My latest project... a CAMERA!

[Monty]

Well... a PINHOLE camera, that is! Some leftover oak, a piece of 0.003" brass sheet stock, and some scraps of laminate to make the "springs".

Let's see, if my calculations are correct...

Pinhole diameter: 0.020"
Field of view: about 53°
Focal length: a little over 6"
fStop: approximately f300 (!)​

The film holders are from ebay: $5 for three of them. The trickiest part was making the back so it holds the film holder securely but changes out easily. The other "unknown" is whether I got the focal length correct -- I won't really know until I take some pictures. I've never made anything like this before so I'm sort of winging it! I started with 6", but if I don't like that I can always "adjust" it (on the tablesaw!).

I have a friend who has some darkroom equipment, and my film just arrived today, so hopefully I'll have some pics to show soon! (I know, I know... "no pics, didn't happen!" :lol: )

 

[Travis Porter]

How does the shutter mechanism work?

 

[NZAPP1]

Monty That is neat :eusa_clap I would like to see how it works for you :icon_thum

 

[woodguy1975]

Looks really great dude!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Monty]

How does the shutter mechanism work?

Hehehe... well, there is no shutter! The idea is, you put the film holder in there, pull out the darkslide which covers the film, then pull the "lens cap" off to start the exposure. Put the lens cap on to finish the exposure. I really have no idea how this will turn out, but I'm guessing the exposure time will be anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes depending on the conditions.

 

[Jim Murphy]

Okay, I'm ready. Next project... a digital camera completely out of wood. Plans... I need plans.

 

[DaveO]

Monty, that is really cool. I can't wait to see what comes out of that camera, picture-wise. When I was in High School we made pin hole cameras out of Quaker Oats boxes (the round tubes) and aluminum foil for the "pin hole". I don't remember what we used for film, but the images actually came out pretty good for what the camera was made out of.

Dave

 

[jeff...]

Yoy made a cemra out of wood - how cool is that. Where's the USB port, I didn't see it.

 

[toolferone]

but I'm guessing the exposure time will be anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes depending on the conditions.

I would start out with still life with those long exposures.

BTW, Very cool!

 

[Monty]

Yea, this ain't no point-and-shoot, that's for sure! In many ways this is experimental - everything from the dimensions of the box to the size of the pinhole. Even the composition and exposure of the photo will be trial and error - there's no viewfinder with this kind of photography! I even had to learn how to load the film, which I have never done before. This ought to be interesting! :eusa_thin

Oh, BTW... who needs USB? That's so '90's! I think maybe for my next project I'll work on a Bluetooth version! :lol:

 

[JohnsonMBrandon]

I have done this with a shoe box before. Its a neat, and really does work.

 

[Mark Anderson]

cool, if your shutter speeds are in the 1-3 sec range put a peice of black paper in front of the camera before removeing the lens cap, then move the paper to make the exposure.

this will cut down on camera shake during the exposure.

on your test shots you can pull out the dark slide 1/4 of the way and expose for one second, pull the dark slide out to 1/2 way and expose for 1 second 3/4, one second, all the way, one second.

now turn the film holder over and start at 4 seconds at 1/4 of the way out...

calmp the camera down to a picknic table or something solid while doing this

then come to my house and pick up the 2 sheets of 5x7 that i sohot with my homemade cameara and have not developed yet and let me know how the came out :BangHead:

 

[DavidF]

That is something else Monty! do you get to put a big black cloth over your head:lol: How about making one of those scary flash guns to go with it???

 

[sapwood]

Unique challenge. This is gonna be verrrry interesting!

And I like David's idea of using the flash powder. Jeff's dream of a rocket may finally be fulfilled :lol:

Roger

 

[Monty]

I'd be afraid of a flash like that! Don't forget - my camera is FLAMABLE!!! 8-O :lol:

To make this camera easier to use I added a couple of 1/4" x 20 Tee-nuts so I can mount the box on my tripod. This way for vertical ("portrait") orientation:

... and this way for horizontal ("landscape"):

Hopefully I'll have some time to try this thing out this weekend! :eusa_danc

 

[Grgramps]

Bigger may be better when it comes to jointers, but not necessarily with pinholes. Nevertheless, a crew of people have tried to make the biggest.
A Hangar, A Pinhole And A World Record: Building The World's Biggest Camera
Exposure times are interesting too.

Monty, I think you will find more use for yours.

Roy

 

[cpowell]

Monty, that's a cool project. Are you gonna build a pocket size version for travel?? :lol: :lol:

Chuck

 

[sapwood]

:eusa_pray Please consider painting the outside black so observers don't laugh so hard :lol:

Roger