What to bring to a Rocket launch (and Cumberland Island, GA)?

Kirks518

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Going to run up to Cumberland Island this Saturday, and then over to Cape Canaveral for a satellite launch Sunday night (Mon AM actually), and I need advice on what gear and film would be best.

From what I'm reading/seeing out there, the closest I'll get to the launch is a little over 10 miles, so no telephoto is really going to do much. So I'm thinking of a wide angle, long exposure to capture the streaking in the night sky.

Anyone ever have the opportunity to take a shot like this, and what did you use (gear and film type), and how did you do it?

My best gear choices are either an RB67 & 50mm, or M645 & 45mm. Any suggestions?
 

mrosenlof

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my dad did a long exposure for the launch of Apolo 17. We were about 10 miles away. His camera was a scale focus Zeiss Ikon Contina with a 45mm lens. It worked very well. His film was almost certainly the regular Ektachrome (asa 64) (this was late 1972) . Probably stopped down the lens a couple of stops.
 
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Kirks518

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Thanks! That should help, as I was thinking my 45mm on the 645 may be too wide. So far, the launch is still a go for tonight, so I should be good to go, and I'll have the results later this week I hope.
 

BradleyK

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Cape Canaveral? When I shot a shuttle launch there (Columbia 5, in 1982), I used three Nikons (2x F2ASs w/Kodachrome 64 and an F3 w/Kodacolor 100), and shot simultaneously with 400mm, 600mm and 800mm lenses (the latter provided by NPS). All three were mounted on a "customized" Majestic tripod, which I panned upward to record the launch, liftoff and initial trajectory. I used a wide angle (24mm or 28mm) to record the contrails afterward. My inclination, based on my experience of shooting at the Cape would be to bring the longest glass you have; a wide angle might be interesting for few pre- and post-launch shots, however, for the launch itself, go long.

Cumberland Island? I shot there in 1985 (F2ASs and an F3HP). As I recall, I packed several wide angles (20mm, 24mm, and 35mm?), a borrowed 28mm Nikkor PC, a 55 Micro-Nikkor, and a couple of telephotos (ranging from 85 mm to 300mm, as well as a 500mm CAT, that stayed in its case). If memory serves, the wide angles, the PC (some nice ruins of the former Robber Barons' homes), the Micro, and the shorter telephotos (85mm and 135mm?) got the most use; the long glass generally remained in my backpack...

Other essentials: A cleaning kit (lots of sand), bug spray or lotion, sunscreen, sunglasses...and water...lots of water.
 

BradleyK

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Whoops! Too late. Yours truly did not bother to check the date/time of the OP. I trust, Kirks518, that your weekend was well-spent and (photographically) productive.

Regards,

BLK
 
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Kirks518

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BLK, before we left for Cumberland, I decided to bring just the 45mm and the 150mm, and the 2xTC. I could have gotten by just fine without the TC, but the 45mm and 150mm were used equally, and were about the perfect kit. I did have the 80mm 1.9, but it stayed in the bag. I also had my Oly 35SP, but it didn't really see any use until we were waiting for the return ferry, and my daughter (who had been carrying it all day), finally decided to take some snaps. I should have the film developed later this week (all Ektar 100, and one roll of Arista 400).

I just took a dry run up to Cape Canaveral to scope out viewing areas, and we'll be at one of three locations, depending upon crowds/access. I'm bringing the 500mm with 2xTC, the 150mm, 80mm, and 45mm. Because of the time (12:45AM), I think my best shot will be a multiple exposure bulb exposure with the 45mm (maybe the 80mm), to do the launch arc and the landing. When I get there I'm going to check how the FOV of each works out based on our distance. EVen if I get nothing, I'm going to have a blast! (pun intended)
 

wiltw

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At 10 miles distance, a 200mm lens will capture a Field of View of 1.8 miles x 1.2 miles
 
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Kirks518

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BAM!

I hit it! This is the one and only frame from the SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch and Landing on July 18, 2016. Launch (left side) at 12:45am, landing (right side) about 8.5 minutes later.



This is a low quality jpg for the web. The original looks great if I do say so myself.

The streak coming in on the right at the top was the first stage section that separated just after the end of the arc you see on the left. If you look closely at the landing, you'll see I bumped the tripod at the very end. :-(
 

BrianShaw

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Very nice! And wasn't it cooperative of the first stage to land correctly for you!
 
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Kirks518

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Thank you Paul!

Brian, luckily there was a guy there who knew where the landing pad was, so we were able to frame it to capture both.

I forgot to bring a cable release with me. When I was packing stuff for the trip, I had one in my hand, but it wasn't the one I like, and as I was going to get the other one, I was called by one of the kids for some help. I then totally forgot about the cable release, and didn't even realize until we were leaving the hotel to head up to the launch. Luckily, there was a Walmart across the street, and I ended up taping the shutter button, and using the lens cap as my shutter.

This is what my camera looked like. I can only imagine what people were thinking about the guy with the camera with tape all over it!



All I can say is, it worked!
 

filmamigo

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AMAZING!

Seriously one of the most fascinating and well executed shots I've seen in years of browsing online.

Congrats.
 
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