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LF Pinhole - design and building
Hoping to get some interest in this aspect of photography, and following the demise of that excellent site f295, I thought I’d set the ball rolling by describing in more detail how I went about building a camera which I recently mentioned here: http://www.largeformatphotography.in...amera!/page324
A friend on this forum happened to throw in a box of 5x12 x-ray film in a parts swap we did and that got me thinking about a panoramic pinhole camera in this format. The result here followed months of trial and error:
Attachment 160881
The camera has front rise and fall of +/- 15mm to allow it to be used level and yet ensuring that the horizon remains straight, since the horizon will be curved in a curved film-plane camera if it is tilted up or down. As it turned out I could only find 15mm as I’d made the frame for the front too wide top and bottom. I haven’t yet tested whether this is enough. The camera has a bubble level in the top and sighting dots made from 1” painted nails to aid composition.
Attachment 160882
The first hurdle to overcome was bending the plywood back. This was eventually achieved by scoring the inside surface with vertical Vs spaced at 1cm intervals using a router, then soaking and careful progressive bending over several days, using clamps and weights, then eventually gluing top and bottom to hold it all together. It was a hair-raising experience and I felt several times that I came very close to splitting the wood. In retrospect, Vs at 5mm spacing may have made the bending easier.
Attachment 160883
I used a 0.5mm EMS (electron microscope) aperture for the pinhole. These are truly excellent - laser drilled precision. I’ve used them before on other cameras with great success. I’d never think of making my own now. They’re available from a guy on f295 at $1 apiece posted. If anyone has contact with Earl, would you mind seeing if he’s interested in posting here?
Mounting these pinholes is tricky, since they’re very small. Some folk use tape with a 1.5mm hole punched in it to grab the pinhole; the pinhole is then taped to the camera front. I don’t yet have a punch to allow me to do it this way, but I’ve ordered a couple from China. Meantime I mount my pinholes in a small brass washer, using a couple of blobs of black paint that find their way by capillary action. The pinhole on its washer is then mounted into a recess drilled into the plate (more black paint).
As per my previous post (above) I found vignetting on my first test shot, which I immediately thought was an image circle issue. I thought that I may have to mount the pinhole further forward to fix this. However a member (NedL) was right when he suggested that it was obstruction. Sure enough, although I’d beveled the exit hole in the rear of the plate, there was still a definite ridge, which I’m sure was responsible. I’ve since ground this down, but have not yet tested it as I have a scratching issue with my developing trays and have to get some glass cut to remedy this. The next pic shows the rear of the plate and also a view of the front showing the clearance needed for rise/fall and horizontal field.
Attachment 160884
The 0.5mm pinhole is mounted 135mm from the film plane. I had intended it to be 127mm (5”), the radius of the film curve, but things don’t always turn out as hoped. Fortunately pinhole is very forgiving, and I don’t think any unevenness in exposure will show up. At 135mm the speed is f/270. The one test I’ve done suggests that the image is a little soft. I’ll do a few more tests after I sort out my developing issues, and may yet go down to 0.4mm and f/340.
A note on bits and pieces: I now get everything from China via eBay. No doubt about it. Over the years I’ve scoured the country from engineering suppliers to model shops and found sourcing small screws and knobs etc, the type of things so vital to DIY photography, next to impossible. For me eBay is the answer, and knowing how to search is very helpful. Terms like M3 screws for 3mm metric, or knurled knobs, case clips etc usually turn up direct hits or lead to further search clues. The two brass pieces in the last two pics are known in eBay speak as "M3 / M4 Brass Knurled Nuts Insert Embedded Nuts"; I used these as nuts to secure the front panel and as embedded nuts held with epoxy for the front panel to bolt into.
So how about it LF Pinholers? I'm sure there would be much interest in your own pinhole camera building achievements. There is certainly interest in pinhole photography here, as evidenced by the many favourable responses to pinhole images posted here. Love to hear from you.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Barry, that is quite a bit of workmanship. Thanks for the detailed description. I am afraid the extent of my pinhole camera construction is making a lens-board pinhole for my 8X10, 5X7, and 4X5 cameras.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Hi Barry
Good idea and thanks for taking the initiative. I'm just starting to explore pinholes so this will help me a lot. Congratulations on your camera by the way - very nice.
