It’s Friday and here at CYB we want to propose a little crafty activity to do over the weekend, just follow these easy steps and you’ll end up building your own camera!
What’s a pinhole camera? It is a really simple camera without a lens and with a single tiny hole. Pinhole cameras are usually made with small boxes (matchboxes are perfect) or cans. The rest of materials you’ll need are common household items so take a look at the following list and let’s get started!
Photo taken with a pihole camera by Kurtxio via Flickr
Materials required:
- a box and a thin aluminium can
- black paint
- a pin or needle
- black duct tape
- scissors
- photographic paper or film roll
The working principle is quite simple. A small hole is made on one wall of the box, the light from a scene passes through this tiny hole and the inverted image is projected on the opposite wall, where the photographic paper or film roll is placed. So, after this science lesson, it’s time to gather the materials and follow these pretty straightforward steps.
1) Paint the inside of your box black, I would recommend to use spray paint as it’s way easier to apply.
2) Cut a small square from the centre of one of the walls of the box and then cut a slightly bigger square from the thin aluminium can ( this could be a Coke can for example). Using a pin or a needle make a small hole on the aluminium square and then stick it on the inside of the box, where you cut the other square, using the black duct tape.
3)On the opposite wall of the box is where the photographic paper or film roll is placed. As this varies depending on the kind of box you’re using, I would recommend taking a look at this matchbox pinhole camera example. Before you place the film or paper remember to cover the hole to avoid exposure to light!
Once you’re done with these steps you can take your camera out and start snapping pictures! The exposure time depends on the kind of roll or paper you use, but you can take a look at this little guide where you can find out more about the topic.
After developing your photos why don’t you share them on Flickr? There are loads of groups for ‘pinholers’ to share their snaps!
Have you used a pinhole camera before? Do you want to share your photos with us? You can do it in the comments section below!
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January 13, 2012
Home and Hobbies