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First off, let me give proper credit. This is based on thisthis article by Haje Jan Kamps.
After seeing this, I decided to make my own - but with a few changes.
His goal was to make it as cheap as possible. I still needed this to be very cheap, but I wanted it to be a bit more durable and polished.
The two main changes I have made is using a plastic tube instead of a Pringles can, and using filter threads to mount the lens a bit more solidly, while being easy to remove. I also used some felt instead of black paper to absorb internal light. Project cost for me was only $7.50, but if you need a filter to use, that will cost you another $10 or so (and $110 for the particular lens I use, but you can continue to use that separately).
Also note that this ended up an extremely macro lens, limiting it uses. See the last step for examples and commentary.
I would love to hear comments. This is my first instructable, so be gentle ;)
Also, check out the hackerspace I'm a member of: i3 Detroit
After seeing this, I decided to make my own - but with a few changes.
His goal was to make it as cheap as possible. I still needed this to be very cheap, but I wanted it to be a bit more durable and polished.
The two main changes I have made is using a plastic tube instead of a Pringles can, and using filter threads to mount the lens a bit more solidly, while being easy to remove. I also used some felt instead of black paper to absorb internal light. Project cost for me was only $7.50, but if you need a filter to use, that will cost you another $10 or so (and $110 for the particular lens I use, but you can continue to use that separately).
Also note that this ended up an extremely macro lens, limiting it uses. See the last step for examples and commentary.
I would love to hear comments. This is my first instructable, so be gentle ;)
Also, check out the hackerspace I'm a member of: i3 Detroit
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I knew from the beginning that I was planning on using a filter on the end of a rigid tube to hold the lens.
I'm using a Nikon body cap. Use whatever bodycap that fits your brand camera. You can pick extras up cheaply online.
I'm using the great NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8D lens, which you can pickup new for about $110. If you want to make the setup for a non-Nikon camera, I would still consider this lens, as it is cheap and has an aperture ring. If you do own a Nikon camera, you should own this lens anyways (as long as you don't have one of the newer only AF-S bodies :) )
The first problem was determining the right tube. It needed to be cheap, rigid, and lite. After some hunting, I spotted a shop vac extension tube at Home Depot. They come in a few sizes, the larger one being a perfect fit for the Nikon body cap. It ran a bit under $7.
I got a 9x12" sheet of black felt for $0.62 at Wal-Mart in the craft section.
Any cheap 52mm (or whatever size fits your lens) filter or adapter will work. I'm just using a standard UV filter. You can pick one up on B&H for under $10. As a note, I wanted to remove the glass from mine, but because of the design, I was unable to. I recommend removing it if you can.
You will also need some epoxy, sandpaper, utility knife, and a Dremel.
I'm using a Nikon body cap. Use whatever bodycap that fits your brand camera. You can pick extras up cheaply online.
I'm using the great NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8D lens, which you can pickup new for about $110. If you want to make the setup for a non-Nikon camera, I would still consider this lens, as it is cheap and has an aperture ring. If you do own a Nikon camera, you should own this lens anyways (as long as you don't have one of the newer only AF-S bodies :) )
The first problem was determining the right tube. It needed to be cheap, rigid, and lite. After some hunting, I spotted a shop vac extension tube at Home Depot. They come in a few sizes, the larger one being a perfect fit for the Nikon body cap. It ran a bit under $7.
I got a 9x12" sheet of black felt for $0.62 at Wal-Mart in the craft section.
Any cheap 52mm (or whatever size fits your lens) filter or adapter will work. I'm just using a standard UV filter. You can pick one up on B&H for under $10. As a note, I wanted to remove the glass from mine, but because of the design, I was unable to. I recommend removing it if you can.
You will also need some epoxy, sandpaper, utility knife, and a Dremel.
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Please do that, and leave me a message when you have so that we can publish your work.
Thanks!
http://www.heliconsoft.com/heliconfocus.html - simple, lots of capability - relatively small price (free to try) - it is Russian!
http://www.hadleyweb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ CombineZ_ - free, lots of capabilities - larger learning curve
I ran across them from http://bugguide.net/node/view/19560 and they use a similar technique to what you have done on Canon point and shoot cameras that can be hacked to automatically step through the different focal depths . http://bugguide.net/node/view/250284 and links for CHDK scripts at http://bugguide.net/node/view/156750#211587
The bugguide.net site is NOT mine. I am just impressed by it! I got a PhD to play with neat things like Scanning electron microscopes, and you guys are getting great results from home. Best wishes and thanks.