henryp Loc: New York, NY

Part of which is finding out exactly what his neighbors in Omaha think and do. :-)

Bipod

Failure to understand and accomodate the diversity of contemporary America is a common problem.
But most investors and businesses realize that "tribalism" is bad for business.

Wasn't B&H Foto and Electronics Corp accused by the US Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
(OFCCP) of violations of civil rights and labor law, including hiring, compensation and promotion discrimination?
I remember hearing an allegation that B&H had separate bathrooms for Hispanic employees at it's Brooklyn warehouse.

And didn't it sign a Consent Decree with the US Department of Labor, which was accepted by an
Administrative Law Judge on 11 August 2017?
https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/foia/files/BH_Consent_Decree.pdf
https://www.berkshireassociates.com/balanceview/ofccp-issues-a-consent-decree-for-bh-foto-electronics-corp

If the charges were false, B&H could have had its day in court. The guy who owns B&H, Herman Schreiber,
is a millionaire, right? He must have good lawyers.

Most US companies have never been forced to sign a consent decree promising that they will stop
discriminating. Not really something to be proud of, is it? I gotta tell you, I lost a lot of respect
for B&H that day. I thought it was the most honest and upright company in the world--rock solid
integrity. But apparently there was a double standard.

So now it comes down to this: did B&H learn anything? Or is it like one of those all-white schools
that had to be desegregated by court order---and took it out on the black students?

Just curious: does B&H process orders on Martin Luther King Day? Do employees get the day off?

henryp Loc: New York, NY

That was a lie, plain and simple.


That can be ruinously expensive even for someone with deep pockets. The government has unlimited resources. No individual or company can match it. By avoiding protracted litigation we freed ourselves of these issues and were able to return to our single goal -- servicing our customers -- without distraction.


B&H does process orders on MLK Day, and on St Patrick's Day and Columbus Day and throughout Hanukkah(unless it's a Saturday).

I fail to see how this is related to digital backs for film cameras.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

It looks like an expensive toy.

1/2.3" sensor? Meh.

Write back when they release a version with a full frame 30MP sensor.

Still, this is a kludge. To use film, use a film camera. To record digitally, use a digital camera. The experience in both cases will be far more satisfying than with this thing.

Bipod

Did everyone read this notice on the I'm Back" website:

“Note to Professional Photographers: I’m Back was created with the intention
of reusing the old analog in a digital way, but maintaining a “retro” aspect in the
photos thanks to the focusing screen. It is not intended to have the quality of a digital
camera of last generation, therefore, it is not an accessory to be at par with a digital
or even an analog. I’m back gives a unique result in its genre. In similar solutions,
like “Pinhole”, “Lomography” . . ."
https://imback.eu/home/

How disappointing. Film camears were never designed to be "retro" or "lomo"--the
best ones were as good as Hasselblad or Sindar could make them. And modern film
is way better than film was 100 years ago. View cameras still offer the highest resolution
available in any off-the-shelf camera.

Even pinhole is capable of much shaper photos than most people think (based on their
experience with poorly designed or miniature format pinhole cameras). Nobody
should ever set out to build a bad camera....or digital back.

Phase One makes 100MP backs for medium format film cameras.

The performance of these backs (pixel density, dynamic range and
low noise) exceeds that of the sensors used in most (all--as of 2017
according to Wikipedia) digital cameras.

Phase One backs do things that astronomical cameras do, like cooling
the sensor, that (consumer-oriented) camera companies like Nikon,
Canon, etc. don't bother with.

Phase One certainly could make a back for 35 mm format: the issue is cost.
High quality digital backs are expensive.

I guess it comes down to what's important to the buyer: image quality
or cheap price. But total cost of ownership is far more important than
initial purchase price. I wonder how robustly built and reliable this
"I'm Back" is?

Digital backs are a good thing, since they increase the options available to
photogrpahers and let them use high quality film cameras that last a long
time and are avaiable used at affordable prices--but only if the back is
robust and reliable.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

I suppose this accessory might be interesting to some folks who are attached to their old film gear and no longer maintain a darkroom or don't have decent processing facilities in their vicinity. Perhaps camera collectors could use it to make images with cameras where the film size is no longer available such as 166, 616, 620, 828 and some cartridge types that came and went (?).

Folks that are SERIOUSLY interested in film are not worried about the expense of film and processing so I don't think anyone is gonna purchase this accessory for economy. Resourceful film uses will find the material the need in whatever niche markets are accessible to them.

All the film vs. digital conversation is getting old. Digital is with us and film and chemicals have not been abolished so folks are free to use wahtever they see fit as per their tastes and purposes.

Professionally speaking, I have invested is some rather expensive digital conversions but only to enable full view camera movements combined with digital capture or use some of my more exositic-soft focus glass that is not practically adaptable to digital bodies.

This film vs. digital conversation is really getting old. Digital is with us and film and chemicals have not been abolished. If someone wants to shoot film, produce tintypes, cyanotypes, or coat their own emulsion on glass plates, I'm sure they can find the materials somewhere. Everyone is free to approach their photography as the see fit as per their taste and preferences.

I have no statistics as to global sales or usages of cameras of different types or film and related supplies . I have no interest in that because I don't choose my gear or methods based of that data. I would perhaps be interested in theses facts if I were a photographic equipment dealer, supplier, retailer or marketer. Fact is, if I woke up one morning and discovered that all my favorite cameras and supplies somehow vanished and replaced with something else- an entirely different technology, I think I coud somehow make do and continuing taking pictures.

