Create Your Own Digital SLR Lenses

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Create Your Own Digital SLR Lenses

Posted 07/06/2007 at 1:06:06pm | by Zack Stern

BUILD A PINHOLE LENS

1. Mark the Center of Body Cap & Drill Away

As with the macro lens, you’ll need a body cap that matches your camera. After you’ve ferreted one out, draw lines inside across its diameter - draw several lines to be sure they intersect at the exact center. Use a Dremel drill (or a number 6 center drill) to start drilling a hole into the center of the cap. Work slowly so that you almost reach the other side, without breaking through.

Lightly draw in the guidelines for your center point.

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2. Finish the Hole

Gently push a needle into the center to finish the hole. As an alternative method - especially if you accidentally drilled all the way through the cap - affix a piece of foil tape to the outside of the cap, and pierce that sheet with a needle. Some cameras, like Canon DSLRs, can be used in aperture-priority mode to adjust the needed exposure length automatically. Even if you use this mode, verify the proper exposure by checking an image’s histogram while shooting. Make sure the curves are evenly distributed. If they’re squished to the left or right, the image will be under- or overexposed, respectively. Screw on the cap and voilà, the Pinhole 3000.

Baffle your friends, bamboozle your foes.

COMMENTS: 7

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COMMENTS

Nikon cameras + old macro lenses
Submitted by SpaceCat85 (not verified) on Fri, 2007-07-06 14:49

Alright, maybe I'm missing the point, but why not (on the Nikon side, at least) buy an old Ai/Ai-s spec Micro-Nikkor (Nikon macro) lens + a diopter instead? You can get some of the Micro-Nikkor lenses used for around $50-100 (depending on the length) and have a high-quality macro lens that's easy to focus, works well in low light, & lets you adjust the depth of field beyond what most ordinary lenses can. I highly recommend looking at the below site to get an idea of what's out there:
Micro-Nikkor Lenses at 50, 55, 105, 200mm focal length
It definitely still beats paying 8-10x more for the autofocus equivalent.

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The point?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2007-07-08 22:13

Because you can! (pun intended)

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Sweet article
Submitted by Jason Whong (not verified) on Thu, 2007-07-12 18:04

I bow to your excellence, Zack. You are da man!

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Hot damn
Submitted by SwabyM (not verified) on Mon, 2007-07-23 12:20

I believe this lens comes in 3 series:
1) O Series (original Series)
2) B Series (barbeque Series)
3) and the elite SCO Series (sour cream and onions series)

"ONCE YOU LOCK (YOUR FOCUS), YOU JUST CAN'T STOP (TAKING PHOTOS)"

Ebay will have a flood of Canon and Nikon macro lenses coming in now.
I'm ordering mines tonight...

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efekan
Submitted by LearLear on Mon, 2009-02-16 10:18

thanks
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sağlık
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sohbet

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This louis vuitton handbag
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tell me the reason?
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