Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
TomCochrane
Trad climber
Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey Bay
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 18, 2013 - 11:28am PT
|
i am posting this aerial imagery taken with a RED Mysterium X camera in early August primarily for search coordination and area familiarization in the search for Matt Greene
the RED camera is probably about as far away as you can get from a 'point and shoot' camera...everything has to be set by hand
i was shooting at approximately f8 (modified on-the-fly to optimize the exposure histogram), 1/48 shutter speed, 800 ASA (native for the Mysterium X sensor), using a cinema 35mmm Angeneux 25-250 zoom lens (mostly at about 150-250), using an 4x5 inch ND 1.9 filter and an IR filter (required because the camera is ultra sensitive to IR), shooting at 60 fps the first day and 30 fps the second day
this all seemed to make sense before we tried it...but not quite what i will use in the future
i was shooting through a cardboard and gaffers tape matte box taped to the aircraft side window, with the 4x5 inch filters taped inside, supported by a folded up out-of-date aeronautical map...this setup has been through several levels of evolution during our weeks flying Jeff Lowe and Connie Self around the western mountains last year (using a much lighter camera)
air turbulence made handling the 40 lbs plus camera in awkward positions challenging and provided a good workout...let's see 2 to 3 G turbulence and hard turns times 40 lbs...hmmm...and don't let it smack into the pilot or flight controls...
our able pilot (Chelsea thinks I am too wild at it) was flying maneuvers that would be the envy of many highly experienced hot shots...in order to get the mountain in the camera frame, flying in a side slip at high speeds (well over 160 mph), while constantly maintaining vigilance for sudden down drafts and large chunks of planet positioned at impractical locations in the flight path
i initially had problems with maintaining focus as the outer ring of the Angeneux rolled across the base of the 'matte box', so i taped it locked into focus at infinity...i didn't figure out a practical way to mount the RED 'bomb' view finder to manage precise focus settings and there was no room in the front seat for my assistant camera person/focus puller as would be normal on a movie set
if we were using the 'bomb' view finder, the operator would be readily identifiable by a black eye...
we were also challenged by air turbulence exceeding the G-force rating of the RED hard drives and knocking the camera off-line
we also had problems with the camera battery launching into the air and pulling the plug
the solution was for my assistant cameraman in the back seat, Tony Rogerson, to hold both of these in his hands in the air to cushion the shocks
Tony also had the duties of shooting random video with a Sony EX-1 camera, managing our oxygen supply bottle, and verifying that the gear light was green when we landed!
Tony also had a special assignment which he managed very well: to not throw up all over the equipment...
this is my first experience shooting this camera from the airplane, and not happy with the results...we are thinking of going back and shooting at faster shutter speed and faster frames per second to minimize rolling shutter distortions, and improve image stabilization
we have lots of extra light, as indicated by using the 1.9 neutral density filter...so we can get away with using faster shutter speed and frame rate...i just didn't want to take the time to re-engineer our matte box/filter setup when the air was predicted to get bumpier in a little while...as we got to verify on the way home...
this seems to be the highest res accepted by SuperTopo, but is not adequate to spot a person at this scale
we are able to zoom in substantially on the original images using tools such as RED CineX or Aperture
|
|
TomCochrane
Trad climber
Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey Bay
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 18, 2013 - 11:35am PT
|
|
|
TomCochrane
Trad climber
Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey Bay
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 18, 2013 - 11:36am PT
|
|
|
TomCochrane
Trad climber
Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey Bay
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 18, 2013 - 11:37am PT
|
|
|
TomCochrane
Trad climber
Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey Bay
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 18, 2013 - 11:39am PT
|
|
|
TomCochrane
Trad climber
Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey Bay
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 18, 2013 - 11:41am PT
|
|
|
TomCochrane
Trad climber
Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey Bay
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 18, 2013 - 11:42am PT
|
|
|
TomCochrane
Trad climber
Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey Bay
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 18, 2013 - 11:43am PT
|
|
|
TomCochrane
Trad climber
Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey Bay
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 18, 2013 - 11:45am PT
|
|
|
DonC
climber
CA
|
|
|
Aug 18, 2013 - 12:01pm PT
|
Tom - I've got Aperture and would be happy to spend some time looking. I've spent quite a bit of time in the Minarets so I can orient myself quickly. What's the best way to get some of the full resolution images?
Don
|
|
TomCochrane
Trad climber
Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey Bay
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 18, 2013 - 12:17pm PT
|
email me at tfcochrane@earthlink.net
where are you? we are in Santa Cruz...
the fastest way to get a copy is to provide a hard drive
|
|
tdg119
Social climber
Northampton, PA
|
|
|
Aug 18, 2013 - 12:39pm PT
|
Humor me...how big would a person be on one of these low-res pictures? Pinhead? Smaller?
|
|
TomCochrane
Trad climber
Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey Bay
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 18, 2013 - 01:06pm PT
|
just a small dot
|
|
HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
|
|
|
Aug 18, 2013 - 05:22pm PT
|
Tom,
I believe what you have labeled "North Notch" is actually Ritter Pass.
pic 21-16-04
To the left of Ritter Pass, in 20-53-56 the ridge resumes with barely visible Waller Minaret (3557 mtrs on the Mount Ritter USGS quad)
Then, the spur ridge, coming towards the camera is Leonard Minaret, then Turner (3547) and Jensen on the ridge. Both indistinct.
