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Why are digital backs so expensive?

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Shredability
Posts: 2756 - Karma: 501
There the same things that are inside any dslr (sensor) minus a screen, UI, body etc...
Nov 20 2011 10:07PM
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michelle
Posts: 6290 - Karma: 428
The sensors are generally 100 times the size of DSLR sensors, you can select the image size (square/rectangle), even though the file is huge they still record images just as fast as DSLRs, etc
Nov 20 2011 10:23PM
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Shredability
Posts: 2756 - Karma: 501
Yea but if they sold sensors to fit in old slr cameras (not medium format) wouldn't they only be 4/3's the size of normal crop body DSLR cameras?

ie. crop body dslr's are 2/3 sensor size a full frame where full frame = 3/3 = old slr film cameras

Sorry If i'm not making sense
Nov 20 2011 10:41PM
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family_vacation
Posts: 6200 - Karma: 7,840
I'm no expert, but are they not generally large format?
Nov 20 2011 10:55PM
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chacharlie
Posts: 228 - Karma: 20
They're expensive because the sensor chips are expensive to make. The (relatively) small ones in DSLRs are already expensive, and the cost goes up exponentially as the format gets bigger. The difficult thing about making them is making a uniform sensor surface free from imperfections, and this obviously gets a lot more difficult as the sensor gets bigger. The sensors, depending on format, are about 6x6 or 6x7 cm, which is huge compared to even a full frame DLSR, which is 2.4x3.6 cm. They're also spendy because low demands keeps manufacturing costs high.

And nobody makes digital sensors for 35mm cameras because its not economically feasible...its a lot more profitable to just make a full frame DSLR.
Nov 21 2011 12:01AM
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Shredability
Posts: 2756 - Karma: 501
Yea your reply makes sense, thanks

I just know a handful of people that would be willing to dish out cash for a 35mm digital back and I would as well.
Nov 21 2011 12:12AM
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DrZoidberg
Posts: 5675 - Karma: 4,268
Cause they're usually for medium or large format, hence the sensors are much bigger then 35mm film.

AKA chacharlie nailed it.
Nov 21 2011 12:29AM
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michelle
Posts: 6290 - Karma: 428
Why? I'm genuinely curious
Nov 21 2011 12:40AM
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DrZoidberg
Posts: 5675 - Karma: 4,268
Such a thing would probably cost much more then a full frame body and a lens. It would be a small production run, and would have to be made to accomodate each specific camera. Unless they somehow made it universal.

It would be sick to be able to convert my t90 and all my FD stuff to digital, but only if I could do it for less then buying a full frame digi and lenses to match my curent collection. Cause otherwise there'd be no point. I know some people aren't willing to give up their old equipment cause they like and/are used to it. I can understand that. It's a change I'd make though.

If such a thing existed, for a reasonable price, I'd grab a 1V and have an invincible digi cam.
Nov 21 2011 12:50AM
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the.cheat
Posts: 2859 - Karma: 171
that'd be sick i have a solid fd collection and its all so cheap compared to ef mount...
Nov 21 2011 10:39AM
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alexat955
Posts: 2732 - Karma: 112
I think you mean 1.5x larger, you did your math wrong
Nov 21 2011 10:57AM
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Shredability
Posts: 2756 - Karma: 501
Yea your wright
Nov 21 2011 2:27PM
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Shredability
Posts: 2756 - Karma: 501
older lenses, more simplicity, stronger/smaller body
Nov 21 2011 2:27PM
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the.cheat
Posts: 2859 - Karma: 171
i assume digital bodies are bigger because there's more to it than a shutter and a black box that holds a roll of film or whatever.
Nov 21 2011 3:45PM
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MACAQUE
Posts: 2811 - Karma: 696
It's because sensors are cut from silicon wafers (or some other semi-conductor). Silicon is very expensive. Digital backs generally have much larger sensors than DSLR's or point and shoots, so there is much more wasted silicon. The bigger rectangles you cut out of a circle, the more material is wasted. That means bigger sensors are going to be exponentially more expensive than smaller ones because of the material alone. That in combination with the small numbers that are produced means high price.
Nov 21 2011 5:41PM
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