Subject: Re: Aerial photography Message-ID: From: alfa@csource.oz.au (glenn durden) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 92 10:48:57 +1000 Organization: Unique Computing Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Australia salanne@convex.csc.FI (Simo Salanne) writes: > In hills@jec327.its.rpi.edu (Stephen C Hill) writes: > > >Does anybody know a source for the book > > Fotograferende Vliegers (Picturetaking Kites) > > by Nop Velthuizen and Gerard van der Loo ? > >I just called KiteLines and they say it's out of print. > >I'd like to find a source in the US, if possible. > > In case you don't find a source in the US, you might > want to contact Gerard. The phone to his kite shop: > > +31-070-3858586 > > and fax: > > +31-070-3838541 > > Smooth Winds > Simo Salanne Hey, you dont need to buy a book, just do what I did and just DO IT. :-) Actually, first I wandered into a kite shop and asked them about picture taking from kites, but the idea/concept was new to them. They couldnt help. So, using an el-cheapo plastic camera that has an automatic motor-wind, plus a bit of radio-control gear borrowed from a radio-control plane, plus a home made kite (about 8 foot across - delta shape), I had a setup where moving the joystick on the radio control transmitter would move the radio control servo, and press the shutter on the camera. The camera would then automatically advance to the next frame. So... hanging the camera from a 5 foot string under the kite (attached near where you tie the line to the ground) and the caera pointing somewhat down(ish), I could then fly it, and take a picture when I wanted to. Unfortunatly it took me 2 tries to get good pictures. The way I had the camera suspended meant it could rotate. When it was rotating, the picture would blur (I forgot that would happen), so the second time around, I was sure to take pictures only when the camera wasnt moving. Great pictures of my parents dairy farm that way. All I need to do now is get a bit more altitude. :-) ......................................................... glenn durden alfa@csource.oz.au Unique Computing Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Australia The opinions expressed above are that of the author only. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Subject: Re: Aerial photography Message-ID: From: foster@nzkites.UUCP (Foster Schucker) Date: 24 Oct 92 00:39:17 GMT Organization: Kiteflyers Roost alfa@csource.oz.au (glenn durden) writes: > salanne@convex.csc.FI (Simo Salanne) writes: > > In hills@jec327.its.rpi.edu (Stephen C Hill) writes: > > >Does anybody know a source for the book > Hey, you dont need to buy a book, just do what I did and just DO IT. :-) Yep. That's what I did. A few years ago, there was a camera called the One Step. It was a 60 Second film camera. Fairly light weight with a fixed focus lens. I built a lever arm system that attached to a 15Lb line. Tug the line and SNAP a picture. The camera would spit the picture out where it would flutter to the ground. You could get "instant" feedback on the pictures you were taking. Pretty neat stuff. I've got pictures of the other sides of kites from the air. A festival from that angle is a different experience. The nice thing about the One Step is that they are cheap, if you crash one you are out about $20 not the mega-dollars for a serious autowind camera. Happy flying and picture taking!!! Foster Schucker (foster@nzkites.uucp) (1-215-458-8354 (voice)) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Mon, 1 Mar 1993 19:43:17 GMT From: plepez@ulb.ac.be (Lepez Philippe) Message-ID: <9303011943.AA24119@is1.vub.ac.be> Organization: Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University Subject: Aerial photography In <1mgfdfINNefr@geraldo.cc.utexas.edu> jrehm@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (jason rehm) was looking for information about aerial kite photography. Raoul Fosset will give a seminar on that subject from may 28 to 31 at the Texas Tech University (Lubbock, Texas). This is one of the seminar of the Junction International Kite Retreat. Raoul translate a memo on the subject (17 pages), If you want to obtain it just send him a letter and 3$ (copies and stamps) at the following address : Raoul Fosset. Rotselaerlaan 27, B-3080 Tervuren. Belgium. The Kite store (48 Neal street, London WC2H 9PA, England) has a book called Kite aerial Photography by Mark Cottrell. Good Winds. Philippe. -- Philippe Lepez (CP 125), | | Good kite Universite Libre de Bruxelles, | Email: plepez@ulb.ac.be | + Good wind 50 av. Roosevelt, | Phone: 32.2.6503553 | ---------------- 1050 Bruxelles, Belgique. | Fax : 32.2.6503323 | = A lot of fun ! = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Sun, 24 Apr 1994 17:22:13 -1000 From: dkumrow@beach.csulb.edu (David Kumrow) Message-Id: <2pfd15$joc@garuda.csulb.edu> Organization: Cal State Long Beach Subject: Aerial Photography = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Wed, 20 Jul 1994 15:45:21 -1000 From: dickbell@netcom.com (Dick Bell) Message-Id: Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest) Subject: Aerial Photography Could some of the kiters that dwell into kite photography give examples of a good setup. I do not want to build a starter system as most of the equipment when added up isn't that much different in price. I do have one of the RC transmiters, servo's. But I need to have plans to build the camera platform, how, where to mount the camera and other electronics. Which camera's work the best and why. Which type of kite is best and why. Thanx for the info. Later. -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dick Bell dickbell@netcom.com Dallas, Texas = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Wed, 20 Jul 1994 19:37:25 -1000 From: rock@netcom.com (Anne Rock) Message-Id: Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services Subject: Re: Aerial Photography Dick Bell (dickbell@netcom.com) wrote: : Could some of the kiters that dwell into kite photography give examples of : a good setup. I do not want to build a starter system as most of the : equipment when added up isn't that much different in price. I do have : one of the RC transmiters, servo's. But I need to have plans to build : the camera platform, how, where to mount the camera and other electronics. : Which camera's work the best and why. Which type of kite is best and why. : Thanx for the info. Later. See archives for a couple of past discussions. In the directory tips, there are two files: aerial.photography and kite.aerial.photography. It's difficult to describe rigs with words ... each one is different. KAPWA back issues would help, as there were often pictures. AKA will be publishing a kite aerial photography newsletter, first issue out in August (yes, Brooks?) with the focus on rigs. If you are an AKA member and wish to receive the newsletter send email to Brooks (kyteman@aol.com), or join AKA. R/C Equipment Transmitters typically available 2-, 4-, and 6-channel. 