Beginner pinhole question: which format to start

[blee1996]

In your experience, which format will be the best entry for pinhole? I shoot multi-format from 35mm, medium format, 4x5, all the way to 8x10. Which format do you think pinhole will bring most unique perspective and fun? Thanks!

 

[Chan Tran]

I started with 35mm since it's easiest and I can even do it with digital. However, I think large format would work best. Pinhole isn't good for small format.

 

[Ian Grant]

%x4 would be the most practical for Pinholes to start with. Check out Martin Heson's Youtube videos, Martin has produced some stunning pinhole images.

Ian

 

[grahamp]

My best results have been from a Zero Image 6x9. 4x5 is catching up. I have submitted about twice as many 6x9 as 4x5 to the World-wide Pinhole Photography Day. But that's me, your choice may be different.

Personally, I think 6x9/6x12/4x5 are the best balance between cost, size, and enlargement quality, especially until you have some experience. If you have a 4x5, experimentation is trivial - just a pinhole on a lens board and a black tape 'shutter'.

 

[Vaughn]

8x10 and contact print with alt. processes. Then move up in size. Easy enough to make a pinhole camera in any size.

Photopaper, xray film, litho film, etc.

 

[Sirius Glass]

One can start with 35mm, but more will be in focus than 120 or 4"x5". 4"x5" will be more expensive, but based on my experience be more rewarding sooner.

 

[jeffreyg]

4x5 is for my purpose the most practical. That is the largest size negative my enlarger can handle plus it’s easy to scan and to make pt/pd prints all from the same negative. If I want to make larger pt/pd prints I can do that from the scan on to PictoRico for a larger negative.

 

[Hassasin]

While 4x5 is definitely a good size for pinhole, for starters I would suggest nothing but roll film, whichever. Cheapest and fastest way to get several images in one go to see what's in there. MF is certainly capable of great quality, but even 35 which arguably might best for starters. Detail is in the devil though, proper match of pinhole size to its distance from film plane.

 

[xkaes]

Use 110/16mm film. Why? Because you don't even need a camera!

https://www.lomography.com/magazine/234389-pinhole-passion-my-110-pinhole-camera

 

[MattKing]

When you go down the rabbit hole of calculating optimal pinhole size and appropriate "focal" lengths for various formats, you end up with effective apertures that are somewhat dependent on format. When you match those up to appropriate film speeds, some combinations stand out as being convenient to use.
I've had my favourite results from 6x9.

 

[blee1996]

Thank you for all the suggestions and linked resources. I will probably start with 4x5 (I have a WillTravel 4x5 compact body) and 6x6/6x9 (DIY from a donor body).

 

[loccdor]

6x12 or even 6x17 with 120 film is possible. That's wider than 4x5! Depends what sort of aspect ratio you're going for.

 

[MattKing]

Thread title tweaked - for those browsing who don't notice the sub-forum.

 

[retina_restoration]

My personal favorite pinhole camera is my 6x17 Vermeer Curved-Plane camera, by Cezary Bartczak in Poland.
My second favorite would be my 6x9 Zero Image camera.

 

[Jim Jones]

In pinhole images, quality decreases with smaller film size and longer focal length. It may seem convenient to adapt a small or medium format camera to pinhole photography. However, any large box that can be made light tight can produce better images with large film and a properly sized pinhole. The cost of film will be higher, but so will image quality. For a given film size, wide angle pinhole images with their smaller pinhole produce sharper photos than longer focal lengths. However, I've also improvised pinhole cameras with focal lengths up to maybe 20 feet for photographing eclipses and sunspots. Since the pinhole depth of focus is great, using curved film is practical. For many other ideas on pinhole photography, I recommend Eric Renner's book, Pinhole Photography: Rediscovering a Historic Technique.

 

[DWThomas]

Some of of the design/format choice depends on your goals, of course. I suppose I've tended toward fairly sharp focus. I began with a homemade lens board for a 4x5 (B&J Press), tried 6x6 using a body cap fitting with pinhole and flap shutter on my Bronica SQ-A, thence to a homemade 4x5 "box" --- and for ten years or so have been shooting with a homemade 8x10 using X-ray film. I have gotten 8x10 contact prints into some local juried art shows.

Besides a few shots scattered here, my pinhole activity for this millennium can be found found out on PBase. Near the bottom of that page are sub-galleries linked to the actual camera tinkering. The efforts have been mostly targeted to Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day since discovering it in 2005.

Part of the fun is the almost limit-less possibilities.

 

[blee1996]

Thanks again for all the suggestions. And it seems the opinions converge on larger formats, and good quality pinholes with optimal focal distance.

So far I have

- bought the Eric Renner book, and bookmarked the pinhole calculators
- ordered a Vermere 6x17 curved plane camera (I like to support artisan camera builders)
- ordered five pinholes of different sizes from RealitySoSubtle to experiment with my 6x6/6x9 parts bodies as well as 4x5/8x10 camera

It will be fun!

 

[blee1996]

Now i have both DIY'd and bought some pinhole equipment, my initial impressions:

1) The larger the format is definitely better: my 8x10 sheet looks awesome. But the 4x5 sheet and 6x6 medium format shots are plenty good too.

