PROJECTS: PINHOLE CAMERA
makezine.com/09/pinhole
4d. Glue the cardboard chamber to the outer panel, thumbtack
the metal shutter into place at the pivot point, and position the
small panel in back. Test the shutter to make sure the alignment
works.
4e. Disassemble the pieces, and spray-paint black both sides
of the inner panel, and the back sides of the shutter and outer
panel. Reattach the shutter and glue everything back together.
4f. Center the pinhole behind the rear opening and tape it in
place. Hold the panel against the camera, point the pinhole
toward some light, and sight along the edges of the film gate
to check for any obstructions. The plywood shouldn’t block any
light from reaching the corners of the film.
4g. Drill clearance and pilot holes, and use two ¾" wood screws
to attach the front panel to the side rails, in place.
5. MAKE THE BACK
5a. Cut a piece of flashing to match the height and width of the
camera back, bending ½" flanges for the side rails. Drill a ½"-
diameter peep sight for the frame counter, offset 1¼" left of
center. Put a small square of black tape over this hole; you’ll keep
it there to cover the hole whenever you aren’t winding the film.
5b. Spray-paint black the inside of the back piece you just cut,
and the interior of the camera itself. But don’t paint the wooden
side rails, which you’ll be gluing, or the gate where it touches the
film. Mask these areas with tape before spraying.
5c. Glue down the back with a sparing
amount of silicone, to avoid squeeze-out into the film path. Tack and clamp
the side flanges to the wood rails, and
hold the back against the D’s with
tape until the silicone cures.
5d. That’s it! Your camera is now
ready to use.
NOTE: The finished camera shown above includes an optional viewfinder. To see the step-by-step
process for making the viewfinder, please go to makezine.com/09/pinhole.
FINISH X
100 Make: Volume 09
NOW GO USE IT »
