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Arducam announces new 108-megapixel USB camera module for IoT and Machine Vision application

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For those developing their own DIY cameras, the various modules that pop up on the market can be a lot of fun to experiment with. And one of the biggest names in camera modules for experimenting with is Arducam. Only a couple of months after releasing their 64-megapixel camera module for the Raspberry Pi, they’ve now announced a new 108-megapixel camera module and this one runs on USB 3.0.

The new 108-megapixel camera development kit is designed primarily for use with IoT and Machine Vision applications, hence the USB 3.0 connection, which provides a lot more versatility than being locked into a Raspberry Pi. So, you can use it on just about any system you can add a USB 3.0 port to – including your desktop computer!

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How to make two DIY foldable V-flats for $150

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I’ve used poly-boards, bounce-boards, and even white sheets and white walls as lighting modifiers to soften the light in the past, but arguably the quickest and most efficient way to instantly achieve beautifully soft light, is the V-Flat.

What is a V-Flat?

In its simplest form, a V-Flat is 2 large sheets of white board joined together on the long edge. Imagine two regular white doors hinged together at the sides and it’s this resulting ‘V’ shape that allows them to stand by themselves without the need for further stands and supports. Fancy V-Flats are even black on the other side and the ultra-supremo ones are even foldable for storage too!

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The complete guide – How to turn any lens into an “anamorfake”

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Anamorphic lenses seemed to disappear in popularity for a while but there is no doubt now that they’re back in a big way. And while there are some moderately low-budget options out there from companies like Sirui, Samyang and Great Joy, they’re still above the budgets of many who just want to play around and experiment. And playing around and experimenting happens to be Tito Ferradans’ speciality.

Over on his YouTube channel, Anamorphic on a Budget, he’s experimented with a lot of DIY “anamorfake” options and he’s put together a complete guide on how you can do it yourself to pretty much any lens you already own. At least, he’s put together the first part of it, which is the video above.

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This ESP32-based DIY camera slider offers multi-axis motion control over wifi

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There are as many different camera sliders out there on the market as there are cameras. If not more so and you can spend an absolute fortune getting every possible feature you could think of. But nothing beats building your own, and this DIY camera slider from Sasa Karanovic is probably one of the more compact and feature-packed builds we’ve seen here on DIYP because it supports multiple axes.

As well as just moving your camera down the length of the slider, it will also rotate the camera. It’ll even let you control the two simultaneously for some nice orbit-style slider shots. It’s based around an ESP32 microcontroller and the whole thing is controlled over WiFi using a web interface from your phone – or your tablet, computer, whatever.

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OpenRefMic is a cheap open source low-noise reference microphone you can build yourself for under $40

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Reference mics can be a vital tool when it comes to audio. They’re the microphones that capture the uncoloured sound, with a flat response and almost complete transparency to let you measure the acoustic characteristics of the room in which you’re recording. They let you test rooms for echo and reverberation. They let you hear (and see, on charts) what frequencies your room naturally enhances or destroys.

Reference mics can be quite expensive, though, so GitHub user loudifier decided to design his own and make it open source. It’s called OpenRefMic and it promises a low cost with a high performance that “meets or exceeds the performance of professional reference microphones”. And while commercially available reference microphones aren’t all expensive, they usually come with pretty high self-noise levels. And none are this cheap!

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I couldn’t find a weatherproof enclosure for a USB power bank on the Internet, so I made my own

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Modern action cameras are a useful tool for a photographer in that they are compact, robust and weather resistant. However, adventurous users quickly find that battery life isn’t their strongest point. For longer recording durations, such as time-lapse photography, a mains supply or USB battery pack is needed. Connecting an external power supply typically means opening a sealing door which nullifies the camera’s weather resistance.

This article explains the commercial solutions for using a power supply outdoors and also shows step-by-step how to make a custom-fitting water-resistant connector. Additionally, it shows how to make a weather-resistant USB battery pack housing to provide flexibility for powering an action camera.

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This wooden lens was built using the guts of a Super-Takumar 55mm f/2 and it actually works

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When we think of lenses, we usually think of chunks of metal or plastic with glass elements inside them. If somebody says “wooden lens” to us, we usually think of CNC or laser-cut models of lenses that don’t actually have any optical properties and are simply chunks of wood that resemble a lens. But not this time. Oh, no. This one’s a wooden lens, with glass optics that actually works.

And who do you think made this lens a reality? Yup, that’s right, weird lens king, Mathieu Stern, who teamed up with the folks at Hungarian photographer lens creator, Weird Lenses, to bring the lens to life and regardless of how it might see – which seems quite good – it looks pretty awesome, too!

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This DIY multispectral phone camera reveals what’s underneath any painting

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UV and IR light can, literally and figuratively, show us the world in a totally different light. One of their common uses is to examine painting for authenticity or damage inspection. Sean Billups made his own tool for inspecting paintings, and it’s actually relatively simple.

Using an old Google Pixel 3a phone, a simple 3D-printed part, and lots of patience, he created a multispectral phone camera. By simply turning a small wheel, it reveals the secrets of any painting. And with some patience, you can also do it yourself.

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Spice up your bathroom with this 3D printed Polaroid toilet roll holder

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The Polaroid camera remains a popular favourite since analogue photography started making its big comeback a few years ago. And what better way to pay homage to the format than to have one right next to you while seated on your throne? Oh yes, that’s right, this is a 3D printed Polaroid toilet roll holder, sure to add a bit of instant spark to any photographer’s bathroom.

It was designed by the user Christoferespinozat on Cults3D, where it’s available to download. It will cost you $2.12 (plus the cost of the filament) but that’s a pretty low price to pay to have this beauty in your bathroom.

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Shooting macro with a $20 microscope lens and a DIY 3D printed adapter

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Shooting macro is one of the most interesting photography topics one can attempt. Aside from seeing a whole new tiny perspective on the world, there are so many different ways you can do it. You can buy an actual macro lens, or you can use a regular lens with extension tubes or reversing rings. You can even mount two lenses back to back. Or, you can do what Micael Widell did and use a 3D printed adapter with a microscope objective.

The adapter comes courtesy of macro photographer and 3D printing enthusiast Nicholas Sherlock, who has posted the file to Thingiverse. The adapter is available in full-frame and APS-C versions for Nikon, Canon, Sony and even M42 (which can be adapted to pretty much everything). And the microscope lens used is a cheap 4x achromatic objective for just $19.99. We’ve actually featured it here on DIYP before.

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