thrifty

For those of you amateur photographers out there who like shooting film, sometimes old cameras don't have the right light meter for getting the correct exposure. Sometimes they are faulty, inaccurate or have no light meter at all! Photographic light meters can be pretty expensive but analog foot-candle meters are cheap because they don't really have any photography purpose, until now. This guide will show you how to put it to work for photography.

Photographer Jared Krause made this simple camera strap for shooting on …

Camera bags can get pricy, and when it comes to camera bags that travel well (i.e. on wheels) prices can really skyrocket. In fact, if you type "Rolling Camera Bag" into Amazon your first three options will run you $262.54, $171.07, and $249.00.

Photography enthusiast Jeff Vier made himself a cheap DIY grid spot using a …

Update: We’re hearing that Walmart is no longer offering medium format film development. Want to try your hand at …

When the grip on his Canon Rebel T2i finally peeled and warped beyond repair, NYU computer science and mechanical …

Here's a tutorial by photographer Joe Edelman that teaches how you can build a studio lighting setup with fluorescent lights for under $200. You can find a detailed parts list over in the description of the video on YouTube.

YouTube filmmaker Casey Neistat‘s DSLR recently took a tumble, breaking a piece off …

Physics guru David Prutchi recently came across a line of professional grade gyroscopic camera stabilizers by Kenyon Laboratories. They cost thousands of dollars each, but Prutchi noticed that the designs hadn't changed much since they were first patented in the 1950s. He then set out to create his own DIY version using low-cost gyroscopes from Gyroscope.com. His finished device (shown above) actually helps stabilize his DSLR when shooting video or when photographing with non-image-stabilized lenses.

Photographer Allen Mowery has a step-by-step tutorial …

Photography enthusiast Kris Robinson used to handhold a flash above his subjects for …

Want to improve the quality of the photos captured using your DSLR's popup flash? Tina (AKA synthetic_meat) discovered that the cardboard box that came with a particular brand of chocolate had a nice silver lining on the inside -- perfect for making a mirrored bounce reflector! After some cutting, scoring, and folding, she came up with a DIY Lightscoop clone that lets you bounce your onboard flash off the ceiling or wall for softer and more appealing images. You can download the free template to make your own in both A4 and Letter formats.

Elizabeth Giorgi of Being Geek Chic made this step-by-step video tutorial teaching …

If you have an old mount for attaching a GPS or cell phone to your windshield, you can upcycle …

Heavier tripods are generally more stable than lighter ones — wind doesn’t affect them as much — but hauling …

Industrial design student Hunter Frerich came up with a simple and cheap DIY …

If you’re in the market for a new digital camera this year, buying it in January or February might …

After damaging the pellicle mirror in his Sony A55 with cleaning fluid, a guy named Dario decided to look …

Beauty dishes are pricey, and so are dedicated cases for carrying them around. If you want a cheap and …

Eve Johnson of Evalicious wanted to turn some old digital photographs into Instax-style …

Wanting a cheap and compact way to carry, protect, and manage his SD cards, Instructables member …

In this short video, photographer Allen Mowery shows how you can create a …

Want a super simple macro lens for your phone without shelling out big bucks? You can use 3D printing …

In the past week, two different lens dial camera cases have been announced for iPhoneographers: a Holga …

Flickr user Twin-Reverb made this nifty DIY flash diffuser using a cardboard paper towel tube, a paper towel, and some aluminum foil.

You don't need to shell out money for a nicer camera or a special lens to play around with macro photography. In addition to freelensing and using your lens backward, you can also place an ordinary magnifying glass in front of your lens to enlarge the world. Graphic designer Clif Dickens shot these close-up photos using a magnifying glass and an iPhone 3GS.

Photographer Peter Wirén came up with a super cheap and easy way to record sliding shots using his DSLR. Instead of buying an expensive slider or dolly system, he simply cut the fingers off an old glove and used them as "socks" on his GorillaPod.

Here’s another helpful step-by-step guide teaching how to develop B&W film (in this case it’s …

If you have a GoPro or any other compact camera with a constantly exposed lens, you can protect the …

Buying large frames for displaying your prints can be expensive. For those of you who are rich in time …

Some photographers prefer using ordinary bags with padded inserts to carry their camera gear, both for aesthetic reason and …

Want a DSLR viewfinder but don’t want to pay big bucks for a professional one? …

Want to adorn a wall with a giant print using your own photography? Here’s a great video in which …

If you ever find yourself needing some quick stabilization when recording video with your DSLR, but don’t have a …

mr-korn over at Lomography recently snagged a cheap Olympus Zuiko 50mm lens on eBay, but the lens didn't come with a lens cap. Rather than try and find a replacement cap for that particular lens, he decided to craft his own DIY cap using a can of Coke.

Ties are meant to be soft and comfortable around the neck, so they’re a perfect fit for a do-it-yourself …

Check out this mummified camera used by Reuters photographer Jo Yong-Hak. Yong-Hak was assigned to cover the popular Boryeong Mud Festival this year in South Korea, and decided to protect his gear with some good ol' fashioned plastic wrap.

If you need a cheap way to bounce some light, don’t want to spend a wad of cash on …

Photographer Adrian Onsen wanted to use the AI Servo autofocus mode on his …

Reflector mounts (the things that attach a reflector to your bike) are so cheap that bike shops often give …