Re: Newbie with questions

[P3D David C. Glick <xid@xxxxxxx>]

>P3D David C. Glick' wrote:'
>> Or launch two identical rockets with identical timers at the same time, and
>> release a single  parachute/timed camera from each, as John Roberts
>> describes.
>
>In practice this would very rarely work. You could probably get them to take
>the picture at the same time, but how far apart the cameras would be, and
>how much one is rotated relative to the other would be out of my control.

Concerning distance, I think that with a few launches the random variation
in distance would give at least one pair in the acceptable range.  For
rotation, I was assuming that you'd mask or cut out the film chips or prints
to gain two smaller, properly aligned halves of a pair.  I admit this
doesn't meet the simplicity requirement that I think you stated in your
original post.  Also, shooting straight down  may not give the most
interesting picture.

>> There would be a lot fewer variables in aiming the camera if we were talking
>> about model airplanes, flying along a straight, horizontal path, rather than
>> parachutes.  Are there model rockets that could release a glider containing
>> a camera with a timer (or radio-triggered camera)?  
>
>Yes, and the camera could be timed to take a picture ever x seconds, but
>would it have to fly in a straight line?  A non RC glider flying in
>a straight line at 1000ft up will go a long long way in a straight line
>and may never be seen again.  Gliders are generaly made to circle after
>they are released.

Yes, I wondered about that.  It should still be possible with a circling
glider.  I'm thinking of a camera pointed down to give an interesting view
(maybe 45 degrees from the horizontal) and to the side.  With a straight
glide path you get successive shots that could be viewed as pairs with only
moderate adjustments.  If the timing gives the wrong spacing for shots 1 and
2 to make a good pair, 1 and 3 could be tried, etc.  With a circular glide
path you have to mask or crop the sides of the two shots, to retain the
central area of overlap which will be in stereo; the amount of masking
depends on the size of the circle relative to the spacing (timing) between
shots.  If it all works, you could get a great series of stereo pairs
looking out in all directions from the circle!

Someone must have tried this with RC model planes???   For that matter, much
of it is the same as scenic stereo photography from small passenger planes,
which has been discussed here.  See the archives search engine at
http://bobcat.etsu.edu/ftpdir/photo/photo-3d/digests/ghindex.html or ask me
to dig out a couple of good posts which I saved.

Dave Glick


------------------------------