The camera thread in Café Society prompts me to ask this.
Are there digital backs for 35mm cameras? Particularly the Nikon FM3A or Olympus OM-1N.
Not that I know of.
There was a company a few years ago that was trying to develop a digital insert to drop into 35mm cameras in place of film, but they disappeared without a trace. When you think about it, digital cameras are highly integrated - it’s much more than replacing film with a sensor.
My photographer father says only for Leica, and they ain’t cheap.
Not just Leica, but many medium-format SLRs. 35 mm digital backs never really got hold because by the time digital imaging technology had improved enough to where it was competitive with small-format film, the prices of DSLRs had dropped to the point where it wasn’t really economical.
A dedicated digital camera makes more economical (and practical) sense.
If you’d like to read about the ‘Silicon Film’ vaporware story, this is a good place to start.