It started with a 3D printed pinhole camera for hobbyists. Enthusiasts took it to the other extreme seeking ultimate quality with the wildly successful Travelwide 4×5 kickstarter campaign. Twenty-four year old Léo Marius has taken the middle road this time around with his project OpenReflex; a 35mm film SLR concept created with…you guessed it, a 3D printer. Léo claims you can create your very own for $45 in supplies (if you don’t already have them) and in just 16 hours.

OpenReflex 3D Printed Camera

Léo Marius’ goal with OpenReflex was to create a 100% open source SLR film camera as a study on the crossroad of 3D printing, open design, and hacking. The hacking part may interest the lens enthusiasts out there because you’re just a 3d printed adaptor away from shooting with your old school glass. Don’t count on this one for fancy long exposure though, as the shutter is at a fixed speed – think of this as a straight shooter for now:

While the OpenReflex is not currently for sale, Leo may look into crowdfunding options down the road if enough interest is generated. Makers & tinkerers alike are encouraged to copy, evolve, and re-share his design.