Regards
Dave
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
The quality of so many of these home built projects puts me to shame. I think I linked to my cigar box camera before, but the details are here: http://grahamp.dotinthelandscape.org/pinhole.html
Much cruder in construction, though I have done some decent work with it: http://grahamp.dotinthelandscape.org/pinholeday.html.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Thanks Dave, and good luck with your adventures into pinhole. Thank you too, Graham. I must say I'm impressed with your website, both pinhole images and your ventures into camera making, both pinhole and the 8x10.
My camera has a way to go yet. Another test shot yesterday still shows vignetting which has resisted my previous attempt to fix it. I think the problem is the thickness of the pinhole mounting plate. I used 2mm aluminium because I didn't have 1mm on hand, and I think the pinhole needs to be further back into the plate. As NedL said previously, vignetting can be hard to fix with a curved film plane.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Yesterday's test. Vignetting cropped out, very minimal work in LR. A bit too close to the subject; I'll have to get used to vertical composition - horizontal is no problem as I have sighting dots on the camera top. I'm pleased that scratching is no longer a problem, thanks to glass in each tray.
Attachment 160964
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
I find a masked bright light in front of the pinhole and a dim room makes it easier to work out if there is anything in the path to the film corners. My problems are either pinhole thickness or extreme angle effects, since I work with flat film. It sounds like you have more subtle issues.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
I always check with the sun, but they're always simple boxes or cans and easy to look inside with the top off. Thanks very much for starting this thread, I'm looking forward to reading it!
Compared to other beautiful cameras ( Like the amazing creations of Steve Irvine! ), mine are all made from mat board or foamcore or tin cans, although they have the advantage of being easily recyclable. My latest was from last WPPD.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Seeing these examples with the curved film planes has me considering fabricating a camera in preparation for WWPD (my attempt last year went kablooey because I didn't notice that the sun was shining on my pinhole). I would most likely go for the simple materials like Ned's camera, and would probably make it to use 4X10 film (cut down 8X10 X-ray film). I am guessing the idea is to have the pinhole - to - film distance about equal from end to center to end, thereby keeping the exposure consistent the length of the film?
Since the film plane will be curved, what are the thoughts on curving the pinhole so that it matches the film curvature? Is that something that has been tried? I have never explored that idea so I don't know if there would be any benefit.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Just wondering if someone could point me to a good starter book on pinholes.
Thanks
Dave
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Hi all, I don't try and make these cameras out of a sense of elegance, but because I like woodwork and also stability and ruggedness. A great justification for the latter was the other day when I'd just made the second test photo... I was coming down from the rocky area when I slipped and fell on my left side, on top of the camera I'd just used. Fortunately it was not damaged!
Dave, there is a book by Renner referenced in this excellent article by Brian Young here: http://www.alternativephotography.co...h-really-said/ I haven't read it, but it, but it might be helpful. I find the web a great place for finding pinhole info.
Hendrik, you may find this article helpful also. In general for close up work you need a small pinhole because each diameter of pinhole has a limit for close focus at a given film-pinhole distance. There are no hard and fast rules, so you might like to start experimenting with a pinhole of 0.2mm at a lens-pinhole distance depending on your camera. This should provide very close focus. For pinhole supplies there is Lennox Laser, https://lenoxlaser.com/ Also a man named Earl who used to be on f295, but I don't have contact details for him at present. He sold laser drilled electron microscope apertures which are just perfect for pinhole. James at http://www.aupremierplan.fr/ sells Earl's apertures already mounted.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
If you are interested in the math behind macro pinholes you can find the Prober-Wellman formula here. The "optimum" does not fall off all that fast as you get closer to the camera, for example if you make one to be optimum at 2 inches, it will work pretty well at 1 inch. Strong diffraction effects will be obvious in more more distant subjects, but can be interesting. The image looks different depending on whether the aperture is too big ( geometric blurriness ) or too small ( diffraction ).
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Quote:
Originally Posted by
DHodson
Just wondering if someone could point me to a good starter book on pinholes.
Thanks
Dave
Dave,
Eric Renner's book is considered a modern classic on the subject. He's recently updated the book, here's an Amazon link:
https://www.amazon.com/Pinhole-Photo...dp_ob_title_bk
~Joe
PS: I see that Barry has linked the same book above.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Thanks for the link to Eric Renner's book. I checked Amazon here in Canada and they want $62 (Canadian) for it so hopefully I can find a used copy somewhere.
