Digital cameras became the standard for professional photographers years ago, but many still have film cameras for which they’d like to have digital functionality.
I’m Back is a digital camera back based on thin Raspberry Pi single-board computers that attaches to film cameras and allows users to transfer photos directly to the Internet via a browser send feature and also receive emails. It connects to wireless devices via Bluetooth. Other features include a touchscreen TFT display. I’m back ships in December. Future pricing isn’t set yet, but its maker says he hopes to sell it for $199 or less. He hopes to raise $22,714 by July 21.
The concept is a good one and not without precedent. But it’s not clear just how many consumers beyond photo enthusiast film purists there are who wouldn’t rather just use their smartphone to take a photo if they want to make use of digital functions … or just buy a digital camera instead of I’m Back. The biggest issue for now, however, is that it’s not clear just what cameras the camera back is even compatible with. Its maker says only that I’m Back works with “a great number of models.”
Back before the advent of smartphones, kids used to go to this thing called “outside.” In this magical place, anything was possible. There were usually other kids out there, too, and together they were only limited by their imaginations. Times have certainly changed. Now, screens dominate children’s attention at the same time, parents can’t possibly imagine their children going off to do something by themselves anymore.
