AstroCam Photos

[barone]

I was finishing my Estes Saturn V today and rummaging through my range box when I came across these photos. They're from a modified AstroCam. Well, actually, just the camera portion. The rest of the rocket was scratch built based on plans in an old issue of either Model Rocket News or Sport Rocketry.....I can't remember which :( . But I thought they were pretty cool at the time...nearly 10 years ago when I was flying with the COSROC chapter in Colorado Springs. But, I guess they're kinda dated now with birds flying 35mm and digital cameras. Still like looking at the staging though...... :)

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

Are you kidding? The only picture I ever pulled from our AstroCam that was identifiable was of a curb and some grass near B6-4 Field. I'd take these in a heartbeat.

[Eagle3]

Very cool. The only astrocam pics I tried came out over exposed. :(

I passed your pics through Photoshop CS2 to play with some of the new features. Thought I'd share the results. I could probably clean up the first pic more with a lot more time.

[CPMcGraw]

Very cool. The only astrocam pics I tried came out over exposed. :(

I passed your pics through Photoshop CS2 to play with some of the new features. Thought I'd share the results. I could probably clean up the first pic more with a lot more time.

That first image is just classic. Beautiful drop-away shot, no smoke to get in the way.

Shame Estes never came out with a 35mm version, or just a better trigger-shutter mechanism for this one.

Craig McGraw

[barone]

Very cool. The only astrocam pics I tried came out over exposed. :(

I passed your pics through Photoshop CS2 to play with some of the new features. Thought I'd share the results. I could probably clean up the first pic more with a lot more time.


Thanks! :) Photoshop works great. Looking at the pics makes me want to dig the rocket out and fly it this weekend (too bad I won't be here). But maybe for Father's Day Weekend. Hope I still have the instructions for operating the camera. Can you still but 110 film....... :confused:

[barone]

That first image is just classic. Beautiful drop-away shot, no smoke to get in the way.

Shame Estes never came out with a 35mm version, or just a better trigger-shutter mechanism for this one.

Craig McGraw


What I like most about the first photo is the shadow of the smoke trail on the ground. Gotta like all the smiling faces in the second photo.... :)

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

Thanks! :) Photoshop works great. Looking at the pics makes me want to dig the rocket out and fly it this weekend (too bad I won't be here). But maybe for Father's Day Weekend. Hope I still have the instructions for operating the camera. Can you still but 110 film....... :confused:

Yes. They had it cheap at our local Meijer the last time I checked. If you can't find it anywhere near you, check with some of the online photography sites.

[Tweener]

Came across this one while moving. It was taken with an original AstroCam 110 that had the string shutter release. I still have the camera and fin unit, but not the launch vehicle. I know I had more, but since this was taken somewhere around '84 to '86 I have no idea what happened to them. Like Eagle 3's they were all slightly overexposed. This shot is the back lot of a construction company that was right across the street from my old high school's baseball field (read "launch range" :) ). I remember at the time that I thought it was just the coolest thing to be able to snap a photo with a rocket. :cool:

[Nuke Rocketeer]

Thanks! :) Photoshop works great. Looking at the pics makes me want to dig the rocket out and fly it this weekend (too bad I won't be here). But maybe for Father's Day Weekend. Hope I still have the instructions for operating the camera. Can you still but 110 film....... :confused:


Yep, I still use my Astrocam occasionally.

[barone]

Dug out my scratch built AstroCam 2-stager the other day. It still had film in it from my last launch nearly 10 years ago! Only shot halfway decent. Don't know what happened but I hope this shot wasn't during staging.....

Took some pictures of the rocket but since I still live in the days of 35mm, will have to wait till the film is developed to post. In the mean time, I'll pull out some of my old Sport Rocketry magazines and see if I can find where I got the plans from.....assuming anyone is interested in flying 110 film.

[Ltvscout]

In the mean time, I'll pull out some of my old Sport Rocketry magazines and see if I can find where I got the plans from.....assuming anyone is interested in flying 110 film.
Scan it and send it!

[barone]

Just looked at that last AstroCam shot closer and discovered it's a double exposure :eek: ! The top half is looking back at stage seperation. Figures on the ground are people in the launch area. The bottom half is a high altitude (well higher than the top half) shot of the school we launched at. I had an Estes E15-8 in the upper stage when I pulled the rocket out of storage. Couldn't figure out why. Now I know.......Any way, best I can figure (remember it's been over 10 years), I must have boosted on a D-12 and used the E15 in the upper stage and set the camera to snap a shot at ejection instead of booster seperation annnndddddddd..........forgot to advance the film :rolleyes: .....or (most likely) :D only got it half advanced since the entire picture doesn't seem to be double exposed. Here's the picture again so you don't have to go back to the first page to view and try to figure out what I'm talking about......I wonder if the picture quality would have been better if I hadn't waited so long to get it developed..... :confused:

[eugenefl]

I was finishing my Estes Saturn V today and rummaging through my range box when I came across these photos. They're from a modified AstroCam. Well, actually, just the camera portion. The rest of the rocket was scratch built based on plans in an old issue of either Model Rocket News or Sport Rocketry.....I can't remember which :( . But I thought they were pretty cool at the time...nearly 10 years ago when I was flying with the COSROC chapter in Colorado Springs. But, I guess they're kinda dated now with birds flying 35mm and digital cameras. Still like looking at the staging though...... :)

Greetings... just did a PShop correction on the 2nd picture you posted. Of course, there's nothing like the original 110 pictures to bring back nostalgia.

Cool Astrocam shots. I guess I could go looking for mine. :)

[eugenefl]

Looks like the original of this pic got something spilled on it somewhere over the years. Well, here's a shot at making it look new again. (From your original post.) Enjoy.