Personal Projects
Part of a strong belief in life long learning, I have a couple of personal projects going on in order to advance my knowledge and understanding.
Pinhole Camera
This was the first venture into optical design. Pinhole cameras are the simplest way of producing the image. The camera I designed and had 3D printed uses 35mm film and a 0.3mm aperture to focus light. Due to the long exposure nature of this tiny aperture, I elected to use a simple shutter design. This project taught me about light-proofing an enclosure and opened the door for more accurate shutter designs.
Camera Lens
The second trip into the optical world was to make a monocle lens for a camera. Most modern lenses use many elements to produce an optically perfect image. This seemed a bit ambitious for a first try. This uses a single 100mm focal length element and different slides to change the aperture diameter. The lens is wide open at F2, but is quite hazy/fuzzy. This is likely due to the quality of lens I used and the fact that there is nothing to correct any optical flaws. As the aperture decreases, the image does get sharper but no longer fills the sensor. My next step is the make a multi-element version and develop a shutter so I can take pictures on a full self made camera.
Ring Box
In a bit of a different path, I decided to make a ring box. I had a thought that it would be cool to make the ring be presented rather then just opening the box . The box is machined brass with 3D printed blades for the aperture. I also wanted to be able to open it in one smooth motion.
Photos from along the way
