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Step 7: Building Your Camera, Part II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Step 8: Finishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Step 9: Loading and Shooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Step 10: Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Step 11: Very Useful Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
http://www.instructables.com/id/Design-and-Build-your-own-Pinhole-Camera/
Image Notes 1. Light leak in the foam sealing the bottom lid. Patched it now
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http://www.instructables.com/id/Design-and-Build-your-own-Pinhole-Camera/
can't do. Focal Length: The focal length is the distance an optical system takes to converge light. It applies to pinhole photography as the ideal distance from the pinhole to the film. It is calculated based on the diameter of the pinhole. If the film is not the correct distance from the pinhole the image will be out of focus. It needs to be as accurate as possible for the best image quality. f-stop (aperture): You probably already know what f-stop and aperture is and how to use it for conventional photography, but what is it really? the f-stop value is based on the diameter of the aperture inside the lens compared to the distance from the aperture to the film. There is a formula to calculate its value based on those two measurements, which will be covered in Step 3 . Reciprocity Failure: Pinhole cameras need long exposures, and film does not respond to the amount of light they receive over long time periods in a linear fashion. More on this in Step 9 . Aspect ratio: The ratio between the height of an image versus the length. For example, HDTV is normally 16:9 meaning the width is "16" arbitrary units and the height is "9" arbitrary units. It is just to give a relative measurement of the final image shape, not the absolute size.
Image Notes 1. Subject 2. Light Source 3. Pinhole 4. Image on film 5. Light beams
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Image Notes 1. 0.3mm drilled pinhole in 0.003" brass shim stock, purchased on eBay
Image Notes 1. Homemade pinhole in pop can aluminum, using sewing pin and sandpaper. Approx. 0.4mm diameter
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http://www.instructables.com/id/Design-and-Build-your-own-Pinhole-Camera/
Image Notes 1. 35mm in canister 2. 120 on spool. Notice the film goes from end to end
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The box is all about having control of light. When film is in the camera, the only light we ever want going in there is through the pinhole, and onto the film. Nowhere else, otherwise we will end up with streaks of overexposed spots on the film. Sealing the box isn't difficult. Electrical tape can be used for cracks and edges, and felt or foam can be glued on to seal the removable opening. Try to pick a box that is relatively light-tight to begin with to make this job easier. You're going to have to figure out a way to keep the film in place as it transfers from one spool to another, or from the canister to the take-up spool. The easiest way to do this is to have a piece of flat material in parallel with the pinhole, exactly the focal length away. This will serve as a sort of pressure plate for the film, to keep it flat. Then mount the spools on either side of this piece, so when the film is run across from one to the other, it will be held flat across this plate. Other methods exist so see what you can come up with. Attached files: If you would like to make use of my design as a starting point there are PDFs and a DWG attached that will let you reproduce 1:1 cutting guides or laser-cut your own pieces. Just note, most of the holes and markings are not included.
Image Notes 1. Since my build was a pretty big experiment, I only roughly laser-cut the pieces and did the rest of the cutting and drilling by hand
File Downloads
camera layout.pdf (52 KB) [NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'camera layout.pdf']
6x17 Pinhole Camera Plans.dwg (75 KB) [NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to '6x17 Pinhole Camera Plans.dwg']
http://www.instructables.com/id/Design-and-Build-your-own-Pinhole-Camera/
6x17 Pinhole Camera Plans.pdf (7 KB) [NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to '6x17 Pinhole Camera Plans.pdf']
Image Notes 1. In the end I had to pry this piece off since it was too tough to get the film in the right place
Image Notes 1. Jobber drills do a bad job, use a forstner bit or wood bit if you have one
http://www.instructables.com/id/Design-and-Build-your-own-Pinhole-Camera/
Image Notes 1. Screw inserted in tip 2. Retaining ring 3. 1/4" aluminum rod 4. Felt to make sure the hole is sealed 5. Standard electronics knob with set screws
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Image Notes 1. Brass pinhole mounted on aluminum sheet 2. These film guides proved to be too sharp a turn and make too much fiction. Went with large wooden ones instead
Image Notes
Image Notes
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1. Bent aluminum sheet metal L-brackets 2. M3 nut for shutter release cable, and standoff for spring
1. Shutter slides inside this gap 2. Metric M3 is the standard thread for mechanical shutter release cables
Image Notes 1. Shutter closed 2. Divot for release cable prong 3. Spring held on with screw and washer 4. Shutter 5. Opening
Image Notes 1. Shutter open 2. Pinhole exposed 3. Spring compressed 4. shutter release cable visible 5. Goes a little crooked at the top, not my most accurate cutting job
Step 8: Finishing
Once the camera is built and the mechanics tested, the inside needs to be painted black. The film is reflective and some light could reflect off the film and around the inside of the camera, causing image defects. Use a matte black paint if you can to absorb the most light possible. If you made your camera out of bare wood, you'll want to finish the exterior with a stain and lacquer to protect it from rain or anything it might encounter when outside. If the film is sticking in the camera due to friction, as mine was on the wooden guide posts and along the guiding edges, apply some smooth tape to help reduce the friction on those surfaces. Packing tape and scotch tape work well. You can see the kapton tape I used in the images above. The opening face should be sealed with some sort of adhesive foam or felt, if the box is not perfectly light-tight to begin with. The rear viewing hole should be rimmed with some felt to keep light from entering. The back of the film should be isolated so that the numbers can be read without excess light entering the camera body. See above:
Image Notes 1. Unpainted areas are behind where the film is, no worries about light getting around back here
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Image Notes 1. Pegs for the spools to spin on 2. Weather strip adhesive foam
Image Notes 1. Number viewing hole 2. Felt gently touches film to prevent light leaks from the viewing hole
Image Notes 1. Swinging external door for viewing hole, aluminum backed with felt
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http://www.instructables.com/id/Design-and-Build-your-own-Pinhole-Camera/
Image Notes 1. Shutter release cable, set screw allows for locking the shutter open 2. Tape to help me remember which way to turn
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Image Notes 1. Light leak in the foam sealing the bottom lid. Patched it now
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Related Instructables
How To Make A Pinhole Camera Pinhole Camera Pinhole Camera (Photos) by (Camera themostwonderfulplaceonearth by Obscura) by 343GUILTYSPARK ericscrum
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Oct 11, 2012. 7:49 PM REPLY
jessyratfink says:
This is so thoroughly documented - great work! :D
mattthegamer463 says:
Thanks, took me a while to write.
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