Re: 35mm Short focal length

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen Rees" <scilly@myisp.co.uk>

> I have a friend who has been experimenting using 126 cartridges. They are
> about to go out of production. He has tried an ordinary 35mm SLR with a
> body cap but the focal length of around 45mm is too long. Can anyone
> recommend an inexpensive 35mm camera that can be converted into a pinhole
> camera with a focal length less than 30mm ?

I have 2 examples for you, both are 35mm format pinhole cameras, images shown have been scanned with my cheap flat bed scanner:

The first one is my 14mm focal length camera, made out of a Kodak disposable camera, I carved material around the lens to avoid vignetting, recessed the pinhole to be 14mm from the film plane, for which I used a piece of black plastic and glue, the pinhole was then mounted at the back of this black plastic.

Here is a frontal view: http://members.home.com/penate/cameras/14f.jpg
Here is a rear view w/o its back cover: http://members.home.com/penate/cameras/14r.jpg
Here is a bottom view showing the nut I glued to be able to use the camera on a tripod: http://members.home.com/penate/cameras/14b.jpg

Second one is a 12mm focal length camera, made out of a cheap Japanese range finder I bought for $3 at a photo fair (had no lens, but good film winding mechanism). I also recessed the pinhole lens to be just 12mm from the film, glue and a piece of brass stock is all I needed.

Here is a frontal view: http://members.home.com/penate/cameras/12.jpg

Basically any camera can be converted to whatever focal length you want/need. I also have a 6x6 with a focal length of 35mm, done in a similar fashion as the 12mm above.

Hope this images gives you some ideas.

Guillermo
Received on Sat Jul 14 09:35:18 2001