OpenReflex is an open hardware project easy to fall in love with. It’s a DIY open source reflex camera. You can 3D print it at home, and start taking incredible vintage pictures while learning about photography, 3D printing and design! Much cooler than Instagram.

Leo Marius is the designer behind it. He created OpenReflex with the purpose of designing a camera that everyone can make at home, and modify freely.

Pictures taken with OpenReflex have a great vintage style that allows for interesting artistic projects. Camera is fully modular and new features can be added, allowing for unique photography experiments.

Leo published all the documentation for the OpenReflex a year ago… and got a lot of attention. It was featured on Instructables, won awards, and received a lot of media attention from all over the world.

BUT

OpenReflex version 1 was pretty hard to build, and only a few savvy makers actually made it.

Easier to build

That’s why Leo wants to design OpenReflex version 2, a much easier version to build for everyone. Truly mainstream, and still crazily affordable since you can 3D print it yourself.

Upcycle your old cameras

Second goal of the campaign is to allow you to upcycle your old cameras by reusing lenses of cameras you don’t use anymore. Leo designs rings that let you plug most lenses of famous brands on the OpenReflex, making it a really versatile upcycling project.

Share your creations

Last campaign goal is to create a community website where every OpenReflex user can share its creations, new features and everything related to open source cameras.

Leo is a super open hardware contributor and deserves all our support. He needs about $5,000 to reach his goal in order to spend the next months designing the new version of OpenReflex (more user-friendly, more modular) and create the 3D Printed Camera community website. Let’s the open source camera community come to life!

In the continuity of Bunnie Huang who chose a smaller crowdfunding platform when he successfully launched open source laptop Novena, Leo Marius picked local European platform KissKissBankBank for his OpenReflex. MakingSociety is a mentor on KissKissBankBank, the team is truly great and supports open hardware.

He told me that:

“what really counts is the number of supporters and their feedback.”

Supporter rewards start at 1 euro, you can get the maker version for 40 euros ($55) and OpenReflex full kit for 80 euros early bird ($110). Check the page here!

Proud to support OpenReflex, spread the word.