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Contax Digital in YC Mount

Clive;

"As for the digital back option; A company actually patented a universal digital conversion for any 35mm camera, but it has come to nothing yet. I still feel that there is mileage in that idea."

This is an intriguing idea with a huge potential market! Any information on the identity of this company and its plans? How much might such a conversion cost, and how does the technology work?
 
> Clive; > > "As for the digital back option; A company actually patented a > universal digital conversion for any 35mm camera, but it has come to > nothing yet. I still feel that there is mileage in that idea." > > This is an intriguing idea with a huge potential market! Any > information on the identity of this company and its plans? How much > might such a conversion cost, and how does the technology work?

I believe he is talking about Silicon Image, and the idea is a gross failure of understanding. It sounds good to people who don't understand the issues involved, and hence they got some people to give them money...but that was some years ago, and people have wised up, and they are, as far as I know, out of business.

Austin
 
I think that Austin is right in some respects. The company have been quiet for a while now and may indeed have gone bust. If I remember correctly, the last update was that they were struggling to overcome the problem of not having a direct connection from CCD to the shutter button on none data back models, and some issues with the CCD needing a delay of sorts. As I say, that was a while ago now.

As far as dismissing the idea totally, well certainly I am ignorant of the issues involved, but there is a lot of money at stake if this nut is cracked and that prospect will surely drive innovation. Certainly there have been many other massive problems overcome in getting this far.

Clive
 
It may be a question of what is realistic. The Kodak Pro Back Plus (and 645) backs fit a wide variety of MF and 4x5 conventional cameras, with adapters for the mechanical shutter release mechanisms. Apparently, with great dynamic range, definition and color. Unfortunately, they also cost $12,000 - $15,000!
 
Hi everybody! My first posting. Halleluja! :)

Austin, following many sources, "Silicon Film" (this is the companys name) is dead. See http://www.imaging-resource.com/NEWS/1000760900.html for details (September 17, 2001)

But: The company seem to be busy, even if the picture the show at http://www.siliconfilm.com/ looks a bit toy-like (not like the model shown in the leica-pages...). Their promises are up to the need of the common Contax-user like me (up to 10MP, 32mmx22mm frame etc.)

>I believe he is talking about Silicon Image, and the idea is a gross >failure of understanding. It sounds good to people who don't >understand the issues involved, and hence they got some people to give >them money...but that was some years ago, and people have wised up, >and they are, as far as I know, out of business.

Austin, could you explain the "misunderstanding" to dumb users like me? If Leica/Kodak ISS/Imacon can announce it, why not others? Just in simple words: Why is this not going to work?

Martin
 
Hey Guys.....have a look at .....

www.nucoretech.com

We are going to here this company, Kyocera and Contax mentioned in the same sentence, a lot, in the near future.

Make of this what you will!

Bob.
 
That is an interesting concept. If it could be done, I'd love to have the option of using SLR's that I know and love with film, and also popping on a digital back at my discretion. Maybe I'd like digital-SLR's better if the same body could also accept film. One of the things I thought was great about using a digital back on a view camera in a studio was that you could still go the traditional route of film if you took off the back. That would be nice in 35mm. Anyway, while US$12 - 15,000 for a digital back would be steep and hard to justify for most shooters, who knows what the future might provide? Why, wasn't it just recently that a US$7000 digital camera was just discontinued but a $2000 replacement is rumored to be on its way only months later? That being the case, maybe a digital back might get down to reasonable price level too. I hope. -Lynn
 
>Posted by Bob Letsche on Friday, August 01, 2003 - 11:33 pm: > >Hey Guys.....have a look at ..... > >www.nucoretech.com > >We are going to here this company, Kyocera and Contax mentioned in the >same sentence, a lot, in the near future. > >Make of this what you will! > >Bob.

I thought Kyocera was the current manufacturer of Contax already. At least that's where I send my equipment for repair.

If you go to a Kyocera website they advertise Contax cameras.

http://www.kyocera.com/home.cfm

What am I missing here?

DAW
 
Don, I think Bob was saying that Nucore and Kyocera/Contax will be mentioned together. -Lynn
 
>Posted by Lynn Loeffel on Saturday, August 02, 2003 - 1:30 am: > >Don, I think Bob was saying that Nucore and Kyocera/Contax will be >mentioned together. -Lynn

Is the bottom line that Kyocera/Contax will be introducing digital cameras with Nucore processors in them?

DAW
 
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