DIY Photography

Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time

  • News
  • Inspiration
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • DIY
  • Gear
Search

Submit A Story

This wooden DIY camera takes Rolleiflex-style photos with your phone

Aug 12, 2021 by Dunja Djudjic 15 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

If you like retro-style cameras and photos, but you’re not confident with shooting film, you’ll love this DIY project. Photographer and cinematographer Ryan Ao brought retro and modern together, blending a Rolleiflex-style DIY camera and a smartphone. I loved his invention so much, that I just had to learn more! So, I chatted with Ryan and he shared a bit of information about “Phoneiflex” along with some tips for building it and the photos he took with it.

The idea for this camera box has been in Ryan’s mind for quite a while. After six years of thinking about it, he finally made it and named it “FrankenSteamPunkSmartPhoneiflex.” The full name made me chuckle, but I love its nickname, too. So, let’s just call it “Phoneiflex.”

So, what was the idea behind this unusual camera box? Ryan tells me that he just wanted to shoot with digital cameras downwards like you would with an old Rolleiflex film camera. He shoots a lot of street photography, so this would be great for stealth street photography and candid shots. “That way I can capture emotional, decisive moments without ruining the moment because people won’t realize the camera is pointed at them,” Ryan says.

“Two of my favorite photographers are Henry Cartier-Bresson and Vivian Meijer, and they both mastered the art of the decisive moment and Vivian definitely used Rolleiflex cameras,” he continues. But why wouldn’t he just get a Rolleiflex and shoot film? Well, he doesn’t feel like paying for the cost of developing vintage film. I totally get this, considering how much the film and its development cost (at least here in Serbia)

Another reason for this approach is that Ryan wants to master shooting photos with his iPhone, without blurry backgrounds. He sees iPhone as a perfect tool for street photography since they are getting so high-quality.

Ryan uses an app called Argentum which allows him to have the viewfinder in square format and choose filters that emulate black and white photography. Sadly, it only exists for iPhone, but my fellow Android users could try one of these, perhaps.

There’s a catch with Phoneiflex, though: the viewfinder is upside down while shooting with it. However, Ryan doesn’t mind. “I always liked having the camera not up to my eye as the randomness plays into the artsiness,” he says. “I find that true about an upside-down viewfinder as well.” After all, when cropping and editing an image, turning it upside down helps seeing it in a different light.

Ryan has shared with us some of the photos of his build so you can also see how it’s done. Of course, it’s just a prototype and he plans to make some improvements with time. If you decide to make it, you’ll need some wood, a mirror, a power bank (so you can shoot all day), cords, and a strap. You can also use an Apple Watch as a Bluetooth remote trigger. If you turn your watch upside down, it can be your right-side-up viewfinder, too!

Another fun thing about Phoneiflex is that blurs the edges a bit, creating imperfections as some vintage cameras do. Ryan and I agreed that you can also get a sort of an in-camera filter if you forget to clean the mirror. :)

Take a look at the photos of the build:






And here are some candid shots Ryan took with it.

If you feel like building one of these on your own, make sure to share your results with us and Ryan. But if you don’t feel like fiddling with it, Ryan can make one for you. It comes with a battery bank, cords, lens cleaner cloth, and a strap. He will also customize it to your desires, like burning your name into it or anything you like. Make sure to check out Ryan’s work on his website, Instagram, and Facebook, where you can also reach out to him if you’d like him to make one of these Phoneiflex cameras for you.

FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Related posts:

21 Rare Rolleiflex Prototypes Now for Sale on eBay This wooden DIY camera rig is about as frugal as it gets This DIY wooden rig makes your DSLR or mirrorless feel more like a cinema camera Is personal editing style as important as photographic style?

Filed Under: DIY Tagged With: DIY, diy build, DIY Camera, Phoneiflex, Ryan Ao

About Dunja Djudjic

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

« How to get three different looks with a single $5 gold background
Creating in fear of an oncoming wildfire »

Submit A Story

Get our FREE Lighting Book

DIYP lighting book cover

* download requires newsletter signup
DIYPhotography

Recent Comments

Free Resources

Advanced lighting book

Recent Posts

  • Slowing down everyday activities to make one second last for one hour
  • This unique camera gives a clay pigeon’s view of the world – until it’s blasted out of the sky
  • This photo of glacier on Mars shows hint of water on the Red Planet
  • If your camera was a person, here’s what it would be like
  • How I improved a faux panoramic film camera with 3D printing

Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

Dave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

Copyright © DIYPhotography 2006 - 2023 | About | Contact | Advertise | Write for DIYP | Full Disclosure | Privacy Policy