Buckshot's Mystery Product Launch Countdown: UPDATED on 13 October

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After many long months of shaping a nebulous idea in my head, figuring out all the intricate details, choosing the right materials, tentatively beginning to assemble them, sorting out countless little technical problems along the way (not to mention neglecting family duties like dog-walking and helping the kids with their homework!), I finally reached the day when I held in my hands a concrete embodiment of that original idea, and was ready to load a roll of film in it and head out on an initial, exploratory shoot. And let me tell you, to walk around out there in the real world with a totally unique piece of photographic equipment that did something that (as far as I am aware) has never been done in the almost 190-year history of photography — wow, that felt truly amazing!

Now that the thing is built and the first test rolls have been shot, I am satisfied that it does the job I’d hoped it would all those months ago, and I am ready to share it — and those first test shots — with you. But first, as this is a momentous event (at least for me!), I ask that you indulge my sense of drama and play along with an innocent little bit of hype-building before the launch — hey, that’s how the modern world works, no…? ;-)

So here’s the plan: I will publish a blog article with all relevant details about my newfangled ‘gadget’ — and an album of the test results, of course — in just three little days, on 14 October. To make it a bit of a fun occasion, though, I’ve posted two clues that might help you guess what this ‘mystery’ product is all about, and will post two more clues tomorrow (12 October) and a final two clues the day after (13 October).

Here we go then — these are the first two clues for you to wrap your mind around…

Clue 1: Every great idea since the dawn of mankind started with the simple question, “What if…?”

Clue 2: Ok, concept sorted; let’s get to work — there’s no turning back now!

Yes, these are admittedly pretty abstract clues, but hey — I know there are lots of really smart people in this community, and who knows? Someone might immediately figure out what’s going on here.

So, any ideas yet? If so, I’d love to hear them in the comments below! If you’re still mystified, don’t worry — it should get easier to guess with the additional clues that will be added tomorrow and the day after.

In the meantime, if you’d like to read about a different kind of mystery product, you may like to read here.

All the best for now, and thanks for playing along…!

Love & bullets,
buckshot.

UPDATED ON 12 OCTOBER

Some very interesting ideas in the comments so far! Thanks a lot @clickiemcpete, @sandravo, @bloomchen and @novotao. Keep the guesses coming…!

And here, to help unravel a little bit more of the mystery, are the additional two clues I promised for today…

Clue 3: Talkin’ ’bout a revolution

Clue 4: But beware… not all is as it seems!

So, everything all clear now? If not, you may find this video bonus clue helps (or adds to the confusion — I’m not sure…! ;-).

Thanks again for your interest, Lomofriends, and remember to check back here tomorrow for the last two clues.

UPDATED ON 13 OCTOBER

More great suggestions from @iamtheju, @stacy_mcpommes, @stratski, @clickiemcpete, @jean_louis_pujol and @bloomchen added in the comments since yesterday’s update — and some of them are very close to the mark! See? I knew this community was full of very smart people! :-)

So, here we go with the FINAL two clues…

Clue 5: Three little numbers that make it all possible

Clue 6: If you don’t know me by now…

All is perfectly clear now, right? If not, make sure you look out for a separate blog from me in which all shall be revealed… TOMORROW, 14 October.

In the meantime, I really want to thank all of you who came along with me on this little ‘game’, and especially those of you who were kind enough to share your very impressive ideas in the comments. For me, it’s fun interactions like this that make this community such a fantastic thing to be part of! Thanks a lot, guys — this was exactly the kind of fun I had in mind! :-)

See you all tomorrow…!

Love & bullets,
buckshot.

written by buckshot on 2014-10-11

11 Comments

  1. clickiemcpete
    clickiemcpete ·

    I love it! A Swiss Army Camera that will have multiple tool functions. You can turn a screw, grab it with the pliers, saw it in half, polish it with Dremel attachment and then snap a sweet pic of your work in progress. Brilliant my friend. :D

  2. sandravo
    sandravo ·

    I'm going with a lego-TLR... A new toy for Lomo-Luke :D

  3. bloomchen
    bloomchen ·

    @sandravo the lego-TLR would be too obvious i think. maybe a mediumformat spinner build of lego.

  4. novotao
    novotao ·

    Frame mask or camera back allows you to make a movie with your TLR?

  5. iamtheju
    iamtheju ·

    A Lego pinhole camera that is some sort of lo-fi TLR.
    Alternatively, I remember my favourite thing to build with Lego was just a simple hollow tube of bricks that sort of worked like a coliascope when you looked through it. Exposing film through something like that would be awesome.

  6. stacy_mcpommes
    stacy_mcpommes ·

    An EBS-Camera!! Although I have no idea how I'd build one... ;)

  7. stratski
    stratski ·

    Oh, exciting! A camera with in-camera masks you can change mid-roll would be right up your alley I think. It would be really cool if you'd managed that.

  8. clickiemcpete
    clickiemcpete ·

    Yeah, I have thought about some sort of continuoius plastic mask on a roll in between lens and film that could be advanced or rewound at will.

  9. jean_louis_pujol
    jean_louis_pujol ·

    I know what you built. You have made a pinhole camera with an hold london taxi and you are using the union jack as an obturator. Very clever my friend!

  10. bloomchen
    bloomchen ·

    the 360 thing is about what i thought but then the new hint with the masks leads me to EBS.
    you have two lenses: on front and of the back of the cam. you expose from one side. you don't have to end, rewind and switch the roll but simply switch the cam upside down and there you go. cunning as a fox!

  11. buckshot
    buckshot ·

    Well, it's live now here: goo.gl/VeOllX Congratulations to @stacy_mcpommes for being the first to correctly guess EBS - you have very impressive powers of deduction! @bloomchen's last suggestion was also VERY close (and actually very similar to @stratski's awesome Janus Cam). I also love @stratski and @clickiemcpete's in-camera variable mask suggestions, and @sandravo and @iamtheju's Lego TLR proposals! And as for @jean_louis_pujol's hilarious idea - well, I guess I'll have to make that my NEXT project...! Thank you all very much for playing along - I had great fun with this! :-)