Need some smooth pan shots for your indie film? How about a cool dolly zoom effect? Well, you don't need to be a professional filmmaker to use such a device, but you do need the money for the gear. But—if you can work your way around the workshop, you can probably build your o ...more
In this video tutorial, you'll see how you can build a homemade steadycam camera stabilizer for under fifty bucks. This is more specifically how to build the JayCam MkII Merlin-type camera stabilizer from Jay Shaffer. He demonstrates how to use inexpensive parts to make a vers ...more
The guys at Indy Mogul show you the Camera Crane (turbo mini jib) that ANYONE can afford! Attach it to your tripod and that good looking girl in your English class might mistake you for George Lucas...not sure if that'll help your chances with her, though.
In this DIY video, we show you how we built our camera crane. This was all done with a table saw, drill and hack saw. Parts for the crane: Lazy susan Boards Nuts & bolts Screws Old clothes hanger Old tripod Aluminum strips Equipment used: Sony HDR-HC3 Camcorder Sony Playstation
Filming can get REALLY expensive, especially if you're just out of film school and starting on your first major short. It requires not only a camera, but a crane for swooping panoramic shots, a mounted camera rig for overhead shots, lens filters, and moving ground camera mount ...more
Movies take us places we've never been before, and a big tool that has contributed to that age-old phrase "movie magic" is the camera jib arm. Kind of like a camera extendeder, the jib arm is like a rotating crane that you can place your camera on top of. It allows you to sho ...more
This video will give you shocking results. Find out how to make a couple of alterations using paper clips and a screwdriver to turn a disposable camera into a taser.
Kip Kay, from Make Magazine, shows you how to take your radio controlled vehicle and turn it into a spy car, by mounting a camera onto it. Follow Kip, as he shows you how to remove the body from your radio controlled car, mount the camera inside the chassis using the triPod mo ...more
Home security is as important as having a job. You have to protect your family and your valuables. If you can't afford a high tech security system, then maybe a fake security camera will do the trick. This security camera dud is also a cheap alternative for a film prop. Watch ...more
If you need a dolly for your movie masterpiece, you don't need to go with a professional dolly system. You can save that money for your expensive actors and actresses by building your own DIY camera dolly on the cheap. You'll need some nuts and bolts, PVC pipes, scrap wood, dr ...more
When you're capturing video with a DSLR, not having some type of stabilization system can lead to some pretty awful and shaky scenes. Camera instability is not only painful to watch, but breaks the fourth wall. Once that the invisible barrier between filmmaker and audience is ...more
Does your production need the smooth graceful movement of a dolly, but lack the $1,800 it would cost to buy one? Welcome the DIY Dolly! Watch this episode, as Erik and Jared show you how to build your very own dolly.
For graceful camera moves, it's hard to beat a dolly. A professional rig can cost a lot of money, but in this video tutorial you'll learn how to make a pro-quality slider using parts you can find at the hardware store. This rig is great for close-ups and tabletop set-ups.
If you've seen Requiem for a Dream, you've seen the snorricam effect - the camera is worn around the actor's waist and as the actor moves it creates a wild camera effect. The guys at Indy Mogul show you how to build your own snorricam.
Night vision goggles are awesome, but the price? Not so much. Luckily, you can make your own pair that will have you sneaking up on your friends in just a few simple steps. For this project, you'll need to get your hands on an infrared LED array, on/off switch, 9.6 volt batte ...more
Attention photography lovers! Put down the digital camera for a day and try this DIY project out, constructing a camera that dates back to as early as 4th century BC. Make your own DIY pinhole camera at home with this excellent twelve-part video tutorial. With the help of Aus ...more
Need to shoot a film for class and realized you don't have a Fisher Dolly and your cinematographer's hands are a little to shaky for what you would consider good filmmaking? Well, this video tutorial will show you how to make your very own steadycam. Check out how a nautilus d ...more
A DSLR cage from a professional photographer supply store will cost at least a few hundred dollars, but you can build one yourself for around 50 bucks. This tutorial shows you how to use a few pipes, metal struts and a few pieces of hardware and tools to make your own digital ...more
Need a camera stabilizer? If you're worried about your wallet, watch this tutorial and learn how to build your own for a relatively low cost. This instructional video also includes a review on the U-Flycam.
