DIY 35mm TLR

[Josh66]

Amazon.com: Genuine Fotodiox DIY Lomo Camera, Twin Lens Reflex, TLR Camera Kit (68 Pieces, with Detailed Instructions, Uses 35mm 24 Exposure B&W or Color Film): Camera & Photo

Just ordered that, haha. I can't wait till it gets here.

Obviously, I'm not expecting pro-grade quality, lol - but it definitely looks like a fun camera.

 

[limr]

That exact kit is on my wish list!

Do you know about the Lomography Konstruktor? Don't know if you've seen my posts about the one I bought and put together:
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...to-gallery/336656-lomography-konstruktor.html
Not 'pro-grade' for sure, but better than I thought it would be. There are some shots in that thread. I still have to run a roll of b&w through it to see how it handles monochrome.

I definitely want to hear what you think about the TLR once it's put together and you've shot a roll through it.

 

[Josh66]

I might have to get one of the Konstructor cameras too, lol!

Once it gets here and I put it together, I'll update this thread with some pictures.


One thing I'm not really sure about are the shutter speeds - if it can even be changed. All of the sample pictures I've seen with it were with 400 ISO film, there may be a reason for that.
Hopefully it at least has a bulb mode.

edit
And it says that it uses 24 exposure rolls. I don't really see any reason it wouldn't be able to use a 36 exposure roll though... I guess we'll see, lol!

Hmm... This will be my first "batteries not required" camera too - something else I've been wanting for a long time.

 

[Josh66]

Fotodiox DIY Twin Lens Reflex (TLR) Camera Kit

Found more information on it. It says that the focal length is 47cm. I'm assuming that's a typo, lol - 47mm looks about right.

It's f/11, and 1/125 - both fixed. I sort of expected a fixed aperture and shutter speed for a plastic camera you have to assemble yourself for less than $20 - lol! No big deal - just glad I found out what the shutter speed is, I should be able to get decent exposures knowing that.

I might see if I can hack a bulb mode into it, so I can use slower film.


I probably shouldn't be so excited over a toy camera, lol!

 

[limr]

I felt the same way about the Konstruktor. The suspense of a) not knowing if I could get it to work and b) waiting to see how the pictures come out can be really exciting!

Oh, and if you have it ready for the 19th, you can take it out for World Toy Camera Day!
Flickr: Discussing WTC day 2013 in ~WORLD TOY CAMERA DAY~

 

[Josh66]

"Estimated arrival" date is the 18th - but those estimates are always on the long side. Should be here some time in the middle of the week. Hopefully it's not too hard to put together, lol. I am an aircraft mechanic though - I should be able to handle a plastic camera.

 

[MK3Brent]

looks awesome!

 

[gsgary]

Not my cup of tea i prefer having the real thing

 

[PhotoWrangler]

Have you seen this wooden DIY TLR kit? This guy was funded $19K....

Duo: A DIY twin lens reflex camera for instant film by Kevin Kadooka ? Kickstarter


Here is his blog...

http://duo-tlr.blogspot.com/

 

[limr]

Have you seen this wooden DIY TLR kit? This guy was funded $19K....

Duo: A DIY twin lens reflex camera for instant film by Kevin Kadooka ? Kickstarter


Here is his blog...

The official Duo companion page

A TLR+Land Camera love child? That I could put together myself? I would be all over this thing, but it's too pricey for me. You have to supply your own lens and Polaroid back, which adds to the cost beyond what you pay for the kit. Minimum investment for kit+film back is $229, and there's still no lens. And none of them come with a Polaroid back, so I'd have to supply that as well.

 

[PhotoWrangler]

Yeah. Thats what "DIY" is.

 

[limr]

Yeah. Thats what "DIY" is.

Well, if "DIY" means "supply everything yourself," then I'll just supply my own wood and hardware! Who needs a kit?

(I'm not faulting them for not supplying the lens and backs, but just saying that the requirement to do so puts it even further from my price range.)

 

[PhotoWrangler]

Yeah. Thats why I never bought one. Thought about it for a while though.

 

[vintagesnaps]

So far I've just put together a kit for a pinhole camera - in black cardboard. LOL There's something fun about building your own camera, I still need to get a Konstructor. And now maybe a twin lens?!!

 

[minicoop1985]

As a kid, I loved building model planes and cars, and I still love building/tinkering with things. This is absolutely awesome, and I think I'm gonna get one myself and give it a try.