Left to Right: Leonardo, Finney, Santa Barbara, and Mamiya roll film cameras
The pinhole images were made with five different cameras. For 4x5 inch, I use Eric Renner's Leonardo 75mm focal length, the Santa Barbara 75mm and 150mm focal lengths, and also the Finney Pinhole field camera. With the Finney camera, I mostly use the same 75mm focal length, but sometimes "experiment" with the 40mm super wide angle. Recently I have been using the 150 mm or 200 mm focal lengths more. The longer focal length gives a softer image and more compressed image.
In addition, I use a 6x7 cm roll film holder taped onto a block of wood with a 6x7 window cut into it. The "window" is covered with thin plywood onto which the pinhole is taped. The focal length is equivalent to 75mm in 4x5 size. I call this my compact pinhole camera and it works really well, especially for the Cityscapes candid shots. I recently converted an old Adlox 120 size camera with folding bellows into a pinhole camera. I like the 6x6cm "normal" focal length, and it is even possible to sneak a preview through the above the lens finder. It folds up and fits in my coat or vest pocket.
Recently for studio still life I have been using the Polaroid Pinhole Camera Kit with Type 665 P/N film whcih I have found to be very nice. In addition I have also been trying out a lightweight 8 x10 ich camera made for me by a student using holders loaded with Oriental RC paper negatives.
I mostly use laser or micro drilled "store bought" pinholes. However, at workshops we get perfectly good results making our own pinholes using beading needles, thin aluminum, lightbox, and a good lupe.
Many of my 4 x 5 inch black and white images have been made on Tri-x film (generally overexposed at ASA 100 and underdeveloped). It is said (and charts seem to prove it) that Tmax has better reciprocity with long exposures than Tri-x. These days I am using 4x5 inch Tmax 100 exclusively and seem to be getting good results using "nearly normal" development. My exposures are between 10 seconds and 30 minutes depending on the light and subject. I now prefer Tmax 100 for the roll film camera also.
My black and white original fine art prints are archivally processed fiber based prints with a semi-matte surface. The usual print size is approximately 9 x 11.5 inches (23 x 29 cm) printed on 11 x 14 inch ( 27.9 x 35.6 cm) paper. The prints are signed and dated on the back and are usually in editions of 20 or 25. The photos on this homepage have been scanned from various image sizes and paper surfaces, and therefore are not exact renditions of the fine art prints.
The Soft Color Images were taken using a Yashica Matt twin lens reflex camera. The bottom lens was replaced with a Zone Plate device sold by the Pinhole Resource. I mostly use Provia 100 film for color work.