Sport Rocketry/Camroc Articles

[dwmzmm]

Not sure if this topic belongs to this category, but maybe it does. Just got my latest
Sport Rocketry this evening (I say that as I just checked today's mail around 9 PM tonight)
and was pleasantly surprised to see the magazine on the bottom of the small pile of mail.

The two articles on the Estes Camroc and its history is really fantastic! Not having bought
myself a Camroc while I had the chance (way back when) is something I've lived to really
regret. The Camroc w/Astron Delta combination was on my Christmas wish list for the end
of 1970 until the announcement of the Cineroc/Omega hit the latest catalog. My parents
got me the Cineroc instead. But reading those two articles on the Camroc sure made me
wish I'd at least gotten it before it went OOP.

[Phred]

I agree Dave, When I finally saved enough and ordered a Camroc, ESTES sent my money back as it was out of production!

I have one now, but have no idea if I could actually use it these days....

Phred

[Doug Sams]

I agree Dave, When I finally saved enough and ordereda Camroc, ESTES sent my money back as it was out of production!While I appreciate the lament, y'all gotta admit that using one of those things is a royal PITA! Having to take the pic, then send it into Estes and wait weeks for a blurry, out-of-focus, black-white pic of your house is hardly worth the investment.

That said, it'd be way kewl to see a faux Camroc cone/rocket available that provided users cheap quality electronic pics (ie, think ~Aiptek). Actually, I guess Estes sorta already has the pics, but if they want to leverage those BAR emotions, they need to package it right ala Camroc/Delta.

Speaking of this, who all here has tried Carl's faux Cineroc cone?

I've still never gotten around to trying the CVS recorder. But I did recently talk to another DARS member who showed some great Aiptek video from his L3 bird. He got me convinced a new $120 Aiptek would be worth the investment. He didn't have to alter it at all. Its digital memory capacity is sufficient to record many minutes of wait time on the pad prior to launch plus more wait time until recovery. So no mod's or g-switch are needed. The only extra item needed was a memory card.

I know this is motion picture instead of stills ala Camroc, but either one sounds good to me :)

Doug

.

[JRThro]

While I appreciate the lament, y'all gotta admit that using one of those things is a royal PITA! Having to take the pic, then send it into Estes and wait weeks for a blurry, out-of-focus, black-white pic of your house is hardly worth the investment.
*If* you even got a picture of your house!

[Race58]

Mine took pretty good pictures even though they were black and white and I developed them myself. This is a little weathered after 30+ years. Looks better in person.
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q276/rvfulltime/Rockets/IMG_0006.jpg
*If* you even got a picture of your house!

[barone]

Mine took pretty good pictures even though they were black and white and I developed them myself. This is a little weathered after 30+ years. Looks better in person.
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q276/rvfulltime/Rockets/IMG_0006.jpg
So, which is your house? :rolleyes:

[dwmzmm]

While I appreciate the lament, y'all gotta admit that using one of those things is a royal PITA! Having to take the pic, then send it into Estes and wait weeks for a blurry, out-of-focus, black-white pic of your house is hardly worth the investment.

That said, it'd be way kewl to see a faux Camroc cone/rocket available that provided users cheap quality electronic pics (ie, think ~Aiptek). Actually, I guess Estes sorta already has the pics, but if they want to leverage those BAR emotions, they need to package it right ala Camroc/Delta.

Speaking of this, who all here has tried Carl's faux Cineroc cone?

I've still never gotten around to trying the CVS recorder. But I did recently talk to another DARS member who showed some great Aiptek video from his L3 bird. He got me convinced a new $120 Aiptek would be worth the investment. He didn't have to alter it at all. Its digital memory capacity is sufficient to record many minutes of wait time on the pad prior to launch plus more wait time until recovery. So no mod's or g-switch are needed. The only extra item needed was a memory card.

I know this is motion picture instead of stills ala Camroc, but either one sounds good to me :)

Doug

.