Dave
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Thanks Dan - that's a new link for me
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Well Barry,"GOOD ON YOU"! Think this is a great idea and hope it takes off.
Your camera is beautiful, a piece to be proud of for sure and looks like a good picture maker.You'll work out the vignetting issue,just a small bump in the road for ya.
Guess you can access"Amazon" down under,I've found many parts for my builds there(and often free shipping)which helps a lot.
Keep up the good work and please share as you go.
Don
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Thanks for the kind words Don. Actually I've just identified the cause of the vignetting, it's the filter ring, as Shane Booth suggested. Thinking the vignetting was caused by a ridge behind the pinhole, I ground away part of the mounting plate (with the pinhole removed) but it didn't work. Sighting along my alignment dots on the top of the camera, with the pinhole directly below the centre dot on the top, shows the edge of the filter ring directly in line. The solution is a larger filter ring. I found I can just sneak a 58mm ring in there and still be able to adjust the rise and fall. I hope it doesn't vignette with a filter mounted. Wait and see for next installment. Thanks for the tip about Amazon, I'll look into it. There is talk that Amazon may open in Australia, but we'll have to wait and see. Best wishes Don.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
At last the modification. I made a new front panel out of 1mm aluminium and increased the filter ring to 67mm, which makes sense since I have standardised on 49 and 67mm filters and don't have any 58s. No sign of vignetting. This is a very wide camera (about 110 degrees). At the right end you can see blurring, which is actually my head. About 10 sec. into the exposure I realised I might be too close and moved away - sure enough that was the case. I also reduced the pinhole to 0.4mm and that slows the speed to f/340 but improves sharpness, I think. This morning's test shot, done at sunrise was on Kodak dental panorama x-ray film (double sided, green sensitive). Film was rated at ISO 100, exposure was 30sec. and development was in PMK 1+2+100 for 8min. I'm now developing on glass in the bottom of the trays, but am still getting scratches due to handling during loading and unloading, so I'm learning just how careful I have to be with this film. Film photographed on light box with digital P&S, no modification to image other than inverting.
Attachment 162402 Attachment 162403
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Consider that Joe's link is for the 2009 edition while Dan's is for the 1999 edition which should contain most of the same information. My 1995 edition has more information than I'll ever absorb.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
That's great Barry! 110 degrees sounds about right --- get close, then closer!
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
New you'd get it straightened out Barry.Looks like a good test shot(you might stand still a little longer so we could get a better look at ya)LOL!
Good job all round...
Don
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Thanks Ned and Don. Another reason I reduced the pinhole size down to 0.4mm is to allow closer focus. I figured that the 0.5mm would not focus under about 1.5m, whereas the 0.4 should be OK to about 10".
Don, I'm thinking about pinhole portraiture, perhaps a 4x5 dedicated portrait camera and higher speed film. The idea of a selfie of my old mug is not a pretty thought.:rolleyes: That job is at the end of a long queue at the moment.
Cheers to both of you.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Great to see you got the vignetting sorted out.
As for references, don't forget the "Mr Pinhole site" http://www.mrpinhole.com and the wonderful Pinhole designer program (windows only) http://www.pinhole.cz/en/pinholedesigner/ and for some inspiration - http://fslashd.com
Personal Ive just finished a 11x14 camera which is adjustable from 210mm to 300 mm.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Thanks for those references, Shane. I'd forgotten the f/D site... Keir actually used one of my images in 2015, but I can't post it here because it's 2x3. But a great inspirational site. The 11x14 camera sounds interesting. Do you plan to use it for film or paper (or both), and are you using interchangeable pinholes?
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Started this years ago for pinhole day and it is only finished today, just in time. The idea was that it could also be used for the Fuji 75mm I once bought on a fair. But as I now have a real 4x5 it will probably only be used as a pinhole.
