I like it, but I have one suggestion. Instead of using a built-in metering system and rechargeable battery. How about going with a modular meter that snaps into the body hidden where the battery would go? So many companies are making tiny meters now that this could be a possibility. You would also be able to choose whether you want to use an average, center, or spot style meter by allowing them to be interchangeable. Also, if the meter happens to give up the ghost, it would be simple to replace the module instead of a costly camera repair.
I think, after all the brainstorming, you just described and drew a weather sealed K1000 with a rechargeable battery and grip! LOL ++++++1! Sounds great, actually. I fear their SLR will be in the current K1 price range. Leaving all the repackaging of currently known features and technologies behind, which this dream Frankenstein camera would have, I would not "probably" buy it, as my 50-year old cameras already fit that bill, not fully, but for the most part. It just wouldn't have enough incremental appeal to me, since the old Pentax and Minolta cameras are already so incredibly fun to shoot with. Staying in the "Dreamer" territory, I'm however very curious about how this area could be pushed forward with more innovation of things we do not have and whatever I can think of has nothing to do with the camera itself and has everything to do with the film. I would love to have metadata info written on film - GPS coordinates and aperture, shutter, date, time, lens info, film ASA (not the DX squares), film name, etc... next to the visible image, like a microfiche info, which a scanner software could extract and write as ID3 tag to the metadata of the picture. I'm really curious how the new Rollei will sell, because I'm actually hoping Pentax makes a point and shoot of that size to carry around. Fully automatic with manual capability, if need be, but small as an EDC camera to replace my GR III. I love my K1000 or my SR505, but I'd never want to carry them in my bag every day when I want to travel light 90% of time - I take them out only when I deliberately go to "shoot". My GR III is always where my phone and wallet are thanks to its size, so my "dream" camera is very Very VERY portable and the features are much less of a concern for me. When I think of this hypothetical camera I ask only one question: "would I be able to, and especially would I have reason to, carry this with me every time I leave the house?"... I don't like using my phone's camera and the best camera is the one you happen to have on you at any given time, so...
I love the comment dude thank you so much! I’ve often thought of someway to “modernize” or change the film photography experience and I dig the data imprint idea but I feel like a lot of my ideas border on trying to re invent the wheel. I liked this exercise to think through some of those and the feedback has been great. I think Pentax’s 3rd camera was/is slated to be a point and shoot but I could be making that up (if it was me that’s where I might have started) I’m curious about the Rollei too but who knows how it will all shake out. I’m just happy that the old stuff still works as good as it does!
Very fun video! If I try to do the same thing I sort of always end up with a MX but with stop down metering and probably the winder of a soviet camera ()somehow I like those better, they feel more mechanical yet still smooth. The interchangeable mount sounds like an amazing idea so that's why I would go for a different meter so you dont have to worry about the auto stopdown feature of most cameras.
Start with a Spotmaic F add the sub mirror, detachable prism and AA battery grip. Mine still works great after 50 years and doesn't need a battery to operate. There are lots of available used lenses so the price of the camera would be offset.
A little button for double exposure maybe a lever system like on fm2/fm3a or on rewind button like LX, maybe it doesn't need but it can open a little creativity to take a photo on the systems
So, you want a Lomography camera 😉But I am with you. I was dissapointed that the Pentax 17 didn't come with that. Especially as they said they would keep creative stuff in mind while they were building it.
I like all of these things in your design, but I would make the grip to be much deeper, like a Nikon Z7/Z8 etc. Inside the grip could hold a single AA battery for the meter - those batteries are the most easy to find. Also dials on the top more like the Fuji X-T series. That would be a very cool film camera. Great video!
You want the best film camera? Get either the Nikon FM2 or FE2. Problem solved. If you want a grip, buy the motor drive. It bulks up the camera and provides a great grip which is where the motor sits. I have one, it's old, it looks absolutely new and operates like I just pulled it out of the box. We already have the best. BTW, metering is easy. We have full control of the camera, and I mean full control. Back when I shot a lot of film, the FE2, my camera, was the best thing out there. My F2A is great but a little on the big and heavy side.
All in all your model is what I think could be the pinnacle of Pentax' film project. They spoke about 3-4 cameras. TKO said he himself loves SLRs (well, he works for Pentax after all...) and would love to see that down the road. It came off as if that's only the last camera they'd make. I think because it's maybe more complex to produce. But either SLR or Rangefinder is where film photography is done best. Unless of course someone would build in an EVF into a film camera LOL Just because those 2 systems are the only ones that truly offer an option to get a picture really, really correct.
