Light and Photography with a
Pinhole Camera
Version History:
January 2012 – Douglas Lee
This hands-on lesson is an exercise in applying the process of
scientific experimentation. Using a self-constructed pinhole camera,
students will experiment with the process of taking a photo by
manually opening the camera’s shutter. This lesson includes step-bystep instructions on constructing a pinhole camera from ordinary items
commonly found in supermarkets, craft stores and pharmacies. Some
knowledge of small tool usage is required to build the pinhole camera.
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Targeted Grade Level:
5 Grade
Subject:
Science
Process-Oriented Objectives:
 Specify skills/information that will be
learned
Education Standards Addressed:
Resources:
 Multimedia / computer equipment,
construction materials and tools used in
the lesson, if applicable
Materials List:
 Altoids mint tin or
Twinings tea tin
 Black electrical tape
 Flat black spray paint (or
substitute black paper)
 Popsicle stick
 1 x 35mm film roll
(unexposed and new)
 1 x 35mm expended film
roll (ask for spent film
cartridges at any photo
lab)
 Magnetic strip used for
crafts
Tools List:
 Electric drill
 Dremel tool with metal cut-off wheel
 Small diameter sewing needle (smallest is best)
 Scissors
 Safety goggles
Equipment List:
 Projector
 Document camera
Science experiment equipment list:
 Stopwatch
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Notebook paper and pencil
Map of the campus or area
Small light weight tripod (optional)
Elastics to hold pinhole camera on tripod (optional)
Topic Addressed:
 Description of the lesson, including key definitions and points
Pinhole Camera – A basic camera that uses a small opening, approximately the size of a small pin, to
allow light to expose a photosensitive medium
ISO – Stands for “International Standards Organization” and is the
Aperture – The opening that lets in light into the camera
Shutter Speed – The elapsed time that the aperture is open
What do I want the students to discover?
Introduction Activity and Discussion:
 Introduce the activity
How-to Create The MintyCam or TeaCam Pinhole Camera
1. Sand the inside of the tin to make sure the black spray paint
will stick to the surface.
2. In a well-ventilated area, use the flat black spray paint to
completely cover the inside surfaces of the tin. This is to
ensure that no light bounces around the inside of the camera.
Let the paint dry overnight.
3. With the Dremel tool, cut two slots on either side of the tin so
that there is enough room for the film to fit through the tin.
One side will be used for the unexposed film, and the other
side will be used for the take-up reel. You can get spent film
cartridges from any photo lab as they tend to throw them out
once they process a roll of film.
Drill a hole in the center of the top of the tin with the smallest
diameter sewing needle that you can find. The smaller the
pinhole (i.e. aperture), the sharper the image will be as the image will
have a greater “depth of-field”.
Remember to always wear your safety goggles when drilling or cutting
4. Feed the unexposed film through the left slot making sure the
emulsion side is facing the front of the camera where the
pinhole is located when the lid is closed.
Cut the “tongue” of the unexposed film and tape it to the left
over piece of the spend film cartridge. Just a single piece of
electrical tape will do as the film will need to fit through the
slots of the take-up reel.
5. Put the Popsicle stick into the bottom of the take-up reel.
Carefully turn the stick counter-clockwise to make sure the film
advances in order to clear the slots of both the tin and take-up
reel.
Close the lid and tape the film cartridges securely to the tin.
Make sure that you cover all areas where light may enter.
Tape the sides of the lid so that no light will leak into the
camera. Use as much tape as you wish as light leaks will
destroy your images.
6. Cut a rectangular piece of the magnetic craft strip. This will serve as the shutter to the MintyCam.
Tape the top of the magnetic strip to above the pinhole so as to create a hinge. Use a piece of
electrical tape to create a flap so you can easily open and close the shutter.
7. To take a photo, you should remember to make sure the
MintyCam is placed on a sturdy surface or platform. You
can use a tripod and secure it with elastics, if you wish.
