Production
The camera is made at the Open Youth Center (OJAD) in Dornbirn, Austria. OJAD is a non-profit, politically non-partisan and denominationally neutral association that offers youth work focusing on interpersonal relationships, living space and improving the personal life situations of young people. The Instant Camera production is done in their wood workshop, where young people without employment, as well as asylum seekers between the ages of 15 and 25, can earn money through meaningful employment and guidance.
Design
I have designed many cameras over the years and have hand-made a dozen different ones. Putting this expertise into a manufacturable product was made possible thanks to Andreas Huemer, an industrial designer from Austria. Andreas offers a wide range of designs for individual solutions as well as functional custom-made products for any needs with his company Eitj Design.
Materials
The camera is made from poplar plywood with composite wood on the bottom tripod leg. The wood comes from the European Union. The sleeve is made from high-quality light-tight fabric. We use leather sourced from a tannery in Italy. The hinges, screws and bolts are made in Germany and the plastic trays in Austria. The choices were all made to produce a great-looking camera that is lightweight and affordable yet with as much conscious thought as possible.