Create Your Own Digital SLR Lenses
Posted 07/06/2007 at 11:06am
| by Zack Stern
BUILD A PINHOLE LENS
1. Mark the Center of Body Cap & Drill Away
As with the macro lens, you’ll need a body cap that matches your camera. After you’ve ferreted one out, draw lines inside across its diameter - draw several lines to be sure they intersect at the exact center. Use a Dremel drill (or a number 6 center drill) to start drilling a hole into the center of the cap. Work slowly so that you almost reach the other side, without breaking through.

Lightly draw in the guidelines for your center point.
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2. Finish the Hole
Gently push a needle into the center to finish the hole. As an alternative method - especially if you accidentally drilled all the way through the cap - affix a piece of foil tape to the outside of the cap, and pierce that sheet with a needle. Some cameras, like Canon DSLRs, can be used in aperture-priority mode to adjust the needed exposure length automatically. Even if you use this mode, verify the proper exposure by checking an image’s histogram while shooting. Make sure the curves are evenly distributed. If they’re squished to the left or right, the image will be under- or overexposed, respectively. Screw on the cap and voilà, the Pinhole 3000.

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