Lomography Konstruktor, the build-it-yourself 35mm SLR

Last updated: 19 September 2026

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What the Lomography Konstruktor actually is

It is a camera you assemble. The box holds the body panels, the mirror, the shutter and the film transport. Then there is the viewfinder hood and a small screwdriver. You put all of it together on a kitchen table. Nothing is glued and nothing is soldered, so the job is screws and careful ordering.

Once built it is a real single-lens reflex camera rather than a model of one. Light comes through the 50mm lens and bounces off a spring-loaded mirror. So what you frame in the viewfinder is what the film sees. Lomography call it their first SLR. designboom covered its launch in June 2013 as the world's first fully functional DIY 35mm SLR camera kit.

Lomography's own description puts the point of it plainly. Assembling the machine teaches you the essence of photography. That is a marketing line, but it happens to be true. You cannot screw a shutter together without learning what a shutter does.

The full specification

The Konstruktor is deliberately simple. Its spec sheet is short because there is very little to adjust.

A fixed f/10 aperture and a single 1/80 shutter speed leave the camera one exposure setting. In practice that suits ISO 400 film in daylight. So Lomography sell it alongside their own colour negative and black and white stock.

The build, honestly

Lomography say one to two hours, and designboom repeated the same figure at launch. That is about right with the manual open and no distractions. A first attempt with a glass of wine on the go will take longer.

Two stages need patience. The shutter assembly has small springs that want to escape. The mirror box has to seat squarely, or the viewfinder image sits off centre. Neither step is difficult. Both are unforgiving of rushing.

Then comes the part people underestimate. The kit ships with a sheet of stickers, so the camera you finish looks like nobody else's. Peel them off and start again if you get bored.

Where to buy it in the UK, and what it costs

Three UK routes were live when we checked. The maker's own shop was the cheapest of them.

Check the Konstruktor at Lomography, £33

All three names describe the same kit, and the flash socket is the giveaway. Lomography renamed the Konstruktor F to the Konstruktor Flash. So a shop still using the older name is not selling you an older camera. Amazon is both the dearest and the thinnest on stock. Buy there only if the other two run out.

The Design Museum Shop puts free UK delivery at £60, and one kit does not reach it. Two things from the same shop do. That is the trick we set out in our guide to gifts under £50.

What it costs to actually use

The camera is the cheap part. A roll of 35mm colour film plus a lab develop-and-scan adds up quickly. Over three or four months that running cost matches the price of the kit again. So treat the Lomography Konstruktor as the start of a habit rather than a one-off purchase.

Flash is the one accessory worth knowing about. The PC socket takes any flash with a PC lead. Lomography also sell a Konstruktor accessory kit with a hot shoe adapter and a DIY flash bracket. Without a flash the camera is a daylight instrument, because f/10 at 1/80 leaves nothing in reserve indoors.

Who it suits, and who it does not

It suits somebody curious about how a camera works. A teenager or a design student gets the most out of it. Building the thing is a genuinely good evening, and the finished object earns its shelf space.

It does not suit anybody who wants to shoot a roll tonight. The viewfinder is dim by design, since an f/10 lens cannot deliver a bright image. The body is plastic throughout. Lomography also mark the kit as unsuitable for children under 36 months, because the small parts are a choking hazard. Anyone who just wants pictures should look at an instant camera instead, and our Polaroid page covers one.

Lomography Konstruktor FAQs

How much does the Lomography Konstruktor cost in the UK?

£33 direct from Lomography, £35 at the Design Museum Shop and £36 on Amazon UK. All three were checked on 5 September 2026. Lomography's own shop was cheapest and had it in stock.

How long does the Lomography Konstruktor take to build?

One to two hours according to Lomography. designboom quoted the same range when the kit launched in June 2013. Work slowly with the manual open, because the shutter springs are fiddly.

Is the Lomography Konstruktor a real SLR?

Yes. It has a spring-loaded mirror and through-the-lens viewing. So the waist-level finder shows the same image the film records. The lens detaches as well.

Does it need batteries?

No. The shutter is mechanical and there is no meter, so nothing draws power. That also means there is no ISO setting, and you judge exposure yourself.

What is the difference between the Konstruktor and the Konstruktor F?

The F stands for flash, and it adds a PC socket for an external flash. Lomography now sell it as the Konstruktor Flash SLR DIY Camera. So the F, the Flash and the current kit are one camera under three names.

What film should I use?

ISO 400 colour negative is the safe answer. A fixed f/10 aperture at 1/80 of a second needs plenty of light. ISO 800 gives you a little more room on a grey day.

Can you use it on a tripod?

Yes, it has a standard tripod thread. The Bulb setting is there for long exposures. A tripod and Bulb mode together are how you get anything usable after dark.

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• theprintspace discount code: printing and framing, for the frames that deserve a wall.
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Prices, stock and product details change. Everything on this page was checked on 5 September 2026 against Lomography's UK shop, the Design Museum Shop and Amazon UK.

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