This YouTuber just made a 100-year-old camera digital for just $40 (and a LOT of effort)

If you think you’ve seen every type of camera, then perhaps this is something new, YouTuber Jack Joy / Graindead, has combined a 100 year old camera with a portable battery powered scanner to create a unique one-of-a-kind digital camera. It takes 6 seconds to take a photo as the Flip Pal scanner, scans the image, so any movement during the exposure will result in some strange looking images. As Jack finds out, sometimes this can be a good thing, and sometimes the stuff of nightmares.

The camera created by Jack Joy of Graindead (and all the gear) YouTube channel(s) takes black and white photos. Image: Graindead/YouTube

The camera manages to capture a unique view of the world, as the body of the camera is captured as well as the image. Jack had to spend several hours constructing the camera using ground glass, and a vintage Zeiss lens. Watch the video below to see how it was done…

As the camera / digital back only takes black and white images, Jack has to use colour filters in order to capture three different images, which can then be combined on a computer to create a colour image. This process adds even more time to the exposure, which means that the clouds moved in this photo below. You can also follow Graindead on Instagram.

The camera takes black and white photos, but by using colour filters can be used to make colour images. Image: Graindead/YouTube

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