Just a heads up, guys...you are most certainly not going to do this DIY project. I wouldn't even advise it unless you had the expertise and the incredible resolve of Andy George, a YouTuber whose channel, How to Make Everything, is literally dedicated to making everything from scratch, including plastic, drums, and even toothbrushes.
In this video, Andy uses his experience making a pinhole camera and clear glass out of raw materials to build his very own zoom lens.
Another heads up, guys...this video is brutal. Definitely fascinating, but brutal.
As you saw in the video, the end result of all of Andy's labor is a rough but amazing zoom lens. Unfortunately, it took a tumble before he could show it to us, so this big ol' crack obscures the otherwise impressive but also kind of appropriate appearance of this DIY lens.
Here is Adam's completed DIY zoom lens, made from copper he mined himself, as well as borax, sand, and soda ash that he collected.
Adam's DIY pinhole camera and finished zoom lens were made entirely from scratch.
And here is the final image.
Not quite 4K, but...
On the surface, the image quality is...I mean...you know. But think about it! This guy went out and collected all of these raw materials and did all of these very complicated manufacturing and production processes by himself. Granted, he had a little help from an optical science student, a 3D printer, and a metal CNC machine, but the last two only came into play after several very frustrating failed attempts.
If you want to see how Andy made the other elements of this build, check out these videos, including how he built a wooden pinhole camera and clear glass.
So, kudos to Andy! May we never take for granted the incredible study, advancement, and work that goes into creating the pieces of filmmaking equipment we use every day.
Source: How to Make Everything
