Do It Yourself

Sometimes, the best products are the ones you make yourself. PetaPixel is your guide to custom lenses, handmade camera rigs, custom-coded artificial intelligence cameras, and the 3D-printed parts that makes photography truly personal.

Video: How to Build a Powerful $500 DIY LED Light Panel for $70

Whether you're using one to shoot video or stills, LED light panels are a wonderful tool to have in your arsenal. But while they are available from a variety of companies, in a number of sizes and shapes, almost all quality LED light panels come with one, discouraging attachment: the price tag.

Thankfully, the above tutorial from DIY Perks breaks down how you can build your own $500 LED light panel for just under $70.

This DIY Pinhole Camera Was Inspired by the Iconic Diana F

Ray Panduro knows most everything there is to know about pinhole cameras. As his previous design shows, he’s a determined artist who can get the job done using fairly standard material and a healthy dose of elbow grease.

Today, he adds another masterpiece to his creative pinhole lineup, a Pinholga that is a recreation of the iconic Diana F medium format point-and-shoot.

DIY Hack: Turn a Graphing Calculator into a Homebrew Intervalometer in 5 Minutes

If you've taken almost any math classes over the last decade, chances are good you have a graphing calculator sitting around in some drawer somewhere. And while we can't promise you'll ever use what you learned in Calculus (an engineer friend of mine used to call it 'calcuseless') the folks over at JACP Media can help put that old calculator to use by turning it into a homebrew intervalometer.

$5 DIY Hack Gives Almost Any GorillaPod Magnetic Capabilities

GorillaPods are an incredible little photography accessory to have in your arsenal. You can pick up a model for cameras as small as a GoPro and as large as a DSLR with a 70–200mm lens attached. Heck, some even come with unique features such as magnets in the feet that allow you to more easily position them onto magnetic surfaces.

As cool as the magnetic ones are though, Instructables user tinstructable realized that Joby’s magnetic options are limited to only the smallest offerings in the GorillaPod lineup. And so, naturally, he came up with a DIY method to turn the larger model into a stronger, more capable magnetic version of his own.

Video: Build Your Own Diffusion Panel for Only $30

One of the most versatile tools any photographer can have in their arsenal is a diffusion panel. It can be used in both natural and artificial light and for artificial light it works equally as well in both continuous and strobe lighting. However, if you’re going online to look for a diffusion panel, they’re often a bit expensive for what is essentially a white sheet spread over a frame.

So, to help you cut costs without cutting quality, Tony Roslund has put together a convenient little DIY tutorial that details how to make a rather large diffusion panel for only $30.

Take Your Photography to New (Literal) Heights with a 12-Foot Tripod

There are times when all you need to capture the perfect photograph is just a few more feet in height. A common technique is to carry around and use a ladder to stand on and snap the needed photograph. But a ladder is far from convenient in terms of weight in size.

Thankfully, there’s an alternative that’s far smaller and not overly cost-prohibitive. It’s often called a construction tripod, laser tripod or contractors tripod and it’s a much smaller, more convenient way to get your camera high up in the sky.

Kickstarter Brings Interchangeable Lenses to the Raspberry Pi Camera with Fun DIY Kit

The Raspberry Pi Camera module is a favorite of photography tinkerers. We've seen it used to create everything from GIF cameras to a balloon-powered, aerial picture-taking replica of the house from the Pixar movie UP. But through all this, one limitation has stayed true for the Pi camera module: you can't swap out lenses.

Well, no more. A new Kickstarter campaign is bringing interchangeable lenses and much more to the Raspberry Pi computer board/camera module in the form of a fun DIY camera kits.

DIY: How to Fix the Cracked Glass That Protects Your DSLR’s LCD Screen

It's never a good day when you crack the glass screen that's protecting the LCD screen on your DSLR. Even if you're careful with your gear and travel with a bag between locations, accidents happen.

That's what happen to Instructables user coolscience.com, but instead of sending his camera in for repair, he decided to take the DIY approach and fix it himself. Fortunately for you, the steps he came up with ended up being both simple and cheap!

