donsyler

Relatively new to the post so pardon me if this topic has been previously explored. Is any technology available that allows the conversion of film cameras, such as the Minolta SRT models, to a digital format? I've searched a bit on-line but have not found anything I consider to be sound technology, just mainly garage made retrofits.

BebuLamar

There are film backs for medium format cameras but there is only one ever made it to production is the Leica back for their R8 and R9 35mm SLR. The problem is really few people would want to pay the same price as an entirely new camera for the back alone. They couldn't make it so it's less expensive than an entirely new camera with similar performance.

blackest Loc: Ireland

Kind of but not really how you are thinking

I wanted a digital back for my k1000 and in the end i got a k200D later a k5
Can eos film users can go to canon eos digital bodies
as can Nikon film to Nikon Digital

For Minolta the answer really is Sony.
I don't know Minolta well but

https://www.mhohner.de/sony-minolta/faq.php

Should help identify which bodies will work with your lenses. To be fair with just a couple of Minolta lenses of probably relatively low value you shouldn't feel tied to Sony. As well as Sony you would find your Minolta lenses will probably adapt manually at least to m43 cameras from Panasonic and Olympus.

https://petapixel.com/2015/03/11/old-timers-using-1980s-minolta-lenses-on-a-modern-sony-digital-camera/

This may be of interest to you

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Over the years, different companies have tried offering digital backs for 35mm film cameras. I posted a link to a recent attempt about a month ago. I wouldn't hold my breath.

https://petapixel.com/2017/10/17/im-back-new-digital-back-old-35mm-cameras/
https://www.digitaltrends.com/photography/im-back-digital-back-for-film-cameras-kickstarter/

https://www.google.com/search?q=digital+back+for+35mm+film+cameras&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS716US717&oq=digital+back+for+35mm+film+cameras&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l4.9447j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

OviedoPhotos

For me the cost of a digital back was within 200$ of a digital camera. So I opted for the new camera. Lenses worked fine on the body.

lsaguy Loc: Udall, KS, USA

On the surface it sounds like a great idea, but you'd probably never get the functionality of a modern camera.
Just for the sake of a PBI, how would you control a digital back on an old SLR? It would either have to be programmable from outside with a computer or smart phone or it would have to put all the controls on the back which wouldn't leave a lot of room for a screen.
In the end you'd probably have a Frankencamera that only you would know anything about.

chrisg-optical Loc: New York, NY

I wish there were, but I think there are marketing, practical and economic drawbacks for the makers as well as users. But would really be neat is "digital film" - a 35mm sized drop in that would be the same size as a 35mm cartridge - the "film" extension would the FF sensor which would be pressed perfectly flat against the film guides. The cartridge part would contain the electronics including a bluetooth connection for a smart phone, tablet or laptop to view/download pictures, and maybe control the exposure. Battery power and syncronization with the shutter might be practical issues. Cost and demand will be a factor. I don't think it will ever become reality, but I often dream of some late night pitchman offering "digital film" for sale ("but wait, if you order within the next 30 minutes, you can get 2 digital film packs for the price of 1....")

leftj Loc: Texas

Your subject and your post are about two different things.

donsyler

My original post was very much one subject, digital conversion for old film cameras. The responses however became quite varied, as they often will, but I do appreciate the range of information and ideas provided, (I loved the "digital film" idea). I had considered using my, very fine, Minolta lenses with a Sony mirrorless camera, (the Model "a" series), but these are quite expensive, even for just the body, and there are still some alignment distance concerns. I may be way off base but, just like the current resurgence of vinyl LP's, I could see a "future" demand to put high-end film cameras back into service if the technology became available at a competitive price.

leftj Loc: Texas

A digital back for a film camera has nothing to do with converting a film camera to a digital camera.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

It's what everyone wants — to keep using their old familiar cameras with a replacement for film. But in reality, it just isn't practical or economically feasible for the manufacturers to do a good job of it.

The smartest thing I ever did was to research the available choices on the market, and buy a new system. I still have all my old film gear — two Nikons, a Canon, a Minolta, a Bronica, and a bunch of lenses. But I don't care... That's another, now distant era, and one I never want to revisit. I'm a happy Micro 4/3 user of a Panasonic GH4 and Lumix lenses.

Modern digital cameras are incredibly advanced! They can be used just like our old film cameras, but they have so many great features that take photography into a whole new dimension.

If you want to use the old Minolta, put film in it. If you must use the old Minolta Rokkor lenses, you probably need a Sony digital camera. Konica merged with Minolta, then Sony bought the camera division of Konica-Minolta. Adapters are also available to put the old Rokkor lenses on various other brands of digital cameras, although usage is completely manual (focus AND aperture control).

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

My opinion is you are better off just putting your film lens on a dslr with an adapter. I don't see how the digital back would add anything, unless you are talking about an 80MP MF back on a Hassy or Mamiya.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

If you're hoping to find anything for a Minolta SRT model, than you're out of luck! First of all, "your" Minolta would have to be build to provide for an attachment like that ( so a costly rebuild would be in store), that's besides that no one has ever provided a digital back, that fits several makes!
Guess you just have to keep shooting film with that camera ( that's better than digital anyway)!

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I'm working at, but not very quickly, being able to put my digital camera on the back of my view camera. I guess that would count as a digital back on an older camera.
--Bob

gessman Loc: Colorado

Along those lines, while you may be aware of it, others may not be, but there's the following items for a quick fix if you can settle for "large format" being no larger than 4x5:
https://www.fotodioxpro.com/products/nikf-4x5-pro.

I have one for my Canon and it works pretty well if you don't mind stitching and they're available for other mounts besides Nikon and Canon which can easily be seen by backing
up one notch to https://www.fotodioxpro.com/search?page=1&q=4x5. One at least gets all the benefits of the 4x5 movements without the cost and inconvenience of the film-to-
digital conversion process. I guess if one shoots larger than 4x5, there's always the "reducer backs" to get to 4x5 which is perhaps better than having no "large format" at all
since we can often up-size now and enlarge an image to about anywhere we want it without much appreciable loss of quality.

I would caution anyone who might go that last url and happen upon the RhinoCam where it says it will double as a 4x5 back not be fooled by that. I also have a RhinoCam for
my Canon and tried it as a 4x5 to 35mm adapter and it doesn't work even with a one inch recessed wide angle lens board. One would need to have the RhinoCam recessed
about three inches into the back of the 4x5 for it to work and that would result in some inconvenient DIY effort.