PINHOLE BOBYCAP

Philippe-Georges · Jun 23, 2020

dear Apugers,
I am looking for a pinhole body cap that would fit my Hasselblad 500.
If possible in the EEC.
It looks that in the U.S. this is rather common to find; the same on eBay, but there it is quite costly to get it shipped (and custom's duty are too) to Belgium.
But over here, in Europe, most of the shops I could find on the internet ran out of stock, for the Hasselblad V at least...
Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Donald Qualls · Jun 23, 2020

1. Buy body cap to fit your mount (or use one you already have).
2. Drill center hole in body cap.
3. Make suitable pinhole.
4. Tape pinhole inside body cap.

QED

removed account4 · Jun 23, 2020

There is a maker named William christianson who has a website called minute aperture ( I think ?) he goes by the name pinholebilly on eBay. He sells both the.caps fitted with a pinhole and sets of laser cut pinholes. There are instructions here on apug About making one and determining its fstop. Have fun!

Jeremy Mudd · Jun 23, 2020

Here you go:

http://www.pinholeedun.com/products-and-ordering/

Jeremy

Philippe-Georges · Jun 23, 2020

Donald Qualls said:
1. Buy body cap to fit your mount (or use one you already have).
2. Drill center hole in body cap.
3. Make suitable pinhole.
4. Tape pinhole inside body cap.

QED

Dear Donald,
It's precisely item three which is the most delicate, I was told it should be 0,4 mm in diameter.

Jeremy, that looks interesting!

But thank you all anyway!

Donald Qualls · Jun 23, 2020

Start with a piece of brass shim stock or heavy aluminum foil (the kind used for pie pans) Mount a sewing needle with the eye end in a cork or similar hand protector,. Place the foil or shim on a wood plank or heavy cardboard surface, and drill (don't just push) the needle point into the metal until it almost comes through, then sand off the raise bump on the back side.

Measure the resulting hole (a flatbed scanner can do this, along with image editing software -- and there are other, lower-tech ways). If too small, push a small amount more of the needle into the hole and sand off the burrs again.

Sounds complex and difficult, but a 10 year old can do it in five minutes after a couple practice runs.

removed account4 · Jun 23, 2020

Jeremy Mudd said:
Here you go:

http://www.pinholeedun.com/products-and-ordering/

Jeremy

That’s it !!

Philippe-Georges · Jun 24, 2020

Thank you all for these kind advises!
Donald: the idea is good and I have a lot of empty Polariöd 100 cassettes, there is a lot of thin galvanised metal sheet worked in them, perhaps I can use these?

Donald Qualls · Jun 24, 2020

Philippe-Georges said:
Thank you all for these kind advises!
Donald: the idea is good and I have a lot of empty Polariöd 100 cassettes, there is a lot of thin galvanised metal sheet worked in them, perhaps I can use these?

From my recollection, that steel is a bit harder and thicker than is desirable for drilling a pinhole. That's the spring leaves and backing plate that would have been behind the film, right? The side wall of an aluminum beverage can will work better -- it's work hardened, but it's very, very thin. You can cut it with scissors, still drill it with a sewing needle (the Polaroid metal would probably require a heavy tack, leading to the likelihood of too large a hole), and it's easy to sand the paint off if you prefer.

Philippe-Georges · Jun 24, 2020

Wow, Donald, that is indeed a well thought advise I will follow!

Jeremy Mudd · Jun 24, 2020

Donald Qualls said:
From my recollection, that steel is a bit harder and thicker than is desirable for drilling a pinhole. That's the spring leaves and backing plate that would have been behind the film, right? The side wall of an aluminum beverage can will work better -- it's work hardened, but it's very, very thin. You can cut it with scissors, still drill it with a sewing needle (the Polaroid metal would probably require a heavy tack, leading to the likelihood of too large a hole), and it's easy to sand the paint off if you prefer.

I made a pinhole body cap for my Nikon DSLR a few years back and that's exactly what I used for the pin center - an aluminum beer can.

Jeremy

Arthurwg · Jun 25, 2020

Just wondering: How will you expose your film as the camera will have no shutter? Pre release the mirror and rear shutter, then somehow open the pinhole and close it again? Will the film advance without the lens?