2) DIY pinholes can be quite good as well: I used needles, sand paper and later micro drill bits. Using a high resolution flatbed scanner (Epson V700) is a good way not only to measure pinhole size, but also to inspect pinhole quality (roundness). The pinholes from RealitySoSubtle is very good and reasonably priced (shipped from France).

3) My current favorite is the Agfa Click converted pinhole: super light and compact, curved film plane, super easy to DIY convert (only 4 screws), and all together fun.

I'm still waiting for the Vermeer 6x17 to arrive, as well as starting a DIY project for a super compact 8x10 pinhole (9x12x3" folded, 9x12x6" open). Stay tuned!

One example photo from Agfa Click (0.2mm diameter pinhole, FFL about 50mm)

Bear hug downtown SF - AgfaClick_50f250_Ektar100A_008 by Zheng, on Flickr

My first 8x10 pinhole sheet from Deardorff V8 (0.5mm diameter pinhole, FFL about 150mm, shortest the bellows allow)

Tulips: first 8x10 pinhole - LF810_017 by Zheng, on Flickr

 

[retina_restoration]

Now i have both DIY'd and bought some pinhole equipment, my initial impressions:

1) The larger the format is definitely better: my 8x10 sheet looks awesome. But the 4x5 sheet and 6x6 medium format shots are plenty good too.

2) DIY pinholes can be quite good as well: I used needles, sand paper and later micro drill bits. Using a high resolution flatbed scanner (Epson V700) is a good way not only to measure pinhole size, but also to inspect pinhole quality (roundness). The pinholes from RealitySoSubtle is very good and reasonably priced (shipped from France).

3) My current favorite is the Agfa Click converted pinhole: super light and compact, curved film plane, super easy to DIY convert (only 4 screws), and all together fun.

I'm still waiting for the Vermeer 6x17 to arrive, as well as starting a DIY project for a super compact 8x10 pinhole (9x12x3" folded, 9x12x6" open). Stay tuned!

One example photo from Agfa Click (0.2mm diameter pinhole, FFL about 50mm)

Bear hug downtown SF - AgfaClick_50f250_Ektar100A_008 by Zheng, on Flickr

My first 8x10 pinhole sheet from Deardorff V8 (0.5mm diameter pinhole, FFL about 150mm, shortest the bellows allow)

Tulips: first 8x10 pinhole - LF810_017 by Zheng, on Flickr

Excellent work, kudos!

 

[Arthurwg]

One way to start: Zero Image 6x12 and crop out your image.

 

[Taylor Nankervis]

Each format in pinhole photography has its own unique and beautiful characteristics, which also can be attributed to the design of the pinhole itself — how well the chosen subject translates to the pinhole format oeuvre is up to you, and it does require practice.

My favourite format by far is the classic square 6x6, coming from a Zero Image 69 MF pinhole [ f235, 6x4.5, 6x6, 6x7, 6x9 ] which sadly has now recently been discontinued by the manufacturer.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

In your experience, which format will be the best entry for pinhole? I shoot multi-format from 35mm, medium format, 4x5, all the way to 8x10. Which format do you think pinhole will bring most unique perspective and fun? Thanks!

8x10 is ideal if you have such cameraalready. The reason being that 8x10 is large enough to make appreciable contact prints, and the resolution is good enough to get decent optical quality from a pinhole. Similarly. If you already own a 4x5 camera, go for that. It's perfect to get into it.

 

[blee1996]

Click & Clack - easiest DIY pinhole cameras by Zheng, on Flickr

These are Agfa Click (6x6) and Clack (6x9) cameras that are probably the easiest to DIY convert to pinhole cameras.

- Agfa Click: 50mm focal length, f/250 (pinhole size 0.2mm)
- Agfa Clack: 75mm focal length, f/250 (pinhole size 0.3mm)

How to convert
1) Take out the entire lens and shutter assembly, 4 screws
2) Make a small round "lens board" from black plastic sheets, cut a whole in the middle
3) I used both home-made pinholes as well as commercially available pinholes from Reality So Subtle (France). Make sure the pinhole is centered
4) I use electrical tape to attach a 46mm->52mm step-up ring, so I can use 52mm lens cap as shutter. In addition, I can use 52mm filters.

Observations:
- Both conversions are very easy, only need screwdriver. And the entire process is reversible, or you can use the lens and shutter for other experiments.
- The Click has shorter focal distance, thus giving a more wide angle look. While the Clack is moderate wide - standard focal length.
- The Clack is better built, especially in terms of film handling and back security. And Clack has more style as well, with its pebble leather type of covering and side strap.
- The Click is more compact, lightweight, and travel friendly,

I like them both: these are my disposable pinhole cameras that can get rained on or lost.

 

[blee1996]

One photo from the Vermeer 6x17 panoramic pinhole camera with curved film plane

The last bench - Vermeer617c_FP4A_004 by Zheng, on Flickr

 

[Donald Qualls]

These are Agfa Click (6x6) and Clack (6x9) cameras that are probably the easiest to DIY convert to pinhole cameras.

I agree, I have a converted Clack (somewhere) that has produced very satisfying pinhole images. I'd point out, however, that 6x9 is not an economy format (either with lens or pinhole) -- eight frames per roll at what, $20 a roll for Kodak/Ilford films? Less for Foma or Kentmere, at least...