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Digital back

Reuse historical cameras

29.05.2023

Back 2 lifeFrom the showcase
back to the photo world

Imagine being able to take digital pictures with a 100-year-old camera! We bring old cameras back to life!

Perhaps you have already heard or read about a "digital back". This is a camera sensor for recording digital images, which is connected to electronics for ISO setting and, if necessary, shutter speed, as well as other electronics for storage. The features of these solutions vary depending on the manufacturer, but basically one can say: digital back means: sensor + electronics suitable for a specific type of camera.

With the help of this extension, you can turn an analogue camera into a digital camera. Disadvantage of these solutions so far is: They are very expensive, you can hardly get a system for less than 1,000 €.

Well, so far this has been the case. And up until now, there hasn't been a solution, for example for walking floor cameras. We think that these beautiful cameras from the early 20th century shouldn't just be on display, they should be taking beautiful pictures again. We searched for a solution for a long time and then, after long discussions in the team, came to the following conclusion: A digital camera without a lens attached is a sensor + electronics and therefore a potential digital back.

As the first type, we converted 9x12 walking floor cameras and now offer conversion kits for this type of camera.

In order to be able to convert an analog camera, you need 2 things:

1.) A lens adapter for the digital camera, which is used as a digital back.
2.) A Construction that accommodates this adapter light-tight and thus combines the analog and digital camera.

We have developed various solutions for the following camera types in order to implement the tasks mentioned above.

Read here how it all began!

Digital Back

Baseboard cameraa new era begins

The picture shows a standard bellows camera. It is so called because of its bellows-like housing. It is a real vintage camera. The peak phase of serial production took place in the years 1845-1940. What was our goal? Making digital photography possible with a camera that is over 100 years old! To do this, we modernize old cameras, equip them with the latest technology and make them usable again for the 21st century. After months of research and many tests, we can proudly say: The bellows camera with walking floor can go digital!

Find out more here!

Wooden camerafor travel and studio


This wooden camera is also a plate camera (photographic recording device for photo plates).
This model here can be folded and is therefore a travel camera.
Studio cameras were sometimes as big as old tube televisions and therefore really unwieldy.
In the early days of photography, this type of camera was a typical model, and now it is the field camera or studio camera made of wood is a collector's item that makes many hearts beat faster!

This camera is now also a digital camera, more wooden cameras will follow!

Find out more here!

Kodak Brownie Box Digitalcurrent status of development

We are only talking about the box cameras from the year 1900-1985. This little camera was the best-selling camera in the world for decades, and there are still millions of these beautiful boxes.

With the Brownie Box we dare the first conversion of a roll film camera, which is operated "open" for this purpose. For this we need brownie models that have a bulb mode (permanently open shutter). Unfortunately, not everyone can do them, so we have a currently growing collection here.

The first photo with a Kodak Brownie Type 2 from around 1923/1924 is now taken. The result far exceeded our expectations! The first test object was an old Varta flashlight.

The prototype works roughly, and you can focus the camera. However, it will still take a while before it is ready for series production.
With the Brownie Box, you set the focus over the distance, so you can't adjust anything, you have to move the camera.
Older photographers still know this, but we were very surprised.

 

With the Brownie 2 from 1924, we started another attempt together with a Samsung NX300.

We photographed an H0 model car from a distance of around 50 cm (bottom right).

Find out more here!

Current model overview

Schneider Kreuznach Ibsor

9x12 moving floor camera, plate camera or bellows camera incl. complete digitization set and lots of accessories

Particularities:

  • The camera is equipped with an additional adapter.
  • This is how digital photography is possible with a camera that is over 100 years old.
  • In addition, with the continuously adjustable aperture, you can make exposures that are not possible with lenses.
  • The historical camera is fully preserved in value. Our conversion kit mimics a photo plate and is therefore completely non-destructive to use.

This large set is now available in our Etsy shop!

Go to the shop here!

9x12 D-Back

This conversion kit enables a digital camera to be connected to a running floor camera, plate camera or bellows camera

Particularities:

  • This is a bellows camera photo plate with a lens bayonet for the most common camera systems.
  • The N&K photo plate is inserted instead of the existing backplate. There is a lens adapter on the photo plate. You can now connect your digital camera to this.
  • The historical camera will retain its value in its entirety. Our conversion kit mimics a photo plate and can therefore be used non-destructively.
  • Bellows cameras allow incredible images of a special harmony.

This amazing set is now available in our Etsy shop!

Go to the shop here!

Our shop

Did you like our items?
Some are available in our Etsy shop!
Take a look!

Here you get to Etsy

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• Contact • 

Neufeldt & Kuhnke GmbH & Co. KG
Boninstraße 25
24114 Kiel
Germany

Phone: +49 (0) 431 – 70 57 95 91
Fax: +49 (0) 431 – 70 57 95 89
E-mail: kiel(at)neufeldt-kuhnke.de

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