
off-axis light rays. You'd still have to wind the shutter to reset the
camera body.
I don't see how any of this is unfeasible, but to have it make 'business
sense' might be difficult given the current cost of full-frame image
sensors. I suppose you could use a smaller sensor, but then why not just use
a digital camera... I suspect that in a few years the cost of 24mm x 36mm
images sensors will drop to a point where they can be played around with. We
already did a soldering iron survey, I'm ready...
--
Jim Brokaw
OM-'s of all sorts, and no OM-oney...
give me a huge shop and enough electronic-surplus parts and I can image the
future... <g>
on 6/27/03 3:37 PM, Jeff Keller at jrk_om@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> Maybe the reason the R8 is so large is that they really were aiming for
> a digital SLR
> http://www.imaging-resource.com/NEWS/1056662699.html
>
> Interesting bits and pieces from the above,
>
> there is less complication - particularly when the same company is
> designing both camera and back, and is able to tailor the body design to
> allow for a digital back from day one. It seems likely that this is the
> case with the Leica R8 and R9 - the camera back will be able to
> communicate with the body through existing electrical contacts, and no
> modifications will be necessary to use the DIGITAL-MODUL-R.
>
> Together, an R8 or R9 with the digital back and power unit will have
> approximately the same dimensions as they would with a film back and
> Leica's Motor-Drive R unit.
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