Aerial Photos of LDRS posted on ABMR

Jul 05, 2004 17 Replies

I flew my Camiator-IIIA three times at LDRS. The Camiator-IIIA is an Aerotech Initiator modified to carry an Olympus Stylus Epic 35mm camera, AYUCR Timer, and PerfectFlite Alt25K/WD altimeter. The three flights were on G80-7, H128W-M, and H180W-L.



Each flight yielded 25 photos, I posted the two most interesting from each flight.



...Fred


Nice photos! Makes me want to build a camera rocket :-)

-- Niall Oswald ========= UKRA 1345 L0 EARS 1151 MARS

"Gravity assisted pieces of the rocket raining from the sky should be avoided. It is also financially undesirable."

-Portland State Aerospace Society

Fred, excellent pictures! Mine on the other hand didn't come out. All very blurry. I must have not had the Oylmpus Stylus Epic camera set right since last time I used it the pictures were great.

Joe C.

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Hello. Yes, I found that out and I did have black tape over the sensor. I did notice from the video I took of the flight that the camera payload section was bouncing around alot on decent. I think I am going to reduce the shock cord length to dampen the oscilations and also go with 800 speed film which will allow a higher shutter speed.

Joe C.

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Use non-shock line and form a sling to make the recovery as aerodynamic as the boost. Put a spill hole in the parachute 15% of the area to stabilize it.

Start there.

And, yes, pardon the tech post.

Jerry

We can let it slide since you do it so rarely.

Thanks Jerry for the tech response!

My wife made the chute but I'll ask her to put a hole in it and see what she says. If she doesn't get mad, I'll be all set. 8-)

Joe C.

DO you hear footsteps behind you &whispering voices?

Ray,

With the sensor blocked, does the camera default to focus at infinity?

Thanks for the tip, Patrick

If she does, just tell her it's Jerry's fault. That seems to be the universal center plausible excuse.

Jerry

Also use a slider on the shrouds to reduce deployment forces.

Were you taking any pics on the way up, or just during descent?

400 ASA ought to be fast enough with that camera. I use 100 ASA pushed to 400 by altering the DX code. How long is your shock cord? Swinging is always a problem but bouncing sounds a bit unusual.

Do you have special processing done when you push it? What do you tell the lab? Do you use a special lab?

Phil asked:

Nope, no special lab or processing. I usually have it done at the 1-hour lab in the local Sav-On. The hardest part for me has been finding a place that will print them backwards to correct the mirror-image. A lot of the newer machines are so idiot-proofed that they don't allow the negs to be reversed.

>

The camera takes pictures up and down. But because of the timer delay the first photo is shot about 1.5 seconds after take off and by then the rocket is just about at apogee. The shock cord is about 5' long. Swinging isn't a problem and actually is good since it sweeps a wider area and gives me more of a chance to catch something good. The previous flight was great. I will be flying again next week and I'll see if the changes I made help.

Joe C.

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