My DIY lens that kinda sorta failed

Recently I came across a diy lens project that uses a disposable camera lens. So, I tried to make it my self. When I tried it out on my Canon Rebel, the photos were badly out of focus. Checking around, I discovered that this lens will only work on mirrorless cameras. So I guess I'll hold onto it until I move on to a mirrorless system

By the way, The Cheepburr and Schitt Co. Is the name I give all my diy projects. Something I've done for the last 30 years or so. Kinda a inside joke.

Hangbelly wrote:

Recently I came across a diy lens project that uses a disposable camera lens. So, I tried to make it my self. When I tried it out on my Canon Rebel, the photos were badly out of focus. Checking around, I discovered that this lens will only work on mirrorless cameras. So I guess I'll hold onto it until I move on to a mirrorless system

Actually it just limited rather than unusable, you can do close-ups with it. The lens can't get close enough for infinity focus but there will be a point much closer where it does focus, I'd guess with subject distance somewhere around 1-2 feet.

It's effectively got extension of about half it's focal length, so won't focus close enough for true macro, but it will get close

Hangbelly wrote:

Recently I came across a diy lens project that uses a disposable camera lens. So, I tried to make it my self. When I tried it out on my Canon Rebel, the photos were badly out of focus. Checking around, I discovered that this lens will only work on mirrorless cameras.

That has never stopped me before. I've built lenses (and non-lenses like a 28mm pinhole) that needed to be shot with mirror lockup. Most DSLRs will let you lift the mirror manually and slide a lens tube under it. Can you mount your 30mm in a piece of 1/2 inch thin wall CPVC tubing and let that tubing into the mirror chamber through a hole in a body cap?

Then tune the focus until you achieve a 6ft (around 2m) fixed focus.

Don't forget to pad the tube so the mirror doesn’t make so much noise banging on it. And black paint or flocking inside to control flare.

So I guess I'll hold onto it until I move on to a mirrorless system

Hangbelly wrote:

Recently I came across a diy lens project that uses a disposable camera lens. So, I tried to make it my self. When I tried it out on my Canon Rebel, the photos were badly out of focus. Checking around, I discovered that this lens will only work on mirrorless cameras. So I guess I'll hold onto it until I move on to a mirrorless system

To be honest, I'm not impressed with your project in terms of your goal and your surprise about the rear focus distance, but how did you do the labeling on this?

I'm assuming you started with a standard body cap, but your labeling looks a lot neater than I would have expected from stickers or any other obvious DIY method. I'm usually 3D printing my lens adapters, and 3D printed labels can't really be too tiny using a 0.4mm nozzle (the standard for most 3D printers).

ProfHankD wrote:

Hangbelly wrote:

Recently I came across a diy lens project that uses a disposable camera lens. So, I tried to make it my self. When I tried it out on my Canon Rebel, the photos were badly out of focus. Checking around, I discovered that this lens will only work on mirrorless cameras. So I guess I'll hold onto it until I move on to a mirrorless system

To be honest, I'm not impressed with your project in terms of your goal and your surprise about the rear focus distance, but how did you do the labeling on this?

Wild guess, a laser engraver. Either direct engraving or cutting a stencil and spray painting.

You can get a Neje or Ortur for under $200. Once it's engraved, wipe some acrylic paint across it, then use an eraser on the overspill after it dries.

Added bonus: even the cheap ones have enough cutting capability to make that hole.

A friend has a slightly larger engraver: people are constantly begging her to engrave stuff.

But whatever Hangbelly uses isn't as important to the conversation as what would best match your needs, and I have some ideas...

I'm assuming you started with a standard body cap, but your labeling looks a lot neater than I would have expected from stickers or any other obvious DIY method. I'm usually 3D printing my lens adapters, and 3D printed labels can't really be too tiny using a 0.4mm nozzle (the standard for most 3D printers).

What 3D printer have you got? Many 3D filament printers (Crealty and SnapMaker come immediately to mind) have laser heads you can either plug in in place of your hot end, or add on to the hot end.

You can also do that level of work with a CNC router/mill like a common 3018 ($250) or 3020-PRO ($500). Those are open-source designs and maybe six companies make them, with Genmitsu probably being the most well known.

Oh, and several parties makes laser engraver/cutter modules for the 3018 and 3020 machines in various power levels, beam widths, and focus lengths. (some are collimated well enough to cut 6mm thick wood or plastic on a single pass).

The 3020 pro is also about as cheap as you can get into soft metal working, including aluminum and brass. I've seen people make entire adapters on a 3020-PRO, including male and female lens mounts and internally or externally threaded spigots and tenons.

Be prepared to spend an extra maybe $100 for better bits than what come with the 3020 kit, and another $100 for a small water-solvable oil pump and sprayer. Having to spritz the work with WD-40 gets real old, real fast, and WSO is much less flammable and much easier to clean up.

If I were going to go into the CNC camera adapter business, I'd spend more in the $2K range, but for occasional use, the 3020-PRO is fine.

Have fun, wear eye protection around lasers, don't try to mill tempered glass, don't handle injured bats because you can get diseases in the rabies family from bites and scratches, treat your bunnies well, and stay hydrated.

