A fully functional 35mm Lego film camera, made of 595 bricks – meet the Lego ZH1 is born
(Image credit: Instagram @Zung92)
Have you ever wanted to play with Lego, but have been torn away from your fun for photography? Well, now you can take the Lego with you thanks to this amazing creation – a real-life, working Lego camera that can shoot 35mm film.
We've seen plenty of Lego cameras before, including official models such as the Lego 3-in-1 Retro Camera and the Lego Polaroid OneStep, but if successful this Lego Idea would be the first camera that actually takes film photographs.
The Lego ZH1 takes its looks from old vintage cameras and has a functional viewfinder, film advance and shutter button. This masterpiece can be seen on the Lego Ideas page where creatives showcase their works made entirely of Lego.
The Lego ZH1 is the brainchild of Zung Hoang, aka Zung92, and has so far reached 8,387 supporters towards its 10,000 target.
Zung92's primary goal was to create a fully functional 35mm film camera using only existing Lego parts. They prioritized affordability and portability, aiming to make the camera as compact as possible. The result is constructed from 595 Lego pieces.
(Image credit: Zung92)
One of the significant challenges they encountered was ensuring that the camera body was lightproof. In the initial stages, early film rolls were fogged due to light leaking through the bright, colorful bricks and gaps between the pieces. It took several days to perfect the sealing process without sacrificing portability.
The camera also proudly features the classic Lego logo from 1934, adding a nostalgic element to its design. The main lens is based on an existing magnifying piece, and they developed a special pinhole lens that produces unique and stylish effects, as demonstrated in these sample images:
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"Check out the incredible improvement in the sharpness of my Lego Camera photos!" Writes Hoang about his latest revision to the camera.
"And the added light leaks have made them even more stunning. When I talked about fixing it, my friend Jay suggested leaving it as is to maintain the unique aesthetic."
While it's currently a half-frame film camera (like the recent Pentax 17 and Alfie Tych+), it can be modified to full frame.
If you'd like to know more, or see this creation realized as a full retail product, head to the Lego Ideas page and show your support!
For nearly two decades Sebastian's work has been published internationally. Originally specializing in Equestrianism, his visuals have been used by the leading names in the equestrian industry such as The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), The Jockey Club, Horse & Hound, and many more for various advertising campaigns, books, and pre/post-event highlights.
He is a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts, holds a Foundation Degree in Equitation Science, and is a Master of Arts in Publishing. He is a member of Nikon NPS and has been a Nikon user since the film days using a Nikon F5 and saw the digital transition with Nikon's D series cameras and is still to this day the youngest member to be elected into BEWA, The British Equestrian Writers' Association.
He is familiar with and shows great interest in street, medium, and large format photography with products by Leica, Phase One, Hasselblad, Alpa, and Sinar. Sebastian has also used many cinema cameras from the likes of Sony, RED, ARRI, and everything in between. He now spends his spare time using his trusted Leica M-E or Leica M2 shooting Street photography or general life as he sees it, usually in Black and White.