The prerogative of most fancy, pricey lenses nowadays is ultimate sharpness. However, if you're partial to that soft, out of focus look, you can make your own lenses to achieve this type of effect. DIY Photography posts an in depth guide to making your own lenses (Part 1) and ...more
There are plenty of ways to create time-lapse photos and videos, but most of them are taken over the course of several hours. If you want to do a longer term shoot over several weeks or months, you'll need a battery that can last that long, and you probably don't want to leave ...more
If you're a filmmaker with bigger ideas than your budget, Indy Mogul is here to help with Backyard FX. Learn how to build a camera mount for a car that costs less than 40 dollars. Using suctions cups, you can rig a camera on the front of a car.
If you know what a cam slider is, you know you want one. But camera sliders can be pretty pricey, so that's when it's time to resort to DIY techniques. In this video, see how to build your own pro-slider. It's super easy and only takes ten minutes to make! Shopping list: * 1 ...more
This guide goes over the basics of 3D video recording and the mechanics behind it before delving into something a little more specific. The host discusses how to build a rig that allows for adjustments to be easily made to the interaxial distance and convergence of the two cam ...more
There are plenty of ways to mount your camera on your bike, but there's not much you can do about uneven surfaces on the road that cause your videos to end up looking shaky. If you're on a motorcycle, it's even worse because turns force you to lean, which makes your video tilt ...more
A remote control for a camera? Why not! You won't have to worry about racing the timer function any more! Build a remote control for your digital camera that will take the picture whenever you want. The range is as far as two miles!
MatttChapman shows you how to build a guerilla-style camera dolly to add to your filmmaking bag of tricks. This guerilla dolly is so simple, made with a rain gutter and cover from a local hardware store. This is ingenuity at its best. Don't spend a ton of money for a dolly to ...more
With the invention of 3D TVs and a 3D film showing in nearly every theatre, 3D seems to be the biggest craze lately. Did you know you don't have to spend a fortune to create one of these eye-popping movies yourself? In this tutorial, learn how to take two inexpensive mini Fli ...more
Gil Adam, a student of Industrial Design in Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem, Israel, has created a 3:1 scale model of his favorite plastic camera, the Holga. While the camera is just a model (non-operational), it's pretty fun to see the oversized object next to ...more
When it comes to filmmaking, especially cinematography, indie filmmakers need to acquire a DIY sensibility in order to get their films made, because film equipment is nowhere near cheap. But DIY is. This video will show you how to construct a homemade track dolly. This dolly ...more
Looking to create slow moving and motion shots with your camera on a stable surface on a low budget? Try building your own skater dolly! In this video you will learn the entire process of building your own inexpensive dolly that will allow you to create fantastic motion shots.
Check out this instructional cinematography video that shows you how to build the Genesis Super 35 Digital Cinematography Camera System. Watch and learn as this instructor sets up the Panavision Genesis camera and prepares it for a shoot. This cinematography tutorial is perfec ...more
Tony Reale shows you how to mod a pro-sumer Canon HV30 camera rig in order to give it a more professional setup. Here are the items he uses: Canon HV30 Brevis DOF adapter Cinevate rails Cavision handles and shoulder support Lilliput 7" VGA monitor Mayflash Component to VGA ad ...more
I currently am and have always been what one might call a PC/Android guy. Many that know me well would likely even go so far as to say I am anti-Apple. About an hour after seeing the ARKit demo during the day-one keynote at WWDC, I became the owner of a brand new Mac. Pair th ...more
You don't have to spend lots of money for an expensive lens adapter! You can make one at home. This tutorial shows you how you can take some basic camera equipment, a little extra hardware and make a 35mm lens adapter for a Canon HV20 digital camera. Part 1 of 4 - How to Build ...more
Watch this video to learn how to make a radio controlled camera rig that can tilt and pan like an expensive security camera. This is an amazing tool for movie making! Stick to your budget.
Shoulder mounts are great for stability, but they can be pretty pricey. This DIY project by TheJamesTheatre is better in both aspects—it rests on both shoulders for extra stability, and it only costs 8 bucks to make. The frame is made of PVC with foam pieces from a pool noodle ...more
It is difficult to keep the camera stabile during high g force accelerations. I built this arm to keep my mini DV cam from shaking all over the place and it worked pretty well. This tutorial video will show you how to make an awesome camera stabilizer.
Hak5 isn't your ordinary tech show. It's hacking in the old-school sense, covering everything from network security, open source and forensics, to DIY modding and the homebrew scene. Damn the warranties, it's time to Trust your Technolust. In this episode, see how to build a m ...more
Weekend Project: Pinhole Panoramic Camera A sturdy, panoramic design pinhole camera that uses 120 film. Get the PDF for this project here: http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/03/weekend_project_pinhole_panoramic_camera_pdf.html For more great projects go to http://www.makez ...more
Build a device that automatically takes and uploads pictures of your life every 30 seconds on the Internet.
