analogue pinhole curmudgeon vs digital want it all

Ross Chambers · Apr 24, 2011

Somehow I find that hooking a lens cap pinhole onto an expensive digital camera just ain't into the spirit of things.

Surely the idea is a box with a wee hole in the front of it which could be made for a dollar or two.

Disclaimer: I paid for a Zero Image (hopeless with my hands, although my first try was with an old Agfa clunker and my home made pinhole) and I can respect the virtues of digital cameras as well.

Poisson Du Jour · Apr 24, 2011

Somehow I find that hooking a lens cap pinhole onto an expensive digital camera just ain't into the spirit of things.

Atta, boy! Now you're talking!

Yup, those fancy lens caps seem to be all the rage over at that place called Photo.net: get a lens cap, drill a hole (or fit a laser-cut pinhole from eBay) and away you go. Trouble is, pinholes are a world apart from auto-everything, computer-dependent digital: the results you achieve with a camera obscura first made famous by Leonardo in the Tower of Winds are a statement of artistic visual expression using one of the most primitive photographic instruments available. As they say of pinholes, "out of nothing, comes something. And then some."

AND, prey tell: why is the Zero Image "hopeless in [your] hands"? Mr Au would be appalled. Nobody has ever said that before. The Zero (any which one of them you use) works best if you have a fluid understanding of metering and exposure interpolation, film response, flexible visual styles (and restrictions e.g.the camera's extreme DoF and how to employ it with your subject). Don't let it gather dust! I had a riotous ball today with a Goth in a country graveyard.

Rick A · Apr 24, 2011

Poisson Du Jour said:
Atta, boy! Now you're talking!

AND, prey tell: why is the Zero Image "hopeless in [your] hands"?

I dont think the OP meant that the Zero Image was hopeless in his hands. I read it as his hands were hopeless in making a pinhole, thus the purchase of a Zero Image.

Ross Chambers · Apr 24, 2011

Rick A said:
Poisson Du Jour said:

Atta, boy! Now you're talking!

AND, prey tell: why is the Zero Image "hopeless in [your] hands"?

I dont think the OP meant that the Zero Image was hopeless in his hands. I read it as his hands were hopeless in making a pinhole, thus the purchase of a Zero Image.

Click to expand...

Yes, yes exactly, the Zero Image is a fine instrument. My only slight quibble is that at the 75mm configuration with 4x5 film it's a little too good. Someday I will apply myself to making one from scratch, cacky hands and all.

I've just uploaded my Zero Image WPPD pic, it's not very inspired as a subject, but as always the camera produced a good result.

pinhole_dreamer · Apr 24, 2011

Once I figure out the film advancing, ect...I'll have a box pinhole (probably 120 film as that's becoming my favorite film size), I'll go to it the right way. My candy cam is nice and takes pretty nice photos...but I'm lazy. I'd rather have 12 or 16 shots vs. 1. *shrugs* When I get around to it, I'll figure it out. And if my son will give me back my dremel and the bits, darn it.

David William White · Apr 24, 2011

Ross Chambers said:
Somehow I find that hooking a lens cap pinhole onto an expensive digital camera just ain't into the spirit of things.

Surely the idea is a box with a wee hole in the front of it which could be made for a dollar or two.

I agree: It's a day to put away the expensive toys. Check this one out..the paper is the camera...

http://www.pinholeday.org/gallery/2011/index.php?id=313

segedi · Apr 24, 2011

Took a new Zero 612F out for some shots yesterday and today and had loads of fun. Was quite a conversation starter too! Will get the color shots back next week and have to figure out what developer I want to use with the Efke R25. Rodinal isn't available in town unfortunately. Can't wait to see if my metering and reciprocity compensation was OK!

Disclaimer: I made a bodycap pinhole a few years ago... And after my couple initial shots, it was apparent that it was more useful marking dust spots on the digital sensor than it was in making anything photo worthy!

mfohl · Apr 29, 2011

Not to mention a tripod ....

Ross Chambers · May 1, 2011

mfohl said:
Not to mention a tripod ....

More than once I've included the tripod or one of the knobs on the Manfrotto 410 head in the shot using the very wide 25mm Zero Image 4x5 setup. I'm cautious lately and have avoided it, and I'd never mention it, but crop the print.

Joe VanCleave · May 9, 2011

I've gotta confess that, although I've shot pinhole on mainly paper for the last 15 years, and love large format, just this last week I received in the mail the Pinwide body cap for the micro-4/3 digital cameras, and have begun to explore its possibilities.

The idea with this pinhole cap is that the u-4/3 cameras are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras, and the Pinwide is a recessed conical-shaped cap that places the pinhole a mere 11mm from the sensor, giving a truly wide angle of view, something not possible before in digital pinhole. Here's a coupla images to give you an idea. I used a tripod of course, and also the camera's self-timer to settle out any movement prior to exposure, as I had fogotten my remote release cable.

Converted to B/W in post:

Self-portrait:

My better half:

Poisson Du Jour · May 10, 2011

Well, pinhole day was shot on all sorts of cameras, from home made biscuit tin knock-ups to, I think, one of Canon's flagship EOS 1D Mk III behemoths, all with a single body cap converted to a pinhole.
I have never seen, much less heard of, the µ⅔ camera you are speaking of. Sounds like quite a curious device.

tomalophicon · May 10, 2011

Ewwww, please, no more talk of digital anything!

analogue pinhole curmudgeon vs digital want it all

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