Zero Image 6x9 Pinhole camera with exposed 120 BW film wrapped around it.
Zero Image 6×9 pinhole To start with, this camera looks like a piece of art. The Zero Image is beautifully hand crafted from Teak by a group in Hong Kong. Zero Image makes a variety of pinhole cameras, but it was the versatility of the 6×9 that caught my eye. With movable slats inside you have the option shooting 6×4.5, 6×6, 6×7 or in a panoramic 6×9 format. The camera uses medium format 120 or 220 film. With an f-stop of 235 you’re guaranteed to have nearly everything in the frame in focus from the nearest object to infinity. I opted for the Deluxe version which adds a few more brass bits such as a cable release adapter and level. Shooting with a pinhole camera takes some guesswork, which is part of the fun of it all. Exposure can be as quick as 1 second on the brightest days with 400ASA film to as long as a few minutes. I use the strictly scientific method of hand holding the shutter open and counting aloud to myself: one-thousand one……one-thousand two……one-thousand three….. (very scientific indeed) This camera is one of a kind.
An exposure along the Champs Elysees
It is a unique piece of equipment that brings you back to the roots of photography. Images couldn’t be less sharp compared to modern gear, but sharpness is not what you’re looking for when you use this camera. With patience, it delivers beautiful images with a ghostly feel.
Some lunch in Siena?
Here, the Zero Image 6x9 is being used in Egypt. Amazingly, through the humidity of shooting in Singapore and the extreme dry heat of the Egyptian deserts, the camera never expanded or retracted and has remained light tight to this day.
GNAR Rating: 4-Stars
