Pinhole Lens

Never mind. Did more research and this does not look like a good solution. 

Hmm, it certainly works well in film photography. What was the hang up in D?

Yo G. Well--from examples that I have seen, you get major vignetting. Also--the images looked very soft. I could crop out the vignetting, but the soft image kills it for me. Maybe it was just that lens, don't know. 

The problem I am considering: Let's take the Seaview I am building as an example. If I tried to image it looking from front to back, it is a long piece to image and get it in complete focus. I have a manual point and shoot camera with macro, and even with that, I doubt I'll get the DOF under those circumstance. I think the smallest aperture I can get is F16. With such a small subject--I don't think F16 is small enough. I base this on other images I have taken at that aperture.

Anyway--this is what's bouncing around in my head today. 

I have seen a lot of shots of model railroad scenes with a pinhole.  They looked pretty good, though always a bit soft. With modern software, I suspect they could be sharpened a bit in post processing.

I love pinhole photography, and a future project is to make a fancy pinhole for my DLSR.  I want to make the pinhole photographically, creating what is known as an apodicized pinhole lens.  This does not have a sharp cuttoff at the edge.  Counterintuitively, it sharpens the image rather than softening it.

Note that some aftermarket or homemade pinholes will not work in all DSLRs.  I have two cameras- such lenses will work on one, not the other (without mods I am not willing to make).  Some cameras require the lens to send the aperture size or ratio to the camera computer or else it will not work, even when selecting manual shutter and aperture.  Even in that setting it requires seeing the actual aperture.  I suppose one could rig up an electrical connection at the lens mount to send the info, but that would be a lot more work than just building the pinhole.  I suppose one could just use the pinhole like an aperture and fake the exposure.

Bakster

Yo G. Well--from examples that I have seen, you get major vignetting. Also--the images looked very soft. I could crop out the vignetting, but the soft image kills it for me. Maybe it was just that lens, don't know. 

The problem I am considering: Let's take the Seaview I am building as an example. If I tried to image it looking from front to back, it is a long piece to image and get it in complete focus. I have a manual point and shoot camera with macro, and even with that, I doubt I'll get the DOF under those circumstance. I think the smallest aperture I can get is F16. With such a small subject--I don't think F16 is small enough. I base this on other images I have taken at that aperture.

Anyway--this is what's bouncing around in my head today. 

 

Sorry, Bakster, missed something in your post I should reply to. If it is a true pinhole lens, with no other optics in it, it will not vignette at all.  That is not a problem. If it is something that mounts like a filter to an existing lens, then it can vignette.  A thin lens is much less susceptible to this.  Do not use such an attachment on a zoom lens, they are much too thick.  Only use them with prime (single fl lens), and a simple one with not very many elements.

This is off-topic to the extent that it's not about pinhole lenses, but I'm curious have you considered focus-stacking?

Don Stauffer

I want to make the pinhole photographically, creating what is known as an apodicized pinhole lens.

Say Don, thanks for responding. PLEASE post when you get around to making and testing it. I would love to hear more about it. I am always looking for new ways to do things.

Don Stauffer

Sorry, Bakster, missed something in your post I should reply to. If it is a true pinhole lens, with no other optics in it, it will not vignette at all.  That is not a problem. If it is something that mounts like a filter to an existing lens, then it can vignette.  A thin lens is much less susceptible to this.  Do not use such an attachment on a zoom lens, they are much too thick.  Only use them with prime (single fl lens), and a simple one with not very many elements.

 

Greg

This is off-topic to the extent that it's not about pinhole lenses, but I'm curious have you considered focus-stacking?

 

I considered it, but I have not tried it. I know there is software out there that helps with the process. I also know that a person can manually stack the image layers, and then manipulate them. The latter sounds like too much work, software may be the way to go.

Here is where I get a little stuck. If I go this route... What lens do I use for the DSLR. I am stuck with the dilemma of finding a lens capable of focusing fairly close. My current glass is not capable. My other option is that I use the PS camera that offers manual focus, and macro. That MIGHT work. I think though that the cameras focus settings clear after each image. So how can I progress the focusing range if the camera keeps resetting its baseline. Sigh. I'll have to look into it more. I don't thinks it's sophisticated enough to store the previous focus point.

