How To Make A Pinhole Camera Photos With DSLR Camera (DIY)

Pinhole Camera is the easiest option of camera. This camera does not even have the lens. We offer you to transform your DSLR camera into Pinhole Camera for getting unique photos in retro style.
Classical Pinhole Camera is a box into which the picture film is inserted. In the box there is a small hole, which replaces the lens. That’s how it got the name pinhole – pin and hole. The camera was directed at an object that would be photographed, hole cover was taken out for a few seconds, and then – the hole was closed again. The light passed through the hole, fell on the film, forming a picture.
You can try to make a real pinhole camera from the box yourself. But since we live in the 21st century, we offer you to create a pinhole camera out of your DSLR Camera. Do not be afraid, this transformation will not be permanent; we just do something like a filter that can be used whenever you want.
You will need: aluminum plate (we used a piece of beer can), knife, pin, black tape, cover from the body of the camera.
Cut a rectangle of aluminum can. It should not be smaller than the hole for the lens in your camera.

In the middle of the aluminum rectangle make a small hole with a pin.

The diameter of the hole should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the pin, so do not put your pin into a hole way too deep – make a hole only with the tip of the pin.

With the black tape we stick the plate so that only a hole from the pin was left. This should be done on the side, on which there is a drawing rather than on the “clean” inside.

The Pinhole camera filter is ready. Remove your lens from the camera and attach the aluminum sheet instead of it. Try to keep the “filter” so that the hole is in the middle.

Here’s the photo we did with DSLR Camera and the pinhole camera filter:

You can also make more suitable variant of a pinhole camera filter. You can fasten it on camera and carry in your pocket.
It is necessary to drill a hole in the cover of the camera body.

Inside the cover you need to stick the same plate that we did before. Only the size of the plate has changed, the rest remained as it was: a small hole in the center and black tape around. You can just cut the edges of the pinhole camera filter which we made before.


We fasten our new filter to the camera body and make unique and original vintage photos.


Here are some photos that we made using this method:



Now you know how to make your own pinhole camera with DSLR.
Note: most likely when you take pictures through the pinhole camera filter, the picture will be dark. So you need to put a slow exposure (a few seconds). Therefore, you will need to use a tripod, so the picture won’t be slurred.
For more detailed instruction, watch the video tutorial: