Eldergadgets.

[coldplugs]

I've had two (2) brilliant ideas for eldergadgets recently that someone with more money and time than I have needs to develop and run with. Both are probably patented but I don't think reasonable versions are on the market. If they aren't patented, feel free.... Just please send me one (either or both) when they are available.

Eldergadget idea #1: Revolving bifocals. These simply be eyeglass frames for bifocals that rotate so that the “close-in” section moves to the top and the “far-away” section moves to the bottom. These are needed when working over your head – e.g. changing a battery in a high-mounted smoke detector or reaching over your head when working on the underside of a car.

Eldergadget idea #2: A digital 35mm film canister. This is a canister with the same form factor as a 35mm film cartridge. A flexible piece extends about 3 inches (~76mm) from the can, mimicking that bit of film you pull out when loading a camera. The extension contains a light sensitive digital matrix that sits behind the camera lens. The cartridge contains electronics, a rechargable battery, and a mini-usb port. ASA ratings from 12 to 400 are set by a slide switch, as are B/W and color settings. The intent is to allow old 35mm cameras to take digital photos using real f-stop and shutter speed adjustments instead of pictures of little mountains and other silliness. When full, the canister is removed and hooked to a computer via a USB port.

Anybody else have any brilliant ideas?

 

[Banjo]

Both excellent ideas. I'd love to see either brought to market. especially the 35mm idea. Id love to be able to shoot tons of pics with my 35 SLR and get the feel for using the manual settings without having to develop all that film.
Hmmmm.....

 

[aerog]

I can't cite the source for it, but I seem to remember an effort to do the digital "film" idea quite some time ago. There are a lot of problems associated with the idea though.

The next best thing is/was digital backs. Many of the better SLRs had removable backs that could be replaced with backs that imprinted the date on the film or other data, bulk-film backs, etc. Leica made a digital camera-back for one of their systems back in 2002-2003, it cost $6000 (plus the camera price).

 

[tony barnhill]

I could use idea #1 everytime I'm laying on my back under a car! Or working overhead on some construction project around the house.

 

[terriphill]

I want to sign up for the bifocals! It kills me to hyper extend my neck to see what I'm doing when I'm hanging upside down under the car.

 

[DNK]

If they flipped over and where at the top,everything would be backwards and upside down.

 

[JamesWilson]

Rotating bifocals sound like they might be a tad fragile... being a proper old guy, I have "reading" glasses that I use for such tasks... when I can find 'em....

 

[tony barnhill]

Well, I wear trifocals & none of them work when I'm upside down!

 

[aeronca65t]

I gave up on bifocals.
I'd rather fall down the stairs through my own doing.

My Nikon digital SLR is sort of the opposite of your camera idea.
I can use older-style Nikon lenses in it that were originally intended for film cameras (the *real* money is in the lenses....not the body).

 

[aerog]

My Nikon digital SLR is sort of the opposite of your camera idea.
I can use older-style Nikon lenses in it that were originally intended for film cameras (the *real* money is in the lenses....not the body).

Same here. One of my best lenses is a 35 year old Nikkor 135mm. It's a constant surprise.

 

[DrEntropy]

:lol:

I've some old Vivitar Series-1 glass I just NEVER want to part with. All fixed length.

 

[terriphill]

As I was hanging upside down today looking for tomatoes and crowder peas...I thought again how nice it would be to have some glasses that would let me see upside down!

 

[coldplugs]

I figured I'd resurrect this post since I asked my eye doctor about the "revolving bifocal" idea today. He said that lenses can be ground with the "close-up" portion at both top and bottom for people who regularly need to see closeup while looking up. He showed me a sample & it's clearly a compromise that most of us wouldn't want to make. But - the option is available if someone really wants it. Fwiw.

 

[William]

I've had two (2) brilliant ideas for eldergadgets recently that someone with more money and time than I have needs to develop and run with. Both are probably patented but I don't think reasonable versions are on the market. If they aren't patented, feel free.... Just please send me one (either or both) when they are available.

Eldergadget idea #1: Revolving bifocals. These simply be eyeglass frames for bifocals that rotate so that the “close-in” section moves to the top and the “far-away” section moves to the bottom. These are needed when working over your head – e.g. changing a battery in a high-mounted smoke detector or reaching over your head when working on the underside of a car.

