Discovery 119 Launch, stuffed pics.

[TomP]

We were very lucky to get to see the launch of Discovery, 119. The many launch delays worked out well for us. We set up first on a highway, some 12 miles away. Then more luck came our way, friends that work at and around the cape called and we then moved the the NASA causeway, 6 miles form the launch.

There is no describing a shuttle launch, the bright light, the silent rise into the sky, and then the wall of sound that just hits you. all very amazing.

We were with friends and a NASA engineer. Close to the launch time I was asked if folks could view the shuttle through the lens. If I had charged a dollar for each, I could have made some money. LOL Somewhere during al this my settings got shifted.

I had heard that a night/twilight launch is difficult to shoot, first time anyway. I did not expect NG quality pics, but I had hoped for a lot better than this.

All CC is welcome, I would like to learn from this major goof.

D300 200/400 and 1.4 TC
12 miles and haze

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Assembly Building 200 ISO 45 Minutes before launch.

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6 mile

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Somewhere, before this shot, the ISO was mysteriously moved to 800. I have no idea
what I did, or if one of the many people I let view the shuttle through my camera some how bumped
the ISO. That does not seem likely though.

Lift Off

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Serious crop,

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In this shot the shuttle is about 20 miles high and and some 15 miles down range
Boosters fall away.

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D200, 18/200
The vapor trail in the fading sunlight was the only good shot.

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[mobeious1]

y dont they look sharp?

 

[TomP]

I am not sure, atmosphere maybe, there is a lot of noise, and I do not have noise ninja, need a program. I only posted these after starting a blown settings thread in general discussions. This was the first time I had used this lens on this body. I did find a few months later that a slight auto fine tuning was needed.

I have posted 6 miles shots of Atlanta GA. with similar slight lack of sharpness, and that was with a proven D200 body, in that case it was wind or maybe atmosphere, 6 miles is a long way.
All but the last are crops, and it was taken with the D200 and 18/200

 

[darkside]

First off, I love the vapor trail shot. And these are ALOT better than my first attempt at the shuttle. We were at Jetty peir??? i think. Had 3 cameras, a Sony Alpha, Canon digital rebel, and canon film rebel. All we got were the flames coming off the engines, not even a hint of the shuttle itself.

 

[Ryanhawkerxp]

I think they look great.With humidity and haze anyone would expect the results which I think are great from that distance.

 

[TomP]

Thanks Bill and Chris, i would like to see some comparison shots from the NASA causeway. I know I could do better if I had it to do over, just not sure about shooting across all that water. IT definitely messed with the 12 mile shot. A clear cold night with no humidity would have been great:smile: