# Is DIY BS?



## soul dog (Jun 29, 2010)

I'v heard diy is great for hobbyists, but not aspiring pros. 
What about po boys? lol!  I want to make this: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4AwWuZ7IjQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4AwWuZ7IjQ [/ame]
will it help or hinder? Dose anybody here do DIY projects, has it helped your work?


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## Josh66 (Jun 29, 2010)

It will certainly work better than nothing.

I've made lots of DIY projects ... mostly just to hold me over till I got the real thing.
And yes, I would say they did help.  They got me by till I could afford to get the real thing, and once I did get it - I already knew what to do with it.


The reason you'll see a lot of pros saying DIY things are crap is because even if they work the same or better, they don't look as nice.

If you don't care what it looks like, as long as it works - go ahead and make one.


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## Dmitri (Jun 29, 2010)

DIY is awesome, especially for those with small pockets. Between PVC pipes and cardboard, you can make almost anything lol.


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## AgentDrex (Jun 29, 2010)

diy is great for even stingy people who don't want to open their wallets...which is why they have money...they don't spend it...and all those "pro" tools were most likely an idea of a do-it-yourself kind of inventor...chew on that for awhile...


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## KmH (Jun 29, 2010)

"Neccessity, who is the mother of invention" - Plato _Greek author & philosopher in Athens (427 BC - 347 BC)_

*DIY has been around a while.*

You know those deep diver suits with the big metal helmet?

That helmet was actuallly invented for firefighters, who basically told the inventor to insert the thing into his nether regions, because they weren't going to wear that thing into any freakin' fires.

So in an attempt to save his investment, he got someone to try the helmet underwater.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Deane_(inventor)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus_Siebe


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## Dmitri (Jun 29, 2010)

KmH said:


> "
> You know those deep diver suits with the big metal helmet?
> 
> That helmet was actuallly invented for firefighters, who basically told the inventor to insert the thing into his nether regions, because they weren't going to wear that thing into any freakin' fires.



Holy god, is that true?? They wanted people to wear big metal helmets in fires??  haha wow, what an idea!


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## KmH (Jun 29, 2010)

Dmitri said:


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Click on and read the links, Dimitri!

I first read the story in Bill Bryson's popular book:

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Short-History-Nearly-Everything/dp/076790818X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277862738&sr=8-1"]Amazon.com: A Short History of Nearly Everything (9780767908184): Bill Bryson: Books[/ame]


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## Skyclad (Jun 29, 2010)

I think DIY is not BS. In fact, I believe it is one of the many birthplaces of creativity and invention.


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## Dmitri (Jun 29, 2010)

KmH said:


> Dmitri said:
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haha that's awesomely horrible!


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## soul dog (Jun 29, 2010)

Dmitri said:


> KmH said:
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Indeed.
Ok thanks guys, I may start on that reflector there in a couple days, and next a beauty dish.


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## AlexL (Jun 29, 2010)

DIY is fun cause you get to learn a lot along the way


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## dak1b (Jun 29, 2010)

DIY = awesome if your doing it right!


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## flyingember (Jun 30, 2010)

To give you an idea on my belief on low-cost options.

recently I've been shooting the outside of homes from dusk to early evening.  I use a D300 and super wide angle.  neither are cheap.  I trigger the shots with a cheap chinese wireless trigger I spent $25 bucks on.

I have a piece of poster board I'm going to use to make a snoot at some point.  I made an on-flash soft reflector from a tupperware container and throw away pie pan.  it works quite well.

go read the strobist site.  they're very into DIY and they get results from it.


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## SrBiscuit (Jun 30, 2010)

my DIY bag is my favorite of all my bags. :thumbup:


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## KAikens318 (Jun 30, 2010)

flyingember said:


> To give you an idea on my belief on low-cost options.
> 
> recently I've been shooting the outside of homes from dusk to early evening.  I use a D300 and super wide angle.  neither are cheap.  I trigger the shots with a cheap chinese wireless trigger I spent $25 bucks on.
> 
> ...



I made a snoot out of a 10 cent piece of foam (the kind that looks like construction paper), some duct tape, and a hair elastic. It works really well.


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## Village Idiot (Jun 30, 2010)

I've seen some DIY stuff that does look professional. A friend of mine made a grid out of plastic drainage spouting pieces and blac straw. He sprayed the whole thing black and it looks like something from Honl.

Also, people like Gary Fong and David Honl are selling products that I'd bet on them originally starting off as DIY gear that they thought was good enough to refine and sell.


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## RacePhoto (Nov 30, 2021)

Do You Make things, like DIY projects for your photography? I was going to start a thread but this one is here?



