MATCHBOX PINHOLE CAMERA TUTORIAL

YOU WILL NEED:

• Amatchbox

• Arollof35mmfilm.

• Anemptyrollof35mmfilmwith

somefilmstickingout

• Theboxthefilmcamein

• Acan

• BlackPVCelectricianstape

• Theplasticfromaspiralbinder

• Athinneedleorpin

• Scissors

• Asharpcraftknife

• Ablackmarkerpen

1

2

Takethematchboxtray,anddrawtwolinesfromcornertocorner,thendraw

asquare(1)oranyothershape-thiswillbetheexposedareaofthefilm.After

you’vedonethatcutouttheshape(2)withthecraftknife,beingverycarefulnotto

damagethebox.

THE BOX

THE BOX

Nowcolourtheinsideofthetrayandmatchboxsleevewithablackfelttippen(1).

thenextstepistocutouta3mmsquareexactlyinthemiddleofthematchbox

sleeve(2)

1

2

THE PINHOLE

Cutoutapiece(13-15mmsquare)ofaluminiumfromthedrinkscan(1).Placethe

aluminiumontosomethickcardboard.Pressabluntpencilinthemiddleofthe

squaretomakeadip(2),thenfileitdownalittlebittomakethemetalthiner,then

gentlymakeaholeusingtheneedle/pin.Colourthebackofthepinholeblack.

Placethealuminiumontotheboxsothatthepinholeisexactlyinthecentreofthe

squareholeinthetopofthebox(3).Tapethealuminiumontothebox,securingall

foursides(4).

12

3

4

THE SHUTTER

Cuttwopiecesofthincard,asquareabout32mm,andarectangleabout25mm

x40mm.Inthesquarepiece,cutouta6mmsquareinthecentre(1).Placesome

blacktapeononesideoftherectangularpiecetopreventlightleaks.Placethe

squarepieceoverthepinholeandtapedownthreesides,leavingagapinthetop

intowhichtherectangularshuttercardcanslide.Checkthattheshuttercanbe

pusheddowntofullycoverthepinhole.

open closed

THE CLICKER

Takeoneloopoffaspiralbinderandplaceitoverthenewfilmcanister,thepointed

endoftheplasticshouldenteroneoftheholesinthefilm.Tapetheplastictothe

filmcanistersecurely.Testtheclickerbygentlypullingoutsomefilm.Theclicker

shouldrideonthebackofthefilmsmoothlyandmakeaclickasitdropsintothe

sprocketholes.

LOADING THE FILM

Trimthefilm,cuttingtheedgeassquarelyaspossible.Pulloutalittlemorefilm

andthreadthefilmthroughthematchbox(1).Makesurethenon-shinysideis

facingthepinhole.Usingsomeclearstickytapejointheendsofthefilmtogether.

Trytomakesuretheedgesarelineduptogethersothefilmcanpasseasilyinto

theemptycanister.Tapebothsidesandmakesurethejointissecure(2).Slidethe

matchtraybackintothebox.Windupthefilmmakingsuretheedgesofeachfilm

canisterarepusheduptighttothematchboxandnofilmcanbeseen.Thefilm

isnowloaded.NowmakethecameralighttightbycoveringallofitwiththePVC

tape,gooverthecanistersandallthegaps.

USING YOUR CAMERA

Tomakeiteasiertowindthefilmon,sticksomethingintothetopoftheempty

spoolegkeyorsomethickplastick.Thecompletedcameraisnowreadytoused.

Makesuretheshutterisclosed.Towindthefilmon,turnthewinderontheempty

takeupspoolanticlockwise.Listenfortheclicks.Count10clicksforeachphoto.

TheMatchboxPinholecamerahasanfnumberofaboutf90.There’snoneed

tobeveryaccurateaboutexposuretimeswhenusingcolourprintfilm,usethe

followingasaroughguidewhenusingISO100or200film.

Outside,sunshine:1or2seconds

Outside,cloudyconditions:5seconds

Indoors,normalroomlighting:5-10minutes

Whenthefilmcan’tbewoundonanymoreit’stimetounloadthefilm.Youcan

justcuttheboxopen,butifyouarecarefulyoucanreusethecameramanytimes.

Thefilmcanbedevelopedbyanynormalphotolab.Itmightbeagoodideatotell

themthattheframespacingsmightbeabitirregularwhenyoudropthefilmoff-if

thestaffarehelpfultheymighttakealittlemorecarewhenprinting.

TEXT ADAPTED FROM: http//www.matchboxpinhole.com