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That is the Results of Putting My Digital camera Lens 300 Ft from a Rocket Launch

My identify is John Kraus, and I work as a photojournalist at Cape Canaveral, overlaying rocket launches with up-close cameras on the numerous launchpads right here. For yesterday’s Atlas V rocket launch, I had two cameras at House Launch Complicated 41. These cameras have been sound-activated; the sound alone would kill anybody standing on the launchpad throughout liftoff.

Each distant cameras I positioned have been Nikon D7000s, however every was poised to shoot drastically completely different photos. Each cameras and their lenses have been wrapped in plastic grocery baggage, with a gap lower out for the entrance component to poke by. At a comparatively secure distance from the rocket — perhaps 500 or 600 ft — one D7000 was geared up with a Nikon 80-200mm f/2.eight and was zoomed in to seize a closeup shot of the rocket’s engine and 4 stable rocket boosters.

That setup was fully unhurt. This put up will concentrate on the different digital camera setup.

The opposite D7000, which was simply over 300 ft away from the rocket, was within the midst of the chaos. This digital camera was armed with an 8mm Rokinon fisheye lens that I picked up the day earlier than distant digital camera setup. This digital camera was simply to the left of the flame trench, of which is the place many of the rocket’s vitality is directed.

Right here’s my favourite picture from the fisheye setup:

The afternoon backlighting was nice. I’m actually happy with the ensuing photos. Based on my in-camera time, the above picture was taken at 15 seconds previous the minute.

Right here’s a photograph from :20, 5 seconds after that picture:

And right here’s :26, 11 seconds after the primary picture:

This picture is why I feel there was a mix of each water and stable exhaust on my lens.

The Aerojet Rocketdyne AJ-60A stable rocket motors used on this rocket are fueled by hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene, which may be very acidic. We have been warned by our NASA escort to not contact our faces after dealing with gear coated within the stable rocket exhaust and to scrub our arms ASAP after arriving again on the KSC Press Website.

Right here’s a photograph of what the lens appeared like proper after I picked it up from the launchpad:

The residue is a kind of dried, cake-y, powdered materials caught to the lens. I’m guessing that the stable exhaust blended with the water from the pad’s water suppression system, and that ensuing substance adhered to the lens.

After I received house, I took a moist fabric and wiped off the powdery substance. It got here off comparatively simply, and I initially thought the lens was advantageous after I dried it off. That was till I checked out it in higher gentle. The lens was closely pitted from the stable exhaust particles.

That’s not sand or dust resting on the glass — that’s pitting within the entrance component itself. Be aware the dust and twigs across the glass, too.

I’d doubtless have the ability to substitute simply the entrance component, however I picked up this lens for 100 bucks, so if I wish to do a fisheye shot for a future launch, I’ll in all probability simply purchase one other one. I’ve retired this lens after only one launch. The identical factor occurred to an 18-55mm equipment lens I positioned subsequent to a Delta IV launch in 2016.

Trying by the viewfinder of a physique with that lens mounted is like trying by glass coated in raindrops.

Now, I’ve some explaining to do, as a result of inevitably, somebody goes to write down “WHY DIDN’T YOU JUST USE A UV FILTER!?!?!?” within the feedback under.

Utilizing a glass filter triples the world that dew can type previous to liftoff. I’ve had photographs ruined by dew forming on the entrance component. Add in a filter, and also you’ve received the entrance component and two extra glass surfaces for dew to break your shot. Low cost filters can introduce undesirable picture artifacts reminiscent of glare. And why use high quality filters if the identical factor can occur to them somewhat than the entrance component?

And sure, I solely use plastic grocery baggage to guard the cameras. Each the digital camera our bodies have been advantageous. It was simply the uncovered fisheye lens that noticed injury. General, I’m actually pleased with my ensuing photos from each setups, so I’m not bummed on the lack of the fisheye lens.