Will we finally see 'Digital film' soon? A new Kickstarter campaign suggests we might

A crowd-funded startup long known for its ambitious attempts to bridge film and digital photography has returned with its most polished proposal yet, launching a new Kickstarter campaign that aims to finally deliver a working “digital film roll” for analogue cameras.

The project, developed by the company I'm Back, has already attracted strong early interest, raising more than $450,000 from close to 1,000 backers. If timelines hold, the first units are expected to ship in December 2027.

We first wrote about I'm Back in 2018, when the company launched a Kickstarter campaign for an early version of it's technology that attempted to bridge the worlds of analogue and digital. 

That device did eventually launch, but was criticised for its high price and inconsistent results.

Now the company is back again with a (potentially) much simpler and neater concept - the I'm Back Roll, a device designed in the familiar dimensions of 35mm film. It is intended to slot into compatible film cameras and effectively transform them into digital shooters, without the need for external battery packs or control boxes.

The company says working prototypes already exist, but key components are still in development.

These include finalised electronics, printed circuit board assembly, and a custom film-shaped battery. The system is also expected to integrate an APS-C sensor, forming the core of the imaging pipeline.

Several configurations are being discussed, including variants with between 64GB and 256GB of internal storage. A Leica M-compatible version, which includes a redesigned rear door assembly, is also planned.

However, many technical details remain unresolved. Battery life has not been specified, and the Bluetooth trigger system that will synchronise the digital capture with a camera’s mechanical shutter is still in development, with current visuals described by the company as AI-generated mockups.

An optional external accessory pack is also being explored. This would extend battery performance and add features such as microphone input and HDMI output, hinting at a broader hybrid imaging system rather than a purely self-contained module.

The idea of converting film cameras into digital platforms is not new. Similar concepts have circulated for decades, dating back to early attempts such as Silicon Film at the turn of the millennium.

Over the years, I'm Back has also iterated through multiple prototypes, including earlier systems that relied on rear-mounted sensor units and the external attachments we mentioned above.

What distinguishes this latest attempt is its ambition to remove those external components entirely, returning to the idea of a self-contained “roll” that behaves like film itself. The company suggests this could encourage a more deliberate, film-like shooting experience, where photographers only review images after a roll is “finished”.

The campaign also confirms the use of Sony’s IMX571 26MP BSI CMOS sensor, a widely used APS-C chip found in several established digital cameras.

As with many long-running Kickstarter projects in the photography space, the promise is compelling but still a long way from reality. You should always do your own research before investing, and be aware that deadlines have a habit of changing. 

You can find out more about it for yourself here, with the Kickstarter already at more than $550,000 with a month to go.