Film vs digital pinhole photography

[Nebular89]

A good few years ago I had a Zero 2000 pinhole camera. Looking back at the scans it made surprisingly sharp photos. I sold it which I now regret and so I tried making a pinhole bodycap lens for my XT2. I did everything correctly, I think anyway, in taking the flange distance and buying an appropriately sized pinhole from Reality so subtle. Id used him before when I made a body cap lens for a Mamiya 645. The photos from the digital lens however are soft compared to the Zero. I know pinhole photography is soft anyway but with the Zero the photos looked more like you had only just missed focus, you could read signs a good distance away. On the digital lens I cant make out very large print on a box at 1.5m.
Is it the sensor size vs the film size? I cant really think what else it could be. I liked the look of the Zero for landscapes but I'd rather not shell out £150 for one, prices seem to have shot up lately

 

[Nebular89]

As an example this was taken with the zero camera

and this is the Fuji bodycap

 

[sk66]

Yes, the Fuji's "digital negative" is approx 1/6 the size (area) and has to be enlarged much more to generate an equivalent output size; and enlargement (magnification) makes any issues more apparent.
One result is that a larger image area (sensor/negative) is less demanding of lens resolution/sharpness.

 

[Nebular89]

Yes, the Fuji's "digital negative" is approx 1/6 the size (area) and has to be enlarged much more to generate an equivalent output size; and enlargement (magnification) makes any issues more apparent.
One result is that a larger image area (sensor/negative) is less demanding of lens resolution/sharpness.

I did wonder. I was hoping that the resonable resolution would have helped combat that. I dont hate it, I just wanted more detail, its slightly too soft for me. Best start saving!

 

[lindsay]

Or if you are interested in 35mm pinholes, Chroma Cameras do the Cube and I think now a panoramic version. I have a Cube (in fact 2, for some reason), but I struggle to get out with it and a tripod to anywhere interesting. The usual old pain of having to finish a 36 exposure film, of course, in this format.

 

[sk66]

I did wonder. I was hoping that the resonable resolution would have helped combat that.

Yeah, more resolution of a soft image (lens/technique/etc) doesn't really make much difference... that's why there isn't usually much benefit to upgrading to a higher resolution sensor.

 

[Nebular89]

Or if you are interested in 35mm pinholes, Chroma Cameras do the Cube and I think now a panoramic version. I have a Cube (in fact 2, for some reason), but I struggle to get out with it and a tripod to anywhere interesting. The usual old pain of having to finish a 36 exposure film, of course, in this format.

I have looked at them but I really love square photos. It also means there’s no landscape and portrait so makes framing a lot easier

 

[Nebular89]

Yeah, more resolution of a soft image (lens/technique/etc) doesn't really make much difference... that's why there isn't usually much benefit to upgrading to a higher resolution sensor.

I do actually have an old 6x6 folder now I think of it. I had a go at converting it to a pinhole ages ago, only just remembered. I’ve taken all of the lens elements, saving the mechanism so I can use it for for bulb. Just means more pinholes annoyingly, it’s got a flange of 60mm when mounted to the back of the shutter mechanism or 70mm with the whole mechanism taken off, bit more than the Fuji’s 17!

 

[lindsay]

I have looked at them but I really love square photos. It also means there’s no landscape and portrait so makes framing a lot easier

I'm not doing a selling job for Steve at Chroma, but I noticed yesterday that he is now offering a 6x6 pinhole like the 35mm baby cube but bigger

 

[Nod]

I bought a Fuji X fit pinhole "lens" through Kickstarter a few years ago. IIRC it has a few different sized pinholes to give some control over shutter speed while keeping ISO down. I've only played with it, including using "macro" extension tubes to get a longer focal length. Image "quality" is similar to the results you show - the limiting factor seems to be the sensor size because the Nikon version of the thing is sharper less soft that the Fuji one (when used on a D750).