360Photography

Iranian photographer Alireza Rostami has introduced the world to his ‘Frankenstein’ camera, a functional product handmade from old and broken computer components. According to Rostami, who recently spoke with DPReview, he purchased his first computer in 1999, a moment he said he’ll ‘never forget.’

Rostami explains that as he upgraded the computer over the years, he saved the older hardware, including the motherboard. ‘One day I thought, I can turn my old computer into a device that works again!’ Rostami said. ‘And I thought, well, why not make a camera?’

Rostami crunched the numbers and developed a design for his large format camera, which features a Linhof large format lens and film back, as well as a low-power battery that powers the camera’s computers fans, adding to the overall aesthetic. Rostami says his computer camera is suitable for landscape photography without adjusting the focus but can be readjusted for other uses by utilizing a universal lens ring and changing the lens.

Below is a video walkthrough of the camera, shared with DPReview by Rostami:

‘Unfortunately, I don’t have access to high-end technology,’ Rostami notes on Instagram, explaining that he’d like to make a different model that functions as both a computer and camera. Despite that, Rostami is pleased with the current version, saying, ‘I find the camera very exciting and beautiful, like something out of science fiction. I have a very unique camera now.’

Selfies captured with the Frankenstein camera are available on Rostami’s Instagram account. The photographer has shared a number of other DIY photography projects, including a camera transformed into a watch and a modified lens that produces dreamy, otherworldly images.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)