DIY: How to Make a GoPro Float with a Bottle Cap and Sugru

While GoPros are made to shoot underwater (within the confines of their housing – that is – they aren’t exactly made to float, if by some chance you happen to drop your camera while filming underwater.

Of course, there are third party solutions out there to prevent this from happening, but they’re often a bit pricy. Thus, here to ensure that your camera doesn’t sink into the abyss on the cheap is a little DIY bottle mount from Youtube Channel Wandering Designers.

DIY: Build Your Own Anti-Vibration Camera Drone Mount for Only $10!

Just picked up a DJI Phantom but don't have the cash to drop on an expensive gimbal to keep your shots steady and level? Well, it turns out $10 will get you at least half-way there and keep the 'jello effect' and blur out of the videos and photos you plan to go out and capture.

Viddy: The ‘World’s Cutest’ Medium Format and 35mm DIY Pinhole Camera

DIY paper pinhole cameras aren't a new idea, but a new creation called Viddy thinks it can stand head and shoulders above the crowd by sheer 'cuteness.' Seriously, the camera has dubbed itself the 'world's cutest' medium format and 35mm pinhole camera, and it's so easy to put together, it might even entice some newbies to give pinhole photography a shot.

A Super Simple DIY Lens Cap Holder that Will Cost You Almost Nothing

Lens caps are the bane of every photographer’s existence. They’re meant to protect our beautiful glass from getting destroyed with scratches or worse yet, cracks. But as helpful as these little things are, they’re also the socks of the photography world, going missing every five seconds.

After losing his more time than he cares to remember, Intractables user thescientistformerlyknownasNaegeli came up with an extremely cheap, but effective DIY lens cap holder.

Video: Capture Slo-Mo Footage on the Cheap with the Casio EX-F1

Who said you have to drop big bucks to have some high-speed fun? Well, it definitely wasn't Joey Shanks, who recently decided to show the Phantom users out there that they’re not the only ones who can do it.

To do this, Shanks rented a Casio EX-F1 high speed camera for a week. Costing him only $100, he combined its high frame-rate with a healthy dose of water and gunpowder to create some interesting high-speed footage with minimal investment.

DIY: How to Turn a Canon Kit Lens From an EF-S to EF Mount

Last week we shared a guest post that detailed how using your kit lens isn’t so bad after all. Following in the footsteps of that post, we have a convenient little DIY project by Instructable user G. M., who decided to prolong the lifespan of his own kit lens, by converting his Canon 18–55 f/3.5–5.6 from an EF-S to an EF mount.

These Creative Wedding Invitations Made from Film Canisters are Perfect for Photographer Couples

If you're a photo lover and you happen to be getting married to another photo lover, you're going to (at the risk of sounding repetitive) love this little DIY project that photog couple Katie and Kyle put together for their wedding.

Rather than sending out typical wedding invites to all of the friends and family they wanted to join them on their special day, they decided to make these super creative invites using rolls of 35mm film instead!

Photograph Sound & Heat Waves with this $9 DIY Schlieren Flow Visualization Setup

Schlieren Flow Visualization is a rather fascinating technique by which you can see and capture the differences in air pressure caused by various forces such as sound or heat.

And if the video we shared recently explaining/showing off this photographic trick had you yearning to try it for yourself, you're in luck, because there's a way you can create your own DIY Schlieren Flow setup for only $9.

7 Simple DIY Photography Tips and Tricks Using Only Household Items

The team over at COOPH today shared an insightful video that describes 7 DIY photography tips that use nothing more than items you have lying around the house. From can koozies to tights, a number of unusual household products make a cameo and help you add a unique, homemade element to your photo game.

Make Your Own DIY Steadicam for $20 and a Bit of Elbow Grease

The steadicam has become a staple in the cinematography industry. The problem more often than not, though, is that not a lot of people can afford one.

