While at this years Focus on Imaging at the NEC in Birmingham I was lucky enough to get my hands on Ilford‘s soon to be released (Easter 2013) Obscura Pinhole camera.
This nifty light collecting box has an 87mm focal length and a chemical etched 0.3mm pinhole (f/248) to give brilliantly sharp images.
Either 5×4 inch sheet film or photographic paper can be loaded into this simple to use camera, it is also great for use with Harman Direct Positive Paper. So far I have only used photographic paper, but from the results I have achieved I am really looking forward to working on both film and Direct Positive with this camera.
This weekend I had a trip to London planned and this was perfect opportunity for me to really give the Obscura a try.
First off I set myself up outside the Globe Theatre, using B&W photographic paper as my light sensitive media, which has an ISO of 6, my exposure was 9 mins. Pinhole exposures do tend to be on the longer side but the very low ISO of the paper coupled with a very overcast day is what made this particularly long. This didn’t have a detrimental effect on the final outcome, in fact it allowed me so capture a seemingly quiet walkway in front of the theatre (which I can guarantee was very busy), with the odd ghostly figure of a few people who where standing about just noticeable and a slight movement of the flags twitching in the wind.
Next up was the London Eye, again this was a 9 minute exposure which has captured movement of the main structure of the wheel, with only the sections of glass pods reflecting light registering. The effect is interesting as it makes the Eye look like it is moving very quickly unlike the 30 mins it actually takes for one full rotation.
Below you can see the two shots as they have come straight from the camera. Below these are the positive prints created in the darkroom from a face down contact print of the original.
All in all this is a great pinhole camera, which allows you to get back to basics while having some creative fun with Photography. Expecting to retail at £69 it won’t break the bank either, for this you get the camera, 3 boxes of light sensitive media (Ilford Delta 100, Ilford MGIV, Harman Direct Positive Paper), an exposure calculator and some stickers so you can personalise your camera.
March 15th, 2013 at 3:12 pm
Very cool. How is the film/paper loaded? Changing bag? Are there holders?
March 15th, 2013 at 3:30 pm
It is very cool, and so simple to use. Yes a changing bag is needed when using this camera out in the field. The camera is a box which pulls apart separating into two halves. You drop the film/paper into the back half and then the front half slides inside the back half holding the film/paper flat against the back of the camera, this also gives the lovely border around the edge of your image.
Hope this helped 😀
March 15th, 2013 at 3:31 pm
Seems like a very interesting camera. Given the price, I’m definitely going to be picking one of these up soon.
March 15th, 2013 at 3:38 pm
Looks good, I’d also been wondering how easy it would be to change film/paper when out ‘in the field’ using a changing bag, and presumably you’d need some way of telling the ‘exposed sheet’ box from the ‘unexposed sheet’ box by touch.
I am very tempted to get one of these!
March 15th, 2013 at 3:46 pm
I have found it very easy to change the paper, though I just need to get a bigger changing bag as the one I have at the moment is a bit on the small side. You need a bit of space in there to be able to pull the two halves of the camera apart and to open up your paper box.
In terms of knowing which is your exposed paper, I have cut down and remade an empty 100 sheet 7×5 Ilford paper box. I can then have a bag with my useable paper in and another bag with some masking tape on it for my used paper so I can feel which is which.
March 17th, 2013 at 7:46 am
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January 15th, 2014 at 11:35 am
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