Necessity is the mother of invention, and when Lucus Landers discovered he needed a 4x5 large format camera for use in class, he decided to build one with his own hands, and the help of a laser cutter. That project led him to develop slightly more advanced cameras, and finally he arrived at the Landers AL6 Mark II, whose construction was documented and published in a series of nine videos. If you've ever thought about making a camera from scratch, this is the material you should study.
DIY Goes Way Beyond
Some people are extraordinary cooks. Others have a superior ability to make their own clothing and footwear, which more than once allows them to save a lot of money. However, DIY goes further. Homemade cars, planes, mobile phones, entire computers... as long as a basic design exists, it's likely someone can reproduce it, and if the original parts are not available, or suitable replacements are sought, or they are built as well. Photography is not immune to this spectacular movement, and one of the most notable examples of DIY cameras comes to us thanks to the effort of Lucus Landers.
It all began with a 4x5 large format camera that he needed to take to school, but he didn't have the funds to acquire one. Through his friends he gained access to a laser cutter, and managed to fabricate a prototype in wood. Then he moved on to an instant press camera, much easier to use and transport. And today it's the turn of the Landers AL6 Mark II, the latest edition that concentrates everything Landers has learned, and that includes 3D printing, creating molds, TIG welding aluminum, working on a lathe, and installing the lens, in this case an AGFA 85mm lens (apparently taken from an Isolette camera).
Now, how long did it take to manufacture the AL6 Mark II? According to Landers himself and the dates of the videos he published as a tutorial, four months. On the official page (link at the end of the gallery) we can find more sample images, which honestly aren't bad at all if we consider the general design and the help of the lens. However, let's not forget that the photo is made by the photographer. Building a camera from scratch is very difficult, but when taking photos, learning never ends.
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