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- allysin0
Ok, Calero, bear with me. This looks long and complicated, but it really isn’t. It is pretty quick to make once you get the hang of it, which allows for lots of iterations and variations. I have tried to make the directions clear, but let me know if anything doesn’t make sense.
You will need:
-4x5 cut film holder (I got mine used for about $8. I think they run about $25 new)
-Black foam core
-Glue (carpenter’s or Tacky)
-X-acto
-Ruler
-Velveteen – from a photo supply shop velvet on one side, plastic on the other.
-Sewing Needle
-Soda can
-Emery boards – you can find this at a grocery store on the aisle where they sell nail care products.
-Gaffer’s tapeCenter of the Camera:
1. You will make four sides of the camera out of a single piece of foam core, this insures the camera is rigid and light tight. This main piece is 4 3/4” wide. The length will vary on the focal length you want. I would suggest a 2” focal length to start. You can later fool around with 1” or 3”, etc. Use the below formula to know where to score and cut your foam core:
Note: You want to score on the dashed lines only (cut about half-way through the foam-core).2. Cut out an addition piece that is 4 3/4” x focal length” (in this case, 2”).
3. Cut the film viewer area out of section A. You want your opening to be 4 3/8” x 5 1/8”. You should place the opening so that you have 1/4” margin around 3 sides of section A.
4. Cut out the opening for your pinhole in section B, after finding the center. It can be anywhere from 1-2”.
5. Glue the additional piece (4 3/4" x 2” piece) onto section C. This will help create some structural support for the camera when you fold it into a box.
6. Fold the camera onto itself and glue into place. I use Tacky Glue, but a basic carpenters glue will work.Top and Bottom of Camera:
1. Cut two pieces of foam core that are 6 3/4” x focal length + 3/4”.
2. Glue these pieces along the top and bottom, making sure the edges along the front of the camera (where the pinhole is) are flush.Velvet Backing:
1. Cut out a strip of velveteen that is 4 3/4” x 6 1/4”.
2. Cut out the film viewer area to match your camera (same as what you did on section A).
3. Glue to camera on section A.Pinhole:
1. Cut out a piece from your aluminum can that is just bigger than the pinhole opening on your camera.
2. Using the roughest emery board first and working down to the smoothest, remove the shiny finish from the aluminum. You don’t have to do the whole square, just the center where you will be making your pinhole.
3. Using your sewing needle, gently make circular motions back and forth to create a small pinhole in the center. You are aiming for a really small hole so don’t rush this part.
4. Use your emery boards again to smooth any burrs from around the hole.At this point you need to take a break from construction and measure your pinhole. If you have a scanner, scan your pinhole at the highest resolution you can. In Photoshop, use the measuring tool to measure the size of the hole. If you don’t have a scanner then just skip this step. This step helps you figure out your f/stop later, but that can be done with trial and error if you don’t have a scanner.
Completing the camera:
1. Tape over the entire back of your piece of aluminum, except for the pinhole (you don’t want anything shiny to reflect light inside the camera).
2. Affix the pinhole to the front of the camera with gaffer’s tape, insuring that you center the pinhole to the camera.You now have a camera!
Next step, calculating f/stop and exposure times. I will post as soon as I get rid of my carpal tunnel.