Vintage Camera Digital Hybrid Project

Vintage cameras look great, but film is expensive and so is processing. I’d like to take a vintage camera to a 1940’s event, and use it liberally without the expense of film!

Initially I considered putting a Raspberry Pi and the dedicated HQ camera into the old Ensign folding camera that I bought from eBay. However, the C/CS lenses are either pricey or crap or both. Thanks to a Twitter reply from Maks Surguy I now know about higher quality M12 lenses; https://twitter.com/msurguy/status/1365350221249613824?s=12 but there’s no easy way to focus and no aperture adjustment. Fine for other projects though 👍🏻

Then I wondered if I could “transplant” the workings of a digital compact camera?

Fortunately the slightly-battered Fuji A series that I bought for £1 off eBay has a sensor and lens assembly that is attached to the main PCB by ribbon cables. This is ideal! It won’t be easy to extend if I want to put the gubbins in the rear of the Ensign, but not impossible 🤔

After this discovery I bought a fully working A series for a few more English Pounds to use as the donor camera. I also have spare parts from the battered one I bought first!!