Equinox concept transforms any camera from compact to DSLR

Two designers have created a modular camera concept, which will allow photographers to quickly switch between different image sensors and lens mounts.

Each image sensor has its upsides and downsides. The same thing can be said about lenses and lens mounts. Not too many photographers can afford to purchase different systems and even if they could, they would not do that because they would not be able to carry around all that heavy equipment.

Equinox is a modular concept camera which can combine different image sensors and lens mounts, turning compacts to DSLRs in an instant

The solution comes from two courageous and inspired designers, Dae Jin Ahn and Chun Hyun Park. The two Korean inventors have created a system based on a single CCD part, which will allow camera owners to use a compact or even a DSLR depending on situation.

The concept is called Equinox and users can attach any camera and lens mount to the CCD part. The system design is based on the aforementioned CCD core. This way, the system is separated from both the camera body and lens mount.

Dae Jin Ahn and Chun Hyun Park claim that it will be up to the photographers to choose the body that they are going to use at a given time. The concept design allows them to pair any image sensor and lens mount, but, for the time being, this is only a concept and many things need to be sorted out.

Another advantage of the Equinox is its extended versatility as photographers can choose between multiple designs, depending on their needs.

One of them is a simple body with a shutter button, while another one offers the full suite of controls for the camera settings. The more options you need, the bigger the body can be made available for you. Additionally, the Equinox can be fit with a hot shoe, allowing photographers to attach an external optical viewfinder or even a flash gun.

The Equinox modular camera does not have to be portable at all. It is also aimed at studio photographers, who can connect the image sensor and lens to a custom adapter. In turn, the resulting system could be easily controlled via software.

The two designers have not announced any plans to patent their invention or to market the system in any way. Anyway, it is nice to see that designers are not ignoring the camera business and that they are trying to come up with new projects.