Donald Qualls · Jun 25, 2020

Pinhole exposures are usually long enough to manually uncover the pinhole (covered with black tape, for instance) and recover it. The only time I've had exposures less than a second was with a pinhole cap on M42 and EI1600 film -- about 1/4 second in daylight.

Can't answer whether a 'Blad will advance with the lens off. An RB67 will, with the manual advance release -- and recocking the body will drop the mirror (which is how it protects the film for a lens change if you don't reinsert the dark slide).

Philippe-Georges · Jun 25, 2020

Arthurwg said:
Just wondering: How will you expose your film as the camera will have no shutter? Pre release the mirror and rear shutter, then somehow open the pinhole and close it again? Will the film advance without the lens?

Well, as Donald said with some gaffer tape, but I could use my melon hat, seriously, the rear- (in camera flap-) schutter will have to do...

AgX · Jun 25, 2020

Philippe-Georges said:
Dear Donald,
It's precisely item three which is the most delicate, I was told it should be 0,4 mm in diameter.

Common miniature drill-bit sets with 0.1mm steps go down to 0.3mm, so it's basically doable.

eli griggs · Jun 26, 2020

Harbor Freight sells a box of micro bits of used industry nuts, end mills, etc, in carbidea other high grade materials, including diamond nuts.

I will recommend the double set of ten carbide micro drills at $8 and go from there.

Look online or in the weekly flyers of local stores delivered in the mail, for the Harbor Freight flyer, which has a 20% off coupon, to make it an even better deal, plus free gift.

I will add that they also sell good micrometers for cheap, that measures in Metric and SAE, so you can test the size needle, bur or drill, ie, is it really .3 mm or no.

IMO.

eli griggs · Jun 26, 2020

Donald Qualls said:
Pinhole exposures are usually long enough to manually uncover the pinhole (covered with black tape, for instance) and recover it. The only time I've had exposures less than a second was with a pinhole cap on M42 and EI1600 film -- about 1/4 second in daylight.

Can't answer whether a 'Blad will advance with the lens off. An RB67 will, with the manual advance release -- and recocking the body will drop the mirror (which is how it protects the film for a lens change if you don't reinsert the dark slide).

Yes, the 500 C/M works with no lens and no magazine.

Just remember to recock body before returning a cocked lens to the body and jamming both together.

Lastly, the distance of a Hasselblad 500 C/M pinhole to film plane of .3mm, etc 75mm.

IMO

AgX · Jun 27, 2020

eli griggs said:
Harbor Freight sells a box of micro bits of used industry nuts, end mills, etc, in carbidea other high grade materials, including diamond nuts.

I will recommend the double set of ten carbide micro drills at $8 and go from there.

Look online or in the weekly flyers of local stores delivered in the mail, for the Harbor Freight flyer, which has a 20% off coupon, to make it an even better deal, plus free gift.

I will add that they also sell good micrometers for cheap, that measures in Metric and SAE, so you can test the size needle, bur or drill, ie, is it really .3 mm or no.

IMO.

The OP is located in the EU and does not want to import.
First time I myself hear of Harbour Freight, by the way.

eli griggs · Jun 27, 2020

Harbor Freight has thousands of stores in the U.S. and while some hold their noses up to the mainly Chinese made tools, etc, they serve their purpose well enough that most use them until they fail and do no mind buying again, if needed.

There are about 100,000,000 videos on YouTube not pro and cons, but the quality is almost always be good but there are some lemons, for example, I won't buy their sanding papers which I feel are no good enough to buy.

Their $89 portable metal band saw on the other hand is a real value.

Harbor Freight tools can be bought on Amazon.com UK and I suspect on the Continent.

IMO

Donald Qualls · Jun 27, 2020

I repair power tools for a living. We don't even attempt to repair Harbor Freight's private brand tools. Even if we can get parts, they're generally 8 weeks or more lead time, for a tool that the labor for the job alone will be 2/3 to twice the cost of replacement with the same tool model.

