RealitySoSubtle 6×6 VS Zero Image 6x9

marciofs · Sep 2, 2015

Yesterday was released the Reality so Subtle 6×6. I was waiting for it while trying to make up mind between it or Zero image 6x9.

My indecision is because I actually prefer the bigger frame (6x9) from Zero Camera.

But Reality so Subtle 6×6 has up level pinhole, framing lines orientation, you can move the film backwards if needed and seem to be more compact. It also has a shutter in the camera which I consider better. Zero Image cameras has nothing of it.

On the other hand, Reality so Subtle 6×6 has a focal length of 20.5mm which seems to be way too wide for me, because I am really looking for a camera to do portraits and in a such wide image of 108º the edges of the image seems to be too stretched for portraitures.

While Zero Camera 6x9 has a focal length of 40mm, so the image is less wide and the edges of the image much less stretched.

In resume, I think Reality so Subtle is much better as tool. But the bigger frame and less stretched edges from Zero Image seems to be more appropriated for my portraits shots.

I was wondering if the experience of people here doing portraits with very wide pinhole camera can help me decide if it is worth get the Reality so Subtle 6×6 or if would be more recommended the longer focal length of Zero Image Camera.

Any advice?

splash_fr · Sep 2, 2015

Thank you very much, your post just cost me a hundred bucks :-(

I didn't know this project, thanks for posting, incredible!!!
But i think the Zero is better for your portrait work. Or an Agfa-Box camera converted to pinhole is maybe even better (longer focal length).

Rgds,
Gerd.

gone · Sep 2, 2015

Do the words pinhole, portrait, and shutter actually go together? I'm trying to understand how a sitter could possibly remain still for a long period of time, and why a shutter would be necessary for long, long exposures? Not being a pinhole photographer, maybe I missed something. An Agfa Clack is 6x9, has a curved film plane, and a shutter. They also seem to be available for under $30 on eBay where I live. So why not just put a pinhole lens on one of those? A portrait pinhole is going to require longer exposures too, so better prop up your sitter somehow. Or something.

marciofs · Sep 2, 2015

splash_fr said:
Thank you very much, your post just cost me a hundred bucks :-(

I didn't know this project, thanks for posting, incredible!!!
But i think the Zero is better for your portrait work. Or an Agfa-Box camera converted to pinhole is maybe even better (longer focal length).

Rgds,
Gerd.

Thank you for the suggestion about Agfa box. I will try it. I hope it is easy to remove its glass lens.

marciofs · Sep 2, 2015

momus said:
Do the words pinhole, portrait, and shutter actually go together? I'm trying to understand how a sitter could possibly remain still for a long period of time, and why a shutter would be necessary for long, long exposures? Not being a pinhole photographer, maybe I missed something. An Agfa Clack is 6x9, has a curved film plane, and a shutter. They also seem to be available for under $30 on eBay where I live. So why not just put a pinhole lens on one of those? A portrait pinhole is going to require longer exposures too, so better prop up your sitter somehow. Or something.

Yes, they go together.
From 5 seconds to 15 seconds a sitter can stay still quite well. I have shot a sitter for about 15min with pinhole.

DWThomas · Sep 2, 2015

Actually, just that name "RealitySoSubtle" has to be worth something!

I may be mis-remembering, or thinking of some other camera, but didn't Zero Image have an arrangement (or a particular model) with multiple sections that could be stacked to change the pinhole to film distance? That might be an attractive idea.

The first pinhole work I did (in recent history) used a 4x5 press camera for which I made a new lensboard with a pinhole and flap shutter. That camera had a flip-up wire-frame finder arrangement which essentially compensated for the pinhole to film distance as it was changed by using the focus rack-and-pinion mechanism. A similar camera, perhaps one of the smaller format ones, with a rollfilm back would be a good foundation for a flexible pinhole setup. (I stopped using that camera, as I was somewhat dissatisfied with it. But I think I just need to make a new pinhole for it knowing everything I know now.) One could presumably unscrew the lenses from a shutter assembly and install a pinhole if one wanted a fancy shutter.

The beauty of the pinhole camera concept is that there are a thousand ways to get there!

Richard S. (rich815) · Sep 2, 2015

My Zero Image 69B has moveable slats that allow me to shoot 6x9, 6x7, 6x6 and 6x4.5. Get that one. They are gorgeous.

marciofs · Sep 2, 2015

DWThomas said:
[...]
The beauty of the pinhole camera concept is that there are a thousand ways to get there!

This is what I love about pinhole cameras.

marciofs · Sep 2, 2015

Richard Sintchak (rich815) said:
My Zero Image 69B has moveable slats that allow me to shoot 6x9, 6x7, 6x6 and 6x4.5. Get that one. They are gorgeous.

I will try adapt my agfa box for potrait first, as sugested...

But I am more towards RealitySoSubtle for general purpose because of its features.

baachitraka · Sep 2, 2015

http://www.ebay.de/usr/pinhole-shop?_trksid=p2053788.m1543.l2754

@marciofs: You may like this shop but right now they just got Agfa-Isola.

