Eric Lawton wrote: > This is a really interesting idea that I also have been considering for the > last six months. Edmund Scientific has fiber optic cable available for > purchase. I have been very close to purchasing some but I haven't had it as > one of my top priorities. I believe some of the polaroid film backs (for > pro 35mm cameras?) use fiber optic cable since the size of the polaroid film > prevents it from being placed on the same plane as the 35mm film. >
The Polaroid backs use what is called an "image plate" which is thousands of optical fibers fused together in a parallel arrangement. An image that is focused on one side of the plate is transmitted intact (minus a slight amount of brightness) to the other side of the plate. The technology was first developed for use in "night vision" scopes. So, yes, fiber optic "cable" IS used in 35mm Polaroid backs, but it's one solid piece fused ou of thousands of individual strands of glass. That said, a single optic fiber should be able to serve as a pinhole. Mike Vande Bunt