I have to disagree with using a rechargeable battery. Where are you going to get a replacement cell in ten years? A single AA battery could power a meter for years. An AA battery has 1500 mah whereas a single 76a only has 110 mah. Even a cheap carbon AA cell has 800 mah capacity.
What about a Nikon Z mount 35mm Rangefinder. Get the wide shallow mount and super sharp modern lenses. You might already own. And make a line of small primes just for this camera. Like a 35mm F2 manual focus. 50mm F1.4 etc.
Where would you put the focus coupling? I feel like a digital camera mount wont make sense for film because it’s designed with the sensor readout in mind.
These are some great and valid points. There’s however one major thing you didn’t touch upon which is the cameras aesthetic and choice of materials. Let’s play with the idea of a brass body, black paint edition. That would surely make the Instagram crowd salivate.
I agree that Manual Focus makes a huge amount of sense particularly from a lens support perspective. However I have fallen in love with manual focus with the option of focus confirmation. You see this on the much derided CONTAX RX but most AF cameras where they had manual lens support also had focus confirmation from the prism. This is a best of both worlds approach for me. If you are going for multiple prisms and focus screens this would be very easy to accommodate.
What doesn't make a good film camera is film. It's too expensive. Labs do a so-so job. Processing is also expensive. Getting prints adds to the cost. Two can of 36 exposure film will set you back $40 to $50 when done. Now you have to scan the film. If you want a good film camera, travel back to 1970 and pick up a Pentax 35mm camera, bestselling camera at the time. If you want the best film camera today, buy a used Nikon FM2 or FE2. There are many on the market in excellent shape. Won't set you back thousands of dollars like todays cameras. Make sure it lacks a lot of modern technology that can go wrong. Go as full mechanical as possible. You will learn to shoot greater photos when automation isn't running the show.
I like it, but I have one suggestion. Instead of using a built-in metering system and rechargeable battery. How about going with a modular meter that snaps into the body hidden where the battery would go? So many companies are making tiny meters now that this could be a possibility. You would also be able to choose whether you want to use an average, center, or spot style meter by allowing them to be interchangeable. Also, if the meter happens to give up the ghost, it would be simple to replace the module instead of a costly camera repair.
Have Cosina reintroduce the CT-1 and it's derivatives (Bessa R/Bessa L/Bessa TM/Nikon FM-10/FE-10/T-60/OM2000/TC-X/FX-3).
You got me hooked on the brainstorming concept of a “modern” SLR. Great ideas.
It’s a fun thought experiment! And thank you I appreciate that
I think, after all the brainstorming, you just described and drew a weather sealed K1000 with a rechargeable battery and grip! LOL ++++++1!
Sounds great, actually. I fear their SLR will be in the current K1 price range.
Leaving all the repackaging of currently known features and technologies behind, which this dream Frankenstein camera would have, I would not "probably" buy it, as my 50-year old cameras already fit that bill, not fully, but for the most part. It just wouldn't have enough incremental appeal to me, since the old Pentax and Minolta cameras are already so incredibly fun to shoot with.
Staying in the "Dreamer" territory, I'm however very curious about how this area could be pushed forward with more innovation of things we do not have and whatever I can think of has nothing to do with the camera itself and has everything to do with the film. I would love to have metadata info written on film - GPS coordinates and aperture, shutter, date, time, lens info, film ASA (not the DX squares), film name, etc... next to the visible image, like a microfiche info, which a scanner software could extract and write as ID3 tag to the metadata of the picture.
I'm really curious how the new Rollei will sell, because I'm actually hoping Pentax makes a point and shoot of that size to carry around. Fully automatic with manual capability, if need be, but small as an EDC camera to replace my GR III. I love my K1000 or my SR505, but I'd never want to carry them in my bag every day when I want to travel light 90% of time - I take them out only when I deliberately go to "shoot". My GR III is always where my phone and wallet are thanks to its size, so my "dream" camera is very Very VERY portable and the features are much less of a concern for me.
When I think of this hypothetical camera I ask only one question: "would I be able to, and especially would I have reason to, carry this with me every time I leave the house?"...
I don't like using my phone's camera and the best camera is the one you happen to have on you at any given time, so...
