Princeton Architectural Press is celebrating National Craft Month this March! Today, we’re looking at creating a pinhole camera out of your empty coffee can. Here, pinhole aficionado Chris Keeney, author of Pinhole Cameras, will teach you how to transform this basic household container into an amazing photographic device.
Materials: Lavazza or illy espresso can / Black permanent marker / Ruler with a metal edge / Power drill with 1/4 inc. drill bit / 100 and 600 grit sandpaper / Newspaper / Pair of nitrile gloves / Flat black spray paint / Extra-fine beading needle (or small sewing needle) / Wooden pencil with eraser / Soda can, tinfoil, baking tin, or 1 mil copper foil / 1 in. black photographic tape / Scissors / 1 x 30 in. roll of magnet tape / 1/4–20 steel weld nut or tee nut / 1/4–20 fender washer / Needle-nose pliers / Slip-joint pliers / J-B WELD / Thick cardboard or chipboard (for mixing epoxy) / Wooden BBQ skewers / Rubberbands
Negative type: 5x 7 in. photographic paper
Focal length: 100 mm
F-stop: 250
Pinhole diameter: .016 in. (or .4 mm)
Exposure time: approx. 20–60 seconds (bright sunlight)
Drilling the Can
With a black permanent marker and a ruler, mark a point 2.5 in. from the bottom of the can. Using a power drill, drill a hole through the mark. The hole should measure approximately .125–.25 (1⁄8–1⁄4) in. This is where you’ll center the pinhole later. Sand down any burrs with 100 grit sandpaper. Gently run your finger over the hole after sanding to make sure it’s smooth and free of sharp metal.
Prepping and Painting the Can
I recommend cleaning and painting the can the night before, so there’s plenty of time for the paint to dry. Start by emptying, washing, and drying your can. Once your can is dry, prep a well-ventilated area with newspaper. With a pair of nitrile gloves on, paint the interior of the can with an even coat of paint. When you’re done painting, place the can in an area where dust and debris won’t blow into the can and stick to the paint.
Making the Pinhole
This is the fun part. With an extra-fine beading needle or a small sewing needle, drill a .016 in. hole in a thin piece of metal. Make sure to smooth down the punctured hole with 600 grit sandpaper (or 1000 grit, if available) and remove any sharp edges. For detailed instructions on this step, refer to chapter 4, Pinhole Cameras by Chris Keeney, “How to Make a Pinhole.”
Once you’re satisfied with your pinhole, draw a small circle around it with a black permanent marker. This will help align the pinhole with the hole you already drilled in the can.
On a smooth surface, apply four pieces of black photographic tape on the metal as close to the pinhole as possible without covering it. This side will face your negative inside the can (if there’s a large section of metal showing, the shiny surface could reflect light onto your paper negative during exposures). Once you’ve taped around the pinhole, attach it to the inside of the can so it’s centered with the .125–.25 (1⁄8–1⁄4) in. hole you already drilled in the can.
Making the Shutter
In the past I’ve used photographic tape as the shutter for this camera. But I’ve since discovered that a large piece of magnet tape works better, doesn’t wear out, and doesn’t leave a sticky residue on the can over time. But if you can’t find magnet tape, black photographic tape will work fine.
With scissors, cut a 4 in. long strip of magnet tape. Then peel off the backing on the magnet and place a piece of black photographic tape in its place. This is for cosmetic reasons only. I use a piece of tape that’s larger than the magnet strip and cut off the extra tape hanging off the edges. Place the magnet over the pinhole, and you’re done!
Testing and Using Your Camera
It’s time to set up your darkroom and test your camera. I suggest that you make a bathroom lighttight with black plastic tarps. Unscrew the regular lightbulbs in your bathroom and replace one of them with a red safelight. See Pinhole Cameras by Chris Keeney about the setup in chapter 8, “Darkroom Procedures.”
Once your room is lighttight and the safelight is on, take a sheet of 5 x 7 in. photographic paper and insert it into the camera horizontally. Make sure the paper is centered in front of the pinhole (the emulsion side should be facing the hole). I put a piece of red tape on the lip of the can so I know by sight or touch where the pinhole is located on the can. This is also very helpful when loading the camera in the field with a film-changing bag. Cover the can with the lid and you’re ready to test it.
Make your first exposure for 20–30 seconds in bright sunlight. Then develop the negative in the darkroom to see the results. Refer to chapter 8 of Pinhole Cameras by Chris Keeney, “Darkroom Procedures,” for more details on darkroom processes.
If your image is underexposed, add 10 seconds to your exposure time until the paper negative is properly exposed. Your negative should have a good balance of highlights, midtones, and shadows. Make note of the paper you used, the time of day, and the exposure time.
Once you’ve made these tests, you’re ready to take your camera on the road! If the camera is loaded, I keep a rubber band or piece of tape over the magnet shutter to keep it from accidentally moving and exposing the photographic paper negative.
Here are some examples of photographs that have been taken with the coffee can pinhole camera:
Pinhole Cameras: A Do-It-Yourself Guide by Chris Keeney, published by Princeton Architectural Press, is available from:
Amazon
PAPress.com
Barnes & Noble
Your local bookshop
Chris Keeney is a professional photographer living and working in San Diego, California. Although schooled in analog film and paper photography, he now uses digital photographic processes in his professional work, but enjoys the spontaneity and creative freedom of making his own DIY pinhole cameras. He is also the author of PetCam: The World Through the Lens of our Four-Legged Friends.