Richard S. (rich815) · Sep 2, 2015

marciofs said:
I will try adapt my agfa box for potrait first, as sugested...

But I am more towards RealitySoSubtle for general purpose because of its features.

Which features exactly?

marciofs · Sep 2, 2015

baachitraka said:
http://www.ebay.de/usr/pinhole-shop?_trksid=p2053788.m1543.l2754

@marciofs: You may like this shop but right now they just got Agfa-Isola.

Thank you very much.

Maris · Sep 2, 2015

marciofs said:
Thank you for the suggestion about Agfa box. I will try it. I hope it is easy to remove its glass lens.

No need to remove the glass. At optimised pinhole apertures the image is 100% diffraction limited and the presence or absence of glass makes no difference. A lenscap with a pinhole offers both possibilities, fuzzy or sharp, without breaking the camera.

Jim Noel · Sep 2, 2015

DWThomas said:
Actually, just that name "RealitySoSubtle" has to be worth something!

I may be mis-remembering, or thinking of some other camera, but didn't Zero Image have an arrangement (or a particular model) with multiple sections that could be stacked to change the pinhole to film distance? That might be an attractive idea.

The first pinhole work I did (in recent history) used a 4x5 press camera for which I made a new lensboard with a pinhole and flap shutter. That camera had a flip-up wire-frame finder arrangement which essentially compensated for the pinhole to film distance as it was changed by using the focus rack-and-pinion mechanism. A similar camera, perhaps one of the smaller format ones, with a rollfilm back would be a good foundation for a flexible pinhole setup. (I stopped using that camera, as I was somewhat dissatisfied with it. But I think I just need to make a new pinhole for it knowing everything I know now.) One could presumably unscrew the lenses from a shutter assembly and install a pinhole if one wanted a fancy shutter.

The beauty of the pinhole camera concept is that there are a thousand ways to get there!

The 4x5" Zero Image has stacks as you indicate.

marciofs · Sep 2, 2015

Maris said:
No need to remove the glass. At optimised pinhole apertures the image is 100% diffraction limited and the presence or absence of glass makes no difference. A lenscap with a pinhole offers both possibilities, fuzzy or sharp, without breaking the camera.

Thank you very much for telling me that. It makes me happier about the camera and makes my job easier.

marciofs · Sep 2, 2015

Jim Noel said:
The 4x5" Zero Image has stacks as you indicate.

I know.
I really like the quality of the images from this camera and negative size, but I want keep in the middle format at the moment.

splash_fr · Sep 11, 2015

I got my french 6x6 pinhole cam today. It is so cool, smaller than my 135 rangefinders, light, and very easy to frame. I love it!
Sorry for the OT...

marciofs · Sep 11, 2015

splash_fr said:
I got my french 6x6 pinhole cam today. It is so cool, smaller than my 135 rangefinders, light, and very easy to frame. I love it!
Sorry for the OT...

I am happy for you. Congrats.
I will get my soon.

TheToadMen · Sep 12, 2015

I have converted an old Agfa Clack and an old Gevabox into a pinhole camera.
They're great to use and very suitable for portraits too.

If you don't have one of these, I can send you an Agfa Clack if you like, so you can convert it yourself (not difficult to do).

marciofs · Sep 12, 2015

TheToadMen said:
I have converted an old Agfa Clack and an old Gevabox into a pinhole camera.
They're great to use and very suitable for portraits too.

If you don't have one of these, I can send you an Agfa Clack if you like, so you can convert it yourself (not difficult to do).

Thanks.
I do have a Agfa box Synchro.
I tried to make a pinhole and install on the camera but then I tought it would be a better idea to but pinhole (just the pin not the camera) from people who do it with better quality, to install on my agfa Box.

TheToadMen · Sep 12, 2015

marciofs said:
Thanks.
I do have a Agfa box Synchro.
I tried to make a pinhole and install on the camera but then I tought it would be a better idea to but pinhole (just the pin not the camera) from people who do it with better quality, to install on my agfa Box.

I put the pinhole on the inside of the body - not on the outside behind the shutter parts.

marciofs · Sep 13, 2015

TheToadMen said:
I put the pinhole on the inside of the body - not on the outside behind the shutter parts.

This is what I want to do.
It s easy to open the camera.
Thank you.

Adam W · Sep 13, 2015

TheToadMen said:
I have converted an old Agfa Clack and an old Gevabox into a pinhole camera.
They're great to use and very suitable for portraits too.

If you don't have one of these, I can send you an Agfa Clack if you like, so you can convert it yourself (not difficult to do).

I'd love to try making my own pinhole. What are you asking for it?

Adam

TheToadMen · Sep 13, 2015

Adam W said:
I'd love to try making my own pinhole. What are you asking for it?
Adam

PM answered

marciofs · Sep 20, 2015

I did a test today with a Agfa Box where I installed a pinhole in it.
It has a flare and vignetting issue but I guess it is because I placed the pinhole in front of the shutter. I will now place the pinhole behind the shutter and see how better it gets.

Here are some exemples. Shot with Fomapan 400 at 1600:

I really like this one by the way:

RealitySoSubtle 6×6 VS Zero Image 6x9

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