Silicon Film

[chaotic]

Quoted directly from this URL from a user in Nikonian.org... It sounds exciting for people who have already advanced film slr.

http://www.nikonians.org/dcforum/DCForumID11/443.html

As I said before, I left a phone message to get more information on Silicon Film. Well today I got a return call. It was from John Lichter, President & CEO of Silicon Film & Quest Mfg. He stated that Silicon Film (formerly known a E-film) is not vaporware. His company (a former vendor) recently acquired the product and is currently in the process of redesigning and testing it. It has since been improved:
There will be 2 (possibly 3) verions available:
- 4.2 mp version (2480 x 1684 - 30mm x 20mm frame)
- 10 mp version (3875 x 2625 - 32mm x 22mm frame)
- a monochrome version (not greyscale converted - special for you B&W lovers)

There will be some new featues Included with the ImagePak:
- multiple out files (4 at present)
- Support for MOST 35mm SLRs
- Color viewer (with preview, histogram, zoom functions)
- Image storage via CF I/II or microdrive
- ISO 200 nominal (100 - 800 programmable - possibly 1600!)

and the biggy...
- FULL 35mm FRAME CAPTURE No crop factor!

The selling price... $599 USD

They are currently looking for investors and (if all goes well) plan to release it in the first half of 2003. An article can be found in the Sept 17, 2002 issue of PC Magazine.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact them at info@siliconfilm.com or visit there website for updates at http://siliconfilm.com

Needless to say, I have already offered to be a beta tester!

 

[Darren]

This "product" (if we can even call it that) has been vaporware since my kids were born (and the eldest now 4 yrs old).

An old ploy by SiliconFilm that they use everytime a major exhibition rolls around by announcing new features (or in this case, what looks like a major re-design/add-on) without actually shipping anything. BTW, they have not even shown any (well, publicly anyway) working samples of their product.

The current mod seems to be a hacked on job - and its not even a properly rendered representation ;p

A couple of technical questions:-
How does the imager (the film canister-like thing) transfer images to the base (where presumably the storage media is kept)? Most (if not all) SLRs are not designed nor do they have connectors for high-bandwidth data transfer. Some sort of wireless tech? highly unlikely.
How does the imager fit into the back - the imager CCD will presumably be xmm thick, and to get proper focus, the surface of the CCD must be at the exact plane where the film currently sits. Short of hacking out the pressure-plate, how would the imager be made thin enough?

Nice concept (if iit ever gets into production), but don't count on getting one anytime soon

 

[Goondu]

Dpreview has some news about Silicon Film.

Check it out.

 

[sriram]

I quote:
"The SiliconFilm EFS is not yet available. If you are interested in purchasing the EFS when it does become available please send us an email at info@siliconfilm.com."

and more important:
"If you are a qualified investor and are interested in contacting us about investment opportunities please email us for more information."

It means they're still trying to get VC funding. And just look at the image of the LCD screen attached to the SLR. Looks like a con job (photoshop?)

 

[SNAG]

I checked out the Dpreview site, and I started to ask these questions:

The 10MP efilm will have a CF slot and a LCD.
How in the world would this be implemented into the cameras with non-removable backs? (F80 blah blah)

Darren > One way that I can think of is that this may be designed for those cameras with removable backs, but the types of cameras that will allow you to remove the "data back" are quite limited, so how can they say that it will be available for "most 35mm SLRs?"

:dunno:

 

[YSLee]

Bollocks, the company is DEAD DEAD DEAD. Grasping at straws now, it seems.

 

[mylau]

heh heh... another contax N digital...

 

[Goondu]

More pictures taken from www.digitalcamera.jp.

 

[Klause]

If it can do what it claims then I won't mind buying it. Imagine putting the 10mp version on ur slr.

 

[SNAG]

Originally posted by Klause
If it can do what it claims then I won't mind buying it. Imagine putting the 10mp version on ur slr.

But one thing willd definitely be the cost..
And take all these info with a pinch of salt...
So even if it does not come out... hehe, you won't be too disappointed.

 

[matthew]

Originally posted by SNAG
I checked out the Dpreview site, and I started to ask these questions:

The 10MP efilm will have a CF slot and a LCD.
How in the world would this be implemented into the cameras with non-removable backs? (F80 blah blah)

Darren > One way that I can think of is that this may be designed for those cameras with removable backs, but the types of cameras that will allow you to remove the "data back" are quite limited, so how can they say that it will be available for "most 35mm SLRs?"

:dunno:

Bluetooth.
The canister needs only a battery, the 'front end processor' for the CCD and a bluetooth transceiver which can talk to the bit outside the camera.

But I agree - it's vaporware.

The whole idea is going to keep getting stuck on the lack of communications between the camera itself and the digital imaging section, most SLRs would not have been designed to 'talk' to their film.

 

[YSLee]

Where's the option: No, because it's never going to come out?

 

[Ian]

A cynical Ang Moh doth speak

SiliCON Film back.

Vapourware - it's got more vapour than your average cloud.

Development cycle: By the time it's available snails will be building supercomputers, have developed space travel and four legged pigs will be flying, (well pigs do fly now, ever seen a police helicopter?)

Will it work .. probably not.

:rbounce: