[monk_e_boy]

I assume the distortions at the edge of the 'photos' is due to the X Y scanning rig. Moving the sensor around the edge of a sphere (on a curved X Y (and a little bit of Z) rig, the focal point being the center of the sphere) would sort that right out.

I expect the 3D printer could make a curved rail for the rig.

Or you could point the sensor at the center of the pin hole or lens using a mechanical linkage, then use some software to warp the resulting image.

[Artlav]

About half of the pictures in the article are taken with the lens assembly. Pinhole is good for outdoors and sunshine, but is useless for MWIR/SWIR and indoors scenes, even with my 600W Metal Halide lights.

The lenses give the radial blur at the edges effect, pinhole gives the darkening at the edges effect.

[elcritch]

I am intrigued by your ideas and would like to subscribe to your newsletter... Joking aside interesting projects! Could you send me an email? Perhaps I can convince you to do some consulting work. Haha, the world needs more predator vision! Though ya née gavayete pa Ruski.

[Artlav]

Newsletter might be too big of a word, but i do publish various stuff i work on at http://orbides.org/

You can also find the e-mail over there in the bottom-right corner.

[d--b]

No it's a property of pinhole diffraction: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airy_disk

[monk_e_boy]

The buildings at the edge of the photos look warped. Like an extreme fisheye lens would do.

Airy disk affects brightness and sharpness, not warping.

You could put a camera lens where the pin hole is to negate this warping, but that defeats the point of a pin hold camera.

[cma]

Yes, it is proably more petzval field curvature than diffraction limiting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petzval_field_curvature