Leica's Digital Transformation Results in a 64-Megapixel Enhancement
In the 20th century, Leica film cameras ruled the roost, and they're still a hot commodity among collectors today. [Michael Suguitan], a crafty bloke with a knack for innovation, took his classic Leica to the next level. After successfully creating a digital back for the Leica M2, he's taken the game up a notch.
His previous work entailed fitting the traditional Leica with a Raspberry Pi Zero and a basic imaging sensor, resulting in the LeicaMPi - a digital Leica of sorts. Lately, [Michael] has been tinkering and improving his creation, now christened as the LeicaM2Pi.
The improvements roll in with the image sensor. Instead of using the regular Raspberry Pi camera, [Michael] has upgraded to the ArduCam OwlSight sensor. Claiming 64 megapixels, the fancy gizmo is still compatible with most software tools, making it both powerful and user-friendly. A crop factor of 3.7x means the Voigtlander 12mm lens now covers a more practical field of view.
Contrary to his earlier setup, the new camera doesn't require removing the IR filter to activate the shutter mechanism. That means the machine can now shoot vibrant, natural-colored images in daylight. [Michael] added a flash this time around, too, manageable through the Raspberry Pi Zero's GPIOs. The LeicaM2Pi also boasts a sleeker onboard battery courtesy of the PiSugar module, rechargeable via a handy USB-C cable.
If you've ever fantasized about turning your vintage film camera into a digital beast, [Michael's] project might just give you that push. We've witnessed DSLR makeovers, as well! Dig deeper in the video below.
[Thanks to Stephen Walters for the heads-up!]
As for the bigger picture, [Michael]'s LeicaM2Pi project demonstrates a growing trend of cinephiles creating bespoke digital conversions instead of settling for brand-new digital gear. Countless photographers have reimagined various film cameras, merging old-school charm with cutting-edge digital chops.
From Kodak's digital backs for Nikon and medium format cameras to the low-resolution Silicon Film EFS-1, numerous ingenious approaches bridge classic film camera aesthetics with modern technology - giving us digital cameras that are a nod to the past while offering the conveniences of the present[1][2][3].
The LeicaM2Pi, an upgraded version of Michael Suguitan's digital Leica, now sports an ArduCam OwlSight sensor, a powerful and user-friendly gadget with 64 megapixels, which can shoot vibrant, natural-colored images in daylight without the need to remove the IR filter. This project, a digital conversion of a classic film camera, is a testament to the increasing trend of cinephiles merging old-school charm with modern technology, as seen in various digital-conversion projects utilizing data-and-cloud-computing devices like the Raspberry Pi, even in high-end gadgets like DSLRs.
