How to assemble your camera obscura
The assembly instructions are slightly different depending on the focal length of the lens you are using.
- If your lens has a 10cm focal length, use Kit A instructions.
- If your lens has a 15cm focal length, use Kit B instructions
KIT A instructions
KIT A video instructions
Follow along with Alanna to construct your QATACON26 camera obscura. This video tutorial demonstrates the process for a 10cm focal length lens. Check the label on your lens before proceeding.
KIT B instructions
KIT B video instructions
Follow along with Alanna to construct your QATACON26 camera obscura. This video tutorial demonstrates the process for a 15cm focal length lens. Check the label on your lens before proceeding.
Useful links
Sourcing materials
To make a small, portable camera obscura, you need
- a biconvex lens of a particular focal length
- a box to match the focal length of the lens
- tape, tracing paper and cutting equipment.
Click the buttons for the suppliers we used for the lens and box.
The Photography Toolkit: Dave Caleb
Ever wondered what it would be like to step inside a camera? In this video, I build a giant walk-in camera obscura using a refrigerator box, black paper, and a single tiny hole. No lens. No sensor. Just light. You’ll learn how the camera obscura works, how I set it up, and what happens when light from the outside world projects an inverted image onto a white screen inside the box. I experiment with different pinhole sizes, talk about the effect of light levels outside, and even show how the shape of the hole affects the image. I also explore a flexible setup using two boxes connected by fabric, and I record a timelapse from inside the camera using an iPad. The result? A fascinating blend of ancient optical science and modern digital capture.
Abelardo Morell and the magic of the camera obscura
Artist Abelardo Morell reimagines scenery by turning entire rooms into camera obscuras — effectively merging interior and exterior spaces — and then photographing the results. He discusses how he developed this peculiar practice over time, and how he has found fulfillment infusing everyday environments with new enchantment.