And so, since production models range in price from a several hundred to a several thousand, a number of tool-savvy people have set out to create their own DIY options. One such example is this extremely solid and good-looking creation by Instructables user and photographer survival434

This Impressive DIY Human-Sized Lightbox Creates Even Lighting Anywhere in Minutes

When trying to perfectly light an object, there’s a method of shooting it inside of an environment called a lightbox -- essentially a 360° softbox that emulates the soft, natural, even lighting you would get on an overcast day.

Lightboxes are fairly small in size, meant for lighting small objects for product photographs and so on. But what if it were possible to create a human-sized lightbox for use with people? It turns out you can, and in the BTS video above, photographer Kevin Lynch shows off his version.

Super Simple and Cheap DIY Ring Light for Your Point-and-Shoot Camera

One of the most sought after lighting accessories is a ring light. Meant to create a unique aesthetic, a ring light is a great way to add a sharp, but direct light source to any image. The problem is, ring lights don't come cheap, and are rarely meant for smaller cameras.

Thankfully, there's now a DIY solution for you hands-on types. Thanks to Instructables user alpacalypse, you now have a step-by-step guide to creating a ring light for your typical point-and-shoot camera.

DIY Hack: Add a 3-Stop ND Filter to Super Curved Fisheye Lenses

The Rokinon 8mm f/2.8 lens is one of the best options for photographers wanting to get in on the super-wide-angle action with as little of an investment as possible.

One problem with this lens, however -- and it's the same with most fisheye lenses -- is the curved front element. With such a dramatic curve, the use of filters on such a lens is almost impossible... almost.

Cheap, Simple DIY Magnetic GoPro Mount

There is anything but a shortage of options when it comes to mounting your GoPro. Whether it's from the company itself, a third party, or one of the dozens of DIY rigs, if there’s somewhere you’re considering mounting a GoPro, there’s probably a way to do it.

On that note, today we stumbled across an awesome (and cheap!) DIY magnet mount put together by Instructables user nlinventor.

DIY: Use a Little Plastic and an Old Filter to Create Cinematic Lens Flares

As 3D printing becomes more easily accessible and cheaper to work with, more and more people are experimenting to see just how the technology can be used to improve and tweak their photography. One such tweak has been created and shared by Instructables user Jan_Henrik.

By putting together an unused filter casing and a 3D printed piece of plastic, he's able to get some extra ‘pop’ in his photos and videos in the form of cinematic JJ Abrams-like lens flares.

How To Convert Your Room Into a Giant Camera Obscura

We heard how dangerous it could get outdoors with all of the traffic-crossings, pollen, UV rays and so on, and so we decided to stay inside and paint our walls with a live stream of the outside world...

Lubitel 2 TLR Lens Retrofitted with a Canon EOS Mount

If you want a lens that most or all photographers don't have, one way is to retro fit a vintage lens with a new mount. That's what Washington DC freelance photographer J. David Buerk did with a lens he found on an old Lubitel 2 twin-lens reflex camera, and the results are quite nice.

10 Photo Projects and Products Sure to Make Your Mom Smile This Mother’s Day

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, it’s probably a good time to share some inspiration for gift ideas. So, we’ve put together a little collection of items, both DIY and available for purchase to make your life a bit easier come May 11th.

We’ll start from least expensive and work our way towards the more expensive gear. Along with each project or product will be a short summary of what it is and an accompanying link to find out how to make it or where to purchase it.

Clever Hack Gives Your DSLR Nine Times the Battery Life

When it comes to days where there are long periods of shooting -- particularly video -- it’s always nice to know you have enough battery power to make it through the day. And while Canon’s LP-E6 and LP-E8s are great, they tend to only last about an hour a piece when shooting HD video.

To make sure you have enough battery life to shoot a fair amount and then some, Chris Winter shares a neat little semi-hack he’s come up with to make an external battery capable of lasting up to 9 times as long as a standard Canon battery.

17 of the Greatest Camera Hacks of All Time

We recently took a look at some of the best camera hacks that will save you tons of money. Today we’ve decided to turn things up a notch and progress to the next level! If you’re the kind of person who loves to take things apart to find out how they work, you’ll love the ingenious camera hacks below.