Constructing the Konstruktor: Reviews and First Impressions

I told myself to wait. The next shipment of the Konstruktor camera would be in the Singapore Gallery Store in a couple of weeks, and I should just be patient. But looking at the laid out display of all the gears and parts did not help the temptation. Not only did I buy the display right then and there, I assembled it in the shop with my good lomo friend @kernlose. My reviews and initial impression of the Konstruktor assembly follow the jump! So much for patience…

So right off, the Konstruktor looks too good to unpack. All the pieces of the camera are neatly packed and organized accented with the bright blue packaging and bold fonts. I like the labeled plastic holds all the small parts are kept in, which correspond with the labeled instructions in the guide book. This made the assembly much easier by keeping all the smaller parts in order and not confusing similar parts.

The hardest parts to assemble are probably the lens (I had a little fit with fitting two pieces together which led to a bloody thumb), the viewfinder, and just the gauges in the back of the camera. However the instructions are more picture than worded instruction, making the process easier.

One complaint though was the stiffness of the parts. It can’t be helped being that the camera and its plastic parts are brand new. However like what happened to my thumb you may experience some blood loss in the fingers during the process. Always take care! Once you get all the main components (lens, viewfinder, and gears in the back) are all assembled, the process gets easier. You edge closer and closer to the completion of your DIY camera and the excitement builds!

Careful with putting together the B and N mode, its more complicated than you think! You have to hold together the lever in the front and an entire back piece while you screw in the screws to hold it together. Even when you are done with the camera make sure the shutter speed matches the speed displayed on the camera.

When you finally attach the lens to the completed body of the camera you feel mixed emotions of happiness, relief, and excitement. I do like the leather designs that were included, but I do wish that there was a bit more originality in the sticker designs included. But there is no stopping you from creating your own customizations. Personally I put white leather on the front and red leather on the back. I put on little red dots on the shutter button and the N and B switch. Pretty basic but I am looking for inspiration to strike and to continue with the customization. The camera is small and light. It is fun just to look through the mirror and experiment with the camera. The film advancing counter is surprisingly easy to use and most often than not accurate.

Stay tuned for the test roll and sample photos!

The Konstruktor is the world’s first Do-It-Yourself 35mm SLR camera. With it, you can easily build your very own camera from scratch. It’s the perfect tool for having fun whilst learning the exciting mechanics behind how analogue photography works. Get yours from the Online Shop or Lomography Gallery Stores Worldwide. Find out more about the camera on the Konstruktor Site.

written by abigail0605 on 2013-07-02 #gear #diy #review #new #reviews #first #assembly #impression #konstruktor