Eight eccentric cameras you’d never use

Dino Renthlei:

eccentric camerasEccentric cameras you'd never use

Cameras have to be one of the greatest inventions ever. Being able to catch on film moments that you cherish means that you can keep on record memories that can otherwise be forgotten. Cameras have progressed from simple boxes to designs that are now so sleek that they don't even look like cameras. But like all gadgets, they too aren't safe from designers who like to churn out wacky creations just for the fun of it. And while you may not go out and get yourself one, you have to appreciate the ingenuity behind the designs.

Below are 8 of the most eccentric cameras ever created that not only look quirky but function as well.

1. Deer horns camera

Horns CameraHorns Camera by Wayne Martin Belger.

This rustic and wild looking camera by Wayne Martin Belger is truly one of a kind. He designs pinhole cameras which originated centuries ago. For those not in the know, a pinhole camera is one that does not have a lens but has a single opening on the side. Modeled along the lines of a human eye, these cameras have light passing through the opening and project an image on the opposite side of the device. The deer horns camera was designed to capture the life of deer in the wild. Made out of steel, brass and copper from bullet shells, bronze, aluminum, ivory and deer antlers, Belger's piece is one of the most unusual cameras ever created.

2. DIY Steampunk camera

Steampunk cameraDIY perfect Steampunk Camera.

Steampunk has been the basis for many modern gadget designs and the camera is no different. Created by Howard Boys, the DIY Steampunk camera is an antique looking device that has been crafted completely by hand. Resembling something made decades ago, this brass gadget consists of parts of other cameras. Boys is said to have purchased the lens and the shutter and put everything together to create this ancient looking device.

3. Human skull camera

Scull CameraCreepy Camera Made From 150 Year Old Human Skull.

As if the above inventions weren't wacky enough, the next on the list is one eerie gadget. The human skull camera has been made out of metal, gems and the remains of a 150-year-old skull. Designed by Wayne Martin Berger who created the deer horns camera, this device has created quite a bit of controversy. According to Berger, his works all relate to a specific subject and the human skull camera represents photographing a grave site.

4. Vintage, Vietnam-era camera gun

Vintage cameraVietnam Vintage Camera Gun.

The Vietnam-era camera gun is a beautifully designed movie camera. Shaped like a gun, the camera has a rifle stock and was supposedly designed for a military reporter. Available for sale, it comes with a black case and 5x lenses.

5. Dragonfly camera

Dragonfly CameraDragonfly Camera made from aluminum and acrylic.

Another pinhole camera, the Dragonfly has been created using acrylic, steel, aluminum and even insects. It is designed to study and shoot the time segments of children. The 4"x5" gadget was created as a tribute to a 9-year-old girl who passed away. As quirky as it sounds, the black casing and bicycle chain do make it look pretty good.

6. Pistol camera

Coolest pistol CameraCoolest Pistol Camera from japan Doryu.

Designed by Ryu Koakimoto, the authentic looking Pistol Camera – DORYU 2-16 – lets you shoot images the same way you would fire a gun. Believe it or not, the gadget was supposedly used by cops in Japan. Looking like something out of a spy flick, you can mount a Cine-Nikkor 25 mm F1.4 lens. What is unique is that the flash cartridges are carried in a special magazine and when you shoot to take a picture, the device emits a small 'bang', similar to a real gun but not as deafening.

7. Steampunk polaroid travel camera

Polaroid Travel CameraThis is a vintage camera with a Steampunk theme.

Another steampunk inspired camera makes the list. The steampunk polaroid travel Camera weighs just about 4 pounds and captures 3.25 x 4.25 shots. With a Zeiss lens and a Deckel shutter, the travel camera uses a Polaroid 405 back, a bungy, foam and a rubber band. Sounds simple, but that's probably what the creator wants us to believe.

8. Mamiya 1954: The gun camera

Gun CameraGun Camera by Mamiya of Japan

This 1954-designed camera created by Japan's Mamiya is a collector's item. Only 250 of them were ever designed and that too, not for the public. Used by some Japanese cops for training purposes, the gun camera captures half frame images onto 35 mm film with a fixed focus lens of 45 mm. The device was also used to shoot evidence of crime. The Mamiya pistols became popular after policemen were allegedly injured trying to photograph protesters on May Day in 1952. As such, there was felt a need to come up with a device that would enable cops to gather evidence without any hindrance.