Thanks for doing this. I like your conclusion in your blog post: "...The MPi is usable as a normal camera and its modifications are reversible to the original base camera. I plan to continue developing this project with the goal of open-sourcing the design for the collaborative preservation of analog cameras through (post-)digital technologies."
is there a way to connect sensors from old digital cameras to the raspberry pi instead of the small pi sensor? if there is a way to connect let's say an apsc sensor that would be cool as fuck
@@snoopdoggty1086 As of now this is the largest sensor officially supported by the Raspberry Pi. Hacking larger sensors requires electrical knowledge beyond me.
@@psychomugs Have you had a look at Arducam's 64Mp Pi Hawk-Eye camera module. They say it supports the Pi Zero W (albeit at 16Mp resolution, you need a Pi 4B or CM4 to get the full 64 MP)
i have thought about this a lot, and im really glad someone actually has proven its possible. i think it would be awesome if leica could make a ff module like this, to have as an alternative to film for when it runs out. they could honestly make it as another digital 262 md. i love what youre doing man.
We need MFT camera module at least, i know that after that is just too much for the raspberry purpose but maybe a fourth thirds would be the perfect size so you can make camera and industrial imaging projects
I hope you're doing massive project with big camera brands to make a universal data back for analog camera man! So the analog users can do both digital and film and spreading more creativity in photography media even more. Really love your works!🔥
The complete evolution of this idea would be a physical digital film. Imagine to have all this compressed inside a film magazine and the sensor simulating regular film shape. 🤯
The reason why it doesn't shoot well in color is because you've removed the IR filter. Some people do that intentionally to their digital cameras to get the Aerochrome effect. You should be able to restore its ability to take regular pictures by using an external IR-cut filter on your lens.
This is so sick. I would love a digital sensor in an analog body 😍 Been thinking about building something like this for a while, maybe sometime in the future
Can't you make a button that sets the pi to bulb and then use the Leica shutter to take the picture? That way you're using more of the Leica. As it is now, the camera only serves as the viewfinder.
I really think it would be a good idea to have a exposure start button and then to fire the shutter in order for the metering to actually work properly
Fantastic work, this is the best High Quality Camera implementation I’ve seen! From here to 3D printing a “film door” that fits various other models would be comparatively simple. Also, just a thought, they make hot mirror lens filters for full spectrum modified cameras, would that work to give you normal color in daylight?
This is incredible. Please please keep development going. It would be great to see if a custom base plate could house some of the hardware, and maybe the cavity that the film cartridge would normally be in. I guess the holy grail is having little to nothing protruding from the back of the camera body.
A custom baseplate for the hardware (controls, battery) would be a great idea and not unlike the Leicavit rapid winders. The first iteration with no LCD module was almost flush with the back of the body.
@@psychomugs I would love to see that explored. I actually think going without the LCD is an okay idea too - a la Leica M-D. Battery cells could go up into the body in the film cavity and Pi / controls in a Leicavit style base plate to keep it all as thin as possible. A version without an LCD would extend battery life also. From my perspective, shooting with my M2 is a joy, and I am not looking for a digital experience, but film is getting expensive so the screen-less solution is actually pretty appealing.
Thanks a lot for sharing this. I've been waiting for something like this for a long time. I'm really interested in doing something like this with my Contax G1, and possibly the 65MP Arducam Hawk-eye camera module, if that can work on a Pi Zero.
This is really cool. This is yhe first one of these conversions done in a way that I feel is 'correct'. One thing I wonder is if it’s possible to just have the raspi hq can running in the longest exposure the sensor allows constantly and using the shutter to do the exposure as well as using that electrical signal to tell the raspi to save that inage in particular. That way you could use the Leica shutter controls.
I originally tried to implement this idea, but the mechanical shutter would still need to sync to the video's framerate. It would require the mechanical shutter to open when the video begins grabbing a frame.
