HOW TO: Build a Holga M-mount Lens

The premise for making this lens is simple: I want a Holga lens for my Epson D-R1 digital rangefinder. Why hack-off a rangefinder lens and mount it on another rangefinder??? Well, for its trippy optical quality, and to contribute something useful to the very small digital rangefinder community. "Wait, hold-up! So it's only a few clicks away in Photoshop"! Good question, but even with Photoshop there is a slight problem- I don't know Photoshop... There I said it, now I am embarrased. The proper way to do this is shoot with film, scan, and import to PC, or have the lab scan it on to a CD-ROM for you. However, buying, developing, scanning films can get expansive, especially when you're experimenting with a homemade lens. Excuses, excuses... Hey, let's not become bankrupt around tax season over a $32 (tools not included) lens.

Before we start, EOS-Holga mod posted on Litratista.org EOS-Holga mod posted on Litratista.org, and aTanguay's Nikon-Holga mod posted on flickraTanguay's Nikon-Holga mod posted on flickr are two must-reads. I started thinking "Hmm... what if" after reading their posts and came up the idea for my little project! However, they mounted their Holga on DSLR bodies which you can see the focus. On uncoupled rangefinders, you'll have to eyeball the focusing distance and set correct foucsing (or little 'flower' icon for near, 'person' for mid, and 'mountain' for far). All of this will be academic if I can build a lens that will have the correct focal length (60mm) to be in focus at infinite.

Drawing diagrams and reading math textbooks won't help, so I'm just going to build one and see how it goes. After pounding two cans of Red Bull, I am saying "Let's do this"!!!

Step 1 Materials

You'll need the following:

1- ONE Holga & lens cap. Preferably a spare one because you WILL DESTROY it.
2- ONE 'Canplas' brand '1-1/2" ABS-DWV Trap Adaptor' bought from Osh; more info on this later.
3- ONE M-MOUNT BODY CAP bought from eBay.
4- ONE black masking tape. I like the pH neutral kind because it has just the right amount of adhesiveness, not too gummy either.

Comments

[McGrep]

Very thorough and detailed Instructable, and the result is well-explained. I really like your photo of the tree with the "6x6 mask". It's fun popping off the lens from my Holga 135 (just by unscrewing it) and using it with different cameras.

[codwithchips]

very well detailed instructable&those pics are great you realy got it right. the instructable looks very professional, congrats

[Pixxil]

Very nice instructionable mate. Detailed, great images, a bit of fun as well. Has inspired me to hack a few lenses myself. Thanks!!

[theRIAA]

old plug-in power drills scare the crap out of me! VRUUUUUUUUUMMMM!!! VRUUIIIIZZZZUUMMMMMMM!!

[ColumbusGEEK]

Thanks for the childhood powerdrill flashback theRIAA. My dads scared the bejessus outta me too.

[Jezza Bear]

This is an absolutely fantastic Instructable, you have put some real effort into it and is so clear, with great titles and bubbles and some great examples of the results. I hope this gets some really good votes...thank you, you have put my faith back in Instructables

[howardf]

Well thank you for the comment. Yeah, I put some effort to it because someone on another forum said I am crazy and it cannot be done, period. So this is my proof that he's dead wrong.