Make a Pintoid Camera
One of the many things you can do with an Altoids tin is make a pinhole camera, or a "Pintoid" camera, that can capture scenery. Not only can this turn into an interesting hobby, but these nifty little cameras also make interesting gifts!
Steps
- Get tin can from a local store or just recycle any tin casing.
- Using a pencil mark the center of the tin can.
- Drill a hole approximately 1/4"/6.35mm into the nutrition information area of the tin.
- File away any sharp edges and sand the inside of the tin.
- Spray paint the inside of the tin flat black.
- Gather the items needed for making the pinhole apparatus. These are: an acupuncture needle and a sewing needle glued into a clothespin.
- Cut some small pieces from a pie tin, or other suitable material for the apparatus.
- Using a piece of cardboard as backing, turn and press while holding the needle in a vertical position. This creates a round groove in preparation for the next step.
- Make a hole with an acupuncture needle.
- Check the pinholes for roundness on a light table with a loupe. If the hole isn't perfectly round, chuck it and make a new one.
- Smooth the apparatus using sandpaper.
- Paint it black too.
- Using Gaffer's tape, tape the pinhole to the inside of the 1/4" (6.35mm) drilled hole. Gaffer's tape is black, cloth-like tape. It's flat black unlike most electrical tape, which is shiny.
- Place a piece of black tape over the outside of the pinhole as a shutter. You can also use black cardboard, especially for Multitoids, as these multiple-holed Pintoids need to have all of the holes opened and closed simultaneously.
- Cut two pieces of cardboard that will fit in the camera housing. These will hold the film inside the camera.
- Paint it black and glue it inside the casing.
- You now have a Film Chamber.
- Get the other half of the tin can and paint it black too.
- In complete darkness (a darkroom or changing bag), tape a strip of film inside the Pintoid lid. The emulsion side should face the pinhole.
- To have better image result mount your new camera on a tripod using rubber bands. Close the tin and if you want wrap it with black electrical tape to prevent light leaks. Electrical tape is cheaper than Gaffer's tape.
- Ensure adequate exposure time. Sewing-needle holes need about four seconds on a sunny day. Indoors, anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours may be necessary, depending on the amount of light and the desired effect. Acupuncture needles require longer exposure - generally use about one minute on a sunny day.
- Exposure times of one half hour to many hours aren't unusual for indoor images.
- Enjoy and have fun experimenting with your new Pintoid Camera.
- Process the images. Load the negative strips (in complete darkness) onto plastic reels for tank processing. Continue to slide the strips onto the reel, keeping spaces between each strip. You can generally get five to seven strips onto one reel.
- Strips of 35mm negs. These negatives are 125 speed.
Tips
- You can solder a nut onto the outside of some Pintoids as a tripod mount, but the tin is thin and flexible, so mounting the Pintoid on a tripod via rubber bands is a sturdier method.
- Acupuncture needles create smaller holes than sewing needles. They're tough and can be used over and over again with consistently good results.
Warnings
- Be careful when you work with knives or scissors.
Things You'll Need
- Altoids tin
- Drill
- File
- Flat black paint and paintbrush
- Acupuncture needle
- Sewing needle glued to a clothespin (peg), glue
- Pie tin
- Piece of cardboard
- Light with loupe
- Gaffer's tape
- Scissors/craft knife
- Negative strips
- Roll for negative strips
