4x5 Pinhole Thoughts - An Ill Advised Adventure

[paulbarden]

LoFiPin,
Are you familiar with this 3D printed 4x5 camera design? https://www.diyphotography.net/3d-pr...inhole-camera/
My friend Todd Schlemmer designed this, and I have printed several of them. It’s an excellent camera. If this appeals to you, I would gladly send you one, complete with one 4x5 film holder, for the cost of shipping.

Sample image created with this camera:

[John Kasaian]

Just don't try making a pin hole camera out of a frozen turkey.

[paulbarden]

Just don't try making a pin hole camera out of a frozen turkey.

For obvious reasons (Salmonella!) you will want to cook it first. Obviously.

[dasBlute]

Frankly, can't beat Paul's offer, but I've built a scaled up version of this: http://pinhole.stanford.edu/foamcore.html
using foam core, gaffer's tape, and a laser drilled pinhole; cheap and easy-peasy.

[Graham Patterson]

I find my cigar-box pinhole camera is better than using a pinhole on my 5x4 (lighter, shorter pinhole to film distance). In my case the hinged box lid acts as the clamp for the 5x4 film holder.

[John Kasaian]

For obvious reasons (Salmonella!) you will want to cook it first. Obviously.

Salmonella was the least of my problems with that fowl contraption, lol!

[paulbarden]

Salmonella was the least of my problems with that fowl contraption, lol!

This is undoubtedly my favorite pinhole camera EVER:


Wayne Belger's "Third Eye" camera. Read more about Wayne here.

[LoFiPin]

Hi all,

Thanks for the excellent response! I suppose I should clarify: cameras that fall in the $150+ range are out of the question, as I firmly believe I could build a nice camera for less than that in parts. But I truly don't want a building project. And doing the most for the least is certainly the name of the game.

1) What is a "cheap" press camera? I've looked at Speed and Crown Graphics and they all appear to be in the $200-$1000 range.

2) You have me firmly convinced on film holders.

3) Paul's offer seems to be pretty unbeatable (I'll take ya up on it! )

4) Reciprocity failure is going to be interesting with dry plates and pinholes...

Thanks!

[xkaes]

I suppose I should clarify: cameras that fall in the $150+ range are out of the question, as I firmly believe I could build a nice camera for less than that in parts. But I truly don't want a building project. And doing the most for the least is certainly the name of the game.

I "get" it. You've fallen into an unseen trap. Whether on this Forum, or anywhere else, when words like "inexpensive" or "easy" are used, they mean different things to different people. Some will see a $500 camera as "cheap" and not understand why or how anyone else could see it differently. Someone with plenty of time and tools will see a project as "easy" while for others it's basically impossible.

Good luck separating the wheat from the chaff.

[paulbarden]

Hi all,

3) Paul's offer seems to be pretty unbeatable (I'll take ya up on it! )

4) Reciprocity failure is going to be interesting with dry plates and pinholes...

Thanks!

I’ve responded to your PM. :-) I think you’ll find Todd’s PinHead 4x5 Camera easy to work with and produces excellent results.
As for reciprocity compensation, I strongly urge you to get the Pinhole Assist app for your smartphone. It turns your phones camera into a light meter and can calculate reciprocity for every film and aperture combination, and it is surprisingly accurate. I use Pinhole Assist exclusively.