Pinhole Camera.. tips?

Liam

Liam

Messages
2,162
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi,

I was browsing homebase today when I came across the wood bin and came home with a few pieces that could form a 5x4 pinhole camera. I was thinking of using an old shutter but I just need a pinhole. So does anyone know where I can get one cheap or does anyone have a spare one I could buy off them?

Thanks for any help
 
Get an Aluminium soft drinks can, cut a square out of it, and rub it down on both sides with 1000 grade wet and dry until it's as thin as you dare. Then take a fine sewing needle, place it in the center of the bit of Aluminium, and rotate the needle, pressing gently until it pierces the metal. Voila... one pinhole. You can stick it under your flatbed scanner, and scan it at as high res. as you can, to check that the hole is clean and circular, and also measure the size of the pinhole to work out what f:stop it'll equate to. There's a helpful calculator program here.
 
also the the distance from the pinhole bit to the paper/format divided by the diameter of the hole will give you the f/stop. for example if you had a distance of 50mm from "lens" to film and then the diameter was 0.2mm it will give you an f/stop of 250 :)

just a little an idea for you :) I've been having a go at it and started making a body cap version on my DSLR and created an 0.8mm diameter version giving me an f/stop of 62 :)
 
If you want I have a roll of thin copper sheet at work and drills for 0.2mm, 0.6mm, 0.8mm, 1mm and bigger.

I did a load for 35mm pinhole cameras in 0.2mm at work, I fear they may have been a bit small but we did get some ok pics on 35mm film.

PM me your address if you want some making.
 
Hmmmmm I need to do a bit of this too I think :) I have some small drills in 0.05mm increments somewhere. I just need some thin metal, maybe an old feeler guage but I think they'll be a pig to drill.
 
Aluminium drinks cans make for good pinhole stock, cheap and easy to drill, I use copper shim because I'm posh (and have a big roll of it at work).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top