ENTERTAINMENT

Brilliant Upcycling of Old Film Camera Inspires DIYers

old film camera upcycled as a table lamp with 35mm lamp shade
Written by Bryce

This just might be the cutest way to display your favorite old film cameras.

Whether you’re into gorgeous home design or just can’t get enough arts and crafts action in your feed, this brilliant use of an old film camera will brighten your day.

“I got this camera from my brother and was trying to think of what to do with it,” posted one cleverly crafty Facebook user. “I decided to make it into a lamp and made my own 35mm slides for a shade!”

old film camera upcycled as a table lamp with 35mm lamp shade

She added a wooden tripod as the legs (how appropriate for an old film camera lamp) and left the strap intact as a way to add character, depth and texture. We love it.

A working lamp wire and bulb were affixed to the top of the camera itself.

old film camera upcycled as a table lamp with 35mm lamp shade

We can’t get enough of the Americana detailing and feeling of being cast through time. This would obviously be the ideal piece to add to the 1970s Miami house we recently covered as a pristine time capsule.

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The best part is the lampshade, though. It’s made entirely out of old 35mm photo slides chained together to form a perfectly visible display of images when the light is turned on.

The old film camera lamp creator used brilliant nature photos to adorn her lampshade, but you could easily choose images of far-flung family vacations, early childhood memories or of the rare white hummingbird you managed to snap on a birdwatching adventure.

old film camera upcycled as a table lamp with 35mm lamp shade

And you don’t even need a working camera to duplicate this DIY project. You can easily scour eBay or your local thrift store for out-of-order old cameras to try your hand at this.

Ideas we love:

  • For a beachy room, opt for a blue, white or turquoise-painted tripod and seashell images for the lampshade.
  • For a woodsier theme, go for a natural branch stand and images of mountains or woodland creatures.
  • For a bright pop of color that creates a bold statement, paint the tripod in a rich hue of pink, blue, purple, yellow or red and then fill the 35mm slides with images of dahlia varieties in every shade.

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About the author

Bryce

Bryce Gruber is a Manhattanite mom who can be found jet-setting off to every corner of the globe. She loves exotic places, being fully rested and writing for some of the world's most popular news outlets.

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