Those homemade cameras...

Id say its been asked before but.. I was wondering if ye guys could

tell me basically everything on how to make one of those pinhole

cameras that you can make from shoe boxes and film ?

 

If its too much bother to type it all out a link would be equally

helpful, but 1st hand experience would be handy also !

 

Also a couple of questions: are they easy to make ? What kind of

film can I use could I use normal 35 mm film for normal film

cameras ? How would I go about developing the negatives (if I get it

to work) would it be possible to do it myself or would that be just

way too hard ?

 

I apologize if the way I talk about film is wrong ive had no

experience and little knowledge of film, I thought to myself tonight

this would a fun place to start !

I suggest you Google around a lot. It will yield more info than you can shake a stick at. For

example <a href="http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/PinCam/pincam.html">this</a>

and <a href="http://www.kodak.com/global/en/consumer/education/lessonPlans/

pinholeCamera/">this</a>! Those were the first two hits for the search phrase

"making a homemade pinhole camera."

<p>

Also, poke around <a href="http://www.photo.net/shared/community-member?

user_id=16020">some links on my community page</a>. Especially about how to make a

pinhole. Boy, you might have fun if you can find a Polaroid back to practice with, read

<a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/3648357">this photo

description</a> also for what I did.

Check HTTP://www.freestile.biz They sell pinhole kits or the pictures can give you Ideas. One is made from a paint can. heck who would have thought of that. Some are made of cardboard some of wood. When I was a kid I built one out of an oatmeal box. I even made interchangeable pinholes ising differant size needles through thick foil. The hind you find on top a peanut can. heck maybe you can use a peanut can and the same foil.

 

I found that using photo paper or even cutting sheetfilm works in them. 1 time I used direct process Cibachrome/ilfordchrome paper and processed it to get a direct positive. The world has no limits if you are willing to not limit yourself to what the people of the world tell you you Can't do.

Are you thinking of the <a href="http://www.pinhole.cz/en/pinholecameras/dirkon_01.html">Dirkon</a>?

HAve you tried that one ?

As far as actual camera construction, I found that those old 50 cal military

ammo boxes are ideal. Light tight, airtight, waterproof, indestructible. The

mechanism inside to hold the sheet film is up to you (try balsa strips, styreen

plastic, glue, black paint.)

 

Also, you can get two 4X5 sheets in an ammo box, if you partition it in the

middle. The most basic form of exposure bracketing!

 

Only problem is they look menacing, especially when you set it up in the park,

stand back and stare at your watch. Cops will probably want to know what's

inside. This has not happened to me yet.

Yeah, you might be carefull with military stuff today. They might see you as a terrorist. Before you know a bombsquad blows up you precious ammobox thinking there's a bomb inside.