Raise your hand if you still have that old 35mm film point-and-shoot somewhere around the house. If you’d like to give it a new life, Mathieu Stern has a great DIY idea for you. In a few simple steps and with minimum investment, you can use this old plastic camera and make a new lens for your DLSR or mirrorless.
Mathieu uses a KODAK FunSaver disposable camera for this build. However, I’m pretty sure you can use any single-use or point-and-shoot film camera. Even if you buy this particular one, it’s under $30, so the investment is still minimal. Other than the camera, you’ll need a body cap that fits your camera body, a couple of screwdrivers, a drill, and pliers.
Start by drilling a 16mm hole in your body cap and set it aside. Disassemble the disposable camera and take out the lens. Using pliers, cut the plastic bit around the lens so that it can fit the body cap.
Once that’s done, fit the lens into the hole on the body cap. You might need some glue or gaff tape to attach it. Mathieu doesn’t seem to use it, but I would, just to be sure. If you play around with this DIY lens a bit more, you can turn it into a macro lens. You can either try some “freelensing” or use macro tubes.
And that’s it – your lens is done! Screw it onto the camera body and enjoy the “90s look” in your photos and videos. I wouldn’t even say this is the look we got used to with old point-and-shoot cameras: the lens is actually unexpectedly sharp! there is some color fringing and chromatic aberration, but hey – this is still pretty great for something you’d otherwise throw away.
[How to Make a Lens from a Disposable Camera (90s film look) | Mathieu Stern]
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