I don't "peer into the pocketbooks" of my suppliers. If they are rich, successful and famous and have sustained their business over a long tenure, I have to assume they are honest, ethical and are providing good products and service to their customers. I don't get into their religious observances. I am sure the folks who run B&H conform to all the federal, state and municipal laws as to statutory holidays and are fair to their employees. New York City is a very multicultural environment and PEOPLE DO GET ALONG WITH EACH OTHER despite what many uninitiated folks may think.

bbain

Doesn't seem to have backs for any of the Canon EF mount cameras. I have a Canon RT that I dearly love and still use that would be fun with a digital back.

User ID

So, it's obviously clearly unmistakable
that the resurgence of film has toadally
massacred the digital camera market.

Save them Dixie cups ....

.

Bipod

My post responded to your comment about Mr. Buffetts' neighbors in Omaha--
perhaps in jest--which you made under the B&H logo.

White clannishness is not something to be taken lightly--certainly not by B&H.

I believe Mr. Buffett is equally likely to consider acquiring a company run by
Hispanics as one run by whites. As a smart investor, he goes by the numbers--
and puts a lot of importance on the integrity of the company's management.

B&H cannot sign a consent decree then expect it not to matter. I realize that
civil consent decrees---unlike criminal plea bargains--usually do not require
the signator to admit wrong-doing. Nevertheless, there was sufficient evidence
to cause B&H to decide to sign.

These days, it seems like no matter what a company does, it gets to stay in
business--even Wells Fargo Bank NA, which was accused a crimes. I
suppose it's a sign of the times.

Thank you for your explanation, which I accept in spirit. Your willingness to
address this issue has done a lot to restore my confidence in B&H as a company
I can trust.

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

Do you have a link to the good sample photos? The majority of the still pics I saw on their website gallery and video looked terrible, they were mostly fuzzy and blurry and out of focus. Here's an example of shooting video with the back, it's absolutely terrible. Looks like someone put plastic wrap over the lens.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=8&v=dZlNyuvkcOg

What's next, a $300 grill that captures the nostalgia of burnt meat cooked on a wood campfire? This product is absolutely absurd.

no12mo

"Anybody know anything about this? How well it may work?
Just got it in a email from B&H. Pretty interesting.
You can get more info about ordering and what film cameras the backs are available for on their site.
Always wished I could shoot with my SLRs digitally.

I'm Back Converts Films Cameras to Digital Cameras
Bring your film camera into the digital age with the I’m Back PRO. This unique digital back replaces the film door on most 35mm film SLRs and lets you shoot digitally with your vintage gear. Dedicated covers are also available for a perfect fit with various popular film cameras.
$49.00 - $299.00"

How about a link?

rtryan

Guess if you want to take 3600 images rather than 36 with camera and lens now 40 years old, this is good option. I still have wonderful Minolta 28-135 that I used with a rental Sony A77 ii body vs Sony RX10 M4 to see if I might just buy best digital alpha mount body to get more life from my “old” Minolta lens. Hard to give up old loves.
Bought the RX10 “bridge”! Better than a 30+ year old SLR with “full frame” sensor film and 30+ year old terrific (at the time) lens? Compare? BTW, lose any shots changing lens with SLR vs just a “bridge” such as RX10 with a terrific TOTA modern lens?

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

< Failure to understand and accomodate the diversity of contemporary America is a common problem. But most investors and businesses realize that "tribalism" is bad for business <
Well, again, it all depends. The "sin of omission" is usually present.
Most companies are kinda like rainbows. Light at the top, dark at the bottom.
Let's say B&H has a sales force of hard working, educated, experienced, and productive people.
Let's say their Marketing Dept is the same. And their Engineering. And Repair.
Let's say their Shipping and Receiving Dept are filled with cheap expendable labor.
Let's say the Shipping and Receiving Dept has it's own breakroom and bathrooms for convenience.
And that these people are discouraged from wandering around, distracting the office workers. Who are on phones, on line and/ or on schedule. Different schedules for different time zones (I've gone to work in SoCal at 4:30 am to be ready for the East Coast folk). And if that guy from the loading dock is over *here* he's *not* at work. Or working.
Black, white, red green or blue. You can't do your job, no job for you.

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

Or my Iskra. That took incredible pictures, and (once you learned it) was very easy to work.

Bipod

Wow.

You mean like Wells Fargo Bank? Enron Corp? Arthur Anderson? Bear Stearns? Lehman Brothers?
All rich, successful, famous companies.

Investors in Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC felt the same way you do, E.L. Sharpio.
"Bernie is a succesful businessman. He was president of NASDAQ. He active in the NASD. And
he's made so many people rich!" They should have looked in his pocket book. They learned the
hard way.

I.G. Farben was a really rich, successful, famous and old company. It made AGFA photochemicals,
as well a BASF chemicals and Bayer pharmaceuticals. It had many happy customers including the German
Government. But in 1945 some pocketbook-peerers broke it up. As a result, you can't by such fine Farben
products as AGFA Rodinal and Degesch Zyklon B anymore (although similar products are made by other
companies).

As you know, AGFA Rodinal was a film developer. Zyklon B was a insecticide --- and reducer
of sorts: it reduced unwanted people. Millions.

Is it possible that what happens to other people matters--even if they don't belong to your family
or your tribe? Or is buying and selling all that matters? Should we all just "mnd our own business"?