This DIY lens creates INSANE BOKEH for less than $100!

[@TomCalton]

So, who's going to give this a try? Let me know in a comment below if you have any questions!

[@momentomovie9972]

Hi Tom. How to get LUT from your video?

[@byErickCruz]

Hi Tom! Amazing vid! I’m actually planning to buy the 16mm f1.2 and was wondering if there would be any issues if I used an M58-M42 helicoid? Not that familiar with DIY mods so wanted to be sure if I can minimize buying separate parts.

[@pvajra]

@@byErickCruz i have the same question!!

[@VIRTUAL_PRODUCTIONS]

I happen to have a collection of old projector lenses sitting and collecting dust. I'm definitely giving this a try over the winter. Cheers!

[@roseatkinson1990]

I've now converted four projection lenses for my Canon R5 mirrorless camera and I love using them so much :) They are: (i) Schneider Kreuznach Super Cinelux f/2 47.5mm, (ii) Leitz Wetzlar Colorplan f/2.5 90mm, (iii) Leitz Wetzlar Elmaron f/2.8 105mm, (iv) KP-16 f/1.2 50mm. I also have a Schneider Kreuznach Super Cinelux f/2 95mm which I bought pre-adapted.

[@shinzychan5117]

Model is gorgeous too

[@TomCalton]

Alice nailed it 👌🏻

[@shinzychan5117]

@@TomCalton blessed with gorgeous face like that, she doesn’t have to try I guess and it’s kinda unfair testing a lens with a model like her.. photos will look gorgeous regardless 😬

[@BikesAndSnacks]

Here I am buying factory made lenses like a smuck. Loved the video!

[@TomCalton]

😂

[@palash87]

the bokeh on this thing giving me mentalgasms

[@TomCalton]

Me too. White stuff is coming out my ears. Is that normal?

[@eldastan]

Great video. Can't believe how tack sharp those lenses are!

[@TomCalton]

Thanks! I know, I was blown away! Genuinely thought it was all going to be a waste of time and money 😂 Definitely going to keep the 16mm in my bag for future shoots 👌🏻

[@AHRMmoxhet]

Thanks so much Tom , very nice and very clear ..and also fun !

[@TomCalton]

My pleasure! Thanks for watching - glad you enjoyed it 👍🏻

[@TheGoldenCut]

WOW Crazy Idea. The Pictures are so Beautiful

[@TomCalton]

Thanks!

[@juliabestall1986]

Brilliant work! Thanks for the video!

[@TomCalton]

Thanks for watching 👍🏻

[@p4ul.f708]

Im definitly getting Mathieu Stern vibes here 👀 👌 But yeah defintly a nice helpful, throughout video !👍 I orignally wanted to test a projector lens too but then I discovered a super crazy trick for my sigma 56mm 1.4 to get insane bokeh: Im pretty sure Im almost the only one who knows that this combination works but Im gonna share it now: The old Olympus Tcon 1,7x Teleconverter mounts withouth any adapter perfectly onto the sigma 56mm ! And the best and probably weirdest thing is, that you dont loose any light with the converter attached AND it is incredibly sharp in the mittle of the picture. It is effectivly the same as an 140mm f2 on full frame. :0 Oh and the eye autofocus works perfectly even with the converter. And it only costed me 30€ ! The only downside is that it is pretty heavy and long: a6400+56mm --> ~ 700g a6400+56mm+tcon -> ~ 900g And for swirly bokeh Im absolutly in love with my Helios 44M, which is as sharp as sigma 56mm (no joke) at f2 while having that swirly bokeh and more importantly that almost oil panterly bokeh rendition. Its my go to lens for flower photography :)

[@TomCalton]

Thanks for the info - I'll have to check that out!

[@p4ul.f708]

@@TomCalton yeah definitly give it a try ! One thing to note: the combination is sharp in th middle if the image but because of the image character its absolutly not sharp if a face in a portrait is not in the center.

[@Xdori23]

The 16 mm the vignetting and distortion works in its favor almost adds an aesthetic to it

[@TomCalton]

I agree. Perfectly imperfect 👌🏻

[@megapixelphotos338]

Yet another epic video Tom! Sorry I've not commented for ages, but it's also amazing to see how much the channel has grown!! Nearly 10k subs! Nice one!!

[@TomCalton]

Hey dude! Good to hear from you - hope you're well. Appreciate the love as always. Almost at 10k 🎉 Hoping to get there before Christmas 🤞🏻

[@megapixelphotos338]

@@TomCalton All good here dude! I'm sure 10k will fly past, you deserve huge success with all the work you put in (not jealous at all) Not been tempted by the A1 ??

[@TomCalton]

Couldn't have done it without you and everyone else who's helped support the channel. I'm forever greatful - really, I am! I'd love an A1, but just can't justify spending that much tbh. Not when the A7III's are still going strong 💪

[@niclasbagenheim7181]

I have the Super D Proval 16mm 2" lens and I can´t wait to try it out for portraits. Thank you!

[@TomCalton]

You're welcome! Let me know how you get on!

[@philiptesfea]

I like your curiosity for lenses with creazy bokehs couse i really like weird kinds of bokeh and today you gave me good infos. For experimenting some accessories

[@eddiecarrasco878]

This was such a cool experiment. Media Division did something similar. Photo turned out really cool.

