Polaroid Pinhole

[DPVisions]

I finally took some time this weekend to assemble a DIY pinhole camera based on Polaroid film. The camera is complete and operational except for a tripod mount which I will be addressing this week.

I decided to give the Impossible Project instant PX film a shot and experimented with the PX 600 and PX 100 films. The PX 100 is definitely not ready for long exposures, very grainy and poor image detail. The PX 600 UV+ film on the other hand worked really well.

A few results:

Camera Build Details
Polaroid Land Camera Back for SX-70 or 600 Film. This is a mechanism that allows you to load a cartridge of instant film and then push a button to eject the exposed image.

Skink Pinhole Pro Set for Panasonic GF1
.2mm Pinhole
.34mm Zone Plate
.22mm Zone Sieve

5mm Black Foam Core Sheet

105mm x 105mm Top with 24mm circle cutout for Skink pinhole adapter
​

105mm x 105mm Bottom with 80mm x 85mm cutout for film plane
​

100mm x 50mm Sides​

Camera Angle of View: 85° ( Approximate equivalent to field of view of a 24mm lens on a full frame 35mm format system)
Focal Length: 60mm
Aperture: f/300 (.2mm Pinhole)
f/272 (.22mm Zone Sieve)
f/176 (.34 Zone Plate)

Images of completed camera - http://www.pbase.com/slowboat/polaroid_pinhole

 

[holmburgers]

very cool

 

[Franswa]

That. Is. Awesome. !

I'd love to have one of those. You should make and sell them

 

[Christopher Walrath]

Very creative. And some great photographs to boot. Time well spent I would venture.

 

[sandholm]

Cool project.

I am really curious about the 8x10 machine the impossible projects has, would love to try some 8x10 pinhole captures.

 

[fotogal]

Wow. Your images with the pinhole camera using SX70 turned out way better than mine with a Polaroid instant camera. Maybe pinhole is the way to go with IP's instant films.

 

[DPVisions]

Added a RRS point n shoot camera plate to the setup so I am now tripod enabled. Now if that order of new film hurry up and arrive. I have completely given up on the PX 100 as that experience was terrible and not worth the money. More PX 600 on the way with a couple of boxes of the color push to try out.

I really do hope that the consistency continues to improved and IP becomes a stable source of integral film. Very high hopes that 4x5 and 8x10 will become a reality over the next couple of years.

Cheers,
David

 

[pdexposures]

Where did you get your CB70 back and how much did you pay might I ask? I've been looking for one for a while but only seem to find them on eBay for $100+

 

[DPVisions]

I ended up paying just under $100 on an auction. I found that with patience you can occasionally get a decent deal on the CB70s. But, for the most part they are now getting close to the $200 mark.

I wonder if it would be easier to buy a SX70 and hack it apart than trying to get a CB70.

Cheers,
David

 

[vdonovan]

Great stuff! I like to use the Fuji peel-apart instant film in a pinhole camera made from an old medical Polaroid. Best thing about it? ISO 3000, so exposures can be relatively short: