My first pinhole camera.

MrDrizz

MrDrizz

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So I decided to build my first pinhole camera out of some scrap bits of oak and Walnut. Only took a couple hours to slap together, no fancy joints this time. Made it to take 4x5 film holders and I bought the pinhole, a 0.02mm hole which after seeing the results maybe the wrong size.

Here are some pictures of the camera.

DSCF8412.jpg
DSCF8410.jpg
DSCF8411.jpg

Now I have only shot two test sheets and while I am happy that I don't have any light leaks. Vignette significant and the image is pretty soft. Now I'm not expecting amazing result but I was expecting the image to be a little sharper.
Would using a bigger diameter pinhole increase the image projection circle? In my empty head it seems like the film is too close the the image circle.

Shot on Fomapan 400.

IMG_20220128_171034_200 (1).jpg
 
Just had a thought, my vignette issue might be the hole in the wood isn't wide enough and the projected image is hitting the side causing vignetting.
 
Looking at the 3rd shot, it does look like the wood is throwing that "shadow" to create the vignette. Possibly a fairly easy fix if the pinhole is easily removed.
 
The softness looks about right for pinhole I've never managed to get much sharper than that. I'd agree that the vignette is from the hole in the wood, easy way to find out is stretch a thread from the pinhole to the corners of the box and if it hits the wood then that's the cause.
 
Looks pretty good to me, embrace the pinhole fuzziness. If you’re looking for sharpness pinhole photography may not be for you.
 
Last edited:
Or 0.2mm?
 
Thank you all for the adive and comments

Yes 0.2mm not sure why I typed 0.02.

I'm going to head out to Meols beach and Crosby tomorrow to have a proper go.

I have moved the pinhole to the inside to hopefully reduce or remove the vignette.
 
Not sure that moving the hole will cure the problem. Since it sounds like removing the pinhole is fairly easy, I'd make the rebate deeper.
 
Or use a big countersink on the hole to make it wider inside than out
 
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