Print and fold your own camera?

[mouser]

A camera is just an enclosure with a lens and some film.  Turns out you can make everything but the film from paper.  Why not download and print and assemble your own camera and try it out.

Q: What is a pinhole camera? How does it work?
A pinhole camera uses a very small hole to create a lens for the light to enter and expose the film. These Readymech Cameras can be downloaded and printed at your computer, built, and used to make your own pinhole camera!
Q: How do I take a photo with a pinhole camera?
A: Set the camera on a firm surface and open the shutter for the correct amount of time, then close the shutter and wind the film.
Q: How long should I expose my film for?
A: All camera instructions come with exposure times for various lighting conditions, but exposure times may vary depending on the type of film you're using.
...
Q: What supplies do I need?
A: You will need:
A printer
Some good printer paper
One thin cereal box for the light-safe interior
A razor blade for cutting
Some double-sided tape or glue
Thin needle for making a pinhole
Small piece of aluminum foil or soda can to puncture with the needle
One new roll of film, preferably ISO200
One film canister from which the film has been removed. You can empty a new roll, or get an empty canister at any photo supply store

http://corbis.readymech.com/en

from http://shellcity.net/

[Edvard]

Way cool!
I like the funky looks on some of these.
For a more 'Old School' version, try the Dirkon*.

Published in 1979 in the magazine ABC mladých techniků a přírodovědců [An ABC of Young Technicians and Natural Scientists].

Its creators, Martin Pilný, Mirek Kolář and Richard Vyškovský, came up with a functional pinhole camera made of stiff paper, designed for 35 mm film, which resembles a real camera. It may not be the most practical of devices, but it works!

I wonder if you could make one out of thin sheet metal to make it more durable?  

*The name Dirkon is a play on words based on the combination of the parts of two words: Dirk- is the beginning of the Czech word dírka – pinhole, and -kon is the end of the name of a well-known Japanese camera which needs no introduction.

[tomos]

Way cool!
I like the funky looks on some of these.
For a more 'Old School' version, try the Dirkon*.

-Edvard (August 19, 2009, 04:46 PM)

It has that eastern block look! or is it just a 1979 look? - a combo of both probably

[f0dder]

Insane

[40hz]

Amazing what you can do with a pin-hole camera. Correctly used, the results can be stunning.

And their use wasn't restricted to DIYer's either. There was actually a company that was doing precision pin-holes for use with 35mm SLRs. They punched a hole through a piece of gold foil with a laser. They then installed it in a standard mount so it could be swapped just like any other lens on your camera. Because the pinhole was perfectly round and had no micro-jagged edges, it was capable of producing quality images like no other pinhole could.

I might have been tempted.  
But at something like $350, it didn't take me too long to decide I really didn't need it.

ADDNDUM:

I mentioned this to a buddy who does a lot of silver photography. He pointed me to this website. They make less elaborate (i.e. no fancy lensmount or gold foil) precision pinholes for 35mm cameras. And the cost is around $30.

http://www.lenoxlase...ole_Camera_Kits.html