Date: 2025/01/07 - Diy photography - Themes: opinions, photography, makers

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What's up

I've been watching a lot of docs and videos about digital photo cameras. Being interested by owning one, because i only have analog film cameras and one instant camera. So i checked vaguely what would like to have as options on it. Today's cameras are insanely great, they're awesome like you can have up to 100 different modes and more!

But, i'm into simple stuff. See when i was in "youth volunteering" i had plenty of time with a Nikon D3000, this photo camera was cool. I loved it. Took many many pictures with it. I wouldn't say that's a simple camera. It was a bit like my actual Canon 1000 but digital if i could compare the two (without fact checking at all). A camera with plenty of modes, options, auto focusing, and plenty of weird points for mounting stuff.

Choosing a model

I ended watching a lot about really basic digital cameras, like a typical point and shoot. I got a Konica Pop and it's great. First times with it i even processed 2 rolls myself (basic Ilford B&W with coffenol), i still use that camera a lot.
Set my criterias:

• point and shoot
• has a flash (even i crappy one)
• less than 4 modes
• battery powered
• no screen feedbacking image

Search results

i met the term "Digital disposable" photo cameras. Which is exactly what i was aiming for! I found only 2 models. The Paper Shoot a 148 USD paperthin camera and the Camp Snap which is at first a 68 USD camera intended for kids.

Snobs & Ideas

At first i also took my chances at looking reviews, and while a lot of them were comparing those with way more expensive ones i finally got hooked by the look and perfomence of the Camp Snap.

It wasn't really a pleasure to see how much hobbiyists and photographs out there are such insufferable people sometimes. Jugding a camera intended for kids against stuff another camera that cost the price of a kidney might be a bit unfair

Then i kinda expected the DIY community maybe take a try at this photo camera thing. I've been quite undermined by the fewer of projects that actually turn a bunch of cheap (and less cheap) electronical parts into a digital camera. But they're not inexistant so there's some starting point.

State

So DIY community doesn't seem to overlap on photography, and that's not a bad thing but also i find it weird to find out camera modules for raspberry didn't fall out in price.

Since i try to get the price down under the 68 USD bar, those are a not an option anymore. I also realize analog is much more diy-able than digital, no ones want to get their 1000 Bux cameras into such tumoil and i can understand that but i'm surprised to not seeing much of diyness from early y2k digital cameras.

project open!

Like a lot of projects for me last year and this year i think, it start with a good ol' ride to charity shop. They have many cameras, a lot are analog film cameras, and all are untested, bummer. I checked a lot cramped on my knees, and i found this super lighty gray piece of plastic that might be the best contestant for an experiment

It's exactly how i want on the outside:

• not a lot of buttons
• screen counter not feedbacking image
• battery powered
• has a flash

But it came untested, and without his USB cable, so i planned few surgeries, at first i wanted to make it right and dissassemble the camera but i didn't found the right screwdriver size to make it clean so i cutted everything up with a mini hand saw and a rotary multitool. Leaving just the PCB

Now i have few steps to add. On the list, such as retriving or building a new case.

Maker-ish, maker rich

I wouldn't expect to delve down like that, but that's the joy of buying used goods, you'll never know what you will have to go though to make it a day. I call myself maker but also i'm not too twined to the environement for this project. I would have love to have the funds to make like, a RPI based camera with the RPI camera module and all.

This project is where i see the stripes within the DIY community. The high end "maker" community that will spend 100 Bux on Raspberry Pi camera module and call it cheap. It is the cheaper option in buy-new maybe. But in other hand that doesn't quite promote the crafty "take it and hack it" of the initial "maker" energy.

overlap

Sorry gotta comment this just to remind myself to write an article about "hackers, makers, foster dad and good mom".

The real overlap is: how are we gonna please our tinkering itch?

steps

Returning on project topic, so, i will have to desolder the old weird 4pin Mini USB B plug replace that by some typical USB type A. Then try to make it work with some Linux magic if not bringing the WinXP (and next the WinXP VM), at this point if everything works i will make a housing for the camera.

Final word

spin, do a background check, and fry up some useless junk. Remember that celebrating Earth rotation is cool, as cool as doing perverted celebrations herited from religion.