My DIY adventures

I've finally completed my macro set up, including the bracket and diffuser.

The bracket is made of scrap aluminum profiles - a large and two small L shaped ones, some bolts and nuts and pieces of EVA foam glued to make some areas less slippery. I've also bought two cold shoes for the flash (they were bought at different times and I've found the metal one not perfect so I ordered the second round plastic one).

The diffuser it's just made with pieces of PS fresh mushrooms packages, although any vegetable could be used😁

sample fotos will follow soon. I'm happy with the results so far.

D5300+micro105VR+2xNissin i40

The diffuser is held in place by a hb-1 knock off hood (twicked to fit the 2 micro 105 slits vs 3 of the older hood design)

D5300+18-140mm with modded strap and lens cap pouch

This camera strap "tuning" was in fact my first DIY project for my photo gear. It's the original Nikon strap (AN-DC3), a piece of foamed rubber that I had on my scrap box (leftover from my DIY wood guitar case linning) and a piece of thick black cotton. All glued with fabric glue. It looks ok and it's a lot more comfortable than the original strap. Anyway I prefer to use it as a sling strap. It's ok, a tad short and I'm not a tall guy (1,73m). The camera is always accessible but the cotton doesn't slip over one's clothes that nicely (like Peak Design's Slide). If I get a piece of nylon fabric I might try to add it to one side.

I've recently added a lens cap pouch that I've cut from a tablet neoprene sleeve that had too much advertising to be used. I preferred to stich it than to glue it because I could make it with a narrower margin. Two small cuts enable the strap to come through the pouch. A small piece of Velcro enables closing the flap to hold the lens cap, adapting the pouch to the right size. It suits from a 52mm to a 77mm cap and everything in between.

D5300+18-140mm in the new diy pouch

Last weekend I've added a lightweight neoprene pouch USA Gear/Mega Gear style. I wanted something to grab and go when I don't want to carry more than the camera and one lens. Again from a tablet sleeve that nobody used at home (my wife doesn't trade her Crumpler Mullet for nothing).

It's not a very tight fit mainly because it's not sewed but glued with contact adhesive. It's lightweight but protects the camera from small bumps, has a small pocket on the bottom side and a belt "clip" (flap with Velcro) to keep it "automatically stored" when the camera is removed to shoot. It wasn't intended to and will not fit the camera with larger lenses like the AF-S 70-300mm VR.

rear view of the camera pouch showing the belt "clip" and the pocket

This are my flash modifiers.

Started with the Pop-up flash bouncer that I got a template at diyphotography.net . Covered the inside with aluminum foil. It's foldable but the cardboard I had was on the thick side. If I do another one it will be with thinner cardboard.

Then the pop-up flash diffuser. Made it from a plastic notebook cover with a layer of wrapping PE sheet and tuned to almost perfect fit on the D5300. Take time to tune yours. I might have started with some template that I don't remember anymore.

top left: Pop-up flash bouncer, top right: Pop-up flash diffuser, bottom left: Flashbender clone, bottom right: Double sided flag

For the Flashbender clone I've used black and white sheets of EVA foam glued together, a piece of Velcro, wires and gaffer tape. Dimensions are approximately 275mm wide by 240mm tall plus about 35mm for the attaching band (black part is a 275mm square and white part a 270x235mm rectangle). Under the gaffer tape, the 3 "wires" that make the adjustable structure were made by braiding 3 24AWG wires (isolated solid core copper) that I had on my electronic projects leftovers box. I found the braids too soft so I've decided to use 2 braids on each "wire". It ended up a little too stiff, being a little harder to bend to the desired shape, but it holds that shape nicely and will last longer, as the risk of breaking the wires after multiple bends is lower. It fits nicely on my Samsonite Medium No Shok Foto Photo Shoulderbag and adjusts perfectly to the Nissin i40.

The central part of the adjusting band, that it's not cut, must match your flashgun width. The adjusting wires must all end at that area to provide enough support for the whole thing.

The double sided flags are just two white foamcore (or paper-faced foam board or k-line) rectangles with black card stock glued on the one side and a Velcro band on each side (I had matching colours but it obviously makes no difference at all).

Flashbender back side and pop-up flash bouncer

Finally the snoot and grids. The snoot is a simple black EVA foam rectangle with some gaffer tape, made to fit my Nissin i40. The grids, made in several lengths to test it later (didn't have patient and/or need to do it), are just 8mm black straws glued with hot melt glue, a bit of tape to help during the construction, and covered with black EVA foam making a tube that enables combining them with each other (increasing length to taste) or with the snoot. This construction follows the widely spread form and construction materials and method, just tweaked to my taste and flashgun dimensions.

