Analog reflex cameras have lost ground to their digital counterparts and new mirrorless models, but we can't deny they have something “extra”. The overall design, its aesthetics, its weight, the grip… it's not the same. In the past we've learned how reflex cameras work and to build one with the help of 3D printers, but what we have here today is a conversion to place a mirrorless Sony NEX-3 camera in a Nikon FE.
From Analog to Digital
If you want to use a traditional reflex camera, nothing stops you. It's still possible to find all the supplies and accessories you need, which, by the way, will help you develop very interesting setups. But how does modifying a reflex sound? I don't mean adding a simple adapter to swap lenses, but a complete digital conversion. Why? Obviously because we can. The advantages of a digital camera are clear, and it's not a small challenge, to say the least. That's how we arrive at photographer Robin Guymer's project, who installed a Sony NEX-3 in the rear of a Nikon FE.
The mod requires disassembling the Sony NEX-3, exposing the sensor, and reducing its thickness so it sits in the same position as traditional 35mm film. Fortunately, this doesn't require any major alteration to the Nikon FE (which is almost as old as I am), but when it comes to taking photos, it's not the most comfortable, to say the least. The first step is to set both cameras to ISO 800. Then Guymer has the NEX-3 capture five-second exposures. The last step is to fire the Nikon, which limits the amount of light on the NEX-3's sensor. If infrared images are needed, all Guymer has to do is install the IR filter on the sensor.
Half of the Web has decided to congratulate Guymer for his project, while the rest sees it as a waste of time and suggests using an adapter so the NEX-3 works with Nikon lenses. What do you think? Is the experiment worth it, or is it better to invest in an adapter and be done?
