Hey all first time poster just wanted to show you all something i am working on it’s a fully working 3d printed film camera 35mm and medium format I am hoping you guys can help me out I don’t know much about electronics but looking to dive right in I would like to add this technology somehow in the rectangular compartment above the lens I made need to adjust the print again for sizes to fit components as I was just going to use a basic dimmable rgb led setup I’m all ears so please give me some ideas I can research as for minimal set up and battery etc. Many thanks
Byron.
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Hey Byron,
Welcome to the forums!
That looks like an awesome project, would love to see if there is documentation on it to see what it took to get to the final build!
It shouldn’t be too difficult to integrate LEDs into this one, though it likely doesn’t fit within the WLED space. I’ve moved this over to a separate thread to get this one looked into.
If you could share a bit of info as to the internal electronics there, it would be the best way for us to figure out a potential solution here.
Cheers,
Blayden
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@Byron279764 This is absolutely crazy! How cool.
What are the LEDs for? Aesthetics? Do they serve a practical function?
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Hey guys so far that is an old photo I currently have a mounted a 55mm vintage Nikon FD mount lens with manual aperture control this is a fully manual SLR 3d printed camera no electronics on board at all so far the only thing electric I wish to add is these LEDs I’m basically hoping it will add a intuitive way for users to play with various colour attributes within controlled environments like studios and nighttime close up photography. So basically all I’m thinking is some type of power source
For the LEDs and boards will suffice somehow? Sorry I’m an art student and quite busy with assessments at the moment haven’t had a chance to do much research but hoping this forum will gradually lead me in the right direction.
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@Blayden im just using fusion 360 I also have done clay model prototypes I’ll post a couple cameras I have made and some of my original ideas originally I was planning to make high head silicone moulds and inject with either epoxy’s or alloys for the body’s of the cameras but have lead more into 3d printing technology I have a creality ender 3 s1 printer and hoping soon to get a resin printer for more detail in camera bodies and parts. Get ready for some documentation pics.
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This will also improve with a better shutter system currently in design. Currently also in testing mode for image quality also. I will try and do a bit of a write up about my process and some ideas I have for future camera’s also if anyone in the forum lives around Newcastle / Lake Macquarie areas I have a pinhole camera workshop coming up in the 2nd of October where I will be teaching kids how to create there own pinhole 4x5” paper camera and teach them a technique to produces there own silver gelatin prints at home with household products like coffee vitamin c and wash Soda crystals and salt for photographic chemical replacements I’ll leave the link here I will also teach the students the process of printing camera stuff on a 3d printer
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Also I have a background in residential and commercial construction handy in most trades but held a trade certificate since 19 I’m now 35 as a bricklayer with a brief 10 year stint working in underground coal mining as a miner and long wall operator cutting coal which meant I was always head T/A on machinery and electrical breakdowns more recently following my passion after studying over two years now at Hunter street art school completing a cert IV and Diploma of photography and digital imaging I focused nearly 100% of my time learning the historic practices whilst studying in my own time at home while only really being taught digital stuff in class so I learnt a fair bit of modern and historical photography I hand process all my own films B&W and also Colour, Scan, and Archival silver gelatin printing in my Nan’s garden shed I even custom made a fibre glasses fully plumbed plywood darkroom sink which is portable makes it easy to move houses etc I’m really into DIY and making thing better or fixing things I owned two properties at one stage in my life which I totally transformed myself with major renovations in caves beach but held a passion for arts and photography especially with memories of my dad teaching me how to loaf film in a camera as young as four and spending time at my dads house from a young age holding and staring at the cameras of my grandfather’s he had from his time in WW2 in East Timor. I’m left handed and I try to make everything work for me in my ambidextrous ways and I just like making stuff my dad is a retired underground fitter and machinist he is artistic Also with memories of his diy creations of a young age.
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Hi Byron,
I love seeing people with some passionate projects behind them. Thanks for sharing images as you progress. We love seeing projects come together.
If you’re trying to fit an LED in that slot above. This one may be what you are after. Treat it like any LED and have a resistor before your battery.
@Jack thanks but I’m wishing to use RGB LEDs to add different colour attributes since you can create all colours with RGB.
In that case, I think the Glowbits could also be nice. You can add something to act as a diffuser for some more even distribution. The only possible issue I can see is there may not be many LEDs that are bright enough to show up when taking photos. If the LEDs are more for aesthetics most of these should be fine.
Awesome thanks @Jack also this is just a sketch I will probably adjust the sizes to add more LEDs and re-print/design the body to compensate for brightness originally I purchased from Jaycar. Simple rgb led dimmable set up but it didn’t have to values I wanted with the colour shifts so scrapped that Idea
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You’re welcome. Please be sure to post when you have some updates!
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Are these still available what’s the difference with these and glowbits?
Hi Byron,
That is certainly still an applicable guide. ESP32s are great with their Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. There are many interesting things you can do with them. Any addressable LED should work with not much tweaking. Glowbits use the same LEDs that are in that guide. We’ve just put them onto some smaller boards instead of the LED strips.
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Thanks everyone now time to get some more testing and refinement and make this a product.
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And lots of research 
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Sorry for the rough drawing but this is what I am thinking I will be leading towards almost like a RGB LED flash unit that will sit in the original print of the film camera guess it’s another product in its self.
Thoughts?
Hey @Byron279764,
Looks good! You shouldn’t need space for much once it’s closed up, given that really your only components seem to be an ESP32 (or alternative) and an LED board. You may need to consider power requirements though, as the battery is likely the largest component you’ll need. There are a couple of different options for this, each with advantages and disadvantages. Let us know what your next steps are, I’m excited to see this come to life!
Ideally I’d like to put some sort or rechargeable usb battery? And adjust flash unit size to compensate and a usb port. I’m currently in the process of trying to track someone local down to give me a rundown in my studio on working with these types of electronics, coding etc as it’s totally new to me 
YouTube is great always helps but ADHD I get distracted online. with my trade background I like to be shown in person by someone who has knowledge.
Collaboration is always a good thing.
But using these forums are always giving me ideas and info on parts etc which I would not of known to look for which helps immensely to bring better ideas for my projects.
Thank you all to has had some input so far!
