If you’re the experimental type who treads the DIY route with your gear once in a while, here’s a weekend project you might want to try. Rise up to the challenge with another fun hack from our favorite weird lens enthusiast Mathieu Stern: a DIY plastic lens for digital cameras!
In the video above, the Paris-based photographer and filmmaker shares the result from a DIY plastic lens he made out of a Kodak disposable camera. He ended up with a tiny 30mm fixed aperture lens (f/10) which he paired with his full-frame Sony a7 camera.
However, as you can probably already tell, this setup comes with some drawbacks. As the plastic lens is focus-free, getting properly focused photos tends to be hit and miss. Close-up shots, therefore, aren’t possible. But with the help of a fellow photographer’s tweaks in the design and 3D printing magic, a new and improved “Kodaflex” DIY plastic lens was born. With its focus ring, Stern was able to get very precise focus even at close distances.
So, is this something you want to try for your own DIY plastic lens project? Any improvements you’d like to make? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