I love the comment dude thank you so much! I’ve often thought of someway to “modernize” or change the film photography experience and I dig the data imprint idea but I feel like a lot of my ideas border on trying to re invent the wheel. I liked this exercise to think through some of those and the feedback has been great. I think Pentax’s 3rd camera was/is slated to be a point and shoot but I could be making that up (if it was me that’s where I might have started) I’m curious about the Rollei too but who knows how it will all shake out. I’m just happy that the old stuff still works as good as it does!
Very fun video! If I try to do the same thing I sort of always end up with a MX but with stop down metering and probably the winder of a soviet camera ()somehow I like those better, they feel more mechanical yet still smooth. The interchangeable mount sounds like an amazing idea so that's why I would go for a different meter so you dont have to worry about the auto stopdown feature of most cameras.
Start with a Spotmaic F add the sub mirror, detachable prism and AA battery grip. Mine still works great after 50 years and doesn't need a battery to operate. There are lots of available used lenses so the price of the camera would be offset.
A little button for double exposure maybe a lever system like on fm2/fm3a or on rewind button like LX, maybe it doesn't need but it can open a little creativity to take a photo on the systems
So, you want a Lomography camera 😉But I am with you. I was dissapointed that the Pentax 17 didn't come with that. Especially as they said they would keep creative stuff in mind while they were building it.
I like all of these things in your design, but I would make the grip to be much deeper, like a Nikon Z7/Z8 etc. Inside the grip could hold a single AA battery for the meter - those batteries are the most easy to find. Also dials on the top more like the Fuji X-T series. That would be a very cool film camera. Great video!
You want the best film camera? Get either the Nikon FM2 or FE2. Problem solved. If you want a grip, buy the motor drive. It bulks up the camera and provides a great grip which is where the motor sits. I have one, it's old, it looks absolutely new and operates like I just pulled it out of the box. We already have the best. BTW, metering is easy. We have full control of the camera, and I mean full control. Back when I shot a lot of film, the FE2, my camera, was the best thing out there. My F2A is great but a little on the big and heavy side.
🤔 surely we know some people, let’s kickstarter this
All in all your model is what I think could be the pinnacle of Pentax' film project. They spoke about 3-4 cameras. TKO said he himself loves SLRs (well, he works for Pentax after all...) and would love to see that down the road. It came off as if that's only the last camera they'd make. I think because it's maybe more complex to produce. But either SLR or Rangefinder is where film photography is done best. Unless of course someone would build in an EVF into a film camera LOL Just because those 2 systems are the only ones that truly offer an option to get a picture really, really correct.
I have to disagree with using a rechargeable battery. Where are you going to get a replacement cell in ten years? A single AA battery could power a meter for years. An AA battery has 1500 mah whereas a single 76a only has 110 mah. Even a cheap carbon AA cell has 800 mah capacity.
with you %100
What about a Nikon Z mount 35mm Rangefinder. Get the wide shallow mount and super sharp modern lenses. You might already own. And make a line of small primes just for this camera. Like a 35mm F2 manual focus. 50mm F1.4 etc.
Where would you put the focus coupling? I feel like a digital camera mount wont make sense for film because it’s designed with the sensor readout in mind.
These are some great and valid points. There’s however one major thing you didn’t touch upon which is the cameras aesthetic and choice of materials. Let’s play with the idea of a brass body, black paint edition. That would surely make the Instagram crowd salivate.
Yes, and less push this a tiny bit further: the camera comes with a peice of sand paper so you can artificially introduce brasing.
I agree that Manual Focus makes a huge amount of sense particularly from a lens support perspective. However I have fallen in love with manual focus with the option of focus confirmation. You see this on the much derided CONTAX RX but most AF cameras where they had manual lens support also had focus confirmation from the prism. This is a best of both worlds approach for me. If you are going for multiple prisms and focus screens this would be very easy to accommodate.
Just remake the Pentax MX..best camera I ever used.
What doesn't make a good film camera is film. It's too expensive. Labs do a so-so job. Processing is also expensive. Getting prints adds to the cost. Two can of 36 exposure film will set you back $40 to $50 when done. Now you have to scan the film. If you want a good film camera, travel back to 1970 and pick up a Pentax 35mm camera, bestselling camera at the time. If you want the best film camera today, buy a used Nikon FM2 or FE2. There are many on the market in excellent shape. Won't set you back thousands of dollars like todays cameras.
Make sure it lacks a lot of modern technology that can go wrong. Go as full mechanical as possible. You will learn to shoot greater photos when automation isn't running the show.
$500 for an automatic half-frame with manual advance is wild
Take my money.