super 8 model rocket???!!!

[Kirk Anderson]

I've heard a couple of times about putting a super camera into a model rocket. Has anyone done this or could someone walk me through the process of disecting a camera to put in a model rocket?

 

Second question:

I want to shoot this rocket off the beach over the ocean and attempt to capture a group of surfers waiting for waves. Yes i know, i'll believe it when i see it, most likely impossible, yada yada yada. So, when the rocket lands in the water and i have three of my buddies frantically paddleing to pick it up, will the salt water distroy the film?

 

even so; directions on how to put a super 8 camera on a model rockets would be pretty sweet, especially if you shoot it horizontally, over some houses in the outer sunset of san francisco.

[James Steven Beverly]

Estes Model rockets (www.estesrockets.com) used to make a rocket called the Camroc if I'm not mistaken back in the 70's that ran a short load of I believe 8mm film through a small camera. I remember I wanted one BAD but they were expensive however not to worry, this being the age of video they replaced it with this:

 

Oracle

Product Code: 2187

See first hand what it looks like from your rocket's point-of-view to be blasted off and then recovered. The easy-to-use video camera lets you capture digital movies from liftoffs to landings. Save the movies to your laptop or PC using the included software and USB cable.

 

They also make:

 

AstroCam 110

Product Code: 1327

The AstroCam 110 is back and better than ever! The aerial camera nose cone has a newly designed shutter release that makes it even easier to set up. This kit includes a FREE 24 exposure roll of Kodak Gold 110 color print film (ASA 400). Launch it on a B6-4 for close-up low altitude photos or take it to the limit on a C6-7 for high altitude shots.

 

I love model rocketry. Very cool stuff. B)

 

P.S. you may be able to find a vintage film Camroc (you may want to do some research and make sure about the name) on ebay, I haven't looked but they may come up every once in a while, Lord knows every other vintage toy does.

Edited April 29, 2006 by Capt.Video

[James Steven Beverly]

Also have you considered putting an Super 8 camera in a radio controlled plane and ond using a servo to turn it on over the area your trying to film? You'd probably have a bit more control over what your shooting if the camera were pointed straight down through a hole in the fusealoge although you would have to protect the lens and camera from the raw fuel model plane engines spit out while they are running- just a thought. :rolleyes:

[rcgrabbag]

Actually, the Estes movie camera rocket was called the Cineroc. I have a couple:

 

RcGrabBag's Cineroc

 

The Cineroc carried about 10ft of super 8mm film in a special cartridge.

 

The Camroc took only one photo per flight (like the astrocam). I have two of those:

 

RcGrabBag's Camroc

 

Here's an actual clip from a Cineroc. Its a two stage rocket, so note the booster stage separating in flight:

 

Cineroc Footage

 

I've never actually flown the Cineroc, a bit too valuable to risk (they only made them from about 1970 - 75). Instead, I took an old cheapie Bell and Howell fixed focus S8 camera, tore it down to just the bare essentials (lens, motor, cartridge holder) and stuffed it into a rocket's payload section. The lens pointed up, so I had a small mirror in front of it at 45', and then another mirror outside the rocket in an aerodynamic shroud, also set at 45' so they worked like a periscope. The view was the same as the Cineroc's, looking down at the ground during flight.

Edited April 29, 2006 by rcgrabbag

[James Steven Beverly]

THAT"S IT! Cineroc! Thanks for correcting me, I couldn't remember. These were really neat little model rockets but because they were expensive, too expensive for most kids to afford, they're probably also very rare. You may have trouble finding one, but then again maybe you'll get lucky.... Actually you are lucky found one on Ebay right away Item number: 6053700851 in mint condition but again very expensive $650 buy it now price.

Edited April 29, 2006 by Capt.Video

[rcgrabbag]

I actually have a couple of Cinerocs. One is completely unused, even has the original batteries (check my previous post above yours for links and pics, and a movie clip from a Cineroc).

 

Here are some Astrocam photos I took too:

 

RcGrabBag's Astrocam

Edited April 29, 2006 by rcgrabbag

[James Steven Beverly]

Just watched your Cineroc footage, Thumbs Up Very cool :) Now I'm gonna check out your Astrocam stuff, which I'm sure will also be very cool. Thanks for sharing.

Edited April 29, 2006 by Capt.Video

[Kirk Anderson]

Awesome that everyone is so pumped about this, but whats the word on the rocket landing in the ocean or shooting it horizontally? anyone know how to build one with out the kit?

 

i knew the forum would love this one. lol

[James Steven Beverly]

Landing it in the ocean is a BAD idea, this isn't an Apollo capsule ya know, these things aren't designed to be waterproof and sense they are rare and expensive, dropping one in the drink and HOPING your friends can get to it, fish it out, bring it back to shore, get the film out without an accidental light exposure and then dry it before your film is ruined by ocean water, salt and sand doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

 

If anything, and I don't really recommend this but, launching it from a floating platform of some sort, like something built on the deck of a boat or a raft, towards the shore making sure the winds are blowing inland and hope to Hell there's enough of a breeze to get it to shore would probably be a lot smarter, if it makes it to shore and you have to do the shot a second time at least your camera won't be destroyed. If you do use a boat remember to turn on the bilge exhaust fans and clear out any diesel or gas fumes before launching the rocket otherwise the hull, being an enclosed space full of gas fumes could become an unitentional special effect.

 

launching one at a horizontal or low angle is another very BAD idea. Once the rocket has been launched, you have no control over it. It WILL go where ever it wants to and it won't fly very far. The chances are you could hit someone or something and hurt someone, damage or set something on fire with it or in the very best senario, crash it into the ground...HARD and again lose your very expensive little camera. This could be good for some exciting shots but I would definately rethink what your planning to do with it.

[rcgrabbag]

Flying horizontally with the camera pointing out the side is also a bad idea for the aforementioned reasons, but also, rockets will spin in flight due to the slightest misalignment of the fins. A rocket pointing a lens out the side flying horizontally will shoot the ground only part of the time.

 

If you want to build a rocket, get a kit. Its cheap and it has most of the stuff you'll need like the engine mounting hardware, a parachute, fin material, and the nose cone (difficult to make by hand). Many are designed to be payload carriers as well.

 

If you go the route I took, that is, tearing down an old movie camera, the rocket you fly will have to be the "high power" variety due to the camera's size. Mine was about 4-5ft tall with a 4inch diamter body. There is too much info around high power rocketry to cover here. Check out:

 

Tripoli Rocketry Association

 

As for my camera, here are some pics of two I made.

This was the first. There was a lot of metal in it, so I drilled it full of holes to lighten it. The orange triangle piece is a mirror housing I cut off from a toy periscope. Since the camera lens sat pointing up in the payload section, the mirror angled the view horizontally. Another mirror on the outside of the rocket in an aerodynamic shroud angled the view again back towards the ground.

 

Here's the second camera, mostly plastic construction so I left a lot intact.

 

Power for both came from a 9v battery. I'll see if I can dig up some pics of the actual rockets I used. They're long gone now (gave them to a budding rocketeer).

[Herb Montes]

Here's a website by someone seriously into hobby rocket photography including using movie cameras.

 

http://www.rocketryphotography.com/index.html

[James Steven Beverly]

I know this is an old thread but for anyone wanting to put a camera in a rocket check out these cameras Item number: 7629077489 on ebay

[Sam Javor]

maybe it's just me but useing a rocket seems risky because you don't exactly have control of the return... perticularly next to a large body of water... why not use a kite or even a lot of baloons?