MyMiniFactory Sponsoring a 3D Printed GoPro Camera Accessory Design Contest

When Nick Woodman founded GoPro in 2002 after a surfing trip to Australia it was because he craved a camera system that could capture professional results in difficult conditions. To put the initial investment together, Woodman sold bead and shell belts out of a VW van and got a $200,000 investment from his parents.

A couple of years later, Woodman’s company sold its first camera system (which used 35 mm film) and later introduced digital still and video cameras. But it was the fixed-lens, HD version of the video cameras with a wide 170-degree angle which captured the imagination of amateur photographers around the world.

Small, lightweight, and simple to mount on nearly any surface, the camera became the favored tool for videographers hoping to capture their action-oriented exploits and share them on the internet.

Now MyMiniFactory.com, a free library of 3D printable objects, has partnered with Extreme.com to launch a 3D printing design competition for 3D artists and designers to design novel and unique GoPro attachments.

To enter the contest, designers will need to submit a completed STL file and a brief description of the design and its intended use. Any of the parts needed to create the accessory must fit within a build area of 110 x 110 x 110 mm, but if entrants want to 3D print their design themselves, they can enter by sending high-resolution photos of the entry as well.

MyMiniFactory says that while any GoPro attachment design is welcome, the key to winning is to create something “inventive, fresh, new and mind-bending.” They say copying or redesigning existing attachments won’t cut the mustard.

“We want to see the cool, crazy and creative,” say the contest rules. “We have included a few templates for you to use if you’d prefer to modify these instead of start from scratch. As long as your attachment suitably fits a GoPro and is fully 3D printable, your design will be accepted. There are no other restrictions, be as creative as you can.”

The submission process for the GoPro Contest runs from January 21 through February 8. The voting to determine the eventual winner is scheduled to start on February 13, and the winner will be announced on Monday, February 23, 2015.

One note: only entries that pass their test printing validation process will actually make it into the contest, so a thorough review of the requirements is recommended.

MyMiniFactory says they also plan to print all the designs that pass the test, and the design with the most downloads at the end of the competition will win the grand prize of a GoPro HERO4 as well as other prizes courtesy of Extreme.com like 2 VIP Tickets to UK Drift Allstars.

Anyone who participates will receive a free 3D print of their design on request, but they’ll only ship the free 3D printed object if the files pass the test printing validation process.

To get entrants started, MyMiniFactory is providing a GoPro camera template and offering example accessories created by freelance designer Reg Taylor.

Have you ever designed a camera mount for a GoPro or any other photographic system? If you have, show us your stuff on the GoPro Camera Accessory Design Contest forum thread on 3DPB.com.