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This is one of my pin hole cameras I have built it takes 8" x 8" paper flat or 10" x 8"
paper if you curve it around the back. Listed below are the steps taken to make it.
What You Will Need.
1.A large sheet of dark mounting board.
2.Re-Enforced Tape and Metal Tape.
3.50mm x 50mm of shim steel or section of drinks can.
4.Knife, Ruler, Straight Edge & Glue
Sample negatives at the bottom of this page, click on them to see the end results.
Step 1.
Firstly you will need to cut and score the mounting board as shown in the diagram.
You will find it useful to click on the diagram and then print it out from your browser.
Step 2.
Once the camera is cut you can gently fold up the sides, front and back and
place a strip of metal tape down the edges also place tape around the base
where the board is folded this will all prevent light leeks.
Then go over all the edges with Re-Enforced(If available) Tape to give the box strength.
Step 3.
First make four supports (two 10mm wide and two 30mm wide) the height of the box Internal. Score all four down their centers and bend to 90deg, you can now glue in the two narrow supports in the front corners of the box and two larger supports which also hold your paper in place in the back of the box.
N.B. Make sure not to get any glue on the back or the supports where the paper is
to slide in!
Step 4.
To make the pinhole place the aluminum or shim steel on a hard surface(such as tempered hardboard). Make a small hole in the aluminum with an awl or an ice pick. Don't press too hard--the tip should just barely break through the surface. The hole will be ragged. Enlarge and smooth it by pushing a No. 10 needle into it from the indented side. You can smooth the rough edges with very fine sandpaper and then open the hole with the tip of the needle.
Step 5.
To make the shutter cut two squares of card 60mm x 60mm. In the first square cut a slit in the top 30mm deep and 20mm wide. In the second square cut and angled slot larger on the outside edge 35mm tapered to 30mm wide and 40mm deep do not throw this away it will be the shutter!
Step 6.
Using the metal tape, tape the pin hole over the cut-out in the front of the box. Tape the square shutter with the tapered cut-out facing the top of the camera and exposing the pin hole through the center of the cut-out. Tape the other square over the top. You should now be able to slide the shutter card into the slot as shown here.
Step 7.
Now you can make the lid for the camera, cut a square of card 289mm(205mm+80mm(2*40mm for lid lip)+4mm(for 2mm card) x 234mm (150mm+80mm(2*40mm for lid lip)+4mm(for 2mm card). Mark a 40mm border around the edge, cut and remove the corners, score your lines and fold 90 deg to make your lip, tape using metal tape.
Now make sure the paper fits (8"x8") into the camera as shown.
You may like to modify your pin hole camera to take a 10"x8" sheet of paper as shown. You will need to add some small strips of card to the inside sides of the camera to hold the paper in place.
All you have to do now is experiment with exposure times.
1.Load your Paper in the darkroom.
2.Find a location to make an exposure (Tip. I would not go too far from your darkroom until you get your times right). Try Exposing for 2min on a bright day as a starting point.
3.Develop your paper to give you a negative.
4.Place your paper face to face on your enlarger or work surface Under Glass! and expose to light. Try 15sec for an enlarger with the lens fully open.
Click on any of the images below to see more information.
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To find more pin hole information, take a look at these books. Pin hole photography books