Finally nailed a clean lens mount after 7 failed attempts

Been building pinhole cameras for about a year now. Kept seeing folks online bragging about 3D printed mounts. They always look perfect. Problem is nobody talks about the light leaks. I spent 3 weeks testing black PLA vs PETG with a $20 laser pointer from Harbor Freight. The PETG let through a tiny red glow on the edge. Switched to black ABS and painted the inside with matte black spray paint. Total cost under $15. Now I can actually see the image without fogging. Has anyone else found that cheap filament ruins a good build?

3 comments

3 Comments

evahenderson2d ago

I backed a kickstarter for some fancy "low light" filament last year and it was total garbage. Light leaks through the sides like crazy. The black ABS is where its at but you gotta print hot enough to get layer adhesion right. Sanding the inside with 400 grit before painting makes a huge difference too. That matte black spray paint trick is solid, I use a rustoleum brand that dries super flat and it eats up any stray light. Cheaping out on filament just to save 5 bucks ends up costing you hours of frustration trying to figure out why your images look washed out.

corap212d ago

Wait, doesnt painting the inside just trap dust and mess up the thermal properties of the enclosure though @evahenderson?

adams.uma2d ago

That $20 laser pointer probably cost you more than you saved on filament.