professional photo techniques for all photographers

pinhole camera for trade (seriously)

17 July 2008 12 Comments

Remember the pinhole camera from video episode 8? Of all the many videos and posts here on prophotolife, “how to build a 35mm pinhole camera” provides one of the steadiest streams of search traffic. In the past couple months I’ve moved the camera from desk to desk, taken it home and brought it back to the studio and forgotten it in my truck for at least a week or so.

Well, it’s time the pinhole camera found a real home. At first I thought it might be funny to put it on eBay, just to see if the $10 spent on parts could be recovered. Then I was inspired by the One Red Paperclip guy. Ever heard of him? He started with one red paperclip and traded it away for something better, eventually trading his way up to a house, fourteen trades later.

That could be fun, I thought. How about trading away the pinhole camera for something else photographic, seeing what could eventually be worked up to? Where would it end: a disposable camera, a Kodak Brownie, a Digital SLR? Would I even get one offer? You never know until you try.

pinhole camera

So does anyone have something photo related they‘d like to trade for a like new, handmade pinhole camera, the star of video episode 8? No limitations, all offers (if any are made) will be entertained. It even comes complete with custom tripod mount (that would be the rubber bands in the photo)…

- Jim T.

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12 Comments »

Steve said:

Jim,
First of all, I love your site and your RSS feed made it so simple to add to my homepage so I can read it everyday. And being a Cincinnati based amateur photographer, I love to be able to follow a local guy.

What I have to offer in trade is an old 35 mm fixed focus point and shoot. The one thing I will say about this camera is that it rarely takes a bad picture. (I wish I could say that about any of my other cameras.) But I am willing to part ways with it because it so rarely gets used that it would only be fair to send it to a good home.

Thanks for the time and effort you put into a great site.

Steve

# 17 July 2008 at 8:32 am

Jason Phillips said:

hmm… Golf clubs? No, need something photo related. How about a 35mm bulk film loader with an unknown amount of 10+ year old kodak Tri-X film, iso 400? Will toss in several reusable film canisters too.

# 18 July 2008 at 1:25 am

Jim Talkington (author) said:

A couple of possibilities here, that’s good. Steve, do you have any other info on the point-n-shoot? Brand or model name?

And the foggy old Tri-X could look cool shot in a vintage camera, maybe in a pinhole. Hey, wait a minute, how could I work that if I trade the camera away…

# 18 July 2008 at 8:36 am

Jason Phillips said:

Oh, right… silly me!

# 18 July 2008 at 10:08 am

Udi said:

Jim,
This idea rocks!! I will definitely stay tuned to see how it rolls out.
The guy from the paper clip had a target, get a house. what is your target.
I guess that for any other aspiring photographer it would be a studio, but your studio is one of the best I’ve seen so you’ll have to figure something else

# 19 July 2008 at 4:09 pm

Jason Phillips said:

Ok, offer #2: An all metal tripod! Features include: ball head, quick release plate, 3 section legs with clamping locks and foam hand grips, 45 inch tall and 10 inch geared column.

# 22 July 2008 at 1:23 pm

Fito said:

I trade it for a red paperclip

# 22 July 2008 at 11:27 pm

mariano-daniel villafañe wagner said:

nice site! will try pinholes once i can learn something more on “regular”
and i’d trade an olympus x760 digital for a pack of film for my zeiss-ikon camera, never used that relic, but i’d love to!!
best wishes from south america

# 13 August 2008 at 9:10 pm

Cara said:

So what ever happened with this?

# 2 September 2008 at 4:29 pm

Jim Talkington (author) said:

Hey Cara, I traded for the metal tripod that Jason had. And I’ve ended up really liking it! My intention was to try and keep trading up but I hate to part with the tripod.

I need to see if he’s taken any photos with the pinhole yet…

# 2 September 2008 at 6:12 pm