Make a DIY Selective Focus Lens with a CV Boot
Iranian photographer and camera tinkerer Alireza Rostami wanted to shoot tilt-shift photos but found the specialized lenses too expensive, so instead he decided to make himself a selective focus lens using a cheap CV boot.
To mount this medium format lens to his APS-C DSLR, Rostami created some simple semi-rigid bellows using a CV boot, the rubber encasements that are used to protect the constant velocity (CV) joints in cars. They can be purchased for $10 to $20.
“I needed a device that covers the distance between the lens and the camera sensor and has flexibility and mobility,” Rostami says. “After searching for these things, I found rubber and found the right size — it was a spare part for a car.”
Rostami created his adapter by cutting out the insides of a Canon body cap, attaching a section of a CV boot, and then using yarn to keep dust out.
Here’s what the DIY selective focus lens looks like when mounted to his Canon T2i (AKA the 550D or Kiss X4):
Here are some sample selective focus photos he has captured with the new lens so far:
Here’s a short time-lapse he created using the lens:
“If it’s possible for you to buy this kind of lens, that’s better,” Rostami says. “But if you can not afford it like me, you can make a lens by buying a CV boot.”