How to Make a Macro Lens for Free!

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How to Make a Macro Lens for Free!

Tiffany Tarnowski

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Step 1 of 21

If you don't have a disposable camera check your local pharmacy's film development area. Ask the associate if you can have a few from the trash.

Step 2 of 21

Take the camera apart- carefully. DISCLAIMER- I was in a hurry and grabbed what looked like a battery with my fingers. It was the capacitor and I got a pretty nice jolt. Ouch! You've been warned!

Step 3 of 21

Note: If you can't tell the difference between the battery and the capacitor, google it.

Step 4 of 21

You are doing this project on your own free will and the guide maker assumes no responsibility for any injuries that might result.

Step 5 of 21

If you grab the capacitor you WILL get shocked, it WILL hurt, and it's going to scare the crap out of you. Don't do it. Make sure you know what you're grabbing before you grab it. That's your job.

Step 6 of 21

Now that I've further warned you about safety- on with the project! :)

Step 7 of 21

I originally wanted to make this macro lens in a different style, but they gave me the wrong camera casing back & I made due with what I had. For more ideas go to Pinterest, type "macro" in explore

Step 8 of 21

Take camera apart, save the lens. Be careful!

Step 9 of 21

Use a cutting tool to make a small hole in your rubber band, here I used nail clippers. Use a rubber band from broccoli or some other vegetable.

Step 10 of 21

Stretch your rubber band across the top of your phone, placing the hole over your built in camera's lens. Slide the salvaged lens under the rubber band's hole and over your phone's lens.

Step 11 of 21

Step 12 of 21

Wipe off any smudges it may have acquired from your fingers while putting it in place. That's it. Simplest way I've found to do this so far! It's not fancy

Step 13 of 21

I'm sure you could use a hot glue gun or epoxy to hold the lens to the rubber band and make it one piece, which you could then just wear on your wrist or throw in your wallet/purse for storage.

Step 14 of 21

Picture of feathers with regular iPhone at the same distance as the picture in the next slide.

Step 15 of 21

Picture of feathers that I took with my macro lens.

Step 16 of 21

This is the edge of a Cutco knife ( black is plastic from cutting something for another project)

Step 17 of 21

Step 18 of 21

Super close up of skin with tattoo.

Step 19 of 21

Can't take this photo without the macro- it just blurs up.

Step 20 of 21

This is my wrist, and as close as I can get with my phone without macro before it goes blurry.

Step 21 of 21

Have fun! If you improve this or come up with other ways to make a macro lens please comment! Thanks!

You're Done

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Tiffany Tarnowski

USA

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Old used disposable camera

Rubber band

Hole punch, scissors exacto knife or nail clippers

Your phone

What's a macro lens?

Lilah Sherr 3 weeks ago

And my aunt hates bracelets, so because she's a diabetic she tattooed a cupcake on her wrist that says 'got insulin'.

Alicia Orellana last month

I'm so doing this. I want to try macro pics for my nail swatches.

Alicia Orellana last month

I want to try it but I'm scared as hell of getting shocked

Teej Major 2 months ago

Brilliant!

Ashley Erck 3 months ago

EXCELLENT TIFFANY!!! Thanks for the post and innovation!

Jason Hodge 5 months ago

Tien- thank you for your feedback and it's unfortunate that you were hurt, however this is a simple guide system- and the user has a responsibility to protect them self by doing further research. I added a comment after slide 1, and added further slides to reiterate the dangers associated with this project. Thank you for your feedback and hopefully the changes protect future users.

Tiffany Tarnowski (author) 5 months ago

No offense, but you REALLY need to make sure you are more clear about what not to touch. I took the battery out and thought I was safe, didn't realize "battery looking thingy" might be something else. Shocked the fuck out of myself. Full on blinding flash of light, went through both my right and left fingers and made a full circuit through my body. Left BLISTERS on both my fingers. Boyfriend told me I'm lucky; that kind of shock can stop a person's heart. You need to make sure you are clear so you don't kill people.

Tien Frogget 5 months ago

Cool!! Awesome idea

Maddee Bauer 7 months ago

Great guide

Mediaflo McGee 8 months ago

That's just brilliant! Thanks for sharing.

Jeremy Conescu 9 months ago

Amazing

Cecilie Nielsen 9 months ago

Wow this is amazing thanks!!! It doesn't just work on iPhones. It works on other phones too!! (even iPods!)

Melisa Polisi 9 months ago

I have an iPhone, but I can't see why it wouldn't work on any phone that has a built in camera. And if it doesn't- it didn't cost anything, so there's no loss.

Tiffany Tarnowski (author) 9 months ago

does this work for 3GS? :)

ƈƖάɪℛℰ 💕 9 months ago

Great idea! thanks Luana De Faveri

Luana De Faveri 9 months ago

Tanya- your question is fine! Yes, it's a medical tattoo, I am supposed to wear a bracelet but never ever remember, so I got my info tattooed on my wrist instead. It's so much more convenient and my doctor never has to scold me anymore, so everyone is happy! Glad the guide was helpful and saved you some money!