Village Idiot said:


> I've seen some DIY stuff that does look professional. A friend of mine made a grid out of plastic drainage spouting pieces and blac straw. He sprayed the whole thing black and it looks like something from Honl.
> 
> Also, people like Gary Fong and David Honl are selling products that I'd bet on them originally starting off as DIY gear that they thought was good enough to refine and sell.


Fongs diffuser from the moment I saw it, is a fruit salad container or some whipped cream packaging. Yes, nice idea and it works.

OK what I wanted to do was start posting some of mine. I'm not selling anything and I make no claim that anything is more than modified "something else" in an effort to have some fun and make some photos. I can't say I have a favorite, but this one was useful and has been loads of fun, and I still carry it in the car. (which is a Minivan, or it wouldn't fit)

I'm on the left, taking the photo of the *camera on a stick*  which is the right half. In this case, it just happened to be a GoPro but there's a threaded mount on the top and I have put a DSLR with a Tele up there, over a catch fence at the races.








It's an ultimate selfie stick? No not really, it's a 40 foot hotstick, (a telescoping fiberglass pole) that I found in a dumpster. Free is good. Slightly less that 40 feet because the last section was broken off. I filled the hole with a wooden plug, which I epoxied in and then drilled and threaded a standard tripod 1/4-20, I have added a ball at times or just straight camera on the top.

No drones for me, I have the 35 foot, big yellow stick!

Still playing, not serious, this was one of the first test images. But you can see how the elevation is interesting. It is also a stitch image, which makes the 90 degree corner look like something else.






And finally, an IMSA race start, with the camera on the stick, set for intervals, as photographers aren't allowed to stand at this point of the track.


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## NS: Nikon Shooter (Nov 30, 2021)

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My studio is 25x40! and my workshop is three times that size.
DIY is a must skill in my book.


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## Geenphoto (Nov 30, 2021)

I will say that I bought a lot of my stuff.  One may, however, make some pretty good DIY projects.  I had my wife sew some plain white and plain black fabric to make me a backdrop for small objects.  I've used a work light to illuminate a large space where my speedlight would not work well and just adjusted white balance in post.  My clips for hanging a quick backdrop are spring clamps from my toolbox.  The pros I know won't waist money unnecessarily when a less expensive option will do just as well.

So, I vote thumbs up for DIY.


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## Grandpa Ron (Dec 4, 2021)

To many folks, DIY is a mind set. I rarely buy what I can build or restore.

However, time has made a significant difference in what can be DIY. I have spent decades building and using short wave radios and transmitters. Now the parts to do that are more expensive then purchacing a comercial unit.

I have built muzzle loading rifles, telescopes, restored several musical instrument that folks had discarded, restored a 1929 wood and canvas canoe that was on a burn pile. Recently I restored a 4x5 format 1910 view camera and an old enlarger I inherited. But this is the age of digital photography and trade secrets. Photography and post processing are superb, but they place you in the realm of an appliance operator.

There are things to be gained by DIY.
* The feeling of accomplishment.
* The savings, if any.
* Once it works, cosmetics become far less important.
* Once you have built it, you become fearless when it comes to taking it apart for repair or modifications.

And oh yes, all those funny tools you had to buy to complete the project; will often prove usefull on your next project: once the DIY bug bites.

Good Luck


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## RacePhoto (Dec 9, 2021)

Good replies and more ideas. Thanks

Next? The Rail for macro. I can't say this is a success, because I was disappointed. But most of that is my lack of ability and stacking with free software. I think I can do better.

Controlled by Arduino, the stepper motor can make very small incremental movements. Maybe too many and too small. I need to learn better how many shots I really need and how to space them.





100mm Macro Lens. Eventually I did mount a microscope optic on the camera, and also a bellows with a lens.

Move the camera or move the subject? Each has advantages and flaws. From someone who knows, who advised me, says moving the camera, means the lighting stays the same. Easier to control exposure.

Moving the subject means the camera doesn't have any movement from the shaking.


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## petrochemist (Dec 9, 2021)

Some DIY projects have rubbish outcomes, from bad designs to poor skills/materials or unsuitable tools...
Others are improvements over the kit available to purchase. In my case I usually resort to DIY when I can't find a manufactured bit of kit for the job. Photographically this is most often for adapting lenses in non standard mounts.

Much depends on the person doing it themselves. Quite often the results are crude but functional - a large reflector might fall in this category it doesn't look particularly smart, but it's not in shot & it lights the subject better than a $100 foldup reflector...

Some of the 'professional' solutions available are little different from DIY operations.


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## NS: Nikon Shooter (Dec 9, 2021)

RacePhoto said:


> Move the camera or move the subject?



Did you explore the third option?


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## mrca (Dec 9, 2021)

KAikens318 said:


> I made a snoot out of a 10 cent piece of foam (the kind that looks like construction paper), some duct tape, and a hair elastic. It works really well.


