Steampunk Heartbeat pinhole cameras require watch movements to work

South Korea-based designer and photographer, Kwanghun Hyun, has created a couple of pinhole cameras made out of metallic alloys and clock parts.

Most photographers want to experiment with pinhole cameras at some point in their careers. They can be easily built, as demonstrated by French photographer, Benoit Charlot, who has built his own device using a shoe box, so it is definitely worth trying to build your own.

Photographer creates Heartbeat pinhole cameras from clock parts

Although pinhole cameras can be mistaken as bombs sometimes, Kwanghun Hyun’s models can be taken as clocks, since their internals are based on clock parts. Moreover, the so-called Heartbeat cameras are based on clock movements to function, thus adding confusion to the untrained eye.

Hyun is a photographer and designer, who has a lot of experience with metals, thanks to his time spent at the at the Hongik University in Seoul, where he has studied metal crafting.

Heartbeat 1 uses clock movements to set the shutter speed

Pinhole cameras require longer exposure times because their aperture is very small. In order to allow the desired amount of light to pass through the pinhole, great timing is required and it cannot get any better than with a precise clock.

The first version of Heartbeat features a Unitas 6497 clock, which is visible in front of the device. The clock is useful for setting the shutter speed.

The steampunk-like Heartbeat produces pretty good photos, that will make you think you are in a dream. The fact that they are taken on film also adds to the ethereal feeling.

Heartbeat 2 pinhole camera is made out of a modified clock

Heartbeat 2 is the second version of Hyun’s pinhole camera. Although it looks different, it also requires watch movements for exposure times, while taking you back into the steampunk era.

This model is “more closed” than the first unit, as the watch sits on top of camera in a specially partitioned space. The biggest distinction is that the clock has been rebuilt by Hyun, in order to work according to the pinhole camera’s mechanism.

Both Heartbeat models are capable of taking usable photos and, if you think you are up to it, then there is a lot of information available at the photographer’s website or you could come up with your own design.