Nikon Camera Survives Rocket Blast, Lens Not So Lucky :^(

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Nikon Camera Survives Rocket Blast, Lens Not So Lucky :^(

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NikoDoby

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This photo was taken back in November 2007, but it's just now getting attention after being posted on airliners.net and then Gizmodo. Ben is a NASA imaging engineering and he shoots with Nikons (of course). For this particular shot he used a film camera (either the F301 or the F801) and a fish-eye lens which was probably the 16mm f/2.8. The lens's front element got "sand blasted" and both camera and lens where thrown around during the blast!

http://gizmodo.com/5372241/this-insane-photo-destroyed-a-camera-lens

Crazy stuff! I wonder how a D3X would of held up? Any of you willing to sacrifice your D40 or D90 for a shot like this? :^)

Posted 3 years ago #
Gabby Canonizado

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Imagine that NASA people are using Nikon.

: )

Posted 3 years ago #
adamz

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I would sacrifice my d90 for a shot like this, as it's really worth it.

Posted 3 years ago #
adamz

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as for NASA people, there's a long history of cooperation between Nikon and NASA

Posted 3 years ago #
NikoDoby

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So who's brave enough to sacrifice a Hasselblad for a picture like that?

Posted 3 years ago #
NSXType-R

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Yeah, I actually saw this yesterday, but I wasn't sure what make the camera was. It's awesome it was a Nikon though!

I think it was worth it- at least he wasn't using some exotic Nikkor lens that isn't made anymore, and the camera body is fine too.

Anyone want to volunteer a 14-24 for the shot? :D

No filters!

Posted 3 years ago #
NikoDoby

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I've seen a photographer mount a D700 to the tail of an airplane, MacGyver style! The lens, a Tokina 10-17mm, got "sand blasted" there too. Once the FAA heard about his "experimental" flight though, the stuff hit the fan!

Posted 3 years ago #
framer

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A photographer, John Slack did the same thing using Nikon F2 with motordrives in 1969. I believe they use sound to set off the cameras. His picture were of the 1st couple moon missions of the Saturn V. He worked for the Today Newspaper of Cocoa Florida. Later I heard he worked for Nikon but can't prove it.

framer

Posted 2 years ago #
Abhinav

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adamz said:
as for NASA people, there's a long history of cooperation between Nikon and NASA

yep Nasa and Nikon .double NN :)

wow picture is awesome :).

Posted 2 years ago #
PatMann

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Great shot! However, this is definitely not done with a fisheye lens; those are straight lines with only a little barrel distortion visible. The perspective isn't even ultrawide given the relative scale of the towers and the modest perspective on the rocket motors - more like a 28 or 35mm by my reckoning.

Posted 2 years ago #
gelu88

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PatMann said:
Great shot! However, this is definitely not done with a fisheye lens; those are straight lines with only a little barrel distortion visible. The perspective isn't even ultrawide given the relative scale of the towers and the modest perspective on the rocket motors - more like a 28 or 35mm by my reckoning.

Is it possible that this is the central portion of a larger image? and perhaps some distortion correction has also been done

Posted 2 years ago #
heartyfisher

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gelu88 said:
Is it possible that this is the central portion of a larger image? and perhaps some distortion correction has also been done

Unlikely.. it was done some time ago on film.

Posted 2 years ago #
NikoDoby

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I can't find the link to the interview now, but at the time he said he was using one of the cameras I mentioned above and a fish-eye lens. I just assume that would mean the 16mm f2.8. That lens doesn't distort as much as you'd think. Remember also that you get heavy distortion with things that are near the lens not at a distance. I also think the edges might have been cropped a bit too.

After years of shooting film with Nikons I heard he'd switched to a canon 5Dmk2 now :^( But I guess he uses canons now because he doesn't care if they get blown up :^)

Posted 2 years ago #
JorPet

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Nice mach diamonds in the exhaust!

Truly an awesome picture.

Posted 2 years ago #
vidrazor

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Here's a bit more info on this:
http://www.launchphotography.com/Delta_4-Heavy_DSP-23_camera.html

Posted 2 years ago #
bpcooper

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It was 28mm and a n8008/f801. I still use Nikon primarily, but use Canons as well. This was not taken for NASA, it's not even a NASA launch, but yes NASA does use Nikon primarily. Thanks!

-Ben
http://www.launchphotography.com/

Posted 2 years ago #
NikoDoby

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Thanks for giving us the details Ben. Do you have any plans to cover the last shuttle launch?

Posted 2 years ago #
bpcooper

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Yes, I will be covering it, I do all the launches. :-)

-Ben
http://www.launchphotography.com/

Posted 2 years ago #