Jollylook Pinhole DIY Kit: a small photo room to build yourself equipped with Instax Mini films

Jollylook is a company specializing in DIY cameras. The adventure began with a cardboard model then extended to lead to more technically advanced models. The Jollylook Pinhole DIY Kit is thus positioned as an instant camera to build yourself without having to use glue.

A successful campaign

For the launch of the new product, a crowdfunding campaign was launched on Kickstarter with the distinction “Our favorites” awarded by the platform team. With nearly €60,000 raised out of the 19,840 requested, the Jollylook Pinhole DIY Kit looks like a new success.

With its little retro style, the Jollylook Pinhole DIY Kit is a playful and fun gift for loved ones or for yourself, quite simply. For the less daring, the Jollylook can be assembled before it is sent, for a “ready to use” reception.

A retro and playful object

By default, the 65 pieces that make up the Jollylook Pinhole DIY Kit are sent as a kit. According to the company, it takes between 1.5 and 3 hours for the complete assembly. The structure is made of wood available in two colors. The dark color makes it possible to have a device with a finished design while the light color is intended so that the photographer can decorate it to his taste, with markers or paint.

The small camera is built using the pinhole model as a starting point. Here too, this type of photo is very fun and interesting for young and old, from the construction of the “box” to the development of the photos, including the shooting. The Jollylook Pinhole is still a little more advanced than a simple pinhole, thanks to the integration of a viewfinder equipped with a Fresnel lens.

An interesting design

As the device is not necessarily easy to use, Jollylook has planned everything to make the process easier: Fujifilm Instax Mini instant films are used and a guide for properly exposing your image is integrated into the back of the Jollylook Pinhole. A zoom is even present for a focal range of 50 to 100 mm! In the absence of any electronics, you will have to use the crank provided for this purpose to extract your photo.

Take a conscious risk

If crowdfunding can be attractive and allows you to support a project by making an investment, you have to keep in mind that a risk remains. In addition to possible scams, the hazards linked to the implementation of an intention until its final realization are not easy to control. Remember that a good investment is made with money that you can afford to lose.

Moreover, Jollylook aimed to launch the Jollylook Auto, a camera of the same type. As the name suggests, automated exposure functions should have been included, as should a flash. With more than €220,000 collected in February 2022, success seemed certain.

A Ukrainian epic

Jollylook is originally a Ukrainian company established between Irpin and Bucha, not far from Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. With the arrival of the war in the country, the whole project was shaken. The Jollylook teams have chosen, after consulting their community, to put the Jollylook Auto project on hold.

Less risky to produce than Jollylook Auto in these complex conditions, the new campaign should allow the small business to start off on the right foot more easily. At the same time, the company moved to Slovakia to relaunch under good conditions. For the future, the next model of the Pinhole DIY Kit should be in square format, using Fujifilm Instax Square paper.