I'm building my first pinhole camera, using a small wooden cigar box that has a slightly recessed lid. The hole in the metal doesn't confuse me. But the size and shape of the hole in the box lid does. The lid of the box is recessed approximately 1/8" from the edge of the box (box is approximately 6" square). The actual thickness of the lid is another 1/8" or so. My thinking is that a hole of about 3/8", slightly countersunk, should allow for the most light to hit the actual plate that holds the pinhole.

Am I making unnecessary work? Is there any guideline for this kind of thing?

Thanks for your help.

More than big enough, or make a scale drawing and check.

More than big enough, or make a scale drawing and check.

Thanks, I'll try that.

I've had luck with a laser pointer as a tool for judging the proper opening size in the front of the camera. Keep in mind that you want to cover the entire film format, including the corners, which are at the most extreme angle. What I do is an initial cutting (in your case countersinking), then afix a rather large size pinhole to the inside of the opening, with a sheet of white paper the same size as your film format taped to the film plane, and use your laser pointer to see if you can hit the spot of laser light on all 4 corners of the film plane. You also want to make the opening slightly larger than needed, so you don't get grazing angles of light giving you funny reflections, or lint or other kinds of fibers sticking up into the light path and giving the image a fuzzy edge.

~Joe

I've had luck with a laser pointer as a tool for judging the proper opening size in the front of the camera. Keep in mind that you want to cover the entire film format, including the corners, which are at the most extreme angle. What I do is an initial cutting (in your case countersinking), rtc...

~Joe

Excellent suggestion! Now I just have to convince the cat that the laser pointer isn't being used for her entertainment.

Boy is this off topic..

The title to this thread would be a great name for an alternative music band.

Sorry, my utmost apologies.

Matt