The velcroed band, Honl speed strap style, isn't quite ok to me, mainly because the lack of elasticity of the neoprene piece I had (a leftover) and because I haven't cut the Velcro band. I think I'll redo this one soon.

Grids and snoot and a Velcroed band

In the beginning there was a 140mm nodal rail, bought to make macro work easier. There was also the base part of an L-Plate that came wrong (it was supposed to have an anti-twist lip but didn't) and some aluminium profiles pieces on my metal parts box. The idea was simple: The base of the L-plate could become a nice QR base plate for the Macro Rail. Fixed two U-shaped profiles to the base with self-tapping screws, drilled and open an M6 thread on each, and the fixed part of the rail was done. For the moving part, I've used the thick Al slab-like profile, screwed another pair of U-shaped profiles (also with an M6 thread open on both) to it and bolted the nodal rail on top of it (used a nylon washer and a locking nut). An M6 threaded rod with one locking nut and washer on each end (one covered with a rubber tip to make it easier to turn), joins the fixed and moving parts and enables a smooth movement.

Measuring wasn't perfect and a small misalignment is present:-x

As all the tools I had were a standard electric drill, a small vise and an electric screwdriver, the tolerances aren't exactly tight. It has some play so focus stacking or other kind of precise work will be out of this rail business. But small adjustments without having to mess with the tripod's head knobs are now easy and possible. All at a very convenient cost (6.38€ including nuts, bolts, nylon washers and the M6 rod).

macro rail

I really hate to search the bag when I need to change lenses. So I printed out this simple self-adhesive tags that fit in the small niche of Nikon's lens caps. I'll share the template as soon as I find the file. I need to print one to my newer 10-20.

lens ID tags

Remember Phineas and Ferb Disney series? It's a family favourite of ours, from the songs to all characters. Perry the platypus is my youngest girl favourite and gives it's name to this (also blue ;-)) undercover Platypod® clone.

Perry the pod with Cullmann Mundo head

Yes, I sacrificed a too-much-advertising-tablet-neoprene-sleeve, to provide a waterproof case for a 3mm wood (MDF) plate and a bag filled with Ikea's PYSSLA to provide a light and adaptive layer that enable a fast levelling in most surfaces. There's a 3/8" screw that goes through the wood plate to connect the head. When used with the head (I use it with my Cullmann Mundo 525M tripod head H=90mm, Diam=43mm, W=330g), the levelling capacity is great. The system is very stable even with the heavy micro 105mm VR (about 750g) attached to the D5300 (total of about 1300g = 2.866lb). The gaffer tape was just a quick way to provide a tight and clean finish to the work. The zipper from the tablet sleeve was kept in order to enable replacement or adjustment of the levelling layer and screw change, from the 3/8" tripod mount to a 1/4" camera mount if the head is to be left on the tripod it belongs to or at home.

Perry is a lightweight and very portable guy, measuring about 180x135x25mm (headless). One must cut the wood board smaller than the cover and don't fill the inner bag with too much pyssla beads or otherwise the levelling effect will be lost and the little Perry will swing instead of adapting to the surface it's laid on.

I might get him some light fabric stringed bag to carry it with a carabiner clip from my belt or the smaller camera bag (have to check if it's ok or too uncomfortable to have it swinging around).

Headless Perry. The 3/8" screw can be easily replaced by a 1/4" one

Is the mushroom tray made out of a polystyrene material? It would work great as a reflector, but  I'm surprised the light of the flashes pass though... I would think those would be too opaque to shoot through.

Yes, it's polystyrene. It's very thin, about 2mm, making it ideal for lIght diffusion without blocking it too much.

It is so thin that my son actually broke it accidentally. I wasn't liking the bulky volume that it had: it's a PIA to store and transport as it doesn't fit any of my camera bags. I'm working on a collapsible model but if I don't succeed I'll glue this one again.

So, after an accident that broke my original diffuser I've draw it again making it foldable. Now it lies flat when not mounted, making it much easier to carry on any camera bag.

Light diffusion is achieved by a thin (0.5mm) opal polypropylene sheet and some pieces of polystyrene glued to it (a 45x62cm PP sheet was 3,79€ @staples and one can make 2 of this). I've made some half-way cuts on the back of the polystyrene pieces to make it easier to bend to the right shape.

All set. Cut a 35cm wide x 30cm tall rectangle of PP

On camera

I think I'll add some kind of reinforcement on the centre around the lens as it doesn't hold the curve exactly as I wanted, but it´s a minor tweak.

I'll post some test shots when I have the time.

Nicely done!