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PART 8: Button Cover and Lens Mount

A project log for LOMOPI - Digital TLR Camera

The RPi-Powered Twin-Lens Reflex Street Photography Camera.

gradivisGradivis 04/02/2023 at 11:410 Comments

Since I no longer have sketchup, I threw a button cover together in Tinkercad relatively quickly after measuring the button with calipers. This is my first print from Tinkercad, and while it's a straight forward program I'm still on the switching learning curve, and there are some tools (such as the line tool) that I really miss. That said, a button cover is simple enough as you can see:




It was a snug fit (I didn't add much in terms of tolerances) but with the help of some pliers I got the button in! Diameter was spot-on - it fits perfectly in the circle that the winding knob used to sit it. Here's a preview:

A little bit more complex, was the lens mounting system. The HQ Rpi camera comes on a square circuit board, but I wanted to keep the TLR aesthetic by making the lens mount round.

I sketched everything out on paper, and then started building the basic shapes in Tinkercad for a rapid prototype. To cut down on the work, I found an STL of the HQ camera and basically subtracted it from the mount I had built.

What I forgot to do was enlarge the camera model slightly, because after printing I found that it was just too snug of a fit to get the camera module in. I'm reprinting when my black resin comes in anyway, but the good news is that the mount itself will fit the TLR really nicely!



I feel like the front needs some embellishments or texturing in certain areas, maybe emboss the original text on the front and fill with white? Decisions, decisions.

Here's what it will end up looking like. Look at that sexy little sensor back there...

I'm going to wait until my black resin comes in before adjusting and re-printing. The camera cable could use a little bit more breathing room, as well as a few minor other adjustments I hope I don't forget about. I also need to think about an impermanent solution to attaching the lens mount to the front. I have some ideas. The button will just get epoxyed - I can remove and re-do if it ever breaks.

In the mean time, I'm going to start working on the design for the battery holder and backer that should bring everything together!

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