Are You A Photographer? You Can 3D Print This Camera Lens For $15!

Cameras and lenses both cost a fortune. Anyone who has tried to take up photography can confirm it. Moreover, the price of bigger and better lenses shoots up very quickly. Felix Steele has discovered a solution to this problem and has successfully printed a camera lens for just $15.

Yes, $15 for a fully working, detachable camera lens. Steele loves photography and embarked on this seemingly impossible project three months ago.

Is 3D printing a camera lens possible?

Yes, it is possible to 3D print a camera lens but you have to understand what parts are 3D printable. The camera lens consists of the body and the lens. Felix Steele printed the body of the lens using 3D printing which can securely house the lens.

It consists of 23 elements and 15 pegs and is assembled using glue. Still, the lens has a focusing mechanism and a fully adjustable aperture. Every photographer has different needs when it comes to lenses — in price, speed, and focal length, says Felix.

He understands that not everyone can afford to spend hundreds of dollars for a new lens, especially when they are trying to get into photography. Moreover, budget isn’t the only constraint because some photographers require customer lens solutions which are possible with 3D printing.

Felix spent three months trying to perfect his creation. His lens designs for 3D printing are free to download and use. So, as long as you have a 3D printer or have access to one, you can print the lens body for $20 or less.

After that, you will need to purchase lenses that will find in the 3D printed body. He used the Surplus Shed website to purchase lenses and said even e-bay had a long list of sellers offering lenses at affordable rates.

He even shared the images he took using the $15 dollar lens he created. The images focused on the middle part of the subject while softly blurring the top and middle parts. Some even said that the images weren’t that good but you have to understand that Felix isn’t trying to challenge Nikon and Canon. He is passionate about creating affordable custom lenses for entry-level photography.