3D Printed Photography Accessories

MrDrizz

MrDrizz

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So I've recently been bitten by the 3D print bug, I even sell things on eBay.

This got me thinking about photography related 3D parts.
What accessories have you bought or printed that are 3D printed? The only 3d part I have made is a lens cap for a vintage lens I have.
Very curious to here what you may have found or even designed,
 
A battery carrier. Seen the results of a lithium battery short in a pocket. Deep burns, not pretty.
 
The only 3D printed bits I have are a pair of macro flash diffusers which I purchased a couple of years ago and a Bahtinov mask for astro photography that a colleague kindly 3D printed for me.

It's something I've been meaning to get into for years, but that I've never gotten around to
 
After having an issue with my camera due to badly cut film leaders from bulk rolled film, I bought a cutting template off eBay that was 3D printed.
Now all my film leaders look great!

£18 : https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255594805648

Simon Forster (classic lenses podcast) got into 3D printing camera bits a while ago and appears to have a business doing it now: https://forsteruk.com/ for more ideas...

And if you're looking for a project that I would spend money on, a Fuji Square Instax back for a Hasselblad 500 system for well under $800 is at the top of my list :)

Finally... I have been tempted by a 3D printer for a while. Any thoughts as a good one to go for initially? Reviews on YouTube seem to be all over the place.
 
I've got a small 3D printer which uses ABS. Its a small Up Plus 2. Now obsolete but serves my prototyping needs and still prints nicely, Possibly consider adding a Prusa or Bambu type one day. I have a 3D scanner as well and also have to reverse engineer a lot of parts, so getting better at 3D CAD.
 
Harlequin565 said:
After having an issue with my camera due to badly cut film leaders from bulk rolled film, I bought a cutting template off eBay that was 3D printed.
Now all my film leaders look great!

£18 : https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255594805648

Simon Forster (classic lenses podcast) got into 3D printing camera bits a while ago and appears to have a business doing it now: https://forsteruk.com/ for more ideas...

And if you're looking for a project that I would spend money on, a Fuji Square Instax back for a Hasselblad 500 system for well under $800 is at the top of my list :)

Finally... I have been tempted by a 3D printer for a while. Any thoughts as a good one to go for initially? Reviews on YouTube seem to be all over the place.
Click to expand...
My first printers were from Anycubic but after I started to sell items on eBay I quickly upgraded to enclosed printers from Flash Forge.

Bambulabs P1S is very user friendly as is their A1 Mini, not the cheapest though.

Anycubic make decent printers with auto bed leveling as do Flash Forge.

The cheaper the printer the more tinkering you have to do.

Printing is fairly easy TBH there are millions of free to download 3D models and millions more tutorials on Youtube on how to use the slicing software. The hardest part to learn is the CAD software if you want to design your own models. The best software suites are extremely expensive, Thousands per year, but most do offer free version for individual use, Autocad, and Onshape are two popular versions.
 
For photography, TPU makes great lens caps, Regular PLA for spools and masks to convert from roll film (127 & 120) to 135 and a few replacement parts for developing tanks also in TPU. Battery holder/carriers in TPU. (TPU is quite flexible and tough).
I made a 135 film drier which is in regular use and works very well and am presently working on a gizmo to hold my light tablet and camera at the right distance/level etc for negative scanning. Tried a few designs to make "rapid film" cassettes that weren't successful.
 
I've made a couple of mounts for my gopro.

One that sits on top of a Y shaped tent peg. One that use two 6" nails to stick on the ground, an arca swiss plate and one that has a socket in the bottom to go on monopods.

And a multi angle rest for the gopro.
 
ecoleman said:
I have my eye on the Bamulabs P1S (I think, the enclosed one)
Problem is I have no idea how to drive the software to create 3D models so trying to learn that first
Click to expand...
Bambolabs have their own version of software, easy enough to get your head around as there are a lot of default presets that will get you up and running.
Just be warned, you could be going down an exciting rabbit hole.
 
MrDrizz said:
So I've recently been bitten by the 3D print bug, I even sell things on eBay.

This got me thinking about photography related 3D parts.
What accessories have you bought or printed that are 3D printed? The only 3d part I have made is a lens cap for a vintage lens I have.
Very curious to here what you may have found or even designed,
Click to expand...

While 3D printing excels at rapid prototyping, the inherent susceptibility of PLA plastics to heat, sunlight, and potential off-gassing often renders them unsuitable for optical applications. This challenge was exemplified by Swarovski's experience when transitioning from metal to soft-touch plastics for their spot scope. A metal construction would typically offer superior durability and optical performance. Fortunately, a wide range of services specialize in metal fabrication.
 
Does PLA off gas, it's made from corn starch or Cain suger and is classed as biodegradable

And yes PLA isn't for outside use generally, that is why there's ABS, ASA, Nylon
 
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Thank you for clarifying that. This is a commonly missed detail among those new to 3D printing. Properly maintaining equipment is vital for its lifespan, so it's great to highlight this.
 
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