Digital back

A digital back carries at least the image sensor and some preprocessing and interface electronics for recording a still digital image. If no further elements are aboard such a camera back it is usually delivered with a separate electronic device containing power supply, image memory and further image processing electronics, maybe also all control elements including screen. Modern digibacks profit from electronics miniaturization in that way, that almost all necessary image processing, storage and control elements are put into the digital back itself, and maybe also a rechargeable battery. Especially for professional medium format such sophisticated digibacks have already become standard, with usually four buttons and color screen as user interface, making utilization as easy as that of other "few-button gadgets" like the iPod. The newest trend is wireless operation by means of apps on notebook computers or even small multimedia cell phones.

A problem is the size of deliverable image sensors. Medium format standard size 6×6cm will be available sooner or later, but larger conventional image sensors based on CCD or CMOS hardware technology are not imaginable at affordable prices! A solution for static scenes are scanback]s based on scanner technology. There already were products for the most common large format frame sizes 4×5" and 9×12cm available from Anagramm and Betterlight.

In 2014 the availability of fine medium format sensors was at a peak with Dalsa, Kodak, Sony