Matchbox Pinhole Camera

December 30, 2011 @ 2:24AM

Matchbox Pinhole Camera

By John Neel

The next annual "Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day" - is going to happen on April 29, 2012.

Each year for the past twelve years, people of all ages from around the world participate in the art of pinhole photography. It is a great way to get back to the basics of photography, learn a few things about light, and to see the world through the eyes of pinholes.

"Anyone, anywhere in the world, who makes a pinhole photograph on the last Sunday in April, can scan it and upload it to this website where it will become part of the annual Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day celebration's online gallery.

The last Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day was celebrated around the planet on April 24, 2011. Visit the gallery to view the pinhole photographs taken on that day from participants around the world!" - WPPD

For more information visit Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day - How to Participate

The rules: Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day - Participation Rules

Visit them on Facebook - Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day | Facebook

In the meantime, here is a cool camera that you can build and use to take pictures.

So, you are a photographer but have never produced a pinhole image. I would say you don't know what you are missing. Pinhole is the simplest form of photography there is and can be both educational and inspiring to make and to use.

In preparation for the upcoming Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day event at the end of April, I have decided to do a how-to post on making a very easy and fun to use pinhole camera. The camera is constructed using not much more than a roll of film, a small piece of metal with a tiny hole and a matchbox: thus the name - Matchbox Pinhole Camera.

Made from items that are commonly found around the house, anyone can make them in no time at all. The required items used to make these cameras are as follows:

Matchbox

A roll of 35 mm film

An empty 35 mm film canister

A roll of black tape (electrical is good)

A sewing needle

A small thin piece of metal shim (small piece cut from the side of a pop can)

A large paperclip

You may also need a pair of scissors, xacto knife, a black sharpie, a small piece of cardboard and a thimble.

The matchbox pinhole camera has been around for a while. Rather than taking you through the entire process, I have decided to point you to a few sites where you can follow the making of these unique cameras. One of the best websites for seeing the photographic results of these cameras is a Flickr group called Matchbox Pinhole.

Here is the tutorial for the Matchbox Pinhole Camera - Tutorial

Pinhole calculators can help you with exposure decisions as well as help you decide the pinhole size. Two common versions are available Pinhole Camera Design Calculator PC and PinholeCalc MAC. You may also want to go to one of my earlier posts to learn about the use of PinholeCalc.

For the most part, the tutorials vary only slightly in the construction techniques but the concept is the same. You might very well have a few ides of your own that could improve the design or to customize your particular camera.

More pinhole cameras to build

There are a number of other pinhole cameras that can be made from similar materials. Here are a few websites for other fully functional pinhole cameras that you can build with ease.

Due to the simplicity of the pinhole concept, almost any container that can be made light tight can be made into a pinhole camera. All that is required is a box, film or photo paper and a pinhole.

Please mark April 29, 2012 on your calendar and start planning to participate in the twelfth annual 2012 Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day.

Go to the official WPPD website for additional information.