How can you photograph the inside of a gun barrel with even lighting?
Asked 8/1/2014
53 views
2 answers
0
I’m trying to understand how photographers make bore photos where a long, narrow tube is illuminated fairly evenly along its length while the camera is centered on the barrel axis. With something as small as a .22 or .45 bore, it seems difficult to get light into the tube without blocking the lens. How is this usually done, and are there specific lighting or focusing techniques involved?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
9
I can see two possible ways this shot was done:
- Light was injected where the cartridge would go. We can't really see what is back there in the picture. Some LEDs could have been carefully placed inside or almost inside the gun, and the wires run so that they would be obscured in the picture.
- A beam splitting mirror was used. The camera was looking thru a beam splitting mirror. A light source was then bounced off the mirror face away from the camera. This allows the light to be shined in-line with the view axis of the picture. You have to make sure that what the camera sees reflecting off the mirror doesn't show up in the picture. Note that the light source will illuminate whatever object you put there too. This is why you put something flat black there. A large dark open area also works since the light will have diminishing effect on distant objects.
Originally by user7603. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user7603
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A practical way to do this is to put the light on the same axis as the lens. Based on the community answers, that can be done in a few ways:
- Use a beam-splitting mirror so the camera looks through it while light is reflected straight into the bore.
- Inject light from the chamber/breech end with very small LEDs, keeping wiring hidden.
- In some setups, a mirror lens/catadioptric design could leave room to place a small light source on-axis.
The linked photographer also reportedly shared his lighting setup and mentioned using focus stacking, which makes sense because depth of field inside a long tube is extremely limited at close focus.
So the key ideas are:
- Keep illumination as close to the optical axis as possible.
- Control reflections with dark surroundings or black materials so only the bore is lit.
- Use focus stacking if you want sharp detail from front to back.
In short: these images are typically made with coaxial lighting and careful reflection control, not by simply shining a normal off-axis light into the barrel.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI12y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Why do fluorescent tubes show evenly spaced bands in phone photos?
Do smaller grid cells make a speedlite grid dimmer, or just narrower?
What are keychain photo viewers made from, and how do they work?
How do lens focus and zoom rings move so smoothly?
How do you create a sharp subject with a motion-blurred background when photographing a moving bike?