Very Interesting Curved Plane Camera

by Roger on March 30th, 2007

Camera/Photos and Text by Larry Bullis

The cross section of the box is outlined in blue. The red line is the film. The green elipses represent the approximate (relative) scale of the pinhole as seen from that point on the film (at the center of the sheet). The variation in distance is given in stops on the left.

The visible aspect (roundness or out-of=round) of the hole is different from every position. The distance from the hole to the film, and consequently the amount of light reaching the film is also different at different points (the greater the distance the less light, conforming to the inverse square principle). The offset of the hole and the slant, with the consequent change of aspect of the visible elipse is used to cancel these errors to some extent. Ideally, the area of the hole as seen from any point on the film in its various aspects would be the same. That way, the light would be even across the film, but, of course, that isn’t possible. This intuitive compromise seems to work pretty well, but I haven’t got a really good mathematical model.

Using Photoshops Channel Mixer to Simulate B/W Film

by Roger on March 9th, 2007

I’ve recently came across these numbers that seem to add some nice tones to your b/w photography. Open your image in Photoshop then enter these numbers into the channel mixer. How close they actually simulate these films…? Well, you’ll have to judge for yourself.

Agfa 200X: 18,41,41
Agfapan 25: 25,39,36
Agfapan 100: 21,40,39
Agfapan 400: 20,41,39
Ilford Delta 100: 21,42,37
Ilford Delta 400: 22,42,36
Ilford Delta 400 Pro & 3200: 31,36,33
Ilford FP4: 28,41,31
Ilford HP5: 23,37,40
Ilford Pan F: 33,36,31
Ilford SFX: 36,31,33
Ilford XP2 Super: 21,42,37
Kodak Tmax 100: 24,37,39
Kodak Tmax 400: 27,36,37
Kodak Tri-X: 25,35,40
And these basic ones: Normal Contrast: 43,33,30 /High Contrast: 40,34,60
and at last a generic BW: 24,68,8.

Super Easy Anamorphic Coffee Can Camera

by Roger on March 9th, 2007

Ok. I’ll cut to the chase. All you really need is a coffee can w/ it’s lid, film/paper, flat black spray paint, and a pinhole (which ever method you prefer).

1. Paint the inside of your can flat black.

2. If your lid is opaque, you are fine, if not either paint it or tape it until it is opaque.

3. Measure your focal length to determine your pinhole size. Measure from your pinhole to the center of your film. (see diagram)

4. Place your pinhole on the inside of the lid.

5. Go shoot a photo w/ your new camera.

6. Post your results in the Anamorphs section of Flickr.

Good Luck. Feel free to email me w/ any questions.