This will make sure that your images do not have motion
blur because of “camera shake”.
The quality of the photos will be dependent on the ISO
sensitivity of the film in the camera and the length of time
you open the shutter. As a general starting point, ISO 100
in bright sunlight will generally have a 1 second shutter
speed. So, it is important that the MintyCam is placed on
a sturdy surface.
Experiment with different shutter speeds and lighting
conditions.
To advance the film to the next frame, turn the stick 3 or 4
times (each turn is 180 degrees, so you will need to turn
the stick a full 360 degrees 1.5 to 2 times).
Activity:
 Describe the independent activity to reinforce this lesson
 How will students be encouraged to investigate on their own, at school or at home?
Students will take their newly created MintyCam and experiment with different camera settings and
lighting conditions. With a stopwatch, record the time that the shutter is open and under what lighting
conditions (bright sun, cloudy, indoors with ceiling lights, etc…)
Students should maintain a log of the following:
 ISO speed of the film
 Record the shutter speed using the stopwatch. One student can operate the stopwatch, while
another operates the shutter.
 Record the lighting conditions.
 Record the date and time of the photo.
 Record where the photo was taken and which direction they were facing. A map of the campus or
area is a good idea to provide before they begin.
When the roll of film is used, rewind the film to the original film canister. Remove the electrical tape and
open the tin. Remove the film and have it processed at any film processing lab. When processing, ask the
photo lab to “process only and do not cut the strips”. There is no need to have prints created as the
negative (or positive, if you can still find slide film) will be scanned and the image processed with digital
imaging software.
Bring the negatives back to class when the film is processed and compare the results with the data that
was recorded.
Did the images turn out? What can you do next time? Was there any noticeable stray light leaks?
Which photos turned out the best? Why?
Typical Discussion Questions:
Expected Conclusions:
Film Speed: ISO 200
Shutter speed: 4 seconds
Lighting conditions: Indoor, well-lit with overhead
lights and windows
Location: Computer Lab
Date / Time: January 31, 2012 ~3pm
Shutter speed: 1 second
Lighting conditions: daylight, bright sun
Location: Preaux
Date / Time: January 31, 2012 ~3pm
Shutter speed: 2 seconds
Lighting conditions: daylight, shade
Location: Maternelle playground
Date / Time: January 31, 2012 ~3pm
Shutter speed: 3 seconds
Lighting conditions: shade
Location: By the pit
Date / Time: January 31, 2012 ~3pm
Shutter speed: 4 seconds
Lighting conditions: daylight, bright sun, shooting
into the sun
Location: Parking lot by cafeteria carpool
Date / Time: January 31, 2012 ~3pm
Shutter speed: 1 second
Lighting conditions: daylight, bright sun
Location: Gym patio
Date / Time: January 31, 2012 ~3pm
Who is that handsome guy?
Shutter speed: 2 seconds
Lighting conditions: daylight, bright sun
Location: Primary playground
Date / Time: January 31, 2012 ~3pm
Shutter speed: 4 seconds
Lighting conditions: indoor, well-lit with overhead
lights and windows
Location: Faculty lounge
Date / Time: January 31, 2012 ~3pm
Shutter speed: 4 seconds
Lighting conditions: indoor, well-lit with overhead
lights and windows
Location: Faculty lounge
Date / Time: January 31, 2012 ~3pm
Shutter speed: 4 seconds
Lighting conditions: indoor, well-lit with overhead
lights and windows
Location: Faculty lounge
Date / Time: January 31, 2012 ~3pm
Assessment:
Application to Real-Life Situations:
Students’ Literature Connection:
Integrating Other Subjects:
References:
http://photondetector.com/blog/2007/04/24/ck-custom-mintycam-pinholes/
http://blog.makezine.com/2006/05/06/mintycam-pinhole-camera/
http://www.yosemitesteve.com/?p=183
http://flickrhivemind.net/Tags/mintycam/Interesting