pinhole redux!

Hi All,
I just got back into pinhole after almost a 4 year "break" from it. This
is the best image from my new cardboard camera in the past few days:





Also, in case people are interested, I have plans for an 8x10 multi shot
pinhole design which works pretty well. The only thing that isnt ideal is a
change in the "focal length" depending on the shot number. This can
be mitigated by a smarted choice of material than Lexan, though. Anyway,
its a cheaper solution than an 8x10 field cam + holders and is fun to build
(like all ponhole cams!). Tell me what you think:

http://perutz.salk.edu/~mnanao/pinhole/plans.html

max

What do I think ?

maxn said:

Hi All,
I just got back into pinhole after almost a 4 year "break" from it.

Click to expand...

I think it's an absolutely COOL idea I think your woodworking skills are also to be commended, not just the design and the resulting photograph.

maxn said:

Also, in case people are interested, I have plans for an 8x10 multi shot
pinhole design which works pretty well. The only thing that isnt ideal is a
change in the "focal length" depending on the shot number. This can
be mitigated by a smarted choice of material than Lexan, though. Anyway,
its a cheaper solution than an 8x10 field cam + holders and is fun to build
(like all ponhole cams!). Tell me what you think:

http://perutz.salk.edu/~mnanao/pinhole/plans.html

Click to expand...

This is similar (but reverse operation) to a design I've seen on f/295, the pinhole photography group -- which, itself, was a reinvention of the falling (glass) plate cameras that were sold in 4x5 size from around 1890 until about 1920 or so. The original falling plate cameras had a mechanism that move the plate stack forward to maintain the same film plane through all exposures, and I think the one on f/295 also does so -- one advantage of falling plates.

Bad news is, for a pinhole camera, you have to have a "focal" length longer than the vertical dimension of your film. Good news is, you don't have to have expensive 8x10 holders or reload in a changing bag to take more than one shot.

I'm working on a design that may solve both problems -- a rotary multi-holder design that will produce a wide-angle camera capable of three or four shots. Made in a three pound coffee can or gallon paint can, it might be possible to accomodate 8x10 in one.

thanks for the comments! Donald, I'd love to see your design. I'm getting back into it, but I'm
living abroad (France) and dont have the tools etc to re-make my multi shot, so I'd love to
see alternative methods.

I forgot to mention that it has a tripod mount too. This inspired even stranger looks and more
questions, if that is possible, than when I was shooting with my Toyo 45AII. As an added
note, if you guys are sick of questions about your LF/pinhole rigs, try understanding them and
answering them in a language that you barely speak!

Max, most of my pinhole stuff is going on f/295 now -- if you're interested in pinholing, that's probably the place for it (the whole place is pinhole, like this whole place is film). There aren't a huge number of active members, but that also means it's easier to keep up with the traffic on the forums there, and everyone there is a pinholer or wants to be a pinholer.

That's where I'll post the construction photos of my rotary. Basic synopsis, however: a rotating unit inside a round cookie tin will hold three (or in a larger tin, four) 9x12 or 4x5 (depending on the tin) films, with an indexed operating knob on the bottom of the camera. Top loading, of course, and yes, it'll have a tripod mount.

Donald, there are some gargantuan (ok, semi-gargantuan) industrial size Danish butter cookie tins out there. I have bummed a couple empties so I didn't have to patronize the politically-incorrect store than sells them :O)

Maybe I'm exaggerating, but I'll guess it's a 2-2.5 gallon cookie cavern, uh, can. I guess that's no big deal, considering there are 55 gallon drums, garbage cans, etc. Nice typical cookie tin id.

M

Cookie tin LID, not ID.

Oh, BTW, MAXN, I like the original image. The contrasting curves are interesting and the wall at right gives a huge depth perspective.

Theh plans are always interesting and helpful to see also.