Introduction: Flip Mino - Fish Eye
Create a simple, cheap fish eye lens for your Flip Mino camera.
Easy to make and requires only one bought item - everything else can be found around your house.
The "lens" does no damage to the camera or lens. I designed this with that thought in mind as I loathe scratches or dings on my gadgets.
Easy to make and requires only one bought item - everything else can be found around your house.
The "lens" does no damage to the camera or lens. I designed this with that thought in mind as I loathe scratches or dings on my gadgets.
Step 1: Materials
You will need the following materials:
1 (One) Flip Mino Camera
1 (One) Film Canister
1 (One) Two Rubber Bands
1 (One) Security Door Viewer (Peep-hole thing found in apartments)
2 (One) Rubber Bands
1 (One) Drill Bit (size depends on the size of the door viewer
1 (One) Cordless Drill
I found most of these items around my house. The only item I had to buy was the security door viewer which I bought for $10 at Home Depot.
1 (One) Flip Mino Camera
1 (One) Film Canister
1 (One) Two Rubber Bands
1 (One) Security Door Viewer (Peep-hole thing found in apartments)
2 (One) Rubber Bands
1 (One) Drill Bit (size depends on the size of the door viewer
1 (One) Cordless Drill
I found most of these items around my house. The only item I had to buy was the security door viewer which I bought for $10 at Home Depot.
Step 2: Merge Viewer Lens and Film Canister
The film canister is used to hold the lens in position over the Flip Mino's lens without causing any scratching or other such damage. Though, you may notice, there is no way to put the security viewer lens in the film canister.
Thus, you need to drill a hole in the bottom of the canister. The drill bit you will need depends on the thread size of the security viewer. The security viewer should fit snugly inside the hole. If you're viewer came with a screw that allows for different door widths, it would be good to screw that on - just for extra insurance that the viewer will not fall off the canister.
Thus, you need to drill a hole in the bottom of the canister. The drill bit you will need depends on the thread size of the security viewer. The security viewer should fit snugly inside the hole. If you're viewer came with a screw that allows for different door widths, it would be good to screw that on - just for extra insurance that the viewer will not fall off the canister.
Step 3: Attach "lens" to Flip Mino
Attaching the lens is quick and easy. Painless too, as you have no fear of your Flip Mino's lens being scratched by the film canister.
To attach the "lens" to the Flip Mino, you will need those rubber bands that you got. The rubber bands will go from bottom of the film canister, where there is space between the canister and the security viewer, to the Flip Mino. The rubber bands fit snugly when they are at the bottom of the Flip Mino's display. You could use one rubber band instead of two, but having two just gave me extra insurance that the "lens" wouldn't fall off.
To attach the "lens" to the Flip Mino, you will need those rubber bands that you got. The rubber bands will go from bottom of the film canister, where there is space between the canister and the security viewer, to the Flip Mino. The rubber bands fit snugly when they are at the bottom of the Flip Mino's display. You could use one rubber band instead of two, but having two just gave me extra insurance that the "lens" wouldn't fall off.
Step 4: Using Your New "lens"
Using your "lens" couldn't be simpler.
Place the lens on the Flip Mino as described in the previous step. Turn on the camera, and start recording. You may find that you are getting more film canister than the actual fish eye. To fix this I have found you can zoom in a bit; though that comes with a con - you lose a bit of quality. Though what can you expect for something that cost $10.
Place the lens on the Flip Mino as described in the previous step. Turn on the camera, and start recording. You may find that you are getting more film canister than the actual fish eye. To fix this I have found you can zoom in a bit; though that comes with a con - you lose a bit of quality. Though what can you expect for something that cost $10.
Step 5: Storage
For storing the "lens" when you are not using it, the film canister provides us a nice spot. The rubber bands can be placed around the canister and the lens can be unscrewed and placed safe inside the closed film canister. You could leave the lens mounted normally, but depends on how much you trust the area where you are placing the canister.