All aluminium construction except for the brass spring to keep the film holder in place. Right now there is a 0.32mm pinhole mounted. I think I'll have to add something to use a cable release.
http://users.skynet.be/sb262617/foru...nhole_1_sm.jpg
http://users.skynet.be/sb262617/foru...nhole_2_sm.jpg
http://users.skynet.be/sb262617/foru...nhole_3_sm.jpg
http://users.skynet.be/sb262617/foru...nhole_4_sm.jpg
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Havoc, wonderful! And thanks for the idea of the film holder spring. I am in the process of making a 4X5 camera from a cigar box and that idea looks like it will fit my camera perfectly, though I may try other materials if I don't have any brass handy.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Randy
Havoc, wonderful! And thanks for the idea of the film holder spring. I am in the process of making a 4X5 camera from a cigar box and that idea looks like it will fit my camera perfectly, though I may try other materials if I don't have any brass handy.
I've used some thin plywood with a similar back design (tight at one end, loose on the other) - it has enough flex to slide the film holder in fine and enough spring to hold it securely.
Attachment 177879
Attachment 177880
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
My cigar box pinhole uses the lid to hold the film holder. I cut a slot in one edge of the lid to just admit the holder, added some supports internally and some blackout material around the opening, and the latched lid holds everything together.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Havoc
Wow! That is one heavy duty pinhole camera. The ultra light plywood and foam core 4x5's I build would not dare to be used in anything but dry weather. But that looks like you could take it out even in more 'interesting' weather.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Here is the 4x5 pinhole camera that I finished right after the 8x10:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/825/4...14b04607_z.jpgMy 4x5 Pinhole Camera by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
BTW, this photo was taken with the 8x10 pinhole camera I showed before.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
pepeguitarra, nice job on the camera, did you get a chance to take it out last Sunday for Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day?
Roger
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Yes, I posted some pics at the Pinhole Photography group at Facebook.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Thanks for the nice comments. I used alu and brass as I'm a lousy woodworker and I have a lot of these materials around from my model making hobby. This is all from recuperation pieces cluttering up the workshop. The brass "spring" (just hard barss) takes some time to adjust between too loose and too strong. And while the camera could take on "interesting" weather, I don't think the film holder or photographer would :D Hope to develop the photos tomorrow.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Finished 11x14 Pinhole camera construction last week…
This all started with the purchase of an 8x10 pinhole camera off EBay for a very reasonable price. "Focal length" of the pinhole was 125mm. Two initial problems with the camera: First the pinhole was way too small, and the image it projected was poor even for pinhole standards. Second was that the 8x10 film holder was secured to the back of the camera by 4 screws with large washers under them. When the screws were tightened to secure the holder to the camera body, it did work, but it stressed 4 pressure points on the film holder. I use Chamonix film holders, and the last thing I wanted to do was to stress and possibly distort the holders. So decided to construct an 8x10 pinhole camera. But then the more I thought about it, why not just go for it and construct an 11x14.
First step was to get an 11x14 back, and was lucky to acquire one through a WTB post in the forum. The 11x14 wooden back was off a B&J process camera, and works great with my holders.
Focal length: I really liked the 125mm focal length on the 8x10 pinhole camera, so quickly determined that on the 11x14 camera a pinhole with a focal length of about 140mm would give me approximately the same angle of view.
Building the camera body was easy, used 1/2" Bass wood from The Home Depot for the sides. Sides secured to the wooden back with an overkill of very small screws. Front of camera made from 1/4" sheets of quality plywood which I recovered from a dumpster (diving) outside of a Kitchen/Bath counter store. Every time they would change the cabinet models on display, they would throw away the older cabinets… have acquired a nice pile of quality hardwood over the years. Camera was stained on the outside and the inside spray painted flat "chalkboard" black. Decided to stick with a horizontal format. This is based on my past experience of almost never using any of my pinhole cameras in a vertical format. Besides I could always counter weight a tripod leg and turn the camera 90 degrees.
No GG. Instead I cut pieces of clear plastic to fit the back. Now I can always check on the cleanliness of the inside of the camera, and more importantly that the pinhole is not blocked (happened to me once and ended up with 4 sheets of blank film).
For composing the image, cut viewing angle triangles from a sheet of adhesive plastic and attached to the top and one side of the camera. Worked but I wanted a better way to compose the images. Acquired Vintage Linhof Wire Sport View. It folds down for transport. Format for the wire frame is 4x5, and not 11x14, but close enough in practice. Using it with my eye above the film plane works great. Now the viewing angle triangles are my double checks for what the camera is imaging. Wire viewfinders my first choice for composing images.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Do strangers even think that is a camera?