Really cool project, very impressive! I wonder if there is a way to use the original Leica shutter dial? Maybe you could have the rpi continuously recording when the shutter is closed before the exposure, and then end the exposure a set time after the shutter button is pressed?
I've tried continuously recording exposures but the frame rate limitations mean that the video is usually out of sync. For example, if you start a 30fps recording before taking an exposure, you would have to align the opening of the shutter with the beginning of one of those frames.
What of an clever feat of engineering! It makes me ponder if I could do the same for my original Olympus Pen. Additionally, your Github link leads to a 404, what happened or are you currently busy with life (which I completely understand if that's the case)?
I wonder if there will ever be times when digital cameras are converted to film... Seriously speaking in those days filmed cameras served many years and vere cherished and loved. I (not a photografer at all) already have 4 digital cameras that are all working but obsolete and a dozen iphones that are too. What a waste! And photo has become soooo common.
Really though, if this becomes a viable product still with a small sensor, I could envision a lens lineup from a third party designed for the smaller sensors but with various film body mounts. I think this could be a serious hit, and could possibly make the prices of older film cameras increase 😅
Great effort, It´s cool. But until you can actually put a sensor bigger than the rangefinder patch window, it´s completely pointless in real life usage.
Nvm - going in your blog post. I’m thinking about using an 18350 with a boost converter to get it up to 5v and mount it inside where the canister would sit.
excellent work! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 I had thought something similar a long time ago (I have a digital camera destroyed to remove the sensor...), but I have no knowledge of electronics. Is it possible to use a FF sensor from a Canon or Nikon camera? I suppose it is possible to receive the data from the sensor, but I don't know if it will be possible to "translate" this information into an image regardless of the original hardware of the camera? 🤔 Greetings from the south of Chile!!🤘🏼
The HQ camera module here is the largest sensor officially supported by Raspberry Pi. It would take some more serious hacking to interface with other larger sensors.
Im so happy that no Leica was harmed in the making of this project 😉
Thanks for doing this. I like your conclusion in your blog post: "...The MPi is usable as a normal camera and its modifications are reversible to the original base camera. I plan to continue developing this project with the goal of open-sourcing the design for the collaborative preservation of analog cameras through (post-)digital technologies."
is there a way to connect sensors from old digital cameras to the raspberry pi instead of the small pi sensor? if there is a way to connect let's say an apsc sensor that would be cool as fuck
@@snoopdoggty1086 As of now this is the largest sensor officially supported by the Raspberry Pi. Hacking larger sensors requires electrical knowledge beyond me.
@@psychomugs hmmm yea, that indeed does look hard as heck, hope some extremely knowledgeable hobbyist will do so in the future
@@snoopdoggty1086 I hope the same
@@psychomugs Have you had a look at Arducam's 64Mp Pi Hawk-Eye camera module. They say it supports the Pi Zero W (albeit at 16Mp resolution, you need a Pi 4B or CM4 to get the full 64 MP)
That's such a cool project! I hope stuff like this can be advanced more in future, gives old film cameras a potential second life.
They are already living a second life as film cameras. Though, this project being reversal, it's cool to see an M2 taking digital photos
Nice, reminds me of 2000s when there were digital backs for film bodies
i have thought about this a lot, and im really glad someone actually has proven its possible. i think it would be awesome if leica could make a ff module like this, to have as an alternative to film for when it runs out. they could honestly make it as another digital 262 md. i love what youre doing man.
Impressive! I like the black and white photos, almost film like
We need MFT camera module at least, i know that after that is just too much for the raspberry purpose but maybe a fourth thirds would be the perfect size so you can make camera and industrial imaging projects
I hope you're doing massive project with big camera brands to make a universal data back for analog camera man! So the analog users can do both digital and film and spreading more creativity in photography media even more. Really love your works!🔥
Love that huge sensor
The complete evolution of this idea would be a physical digital film. Imagine to have all this compressed inside a film magazine and the sensor simulating regular film shape. 🤯
So cool. And bonus no Leicas were harmed in the production of this hack. Well done!
