DIY pinhole viewfinder

[M Carter]

I've gotten into extremely wide pinhole shooting the last couple years, but framing has been hit-and-miss. I finally found a cool solution; I got one of those fisheye lens adapters that clips to my phone; I rest it against the lens and take a pic. In my case, the fisheye was a great match to the camera's field of view. I think I'll build something on my 4x5 to where the phone can rest on the front with the lens positioned accurately, so I can just set it on the camera and snap it; might even buy a cheap used iPod with camera and hot-glue the lens to it.

It's upped my keeper shots to a great extent; the phone pic is barrel-distorted to all hell, but framing is very close to my final shot. Wonder what others do who want more accurate framing?

 

[NedL]

For the cans I use most, I've gotten so that I know the FOV really well. I hold out my arms and sight down them, and can see exactly what will be in the picture. To someone passing by, it must look like some bizarre tai chi or like I'm a crazy person.

My box cameras all have "sighting lines" or "viewing dots" that can be used to see exactly what will be in the picture. Sometimes they are awkward to use, but it works.

 

[DWThomas]

I made a mat board prototype of a wire frame finder for use with the body cap pinhole adapter on my Bronica with the intent of eventually making a collapsible version in some matte black anodized aluminum stock I had. After a day of working with it, I concluded it didn't work well enough to be worth the trouble. Later when I built my 8x10 pinhole, I installed short small diameter dowel pegs for sighting. The locations were easy to deduce from the working drawings I made to construct the camera. Those work pretty well, with the caveat that the ones on the end have to be used before installing the filmholder, as it blocks the line of sight.

Both cameras are rather wide angle, particularly the 8x10. Perhaps some sort of optical finder might work better than a wire frame, dunno. Unless some appropriate off the shelf finder from decades back was available, that strikes me as getting too far away from the simplicity I associate with pinholery. But that's just me!

 

[Theo Sulphate]

Impressive work, Mr. Thomas!

 

[DWThomas]

Impressive work, Mr. Thomas!

Thank you Mr. Sulphate!

 

[Grandpa Ron]

Carter,
I had the same issue with the location of the center of the pinhole image with respect to my view camera screen, as the image was to dark on the frosted glass. I used the same fish eye type lens only it on an old view finder. We see how well it works on my next outing.



Mr. Thomas,
Gorgeous workmanship, you should be proud. I particularly like your simple shutter. I have horsed around with several spring loaded methods but I think your gravity assist may be my next try.

 

[DWThomas]

Gorgeous workmanship, you should be proud. I particularly like your simple shutter. I have horsed around with several spring loaded methods but I think your gravity assist may be my next try.

Thank you! Actually I wouldn't call that "gravity assist." There's no way to tell from a picture, but where that arm pivots on the brass screw there is a nylon washer under the screw head and a heavy washer of paper (card/index stock) between the shutter lever and the mounting block for gentle friction. The screw is carefully snugged down so the shutter just stays where it's put -- flip it open -- time -- flip it shut. For exposures in the 5 second and above range it does the job.

There's some stuff about a spring-loaded cable released shutter I built for a body cap pinhole attachment to fit my Bronica in this gallery page. It took a second try to work the kinks out of that, mainly vignetting. But so far I prefer the results of the larger format boxes.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

... I think I'll build something on my 4x5 to where the phone can rest on the front with the lens positioned accurately, so I can just set it on the camera and snap it; might even buy a cheap used iPod with camera and hot-glue the lens to it. ...

If a 4x5 didn't already generate questions from lay passersby, with an attached phone you're now sure to receive some interesting questions.

"What does that big thing behind your phone do with the photo? Are you sending it to a satellite?"

 

[Luckless]

"What does that big thing behind your phone do with the photo? Are you sending it to a satellite?"

"Maybe... ... Depends on who wants to know..."

 

[M Carter]

If a 4x5 didn't already generate questions from lay passersby, with an attached phone you're now sure to receive some interesting questions.

"What does that big thing behind your phone do with the photo? Are you sending it to a satellite?"

"Maybe... ... Depends on who wants to know..."

Ha! I'm into really wide shots with pinhole, so mine is a wooden box about 2" deep - looks more like grandma's ashes! I did come up with a great solution for film backs though, works just like a regular view camera:

 

[Gihl]

I'm framing with a 4x5 groundglass holder when shooting with Zero Image 25D, 50D, 75D and Ilford Harman Titan 72mm, 110m, 150mm pinhole cameras.
(Photo: Harman Titan 4x5 pinhole camera & 72mm cone)