3D Printing Your own lens

**dronegeek** · 11-28-2016, 12:14 PM

Not sure if anyone has seen this but I found a new reason to get a 3D printer !

https://fstoppers.com/diy/photographer-3d-prints-his-own-lens-and-you-need-see-results-154878

photoptimist · 11-28-2016, 12:26 PM

Technically, he only printed a new lens barrel to hold glass taken from an old lens.

That said, it's an interesting approach to converting old glass or glass from incompatible mounts to work on a camera.

brofkand · 11-28-2016, 12:29 PM

Call me when you can actually 3D print a lens and not just write a misleading title, fstoppers.

narual · 11-28-2016, 12:40 PM - **2 Likes**

Kind of like saying "I built a camera out of cardboard" when it's actually a K1000 inside a cardboard box.

**RobA_Oz** · 11-28-2016, 12:50 PM - **1 Like**

One of the comments wins the award: "Nice title...what is this Buzzfeed?"

The printing resolution is fairly coarse, but I've long thought that 3D printing would be handy to reproduce or customise small parts for various bits of equipment (like the missing button on my FA*28-70). Doing it well for larger objects, though, requires quite an investment in time and skill development, even if the capital outlay is fairly modest.

Topsy · 11-28-2016, 01:12 PM

I dunno if that's a reason to buy a 3d printer.
One could also buy an old lathe and turn a sturdier barrel with a proper focusing mechanism.

Printing via shapeways as an example would be more economic than buying a printer anyways. Unless you're really going for large amounts!

One could also stuff the glass into a cardboard box, which I am currently experimenting with.

I'd be way more interested in obtaining optical glass and learning to grind it..

**c.a.m** · 11-28-2016, 04:53 PM

Technically, no, the project didn't print the whole lens. Still, I think re-crafting a lens around 1890's glass is pretty neat, and the images are not bad.

3-D printing has an amazing future.

- Craig

fehknt · 11-28-2016, 06:32 PM - **1 Like**

I made myself an arrangement of bayonet-mount sliding lens holders (with a 3d printer) to put various optics from surplus shed on my camera for fun. I really enjoyed playing with the optical formula and seeing just how terrible a poorly designed lens is. Modern optics are amazing. If you're curious how a 70mm single element meniscus lens looks: 3d printed 70mm single element lens - Google Photos

I've also printed some reflective elements, those do work but are a real pain to polish, and I haven't figured out a good way to polish concave ones.

11-28-2016, 12:14 PM	#1
dronegeek Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Euless Texas Photos: Albums Posts: 268	3D Printing Your own lens Not sure if anyone has seen this but I found a new reason to get a 3D printer ! https://fstoppers.com/diy/photographer-3d-prints-his-own-lens-and-you-need-see-results-154878

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11-28-2016, 12:26 PM	#2
photoptimist Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2016 Photos: Albums Posts: 5,122	Technically, he only printed a new lens barrel to hold glass taken from an old lens. That said, it's an interesting approach to converting old glass or glass from incompatible mounts to work on a camera.

11-28-2016, 12:29 PM	#3
brofkand Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: North Carolina Posts: 836	Call me when you can actually 3D print a lens and not just write a misleading title, fstoppers.

11-28-2016, 12:40 PM - 2 Likes	#4
narual Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: South Bend (Notre Dame), Indiana Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,988	Kind of like saying "I built a camera out of cardboard" when it's actually a K1000 inside a cardboard box.

11-28-2016, 12:50 PM - 1 Like	#5
RobA_Oz Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tasmania, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,197	One of the comments wins the award: "Nice title...what is this Buzzfeed?" The printing resolution is fairly coarse, but I've long thought that 3D printing would be handy to reproduce or customise small parts for various bits of equipment (like the missing button on my FA*28-70). Doing it well for larger objects, though, requires quite an investment in time and skill development, even if the capital outlay is fairly modest.

11-28-2016, 01:12 PM	#6
Topsy Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 625	I dunno if that's a reason to buy a 3d printer. One could also buy an old lathe and turn a sturdier barrel with a proper focusing mechanism. Printing via shapeways as an example would be more economic than buying a printer anyways. Unless you're really going for large amounts! One could also stuff the glass into a cardboard box, which I am currently experimenting with. I'd be way more interested in obtaining optical glass and learning to grind it..

11-28-2016, 04:53 PM	#7
c.a.m Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Ottawa, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,189	Technically, no, the project didn't print the whole lens. Still, I think re-crafting a lens around 1890's glass is pretty neat, and the images are not bad. 3-D printing has an amazing future. - Craig

11-28-2016, 06:32 PM - 1 Like	#8
fehknt Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 142	I made myself an arrangement of bayonet-mount sliding lens holders (with a 3d printer) to put various optics from surplus shed on my camera for fun. I really enjoyed playing with the optical formula and seeing just how terrible a poorly designed lens is. Modern optics are amazing. If you're curious how a 70mm single element meniscus lens looks: 3d printed 70mm single element lens - Google Photos I've also printed some reflective elements, those do work but are a real pain to polish, and I haven't figured out a good way to polish concave ones.