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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Mfa student needs help!!!

D

David Todd

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I'm a MFA Photo student at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. I'm looking for an adventurous RED user who can lend a hand with my thesis project, which involves high-speed capture of explosions.

You were all young artists too and know what it is like to have a dream that can't be achieved alone.

PLEASE HELP!!!

THANK YOU!!!

David Todd
dtodd@sva.edu
914-462-6047
 
Hi Jay,

sorry if i crashed you party, this is my first time, i thought the two threads would go to different user groups. Thanks for the luck,

dave
 
Hi David,

If you know someone or can get in touch with a student at Tisch at NYU... they have a RED. They might be able to do it if you gave that student credit as a DP.

Mike
 
Just wondering why you need someone with a Red One camera when your school has over 30 video cameras for student use?
 
hi Mr. Jones,

I'm not a video student (I'm a photog looking to do a photog project with Red's high quality output of stills and slow motion) but I would think there's an obvious difference between a Red One and your average video camera. Right? Otherwise why would everyone want One?

Thanks for your suggestion,

dave
 
Just curious what you are wanting to accomplish with the RED One in relation to capturing explosions. RED tops out at 120fps and that is at 2K resolution and 2:1 aspect ratio. 120fps is not that fast, most explosions don't really appear any slower when shot at 120fps.

I shoot a lot of industrial videos with my RED. When it comes to most sorts of combustion, product drop tests, high-speed machinery, etc.. 120fps just isn't that fast. Let us know what you're trying to do. If I wanted high quality still images of explosions, I personally would use a few DSLRs rigged to fire at the appropriate time relative to detonation.
 
The resolution is not high, but the Casio EX-F1 is capable of up to 1200fps burst recording.

Hi-Speed: 512 × 384 (300 fps)
432 × 192 (600 fps)
336 × 96 (1200 fps)

a high brisance explosion would likely show the object there in one frame, and then completely absent the next frame, at lower frame rates.
 
I imagine it has to do with being able to choose a frame within the explosion time and have a 12MP still from it.
 
Hi All,

First, Thanks for your many responses. Jim takes the prize with being able to choose 1 or many within the explosion, as well as a simultaneous slow-motion capture. Allow me to further explain.

For my thesis project I would like to create a super high quality slow-motion moving image, along with detailed still prints, and possibly installation art, of analog cameras exploding. I’m interested in the symbiotic relationship of technology and art in photography, both historically and on going. While my subject may appear to be the destruction, or even death of photography, the viewer should keep in mind that it is only possible to create this imagery by using the most advanced technology available, thus perpetuating the art-technology life cycle of photography. As we move further into the future photography will be continually redefined and forced to adapt.

This coming weekend I will doing some test shots of both still and video with a Canon 5D Mark II. I'm open to any and all suggestions you may have.

Thanks everyone!
 
jimhare said:
I imagine it has to do with being able to choose a frame within the explosion time and have a 12MP still from it.
Click to expand...

The RED One isn't going to provide that. 4K 16:9 only gives us 9 megapixels. With a nominal resolution of about 3.8K from a 4K mode. Maximum frame rate of 4K is 30fps.

Maximum frame rate of the camera is 120fps at 2K 2:1 (2048 x 1024), which equates to 2 megapixels or a nominal resolution of about 1680x840 or less than full HD. Don't get your panties in a bunch, pretty much any full HD camera on the market will deliver significantly less than a nominal resolution of Full HD.

120fps is not very fast, especially if you are shooting something that explodes. There have been a few explosions posted here on the forums. About all you get with 120fps is some slow-er falling debris that occurs after the flash of the explosion. I unfortunately can't post any examples I have due to NDA restrictions. I recently did some drop-tests at 120fps, dropping a type of container from 13 feet. 120fps was not fast enough to give any visually appreciative results. In fact it wasn't fast enough to deliver the analytical information needed either although, some was gathered out of happen-stance that a frame fired at the right moment on a couple of the tests.

When someone is talking high speed and explosions, the RED One just isn't the right tool for the job. As much as I would love it to be, it's just not. The Phantom HD or other Vision Research cameras are much better suited to this task.

Edit> 120fps is only 30% as fast as needed to shoot creamy, milky liquid shots seen in TV commercials.
 
I'm with Zack on this one. I believe that The Phantom is the right camera for the frame rate you need, and it will capture the slow motion that you want for a good explosion. You will certainly be able to isolate still frames from the resulting footage.

Check out some Phantom footage at this link.

http://www.abelcine.com/articles/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=269&Itemid=34

You might be able to work out a special rental deal as a student if you can provide proper insurance.
 
Wow, the Phantom slow-motion looks great. Thanks for recommending that, and for the link.

Does anyone know anything about explosives? I've been turned down by the university high-speed photo departments because of it.
 
David Todd said:
Does anyone know anything about explosives?
Click to expand...

Yes.

Have a qualified pyrotechnics or explosives professional set something up for you properly. This will help ensure a proper location, proper safety measures, proper permits and legal controls, etc..

I've been turned down by the university high-speed photo departments because of it.
Click to expand...

Seems like you have some other issues to work out beyond just finding a suitable camera.
 
Ha, Thanks Jeff.

I didn't mean to suggest that I would handling the explosives personally, but was wondering if anyone else has experience. Don't worry I've been talking to professionals, as well as professors who teach explosives classes, about this and won't try it at home.
 
That's good to know, David. :)
 
You can get what you want from: http://www.photosonics.com/

Of course another way would just be to do the explosions in the dark and light with strobes. You may not get high frame rates but you will get nice frames where what is in the frames is very frozen.

I don't quite get your thesis: Much of the pioneering work in high speed photography was done on Film.

And, if you really want to talk about evolution you should have a RED shooting an exploding F900 :)
 
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