I’m Back Film is a company that is promising a unique product reminiscent of a 35mm cartridge with an attached sensor. This concept was first attempted in the late 1990s, but never successfully implemented. The challenge lies in the lack of a standard distance between the film reel and exposure window, as well as limited space in film cameras. I’m Back Film has managed to solve these engineering obstacles by utilizing a 20-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor, which results in cropped images, and a ribbon cable that connects the sensor to a box screwed into the camera’s bottom. However, it remains unclear how they have addressed the real-to-window distance problem.
While this project appears impressive, it comes at a time when digital SLR cameras are already widely available. Additionally, the resurgence in film photography has encouraged photographers to embrace their old cameras in their original film format. Despite this, the success of I’m Back Film’s product remains to be seen as they plan to launch a crowdfunding campaign in the near future. Interestingly, similar projects have been attempted before, but this is the first one featuring a usable-size sensor.
In summary, I’m Back Film aims to introduce a novel product resembling a 35mm cartridge with an attached sensor, which was a concept previously explored in the late 1990s. Overcoming engineering challenges such as the lack of a standard distance between the film reel and exposure window, the company has developed a solution utilizing a 20-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor and a ribbon cable connecting it to a box attached to the camera body. However, the digital SLR market is already saturated, and the resurgence of film photography has given photographers an incentive to use their original film cameras. The viability of I’m Back Film’s product will be determined by the success of their upcoming crowdsourcing campaign. Although similar projects have been attempted in the past, this is the first one to incorporate a usable-size sensor.