[@TomCalton]

Thanks dude! I'll check out the other video 👍🏻

[@ohjajohh]

Thanks for showing the helicoid, I will try to buy one too as I already got some nice projector lenses :)

[@TomCalton]

Awesome! Be sure to tag me on Instagram if you finish it and take and photos - I'd love to see them ☺️

[@Rosiesdessertspot]

Now that’s dedication 🤣 very cool concept and fun to watch the process and results ❤️

[@TomCalton]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it! It was fun to do to be fair - I'm just really pleased (and a little relieved) that it works 😂

[@joebledea]

Awesome video! Might try this, the results are amazing! Happy new subscriber here!

[@TomCalton]

Welcome aboard Joe 🤜🤛 Definitely do it! It's really simple and the lens is super fun to shoot with ☺️

[@alanclark7325]

Great idea to do this. So it sounds like you have to really double check the lens's fit before you can point your camera upwards, so the lens doesn't destroy your camera's shutter.

[@TomCalton]

Absolutely! 😅

[@un13555]

appreciate the explanation, been so confused trying to figure this out. Ordering a lens now

[@TomCalton]

You're welcome! Good luck! 😊

[@kenica1]

Very informative, I've just bought a Bell&Howell 51mm f1.2 so am going to experiment. I would point out that the silver lens you use is an identical focal length to the black f1.2 as 51mm = 2 inch. 16mm refers to the fact these were intended for projecting 16mm film. As mentioned in another comment the black f1.2 would focus to infinity if you adjusted its position in the helicoid to allow it to get closer to the sensor.

[@TomCalton]

Good luck! And thanks for clarifying, that makes a lot of sense.

[@_rhapsodist]

I've always loved your "cheap hotel hallway" backdrop

[@TomCalton]

Haha! What a description! Thanks... I think? 😂

[@_rhapsodist]

@@TomCalton is it an actual place or just a set?

[@TomCalton]

I record in the hallway of a friendly little brothel just down the road from our studio... (It's a set 😂)

[@momentomovie9972]

Perfect color grade. What are the settings?

[@shaheertarek4585]

Thanks for your videos! Do you know if I can use an M58 - M42 helicoid, and then use an M42 - NEX mount?

[@fauux]

Informative video! Next time instead of buying the expensive RafCamera NEX to M58 part, I'd buy a cheap 1mm slim M42 to NEX and a 42-58mm step-up ring for a bit less money. Maybe around 10 GBP.

[@TomCalton]

Yeah, you absolutely go that route - whatever suits your budget really. I just wanted to get higher quality parts so that I knew they'd last as I intend on shooting with these lenses a lot in the future 👍🏻

[@Athiril]

To get infinite focus on the 50mm you need to put it just a little bit closer to the sensor

[@TomCalton]

You're right, but unfortunately pushing the lens any further into the camera would put it in the path of the mechanical shutter, which wouldn't end well 😅

[@jamess2263]

Tom, I decided to try this with the 16mm. I have everything needed minus the bicycle inter-tube any idea how many mm the inter tube that you used for the 16mm was?

[@TomCalton]

Awesome man! Honestly, no idea as it was just some spare inner tube that George kindly gave to me. Probably about 2mm thick? I had to layer up about 3-4 bits though to get it nice and snug in the Helicoid.

[@destino813]

I’m in the same Facebook group as you!!!

[@TomCalton]

Hey! Small world ☺️

[@fx451Jockey]

Guessing that getting the lens perfectly 'normal' to the sensor is critical, although if it's not, the focal plane would not be equidistant from the camera left to right, top to bottom, or a combination of them. If that's the case, it could provide some interesting focusing effects to play with. Just push the lens a bit sideways 😀, it is rubber mounted after all 👍

[@TomCalton]

Yeah exactly. You don't have to be super exact, but if you want the centre sharp then yeah, it needs to be fairly straight in the helicoid. But you could certainly have some fun with shooting with the lens on a tilt.

[@XVIIsionsProductions]

So cool

[@TomCalton]

Thanks!

[@scotthills9927]

Its not a 16mm lens its a lens designed to be used on 16mm film. The focal length is 2inch so 51 ish mm. Great mod though and fantastic results. I have an old bell and howell 2 inch here so ordered the parts. Just waiting on the adapter from Belarus 😢

[@pedrojovelli8933]

Would any projector lens have this swirly bokeh?

[@saudihermawan6599]

🤩👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🎉💕

[@TomCalton]

🙌🏻

[@lady_Bee_]

круто!

[@nogerboher5266]

Just gotta make sure you don't buy one of the radioactive lenses lol...

[@TheBenchapman]

Noice!

[@LensofWyant]

Forgot to sub for over a year, my bad bro

[@TomCalton]

😂 No worries my dude, better late than never. Welcome aboard (officially) 🤜🤛

[@sulev111]

Cool, but there's a woman infront of the bokeh that's a little distracting.

[@TomCalton]

😂

[@RogerAVHansen]

Just me who thought it was Rebecca Ferguson that was the model? 😃

[@galaxystars6409]

Fk that loool

[@TomCalton]

😂

[@kekule6492]

I was looking for a lens to make everybody's nose pop out.

[@chairmanbao]

Man the lens flare transitions are just a bit too much, oi vay. So hard to watch the video. Having said that I found this topic to be very interesting. Please please lose the flare transitions in the future.

[@TomCalton]

Nah

[@zhuanjifarms5050]

Piss poor focusing, all I needed to hear to subscribe.