This Lego Camera Is a Real, Working 35mm Film Camera
There are some fantastic camera-themed Lego projects out there, but the Lego ZH1 is much more than a toy. It is a fully functional 35mm film camera built using Lego bricks.
Spotted by Kosmo Foto, the Lego Ideas project created by user Zung92 has 7,600 supporters at the time of writing and there are only 35 days left before the campaign closes.
The project launched in 2022 and received the required support for multiple deadline extensions. However, it must hit 10,000 supporters to receive an expert review, which is the biggest hurdle a Lego Ideas project must clear to have a chance to become an actual, commercial Lego product. Getting 10,000 votes isn’t a guarantee that a project will be made, but it is a necessary condition.
One of the darlings of the Lego Ideas world is the Lego Polaroid OneStep camera, which finally became a real-deal product earlier this year after clearing 10,000 Lego Ideas votes in 2022.
“My primary goal was to create a fully functional 35mm film camera using only existing Lego parts,” writes Zung92. “Keeping it affordable and portable was key, so I focused on making it as compact as possible. ZH1 is built from 595 Lego pieces.”
One of the designer’s most significant challenges when making this Lego camera was ensuring the body was fully lightproof, as any stray light can wreak havoc on film. While early film rolls came out foggy due to light leaks, the designer solved these issues through design revisions.
The camera’s main lens is based on an existing Lego magnifying piece, although Zung92 also designed a special pinhole lens for the camera. The camera includes a functional shutter button, film advance and take-up reels, wind lever with release, accessory shoe (cold, of course), and it supports full-frame and half-frame capture modes.
Zung92, whose name is Zung Hoang, has posted many real-world sample photos shot with the Lego ZH1 on Instagram, including the ones featured below.
The Lego ZH1 Camera is an exciting project, and it needs support to have a chance to become a reality.
Image credits: Lego Ideas creator Zung Hoang (@zung92)
