Larry,Most point and shoot cameras have too much shutter lag for consistent rocket photos. That is the time between pushing the shutter trigger and actually taking a picture. Some are better than others and pre-focusing helps but you will still have a 50 to 100 mS delay. It doesn't sound like much but it can really frustrate you. If you have kids and shot any sports pictures of them you already know what I mean. And you need one that can rip off up to 20 images in a burst - igniters don't consistently pressure up the motor quickly.
Digital SLR's are the ticket to fix those problems but, as Mark pointed out, they cost considerably more. They put you into the league of advanced amateur with features that need to be understood to be used properly. The other significant benefit of an SLR is lens flexibility/choice (and the associated costs). I also use Nikon's but have been since the 80's so I have a pile of lenses in my arsenal. Nikon is pretty good about compatibility so I move the lenses from camera body to body as the technology advances.
Finally, there is no one "best" camera for you. It depends on too many factors. Look around, keep asking questions and eventually one will stick out from the crowd for your purposes. Buying used is a good way to get your feet wet and not break the bank.
MG On Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:29:31 -0500 (EST), moparmbc@xxxxxxx wrote:
Hey Larry: With a lot of practice you can take a good liftoff photo with any quality camera that shoots at least three frames per second. But ideally, if you want to catch most launches (and not just get lucky now and then), you need a camera that will take at least five frames per second. Even with five frames per second you will miss some launches initially, but with practice you will ultimately get most of them. So look for a Canon or a Nikon (I use) that will give you atleast five frames per second. And try Craigslist for a good used Canonor Nikon or any other major name brand for that matter. Even for a good used camera that will go to 5 fps, expect to spend about $500. For a new one it will be twice that, or more. Good luck, Mark -----Original Message----- From: JimN469897 To: tccrockets Sent: Mon, Jan 16, 2012 8:20 am Subject: [tccrockets] Re: Question? Whats a good camera for taking Rocket Launch Photo... Canon Tii In a message dated 1/15/2012 10:12:02 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, writes:I'm wanting a good camera to take photos of Rocket launches. What are some of you using? I have seen many postings of great shots! I've seen someone taking photos and can hear the camera snap 5 or more photos in a second. With my Sony all I ever get is a photo of a smoke trail leaving the pad. Any subjections ?? Larry Taylor KF6JBG KF6JBG(at)ARRL(dot)NET
