pink motor shots

[watermelonman]

Hah, how did you even order the K650? The button goes to the smokey motor! I would like to fly one at some point.

 

[Kruegon]

Thinking of buying some CTI hardware just to fly some pink motors. I've been looking at the Pro24 pink.

 

[DavieRockets]

Hah, how did you even order the K650? The button goes to the smokey motor! I would like to fly one at some point.

Ordered during Black Saturday sale.

 

[watermelonman]

Ordered during Black Saturday sale.

Phone or web site? Know what you are going to fly it in yet?

I think I am going to try one in my Punisher this weekend if my local vendor happens to have them in stock. It has the same black and blue paint job as my Nuke Pro Max so the pink should go nicely.

 

[423yjl]

bad light on this pic but it is a pink

 

[Barkley]

Yes that Loki looks amazing. What size is it?

L840 or M1650 I'd guess....

Yes, it was the L. I shoot with a Canon with a 100-400L lens. When you go for a tight zoom you get a lot of crappy pictures, but when they work they really work.

 

[gizza2]

Hi.

I'm Greg Smith and that's my shot of the J316 at the beginning of this thread. Here's my blog entry on the flight: https://hawtakshun.blogspot.com/2013/01/plaster-city-december-2012-launch-report.html And here's my M1675 blog entry: https://hawtakshun.blogspot.com/2013/01/plaster-city-jan-2013-launch-report.html

Most liftoff photos I see have been pre-metered for the ambient light before the flight so the flame is nearly completely overexposed. I use only manual exposure and typically underexpose by 1-2 stops to maximize flame detail and get closer to the color the human eye sees. Then I pull the shadows up from the RAW files in post using Lightroom. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks,

=G=

 

[brianwh]

CTI M1675 in a 128" tall rocket



I totally agree about under-exposing. Makes all the difference. I wish I had underexposed mine a bit more because the color is still off a bit from real life.

 

[gizza2]

I should also mention that shooting RAW rather than JPEG makes a huge difference as well. Most modern raw files offer 12-14 bits of information per RGB primary and those are weighted toward highlights. That allows a great deal of tonal manipulation potential. The JPEG algorithm has been optimized for file size but those files use only 8-bits per primary, have white balance baked in, and typical sharpening and contrast settings kill much editing latitude.

In some cases I'll tweak flame saturation upward as well but only to the extent that it seems to match the visual memory of the flame color/intensity. Reality remains the goal.

 

[brianwh]

I should also mention that shooting RAW rather than JPEG makes a huge difference as well. Most modern raw files offer 12-14 bits of information per RGB primary and those are weighted toward highlights. That allows a great deal of tonal manipulation potential. The JPEG algorithm has been optimized for file size but those files use only 8-bits per primary, have white balance baked in, and typical sharpening and contrast settings kill much editing latitude.

In some cases I'll tweak flame saturation upward as well but only to the extent that it seems to match the visual memory of the flame color/intensity. Reality remains the goal.

Greg Smith, your site has some of the best rocket pictures I've ever seen! I'll try the raw file format out next time!

 

[gizza2]

Thanks, Brian!

 

[SkidmarkMonster]

Does the red grain go on the aft or forward end of the motor? The only reason I ask is cuz I'm interested in making my own.

 

[watermelonman]

I am not sure about other manufacturers but with Cesaroni there is a single red grain in the aft most position.

 

[cbrarick]

Here is the original from the CTI page. M-1675

That would be Red Glare IX when you lost to my Ultimate Wildman.

 

[SkidmarkMonster]

So in theory, Would it be possible to replace the aft grain on an AT I357 with a single red grain from an AT I600 to make a pink motor? And is pink the only option or can different colors be made? Such as a turquoise flame from a CTI Blue Streak and Green mix?

 

[dhbarr]

So in theory, Would it be possible to replace the aft grain on an AT I357 with a single red grain from an AT I600 to make a pink motor? And is pink the only option or can different colors be made? Such as a turquoise flame from a CTI Blue Streak and Green mix?

Check out Loki Cocktail or Ice Blue for similar themes.

 

[Loki Research]

I don’t know how many here have seen these photos from the Loki Research Facebook page. It’s John Kirchbaum’s L3 flight on the Loki M-1650 Cocktail. It’s got a great thrust curve too.

https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/13227652_490109484511873_785640940795817554_o.jpg

https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/13301517_490109487845206_7705820724646868019_o.jpg

 

[bobkrech]

Does the red grain go on the aft or forward end of the motor? The only reason I ask is cuz I'm interested in making my own.

So in theory, Would it be possible to replace the aft grain on an AT I357 with a single red grain from an AT I600 to make a pink motor? And is pink the only option or can different colors be made? Such as a turquoise flame from a CTI Blue Streak and Green mix?

It's not quite that simple. Unless the burnrates of the two propellants are identical, a different nozzle throat diameter may be required.

Regardless, unless you are a L2 or L3 TRA member at a TRA research launch, you can not launch it as it is an uncertified motor which is not allowed at any NAR launch or at a regular TRA launch.

Bob