Pinhole Camera

The purpose of this entire project was to understand what a camera really is stripped down and how easy it is to make one. I learned how photo paper reacts to light and how to develop it after a picture is taken. This post shows my thoughts about my about this project. It shows how we created our camera and what we thought about our results.

A pinhole camera, in concept, is a light tight box with a hole, shutter, and a means to capture light. Any camera can be described like this but a pinhole camera is probably the most simple form.

Components of a Pinhole Camera:

• small sharp object
• Pringles® can
  
• photo paper
• masking tape
  
• 2 pieces of aluminum foil
  
• light tight black garbage bag

Directions:

1. Use a small sharp object, such as a box cutter, to cut the Pringles® can about a third of the way from the metal side of the can.
2. Securely seal the hole with one piece of aluminum foil.
3. Poke a small pinhole into the aluminum foil with the small sharp object.
4. Securely seal the other piece of aluminum foil over the pinhole but make it so the foil can be lifted.
5. Cover the photo paper and shoe box with a light tight black garbage bag (depending on the thickness, you might have to layer bags, it took us 7 bags) and transfer the photo paper to the shoe box without exposing it to light.

Our final product was basically a light-tight, aluminum foil covered Pringles® can. The pinhole is on the side where the green tape is closest to.


Instructions for use:

The pinhole camera is used by setting the camera on a stable surface pointed at the object or background that you want to take a picture of, then lift the shutter for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the length of the camera. You must make sure that the camera is perfectly stable or the picture will be blurred. Also the camera should be perfectly light tight or else too much light will hit the photo paper and ruin the image.

Our camera didn't work because it let in too much light. The photo paper that was exposed to the light it made the picture darker and darker. Our "picture" was exposed too so much light that it was pitch black.

I thought that this project had up and downs with my group. I was gone for one of the days so it was harder for me to participate fully. I thought that when we were working that we got a lot done in a short period of time. I also found out that I'm not claustrophobic because I was inside a garbage bag and I didn't panic.

This project would be fun to have a "do-over" with know that I know some things about making something light tight. I would definitely not use aluminum foil or electrical tape but instead use masking tape, it worked very well compared to the other materials. I would also probably use something besides garbage bags to make a light tight environment to transfer the photo paper to the camera.