Have you tried focus stacking? Any advice?

Bakster

 

 

Greg

This is off-topic to the extent that it's not about pinhole lenses, but I'm curious have you considered focus-stacking?

 

 

 

 

Hey Greg, I don't consider this off topic at all. If focus stacking gets me to the goal, then mission accomplished.

 

I considered it, but I have not tried it. I know there is software out there that helps with the process. I also know that a person can manually stack the image layers, and then manipulate them. The latter sounds like too much work, software may be the way to go.

Here is where I get a little stuck. If I go this route... What lens do I use for the DSLR. I am stuck with the dilemma of finding a lens capable of focusing fairly close. My current glass is not capable. My other option is that I use the PS camera that offers manual focus, and macro. That MIGHT work. I think though that the cameras focus settings clear after each image. So how can I progress the focusing range if the camera keeps resetting its baseline. Sigh. I'll have to look into it more. I don't thinks it's sophisticated enough to store the previous focus point.

Have you tried focus stacking? Any advice?

 

I have focus-stacked most of the pics I've posted on here, so yep. I just use Photoshop because it is built-in. I've tried Zerene (the demo). It works great, never got around to buying it. The other main one is Helicon and I haven't tried that one yet.

I've never heard of trying to do this manually.

I see where you're coming from on lens choice. All this stuff just comes down to optical physics which is above my pay grade. But I do know the closer we get the thinner the DOF and with a real macro (or micro in Nikon-speak), focus-stacking pretty much becomes not optional.

I've tried using my 50mm prime which get pretty close and is pretty sharp, but it doesn't get close enough most of the time.

I often resort to my cell phone.

A freind of mine as a little, uh, it might be a Minolta??? that does focus stacking automatically in camera. If you want, I'll find out what it is. I looked at it before I bought my little Fuji.

Hopefully Max and some of our other folk who know more about this stuff than I do will chime in soon.

Greg

I often resort to my cell phone.

Greg.. How are you able to use your cell phone? What is your process to taking muliple focus point images? 

Bakster

 

 

Don Stauffer

Sorry, Bakster, missed something in your post I should reply to. If it is a true pinhole lens, with no other optics in it, it will not vignette at all.  That is not a problem. If it is something that mounts like a filter to an existing lens, then it can vignette.  A thin lens is much less susceptible to this.  Do not use such an attachment on a zoom lens, they are much too thick.  Only use them with prime (single fl lens), and a simple one with not very many elements.

 

 

 

 

Don, what I was looking at was an attachment that connects to the camera body itself, no lens in between. The attachment though, has its own lens, and I suspect that this is where the shortcomings originate from. I was looking to try something simple, but it is not looking like it will be. I really want to utilize my DSLR more for completed project images. Primarily, because of it's manual controls. My PS has manual, but it is still somewhat limited.

 

 

 

Simple test.  Leave the lens off, set up a manual focus combo, and try to take a picture.  Does the shutter release work?  If so, no problems.  If it doesn't, you can try a T-mount adapter.  Beg, borrow or steal one to try.  Then try manual exposure and see if shutter will work. If it does, you can make your own lens, and it will work with that camera.  BTW, those T-mounts are the easiest way to adapt a homemade lens to your dslr mount.

Bakster

 

 

Greg

I often resort to my cell phone.

 

 

Greg.. How are you able to use your cell phone? What is your process to taking muliple focus point images? 

 

Steve,

My apologies, my comment was vague and misleading.

I don't focus stack with cell phone, I meant sometimes I get tired of all the fuss of using my DSLR and macro lens and focus stacking and just snap a quick pic with the cell phone. They are not macros, but focus pretty close.

Ah! Got it.  Thanks for the clarification. 

Don Stauffer

Simple test.  Leave the lens off, set up a manual focus combo, and try to take a picture.  Does the shutter release work?  If so, no problems.  If it doesn't, you can try a T-mount adapter.  Beg, borrow or steal one to try.  Then try manual exposure and see if shutter will work. If it does, you can make your own lens, and it will work with that camera.  BTW, those T-mounts are the easiest way to adapt a homemade lens to your dslr mount.

Don, thanks for this info. I will try it.