Author Topic: NASA and Nikon  (Read 3576 times)

richardHaw

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NASA and Nikon
« on: May 16, 2017, 05:46:57 »
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkdAgyJ3Xqw

in case anybody missed this  :o :o :o

Akira

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Re: NASA and Nikon
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2017, 06:18:05 »
Rick, thanks for the note.  It's fun to watch such videos!

I heard that the circular window pain in the cupola seen around at 1:50 is made of sapphire glass and costs about 200,000,000 (yes, 0.2 billion) JPY apiece.   :o :o :o
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richardHaw

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Re: NASA and Nikon
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2017, 07:15:56 »
 :o :o :o

elsa hoffmann

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Re: NASA and Nikon
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2017, 07:43:59 »
Rick, thanks for the note.  It's fun to watch such videos!

I heard that the circular window pain in the cupola seen around at 1:50 is made of sapphire glass and costs about 200,000,000 (yes, 0.2 billion) JPY apiece.   :o :o :o

shyte - it must be fabulous to photograph the earth from up there - but I guess not too many star trails.

And I wonder  - once you have done that all - what do you then shoot.
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Akira

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Re: NASA and Nikon
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2017, 08:12:44 »
shyte - it must be fabulous to photograph the earth from up there - but I guess not too many star trails.

And I wonder  - once you have done that all - what do you then shoot.

Elsa, how long do you think it would take to do that all?   :o :o :o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFd8gmUTGmw

According to wiki, the ISS goes around the earth in 90 minutes: 16x faster than the daily rotation of the earth itself.  You can shoot star trailes in a shorter time than on the ground!
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elsa hoffmann

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Re: NASA and Nikon
« Reply #5 on: May 16, 2017, 14:56:50 »
it wont take long - 90 minutes haha

okey - if you look at the images we see taken from the space station - it is "limited" in content. You can only shoot what you can see - and every 90 minutes its the same thing you see. We dont see a variety of stuff - for obvious reasons - hence my comment. yes I am sure it look different at sunrise etc - but still.

HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT - I wish I could take those photos
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Akira

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Re: NASA and Nikon
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2017, 15:21:47 »
Elsa, you can also shoot thunderstorms, hurricanes, auroras, meteors hitting the stratosphere, etc. in various forms, although you are not likely to have chances to shoot wildlives...
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Bill De Jager

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Re: NASA and Nikon
« Reply #7 on: May 16, 2017, 18:14:06 »
it wont take long - 90 minutes haha

okey - if you look at the images we see taken from the space station - it is "limited" in content. You can only shoot what you can see - and every 90 minutes its the same thing you see. We dont see a variety of stuff - for obvious reasons - hence my comment. yes I am sure it look different at sunrise etc - but still.

HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT - I wish I could take those photos

But you're not going to see the same thing on each orbit.  The orbit of the ISS is inclined with respect to the equator and the Earth rotates underneath, so each orbit is over a different path on the Earth below.  Add to that the daily variations in clouds and storms, and over time you will continue to see new and sometimes photo-worthy views.  If I were up there I'd be glued to the window the entire time (with camera or not), and they'd have to pry me off with a crowbar when the time comes to leave.

elsa hoffmann

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Re: NASA and Nikon
« Reply #8 on: May 17, 2017, 04:56:25 »
riiiiight. I am not disputing what you are saying. But perhaps we are on different pages.
1. How long does this guy sit up there in the sky?
Quote
The ISS missions, called expeditions, usually last about six months. There are three to six crewmembers on board at all times. Professional astronaut crews come from the U.S., Russia, Japan, Canada and Europe. NASA astronaut Mike Lopez-Alegria has flown the longest U.S. space station mission to date, at 215 days.
2. Like with ANY scene/scenes - you can shoot it over and over again - and get many different images, compositions, light and whatever. but it is still the same scene.

It's a bit like taking photos out of an airplane window. Every time it's different - but every time it's still a photo out of a window of a plane.

Kapish??

And no - I am not saying the photos are boring or that it wouldn't be a fantastic opportunity - just get what I am saying in perspective.
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MFloyd

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Re: NASA and Nikon
« Reply #9 on: May 17, 2017, 07:45:33 »
Thanks for the video clip.  I was very surprised to notice that the cupola windows are full of stains and (greasy) finger marks.
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richardHaw

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Re: NASA and Nikon
« Reply #10 on: May 17, 2017, 14:56:25 »
Thanks for the video clip.  I was very surprised to notice that the cupola windows are full of stains and (greasy) finger marks.

me,too  :o :o :o

Bill De Jager

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Re: NASA and Nikon
« Reply #11 on: May 18, 2017, 03:04:25 »
riiiiight. I am not disputing what you are saying. But perhaps we are on different pages.
1. How long does this guy sit up there in the sky?2. Like with ANY scene/scenes - you can shoot it over and over again - and get many different images, compositions, light and whatever. but it is still the same scene.

It's a bit like taking photos out of an airplane window. Every time it's different - but every time it's still a photo out of a window of a plane.

Kapish??

And no - I am not saying the photos are boring or that it wouldn't be a fantastic opportunity - just get what I am saying in perspective.

Elsa, that's a good point about the length of time involved - I expect that opportunities for new compositions would diminish along a log curve as the days and weeks go by.  But I think that the analogy to photography out an airplane window conjures up a very limited and frustrating set of mental images and experiences due to the extremely limiting opportunities provided by that kind of photography, at least on a standard commercial flight. 

And I wouldn't call the view out an ISS window the same scene every time.  It's certainly much more limiting than the choices we have on the earth's surface.  On the other hand, you can shoot more or less straight down with a telephoto and in different lighting.  Oh to have an 800mm lens!  Or you can zoom out somewhat and shoot a bit more obliquely, or go to very wide angles or even a fisheye lens. (Linked photos illustrate possibilities but not necessarily interesting art.)  Aiming more at the horizon might seem to get old fast, but with patience you might see something like this or this.  Then there are the sunset and night shots.  Of course, there would be periods of several to tens of minutes during each orbit where the daytime lighting is flat or the night lights too sparse.  Still, I think it would take days to get to the point where most orbits fail to provide good opportunities, especially if one has a good range of focal lengths available.

elsa hoffmann

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Re: NASA and Nikon
« Reply #12 on: May 18, 2017, 07:52:26 »
Still, I think it would take days to get to the point where most orbits fail to provide good opportunities, especially if one has a good range of focal lengths available.

Oh it would probably take MANY MANY days. But not 6 months :) And obviously you will get new things popping up regularly. but ya - 6 months or longer is LONG. I bet they get creative in many ways
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