Double The Sensors, Double The Fun, With 2-in-1 Panoramic Camera

July 31, 2025 by Tyler August 20 Comments

When film all came in rolls, it was fairly easy to play with the frame of the image. Companies like Hasselblad (and many others) made camera backs that would expose longer strips of 35 mm film to create stunning panoramic images in one single shot. [snappiness] wanted to bring that style of camera into the digital age, and ended up with a 2-in-1 Sony-based frankencamera.

Sensors just aren’t readily available in the wide aspect ratio [snappiness] was looking for, and even if they were, bare sensors are hugely expensive compared to consumer cameras. Lacking the budget for high-res scientific CMOS, [snappiness] did what any of us would do, and hacked two Sony A7ii full-frame mirrorless cameras together to get a combined 24x72mm sensor frame.

Conceptually, the hack is really very simple: a 3D print acts like a T-fitting, with the two cameras held parallel off the arms of the T and the lens making the shaft. Inside, the only optics are a pair of mirrors serving as a beam splitter. Each camera sees half the FOV of the lens in its corresponding mirror, which means the images can be stitched together later to make the double-wide pictures [snappiness] is after.

Of course both cameras must be triggered at the same time, but with what looks like a headphone splitter and an aftermarket remote shutter button, that part works perfectly. The optics, not so much– as always with conceptually simple projects, the devil is in the details, and here it’s the mirror alignment where you’ll find Old Nick. [snappiness] made no provision for adjustments, so everything needed to be designed and built with very stringent tolerances. Somewhere along the way, those tolerances were exceeded; as a result, the two cameras don’t share a focal plane.

That means half the composite image will always be out of focus, or that the main lens needs to be refocused and two snaps taken, rather defeating the point the frankencamera. If [snappiness] attempts a version two, perhaps an adjustment mechanism to focus each sensor would be in order. Still, even if it didn’t work perfectly, he’s proven that the idea is sound, and we can’t imagine many people will see this and argue it isn’t a hack.

The world of film did make all of this easier, perhaps– we’ve seen large-format film cameras out of lego, and a panorama made from four full rolls of 35 mm film. If you know of any other great photography hacks– film or digital– don’t hesitate to send us a tip.

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Large Format Lego Camera Is A Bit Near-Sighted

April 19, 2021 by Zach Zeman 7 Comments

Photography doesn’t have to be expensive, something that’s especially true in the realm of film photography, where the imperfections of the medium can be half the appeal. There are many DIY plans and kits available for analog cameras, but [bhiga143] had couple spare components and a pile of small, colorful bricks lying around, so he decided to build a functional 4×5″ film camera out of Lego.

Details are light for this build, but with a little knowledge about camera structure we can guess at what’s going on inside. Simplicity makes for robust design, and what we have here is in effect a box with a lens on one side and photographic film on the other. The center section of the front, which actually supports the lens, is capable of sliding in and out to adjust focus. On the far side (not pictured) is a slot just wide enough to insert a standard film holder.

The camera really is a hack. [bhiga143] stayed true to the “Lego” part of Lego camera, so there is no glue, no black paper lining, and no frills. The tripod is whatever stack of books lay underneath it. The lens is, quote, “barely functional”. There are light leaks galore, and it can’t focus beyond about 3 feet (1 meter). But every one of those points just makes us love it more. Every nugget of imperfection is a few words added to the story each picture tells. And we honestly can’t wait to see more pictures.

Other Lego cameras we’ve seen have been smaller and less colorful, but using a simple pinhole lens can reduce the overall cost. Of course, you’re not limited to Lego if you want to build your own pinhole camera. Although, the ubiquitous plastic bricks can also be useful in later stages of the film photography process.

Print Your Own Large Format Camera

April 4, 2019 by Brian Benchoff 32 Comments

Just like how vinyl records are seeing a resurgence in an era of digital streaming music, we’re also seeing a lot of people interested in another technology that is as obsolete as it is perfected. The large format camera is back as a kit, it makes huge images, and there’s an Open Source version if you want to print your own.

The Standard 4×5 is a project to build an affordable, lightweight, 3D printed large format camera. It was a Kickstarter project last year, and after a lot of work the project has now been improved with better rails, better bellows, and a lot of refinements.

As an Open Source project, this camera has all the models available, dimensioned drawings for all the metal parts, and a lot of patience required to make your own bellows. With this, you can screw a lens on take a picture, just make sure you get the focus right with some ground glass beforehand.

As for why anyone would want a large format camera, there are a few things that big cameras with tiny apertures can do that nothing else can. Here’s the pinhole solution for the Standard 4×5 with a laser drilled hole, and with this camera you’re getting an f-stop between f/240 and f/520.