The pinhole camera used to be a more popular activity in the past when cameras were expensive and relatively rare. Miniaturized digital cameras are now on phones, and appear in the most unlikely place...The pinhole camera used to be a more popular activity in the past when cameras were expensive and relatively rare. Miniaturized digital cameras are now on phones, and appear in the most unlikely places, taking away some of the awe and mystery of the camera. Even so, few people understand how a camera actually works, so making one of your own is a profound experience.