If you’ve been following the development of the I’m Back Film camera then you may be interested in this video review by LGR, a YouTube channel with 1.78m subscribers, who normally focuses on old computer tech. They purchased the latest version of the I’m Back Film camera, which is designed to attach to the back of “any film camera” according to I’m Back. However, on testing, the device doesn’t work with any of the cameras that LGR and his brother had, and they had to buy an Olympus OM-10 in order to get the device to work.
They ask the all important questions such as “Is it worth $800 to convert 35mm to digital?” and come to the conclusion that no, it’s not, and in their opinion you can get much better results by either shooting film with the original camera, or alternatively adapting vintage lenses to a mirrorless camera. LGR criticises the marketing used, finding that it doesn’t work with all cameras, and also criticise the images output by the camera. They also point out that the majority of images of the I’m Back Film sensor doesn’t show the ribbon cable. Watch the full video below to see what they have to say about it.
The I’m Back Film is effectively a digital back that is designed to fit inside the back of a film camera, letting you turn your (old) film camera into a digital camera, assuming you have a camera that it is compatible with. It uses a 20MP Four Thirds sensor, so there is a 2x crop factor to be aware of.
It’s worth noting that the I’m Back Film project is primarily run by a small company made up of 2 or 3 people, and they expect you to process the images output by the camera yourself before sharing your photos.
The I’m Back Film camera project has been ticking along for many years now, and we first covered this back in 2023. If you’re looking to use old vintage lenses, then with a mirrorless camera you have the option of buying a full-frame mirrorless camera, for much less money if you buy second-hand, and with full-frame, there will be no crop. If you don’t mind the crop, then Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras can be found from around $100 on the used market.