That's pretty much the sentiments I had with the Cineroc/Omega. Out of the number of
times I flew them, and mailed the exposed film to Estes (and, later, to the late Herb Desind)
only to find that less than half of the exposed film had anything worth viewing. The only
two Cineroc's I've ever owned both crashed, but I have enough parts from each collected
that, should I ever get around to it, can be used to build a "new" Cineroc (and I still have
one "fresh" 8 mm film flight pack in my inventory - where I got it from is another story).

[dwmzmm]

Mine took pretty good pictures even though they were black and white and I developed them myself. This is a little weathered after 30+ years. Looks better in person.
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q276/rvfulltime/Rockets/IMG_0006.jpg

Really cool pics!!

[Race58]

Not mine. Just some apartment buildings and houses next to a city park in Chicago.
I lived a few blocks away from there then.So, which is your house? :rolleyes:

[Race58]

Thanks :D Really cool pics!!

[tbzep]

Speaking of this, who all here has tried Carl's faux Cineroc cone?


I turned my own nosecone and transition for my first Cineroc clone. I bought Carl's nosecone and transition for the rebuild since they were available. I have everything ready to go together, but I just haven't felt like stripping the big heavy connectors and soldering wires yet. Just like with sanding, I have to get in the mood to do things I don't like doing and it may take weeks or months before I get around to it sometimes. :rolleyes:

[Phred]

OK.... so I have been through SEMROC's website and cannot locate the transition and cone. Can anyone assist with a link or the parts #s?

Phred

[Phred]

Duh!! I jusr re-read the posts... this is cineroc, not camroc.

Still, it would be cool to have a simulated Camroc cone, Then we could build a digital Camroc, using a hacked disposable digital cam to take stills.....

Ph

[luke strawwalker]

Just read that article myself... What's really interesting about it, other than being first and very novel invention, is that it had such a large negative. That's my one major gripe about the Astrocam-- the 110 negative is REDICULOUSLY small for that sort of photography. Also, 110 film is getting harder to find than hen's teeth, so if you can find it better grab it while you can if you're flying the Astrocam. The local camera shop I frequent (well, infrequently, but when I need something photographically more advanced than Wallyworld) doesn't even stock 110 anymore, and this is a CAMERA STORE for pity's sake! I don't look for the Astrocam to be around a whole lot longer for this very reason....

I wish they'd have produced a mirrorless 35 mm type format Camroc/Astrocam. It would be big and bulky, but it would take great pics! I know folks have scratchbuilt them using disposable cameras or autowinders and stuff, using a mirror, but it'd be better without the mirror. The buzzword now is digital, and even Estes is selling their Astrovision as switchable between video and still mode, but the small sensors and cheap digitals can't really hold a candle to a good 35 mm film image. But that's where the market is headed, and as technology improves, the better chips will find their way into cheaper cameras. The Oracle and Astrovision don't really impress me much though-- if Estes had come out with them 5 years ago or so, sure, they'd have cornered the market, but you can scratchbuild better systems nowdays using pencams or mini-camcorders WITH SOUND and capable of recording more than 30-45 seconds for about the same money. Or go with a mini-gearcam and patch antenna for long range hooked to your camcorder for the same money, and have a better system than the Oracle/Astrovision... IMHO... OL JR :)

[Green Dragon]

OK , in a strange turn of coincedence... just bought a collection or rockets from a local antique dealer - his own childhood items :)
more info to come, all 1960's centuri mostly.

Anyways, included is a partial Camroc - the lens and shutter / body assembly...

Missing is the film holder, and the adapter piece.

Anyone have any spares they would prat with ?

or, failing that - have a busted up one that my parts could be of use for ?

would lvoe to get one working, had one a few years back but wound up selling it because I did nto want to mess with flying it , but might be fun to try.

give me a holler if any info or advise, or parts ?

~ AL