www.3ders.org

Oct 22, 2015 | By Alec

While photographic technology has become more available than ever before, most of the photos taken are bad handheld results. It is sometimes surprising how difficult getting a good photo of your latest 3D printing project can be. Fortunately, the Swedes from #3DBenchy have come up with an ingenious and easy 3D printing solution for this problem. Called the Smartphone Photo Studio, its essentially a small 3D printed studio that securely holds both the smartphone and the 3D printed object in place while you take different angle shots.

#3DBenchy, of course, is famous for their excellent and challenging 3D printed little boat of the same name that can be used to test and benchmark your 3D printer. While they have since released a second, multicolored version of the #3DBenchy, the guys behind it design a lot more fun stuff, and this 3D printable camera rig is perhaps the most useful. As they explain, it is a perfect option for making repeated angle shots perfectly each and every time. ‘This 3D-printable camera rig for smartphones is designed to create a repeatable way to photograph #3DBenchy models at fixed angle positions. An included turntable attachment makes it is also possible to record 360° videos,’ they say.

It is also a remarkably accessible and easy set. Essentially, it consists of a phone shelf and an adjustable frame that holds just about any smartphone in place. ‘A sliding fixture holder allows for adjustment of the object-to-camera distance as well as the focus and framing of the image. A rubber-band-activated lever makes it easy to insert and remove the smartphone from the shelf and keeps it in place during photography,’ they add.

The rotary platform it comes with is specifically designed for the #3DBenchy (featuring a rotary tool for 45° intervals), but can be easily modified to hold other objects too. In fact, modification is something they encourage. ‘Even though this rig is primarily designed to be used for photographing #3DBenchy specimens, it can nevertheless be used for taking photos of anything that fits in the camera’s field of view,’ they write. ‘For this purpose the fixture insert is made available as a blank in both STEP and STL file formats. These can be easily adapted in your 3D/CAD software for holding items.’ In short, it’s a perfect option for properly photographing just about any 3D printed project you’re working on.

If you’re interested in this fun little tool, you can download it at Thingiverse, Pinshape or Youmagine. For assembly, check out the clip below. You will need to add light sources and some background paper yourself. The paper bounces the light back onto the models, and will increase the photo quality. All files are available as pre-packed, ready-to-print collections perfect for larger 3D printers (200 x 200 x 115 mm or 230 x 150 x 115 mm sizes), though all parts are also individually available. Of course, the stand itself also functions as a perfect hands-free phone stand for watching videos, so be sure to check out this project.

 

 

Posted in 3D Printing Application

 

 

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