dem00n Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 I thought this was pretty damn cool, make your own camera for $13. http://www.dealextreme.com/p/135-camera-model-diy-assembly-kit-black-90598?r=37968431 I wonder how bad it works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 I thought this was gonna be about the classic oatmeal can camera obscura. My freind took a picture of me with one of those oatmeal cans and it came out really cool looking. The picture is floating around in my trunk or something haha I bet that camera really sucks. If you're gonna make a crappy diy camera, just pop a hole in an oatmeal thing haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbreslauer Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 ok, but where does the memory card go? <jk> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Actually a lotta guys made cameras when I was a kid. If you consider the reeeeeally old ones especially, the oatmeal box paradigm isn't far off. A pinhole of the appropriate size acts as a lens, or many of "us" found old camera lenses to mess with, figured out the appropriate distances, etc. There were no shutters in the really olden days and a lens cap functioned as one. I don't know if sheet film still is available, but it was great fun to mess with. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampa Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 I miss film. This camera is probably a small digital unit which can just be a small component with some kind of case like this camera or a cell phone. The quality in these tiny things isn't bad but the lens is tiny and the resolution is not great. A toy. I miss film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 it's just a inexpensive plastic camera kit that uses 135 film (135 is the technical name for 35mm film in the canister that was invented in the early thirties) until digital almost all SLR cameras were 35mm the problem is getting film developed nowadays is getting harder. Years ago camera kit's like this were popular projects for scouts and other youth groups. It would basically take the same pictures quality that the disposable film cameras take as that's basically the same internal build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Actually a lotta guys made cameras when I was a kid. If you consider the reeeeeally old ones especially, the oatmeal box paradigm isn't far off. A pinhole of the appropriate size acts as a lens, or many of "us" found old camera lenses to mess with, figured out the appropriate distances, etc. There were no shutters in the really olden days and a lens cap functioned as one. I don't know if sheet film still is available, but it was great fun to mess with. m You're dating yourself Milo. One can figure out how old one is by the film formats they remember using. Me? 120, 620 was my first. An old Ansco box my mom inherited from her mom. Took great pictures. Then the next high-tech camera we got had that new fangled cartridge film; 126. For the young ones out there this DIY camera looks like any run-of-the mill Kodak. These Kodaks were primarily plastic, with some metal 'action' parts. In fact, this may be the same injection molded parts Kodak uses for their disposable cameras, just not branded as such. From the pictures on the link it appears the only metal is a few springs and a couple screws. My guess is that it works, but won't be very durable. It takes 35mm film. And, 'no', there are no USB cords to plug in. Yer Welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Yeah, I know I'm dating myself. Actually my first color photo that was printed as a tabloid cover was done with an old graphic - sheet film or a roll film back. Swings and tilts... I still have a medium format film camera that I used for magazine covers, but it hasn't been out of the camera bag for business in 15 years. I've a bunch of SLRs that have been long retired after "money" shooting on this and three other continents. Digital has some major advantages over film, imho, but then I think... sheesh, I'm the only person I know who's done an unsharp mask in a wet darkroom... m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenced Fred Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Film cameras are cool because you can do whacky stuff to the film for effects. Screw photoshop. Makes me sad that its so hard to do physical pictures with film nowadays, sometimes new isn't better /luddite rant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 I was a photography major in my first college life I even spent 2 semester at the Brooks institute I shot a lot of 35 mm and even some 4x5 and 5x7 view camera work but my primary camera's were a used Hasselblad 500 and a Mamiya RB67 in the medium format size. My first home had a full darkroom with 2 six foot photo sinks for all the wet work and a large Bessler enlarger with a full color head. I miss film also especially black and white film Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 I almost lived in a darkroom over the years, largely handling bw film. Never processed color. But I've even messed with sheet film up to 8 x 10 for odd sorts of fun. Actually, and I almost hate to admit it, but frankly digital has a lot to offer. At this point frankly I prefer using it for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the obvious increase in speed and number of photos one can capture for potential publication. OTOH, I think to understand Photoshop, especially, one should have basic knowledge of a wet darkroom. It's a good game to play for high school or uni-level students. Ditto use of swings and tilts on a view camera. The neat thing about photography in one sense is that for everything technically that one gains, one loses something from the other side of the equation. Unfortunately in photography as with guitaring, I've had the opportunity to develop skill; I only wish I had some talent. I do hope that those with talent have the opportunity to develop skill in a wet darkroom. BUT - here's a big caveat... Frankly some of the best photo work ever came from wet plate Ambrotypes, but I'm not sure it's what most folks will choose to mess with as the chemistry is pretty nasty. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Film cameras are cool because you can do whacky stuff to the film for effects. Screw photoshop. Makes me sad that its so hard to do physical pictures with film nowadays, sometimes new isn't better /luddite rant Learning, my fine young padawan, you are. B) My kids have spent hundreds of dollars on digital cameras, while my $35 Kodak is still working after all these years. My kids have all gone through 2-3 televisions, to the tune of many more thousands of dollars in the last 10 years. My TV was made in 1986. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenced Fred Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Learning, my fine young padawan, you are. B) My kids have spent hundreds of dollars on digital cameras, while my $35 Kodak is still working after all these years. My kids have all gone through 2-3 televisions, to the tune of many more thousands of dollars in the last 10 years. My TV was made in 1986. I wanted to get an old polaroid camera because i used to have one as a kid, i thought they were cool, and since I'm in colorado, i'd have some sweet chances at photography that would look cool. Damn things are close to a hundred bucks for "failed technology" I have a decent point and shoot 10 megapixel Canon that takes good pictures, but I want film Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted August 16, 2011 Author Share Posted August 16, 2011 I wanted to get an old polaroid camera because i used to have one as a kid, i thought they were cool, and since I'm in colorado, i'd have some sweet chances at photography that would look cool. Damn things are close to a hundred bucks for "failed technology" I have a decent point and shoot 10 megapixel Canon that takes good pictures, but I want film Got any yard sales around there? My friend has around 50 of them, all from yard sale and the most expensive one cost around $40. You can find em really cheap there. Hell i saw one at goodwill a month ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenced Fred Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Got any yard sales around there? My friend has around 50 of them, all from yard sale and the most expensive one cost around $40. You can find em really cheap there. Hell i saw one at goodwill a month ago. I'm gonna keep an eye out for em. A buncha pawn shops I'm gonna go to this week, hopefully there's something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 There are vintage Polaroids out there, but getting film will be next to impossible. Fuji makes an instant camera of the Polaroid variety. Dumb thing is the film ejects UP. It's a problem with out door photography while wearing a billed cap. The instant film used in the Fuji instant camera will not work in Polaroids. (edit, see link below) At one time Ebay had offerings of Polaroids selling for junk value. Mostly to collectors, I guess. One particular bellows type model seemed to be bringing decent money. Why people were doing with these more desirable models I do not know. I have a box of Polaroids I'd collected over the years that I need to jettison. I have heard of a home brew, 'work-a-round', film system for specific Polaroid cameras, but have not pursued this information to see if what it entails, if it actually exists. This dude is selling a Polaroid which he says uses a particular of Fuji film pack. He also did a battery conversion. This camera, if it's like mine, had an odd-ball battery in it. Maybe my camera is usable. > > > Polaroid for Sale, Ebay < < < Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenced Fred Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 There are vintage Polaroids out there, but getting film will be next to impossible. Fuji makes an instant camera of the Polaroid variety. Dumb thing is the film ejects UP. It's a problem with out door photography while wearing a billed cap. The instant film used in the Fuji instant camera will not work in Polaroids. (edit, see link below) At one time Ebay had offerings of Polaroids selling for junk value. Mostly to collectors, I guess. One particular bellows type model seemed to be bringing decent money. Why people were doing with these more desirable models I do not know. I have a box of Polaroids I'd collected over the years that I need to jettison. I have heard of a home brew, 'work-a-round', film system for specific Polaroid cameras, but have not pursued this information to see if what it entails, if it actually exists. This dude is selling a Polaroid which he says uses a particular of Fuji film pack. He also did a battery conversion. This camera, if it's like mine, had an odd-ball battery in it. Maybe my camera is usable. > > > Polaroid for Sale, Ebay < < < That's the thing. I found a camera for 30 bucks, but film is 40 bucks a pack for 10 pictures... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 I never cared much for the Polaroids although the earlier ones that folded out with a bellows perhaps were among the better ideas. A Polaroid back was often used on medium and larger format cameras just for throw-away tests of lighting. The older ones also had this gooey stuff you pretty much hadda sponge onto the print. Anyway, photography is fun regardless, although I've come to the conclusion that digital is the way to go. Somewhere in boxes are literally thousands of 35 mm and 2 1/2 negatives and positive film sleeves I've shot over the past 30 years. Maybe some day I'll get them scanned and digitized - assuming the old Mac (real Mac OS too, not Mac-unix) and film scanner will work after being in storage for ages. I've already seen major degradation in some slides even though they've been well-stored in proper conditions. If digital isn't "lost" when "we" go to all cloud computing, it should last as well as the old glass plates if they didn't get broken... m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampa Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 I never cared much for the Polaroids although the earlier ones that folded out with a bellows perhaps were among the better ideas. A Polaroid back was often used on medium and larger format cameras just for throw-away tests of lighting. The older ones also had this gooey stuff you pretty much hadda sponge onto the print. Anyway, photography is fun regardless, although I've come to the conclusion that digital is the way to go. Somewhere in boxes are literally thousands of 35 mm and 2 1/2 negatives and positive film sleeves I've shot over the past 30 years. Maybe some day I'll get them scanned and digitized - assuming the old Mac (real Mac OS too, not Mac-unix) and film scanner will work after being in storage for ages. I've already seen major degradation in some slides even though they've been well-stored in proper conditions. If digital isn't "lost" when "we" go to all cloud computing, it should last as well as the old glass plates if they didn't get broken... m I'm in the process of scanning my many slides and negs - like you I have thousands. It's a slow process which I hope to finish before I die. If nothing else I will get them sorted and maybe find those gems I know I have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShredAstaire Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 I love digital photography...like milod said earlier...you can do a lot of things very quickly and efficiently. I had film cameras when I was younger but i never developed the film myself...so digital is just a faster, easier and cheaper way to do it. I can go out and take 600 pictures in a day without worrying about losing a frame on a bad shot etc. I understand the love for the old fashioned...but i like my new fangled technology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroge1 Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 I had to make a pin hole camera in my Graphic Arts class in high school. It was a good learning experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Grampa... Here's my second shot on a reply... Unfortunately in ways all but a few frames of my stuff is "work." Never really took anything personal as such over the years. But if the dyes held up, there should be some neat stuff from trips to Europe, South America and what I really hope will turn out well, some stuff at a mountaintop Buddhist temple in Korea that should be pretty "artsy." But I'm mostly sad that over the years so much has been tossed. I know that well over a quarter of a million frames of tri-x were dumped by the newspaper where I worked 1968 to 1980. Oddly I had rescued one set that I'd given the state historical society... But stuff at my first newspaper also is gone... the opening of I-90, Johnny Cash concert, presidential campaigns... I think I'll not make it to digitize even a decent sampling of stuff I did between 1980 and 1995 that's basically all I have left that is "mine" in terms of copyrights. Whatever... As for the tune below, take it entirely as metaphor, please. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampa Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 I love digital photography...like milod said earlier...you can do a lot of things very quickly and efficiently. I had film cameras when I was younger but i never developed the film myself...so digital is just a faster, easier and cheaper way to do it. I can go out and take 600 pictures in a day without worrying about losing a frame on a bad shot etc. I understand the love for the old fashioned...but i like my new fangled technology. I like the efficiency but I have not yet figured out how to get the exposure I want like I had with film and the delay in the shutter drives me crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShredAstaire Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 I like the efficiency but I have not yet figured out how to get the exposure I want like I had with film and the delay in the shutter drives me crazy. If you get a good Digital SLR camera, there is no shutter delay...it just depends on what you want to spend $$. They can be pretty darn pricey... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 I've pretty much worn out two D70 Nikons that are nice and simple, even if too much plastic. The pro-am models work about like the film versions. The problem with a lotta the little ones is as you said, you've gotta wait a week for the shutter to go off. The pro and pro-am models I'm convinced actually must have better shutters than the old film cameras because they've lasted me a lot longer. Perhaps the smaller sensor compared to film helps with that. I dunno. A lady friend has a Leica SLR "pro-am" model that she got for $500-600 that is awfully nice too, although I think I've had a Nikon addiction since around '72. (Pentax, Rolleis and Contaflex mostly prior to that.) m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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