Pinhole Cameras

A pinhole camera is a light tight container with a small hole at one end and light sensitive material at the other. That's it.

For a beginners explanation see: "How it works"

THE PINHOLE

The heart of the pinhole camera is the pinhole itself.

ability
easy
takes practice
easy
cost
low
low
high
sharpness*
low
medium - high
high
*Sharpness if of course a relative term with pinhole cameras.

Tables:

Focal Length to Pinhole

Pinhole to Focal Length

F# Progression

If you want to go crazy/anal over the exactness, see the MATH page or use one of these calculators:

simple pinhole calculator - quick and dirty, but works

Pinhole Calculator 3 - anal, for those more interested in making cameras than using them, sigh, like me.

Next is the container:

Construction - 35mm, Classic Oatmeal, Tin cans, etc.

FOAMCORE 4x5

PINHOLGAS - 120 film pinhole camera made from a Holga plastic camera