Category: Cameras

PressPan

I am working on a series about the prairie landscape. I really wanted to use the the panorama format to fully capture the vastness of the western prairies. I considered a few different cameras, the Xpan, the Widelux and the Horizon. For various reasons, none of them fit the bill. I discovered the PressPan panorama cameras made by Trastic. I was fortunate enough to find a used one online.

It is a beast of a camera. I absolutely in love with the images I am getting from this camera.

PressPan example
PressPan example
PressPan example
PressPan example
PressPan example

Reality So Subtle 6×17 Pinhole Camera

I was looking for something in a larger format pinhole camera and purchased a 6×17 from Reality so Subtle.

It is a well made camera that gives 4 exposures on a roll of 120 film. It is quite tricky to load and requires some practice. I really like the panoramic look the camera gives.

Reality so Subtle 6×17 example
Reality so Subtle 6×17 example
Reality so Subtle 6×17 example
Reality so Subtle 6×17 example
Reality so Subtle 6×17 example

Baby Cube Pinhole Camera

Baby Cube pinhole camera

An interesting little camera that a purchased from Chroma Camera. It has:

0.2mm Pinhole

30mm focal length

F/150 equivalent aperture

24x24mm frame size

It has an ingenious winding system that keeps the frame spacing constant.

Example from the Baby Cube camera

Example from the Baby Cube camera
Example from the Baby Cube camera
Example from the Baby Cube camera
Example from the Baby Cube camera

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H9 IR conversion

Sony Cyber-shot DSC H9

I have been interested in IR photography for a while and had been using a ir720 filter on my Pentax K70. I found that I was getting good results but found that not being able to see the image though the viewfinder very limiting. I briefly considered having one of my cameras converted it IR, but then came across this on YouTube: Sony Infrared Conversion

I found a Sony Cyber-shot DSC H9 on Ebay and did the converted it myself. When the camera is in night shot mode with an ir720 filter it gives good results. I did some basic editing in Lightroom and Photoshop

It is winter now so there is a lack of green foliage so I will be interested to see how it works in the summer.

Here are some examples:

IR photograph

IR photograph
IR photograph
IR photograph
IR photograph

Double Exposure Part 2

I am continuing to make double exposures using film, but was curious to see what kind of images could be made by different people sharing the camera.

I purchased a simple point and shoot film camera that would be easy to use by someone not familiar with shooting film.

Harman point and shoot film camera.

This Harman reusable camera fit the bill and as a bonus, came with two rolls of film. I loaded the camera and gave it to my two daughters. After they had finished the roll, I rewound the film and re-exposed the film.

Here are some of the results:

Multiple exposure 1
Multiple exposure 2
Multiple exposure 3
Multiple exposure 4
Multiple exposure 5

February Pinhole Camera

This month is a simple build. I constructed the camera from a metal watch box. Placed the pinhole in the lid and used a simple tape shutter. I folded a 7 inch square of photo paper to fit inside the cube.

The cube pinhole camera.

I was surprised how the image was captured inside the cube, I was expecting more distortion up the sides. Cutting the paper to fit in the cube was a little time consuming. Overall I was overall happy with the results and this could be an interesting start to a larger project.

January Pinhole Camera

8 sided Christmas tin

Came across this in the Dollar Store and thought it would make an interesting camera. I am going to put a pinhole in each of the sides and a circular core in the center to hold a 3.5 x 6 inch strip of photo paper.

Holes drilled in each side of the tin.
Hole drilled in the bottom for the tripod mount and to attach the central core.
Central core made from a piece cut from a plastic caulking tube.
A piece of wood cut to fit inside the tube. It has a 5/16 in hole drilled to accept the T nut.

The T nut is driven through the bottom of the can and into the hole in the center core.
The interior showing the central core mounted in place.

Painting the interior of the camera black. I used two coats of flat acrylic paint.
Making the pinholes out of a beer can. I calculated the focal length to be 35mm and a .26mm pinhole was required. The camera will be f135.
Mounted a pinhole in each of the 8 sides of the camera.
The finished camera.
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4

I am glad that I built the 8 sided camera but it is not something I will use regularly. The camera is really fiddly to load and I don’t find the resulting images all that exciting.