U.S. source for pinhole lens?

Chad

Chad

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I'd like to buy a laser cut pinhole lens for my home-made camera (specifically one that is about 0.014" in diameter). Lenox Laser has what I'm looking for but $12 to ship from Canada seems steep (http://www.lenoxlaser.com/). I just want the metal with the hole, no body cap attached. Does anyone know of a supplier in the U.S.?


thanks

Chad
 
I know this might be sacriligious in some way, but why is a hole worth paying for ? They are not called pinhole cameras for nothing, after all . . . .

EDIT: Errrrm, I'll rephrase that . . . " ... they are called pinhole cameras for a reason ..."
 
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Makes one wonder what is the proper film size for digital rangefinders! A non sequitur? Oxymoron? or just a very precise hole so tiny that no manual needle will suffice? Just curious.
johne
 
Lenox laser is steep for shipping, but the holes are good quality and mounted in a nice piece of metal.
I've bought cheaper pinholes from a German ebay seller, but the things were so thin (and unmounted) that I tore one of them trying to make use of it.
Google to find instructions on making your own hole (dent and sand method). I've never tried it because I'm ham-handed and would rather pay for someone to do stuff like that for me.

Also, you might ask around at f295.org.
 
Chad said:
I'd like to buy a laser cut pinhole lens for my home-made camera
Click to expand...

It's a hole, not a lens. Hey, it aint called "lensless photography" for nothing!

Sorry to state the obvious but "they call me trouble" 😀

btw, i've had very nice results using a fine pin or needle in heavy duty aluminum foil. Saves money and the image is more funky than what you'd get with the laser cut hole.
 
Actually, I just had this sort of foolish idea . . . The hole just lets through light doesn't it ? - it doesn't have to be filled with air necessarily, so we can make our own holes photographically, by photographing black dots from appropriate distances and making a couple of lith contact prints, but maybe no-one has lith film anymore . . . drat, oh well. And I suppose that the edges wouldn't be as "sharp" as with a bit of foil and a needle. Sighhhh.
 
MartinP said:
Actually, I just had this sort of foolish idea . . . The hole just lets through light doesn't it ? - it doesn't have to be filled with air necessarily, so we can make our own holes photographically, by photographing black dots from appropriate distances and making a couple of lith contact prints, but maybe no-one has lith film anymore . . . drat, oh well. And I suppose that the edges wouldn't be as "sharp" as with a bit of foil and a needle. Sighhhh.
Click to expand...

Its been done. I saw images from such a "pinhole" not long ago. Can't remember where though...and you are right...it did not yield the sharpest pinhole images I've ever seen. On the other hand, sharp isn't really the point.
 
Thanks for the leads everyone. I have tried a few self-made pinholes and wanted to see what differences there may be using a laser cut one.


Chad
 
Laser-cut pinhole apertures

Laser-cut pinhole apertures

I've had just as good luck with homemade pinhole lens as with the laser cut ones. I paid $45 for one for my hasselblad. Normally I just make my own with snapple caps and jelly, jam, sauce lids, etc... just pick up a used body cap at your local camera store.
Use a push pin to indent the lid and super fine sandpaper (800- 2000 grit) in a circular motion, it usually produces good results. A King-Size Sharpie for paint. Drill the body cap and super glue will hold well. It is much more satisfying getting a good image from a lens I made than one that was laser-cut, but that may be just me.
The picture of the corncrib was made with a Snapple cap on a Polaroid Daylab camera.
 

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