Re: Pinhole 9x12cm quest

Tom Ferguson (tomf2468@pipeline.com)
Fri, 10 Oct 1997 12:05:37 -0700

>On Thu, 9 Oct 1997, George Petrov wrote:
>
>> I'm planning to start 9x12cm sheet film photography.
>> Am I right to use formula for hole diameter D:
>> SQRT(Focal lenght)
>> D= -------------------- [mm]
>> 44
>
>The optimum hole size occurs when the hole size is equal to the the size
>of the Airy disk: the Fraunhofer or farfield diffraction pattern of the
>pinhole. The equation for this condition is:
>
>BIG SNIP<
>Assuming a wavelength of 550 nm to approximate visible light:
>
> D = 0.047*sqrt(f) [measurements in mm]
>
>BIG SNIP<

While I agree with Larry (separate post) that all of this math can be "over
done" in the case of something as "hit and miss" as pinhole: Let me
rearrange Wayne equation above to fit the current thread:

D = 0.047*sqrt(f)

is the same as

SQRT(Focal lenght)
D= -------------------- [mm]
21.3

So to summarize, the orriginal poster (George) was using 44 in the bottom
of the fraction (sorry, forgot the correct term), I was taught to use 28.4,
Renner (of Pinhole Resource) seems to use 27.1 and Waynes equation would
have us use 21.3. Not a lot of differance between mine and Wayne's (in a
75mm focal length: 0.3mm versus 0.4mm). But notice that they are both much
bigger than the original posters equation (0.2mm).

I suspect that for me (and my eyes / artistic wishes) that Wayne's equation
may be best. I found that I was often using a larger pinhole than
"optinal" to get the look I was after. But again (and I'm not the only one
that has said this): the quality of your "hole" is as (if not more)
important than it's exact size. I recently purchase one of Calumets
"Leonardo" pinhole cameras with the lazer driller pinhole (I think Pinhole
Resource actually makes these). Much sharper than anything I ever made
myself.

tomf2468@pipeline.com (Tom Ferguson)