Building a Pinhole Camera
The simplicity of black and white photography is what has fascinated me since I first started working in the dark room. I started experimenting with analog black and white photography and finally brought it to its perfection. After a few years I reached my aim and I started getting irritated by handling the photo technique so well.
I converted my 35 mm camera into a pinhole camera, I build a paper pinhole camera and transformed my view camera into a pinhole camera. After experimenting with different camera systems I decided to build a wooden camera obscura. The only existing tool I used is a 4 x 5 inch film holder.
A helpful website for calculating the measurements of the camera: http://www.mrpinhole.com/
In 2008 I started building the first camera. So I bought a saw and some wood and started irritating the neighbors. And finally a pretty nice camera came out.
The photo’s are provided with a short explanation on what’s shown.
See also the building of a 20-foot cargo container camera obscura. Here you can find the two projects I participated in converting a container into a camera obscura in 2008.
http://www.inamarieschmidt.com/?exhibition=seh-container-projekt
http://www.inamarieschmidt.com/?exhibition=camera-obscura-kunstverein-cuxhaven
Pinhole Camera Mark 01
2008
Building the camera body out of a CD box.
Pinhole Camera Mark 01
2008
Painting the inside of the camera matt black to avoid potential light reflection.
Pinhole Camera Mark 01
2008
The slit where the film holder will sit.
Pinhole Camera Mark 01
2008
The image shows the front piece where the ‚lens‘ will be adjusted, now without ‚lens‘. To make the actual ‚lens‘ I cut a piece out of a beer can and prick a 0,2 mm hole into it with a needle.
Pinhole Camera Mark 01
2008
Pinhole Camera Mark 01
2008
The camera loaded with a test film. On top a exposure guide I calculated according to the dimension of the camera.
Pinhole Camera Mark 01
2008
First test films drying at the kitchen window.
Pinhole Camera Mark 01
2008, black and white 4 x 5 inch film.
The first test photo I made showed that there was a light leak on the bottom of the camera. If you take a closer look at the leaking you can see a car parked on the other side of the road projected on the film.
Pinhole Camera Mark 01
2008
After a lot of weeks of testing and readjusting the camera, I am proudly posing with the camera.
Pinhole Camera Mark 01
2008
The final camera called Mark 01.
Pinhole Camera Mark 01
2008
The first good result with a totally functioning pinhole camera.
Pinhole Camera Nobi 01
2010, layout draft of a wooden 4 x 5 inch pinhole camera.
Model of the second pinhole camera (Nobi 01) I build from 2009 – 2010.
Pinhole Camera Nobi 01
2010, layout draft of a wooden 4 x 5 inch pinhole camera.
Model of the second pinhole camera (Nobi 01) I build from 2009 – 2010.
Pinhole Camera Nobi 01
2009
The second pinhole camera is made with the help of my grandfather (nicknamed Nobi). He sawed the necessary pieces and put the camera together.
Pinhole Camera Nobi 01
2009
The plate where the tripod will be mounted.
Pinhole Camera Nobi 01
2009
The camera made out of 22 pieces.
Pinhole Camera Nobi 01
2009
The opening where the film holder will be placed.
Pinhole Camera Nobi 01
2009
First photo shooting with Nobi 01.
Pinhole Camera Nobi 01
2009
Me with the light meter, checking the necessary exposure time.
Pinhole Camera Nobi 01
2009
The first test photo looked pretty good, even better then the thirty other tests that followed.
Pinhole Camera Nobi 01
2010
First color film testing, came out really awful. There was light leaking from everywhere!
Pinhole Camera Nobi 01
2009
Felt strips that I cut out to avoid light leaking into the camera. They were placed along the film holder opening.
Pinhole Camera Nobi 01
2010
The view from above into the open camera. I put felt stripes along the film holder opening.
Pinhole Camera Nobi 01
2010
I build a new lid for the camera, because the first one deformed after painting it.
Pinhole Camera Nobi 01
2010
The lid was also covered with felt.
Pinhole Camera Nobi 01
2010
Still no satisfying results.
Pinhole Camera Nobi 01
2010
After a million film tests (at least it felt as a million), I found the problematic places and fixed them. There was light leaking through the wood of the bottom of the camera.
Pinhole Camera Nobi 01
2010
I found that out when I covered the ‚lens‘ and set the camera into bright sunlight for about 15 minutes than turned the camera around and waited another 15 minutes.
Pinhole Camera Nobi 01
2010, Cabo de São Vicente, Portugal.
Nobi 01 in action on a journey along the Atlantic coast.
Pinhole Camera Nobi 01
2010, Cabo de São Vicente, Portugal.
Finally the camera worked!
Pinhole Camera Nobi 01
2010, Cabo de São Vicente, Portugal.
This photo is taken with Nobi 01.
