Pinhole cameras are being made by loads of manufacturers, but a new Kickstarter called Ondu is trying to not only pitch them as cool with its classy music in the video, but also trying to create something that will last. They’re stating that the cameras are made from wood local to Slovenia and that there are oils that area rubbed on to promote longevity. The video also shows the process of making the cameras which also involves the use of strong magnets. Magnets are used to close the back cover to keep the film inside and from being accidentally exposed, and they are also used in the winders. The only screw on the cameras is for the shutter: to open and close the pinhole.
The cameras are going to come in 35mm formats and up to 4×5–the latter is often what delivers some of the best pinhole images. The company is looking to source $10,000 to pay for equipment, resources, and pinholes that need to be purchased in bulk to make them financially reasonable. And we believe that they might just do it.
We’ve covered pinhole cameras a lot here, and we love a couple of projects such as a camera with 25 pinholes, a shoebox camera, a spam can, and this exposure shot for a couple of months. This Kickstarter we’re very positive will reach its funding needs soon.
Thanks for the tip Peter! Send us your tips at news[at]thephoblographer[dot]com
“Hey! What’s a pinhole camera, eh?”
I’m sure that when that question is being asked of you by a Canadian Constable that anyone would sit there and try to explain it as carefully as they possibly could to someone who isn’t technically savvy. Unfortunately, that is what happens when a major tragedy happens and the world is on high alert. However, Police in the Ivey Park region of Ontario, Canada were tipped off to a suspicious package in a park. Then (this is the awesome part) an explosives team arrived to try to figure out what the problem was. Later on, they concluded that it was a Pinhole Camera.
This was only bound to happen. For everyone reading this that doesn’t know what a pinhole camera is: it is a usually homemade camera with a piece of film inside and an extremely small opening for light to leak onto the film for the exposure. The camera may need to be left in place for anywhere from seconds to months depending on how sensitive to light the film is. The results are often extremely creative and artistic looks. Two of my favorites are Matt Hill and Gabe Biderman. However, Matt Bigwood was recently featured here on this site for his months long beer can pin hole camera experiments. And to that end, Pinhole Cameras are sometimes made of Spam Cans, Shoeboxes, and come in proper manufacturer flavors like an 8×10, and an Obscura.
Via Metro News Canada
Legos are seriously fun. They not only bring back nostalgic moments, but also inspire us to build new things–and then build them bigger and better. In the photo world, there have been quite a few cameras made from Legos. Many of them actually work and while most of them are film based, some are digital.
Here’s a quick roundup of some Lego cameras that we found around the web.
Editor’s Note: All images in this post were used with permission from the creators
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All images shot by Leon Taylor and used with permission
Not long ago, Ilford introduced their 4×5 pinhole camera. But today, they’re unveiling their 8×10 pinhole camera–possibly making everyone else feel a little small in the fanny pack. It’s made from injection moulded ABS and then a durable non-slip coating is added. However, it stays really light at only 800gms. It sports an 8 x 10 film holder and features tripod mount positions, built-in spirit levels, and an accessory mount.
As far as optics go, it comes with a 150mm (5.9in) focal length cone with a diameter of 0.52mm (0.0205in). This optic has a fixed aperture of f288 and a 94.7 degree angle of view.
And just like the 4×5 version, the kit has the same Exposure Calculator and printed onto a waterproof material. Filmwasters already has a video review of it, and you can check it out after the jump. If you want to see samples, photographer Leon Taylor has some images already on his Flickr and after the jump. If you convert the figured, it will cost around $386 US for this monster.
Via Believe in Film
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Mmmmmmm, spamaliciousness! This spam can pinhole camera comes to us from user Scott from F295. The camera sports a 50mm focal length, .3mm EMS (Electron Microscope aperture?) Pinhole and has a 6×6.5cm image area.
Scott states that everything was epoxy’d together. He even built his own film advance–which is the knob on top of the camera. It’s also complete with a tripod mount and a square viewfinder from an old Holgaroid camera.
Not familiar with F295? They’re an organization centered around the promotion of the photographic arts–particularly with pinhole cameras. I’ve known their founder, Tom Persinger, for a while. He is an excellent photographer and instructor, let alone perhaps one of the most knowledgeable experts I know on this type of stuff. Check out more images of this camera after the jump.
Via F295
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As probably one of the most obscure announcements, Ilford has announced their new Pinhole Obscura camera at Focus on Imaging this year. As far as tech specs go, don’t expect anything more than what a typical pinhole obscura camera might be.
This camera sports an 87mm lens (with 0.3mm pinhole) for 4×5 film or treated paper. It also features a magnetic lock design, with a rotating front for ambidextrous usage.
Ilford has nothing about it on their page yet, but according to ePhotoZine, this will cost around $89.77 when it arrives during the Easter season.
