Yeah, we know, there’s a camera on your phone that does this and that. But these days its become trendy to turn towards older digital cameras in place of smartphones, and we can tell you from experience, that the joys of having a dedicated photographing contraption are many.
There’s plenty of cheap digital cameras on the secondhand market, but instead of fending off the clothes bros and other reseller types at the thrift store, stay home and build [Doruk Kumkumoğlu]’s Optocam Zero. Inspired by the Kodak Charmera and the like, [Doruk] aimed for something that’s playful, enjoyable, and intuitive to use.
Optocam Zero uses an auto-focus camera module and features eight photo filters. The screen dims when inactive to preserve battery life, but it can be charged back up with USB-C, and you can use it for the duration. And unlike my young adult camera, you don’t have to take out the SD card to see the pictures, just use the custom hotspot interface to transfer them.
If you need to capture a cat yawning real fast, you might want to just use your phone instead, because takes 22 seconds for Optocam Zero to get camera-ready. But when you have a less spontaneous subject in mind, this thing looks like a great choice. Be sure to check out the excellent build guide (PDF) whether you build one or not.
We think the images from the Optocam Zero look pretty crispy. But if you want to go lo-fi, we have that, too.
Nice little camera – the 22 second startup time is a bit rough though.
I would time how long it takes my iPhone to power up, but I use it for my watch, but 22 seconds from power up sounds about right.
22 Seconds is brutal. There’s no way that’s the best we can do.
It’s a great idea, and if the parts are appropriately priced a great tool and toy, but it’s gotta have a way faster boot up time.
the project isn’t really original by itself, but many should try to have a documentation as polished as this one.
I hear you guys on startup time, but 100 years ago photography was an art of patience and technical proficiency, convenience was only starting to be considered.
ask any painter about startup time and they will laugh at 22 seconds…
I say this as an Ultra-Large Format (16″x20″) photographer: that style of patient, composed photography is great, but not something that is useful to the vast majority of people have a use for. Some people just want to take a picture out and capture a moment. Heck, that’s why I bring a point & shoot out with me when I’m just hanging out and not Making A Photograph™
Was anyone else confused by the title?
“Optocam Zero’s Pictures Look One Hundred”
They look one hundred what? One hundred potatoes?
“Optocam Zero’s Pictures Look One Hundred Years Old” is a lot less confusing.
The boot time is both ridiculous and inauthentic. I have a small pile of antique box cameras and while they are much more limited in that you can only take twelve shots and you can’t see your pics until the film is printed, they can all be ready to snap as soon as the lens clears the top of the camera bag. It was only pro cameras used for hi-rez, low-light, macro, telephoto, and other edge case specialties that need prep before shooting.
The boot time is both ridiculous and inauthentic. I have a small pile of antique box cameras that can all be ready to shoot as soon as the lens clears the top of the camera bag. It’s only specialties like low light, hi rez, telephoto, macro, and such edge cases that required prep before shooting. Of course you couldn’t see your shot until you got the film printed, but that was part of the experience too.
I mean old cameras perform better than this so why this? The cost of parts is okay but that is pretty much where my say something nice ends on this one. And fwiw the whole avoid clothes bros is clunky and unnecessary. Why would that bother me if someone wants to find deals on 2nd hand clothes? More digital cameras for me since that is not what they are there for. Now some guy with a gray ponytail and goatee…you know I am gonna make a beeline for the electronics and cut him off lol. We are our own worst enemy in that argument, not middle class kids trying to look upper class for cheap. I dunno why it bothered me, I don’t particularly care for bro culture, but that is the least harmless of the bros.
It’s more about their behavior. They’re there all day, every weekday, whatever. When they start yelling at each other across the warehouse and playing catch at 30 paces with stuff out of the bins, over the heads of all the unattended children, there’s a problem.