Some of the most versatile items that every studio should have is cinefoil and gaffer tape along with some A clamps and c47, ie wooden spring clothespin.  Cine foil and gaffer tape are re useable.  Flags, snoots, can be formed from cinefoil to the exact size you need and they are light weight.   Gaffer tape can be used to attach them, or mark subjects mark on the floor.  It can tape up a seamless bg with the roll on the floor.  A clamps can hang black cloth to block windows or diffusion materials over a window to make beautiful soft light.  But beauty dishes, or soft boxes, not my cup of diy tea.  However some diffusion material hung from a boom be it cloth or plastic, can be shot through and used to soften light with easy set up/tear down.   If you are a pro,  most clients don't know what "professional" gear looks like but if it looks like diy, it reflects on you as a pro.  Of course, a beat up piece of foam core is a standard reflector or flag in most studios.


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## Sharpshooterr (Dec 10, 2021)

DIY rocks!!!
Back in the day when I couldn't afford Canon L lenses, I simply made my own! LoL
I made an L lens and it worked quite well.
Actually I did a project and wanted to use a lens with lots of imperfection. So I used to cardboard tubes that telescoped into each other. I used a 3" magnifying glass that's about 3/8" thick in the middle for the front element and a cut out body cap on the other end, both hot-melted on. 
It actually worked really well and creates a very soft-like image with lots of fringing! It's very cool.
SS


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## RacePhoto (Dec 10, 2021)

NS: Nikon Shooter said:


> Did you explore the third option?


Change the point of focus?  

 You mean I designed and built that complicated rail and all I needed was a camera mounted to a brick?   And an internal focusing lens...


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## NS: Nikon Shooter (Dec 10, 2021)

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RacePhoto said:


> Change the point of focus?
> 
> You mean I designed and built that complicated rail and all I needed was a camera mounted to a brick?   And an internal focusing lens...



I use any of my bodies + Nikon's 105 macro + Hélikon Focus.


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## RacePhoto (Dec 10, 2021)

NS: Nikon Shooter said:


> -
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> I use any of my bodies + Nikon's 105 macro + Hélikon Focus.


Hélikon Focus - nope never heard of it, and just a fast read, it looks very nice. I have no professional needs right now, but if I did, that looks like the solution. I'm just playing with macro and stacking for the experience.


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## NS: Nikon Shooter (Dec 10, 2021)

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Hélikon Focus is a brilliant piece of software from unexpected origin!


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## RacePhoto (Dec 11, 2021)

Thanks for the lead, I might not have seen it without that. Although, maybe someone already pointed me that direction and I got distracted, making the rail, and not spending money, so I forgot. I am a Senior!  

 But after only a little reading, Helicon Focus software looks really we written and if the results for myself are anything close to the example, I'm be over the top happy. What do I do with the rail? LOL

Going to an estate auction tomorrow that has what appears to be a medical microscope. The top is missing and so is the light source, but if I'm right, the three objectives will be high quality. I'm hoping the resale and antique people, aren't interested. I can try some of those for really close up, image stacking macros.

This is wrong, but it works. I later created a direct mount, instead of on the end of a lens. 4 x 200 inexpensive off eBay.


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## Grandpa Ron (Jan 14, 2022)

One thing I have learned about a DYI is, the first one costs you very little, mostly because it is made from things on hand or less durable materials.  If you try to make and sell 1000 of them you generally discover why they cost so much.

I wanted a large cone shaped lens hood to match a 58mm diameter lens.  I made one from paper and masking  tape, with scissors, protractor and a lot of "cut and try". Then I opened it up and taped it flat to a piece of pasteboard and rolled it into a cone. The cost less than a dollar. It works great, but is not very durable.  

To try to make and sell any significant number of these would require a time and improved materials investment. Not what I would like to spend my time doing.


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## RacePhoto (Jan 17, 2022)

Has it been another month already? Here's another one of my projects.

This was not an overnight sensation. I made various versions and adjustments. The final (ha?) _nearly complete_ version is this.






12V power, so I can take the camera anywhere. If things look a little white or dusty, that's frost. But the lens has none of that because it's got 100+ turns of wire around it, plugged into the 12V. And not showing very much is the continuous power battery replacement in the grip. One battery and one battery eliminator set at 9V. And finally a remote shutter cable.






Clear night skies are a must. That's a used 40-D and 14mm Rokinon f/2.8 lens. 100% crop, 30 second exposure.


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## RacePhoto (Jan 24, 2022)

No one interested in a dew free lens?


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## Grandpa Ron (Jan 29, 2022)

Nice star photo. 

