Kodak has today announced an updated version of its medium format digital back the 'Pro Back' as the new 'Pro Back Plus'. The Pro Back Plus now has a shutter release port and electronic shutter cables to enable it to work with a wider range of medium format cameras. Support - medium format: Hasselblad 553 ELD, Hasselblad 503, Mechanical Hasselblads, Bronica, Fuji 680, Kapture Group True-Wide. Large format: Sinar, Horseman, Toyo, Arca Swiss, Cambo. Other cameras: Horseman DigiFlex, Silvestri.

Kodak Professional DCS Pro Back Plus Digital Camera Back Helps Medium-, Large-Format Cameras with Electronic Shutters Go Digital

Shutter Release Port Puts Power of 16 Megapixels into Hands of More Photographers

ROCHESTER, N.Y., September 11 - Kodak Professional today introduces a new version of its groundbreaking, 16-megapixel DCS Pro Back digital camera back - the Kodak Professional DCS Pro Back Plus digital camera back - that delivers all the resolution, functionality and portability found in the original model, but now introduces all of these advantages to many more photographers.

"When we introduced the original Pro Back digital camera back, we promised we would ultimately enable more cameras so more photographers could take advantage of its capabilities," said Madhav Mehra, Worldwide Director, Digital Capture Product Development, Kodak Professional. "Well, that time has come. Now almost any medium-format camera with an electronic shutter, and several other cameras, can reap the benefits of high-quality 16-megapixel resolution in this portable, affordable new unit."

New integrated electronic circuit boards and housings incorporate a versatile shutter release port into the new Pro Back Plus camera back. To extend the unit's compatibility even further, Kodak Professional has developed new ES (electronic shutter) cables and worked on interface modifications with a number of camera manufacturers. These innovations promise the simplest connections, while the Pro Back Plus camera back's overall design lets photographers enjoy the advantages of Kodak digital imaging while using a familiar film camera.

Kodak Professional has posted on its web site a helpful compatibility guide that explains the proper interface between the Pro Back Plus digital camera back and the following models:

Medium Format:

  • Hasselblad 553 ELD
  • Hasselblad 503
  • Mechanical Hasselblads
  • Bronica
  • Fuji 680
  • Kapture Group True-Wide

Large Format:

  • Sinar
  • Horseman
  • Toyo
  • Arca Swiss
  • Cambo

Other Cameras:

  • Horseman DigiFlex
  • Silvestri

The Kodak Professional DCS Pro Back Plus digital camera back is available now from authorized dealers of Kodak Professional products. In the U.S., the suggested list price is $21,995. For other parts of the world, please contact your Kodak Professional dealer for pricing information.

About Pro Back Plus

The Kodak Professional Pro Back Plus digital camera back is a Kodak-designed and manufactured medium-format digital camera back that features 16-megapixel resolution and creates versatile 48-megabyte image files. It features untethered freedom of operation, a fully featured LCD with histogram, new-generation software for exceptional workflow and a host of other capabilities. Removable anti-aliasing and infrared filters give photographers maximum flexibility.

The Pro Back Plus camera back is designed for location and commercial studio photography and high-end portraiture work. Like its predecessor, it is certain to be welcomed by advertising and catalog photographers, tabletop studios and in-house and independent portrait studios.

The Pro Back Plus's light sensitivity is equivalent to ISO 100. It can capture an image every two seconds, and store up to eight images before writing to either internal PC cards or host computer via an IEEE 1394 "Firewire."

The back's new-generation software understands how photographers work with images and greatly simplifies workflow. Capture Studio software gets the best quality out of Pro Back Plus pictures with time-saving, intuitive features that let professional photographers concentrate on taking pictures.

Capture Studio software includes many familiar image-editing tools such as cropping, sharpening, color balance, saturation controls and an eyedropper-style color selector. The back also ships with ICC-enabled color management tools and other essential software specifically designed for photographic workflows. It can be powered either by internal rechargeable batteries or via a "Firewire" cable attached to a host computer.