Faster and cheaper scan back for large format.

[foster_jb]

I would definitely be interested, and I would add that you might consider making a 6x9 back as well. Photographers who still use a large format or tech camera with current digital backs use a 6x9 (2x3) camera system for this.

Thanks,
John

[alexanderfedin]

Interesting proposal. I'd say your market would be Architectural photographers who may still have a 4x5 laying around and haven't jumped into a Medium Format Digital back, those who do copy work (museums, galleries, etc.), landscapers and maybe some art and editorial photographers. I think the commercial studio world (where I live) has already adapted to medium format digital backs that they can use with strobes. Would you be able to compose on the ground glass and then insert the device just like a film holder? $3 - 5K sounds like a reasonable price point.

Yes, you're going to be able to compose/focus on the GG, and then replace it with the device. I am not 100% sure yet if I want it to be "insertable" in between the ground glass and the camera, as it then raises a question of where/how the touch screen should be attached to the device. It is quite possible to enable an iPhone/iPad/Android to be wirelessly connected to the device and serve as a controlling console, though it sounds too sophisticated for the end-user. It might be an auxiliary option if a user wants to insert the device with the screen in between the camera and GG.

Just to let you all know, I have a small team that progressing on a prototype, and one of the interesting outcomes was that we figured out how to add an option of programmatically increasing the _optical_ resolution from initially thought prototype resolution of 200 megapixels by 4(!) times up to 800 megapixels in a price of doubling the total exposure time.

Once we get something working and, hopefully, ready to be going to production, we're planning to ask a few known and trusted by the community fellow photographers to play with that and give us some feedback. This, I afraid, could be the only reliable way to establish the community trust to the product from an unknown company like ours.

I really think that, despite the rising prices for the film and difficulties finding any good lab to process the film, the large photography must survive.

[alexanderfedin]

I would definitely be interested, and I would add that you might consider making a 6x9 back as well. Photographers who still use a large format or tech camera with current digital backs use a 6x9 (2x3) camera system for this.

Thanks,
John

John,
6x9 is probable better be implemented with a regular medium format digital back, attached through a sliding adapter.
What do you think?

thanks.
--Alex

[Corran]

I'm really fascinated that you are actually progressing on a prototype. I assumed this was nothing more than a pipe-dream. I am extremely interested. FWIW, I have and use a large collection of modern LF lenses, from 47mm to 720mm, as well as many exotics, so I would be able to test a digital back quite thoroughly with a host of lenses and cameras as well...

I'd still like to see a 6x7 or 6x9 back that could be put on Century Graphic or Horseman 2x3 camera or any technical MF camera, simply for size and weight considerations, but a full-size 4x5 sensor would likely be really flexible with so many lenses available.

[foster_jb]

Hi Alex,

I am really happy to hear that you already have a prototype going as well!

As for the "regular" digital backs, they do not come close to covering the entire 6x9 format. Most are around 4.8 x 3.6 cm, and they can become extremely difficult to focus with wider lenses because the sensors are so small. If you can offer a "full" 6x9 cm back in addition to your 4x5, I think you would have a market for it. As I mentioned, most photographers who use a technical camera to shoot with medium format backs use 6x9 (2x3) camera systems, not 4x5. They would be a great market for your product, yet they might be reluctant to change their entire camera system to 4x5 just to use your product.

Thanks,
John

[alexanderfedin]

Hi Alex,

I am really happy to hear that you already have a prototype going as well!

As for the "regular" digital backs, they do not come close to covering the entire 6x9 format. Most are around 4.8 x 3.6 cm, and they can become extremely difficult to focus with wider lenses because the sensors are so small. If you can offer a "full" 6x9 cm back in addition to your 4x5, I think you would have a market for it. As I mentioned, most photographers who use a technical camera to shoot with medium format backs use 6x9 (2x3) camera systems, not 4x5. They would be a great market for your product, yet they might be reluctant to change their entire camera system to 4x5 just to use your product.

Thanks,
John

I clearly understand that the MF digital backs are smaller than 6x4.5, and that would be great to have a DB to fully cover 6x7 or even 6x9 frame. Unfortunately, this should either require a large sensor to be developed (have no idea how many millions of bucks it shall cost), or fitting many sensors together in a tide space (impossible due to the design of the existing chips), or using "scan" or multi-shot stitching approach (fit relatively big mechanics and electronics in a tide space).
The only last option might be sounding feasible, but it seems too complicated for now.

[foster_jb]

Alex, I am not aware of what challenges you are presented with to design and build your 4x5 sensor. Without knowing exactly what you are doing, I simply thought it would probably be easier as well as more inexpensive to build a smaller 6x9 version as well. Apparently that is not the case. Too bad.

John

[alexanderfedin]

Alex, I am not aware of what challenges you are presented with to design and build your 4x5 sensor. Without knowing exactly what you are doing, I simply thought it would probably be easier as well as more inexpensive to build a smaller 6x9 version as well. Apparently that is not the case. Too bad.

John

John,
I am not giving up on this, just have no intention of designing this sort of back soon.

--Alex

[Deepak Kumar]

I will rather be interested in panoramic version it could be 4.5 cm X 9/10 cm. we do not need to stick to film size.
This could be more affordable and technically possible. Mega pixel may add up later but first device need to be
sorted out in terms of its technical architecture.

Your idea make sense to me if I could afford your 4x5 back i would buy one though I would not stop shooting films
as long as they are available.

Deepak kumar

[bob carnie]

If you are considering designing a good system I would think you know the answers to your questions.
Is there a real company that you represent or something/someone financially backing up the point of this thread?

Q: how long it takes for your Betterlight to shoot full 3x4 (this is its size, right?) with the "shutter speed" of 1/16? Also, how many pixels do you have in the scanned image on the direction perpendicular to the sensor?