J

Joseph S Wisniewski wrote:

ProfHankD wrote:

how did you do the labeling on this?

Wild guess, a laser engraver. Either direct engraving or cutting a stencil and spray painting.

I doubt that. I have a few laser cutter/engravers and none of them make nice cuts in thermoplastic parts -- the plastic melts rather than engraving.

My little CNC mill/engraver could do it and then paint fill as you suggest.

... Added bonus: even the cheap ones have enough cutting capability to make that hole.

Same problem, and CNC is a viable solution.

... What 3D printer have you got? Many 3D filament printers (Crealty and SnapMaker come immediately to mind) have laser heads you can either plug in in place of your hot end, or add on to the hot end.

I have 2 MakerGear M2, 1 Wanhao I3, 3 Anycubic Linear Plus, 1 Anycubic Predator, 1 Mars 3, and 2 Bambu X1 Carbon. Well, only 4 of those are me personally; the rest are in my research lab at the University of Kentucky. I think it's a terrible idea to use any of those as CNCs or even lasers: it would be messy, the bed is small and the wrong material, and a laser would not be well contained.

I have a tiny 1w and large 2.5w and 5w laser cutters; the 2.5w is personally mine. (You can get much higher power LED-based ones now, but mine are all several years old.) All are heavily modded for safety and the two higher-power ones also have homemade air assist and a vacuum table bed (which I strongly recommend). Making Your Mini Laser Engraver Safer and Better is the Instructable I wrote on making the tiny one safer.

You can also do that level of work with a CNC router/mill like a common 3018 ($250) or 3020-PRO ($500). Those are open-source designs and maybe six companies make them, with Genmitsu probably being the most well known.

I personally have a 3040T CNC mill/engraver. (Nice unit, terribly dumb controller.)

... Have fun, wear eye protection around lasers, don't try to mill tempered glass

Shroud the laser! The eye-safe distance to accidentally get a 1/4s glimpse of a 1w laser is... drumroll please... 3/4 mile! No, I'm not kidding.

ProfHankD wrote:

Hangbelly wrote:

Recently I came across a diy lens project that uses a disposable camera lens. So, I tried to make it my self. When I tried it out on my Canon Rebel, the photos were badly out of focus. Checking around, I discovered that this lens will only work on mirrorless cameras. So I guess I'll hold onto it until I move on to a mirrorless system

To be honest, I'm not impressed with your project in terms of your goal and your surprise about the rear focus distance, but how did you do the labeling on this?

I'm assuming you started with a standard body cap, but your labeling looks a lot neater than I would have expected from stickers or any other obvious DIY method. I'm usually 3D printing my lens adapters, and 3D printed labels can't really be too tiny using a 0.4mm nozzle (the standard for most 3D printers).

Actually, I did use stickers, (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B211TSW6?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details). These were the closest thing I could find that looked "old". I had to use a 10x magnifier and a pair of tweezers to put the letters into place. I was worried that they would stick and I would not be able to adjust them properly, but they really don't stick until you press them down.   I'm still trying to find some victorian type stickers for an older steampunk look.

Hangbelly wrote:

Actually, I did use stickers, (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B211TSW6?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details). These were the closest thing I could find that looked "old". I had to use a 10x magnifier and a pair of tweezers to put the letters into place. I was worried that they would stick and I would not be able to adjust them properly, but they really don't stick until you press them down. I'm still trying to find some victorian type stickers for an older steampunk look.

Extra points for neatness then...  That had to have been a huge pain.

ProfHankD wrote:

Hangbelly wrote:

Actually, I did use stickers, (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B211TSW6?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details). These were the closest thing I could find that looked "old". I had to use a 10x magnifier and a pair of tweezers to put the letters into place. I was worried that they would stick and I would not be able to adjust them properly, but they really don't stick until you press them down. I'm still trying to find some victorian type stickers for an older steampunk look.

Extra points for neatness then... That had to have been a huge pain.

Believe me it was. It took me about 30-45 minutes,moving really slow. I ruined several letters trying to get it right. I spend more time on my diy projects because I make them for looks as much as for function.In a way their functional props.

Joseph S Wisniewski wrote:

Hangbelly wrote:

Recently I came across a diy lens project that uses a disposable camera lens. So, I tried to make it my self. When I tried it out on my Canon Rebel, the photos were badly out of focus. Checking around, I discovered that this lens will only work on mirrorless cameras.

That has never stopped me before. I've built lenses (and non-lenses like a 28mm pinhole) that needed to be shot with mirror lockup. Most DSLRs will let you lift the mirror manually and slide a lens tube under it. Can you mount your 30mm in a piece of 1/2 inch thin wall CPVC tubing and let that tubing into the mirror chamber through a hole in a body cap?

Then tune the focus until you achieve a 6ft (around 2m) fixed focus.

Don't forget to pad the tube so the mirror doesn’t make so much noise banging on it. And black paint or flocking inside to control flare.

So I guess I'll hold onto it until I move on to a mirrorless system

No.no live view it's a Canon Rebel XT. Prehistoric as far as digital cameras go

dmarco wrote:

Many post so far and nobody asked where the lens is coming from?

They did say, right at the very beginning "Recently I came across a diy lens project that uses a disposable camera lens".