Hasta La Ideas

The CR cutting board has never seen the like

The final cut-out-and-make project from CR’s Bumper Summer Fun issue is perhaps the most challenging. But to prove it can be done, here’s our very own ‘Pinolta’ pinhole camera that we made earlier with some invaluable help from our intern Jasmin…

The Pinolta camera is one of several models you can make from Justin Quinell and Josh Buczynski’s Build Your Own Paper Cameras, published by Ilex Press (£12.99).

Justin and his publishers kindly let us include the instructions to create the Pinolta model in the new issue and also house downloadable templates for the camera on the CR website, along with notes on how to load and expose your film.

So all you need to make your own Pinolta is a copy of the Bumper Summer Fun issue, some A4 card (220 gsm recommended), a printer, a scalpel or scissors, some glue, a needle, an aluminium drinks can and two regular camera films. (The needle is used to make the tiny hole you need in your flattened square of aluminium).

Of course, the photographic fruits of our endeavours will be shared on the CR blog once we read up a bit on how to properly expose our film in a pinhole style. Suffice to say we’ll be taking our surprisingly sturdy Pinolta around the office and on to the streets of Soho early next week. So once we’re back from the chemists, expect a holiday slide show courtesy of CR!

Here’s a better look at Jasmin’s Pinolta, with the shutter closed…

…and – wait for it – open. The metal you can see is the “lens” of the camera which is made from a drinks can. The “pinhole” is in the centre of the lens and is easily made with a needle:

More details on the book, Build Your Own Paper Cameras, at ilex-press.com. Make sure you also check out pinholephotography.org for examples of the kinds of images you can make.

And we’d love to see any pictures you take with your Pinoltas, not to mention shots of your cameras too.