I'm Back 35
Transform your analog 35mm film cameras into a digital camera.
Welcome! On this page, I’m sharing my insights, practical tips, and tricks for the I'm Back 35 digital back.
After much anticipation, I finally got my hands on this unique piece of gear in early April 2023.
Click on the image below to download the user manual as a PDF copy.
It’s finally here! I just received this highly anticipated piece of gear: the I'm Back 35 transforms almost any analog 35mm SLR into a digital camera, beautifully blending modern convenience with that unmistakable analog look. My first video covers the full unboxing, offers essential setup tips, and guides you step-by-step through the process of mounting the digital back to your camera body.
Note: The video is currently available in German only.
Here you can download and edit a .dng file, unedited, converted online (service on the I`m back homepage) from the original .raw file. Publication is allowed with source and message to me by mail.
You can also download the following files in their full, original size.
Each image is a 20-megapixel, straight-out-of-the-camera JPEG that has been processed in Photoshop.
Feel free to publish them, as long as you provide proper attribution and drop me a quick email to let me know.
Many users report difficulties with the I`m Back35.
On the Facebook page of the company are some solutions of known problems described.
I have summarized them for you here and supplemented.
Problem:
If you remove the battery, the date is reset to 2019, because the motherboard does not have a backup battery for cost reasons.
The I'm Back35 has no battery in the PCBA (motherboard) and therefore every time you remove the battery, the date is reset to 2019.
There is a simple solution. Before you remove the battery, connect the USB-C cable to a smartphone power bank and plug it into the USB-C port on the I`m Back35, and only then remove the battery from the I`m Back35. Since it is connected to an external power source, the time and date data will not be lost. When the NP F 550/570 battery is charged, reinsert it and turn the device off and on again. Your date will be retained! Then remove the power bank.
Problem:
The ISO function only works in AUTOMATIC (A) mode.
A mode: When you change the ISO value, it changes and you see a change in the exposure values (leave identical aperture setting for comparison).
M mode: If you shoot in manual mode, the ISO value is fixed at 100.
You can compensate the EV value on the digital back I`m Back35 if you want to correct the exposure.
Problem:
How do I take photos in mode A (automatic mode)?
To take photos in A (Auto) mode, follow the steps below:
Step 1) Click twice on the "M" on the I`m Back35.
Step 2) Set your camera to the exposure time B (bulb) or T (time).
Step 3) Now you can see the image on the display of the I`m Back35 (Live View).
Step 4) Click the OK button and the photos will be taken.
Problem:
SD-CARD ERROR message when clicking any button? Format the SD card!
Format the SD card by using the format function of the I'M BACK back panel. DO NOT use your computer to format!
You can see a short sound test here:
I`m Back 35 - your digital back for analog 35mm cameras - used in automatic mode (A-mode)
I'm Back35 is a digital back that turns (almost) any 35mm camera into a digital camera.
So you can take digital photos with your analog camera.
I was asked more often via my homepage www.apertureonepointfour.com how to take pictures with the digital back I`m Back35. In this video I show you how to use the A-Mode correctly and which special features there are.
I would like to show you a few more pictures that I took with the I`m Back35.
Great art is not there yet, but for an impression regarding the image quality it is enough. Maybe with special software for noise reduction an improved result is possible, unfortunately I can not check this.
I use Lightroom / Photoshop for image processing. The AI-based noise reduction of Lightroom (which delivers fantastic results of the sensors of my Sony A7II and Canon 5DsR) is currently only designed for use with RAW files.
In this video I show you my workflow to get the best results from the RAW files of the I`M Back35.
But even after this processing, the digital images retain their unique charm.