Great project, great photos, full of emotion
Not something within my skill set or even my cup of tea but a very ingenious piece of work and very neat looking.
Nice work you've done here. Thank you for sharing.
found this very interesting, the Leica film door being removed is an ideal place to fit the digital back, interested to see how this develops.
I'm waiting for a version with bigger sensor!
Same
thats crasy that you can just put it back together amazing
Holy crap you did an amazing job!!! I love how easily it comes off!
Great project - great short video! Love it!
So great man. Seeing it it person was mind blowing to me. I also love you can quickly switch it back to normal in the end. Good work!
I wonder if this could be done on something like a Polaroid sx-70. That would be a ton of fun!
The reason why it doesn't shoot well in color is because you've removed the IR filter. Some people do that intentionally to their digital cameras to get the Aerochrome effect. You should be able to restore its ability to take regular pictures by using an external IR-cut filter on your lens.
this is amazing! i love the passion here
This is so sick. I would love a digital sensor in an analog body 😍 Been thinking about building something like this for a while, maybe sometime in the future
That is very ingenious! I love the way it works. I also like that the process is reversible, I have two M6s, Hmmmmmmm?
Wow. So freaking cool. Thanks for doing this. I hope this becomes more accessible!
This is such a nice project!
congrats! beautiful poject
we‘re well on our way to getting a film cartridge FF sensor conversion!
This is beyond impressive!
Amazing project and results! I would go without the screen for a more compact solution, a Leica MPi-D 😅
Nicely done, man! Congrats!
Can't you make a button that sets the pi to bulb and then use the Leica shutter to take the picture? That way you're using more of the Leica. As it is now, the camera only serves as the viewfinder.
this is super duper awesome!!
This is absolutely brilliant!
I really think it would be a good idea to have a exposure start button and then to fire the shutter in order for the metering to actually work properly
Fantastic work, this is the best High Quality Camera implementation I’ve seen! From here to 3D printing a “film door” that fits various other models would be comparatively simple. Also, just a thought, they make hot mirror lens filters for full spectrum modified cameras, would that work to give you normal color in daylight?
Others have suggested IR filters in front of the lens, which I'm keen to try out.
Interesting project
This is incredible. Please please keep development going. It would be great to see if a custom base plate could house some of the hardware, and maybe the cavity that the film cartridge would normally be in. I guess the holy grail is having little to nothing protruding from the back of the camera body.
A custom baseplate for the hardware (controls, battery) would be a great idea and not unlike the Leicavit rapid winders. The first iteration with no LCD module was almost flush with the back of the body.
@@psychomugs I would love to see that explored. I actually think going without the LCD is an okay idea too - a la Leica M-D. Battery cells could go up into the body in the film cavity and Pi / controls in a Leicavit style base plate to keep it all as thin as possible. A version without an LCD would extend battery life also. From my perspective, shooting with my M2 is a joy, and I am not looking for a digital experience, but film is getting expensive so the screen-less solution is actually pretty appealing.
Thanks a lot for sharing this. I've been waiting for something like this for a long time. I'm really interested in doing something like this with my Contax G1, and possibly the 65MP Arducam Hawk-eye camera module, if that can work on a Pi Zero.
Genius using the flash trigger to trigger the Pi.
Thanks, I think it's a missing piece of camera-specific knowledge that got looked over in other implementations.
I am so happy no leica body was harmed
This is really cool. This is yhe first one of these conversions done in a way that I feel is 'correct'.
One thing I wonder is if it’s possible to just have the raspi hq can running in the longest exposure the sensor allows constantly and using the shutter to do the exposure as well as using that electrical signal to tell the raspi to save that inage in particular.
That way you could use the Leica shutter controls.