Eldergadget idea #2: A digital 35mm film canister. This is a canister with the same form factor as a 35mm film cartridge. A flexible piece extends about 3 inches (~76mm) from the can, mimicking that bit of film you pull out when loading a camera. The extension contains a light sensitive digital matrix that sits behind the camera lens. The cartridge contains electronics, a rechargable battery, and a mini-usb port. ASA ratings from 12 to 400 are set by a slide switch, as are B/W and color settings. The intent is to allow old 35mm cameras to take digital photos using real f-stop and shutter speed adjustments instead of pictures of little mountains and other silliness. When full, the canister is removed and hooked to a computer via a USB port.

Anybody else have any brilliant ideas?

1.) Wouldn't it be far simpler to design a pair of frames that could be worn upside down in these circumstances? I mean, you'd have to take your glasses off to rotate the lenses, why not just flip the whole thing over and have done with it?

2.) While I like the idea of being able to take digital photos on one of my old film cameras (I have an old Nikon rangefinder I'd like to use once in a while, but I shoot so much that the film costs would be ruinous), they make digital SLR's that have "real f-stop and shutter speed adjustments". I think this is more of an answer looking for a problem.

-Wm.

 

[PAUL161]

Problem with the #2 idea as I see it is, for what it would cost to convert a 35m camera to take digital shots, you could buy a good modern digital camera. Plus, the film industry is heading down the same path as the old poleroid anyway. My $700.00 Cannon that seems like it weighs 20 pounds, will make a good door stop. Why would I want to lug that thing around when I have a digital with most of the same settings, takes over 500 beautiful photos and fits in my shirt pocket?

 

[William]

Problem with the #2 idea as I see it is, for what it would cost to convert a 35m camera to take digital shots, you could buy a good modern digital camera. Plus, the film industry is heading down the same path as the old poleroid anyway. My $700.00 Cannon that seems like it weighs 20 pounds, will make a good door stop. Why would I want to lug that thing around when I have a digital with most of the same settings, takes over 500 beautiful photos and fits in my shirt pocket?

I think John's issue is with compact cameras that don't allow for any settings, just basic settings for portraits, sports, etc. In that instance I tend to agree-most compacts I've used (and I include film as well as digital compacts) don't offer nearly the flexibility of even a cheap SLR. I understand the appeal of using a high quality film camera to take digital images (why do you think they make digital backs for medium format Rolleis?). However, I still think that something for a 35mm film camera is an answer looking for a question, seeing as how there are a number of very high quality digital SLRs on the market at a variety of price points.

-Wm.

 

[coldplugs]

William is right re my issue with most (all?) compacts.

Re compacts, I also much prefer having a viewfinder of some sort instead of using a small screen to compose with. (I never liked twin lens reflexes either, although they certainly had their uses).

My primary motivation for #2 is to be able to use my old rangefinder cameras since I just like their feel and action. Sort of like driving an old car instead of a modern one once in a while. Maybe it doesn't make much sense to most folks.

Re #1 - flipping the frame is probably a better approach than mine, although I thought of rotating the lenses in such a way that the wearer wouldn't need to remove the glasses to make the switch. The lenses could be geared together like the focusing wheel, idler gear, and lens mount on an old Argus C3.

Anyway - the post was really just a sort of thought experiment.

 

[DrEntropy]

RE: #2: I thought it interesting. I'd like to have something that'd fit on/in my old Nikons to allow me to use 'em as digital recording devices.

I'm a dinosaur, I ~like~ my F3s. And I can't justify the expense of "new" digi-SLRs now, as I don't do enough camera work. The advent of digital imaging has changed the profession: Why hire someone to take photos when EVERYONE has a piece of "jewelery" with imaging capability in their shirt pocket?

At college age I was a "kidnapper". Beattie 'Portronic" (70mm roll film) with "sticks", a posing stool, roll background & stand and a set of Photogenic strobes (all that gear WILL fit in an MGB). That's all now obsolete. So is a lot of the work pro photogs get. I grew up chasing brides and ambulance sirens; shooting film at folks who're shooting bullets back; recording events of church groups or motorcycle gangs. Those days are gone, for good or ill.

I guess what I'm sayin' is: I have invested a literal fortune in photo gear over the last forty-plus years only to see it become worthless. Unless there were a 'niche' I could fill I can't see spending MORE on a conversion to digital equivalency. Something I could insert into what I have now and record digitally would be of real interest though. But that ain't happenin'. Nikon and Canon can't/won't allow it.