Filament opacity for 3D printed cameras
There seems to be an increased interest lately in the various designs being made for 3D printed cameras of all shapes and sizes, from simple pinhole camera to 35mm, medium format or even large format view camera. One difficult part of making these is however finding a filament that is 100% opaque, as of course a camera needs to be 100% light proof in order to function. It's even more difficult to find a filament that is consistently opaque from batch to batch, as manufacturers seem to change formulation sometimes even from batch to batch. And of course no one actually provides opacity data - you have to buy and test it yourself, which can be expensive and time consuming (I personally have 5 different rolls of black filament that is not opaque enough). I am wondering if perhaps Prusa could add some optical testing including opacity (reflectivity would also be nice) onto their filament manufacturing line and provide that information alongside the existing data they already provide?
Even better would be a Prusament filament specifically formulated to be opaque - ideally with a matte finish. I realize that's a lot to ask for, but it could provide a unique look to makers and artists, in addition to giving a technical material to those of us 3D printing cameras.
RE: Filament opacity for 3D printed cameras
I belong to a local photo group and we've discussed just this.
Conclusion is that the best approach is to block the light with anything from a dark paper insert to spray painting flat black on the inside of your 3d printed parts.
RE: Filament opacity for 3D printed cameras
I have an analogous problem. I print a wide range of obselete parts and devices used in the restoration of player piano mechanisms. These mechanisms are typically operated pneumatically by low pressure or vacuum air and must necessarily be air tight to about 5 PSI. This can be a problem with some filaments and slicing parameters, especially in thin cross-sections and wall thicknesses. I solve the issue by coating critical surfaces with various liquid or spray sealants. As mentioned above similar paints or opaque sprays should work to inhibit light transmission. This would definitely be a more timely and workable solution than waiting for a filament formulation that gives acceptable results.
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RE: Filament opacity for 3D printed cameras
It is very interesting to hear what types of things that various 3d printer users print.
RE: Filament opacity for 3D printed cameras
I appreciate the suggestions, I am of course already aware of the workarounds such as paint, flocking, plating, etc. There are many alternatives to an opaque plastic but there are also many drawbacks that make them less than ideal. Not everyone will have access the same paint or paper or flocking material, so it becomes trial and error again for the individual maker. It is an additional cost, and an additional manual and often time-consuming steps, that not everyone will be capable of doing. You need to design the parts in such a way that you have clearance to allow for flocking or paint, and access to apply said coatings. Not all paints or felts or flocking materials are the same thickness, and they don't wear well on moving parts, nor do they always adhere well to printed plastic. It can be very difficult to apply a consistent and even coating onto internal geometry, and it is practically impossible to paint some surfaces, like the threads on a helicoid focuser.