How to make the simplest lens in the world
Although it assumes you already have a few bits to play with ;)
1. Is an Opteka 0.45x wide angle converter for a Fuji S5500 (and probably many other big zoom compacts). The wide front element unscrews to leave you with a single positive element which can be used as a macro adaptor (for which it's crap, but that's by the by). The threaded retaining ring on this can be undone to give you a naked glass element about 40mm across.
2 and 3. Meyer-Optik Gorlitz lenses have a conical adaptor to M42 thread that can be unscrewed (and replaced with a similar attachment to use them with other mounts like Exakta or Praktica B bayonets).
4. The single glass element sits loosely inside the female M42 front end of the BPM bellows unit.
5. The Meyer cone screws into the M42 BPM piece, and holds the glass element in lace while acting as a lenshood.
6. It all gets attached to the front of the bellows.
7. The bellows attached to the 30D (via another adaptor, this time M42-Canon EF). Bellows is racked out to about 3 or 4", which is somewhere near the focal length of the glass element.
Now all you do is go out and point it at things, focus with the bellows rack, and enjoy minimalist, lo-fi, ultra-soft and distorted photography!
How to make the simplest lens in the world
Although it assumes you already have a few bits to play with ;)
1. Is an Opteka 0.45x wide angle converter for a Fuji S5500 (and probably many other big zoom compacts). The wide front element unscrews to leave you with a single positive element which can be used as a macro adaptor (for which it's crap, but that's by the by). The threaded retaining ring on this can be undone to give you a naked glass element about 40mm across.
2 and 3. Meyer-Optik Gorlitz lenses have a conical adaptor to M42 thread that can be unscrewed (and replaced with a similar attachment to use them with other mounts like Exakta or Praktica B bayonets).
4. The single glass element sits loosely inside the female M42 front end of the BPM bellows unit.
5. The Meyer cone screws into the M42 BPM piece, and holds the glass element in lace while acting as a lenshood.
6. It all gets attached to the front of the bellows.
7. The bellows attached to the 30D (via another adaptor, this time M42-Canon EF). Bellows is racked out to about 3 or 4", which is somewhere near the focal length of the glass element.
Now all you do is go out and point it at things, focus with the bellows rack, and enjoy minimalist, lo-fi, ultra-soft and distorted photography!