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This DIY periscope makes the Sony A6500 the perfect vlogging camera

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The Sony Alpha 6 series doesn’t have a tilting screen that covers 180 degrees. This makes it hard to use the camera for vlogging or selfies and makes you need to buy an external monitor. YouTuber Hozz of Hozz and Sarah channel has created a DIY solution to this problem with some cardboard and a mirror, and he built one of the best DIY hacks I’ve seen in a while.

Hozz made a small DIY periscope, which he places on top of his Sony A6500 so that he can see himself while recording. This solves two problems you might have with the external monitor and this camera. First, the external monitor doesn’t display all the recording information, such as the battery life or other recording settings. And another thing – well, the DIY periscope is way cheaper. Hozz calls it Alpha Scope, and he shares the steps to making your own piece and adding it to your Sony A6500, A6000 or A6300.

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Build the easiest DIY ring light ever for less than $20

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We have shared plenty of great ideas for making your own DIY ring light.  Now, another cheap and quick solution comes from The Lighting Channel. They have shared a tutorial on making your own ring light using only three items, and it’s all done in a couple of minutes. And it’s not only quick and easy to make, but the components will cost you less than $20.

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How to make DIY “rusty wall” background out of plywood

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Guys at raw.exchange offer tons of great resources for photographers and retouchers. They are devoted and serious and put a lot of effort in their packages, and for this article, they shared with us how they built a “rusty wall” background – out of wood!

“Why would you make a DIY rusty wall” you may ask. Well, one of the very attractive packages is their Rusty Wall background textures. It features 82 hi-res background textures of a rusty way, taken from different perspectives. And although they are master retouchers, their background is a real deal. So, if you’re less into Photoshop and more into DIY and building, or just curious to see how raw.exchange background comes to life – carry on reading. The kind guys from raw.exchange shared with DIYP how to make the rusty wall background out of wood.

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How to make a DIY softbox from an old bicycle wheel

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There are plenty of fantastic DIY softbox solutions, but this one is definitely something I haven’t seen before. To make it, you’ll need an old bicycle wheel. It doesn’t only make a great softbox, but it looks really cool, too. So, if that old bicycle is just collecting dust in the garage, maybe it’s time to repurpose it. In this video, Prickly Sauce will show you how.

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How to make DIY 2-in-1 reflector in 5 minutes

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Today I got an idea for a quick and simple DIY 2-in-1 reflector, and I’d like to share it with you and create my very first DIY article. It has a white and a silver side, it takes two ingredients to make, and it cost me about $20, along with the hot glue gun (this DIY project finally made me buy one). If you already have the hot glue gun, then you’ll make this for even less money. And it’s so unbelievably simple to make, it would be a pity not to try.

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How to quickly upgrade your 160 LED panel softbox for less than $3

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Cheap light panels and cheap softboxes to go along are a lifesaver when you’re on a tight budget. But softbox with a spongy strap can’t be attached quickly (especially if you’re clumsy). Also, it won’t stay in place when you attach it to the LED panel. This video by Macroscope Pictures will show you how to solve this problem in less than $3 and upgrade your softbox for any of your “run and gun” projects.

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Make a DIY Big Dome Port Underwater Housing for your DSLR for less than $50

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If you’ve done research into underwater housing (and their cost), you’ll know how expensive they can be. In some instances, they cost more than the camera. Certainly, when you pay the premium price you’re also purchasing assurance, functionality, size, etc. However, rebel that I am, I didn’t want to pay the premium, so I built my own. They make cheaper underwater bags which I’ve used before, but the reason that didn’t meet my needs is I specifically wanted a big-dome port. Since they don’t sell those in any version except expensive housing cases, I knew my only option was to DIM (Do It Myself).

This post shows you how I built it, and some sample images that have since come from it on two different shoots. I’ve been quite pleased considering it cost me less that $50 and has had no issues with water leaks.

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How to make your own Star filter on a budget

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Holiday season is (finally) here. For photographers, this means lots of bokeh and glittering, Christmassy photos. But most of us are left strapped for cash after buying all the holiday gifts. Still, the budget doesn’t have to stand in the way of your creativity. As a matter of fact, it can even boost it. In this video, you’ll see how, with some good will and a couple of cheap props, you can create a DIY Star filter for your camera.

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