How to Make a Pinhole Camera.
In the age of digital cameras and instant gratification, make the simplest camera ever
invented using just a light proof box, a hole, and paper.
You will need 1 clean, 7" tall oatmeal box Heavy foil Craft or utility knife Matte
or flat black spray paint Black contact paper A No. 16 bead-threading needle Epoxy glue
White glue Handful of cotton swabs Electrical tape Ruler Fine sandpaper Photo emulsion paper
A completely dark room A place to develop your film and 1 aluminum soda can.
Step 1.
Clean out the inside of the oatmeal box, making sure no oatmeal dust or oats are left inside.
Step 2.
Remove the plastic top and bottom from the oatmeal box.
Step 3.
Add a bead of white glue around the lip of the bottom and reattach it.
This will ensure no light comes in through the seam.
Step 4.
Spray paint the inside of the oatmeal box with black paint and let dry.
Repeat if necessary.
Also spray paint the bottom.
Let it dry.
Step 5.
While the top is off, add contact paper to the box top, then spray paint it black.
Make sure it will still fit on the box.
Step 6.
Use the craft knife to cut a 3-sided rectangle—a long door—about 1.5 inches wide and half
an inch tall into the side of the box.
Make sure the rectangle is roughly centered and parallel to the bottom of the container.
Step 7.
Cut a 2.5-inch square out of heavy aluminum foil.
For something sturdier, you can cut the square from the side of the soda can.
But be careful, the edges will be extremely sharp.
Step 8.
Using the No. 16 needle, carefully poke a hole into the center of your aluminum square—then
sand the hole on both sides with the sandpaper to remove any burrs.
Step 9.
Re-drill the same hole, and re-sand it a second time.
Be careful not to touch the hole with your fingers, as natural oils from your skin can
clog the hole.
Step 10.
Dab a little epoxy on the edges of pinhole plate with a cotton swab, making sure not
to come anywhere close to the pinhole, and place the plate on the inside the oatmeal
box, with the pinhole centered in the rectangle you cut earlier.
Step 11.
Add a strip of electrical tape on all sides of the plate to further secure it into place.
This will also help it from sliding as the epoxy dries.
Step 12.
Add a small piece of tape to the outside of the small door that can keep it closed, then
put on the box top.
Step 13.
When you’re ready to load your pinhole camera for a shoot, take it into a completely dark
room.
While in the dark, remove the photo emulsion paper from it’s wrapping, and place it inside
the pinhole camera, curved around the edge, emulsion-side facing the pinhole.
Step 14.
Close up the box tightly, making sure no light can get in.
Step 15.
To shoot a scene, point the doorway toward your subject and open the door for about a
20-second exposure.
Step 16.
After you’ve taken your shot, return to a dark room and remove the paper, making sure
to put it back in the lightproof bag it came in.
Step 17.
Either develop the photo yourself in a darkroom, or take your paper your local high-end camera
shop to develop it for you.
Step 18.
Don’t forget to eat your oatmeal.
Did you know The Chinese mentioned pinhole cameras as far back as 500 B.C.