Watch this instructional photography video that shows how to build a useful, inexpensive tripod for the amateur photographer on a budget. This tripod will be more useful than most commercial tripods with only a plastic bag full of beans. The result is a stable, useful extensio ...more
Learn how to use cameras and create walk-throughs in Autodesk Revit Building 9.
Another AR cloud savior has emerged this week in Fantasmo, a startup that wants to turn anyone with a smartphone into a cartographer for spatial maps. The company's camera positioning standard (CPS) captures spatial data through your device's camera. With this data stored in ...more
First of all open the box and take out the kit, different parts and the instruction manual. You also need glue, epoxy adhesives, sand paper, 2 mm drill and a 4 mm drill. Start with assembling the outer frame of the camera by fixing in the slots. Use a screw driver to screw the ...more
How to build a camera out of K'NEX building pieces. Part 1 of 3 - How to Build a K'NEX camera case. Part 2 of 3 - How to Build a K'NEX camera case. Part 3 of 3 - How to Build a K'NEX camera case.
Escape the perfection and stale records of modern high-definition cameras. Anyone can point and shoot, but to artfully capture light... that takes a bit of courage. Empty your junk drawer and hack together a primitive camera. A pinhole camera is defined as a camera without a ...more
Downloading YouTube videos for offline use to watch later has always been a problematic endeavor. Dedicated third-party apps don't last long in the App Store, web-based converters aren't very functional on mobile, and rogue apps outside the App Store are tricky to sideload and ...more
The Pixel is the phone to beat when it comes to cameras, and it's largely due to software. While its hardware is solid, Google's machine learning prowess and general coding wizardry are the biggest reasons the Pixel is so good with taking photos and recording video. What this ...more
SNAP. That's the sound of your Samsung Galaxy S3's camera going off. Not that big of deal, unless you're trying to take some top secret pics or some candid shots of your friends. The shutter sound gives you away, and the next thing you know, you're deleting pictures. On most o ...more
This how-to video shows how you can hack a standard baseball cap into a cool invisible IR mask to hide your face from cameras anywhere, and look perfectly normal to the human eye! You have to admire a technically accomplished hacker. Now don't go out a rob a bank or anything. ...more
Kik is an extremely popular messaging app, but it has a few annoying features that we all just sort of put up with. You can't turn off read receipts, nor can you hide when you're typing, and the photos you take with Kik's camera show up differently than ones you send from your ...more
The new lock screen in iOS 10 is a lot different than previous versions, but one thing that stuck around is the quick access camera shortcut. The only real difference aside from aesthetics is that now you don't have to swipe up from the camera icon. Instead, you can simply swi ...more
One of the most feature-packed camera suites out there resides on the Sony Xperia Z2. Along with the regular camera and video modes, it comes with Motiongraph, AR Effect, and Social Live. Up until now, most of these features were exclusive to the Xperia Z2, but XDA user Vipul ...more
QR codes have become a staple in our everyday lives. Companies use them for everything from marketing promotions to movie tickets thanks to security they provided for these types of transactions. But for years, Android users had to download an app to scan these codes. Well, no ...more
See how to make a portable spy scope cell phone camera with KipKay and MAKE Magazine! Find out how to use a cellphone camera for espionage that captures long-distance secret activities! Kipkay loves his spy gadgets! This portable cell phone camera spy scope is the perfect way ...more
If Detective Alonzo Harris from Training Day taught me anything, it's that "It's not what you know, it's what you can prove." So when items mysteriously go missing from my room or my section of the fridge, it's up to me to figure out and prove which roommate took them. I don' ...more
Not too long ago I showcased ReCam, a free app that lets you schedule recordings and use your Android device as a security or spy camera of sorts. While useful, this app required you to schedule when to record in advance, resulting in you possibly missing the footage you inten ...more
With voice commands becoming conventional on most new smartphones, it's only ideal that their abilities increase as well. Thanks to Apple's Siri, you can do things like update your Twitter account and look up who the president of Costa Rica is. Siri has strongly commandeered ...more
As a picky "liker" on Instagram, I make sure to only double-tap on the photos that I truly enjoy looking at: delicious cheeseburger shots, Siberian Husky snaps, music festivals photos, and obligatory baby pictures that my mom posts from my youth. All of these pictures are one ...more