Build Your Own Classic Film Camera With A Raspberry Pi And 8mm Lens

“You can make [wacky project] with a Raspberry Pi and [oddball gizmo]!” I know, I know, it happens all the time. But this is the first I’ve seen in a while that isn’t a compact home theatre, home automation controller or cybernetic lava lamp.

That, and what’s not to love about a home-made 8mm digital film camera? Nothing at all, especially once you’ve seen the results.

In the video above, filmmaker Claire Wright put her camera-related MacGyver skills to the test. Using the lens from a 8mm shooter, a Raspberry Pi and a Pi-compatible camera, Wright put together this lovely piece of hardware:

As Michael Zhang over at PetaPixel notes, the Pi sensor and a frame of 8mm aren’t too different in size, which allows the whole thing to work.

How does it go? Well, there’s plenty of footage in the clip, but here’s a still for you:

Looks exactly how you’d expect — a little vignetting, plenty of chromatic aberration and a touch of blurriness. Perfect, really.

[YouTube, via PetaPixel]


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