A photographer from Netherlands, Robin de Puy, has made first studio portraits with a camera that has water drop lens instead of expensive glass optics!

Belgian bottled water company SPA, found a most interesting way to promote their product. For their campaign “The Purest Picture” they have engaged electrowetting experts to create a camera that can use a water drop as a lens, and a pro photographer to do first portraits.

The idea of a water drop lens isn't new, first “microscopes” were actually a water beads. but this is first serious creation of a camera that can make usable photos of a cheapest possible lens.

The 'camera' consists of a glass plate with a water-repellent coating, sitting atop a diaphragm, which is in turn sitting atop an image sensor. Camera looks like this:

Here is a technical breakdown for the tech geeks:

While results are not perfect, they have a distinct art character, and are very usable. Do not forget this is just a first step into the new technology. Imagine how it it going to look like in ten years or so!

What do you think?