Then, going left is North Notch, possibly above the "neck" in the glacier right of center in 21-16-10
Still in 21-16-10, the bases of Dawson, Bedayn, RIce and Eichorn (3700 m) Minarets, not easily recognized.
The base of Eichorn is at the top of the large, rectangular glacier.
--Note the chasm that drains this glacier.-- to Iceberg Lake.
Cecile Lake at lower left is a key feature in this pic.
To the left of 21-16-10 is the N Face of the Clyde Minaret (3738 m) with the distinct ribs, sometimes climbed from the left side of the glacier (Clyde route among others).
Far left is South Notch, to the left of Clyde Minaret and below Ken Minaret.
See the distinctive wavy band across the head of the Clyde glacier. A feature in many of the pics.
20-54-00 is a closeup of the Clyde glacier with the chasm and wavy band.
20-54-10 shows South Notch, Kehrlein Minaret to it's left, E Face of Clyde on far right.
The easier route across South Notch is the snowfield highpoint in shadow.
Do you know the camera direction in 10-54-14, -20 and -24?
Working backwards from the distinctive curving orange band on the Clyde glacier in 22-22-56
22-22-52 and -48 show chasm draining the Clyde glacier.
Also on the Clyde -41 and possibly -37 and probably -02; 22-30-20. Several other pics are closeups of the Clyde.
Down to 23-00-26 and -15
These are looking north on Amphitheater Lake in the cirque formed clockwise by Clyde (upper right corner), Ken, Adams, Michael and Eichorn.
Very steep and difficult shoreline. South face of Eichorn and East face of Michael rise above the giant talus field which might be the base of Amphitheater Chute.
Cragman and Flanders should probably double check my notes.
|
|
climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
|
|
|
Aug 18, 2013 - 05:38pm PT
|
Tom I am looking forward to recieving your imagery.
I am very intrigued with the possibilities of crowd sourced SAR.
Currently available civilian Sattelite imagery is not adequate for locating individuals on land in all but perfect situations.
It should be possible to get high enough resolution imagery via overflight. Another strength of aircraft overflight is the ability to make several passes which helps determine if a subject is stationary or ambulatory.
Another difficulty is the ability to quickly distribute a well organized selection of imagery in a format easily searched by the average internet user. Kind of a specialized area of expertise that would benefit from a funded entity that could do this quickly on demand from various SAR groups.
Efficient procedures for taking reports and following up all the way to actual boots on the ground will need development.
I am SURE in the next months or years this will become a tool that saves lives.
I am looking forward to digging into your imagery and developing some experience that might be helpful in future efforts.
Of course I'll also be hopeful that we find Matt.
Even if this effort does not turn out as we hope.. I think it can be a crucial learning experience that will lead to saving lives and providing comfort to loved ones in the future.
Your teams effort cannot be a waste.
|
|
TomCochrane
Trad climber
Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey Bay
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 18, 2013 - 11:15pm PT
|
Thank you High Traverse...I'll make the corrections
This is just the sort of input I was hoping for, and as noted I had no previous familiarity with this area...
Climbski2, will send a set of five Blue Ray disks with the RED RAW data in the morning...
|
|
TomCochrane
Trad climber
Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey Bay
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 19, 2013 - 01:38am PT
|
just updated my first post describing our aerial video work
and please review my edits to the image descriptions
|
|
HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
|
|
|
Aug 19, 2013 - 02:17pm PT
|
Tom,
one clarification. I think my note was ambiguous
You have added:
2013-08-16 at 21-16-10
The bases of Clyde, Dawson, Bedayn, Rice and Eichorn (3700 m) Minarets
That order is mixed.
Right to left (the direction of your flight) e.g. North to South, the order is Dawson, Bedayn, Rice, Eichorn and Clyde.
This is important since we know Matt climbed Clyde.
|
|
TomCochrane
Trad climber
Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey Bay
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 19, 2013 - 09:04pm PT
|
today i sent RED RAW sets of five Blue Rays (100Gb) to climbski2 in Reno and Christian in Brooklyn
let me know that they arrive in good order
i have one other set of these, which took all day to make
if anyone else wants one, the better approach would be to buy online a hard drive at Best Buy, using my name to pick it up
we can then quickly transfer the files to the hard drive and mail it to you
we are probably going to make another pass at this when the weather improves
|
|
climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
|
|
|
Aug 19, 2013 - 09:53pm PT
|
Got the single edited disk today. Spending a lot of time just orienting myself to the terrain. Google earth to -vid.. back and forth. Takes time just to figure out what/where stuff is.
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!