Beginners Question

wildbillbugman · Jun 22, 2013

Ground Glass,
Here is a basic question that betrays my lack of experience with pinhole photography.
If I use an 8x10 view camera, with a pinhole attached to the lens board, will I be able to see an image on ground glass" This assumes enough lighting.
Bill

Jesper · Jun 22, 2013

In theory, but it will be too dark in reality. You will have to aim the camera without the aid of the ground glass.

Tom1956 · Jun 22, 2013

probably not.Maybe a glimmer of the brightest of the bright. Speciuar reflections.

cliveh · Jun 22, 2013

Assuming that you have aimed the camera at something lit by sunlight and you keep your head under the dark cloth for about 20 minutes, probably yes.

wildbillbugman · Jun 22, 2013

Thanks, all
What I have in mind is to use 4 150W daylight bulbs. I gust godda try it.

cliveh · Jun 22, 2013

wildbillbugman said:
Thanks, all
What I have in mind is to use 4 150W daylight bulbs. I gust godda try it.

Stick to sunlight.

Maris · Jun 22, 2013

Using my Tachihara 8x10 camera which has a bright ground glass and fresnel I can see the image of a sunny day landscape made by a f600 pinhole after a few seconds of dark adaption under the focussing cloth. In practice I use a big pinhole with a bright but blurry view for composing the picture and then replace it with the small pinhole for the actual photograph.

wildbillbugman · Jun 23, 2013

Hello,
I have attached a 0.672mm pinhole to my 5x7 wooden plate camera. It is dark outside and my only lighting has been 1 40W incandescent bulb and one of the new fluorescent bulbs that are taking the place of incandescent bulbs for home use. The bulbs are both near the ceiling. Even without taking much time for my eyes to adjust, I am able to look through the ground glass and discern objects . This is very good news for me, as I like to be able to see my image before I waste a plate. The pinhole was made for me by BOWART. ,an APUG member. He made the holes by drilling/filing under projected magnification. I have recently tried to contact him, but he has not responded. I am very encouraged by tonight's observations. I will have some much smaller pinholes etched. I am just working with what I have for now.
Bill

wildbillbugman · Jun 25, 2013

I have been reading about procedures for making pinholes used by various companies selling them for various purposes.
The laser drilled method, according to some companies, is the least desirable. Next up the ladder is mechanically drilled holes. Finally, etched holes are at the top. Some companies etch from both side, yielding what is claimed to be superior sidewalls.
Are there any comments, especial from those who disagree?
Bill

SMBooth · Jun 25, 2013

I've seen great pinhole images from all sorts of holes including handmade, ones. If create a good image nobody will care what type of hole it is.
Maris way of using a 6mm hole for framing is the best way to view on the ground glass. Most just draw some framing lines on the top and side of the camera.

KennyMark · Jun 25, 2013

Once when installing chimney pipe in a frame chimney chase of a cottage in the cedar forest in Michigan's UP, I had to spend about an hour up in the very top of said chase while others worked either below me or outside on the roof. After a short time, I noticed that there was a beautiful projected inverted image on one of the walls of this small area. Apparently there was a small nail hole near my head that let me experience the space as my private camera obscura. Serendipitous events are the best!

Rich Ullsmith · Jun 27, 2013

That's cool.

Joe VanCleave · Jun 28, 2013

wildbillbugman said:
Ground Glass,
Here is a basic question that betrays my lack of experience with pinhole photography.
If I use an 8x10 view camera, with a pinhole attached to the lens board, will I be able to see an image on ground glass" This assumes enough lighting.
Bill

I've had good luck using a second lens board with a viewing hole aperture. The viewing hole is much larger than the pinhole, maybe several millimeters across, depending on the camera's focal length. The idea is to get a bright enough image to compose by, while details in the image will be very soft you should still have enough detail to set your composition. Once set, just swap out the viewing hole lens board for the taking pinhole board.

You can make your own lens boards from model aircraft plywood, rather than spending big bucks on factory made boards. Cut them to size, bevel the edges as needed and spray paint flat black.

~Joe

Jim Jones · Jun 28, 2013

Joe is right. Black mat board or foam core is even cheaper and easier to work with for such lens boards. A cheap lens with a focal length equal to the desired pinhole focal length can be mounted in an even larger hole for brighter framing.

RalphLambrecht · Jun 28, 2013

yes, as soon as your eyes are dark-adapted under the dark cloth

RalphLambrecht · Jun 28, 2013

this worked for me upto holediameters equivalent to f/8

RalphLambrecht · Jun 28, 2013

great idea! i use f/8 for composing ans f/180-256 for image taking.

wildbillbugman · Jul 1, 2013

Hello to all,
Jim Jones brought to my attention the Hue Candela.com website, with its formula for determining pinhole diameter in micro pinholes up to x100. I did the calculations for X3 at 3 focal lengths,
Please look at the 2 attachments and give me your opinions/advise
Bill

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