Latest Posts on Do It Yourself

 

Add a Simple Lens Cap Mount to a Tripod Using LEGO Squares

Add a Simple Lens Cap Mount to a Tripod Using LEGO Squares lenscaptripod1

Last week, we wrote on how you can use LEGO pieces to keep your lens caps on your camera strap when they’re not protecting your lenses. A reader named Fearn quickly pointed us to a similar tip published over at Sugru at the end of last year. Instead of using camera straps, however, they suggest tripods as a sturdy way of keeping track of the caps.
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Focus Stacking Macro Photographs with a Hacked Flatbed Scanner

Focus Stacking Macro Photographs with a Hacked Flatbed Scanner focusstacking 2

Focus stacking is when you combine multiple photographs of different focus distances in order to obtain a single photo with a much greater depth of field than any of the individual shots. This can be done by turning the zoom ring on your lens, but this can be difficult to control (especially for highly magnified photos). It can also be done using special rigs designed for the purpose, but those are generally quite pricey.

Photographer and software engineer David Hunt recently came up with the brilliant idea of turning an old flatbed scanner into a macro rail for shooting focus-stacking photos.
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Make a Simple DIY Lens Cap Holder Using Two Thin LEGO Pieces

Make a Simple DIY Lens Cap Holder Using Two Thin LEGO Pieces legolenscap

Flickr photographer RawSniper1 has a clever way of holding onto his lens caps when they’re not attached to the front of his lenses: he uses LEGO pieces. By attaching one thin 2×4 piece permanently to the top of his lens cap and one thin 2×8 piece to his camera strap, he created a simple DIY lens cap holder system.

The lens cap has been in the photo-industry news quite a bit over the past year, with companies developing new shock absorbing caps, Canon switching over to pinch-style caps, and a constant stream of new lens cap holder concepts. Besides using your pocket (the obvious solution), RawSniper1′s tip is one of the simplest and cheapest we’ve seen yet.

Lego Gear [Flickr via DIYPhotography]


Image credit: lego_gear by RawSniper1

Using a Vintage Disposable Bulb Flash Unit with a New Digital Camera

Using a Vintage Disposable Bulb Flash Unit with a New Digital Camera rig

After recently purchasing a Nikon 1 V1, Swedish photographer Sven Hedin decided to work on making the camera work with an external flash. Not just any external flash, mind you, but a vintage flash unit — the kind that uses disposable bulbs.
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Duo is a Build-It-Yourself TLR Camera that Shoots Instant Film

Duo is a Build It Yourself TLR Camera that Shoots Instant Film duodiytlr 1

In October of last year, we shared a beautiful wooden homemade TLR camera by photographer Kevin Kadooka. It was a personal project at the time, and we remarked that it could be wildly popular if Kadooka began selling the camera as a build-it-yourself kit.

Well, Kadooka has done just that: the product, named Duo, will soon hit the market as a camera you can assemble yourself (it’s like IKEA meets vintage photography).
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A View Camera Photo Booth Created with a DSLR and Sawed Off iMac

A View Camera Photo Booth Created with a DSLR and Sawed Off iMac jpeg 3

For their Chicago-based rent-a-photobooth business Fotio, event planners Nick Harvey and Theresa McMullen created a custom camera rig that looks like a vintage view camera. The ingredients — besides the wooden shell and bellows — included a DSLR and an iMac.
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DIY: Make a Waxed Canvas Camera Bag on the Cheap

DIY: Make a Waxed Canvas Camera Bag on the Cheap diywaxed1

Looking to put together a sexy camera bag? Already have a messenger bag you want to carry your camera in? Love the look and feel of waxed canvas bags but don’t want to fork over the money to buy one new? This tutorial is for you!
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Make a DIY Remote Shutter Release Using a Cable and a Soda Can Tab

Make a DIY Remote Shutter Release Using a Cable and a Soda Can Tab cablecantab

Remote shutter release cables are extremely simple devices, but they can cost quite a bit if you buy the official accessories sold by major camera manufacturers. Instructables user nk dtk has an awesome makeshift alternative that’s dirt cheap: all you’ll need is a cable and a can of soda!
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Make Your Own DIY Christmas Gift Bows Using Strips of 35mm Film

Make Your Own DIY Christmas Gift Bows Using Strips of 35mm Film filmbow1

With Christmas just around the corner, here’s a clever DIY craft idea for adding some photographic cheer to your gift giving this year: adorn your presents with gift bows made out of 35mm film strips.
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How to Make a Padded Lens Case Using Plastic Bottles

How to Make a Padded Lens Case Using Plastic Bottles case1

If you’d like a cheap and simple way to protect your camera lenses from rain and from drops, you can make a makeshift lens case using ordinary plastic bottles (e.g. water bottles, soda bottles). Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do so.
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