Ever wanted to take a camera lens apart to see what's inside? Be prepared for a seemingly endless array of the worlds tiniest screws, a fountain of various rings, and a bit of grease.

Canon FD 50mm f/1.8
Mini Screwdriver
Elapsed Time: 38 Minutes

Deconstructing A Camera Lens

I have to say the ingenuity that goes into making even an old lens is truly incredible. It's easier to understand after watching this video, why lens manufacturers with a long track record of building lenses often have a higher quality product. Sure you can just hire a team Mathematicians, Industrial Engineers, and Optical Scientists and begin building lenses, but decades of research and development provide truly invaluable experience in crafting a beautiful lens. It was especially hard to fathom the knowledge required to build a lens, when I could hardly figure out how to just take it apart.