Well, I have had the Creality 3D printer for 2 weeks now and have printed two pinhole cameras, among other things, of course. The first one I tried was a 35mm version, labelled simply “pinhole camera” by OPENFAB_OZU on Thingiverse. It printed easily as I used decent filament. I have quickly learnt that buying cheap or second-hand filament is a real pain in the behind. It often fails for one reason or another.
Anyway, this one went together well, and I had a pinhole left over from a previous project. I have made a few pinhole cameras now, from a matchbox version to a multi-format 120 version. The latter is still working well and is my favourite pinhole camera to use at the moment.
I loaded this one with some bulk-rolled Fomapan 100 and carried it around with me for a few days. I ended up taking my father to a park near Birmingham and to meet a friend in Halifax.
It was easy to use, and the lens cap had a nice fit. It stayed on well and did not fall off in my bag. I added some elasticated hair ties to the body to help keep the top on, as that wobbled a little and was not so tight. I read online that you turned the advance spool twice between shots to avoid overlapping. I felt that was a little too much and the developed film proved me right. I think for the first 3 or 4 shots, one and a half turns are needed, then just one.
I guessed the aperture with the pinhole to be around F150, which gave me exposures of seven elephants. The main issue I encountered was the tripod mount; it just didn’t work. That meant I had to put the camera on a firm platform and hold it very steady.
They are not the best results I have ever got from a pinhole camera, but not the worst either. After I saw these shots, I checked the camera for light leaks, and it turned out that the wobble on the top cover was caused by the take-up spool I had chosen. I took it from the inside of a used cartridge. Unfortunately, it was slightly too long. That made the film travel at a slight angle, letting in a small light leak. I sanded it down after this roll, so the next one should be better. However, I won’t be the one shooting that roll, as I have another 3D-printed camera I want to try more. A friend has asked to have this one, and I said yes, as I can always make another 🙂
I am thoroughly enjoying the 3D printer; I am yet to design anything to print, but I can see that happening in my future.
Very nice photographs
Thanks, I feel you are being generous though 😆
120 pinhole! Always been curious to try because I assume that the larger negative is better for details (?)
Mais, je ne parle pas l’pinhole, so I stubbed my toe and tripped a bit on that “…exposure of seven elephants…”
Is that a shutter timing thing, representing the total elapsed time of pronouncing “elephant” seven times over? Presumably sotto voce, lest passers-by, seeing one bent murmuring over a plastic box, mistake it for an incantation. Which, given it’s photography, it is!
But, as ever, bravo you, 3-D printing n’ all!
😀 its my way of making sure I am counting slowly, 1 elephant, 2 elephant etc, so I don’t speed up and not count the right amount of seconds.
well, I made it at right around four seconds flat, using a slouched and careless Americanese.
Enunciation is the key…or British accent. Maybe I should say, 1 cup of tea, 2 cups of tea??
“Seven elephants” is much more interesting and creative than seven “one one thousand, two one thousand …”
It is. I’m stealing it for use in informal timing chores
I always use heat-set brass tripod mounts, if you have a soldering iron it’s a doddle to sink them in.
I bought a MIA pinhole camera recently, 6×9, I haven’t scanned yet but the negatives look promising!
Thats a good idea, I might do it on the other one I have. This one is too ‘easy’ for that. I usually use realitysosubtle for pinhole, but they take longer to arrive due to the location. I was happy to find Mia, these arrived practically the next day.