Who invented the pinhole camera

Oldest mention of its effect is by Mozi, Chinese philosopher and the founder of Mohism, during the 5th century BC. The Greek philosopher Aristotle noticed in 4th century that light from a sun eclipse that passes through holes between the leaves, projects an image of an eclipsed sun on the ground.

Anthemius of Tralles, which designed the Hagia Sophia, used a type of camera obscura in his experiments in 6th century. Al-Kindi, Arab philosopher, mathematician, physician, and musician, performed experiments with light and a pinhole in 9th century and proved again behavior of light. All these scientists experimented with a small hole and light but none of them suggested that a screen is used so an image from one side of a hole in surface could be projected at the screen on the other.

Here the surroundings could be seen by means of a rotating mirror. The moving images were projected on a white table. You can still visit such a permanent camera-room in Edinburgh , a real magic experience. All this was very popular until the official invention of photography in From this moment on there was no need to trace images anymore and the pinhole principle was completely forgotten. Until the most famous pinhole picture of that time showed up, a photograph of from Geo rge Davison, The Onion Field.

This picture won the highest price at the annual exhibition of the Photographic Society in London. This particular picture was the beginning of the popularity of the pinhole camera which would last for several years. There were some american companies that put pinhole cameras on the market and even a special pinhole disc that could replace the lens of a regular camera.

From the 20th century the pinhole camera lost popularity. Making images with a camera like this was considered to be inferior. Constructing a simple pinhole camera is easy. Make a hole in one side of a closable box made of material which doesn't let light in.

Place a thin piece of metal or tin can with a tiny hole over the opening. On the outside of the box stick a strip of black tape over the opening which acts as the release. Then, in a dark room, attach a piece of film or photographic paper onto the opposite side and the camera is ready.

The pinhole camera's simple construction offers a number of ways in which it can be constructed, using various materials. The cameras can be all kinds of shapes and sizes, with various formats and types of light-sensitive material, several holes, curved film planes, for panoramic images etc.

There are all sorts of imaginative ways to make these cameras; the most ordinary of objects can unexpectedly become pinhole cameras, for example a matchbox, book, a pepper, travel bag, a delivery van, an old fridge or even a hotel room.

You can, of course, turn your ordinary camera into a pinhole camera by simply replacing the lens with a small hole. And to complete the list, there are also a number of commercially produced pinhole cameras in existence, on the whole, highly elaborate models. What you experience once you design, construct and try out your own pinhole camera is difficult to describe. You'll find yourself on a whole new plane of imagination, experimentation and creativity. Moreover, the photos themselves have an unusual atmosphere and capture the world in a different way than you are used to.

Make your own pinhole camera and take some photographs with it. Another American company sold its version which came with chemicals, trays, six dry plates, ruby paper for a safelight, and a print frame. There is a Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day, the first one was held on the 29 th of April , and has been held every year in April since then.

One of the most popular uses, to this day, of the pinhole camera, is for looking at solar eclipses, and other events that involve looking at the sun. Obviously, looking directly at the sun is bad. And with only a few materials, kids can make their own pinhole camera to stare at the sun without doing any serious damage.

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