Tiffany Tarnowski (author) 9 months ago

Great idea and the timing on finding this was perfect. I was going to buy a lens today, had it in a cart and decided last minute not so. Hey, if you don't mind me asking, what is the tattoo for? Is that in place of a medical bracelet or something? If my question is out of line, don't bother answering.

Tanya Ray 9 months ago

Oh I wa taking apart a disposable camera exactly like that and I got a pretty bad jolt from it too!! My arm was like.. I guess numb pain or like 15 minutes

Alec Gjata 10 months ago

I've seen something very similar to this for sale online. Had no idea how easy it was to make myself. Great idea with the disposable camera.

Scott Ivener 10 months ago

I love drawing/sketching an have recently got into "Macro" but won't copy other peeps work, so this is great for me as I can now (wen I get the lens) take my own pic an sketch it to ! Many thanx, Lovin this app ;-)

Mike Alman 10 months ago

Good thinking Mike! I have a bigger rubber band so I'm going to give that a go!

Tiffany Tarnowski (author) 10 months ago

Great idea - I think it could also be done for an iPAD, bigger rubber band of course or elastic strap. Thanks!

Mike Turvey 10 months ago

Awesome! Thanks for sharing!

Nannette De Guzman 10 months ago

Wow! Really good idea for with people that have.....let's just say.....VERY tight budgets. Lol

Dawn D. 10 months ago

I know you warned me about the electric shot thingo but I thought it was the battery and I tried to rip it out until I got and electric shock. It's still in my tree house cause I'm afraid to touch it

Melanie  10 months ago

), gave a little scream. I think that everyone has decided I'm crazy. Thanks for the guide anyway!

Ben Corson 10 months ago

Did it today! I just recently bought one online, didn't like it that much (wasn't worth the money) and exchanged it. Anyway, I thought if it's that cheap I'll give it a try and it was great! I went into CVS and asked one lady if they had trashed disposable cameras, she said they didn't do disposable cameras anymore. I turned around and saw them selling disposable cameras so I ask another guy and he starts digging through the trash. Sure enough he comes out with more than 5 cameras. I saw what you meant by the battery looking thing, i twisted it, figuring that I took out the real battery, so how could it do anything. I learned not to twist it. It made this huge pop, I flew out of my chair (by the way, I was taking apart the camera in a Brugger's

Ben Corson 10 months ago

Nice!!

Lina H. 10 months ago

Thank you :D

Ajay Mamtora 10 months ago

What a clever idea!

Lini D 10 months ago

Thanks

Helen Mataki 10 months ago

Thanks again! I finally got it out shock free (: Love the tutorial!

Abby G 10 months ago

Here you go: disassembly instructions, with the bonus of a capacitor warning and discharge info. ( where was that warning when I needed it!?!) This was the same camera that I used for this project. http://gicl.cs.drexel.edu/wiki/Group_7_-_Kodak_Disposable_Camera

Tiffany Tarnowski (author) 10 months ago

Ok, thanks so much! I've got it all figured out now, got some help online, I should be good to go (:

Abby G 10 months ago

As long as you don't grab the capacitor you should be fine. Lol! Just keep your fingers on the plastic parts and don't touch the circuit board or capacitor. There should be two tabs on the sides of the camera that you can pop loose to get the front and back separated. Once inside there should be another layer of plastic parts that you'll need to separate from the back. I'm sure that you could discharge the energy from the capacitor, but I don't want to be responsible for telling someone how to do it- then having them goof and blame me. :) I'll do a little research and see if I can find info for you.

Tiffany Tarnowski (author) 10 months ago

How can I safely take the camera apart? Im scared I'll get shocked :p

Abby G 10 months ago

That's So Cool!

Alex P. 10 months ago

Nice! Thanks :)

Alex Romanos 10 months ago

Dear Tiffany it is not luck, it is brilliant thinking 😄

Karen Larard 10 months ago

That is so cool!!

Molly Winegar 10 months ago

This is freaking awesome!!!!! xxxx

Karen Schmidt 10 months ago

Good idea

Cecilia Van't Veen 10 months ago

Thanks! I had a series of unfortunate events happen when I was trying to make the macro lens, nothing was working and I was about to give up when I saw that rubber band. I just got lucky! ( but I'll take that compliment anyway!)

Tiffany Tarnowski (author) 10 months ago

I loveeee this idea!!!!!! Ur a GENIUS!!!

Brianna Loveday 10 months ago

That's sweet.

Brittan Gullickson 10 months ago

Now this is cool. I can't wait to do this.

Darcy Bastin 10 months ago

Be first to comment on Step 1.

I once took an old camera apart and accidentally touched my screwdriver to the capacitor... Lemme tell ya, that screwdriver shot right outa my hand and flew halfway across the kitchen! Scared the bujeezerz outa me and hurt like heck! My hand tingled for at least half and hour afterword! A few months late, but just an extra warning! :) And thanks for the great tutorial!

Kevin Beatty 4 months ago

Note: If you can't tell the difference between the battery and the capacitor, google it. You are doing this project on your own free will and the guide maker assumes no responsibility for any injuries that might result. If you grab the capacitor you WILL get shocked, it WILL hurt, and it's going to scare the crap out of you.

Tiffany Tarnowski (author) 5 months ago

Lol. Great tip!

Dawn D. 10 months ago

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