Folding Faux-tography: Papercraft Status Symbol Camera

All too often, gadgets become status symbols rather than the helpful tools they are meant to be. To combat this and make desirable gadgets affordable enough for absolutely everyone, designer/photographer Matthew Nicholson has invented the Lie-ca. The beautiful camera is a cardstock replica of a highly sought-after Leica camera.

The paper camera is made from a 10-page template which can be downloaded from Nicholson’s site for a mere £1.50. But far from just looking like a genuine Leica, the papercraft gadget actually functions as a 35mm camera.

This DIY pinhole camera certainly won’t perform as well as the well-loved German Leica cameras, but it’s a much cheaper way to sport the coveted look of the Leica. Photographers who just can’t afford the real article will appreciate the humor in taking pictures with a Lie-ca which cost only pocket change to purchase and a few minutes to assemble.

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See more in Camera & Video or under Gadgets. July, 2011.