Building something doesn't necessarily mean turning it into a practical object. Prototypes, experiments, beta versions... all can be seen as a learning platform, and under that vision fits the project called The Focal Camera.
I'm a frequent visitor of the DIY channel on Reddit. There you can find all kinds of projects, from repairing a pair of shoes to totally rebuilding a house, including electrical installations, arcade machines, and various restorations. Generally it's a channel where it's hard to stand out, but one entry caught the attention of many: The Focal Camera.
This project is actually the adventure of artist Mathijs van Oosterhoudt, who decided to invest almost a year of his time in developing a modular camera, and then concluded it would be an excellent idea to make it open source, so that everyone interested has the opportunity to reproduce his achievements.
A Modular Design
Initially, van Oosterhoudt used wooden boards with a thickness of two millimeters, but that turned out to be a fairly difficult size to obtain, so he switched to a thickness of three millimeters. The cuts are made with a laser, ensuring precision in every curve and angle, beyond the occasional burns on the wood. All designs start from a base module, and around it auxiliary modules are connected, giving rise to models of multiple shapes and sizes. The plans are flexible enough to incorporate external elements, for example, a recycled lens from an old camera.
A Unique Project
Black paint, a lot of adhesive tape, elastic bands, and a high degree of experimentation make The Focal Camera a unique project, interesting to both enthusiasts and photography professionals. The official site offers general assembly instructions, and downloads associated with each module.
Do you have a laser cutter at your disposal and think you can do better? Don't hesitate to try it.
