Pinhole photography and image distortion

[Patrick]

For a long time, Ive been meaning to make a pinhole camera...one of these days, I think I'll actually get around to it. Something about getting back to the basics of photography in it's simplest form really interests me. I'll be using a round container for the camera body, with some photographic paper wrapped around inside.

Though I'm getting some conflicting information regarding image distortion. Ive seen some samples of pinhole photographs taken with cylindical body shapes and they appear to have some sort of distortion - similar but also different to what you get with a fisheye lens. And it's an effect that I like. However, i have read a number of pinhole experts state that there is no distortion with pinhole photography, regardless of the shape of the camera. Just wondering what these guys are on about as there seems to be some contradiction here.....

[richard p. t.]

g'day patrick,
I agree with you that if the image is landing on a surface that is not a uniform distance from the pin hole, then the image will be bent in some way - just as an image from a slide proejctor would be bent if projected onto non-flat or non-perpendicular surfaces.
enjoy pinholing!
rt

[Patrick]

g'day patrick,
I agree with you that if the image is landing on a surface that is not a uniform distance from the pin hole, then the image will be bent in some way - just as an image from a slide proejctor would be bent if projected onto non-flat or non-perpendicular surfaces.
enjoy pinholing!
rt

I think I'll have a blast. I wonder how much the chemicals and paper cost these days. When I did darkroom work last, we substituted water for a stop bath so that's one way I can reduce costs.

Ive just found a guy whose pinhole images feature quite significant distortion. He uses cylinder shaped camera bodies which are tilted diagonally during the exposure.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9192444@N0 ... otostream/

[carllooper]

Pinhole photography is a great activity.

If filmstock or image sensors were sensitive enough to light there would be no need for lenses! A pinhole would be all you would need - well almost. The ideal pinhole would be an infinitely small hole, but holes below a certain size start "bending" the light away from where you want it to go. Or slightly more technically: the light diffracts.

The purpose of a lens is to solve the problem of not enough light (and diffraction). But the purpose of better lenses is to solve the problem of using a lens in the first place.

Pinhole photography is beautiful in this respect. No lens at all.