I originally tried to implement this idea, but the mechanical shutter would still need to sync to the video's framerate. It would require the mechanical shutter to open when the video begins grabbing a frame.
very clever, I have an OM1... but not sure if possible yet... would like to do the same.
Really cool project, very impressive! I wonder if there is a way to use the original Leica shutter dial? Maybe you could have the rpi continuously recording when the shutter is closed before the exposure, and then end the exposure a set time after the shutter button is pressed?
I've tried continuously recording exposures but the frame rate limitations mean that the video is usually out of sync. For example, if you start a 30fps recording before taking an exposure, you would have to align the opening of the shutter with the beginning of one of those frames.
What about putting the electronic shutter in bulb?
Very cool project!
why do those black and white photos look like the best photos ever? how you do that?
I'm too broke to even afford a pi, let alone a Leica camera
Very cool!
Clever work!
Awesome job !
killer project!
What of an clever feat of engineering! It makes me ponder if I could do the same for my original Olympus Pen. Additionally, your Github link leads to a 404, what happened or are you currently busy with life (which I completely understand if that's the case)?
Thanks for the heads up - it should be available here: michaelsuguitan.com/mpi
Can you do this for a pentax spotmatic one?
I wonder if there will ever be times when digital cameras are converted to film...
Seriously speaking in those days filmed cameras served many years and vere cherished and loved. I (not a photografer at all) already have 4 digital cameras that are all working but obsolete and a dozen iphones that are too. What a waste! And photo has become soooo common.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Throw-away_society
Incredible project ! Couldn't you use the M socket instead of the X (pc) ? I think it triggers a bit earlier so maybe the Pi could sync !
love this! was it expensive ?
The materials come out to less than $100, sans Leica of course.
Really though, if this becomes a viable product still with a small sensor, I could envision a lens lineup from a third party designed for the smaller sensors but with various film body mounts. I think this could be a serious hit, and could possibly make the prices of older film cameras increase 😅
Is this cleanly undoable?
you can put an IR filter in front of the shutter,, a cool way to sync as well, btw how slow is the Pi camera, would it sync to flash sync ?
you can try laowa 9mm f/5.6 lens
it's even wider than voigtlander 12mm and cheaper too
this is awesome !
Speechless. Could you do this with a Nikon F 3?
This is possible because it also has a mechanical flash contact.
And since you can swap the back wall, it's a great idea.
Great effort, It´s cool. But until you can actually put a sensor bigger than the rangefinder patch window, it´s completely pointless in real life usage.
That’s impressive !!!!
What did you use to power your pi?
Nvm - going in your blog post. I’m thinking about using an 18350 with a boost converter to get it up to 5v and mount it inside where the canister would sit.
Cool project! Do you intent to make it an opensource project?
Cool
Wow
excellent work! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I had thought something similar a long time ago (I have a digital camera destroyed to remove the sensor...), but I have no knowledge of electronics.
Is it possible to use a FF sensor from a Canon or Nikon camera? I suppose it is possible to receive the data from the sensor, but I don't know if it will be possible to "translate" this information into an image regardless of the original hardware of the camera? 🤔
Greetings from the south of Chile!!🤘🏼
The HQ camera module here is the largest sensor officially supported by Raspberry Pi. It would take some more serious hacking to interface with other larger sensors.
Please tell me you sell this.
Nice. Make me one.
❤
The basic idea is great - the sensor is not !
I might think about adding a Nikon D800 sensor inside my M2
😉
Please let me buy one of these off of you
Really? Why not just pop the back off a Diana?
Leica lovers might find the following scenes disturbing! The poor thing!
umm why on Earth would you installed such a small crappy sensor...sorry, but that's mutilation.
well... this is almost heresy.
useless but cool :D
Or, "how to tuen a $1,000 camera into a $60 toy."
Ну и бред, лучше сходи и траву потрогай, чем порти камеры
This is an obvious cry for help.......
Just buy yourself a decent digital camera mate.
Wow