Love to see your prints!
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Randy Moe
Do strangers even think that is a camera?
Love to see your prints!
Most regular bystanders think you are either “mad” or “dumb”, but most people don’t usually say anything and the ones who ask do it because they are genuinely curious about what’s the purpose of the that huge box.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
The LF (13x18) pinhole camera was a side project along with my little 35mm pinhole, as i found some x-ray film recently.
Attachment 195162
Plywood (13x18), flooring wood (35mm), 3d printed parts, laser cut 1mm stainless steel and tabletop cnc engraving.
Diy film holders from the same materials.
Very pleased with both but i have to confess the little one is very cute and handy.
Attachment 195163
13x18: x-ray fuji film expired since...2009, ID-11 1+3/8min ...29oC.
In theory for the LF camera specs are: "focal length" 115mm, angle 88 degrees, f=254. For the little one: "focal length" 23mm, angle 86,2 degrees, f=114
Attachment 195165
Attachment 195164
35mm: FP4 Plus, ID-11 1+3/8min (used 3 days after initial dilution) ...29oC, Bolex orange filter from a c-mount lens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLUe...fisfv5w03c010c
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Wonderful!
Makes me reconsider pinhole.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
chris73
The LF (13x18) pinhole camera was a side project along with my little 35mm pinhole, as i found some x-ray film recently.
Attachment 195162
Plywood (13x18), flooring wood (35mm), 3d printed parts, laser cut 1mm stainless steel and tabletop cnc engraving.
Diy film holders from the same materials.
Very pleased with both but i have to confess the little one is very cute and handy.
Attachment 195163
13x18: x-ray fuji film expired since...2009, ID-11 1+3/8min ...29oC.
In theory for the LF camera specs are: "focal length" 115mm, angle 88 degrees, f=254. For the little one: "focal length" 23mm, angle 86,2 degrees, f=114
Attachment 195165
Attachment 195164
35mm: FP4 Plus, ID-11 1+3/8min (used 3 days after initial dilution) ...29oC, orange filter from a Schneider lens for Bolex 16mm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLUe...fisfv5w03c010c
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Lovely work, Chris... cameras and images. Particularly like last image.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Thank you both. I found fun and interesting the pinhole photography.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
I very much agree with Randy & Barry on this Chris, both cameras and images are great.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
I made this camera a couple of months ago out of scraps of White Cypress decking timber that I couldn't see go to waste. Size is 5x7, pinhole size 0.4mm, pinhole-film distance 100mm, speed f/250. The pinhole is on a movable panel that allows +/- 25mm shift, most useful in vertical compositions. Full rise was used in both of these pics. Film was cut down Kodak 5x12 dental panorama x-ray film (exp. 2009) developed in Pyrocat HD. I do like this film.
Attachment 198953 Attachment 198954
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Like!
I am working on a Zone Plate ‘pinhole’ metal cone camera too slowly
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Barry Kirsten
I made this camera a couple of months ago out of scraps of White Cypress decking timber that I couldn't see go to waste. Size is 5x7, pinhole size 0.4mm, pinhole-film distance 100mm, speed f/250. The pinhole is on a movable panel that allows +/- 25mm shift, most useful in vertical compositions. Full rise was used in both of these pics. Film was cut down Kodak 5x12 dental panorama x-ray film (exp. 2009) developed in Pyrocat HD. I do like this film.
Love the camera and the photos. That film works very well.
Question: how do you judge the shift with a pinhole? I would expect the image on a screen to be far to dim to even see it.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
It’s pinhole, there is no GG for viewing. You basically point the camera, or shift the pinhole by best guess.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Steve's right. I have sighting dots - small cut down nails with painted heads - to indicate where the camera is looking. But they are only for the pinhole centred. When the pinhole is shifted I just have to hope that everything is in the composition. Fortunately 100mm on 5x7 gives a somewhat wide angle view which allows some room for error. In the shot of the tree I gave the fill rise and aimed accordingly and got the composition I wanted.
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Great looking camera Barry and the pictures are really neat also.Glad to see some of the old f295 gang still active.
Keep up the good work....
Don
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Re: LF Pinhole - design and building
Thanks Don, you too. I've discovered a lot of great videos on pinhole by Joe VanCleave on YouTube... another Great from f/295. Warm wishes to you!