That said, if anyone asks me what brand to buy, my first question is, "How often and how long do you expect to use it?" If the answer is "one project," I recommend Harbor Freight, as they have a good return policy and if their stuff works when first unboxed, it'll last long enough for one project, without question. I've got a machinist's square set and dial caliper from HF that are perfectly fine. I've had them for almost twenty years -- but I don't try to make my living with them. I've got a small angle grinder that I've used pretty heavily, once, and it's just fine, ready to go again when I need it -- and it cost $10 (half price on sale).

My HF air compressor, welder, and nail gun aren't anything I'd plan on using for life -- but they do work, within their limits, and they were about as cheap as each device could reasonably get.

All that said, nothing from Harbor Freight is needed to make a pinhole body cap for a Hasselblad. Standard pinhole methodology uses scrap metal (soda cans, aluminum bakeware) and household items (scissors, tape, cork, sewing needle). Most would-be pinhole photographers won't need to buy anything to make their first pinhole "lens".

DWThomas · Jun 27, 2020

Donald Qualls said:
Standard pinhole methodology uses scrap metal (soda cans, aluminum bakeware) and household items (scissors, tape, cork, sewing needle). Most would-be pinhole photographers won't need to buy anything to make their first pinhole "lens".

I second this; while I'm sure one could use a micro-drill, unless one has an appropriate precision high speed drill press and a means to clamp the extremely thin stock, I doubt the result will be any better than the 'dimple-and-sand' method.

Back when I had some actual sheet metal working equipment I made a body cap pinhole assembly, complete with shutter, for my Bronica SQ-A. The actual pinhole was dimple-and-sand in brass shim stock, chemically blackened. Because of the camera's mysterious mechanical interlocks, I did have to use the SQ-A's shutter button to enable film winding to the next frame, but it worked (no idea how Hassy functions in that regard).

Since then I've gravitated to larger formats -- an occasional 8x10 contact print is good for the soul!

MattKing · Jun 27, 2020

What about using shim stock?

DWThomas · Jun 27, 2020

MattKing said:
What about using shim stock?

That's what I use. My first effort in this millennium used alumin(i)um soda can sidewall, but since then I've pretty much converged on 0.002 inch brass shim stock. Many hobby shops and some hardware or automotive stores carry a little packet assortment of 1, 2, 3, and 5 mil pieces about file card size.

Donald Qualls · Jun 27, 2020

I've used .001" and .002" brass shim stock, but I don't think it works any better than aluminum from the cylindrical part of a soda (or beer) can.

eli griggs · Jun 27, 2020

Hobby stores carry "K&S Precision Metals" as well as some Home Depots or Lowes, IIRC, in very thin sizes.

As for 'clamping' these thin or thicker metals down, apply a touch of 3 Pound Shellac to a piece of card stock, something no too flexible, and put your pinhole material down so it is glued to the card when dried, throughout.

Drill your pinhole, and when you are finished, simply place the card stock with brass pinhole into a jar with some alcohol, until the brass work slides off the card.

You can do the same with thread fastener, such as Loctite 222, Purple, but use acetone/nail polish remover to free the piece, as above.

This way, you do no chance bending your pinholes as you try to remove them from double stick tape and you do no have the brass stock flexing up and down when mechanically clamped to a work surface.

You could try sandwiching the thin stock between two solid layers of wood, metal, etc, but the shellac should serve you well, and Bullseye Shellac is found in many home shops and stores, just do no thin it for best results, IMO.

Before writing off Harbor Freight tools, look at the item you are considering and read the reviews to get an idea if it's a "gem' or a lemon, the online site allows reviews to stay up no mater how negative one might be.

Also, there are list of best buys from HF, as well as list of 'no with a ten foot pole' be aware tools.

There are many, many people who use the buy and re-buy approach to HF power tools for their own use or for/by their company.

I'll also point out that manual tools, such as screwdrivers, wrenches, hammers, etc, now carry the same "if it breaks, we'll replace it" warranty as old Sears Tools, so you can simply bring in a tool that has been broken, (no by deliberate abuse) and walk back out with a replacement.

Personally, I like the small burs,endmills and diamond bits and drills sold by HF, and will likely try using them on upcoming pinhole projects, but that is a informed, personal choice.

IMO.

.

PINHOLE BOBYCAP

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