Taking photos NOT through the canopy

[MSFT-1]

I have done a bit of souring out of there a few times over the years.

One rather disconcerting thing is that the outdoor set of the television show LOST is on the beach very near there. So you look down while on downwind and see a very realistic airliner wreckage spewed all over the beach.

[Danny7]

I've flown 12ish hours of gliders at dillingham airport, 10+ years ago. That looks like it as best i can remember. great strip, great gliding- s ee thebig ridge on the right- it is about 90 degrees to the prevailing trade winds-i never learned much about thermals there, but i could stay up as long as i wanted with ridge lift.

[Greg Arehart]

RE: the original post. I have built into my right wing a camera port (similar to inspection plate, slightly larger, one bay out) and have a setup with a Canon 12 mpxl camera on X-Y gimbals. Will tilt left-right, forward-aft by about 30 degrees (the rest you can do with the airplane...). It is operated remotely from a laptop in the cockpit, including everything from focus and ISO settings to zoom and shutter release (BreezeSystems makes this remote software for several different cameras). Laptop provides real-time viewing and a max-res photo takes about 1 sec to shoot. I recently flew over some of the rhyolite domes near Mono Lake CA at 6000 agl and shot the attached photo. Zooming in on the original electronically, I can see individual trees and bushes. The photo was taken with NO optical zoom. I haven't fully tested all this yet, but suspect that at max optical zoom, the airplane will be going too fast to get a focused picture.

I plan to post some details here once I have really finished testing, but meanwhile if anyone is really champing at the bit for info, email me directly (arehart at unr.edu) or pm.



greg

[flyer46]

Van's says the slider must stay closed while in flight. But don't think I haven't been tempted. But the thought of losing the canopy in flight..... well I will not do it. There is a good reason for the locking pins at the end of the canopy travel in the closed direction.

[flyer46]

Originally Posted by Greg Arehart

RE: the original post. I have built into my right wing a camera port (similar to inspection plate, slightly larger, one bay out) and have a setup with a Canon 12 mpxl camera on X-Y gimbals. Will tilt left-right, forward-aft by about 30 degrees (the rest you can do with the airplane...). It is operated remotely from a laptop in the cockpit, including everything from focus and ISO settings to zoom and shutter release (BreezeSystems makes this remote software for several different cameras). Laptop provides real-time viewing and a max-res photo takes about 1 sec to shoot. I recently flew over some of the rhyolite domes near Mono Lake CA at 6000 agl and shot the attached photo. Zooming in on the original electronically, I can see individual trees and bushes. The photo was taken with NO optical zoom. I haven't fully tested all this yet, but suspect that at max optical zoom, the airplane will be going too fast to get a focused picture.

I plan to post some details here once I have really finished testing, but meanwhile if anyone is really champing at the bit for info, email me directly (arehart at unr.edu) or pm.



greg

Yes Greg,
Please tell us more. This sounds VERY interesting. I have also PMd you, but I'll bet many would like to know the details of your setup.
Thanks,
JS

[N62XS]

John:

I've shot from the passenger seat in everything from a J-3 to F-16s. I agree that when at all possible, eliminate the plexiglass, but most guys I see shooting fail to clean the plexiglass properly. When I travelled, I carried Meguiers Plastic cleaner and cloth diapers. I had the TA4J plane captians at MCAS Beaufort buying it for me after a couple of majors saw how it cleaned their canopies. Good photos can be made from inside RVs, Doug and others prove that every day, but the best photos are usually taken from a high wing plane with the door removed. I prefer a faster Cessna for most everything with a prop. I do not think opening the canopy in an RV will afford you the options and angle selections a Cessna will.

I used to travel literally all over the world with the Arizona KC-135 ANG squadron and the KC-130 USMC squadron out of MCAS Cherry Point. The boomer's couch and a half open rear ramp were the best seats to catch jets. One had glass(cleaned prior to departure) the other had exhaust.

My suggestion would be to clean canopies, remove doors and experiment. I hope you enjoy aviation photography as much as I do.

[Danny7]

if you have a slider you could always try flying with it open:

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ad.php?t=33413

i think top speed was 113 before wind forces closed the canopy.

[Webb]

This was on another post by Bob Axsom but watch the video. It has a window in the canopy.

http://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunday-night/...watch/13510849