If I ever get a clear night I will try it.  The sky glow at my place, is bight enough to take night photos with an f2.8 lens.


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## RacePhoto (Mar 4, 2022)

Well as usual, I'm slacking off. I skipped February altogether and here we are in March? Lets see, Macro, camera on a stick, where have I been. Night sky minus the dew and here's something a little older. I made this for shooting over the corn. Does anyone want to know why? Just imagine, there's corn and I wanted to shoot the field or the Sunset.  





Only three extensions actually, and two camera mounts. The top one is just a straight Mic threading to 1/4x20 and the side mount has the ball so it can be adjusted better. It was an old light stand for a stage light, that I've been dragging around for ages.

This one doesn't go on the road.


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## Rickbb (Mar 17, 2022)

RacePhoto said:


> No one interested in a dew free lens?


I keep condensation off by putting the gear outside for an hour before I want to shoot. Letting it acclimate slowly seems to work.


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## RacePhoto (Mar 19, 2022)

Rickbb said:


> I keep condensation off by putting the gear outside for an hour before I want to shoot. Letting it acclimate slowly seems to work.


I used to do that, but still with the weather and conditions around here, the drop in temperature overnight creates dew, sometimes frost. I probably didn't have the details, but things run pretty much like this. Camera out before Sunset, when it's starting to get dark in the West, I start the camera, which is aimed NE.

Then I lock the shutter release with the camera set to 30 second exposure. It takes a shot, processes, and takes another shot. That's starting at dusk and running until dawn. Yeah, continuous, overnight. That's why I used, and used up, 10-D until I got a 20-D and now I found a used 40-D.

Meanwhile the temperature keeps dropping and without the heater, I'd still get dew and frost. The idea of winding fine wire around the lens, is based upon what people do with telescopes.

On a nice Summer night, I don't have these problems. But if it starts warmer and gets cooler and the humidity builds, there's no escape. I'm not sure if being 4 miles from Lake Michigan actually makes a difference. I used to be 2 miles and it's easy to feel the effects. By 4 miles it's much more subtle. E Central Wisconsin. I'm sure things would be OK in OK.  

Here's one from Fall last year. The white on the tripod and the battery unit is frost. This shot is morning when I picked up the camera. The lens is nice and clear. I was very pleased. It took some tries before I got it to work right.











First wrap is masking tape, sticky side up, sealed in RTV silicone, then heat shrink tape was added over that. The plan is, if I ever get to that, slide off the heater wires and use the lens in the field for other things, without the ugly additions.

This is the 8mm, from the first attempt. Aluminum foil to distribute the heat, then fine wire, covered in foam and then some "eatra special" yellow masking tape over the whole thing.






Everything is either 12V or uses a lighter plug to USB adapter. The idea behind that is one plug, any battery pack will do.


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## pendennis (Mar 20, 2022)

Nothing at all wrong with DIY.  Most photographers I know have skills in carpentry, metal working, and even electrical.  Well before "the web" there were needs for background supports, scrims, camera mounts, and repairs to lights (mostly hot).  You couldn't always find a skilled tradesman to handle a small job, much less for a decent price.  So, out comes the circular and jig saws, tubing cutters, and even the volt meters and pliers.

A lot of the things are common sense, nothing arcane or exotic about what you need.  If you needed a background support, off to the lumber yard for 2x2, 2x4, etc. lumber.  In addition, I was able to find lightweight conduit which could be hung as a paper core, so I could use different backgrounds just by rolling or unrolling a different color.  When my Smith-Victor lights gave me problems, I sat down, sketched out the circuit, and repaired connections, switches, etc.  When I needed some custom plates for a view camera base, I went to  the hardware store, bought the necessary plates, cut them, drilled and tapped them, and voila.

I had a Sunset tripod which started coming apart at the geared column riser.  It was a handy beast, but luckily, I knew a maintenance foreman (my Dad), who took it to the shop, and had a machinist retool the bearings and sleeves.  A case of beer was all it cost me.

Yes, there are things I wouldn't touch.  Electronic flash repair is best left to folks who understand instantaneous high voltage discharge.  
Things were not quite as complicated in the 70's and 80's, even into the 90's, but I didn't know many photographers who didn't have some carpenter, machinist, or electrician inside themselves.


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## RacePhoto (Mar 24, 2022)

Waiting until April for the next, but I will say... I know how to have fun? 

I don't always build everything. Sometimes I just adapt parts and pieces. The 40 foot big yellow monopod (which is less than that, but it started at 40 feet) came home because I saw it sticking out of a dumpster. The last segment was broken off. Easy enough, epoxy and a wooden plug, drill a hole and put in a stud for the 1/4 x 20 camera mount. Later I added a ball head.

Super monopod! Able to peek over tall fences.


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