Video: Four Pinhole Camera Designs

Joe VanCleave · Dec 28, 2014

I've just uploaded a video to YouTube describing four of my pinhole camera designs.

~Joe

[video=youtube_share;bY5sATO4V1E]http://youtu.be/bY5sATO4V1E[/video]

nsurit · Dec 29, 2014

Joe, dang, I thought I had enough to keep me busy. Great ideas. Thanks, Bill Barber

rince · Dec 29, 2014

These Designs are amazing! I love pinhole cameras and I am always in awe of the creativity displayed by pinhole camera makers. To bad that I have two left hands with all thumbs, otherwise I would try to put my spin on the grid camera. Excellent video!

Gesendet von meinem iPhone mit Tapatalk

removed account4 · Dec 29, 2014

beautiful work joe !
i love falling plate cameras and yours is no exception

scheimfluger_77 · Dec 29, 2014

He's pretty inventive isn't he.

MrBrowning · Dec 29, 2014

Very cool. I have a few designs that I plan to work on over the winter and this is a little more of a push to get off my rear and get moving on them.

removedacct1 · Dec 29, 2014

Brilliant designs, Joe! Thanks for sharing these (and your other) videos.

Barry S · Dec 29, 2014

I love all four cameras--what excellent work! It would be great to see some examples from each camera, but thanks for posting such a nicely done video.

TheToadMen · Dec 29, 2014

A bearded guy in a nice shirt talking about pinhole? I'll watch this later for sure!

BTW: you look a bit like that guy in your avatar

Joe VanCleave · Dec 29, 2014

Thanks for the kind comments. I'm going to have to rescan some old film and paper negatives to get some examples posted, as a recent hard drive backup snafu resulted in a loss of many old scans. And F295 used to have many of these posted to their Black & White image subforum, but I'm not sure if they're still available. I'll do some checking.

The beard is getting a bit shaggy, it's the longest I've ever grown it. But the weather's cold, so I ain't trimming it any time soon!

~Joe

Joe VanCleave · Dec 29, 2014

Okay, I dived into my archives notebooks and rescanned sample images from all four pinhole cameras.

First up is from the 5x8 falling plate camera, a pre-flashed grade 2 paper negative image made atop the Sandstone Overlook in the El Malpais National Monument in western New Mexico. The dark landscape below the cliffs are the vast lava fields.

58FP_Sandstone_Overlook001a by jvcabacus, on Flickr

Next is from the 2x2 brass pinhole plate camera, a still-life scene of a pepper grinder and newspaper, recorded onto Freestyle's APHS ortho lith film. This negative was very much spotted with specks and dirt. I chose the 2x2 sized format because my flatbed scanner has a 2x2 slide mount scanning system.

22BR_Pepper_Grinder002a by jvcabacus, on Flickr

Next is a pre-flashed grade 2 paper negative from the carousel pinhole camera, of a glass vase. Note the curved film plane.

45CA_Vase001a by jvcabacus, on Flickr

Finally is an 8x10 pre-flashed grade 2 paper negative from the 9-chamber pinhole grid camera, made in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains near Placitas. The four corner panoramas are from the four cardinal directions, the center image is looking at the Sandias in the morning haze (unfortunately I got the horizon crooked), while the four smaller side images are of local details in the area. Also note how the pinhole chambers don't all have the same sized pinhole, as evidenced by the differences in exposure between the various cells. Going forward, I should purchase a set of nine EMS electron microscope apertures in place of the handmade pinholes, then I'd put this camera to more serious use.

810GRID_Landscape001a by jvcabacus, on Flickr

~Joe

Truzi · Dec 29, 2014

I can't say why, but the pepper mill photo speaks to me. I reminds me of something from my childhood, the mill and the way the light filters through it onto the newspaper, but I can't quite put my finger on it. I really like that photo.

ciniframe · Dec 29, 2014

Thanks for that video Joe. I've heard of 'drop plate' cameras but never researched how they worked, your video was very informative.

My winter project is a 5in. X 12in. curved film pano pinhole made out of plywood. I really intend to photograph all stages of the build, well, we'll see how that works out.

TheToadMen · Dec 30, 2014

Joe VanCleave said:
Finally is an 8x10 pre-flashed grade 2 paper negative from the 9-chamber pinhole grid camera, made in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains near Placitas. The four corner panoramas are from the four cardinal directions, the center image is looking at the Sandias in the morning haze (unfortunately I got the horizon crooked), while the four smaller side images are of local details in the area. Also note how the pinhole chambers don't all have the same sized pinhole, as evidenced by the differences in exposure between the various cells. Going forward, I should purchase a set of nine EMS electron microscope apertures in place of the handmade pinholes, then I'd put this camera to more serious use.

~Joe

I like the 9-chamber image. I had that idea in my mind for quite some time to do someday and looking at this I will.

About the EMS electron microscope apertures, I bought me some tubes with these pinholes so I can send you some. What size do you need?
I'll check what I have got.

Bert from Holland

Joe VanCleave · Dec 30, 2014

Bert, you're very kind. The camera focal length is 88mm, which implies a pinhole size around 0.3-0.33mm, depending on one's preference; I like to use a bit smaller than what the standard Rayleigh formula would suggest.

Shipped from Holland to the States might be expensive. I know I can buy these from Earl Johnson over on F295, I'll try that first.

~Joe

NedL · Dec 30, 2014

Joe, I'm intrigued by the multi-chamber camera as well. You've got me thinking about possibilities!

TheToadMen · Dec 30, 2014

Joe VanCleave said:
Bert, you're very kind. The camera focal length is 88mm, which implies a pinhole size around 0.3-0.33mm, depending on one's preference; I like to use a bit smaller than what the standard Rayleigh formula would suggest.

Shipped from Holland to the States might be expensive. I know I can buy these from Earl Johnson over on F295, I'll try that first.

~Joe

Hi Joe,
The pinholes and shipping are for free, I meant it as a gift

But I have 200 micron and 400 micron (0.2 and 0.4 mm), not 300 micron (0.3 mm). The 200 micron should work fine, but will give longer exposure times. The shims itself are just 3.05 mm in diameter (= very small but doable).

I got the pinholes from Electron Microscopy Sciences. See: http://www.emsdiasum.com/microscopy/products/grids/gilder.aspx#GA75 under "Single Slot Grids (Aperture Grids)".

Just let me know if you can use some (if so, PM me).
Bert

Joe VanCleave · Dec 30, 2014

You are very kind and generous, Bert. PM sent.

~Joe

padesig · Jan 6, 2015

Great works Joe, here in Rome, Italy, there are some "pinholers" that near the Pinhole Day in April leads a short session of pinhole construction in a small photographic association. If this year we'll have another construction session, we'll show your video to those people, it is a nice way to introduce to pinhole creativity!

esearing · Feb 9, 2015

Just a thought on the compartmented camera. If there were four compartments (4x5 each), a user could effectively "Bracket" the exposures of a scene or use different speeds of film in each compartment.

On the falling plate camera, would it be more stable if there were two notches/sliders that moved in tandem? And perhaps one that moves up and down on the side to keep the exposed plates held down during travel. It would be in up position when dropping the plates. Or even a spring loaded nob that pulls out while dropping the plates.

frank · Feb 9, 2015

Thanks Joe. Love homemade cameras!

Here's a sliding box in box (to focus) camera with a 90 Angulon on the front and a salvaged 4x5 graflok back on the back.

Joe VanCleave · Feb 10, 2015

Frank, that looks like a very rugged and easy camera to use. Please post some images when you get a chance.

~joe

Video: Four Pinhole Camera Designs

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