4-channel is minimum for 'serious' work, as you need 3 channels (rotate and tilt camera, and shutter release); 6-channel allows you to flip camera from landscape to portrait orientation. Servos. Torque of servos isn't too much of an issue unless you are using especially heavy equipment (heavier than a 'typical' 35mm camera and single focal length lens). Weight counts with *every* component of your equipment, and so some use microservos, which save a bit of weight. Batteries. You can get lighter/smaller battery packs (typical is 4 AA nicads), don't last quite as long, that is, need to be recharged more frequently. Rig (or cradle). This can be made from whatever material is strong and stiff enough, and you can work with. Aluminum and wood are common materials. My equipment is made of composites -- honeycomb, graphite, etc -- because that's the stuff Mr Rock likes to work with (it is not much, if any, lighter than a comparable aluminum or wood cradle, but may be stiffer). To tilt the camera, you will need a two-piece cradle. The camera is usually mounted to the bottom half (screw in the tripod hole; adhesive velcro; fasteners in camera strap attachments, etc.). Servos have limited range of motion; typical solution is to use gears to expand that range for tilt and rotation. Rotate and tilt servos mounted to top half of rig; shutter release servo to bottom half or to camera. Plan location of servos, receiver, and battery pack so that weight is somewhat evenly distributed, without having to add extra length to connectors. A rod that helps you see direction camera is pointing and tilted. Build in safety, with pins through bolts, etc. Position camera so that tilt servo has a balanced weight to move (center of gravity). Camera. The best camera is the one that: provides quality of picture you want you're willing to smash on the ground or drop in water Other factors to consider are: weight; do you want to be able to change lenses; how programmable is it (shutter, aperture priority, program mode); top shutter speed; range of film speeds. Life is simpler if the camera advances film automatically. Keep in mind that if you become serious about kite aerial photography, your biggest out-of-pocket expense will be film & processing, followed by your priceless time (unless you start buying *really* big kites). I happen to use Canon cameras ... there's a new EOS (don't know model name) that weighs about 11 oz (body only), compared to 14 oz for the Rebel II, and 24 oz for the EOS 630 I used to lift. If you're using a point-and-shoot camera, look for one with a top shutter speed of at least 1/500th second (most 35mm SLRs will exceed that easily). Suspension. Pendulum has been popular for some time; usually a graphite tube hanging from a piece of wood or aluminum attached to the kite line. Most believe the longer the pendulum the better, but Craig Wilson uses one of about 12" and gets superb photos. Picavet suspension is becoming popular. Description in one of the archive articles on kite aerial photography. Kites. Yes. Several. Many. Different types and sizes. Good lifters include deltas, rokkakus, flowforms and parafoils, multiflare, tri-d. You'll be matching load to wind at a given time and will probably want several kites to select from. Kite line. Adds weight also ... Fly safely ... Anne -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Anne Rock | * * rock@netcom.com | * * Berkeley, CA | * - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Tue, 28 Mar 1995 17:07:44 -1000 From: rolk@aol.com (RolK) Message-Id: <3laiu0$gth@newsbf02.news.aol.com> Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Subject: Aerial photography I would appreciate any info on aerial photography using kites or balloons. Especially shutter release mechanisms and using cheap disposable cameras. ]Thanks Roland Keimling = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 7 Apr 1995 00:28:50 -1000 From: Hans Schepker Message-Id: Organization: Delphi (info@delphi.com email, 800-695-4005 voice) Subject: Re: Aerial photography Hi, re the shutterrelease I do not have anyanswers, but I recommend whole heartedly a camera: SAMSUNG AF Slim ( about $ 120 - 140 ). This little gem has a built in "intervalometer", a timer that takes a picture every so many seconds or minutes until the end of the roll or you shut it off. If you are interested but cannot find one e-mail and I will help Hans = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Wed, 5 Apr 1995 06:54:19 -1000 From: olesik@bisco.kodak.com (Joe Olesik cad (65060) ) Message-Id: Organization: Eastman Kodak Subject: Re: Aerial photography In article <3laiu0$gth@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, RolK wrote: >I would appreciate any info on aerial photography using kites or balloons. > Especially shutter release mechanisms and using cheap disposable cameras. >]Thanks Roland Keimling Twenty years ago, while in the MIT Kite Club, I havd good success using radio control equipment to drive the camera shutter. It is normally used in model airplanes, and is quite rugged. We used a Polaroid camera, and the picture came fluttering down after each shot. We got great pictures, and could drive the shutter at will. If there have been improvements since then, I would like to know them also. Joe O. . :wq = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =