Corbis Readymech pinhole cameras?

[Jerevan]

Once upon a time there used to be something called Corbis Readymech pinhole cameras, basically a fancy-design version of a 35 mm pinhole camera made out of paper - I guess they were just a printout pdf file.

There is a bunch of articles (like this one for example, https://www.thecoolist.com/pinhole-cameras-10-paper-cameras-for-photograph-purists/ ) but the link to the Readymech is gone dodo.

Does anyone know where I could find a working link, or have pdf copies of these buried somewhere on a drive?

 

[Molli]

After trying every website variation to find the original files and failing, and also not finding any notice on the plans about NOT distributing the pdf files, I hope these are the plans you're searching for..... and that I'm not breaching any copyrights in posting them!

Okay, the second file is too large, apparently. Here are links to both of them in my public Dropbox folder. If you have any trouble accessing them, PM me your email address and I'll happily send them along to you.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zd16ppet1hjjkx0/01 Pinhole Camera Plan - Corbis Readymech Cameras.pdf?dl=0
[1.4mb]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/msm1xnvh5m1q85v/02 Pinhole Camera Plan [Dr. Livingstone] - Corbis Readymech Cameras.pdf?dl=0
[2.26mb]

 

[ciniframe]

Unless interested in the project for the hand crafted art aspect just using a plastic 35mm reloadable camera for conversion to pinhole would simplify film handling. Disassemble the camera and remove the lens and shutter. Install the pinhole and glue a sliding shutter made from card stock on the front. A lot of these little cameras had sliding lens covers so you probably wouldn't even need to make a shutter. Make a tripod adapter by drilling and tapping a 2X4X.25 inch hardwood 1/4-20 and rubber band the camera to the block. I find tapping directly into the hardwood works fine, you don't need a metal 'T' nut.

 

[Jerevan]

After trying every website variation to find the original files and failing, and also not finding any notice on the plans about NOT distributing the pdf files, I hope these are the plans you're searching for.....

All right - yeah! Thank you very much for your effort!

I am mostly in it for the arty presentation and making something with paper and glue, so these ones are perfect. especially the Dr Livingstone camera.

 

[Jerevan]

Unless interested in the project for the hand crafted art aspect just using a plastic 35mm reloadable camera for conversion to pinhole would simplify film handling.

Yes, the film handling, especially with 35 mm film is a bit of a bother. I am thinking of making my own 120 camera eventually, but I am still gathering ideas.

 

[ciniframe]

Yes, the film handling, especially with 35 mm film is a bit of a bother. I am thinking of making my own 120 camera eventually, but I am still gathering ideas.

With pinhole the bigger the better. that said who wants to lug around a 16X20. I find 4X5 nearly ideal. I don't bother with film but use photo paper as a negative, and then contact print to get a positive.
Advantages;
1. Being able to handle loading and developing under safelight.
2. Cheap. About 50 cents per print. (negative/positive pair)
3. Longer exposures easier to time.
4. No need to wait to finish a roll. Each film holder only holds 2 exposures
5. Can be processed and printed with very minimal equipment and chemicals.
Disadvantages;
1. Very slow, usually ISO 6~12, so get comfortable, could be awhile.
2. Contrast can be hard to control.
3. Poor latent image stability
Overall I find 4X5 to be the sweet spot in pinhole.

 

[Jerevan]

Overall I find 4X5 to be the sweet spot in pinhole.

You just reminded me about paper negatives and that I also need to make a 5x7" pinhole camera. Now that's my sweet spot.

 

[NedL]

...
Disadvantages;
...
3. Poor latent image stability

I've seen this mentioned a couple times recently.
I've never noticed latent image deterioration, even after weeks or months. What kind of paper do you use?

 

[ciniframe]

I've seen this mentioned a couple times recently.
I've never noticed latent image deterioration, even after weeks or months. What kind of paper do you use?

Ilford RC Multigrade 4 mostly, because it is what I had on hand and it doesn't fog too quickly with my 11W Brightlab red bulb. I've also tried Oriental Seagull RC grade 2 but with the same safelight bulb at the same distance (at least 4 ft.) it fogged immediately (and I mean IMMEDIATELY!) when I pulled a sheet from the box. With the Oriental paper the only safelight solution I could rig up without buying more stuff was to shine a small LED flashlight taped to a brown beer bottle, That seemed to work ok.
My estimation of short latent image stability was derived from my personal experience. I have always gone out, exposed some sheets, went back home and developed the same day or not later than the next day. I know my cameras and exposures well and during an extra busy time I left some film holders undeveloped for about 4 months. The images were so faint as to be almost unexposed at all. This, although they had been exposed correctly under the same lighting that produced correctly exposed paper negs when developed right away.
My personal note to self since that time has been to develop within a day or two.
So.....personal experience. Take it for what it's worth.

 

[NedL]

Thanks, got it. I've developed paper negatives after 3 or 4 months many times without any issues. Including MGIV RC ( but I haven't used MGIV in a while and that must have been 5 or 6 years ago... I don't know if MGIV RC changed when they changed the lineup to include "MG classic" etc.. ) As with all things like this, there might be some factor that matters that we aren't aware of ( storage conditions, humidity, etc... ).