pinhole camera

Discussion in 'Art' started by jessticle, Aug 3, 2005.

  1. jessticle

    jessticle Member

    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    0
    hellloo

    has anyone made a pinhole camera and could tell me how to make one?..theres so many different ways of making them and i dont know which one to choose [​IMG]


    jessss
     
  2. Jorma's Branches

    Jorma's Branches Member

    Messages:
    362
    Likes Received:
    6
    I don't have one right now, but I've made a few pinholes before.
    For the camera base, I've been using like a Quaker Oats container (emptied of course). About where the dude's mouth is, cut out a squar that's no bigger than one inch square. You'll need to tape a small piece of foil over this hole and then use a pin to barely pierce the center of the foil.
    At this point I grab some black duct tape and go in the darkroom. The darkroom I use has an orange lamp in it, and I hold the camera up to the lamp and see if light comes into the camera anywhere other than the tiny foil hole. If it does, I tape it shut. You don't want any light leaks. Then I make some sort of black cover for the pinhole and insert photo paper into the back of the camera (opposite the hole). Expose for between 10 seconds to about one minute and 30 seconds. Develop the paper. Takes lots of practice, time varies on amount of direct sunlight. Makes pretty awesome negatives of architecture.
    Oh, and if you want a positive from the negative you develop, just contact print them for like 15 seconds.
    Good luck.
     
  3. jessticle

    jessticle Member

    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    0
    thankyouu!
     
  4. Unfortunate

    Unfortunate Member

    Messages:
    99
    Likes Received:
    0
  5. jessticle

    jessticle Member

    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    0
    wow what?! :p
     
  6. TokeMEup420

    TokeMEup420 Member

    Messages:
    368
    Likes Received:
    4
    what is a pinhole camera????
     
  7. logicalway

    logicalway Hip Forums Supporter HipForums Supporter

    Messages:
    1,063
    Likes Received:
    1
    Always try to have the camera embedded in something with a maroonish surface that will be seen. the lenses on most micro cams catch light and give off a reddish maroon color that can sometimes be seen through the pinhole you've cut.

    Wall clocks are a good choice along with standard nightstand digital clocks...

    Don't want to blow your cover....
     
  8. Jorma's Branches

    Jorma's Branches Member

    Messages:
    362
    Likes Received:
    6
    It's an older type of camera defined as having a "pinhole" hence the name. The film or photo paper is exposed by a very small pinhole that allows light to enter the camera.
     
  9. shaggie

    shaggie Senior Member

    Messages:
    11,504
    Likes Received:
    19
    A pinhole camera does have at least one advantage. It doesn't create any distortion, as a regular lens camera does. It works well for producing an nice flat undistorted image of something stationary, such as a landscape scene.

    .
     
  10. Jorma's Branches

    Jorma's Branches Member

    Messages:
    362
    Likes Received:
    6
    As long as the camera's stationary. If the shooter's a newbie, they'll need beginner's luck. If it's me, yeah, very chill images.
     
  11. PLyTheMan

    PLyTheMan Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,137
    Likes Received:
    0
    Its more fun if your subject isn't stationary. Ghosting through pictures is fun!
     
  12. shaggie

    shaggie Senior Member

    Messages:
    11,504
    Likes Received:
    19
    I suppose if you have a regular single lens reflex camera you could just take the lens off and put something over the front of the camera to make it a pinhole camera. I've never tried it but it would probably work. That way you could use a regular roll of 35mm film and get it developed as you normally would. The camera would need to have an option to keep the shutter open for at least ten seconds, or better yet, indefinately.

    There might be some issues there regarding how wide a field of view you could get.

    .
     
  13. shaggie

    shaggie Senior Member

    Messages:
    11,504
    Likes Received:
    19
    I think there are about 6 distinct abberations that you get with a lens camera due mainly to the lens and iris: chromatic abberation (different wavelengths get bent by the lens by differing amounts), spherical abberation, distortion (field not flat, pincushion effect), diffraction effects (from the aperture), coma, astigmatism, etc. The pinhole camera doesn't suffer from most of those. I think the only abberation is from diffraction effects due to the light being bent a little around the edge of the pinhole. :)

    Of course, the lens camera has the advantage of light gathering ability and speed.

    .
     
  14. shaggie

    shaggie Senior Member

    Messages:
    11,504
    Likes Received:
    19
    If you ever do astro photography, you can put a camera on a reflector telescope such that the film plane is at the focal plane of the main mirror. This is known as prime focus photography. I've tried this on my scope. It has advantages similar to the pinhole camera in that there are no lenses between the camera and object that is photographed. Only the mirror is involved in putting the image on the film, so most of those abberations I mentioned are not present. A mirror can give very good images compared with a lens system when it comes to trying to minimize abberations.

    The drawback is that your magnification is fixed and depends on the shape of the main mirror. :)

    .
     
  15. Jorma's Branches

    Jorma's Branches Member

    Messages:
    362
    Likes Received:
    6
    The only problem with astro photography is that you can't adjust...magnification......dammit, you knew that already. fucking hippie. you aren't supposed to be smart. stealing my knowledge. :p
     
  16. shaggie

    shaggie Senior Member

    Messages:
    11,504
    Likes Received:
    19
    Well, that's only for prime-focus photography. You can hook up a camera behind the eyepiece which gives you magnification (eyepiece projection). It's just that the eyepiece adds some abberations that you don't get with the prime-focus method. :)

    .
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice