Does the Size of the Hole in a Pinhole Camera Matter?

Pinhole cameras often produce dreamy, nostalgic looking photographs.

A pinhole camera, or lensless camera, is a camera that uses a very small hole pierced into a sheet of metal in place of a lens. Pinholes were some of the first cameras ever used, with a history dating back to the late 1800's. Pinhole cameras come in many formats with a varying size in pinhole diameter. The size of the pinhole will affect certain aspects of your image.

Focal Length

The size of the pinhole will determine the focal length of your pinhole camera. Shorter focal lengths are used for wide angle photos and longer focal lengths are used for zooming and close-ups.

Exposure Time

The size of the pinhole also is the equivalent of a specific aperture, which means it will affect your exposure time. Smaller pinholes will require longer exposures than larger ones.

Detail

The size of a pinhole and equivalent aperture also will have an effect on the level of detail recorded in your photograph. Higher f-stops give more detail and depth of field, which means a smaller pinhole will result in sharper images.

References

• "Pinhole Photography: Second Edition"; Eric Renner; 2000