DIY: Turn an Old DVD Drive Into a Cell Phone Macro Lens

Most of the DIY projects we post involve purchasing supplies and then making them into something else.  This one's a little different, since it relies on spare parts.

If you've got an old DVD player or DVD-ROM drive lying around, then you've got just about everything you need.  You'll also need a screwdriver and a razor blade to pop out the lens.

The folks over at Lifehacker posted a slick video of the process, including some fine example shots.  By attaching the lens out of the DVD drive, they were able to get incredibly up close shots.

It's a pretty impressive macro considering the source.  Obviously cell phone macro photography isn't a replacement for the real thing, but if you've got an old DVD drive lying around, it's definitely worth playing around with.