Does the Thin Lens Formula Apply to Pinhole Cameras?

  • Thread starter Thread starter cybernerd
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Camera
Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
1 replies · 23K views
cybernerd
Messages
26
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


It's not a specific problem, persay...

I'm working on a science lab and I'm supposed to be deriving the height of an image created by a pinhole camera. Since I'm in a condensed Physics course, we are expected to figure out formulas on our own. I keep finding this formula:

(height of image) / (height of object) = ( - distance of image) / (distance of object)

And since Di = Do, it should work.

The problem is, that formula is associated with curved mirror questions...a pinhole camera is something else. Will that formula work? It's the only one I can find to determine the height of image from distance of object and height of object.

I really need help with this, I'm completely stuck and I have no idea what's right and what isn't.


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution

 
on Phys.org
cybernerd said:

Homework Statement


It's not a specific problem, persay...

I'm working on a science lab and I'm supposed to be deriving the height of an image created by a pinhole camera. Since I'm in a condensed Physics course, we are expected to figure out formulas on our own. I keep finding this formula:

(height of image) / (height of object) = ( - distance of image) / (distance of object)

And since Di = Do, it should work.

The problem is, that formula is associated with curved mirror questions...a pinhole camera is something else. Will that formula work? It's the only one I can find to determine the height of image from distance of object and height of object.

I really need help with this, I'm completely stuck and I have no idea what's right and what isn't.

Draw a diagram. Include the light ray from the top and bottom and how it projects onto the surface. Geometry should tell you what the relationship is between the height of the object, the distance from the pinhole, the distance to the surface and the height of your image there.