SLO Is a 3D-Printed 35mm Film Camera

SLO breaks new ground with a 35mm camera made entirely from 3D printing. The camera was designed by Amos Dudley, who wanted to know if there was ”a more authentic photograph to be found at the intersection of design and photography.” The components of the camera include a film cartridge, film path, film take-up spools, gears for rotating the spools, shutter, aperture plane, lens, film access door, and a lightproof box. The lens and shutter systems are modular, allowing them to be replaced without the need to reprint a new camera body. An indicator on top of the camera shows the remaining film roll: six revolutions of the indicator cover 24 exposures. Behind the lens mount is an adjustable aperture system. After loading film through a door in the back of the camera, the user can expose shots using two different shutter buttons that toggle between each other with each shot. The shutter speed correlates to how quickly the button is pressed. Test shots are available for viewing here; for those with access to a 3D printer, the source files for SLO can be downloaded here.