connealy Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 I finally got around to making a pinhole out of one of my box cameras, a Tower Model 8. I was reluctant to risk wrecking the camera because it takes very nice pictures. However, it has some features that make it very desirable as a pinhole platform including a shutter with a time setting and cable release, and a tripod socket. As it turned out the camera has a nice modular construction with everything held together by metal tabs. I was able to remove the lens mount by just lifting up four of the tabs. Bending up two more tabs underneath the front plate allowed me to take out the shutter mechanism and viewing system.<br> I made a pinhole from a piece of a disposable aluminum baking pan and taped it to the flat surface on the back of the shutter plate. Getting it all back together and shooting the first roll of film probably didn't take an hour. The camera is easy to use, and I'm looking forward to developing my pinhole technique with it. Some photos from the first roll through the camera follow.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connealy Posted June 21, 2005 Author Share Posted June 21, 2005 ...<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connealy Posted June 21, 2005 Author Share Posted June 21, 2005 ,,,<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connealy Posted June 21, 2005 Author Share Posted June 21, 2005 '''<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancy_bueler Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Those are great, Mike, they don't even look like pinhole photos. I really like the movement in the first shot of the tree. I guess I better get out there with my pinhole and start shooting! nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandeha Lynch Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Mike - and that's your back yard? Impressive to say the least. <p> Following Donald Quall's advice I scanned a pinhole today. This one proves to be 0.5mm and the other 0.4mm - it was nice and easy to see where the circle was out and to correct it immediately. I'll try it soon.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silent1 Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Glad to see that worked well for you, Sandeha. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandeha Lynch Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 I blew it on the apostrophe, Donald ... sorry. <p> Ironic, because this afternoon I took a shot of a bar sign that had apostrophes on all the plurals ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connealy Posted June 21, 2005 Author Share Posted June 21, 2005 Yes, that was some handy advice. I decided to try a little smaller pinhole today, and it was nice to be able to compare the two objectively and to verify that the diameter was about where I wanted it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjacksonphoto Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Great shots, Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connealy Posted June 21, 2005 Author Share Posted June 21, 2005 Here are a couple with the new pinhole which I installed in the Tower today.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connealy Posted June 21, 2005 Author Share Posted June 21, 2005 These are marginally sharper, and probably about as good as I'm going to get with my pie plate and sewing needle technology. I think I'll stop here and work with this outfit for a while. The first ones were a little over-exposed, and these are a little under, so I feel like I'm zeroing in on the right combination.<br> I'd like to try one of those laser-drilled pinholes, but the company seems to want a $125 minimum order, which seems silly as an accessory to a $5 camera. Maybe we could get together a group order?<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glenn_thoreson Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Mike, I don't think you could improve very much on the second one. At least not enough to justify the cost. I have an Ansco Sure Shot that I converted to pinhole. Never used it. Maybe I should. Keep up the good work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callum_bell Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 I just got a Tower to do exactly the same thing but I can't see too many tabs to bend. The front plate looks like it was snapped on and everything else look spot welded. There is one tab on the bottom of the front "half" but it has spot welds either side of it. Any suggestions on disassembly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silent1 Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Start by unsnapping the front plate on that Tower -- that's probably all you need to do from the front. The lens will most likely come out from the rear, retained by a simple wire spring ring in a groove (convex side to the film, if it's behind the shutter -- just in case you later want to put the lens back). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connealy Posted June 22, 2005 Author Share Posted June 22, 2005 Sears marketed a lot of cameras under the Tower name. I believe mine was actually a German Bilora. I was able to pry off the front plate on mine and then found I could remove the lens mount with the tabs from the back of the plate. As Donald said, you can also probably get out the lens by removing the retaining ring from the front, but it is pretty stiff.<br> The trick in converting a camera to retain the functionality of the shutter is to position the pinhole so that it is not too deep in a tunnel, which will vignette the image. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connealy Posted June 22, 2005 Author Share Posted June 22, 2005 BTW, I'm not talking about that decorative silver cover on the front. The part you pry off on mine has a seam about a quarter inch behind where it meets up with the main body of the camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gib Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Mike, great, great photos....you always get such amazing results from these old cameras. Very inspiring. regards, Bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callum_bell Posted June 25, 2005 Share Posted June 25, 2005 Thanks for the advice on disassembly. I decided to run a film through it first in case I trash it and never get another chance. It actually takes nice pictures even though the viewfinder is vile and it's impossible to compose well. I might just keep it and get another to convert to pinhole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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