An Obscure Chamber!
All modern cameras have one common ancestor - The Camera Obscura: the light of the outside world falls through a pinhole onto the opposite wall of a room and produces an upside-down picture. In the 16th century the camera obscura was greatly improved by an objective lens, which produced much brighter pictures and around 1750 many painters, like the Venetian Canaletto, used it to make sketches for their paintings. Then in 1836 Nicéphore Nièpce projected the picture on a light-sensitive plate and the photographic camera was born.
Our beautiful, sturdy Camera Obscura is equipped with a powerful lens (62mm diameter, 275mm focal length) and a mirror for an upright picture, like the one Canaletto used. The picture is projected onto a 16x16cm screen with transparent paper on which it can be viewed or copied by pencil. If you want, you can copy your drawings onto our Solar Photo Paper to produce beautiful blueprints of your artwork!
This is how it works
Light from the outside world falls through a small hole onto the opposite wall of a room, creating an upside-down image. This is projected by a mirror onto a ground glass screen where it can be viewed and copied. The enclosed lens makes the image particularly bright and sharp.
Pre-punched kit with black and gold printing, complete with lens, mirror, clear screen and transparent paper.
This kit contains:
- 8 pre-cut and printed sheets of A4 construction cardboard
- accessories:
1 acrylic glass lens, Ø 62 mm, focal length +275 mm, also available individually as a replacement
1 acrylic glass mirror, 188.5 x 188.5 x 2 mm1 disc made of hard plastic, 190 x 190 mm, transparent
3 sheets of transparent paper, 160 x 160 mm - detailed construction manual
Dimensions of the built item: approx. 28 x 19 x 19 cm
Construction time: approx. 6 hours
Producer: AstroMedia GmbH, Im Wirrigen 30, 45731 Waltrop, Germany, astromedia.de
Below you can download the instructions for this kit.
Things you will need for the assembly:
- a firm, flat working surface, helpful is a cutting mat
- a sharp craft knife or scalpel
- a blunt knife or a folding tool
- a bit of fine sandpaper
- a good universal glue
- for perfectionists: a gold and black felt-tip pen
Supervision by adults:
Children under the age of 14 should use the kit under adult supervision to avoid risks due to improper handling.
Risk of injury:
Take particular care when handling pointed and sharp parts! Use sharp tools with care and take suitable safety measures to avoid injury if necessary.
Fire hazard:
Keep away from open sources of fire and heat. Product contains highly flammable materials.
Caution when focussing light: Do not leave lenses in direct sunlight as they can create a focal point.
Use of adhesives:
When using adhesive, follow the manufacturer's safety instructions. Work in well-ventilated areas and avoid skin or eye contact.
Intended use:
The kit should be used in accordance with the enclosed instructions. Independent modifications may impair the functionality and safety of the model built.
