The Plastic Lens ~ Words » tutorial

Scanning For Sprockets [Revisited]

Cameron — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 05:16:14 +0000

A while back I tried to explain how to get sprockets holes from your toy camera negatives scanned to a digital file correctly. My text and images where not entirely the best method to explain it so now finally I have produced a long overdue tutorial on how to use your scanner software to scan in 35mm negative film to include the sprocket holes. This is relevant when you are using toy cameras like the blackbird,fly or have a Holga or Diana modified to take 35mm film (or if you have a 35mm back to fit these cameras) for example.
I’m using a Canoscan 8400f to scan my negatives, but hopefully there will be some common points of reference if you are using a different scanner and/or different software. *note: You may be able to see what I’m doing better by going to the full screen view.

Blackbird,fly – Loading Film

Cameron — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 22:40:19 +0000

fter a few enquiries and the fact that I have been meaning to put together and upload this for a while but just never got around to it, here is an otherwise boring (insomniacs if you need a cure look here) visual tutorial on how to load film into your BBF (blackbird,fly) camera, I hope it is of use to someone out there.
As I said, I have been planning on uploading a guide to loading film into the blackbird,fly camera for a while, but life (and having fun taking photos!) sort of distracted me. The reason I initially planned to do this has not changed; when I first got the prototype version of the camera I was initially very unsure if I was actually loading film into it correctly – and this is someone who is used to loading film into cameras, so I could only imagine how approaching the job would be for people not as familiar with film photography!

The trick with loading film into the bbf is patience and practice. When I first got the camera I found it quite fiddly as my fingers are fat sausages in relation to the fine workings of the camera, so I felt quite clumsy (which I am anyway) but even I got there in the end.
(loading film into a Horizon panoramic camera is far more of a challenge IMHO)

Please note – if you find that you are winding the film on after loading and the film advance knob does not ‘lock’ in place then this means the film leader has not properly engaged in the take up spool and you will need to open the back and try again.
(After each exposure the film will advance a certain amount and then the film advance knob will stop winding on, indicating that the camera is ready for photography and the shutter needs to be released before the wind on knob will advance again)

Loading Film Into the BBF from artpunk on Vimeo.

Making A Polaroid Pinhole Camera

Cameron — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:33:34 +0000

This little video was made with Phil in mind, as he expressed in interest in how to do this (he actually offered to bear my children for this info, but personally, however tempting, I dont think it would work!) If anyone else can glean some useful hints from it (and can be patient enough to sit through it listening to the rather boring droning on of my voice) then I will be happy!
*Note, this tutorial was originally uploaded to the site on May the 1st 2007, and subsequently ‘lost’ in the great update to WP 2.5 disaster of last week, but with Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day coming up on the 27th of April this year, I thought I would post it as “new” in anticipation that some people who might be interested in this sort of fun may not have seen it and hopefully, find it useful!

Making a Polaroid Pinhole Camera from artpunk on Vimeo.

35mm Film In Your Toy Camera

Cameron — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 07:41:28 +0000

Here is a fairly straight forward tutorial video showing how to simply adapt a toy camera (a Diana + in this case) that usually takes 120 (medium format) film to take 35mm film. Even though I’m using 35mm in my Diana + here, this should be achievable in just about any medium format toy camera you might have. Why do it? Because you can and because you get some cool image to the film edge looks! addit: (see some resultant photos from the first roll).
To work out how far you need to advance the film there is a handy guide at photon detector – remember if you have the 4×4 mask in your Diana + the turns will be for the Diana, Agfa Isoly guide. Without the mask (i.e. with 6 x6 exposures) work off the principle that you will need to advance a little bit more between frames. As the film is wound on you need to turn the advance a little bit less each time as the film bulks up on the take up spool. * Please note that my estimation of 3/4 to 1 full turn as stated in the video is inaccurate and will result in overlap – with a traditional Diana and a Diana + with the 4 x 4 mask in work on 1.1 turns at the beginning of the roll reducing this to approx 0.8 turns towards the end of the roll. In a Diana + without any mask (ie 6 x 6 exposures) work on 1.6 turns going down to 1 turn. Also, I needed to tape the leader of the 35mm film onto the take up spool, something not obvious or mentioned in this video (sorry). Have fun!

35mm Film In Your Toy Camera from artpunk on Vimeo.

Light Seal

Cameron — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 05:51:19 +0000

Toycamera Lightseal from artpunk on Vimeo.

I would just like to note that Light Leaks (magazine) showcased South Australian plastic photographer Don Brice (mentioned previously here) in their last issue.
Now to this post. I have put together a little video podcast, it’s a bit dry & not that exciting but I’m just feeling my way with this whole podcast thang. I wanted to illustrate how I’ve modified my Diana with an inside-the-camera light seal. I implemented this idea from a suggestion from the aforementioned Mr. Brice, so all credit to him. Perhaps it won’t totally replace the need to tape up the outside of your favourite plastic camera, but it might certainly act as a useful adjunct.