Light tight seals for large DIY pinhole camera

[nsurit]

I am building an 8X10 pinhole camera and am interested in a good light tight seal for the surface the film holder is in contact with. Any ideas as to what willl keep the light out, not fall apart in a year or two and where it might be available? I've bought kits from Jon Goodman in the past for my 35mm cameras, however I'm looking for wider and longer. Bill Barber

 

[rbeech]

When I built mine, I used closed cell weather stripping from any hardware store.

 

[Jeff Searust]

Make sure that anything like a film holder in contact with the camera body isn't going to change the distance between the lens/pinhole and the film plane.

remember light does not go around corners. Build a slot or something similar for the film holder or some sort of flange on the film holder.

I would also suggest a copy of Primitive Photography by Greene-- an excellent resource.

 

[BrianShaw]

Make sure that anything like a film holder in contact with the camera body isn't going to change the distance between the (word "lens" deleted) pinhole and the film plane.

For a pinhole I would assume the DOF and tolerance is huge enough that foam compression wouldn't be much of an issue... or is it?

 

[Jim Noel]

Foam compression is of no consequence. The black, closed cell foam works well.

 

[nsurit]

Jon Goodman came through like a champ. BB