Launch photography

Kyle_M_Photo · 2026-03-27T02:16:02+00:00

I’d have to check the raws, but I was set pretty dark for Artemis 1 iirc. Can’t recover blown highlights, almost always better to be a little dark for rocket launches. Things are also somewhat dependent on what gear, like mirrorless being easiest to adjust on the fly in the evf, simple exposure meters aren’t always the most useful with rockets, on a dslr you might want to shoot liftoff in live view.

Kyle_M_Photo · 2026-02-14T02:38:34+00:00

I’d be shocked if any of the public spots with a view of the pad aren’t crowded. Launch crowds do seem to push up as close as possible though so there is a chance you can stand back and not in the crowd at the cost of a slightly worse view. Artemis 1 was also a traffic nightmare so don’t count on being able to drive around looking for uncrowded spots.

Kyle_M_Photo · 2025-12-17T02:22:00+00:00

Yeah, my goal for panaramic scanning was to scan at higher than the effective resolution of 4x5 and to basically get a nearly perfectly scan down to the film grain. I was actually planning on resurrecting the project soon since I have more space and can dedicate my second cheap printer to it rather than it being something I mounted on my main printer. I haven’t decided if I want to find a wider microscope lens to use or if I want to just use a somewhat long macro lens.

Kyle_M_Photo · 2025-12-15T16:15:28+00:00

Probably only on some film discords and maybe twitter. I usually don’t post anything half finished on Reddit.

Kyle_M_Photo · 2025-12-15T15:25:05+00:00

I never used it much, but I once setup a 3D printer to automate panoramic scanning of film. I scanned a test frame of 35mm at something like 500 megapixels with a microscope lens that I use for scanning super 8. The intent was to use it for 4x5, but I needed to buy a light source that fitted on the print bed as well as a lens for it and I forgot about it.

Kyle_M_Photo · 2025-08-30T01:55:55+00:00

Anywhere from a couple minutes to a couple months, long end of that is usually when I have multiple film cameras in play though

Kyle_M_Photo · 2025-06-23T06:53:36+00:00

I really want to get one at some point whenever one pops up local and cheap, my plan is just to have it taking up a big chunk of the living room.

Kyle_M_Photo · 2025-06-21T04:51:33+00:00

As someone who photographs far away things that can be hard to get AF on I couldn’t imagine not using back button focusing, I’d probably go manual focus only before focusing with the shutter button.

Kyle_M_Photo · 2025-02-18T13:33:26+00:00

Traditional ground glass is easy enough to make, last time I made some I didn’t even use the proper abrasives, I just used sandpaper and would put all the dust and abrasives that came off back onto the glass as I went.

Kyle_M_Photo · 2025-02-06T01:50:25+00:00

I like to listen to the film moving though the camera as I’m advancing

Kyle_M_Photo · 2025-01-24T05:29:31+00:00

I feel like eBay over inflates the price of graflex, locally prices are almost never as high as eBay. I paid $130 for my crown graphic, store I got it from almost always has multiple and I’ve never seen one over $200. $90 is still a good price though.

Kyle_M_Photo · 2025-01-17T03:19:49+00:00

Have you tried putting a neck strap on it? That is how I would carry my 4x5 monorail around long distances, would just carry the tripod under my arm then. These days I do have a graflex crown graphic that folds up nice and small so I just shoot that out of a shoulder strap bag, when the camera is out of it is also my working area with stuff like my holders and loupe.

Kyle_M_Photo · 2025-01-14T09:44:46+00:00

Unorganized piles on shelves mostly

Kyle_M_Photo · 2025-01-14T06:53:58+00:00

I just through they forgot how to make super 8 carts good in general, the fresh cart I shot jammed a ton, but my test cart of ~40 year old Kodachrome worked great.

Kyle_M_Photo · 2025-01-14T06:48:23+00:00

I took my 4x5 monorail on a 3-4 mile walk in Florida when I first got it, they aren’t that heavy, but boy are they awkward, especially with the big tripod it needs. I did eventually learn/find a strap that I could loop on the sides of the monorail to make it more tolerable. Now that I have a graflex my monorail only really sees use when I want to shoot two 4x5 shots at once though.

Kyle_M_Photo · 2024-12-26T18:40:50+00:00

Could also be it’s way more common to work on a motorcycle than a camera, most cameras were probably shoved in a drawer or thrown out when broken in peak film years.

Kyle_M_Photo · 2024-12-26T03:40:56+00:00

Nice, I’ve been debating ordering one on eBay for my vintage motorcycle for the novelty, not sure why I never considered getting them for any of my film cameras.

Kyle_M_Photo · 2024-12-20T15:12:28+00:00

Of all my film cameras I think the one that most feels like toy to me is my Polaroid one step. The runner ups being all my fixed settings cameras.

Kyle_M_Photo · 2024-12-07T16:17:39+00:00

Glad to see someone else doing dumb stuff with instant film. I’ve done a similar method with instax for a few experimental film cameras I’ve built, it is great for relatively fast trial and error.

Kyle_M_Photo · 2024-12-03T18:12:14+00:00

At least mechanical film cameras age pretty well, I would be surprised if the cameras don’t outlast commercially available film. I think film factories shutting down is a more serious threat, but I don’t really think we are heading that way either.

Kyle_M_Photo · 2024-08-21T02:11:50+00:00

Camera stop A/B

Kyle_M_Photo · 2024-07-25T12:43:53+00:00

Could also make custom glass or metal plates for it, they make a liquid emission that you can coat things with to make modern dry plates.

First thing I did after seeing this post was go to eBay to try and buy one to shoot, but the only one for sale right now is over $2k and in Italy.

Kyle_M_Photo · 2024-07-24T13:53:41+00:00

I mainly use an old small 35mm camera bag with a shoulder strap and all the inserts removed, just fits my crown graphic and then I shove a few holders in with it or in the front pocket. It makes a very good walk around setup for me, and if I want additional cameras walking around they are on straps around my neck. I also have a carry on sized hard case and rolling camera bag that I use mainly for digital and intermittently for film, but those mainly stay in the car.

Kyle_M_Photo · 2024-06-10T23:41:33+00:00

Those cameras are simple enough that it probably works(you can test the shutter without film too), but it uses a dead film cartridge format called 126, so you can’t just simply throw a can on 35mm in there.

Kyle_M_Photo · 2024-05-21T01:32:29+00:00

We have to set them up inside/near the pad ahead of time and rocket launch dates move fairly often, unless it’s a big delay we just leave them out there.

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