Post yer pinholes

[Ricardo de Oliveira]

Thank you gtmatias.
Hey, show us more details of the shutter in your RAT camera!
Bye

[Derek Kennedy]

This was the first photo I took with my pinhole camera (f300 lens). It takes 4x5 film holders which I find easy to use with this camera. Basically I just set it on a picnic table in the backyard and pointed it at the shed.

First off, I wanted to see how the images would look using this camera as I dont have any experience shooting pinhole cameras, and to test the film with the reciprocity failure chart to see if it was more or less accurate.

Since I was pretty pleased with the results, I'm hoping to use this camera more once winter is done.

Film was Arista EDU 100 iso (expired 2011). The exposure time was 93 seconds. Tray developed in HC-110.

[gtmatias]

Hello there.

Ricardo, do to my lack of time, I could answer earlier. So, instead of showing how the that shutter, I'll explain the four built until now. Two where built for my "Beta" RAT and the others for the RAT Mk1 (as the pictures show)
In the beginning I just wanted to use something more practical than something like a lens cover. I couldn't use a masking or any other kind of tape because I'm using a disk with a precision pinhole bought at Stenocamera

So I built Beta 1 (the first from the left). It had a primitive system where a sliding "shutter" is pulled by a lever using rotation from the outside. But, because I live in Portugal and we have a sunny Summer, the photometer measured 2 seconds exposures sometimes. I didn't like much to touch the camera while taking the picture. Also, the system was a bit sticky which meant that was quite difficult to open and close under 4 seconds.

So I built Beta 2 (second one). This one uses a mechanism with a sliding "shutter". It has a spring that keeps the shutter closed. Than you have a lever that is operated from the outside using a camera release cable (as a normal camera). Now I could take pictures without touching the camera and operate this RAT like a "real" camera. No tapes, no Macgyver. It worked well but it was a bit difficult to twist the shutter cable into place when taking pictures. Also that location was dangerously close to the angle of view and the shutter got stuck sometimes.

So I built Version 1 of the RAT Mk1 (third, first of the RAT Mk1 in the left). This is an small evolution. Now the cable was twisted on top of the (now sliding) panel of the camera. This one is an evolution of Beta 2. Problem, still got stuck sometimes.

Version 2 of RAT Mk2. This is a clean sheet design. Until now, the assembly was done by screwing the disk an shutter in the front of the panel and the rest of the mechanism in the back. Now everything is made through the back, the interior of the camera. The release cable is plugged the same way as the previous system but the shutter works by rotation and not sliding. As the others this work behind the disk with the pinhole. The assembling is quicker, less parts and everything is kept together by a cover. Never failed working until now. Love it. The only problem is that, because the disk hasn't any kind of protection, gets dirty with fingers grease or salt from seawater.

So I'm starting to build a Version 3, but this time for the RAT mk3. This will be lighter, thinner, with a bigger angle of view possible (about 135º) and in front of the disk. With this I hope it will be more reliable and the disk always protected during transport.

Attachment 129519

Attachment 129520

[Alessandro Bocchi]

Venice (VE) Italy - Near Sant'Angelo

- Camera: Harman Titan 4x5 Pinhole
- Lens: 0.35mm (focal length 72mm)
- Exposure: 12 seconds
- Film: FOMAPAN - 100 ASA - size 4x5"
- Developer: KODAK HC-110 - Dilution H (1+63) - 9 minutes and 30 seconds at 20° C
- Stop: ILFORD ILFO STOP
- Fixer: ILFORD RAPID FIXER
- Fixer: ILFORD HYPAM FIXER
- Lightmeter: Gossen Lunasix 3 reading the incident light
- Lighting: Ambient light only

[jon.oman]

Venice (VE) Italy - Near Sant'Angelo

- Camera: Harman Titan 4x5 Pinhole
- Lens: 0.35mm (focal length 72mm)
- Exposure: 12 seconds
- Film: FOMAPAN - 100 ASA - size 4x5"
- Developer: KODAK HC-110 - Dilution H (1+63) - 9 minutes and 30 seconds at 20° C
- Stop: ILFORD ILFO STOP
- Fixer: ILFORD RAPID FIXER
- Fixer: ILFORD HYPAM FIXER
- Lightmeter: Gossen Lunasix 3 reading the incident light
- Lighting: Ambient light only

Very nice image! This works well with pinhole.

[MMELVIS]

Dali Museum St Petersburg Florida
Lensless 4 x 5" Pinhole Camera (Baltic Birch) 50mm
Arista Edu 4x5 film
30 second exposure

[appletree]

I know this is not the place. A quick search, did not turn anything up, but I am sure it exists. Instructions/link on how to make or convert a lens board to pinhole? Wouldn't mind playing around with my Chamonix. Never shot pinhole, but seems like there are multiple ways to skin the cat...so I guess there are various ways it can be done.

Beautiful images by the way! I went back a few pages. Love the pinholes you are posting Alessandro.
George, your process a few pages back is helpful. Thank you.

[Jim Jones]

. . . Instructions/link on how to make or convert a lens board to pinhole? . . .

Lens boards for most cameras can be improvised from plywood, mat board, foam core, and other materials. They don't have to be made like original boards; they just have to be opaque and prevent light from leaking in around the edges. Many approaches to making pinholes should be found with an online search. For online discussions on pinhole photography, go to http://www.f295.org/main/forum. For much more information look at http://home.online.no/~gjon/pinhole.htm

[appletree]

Thank you Jim. Much appreciated.

[Art Liefke]

After I built my 4x5 camera (Bender type design), I didn't have any lenses yet, so I made a pinhole for it. It is made from a piece aluminum foil sandwiched between two pieces of matboard.

The hole = 0.0125". I believe I used a 6" focal length which would result in f480. I only took a couple of pics as I soon got a lens.

Here's one of them. The front of my house...taken about 15 years ago.

However, after looking at all the great images on these pages, I think I'll try some more pin hole images.

Attachment 132284