The World’s First Modular Pinhole Camera System Is Now Available

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A handcrafted wooden camera with black panels and three toggle switches on the front, placed on a plain background. The design combines natural wood with functional hardware elements.

The extremely clever and customizable Mania MFZ pinhole camera system PetaPixel reported on in late 2024 has entered full series production following a Kickstarter campaign and is available to all photographers. Each camera is hand-built in Germany.

German photographer Ralph Man has been taking photos for nearly 30 years and has combined his passion for photography with his extensive carpentry experience to build the Mania MFZ, which stands for Multiformat Zoom. The camera features movable components to support a wide range of negative film formats, including 6×6, 6×12, 6×17 cm, and 4×5 inch.

A wooden box with three vintage-style toggle switches mounted on a black panel. The box has a natural wood finish and metal fasteners, and is set against a plain, light purple background.

As Man explains, beyond this wide negative film support, the pinhole distance in the camera is continuously adjustable, so photographers can flexibly control image angle and perspective.

“This combination of formats, modular parts, and variable focal lengths is unique on the market and opens new creative possibilities for photographers,” Man says.

A black and white panoramic photo shows a long pier extending over calm water, with people walking along the pier. The sky is bright, and the horizon is visible in the distance. The image has a soft, surreal quality.

A black and white photo of a beach with two large pieces of driftwood on the sand under a cloudy sky. The water and sky appear smooth and blurred, creating a serene, minimalist atmosphere.

A black-and-white panoramic photo of a beach with numerous empty beach chairs arranged in rows on the sand under a cloudy sky; a few swings and scattered groups of people are visible.

Black and white split-frame photo of a beach. The left side shows a wooden pier with a building on stilts, while the right side displays the sandy shore with two distant people and the sea under a cloudy sky.

A large, weathered driftwood log with twisted branches lies on a sandy beach under a cloudy sky, with waves blurred in the background.

The Mania MFZ features interchangeable magnetic front panels, horizontal and vertical shifting to avoid converging lines in architectural photography, and supports twin-shot panoramas for “nearly seamless” multiple exposures and super-wide images. Since the modules are magnetic, they not only stay securely in place during use but can also be quickly swapped by photographers in the field.

Black and white diptych photo of a calm beach with smooth water and cloudy sky; a large piece of driftwood is embedded in the sand on the right panel, creating a tranquil, minimalist seascape.

Wide-angle black and white photo of an abandoned gas station with graffiti on the columns, an empty forecourt, and overgrown vegetation in the background under a large, angular canopy.

Black and white photo of a rocky shore with bare, leafless tree branches in the foreground and a calm, misty sea in the background. The image is split down the middle like a diptych.

Now that all backers have received their cameras, Man shifted his attention toward full, regular production. This winter, Man has been building a series of Mania MFZ cameras and components by hand in his small workshop in Germany, and the first series is available now via his online shop. For the full retail release, Man is selling the Mania MFZ in various new kits, starting at €269, or about $230. Individual components for different formats are also available separately. There is also a limited edition Mania MFZ kit made of zebrano wood, although it is currently only available for preorder.

Image credits: Ralph Man, Mania MFZ

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