Estes SnapShot RTF Starter Set

[eugenefl]

For those of you into Estes 110 film camera pods, they have yet again brought back the AstroCam camera nosecone in the form of a new rocket called the "SnapShot". It features a new booster section and the traditional camera pod. This kit is still an RTF starter set and features a somewhat typical and boring appearance. Kudos for bringing back the Astrocam. It's saving grace is that it comes with the first roll of film and it may possibly turn the heads of a few eKids.

Saw it on <a href="https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3171054525&category=2567">eBay</a> first.

I now see that it's on the <a href="https://www.estesrockets.com/snapshot_rtf_starter171.html">Estes Website</a>.

Can someone say "rAstrocam" mod! Hopefully WalMart will carry it for $16.99. Heck, they are our best friend in getting rockets into the hands of children.

 

[TheRadiator]

Originally posted by eugenefl
Hopefully WalMart will carry it for $16.99. Heck, they are our best friend in getting rockets into the hands of children.

I saw one in a Durham Wal-Mart about 3 or 4 weeks ago. My first Astrocam had NC/BT seperation. I had put an 18" chute on it so my NC+film floated away. I was a bit sick after that!!!!!

 

[Aerobee300]

I bought one yesterday at Wal-Mart .... $24.99. A complete starter kit with launch pad and control.

I've always wanted one ... the kids think it's cool ! Must be doing something right !

 

[Rocketmaniac]

Originally posted by eugenefl
For those of you into Estes 110 film camera pods, they have yet again brought back the AstroCam camera nosecone in the form of a new rocket called the "SnapShot".

Hopefully WalMart will carry it for $16.99.

I may have to pick one of these up.... I have a AstroCam I got off Ebay last year, but can't seem to get the camera to work........

 

[shockwaveriderz]

you would think by now, that Estes could come out with a timer actuated astrocam camroc...............heck digicams are dirt cheap...

 

[cls]

110 film is impossible to find and 110 processing is nearly impossible to find.

if they want to stick with film then they should come up with an APS unit. heck 35mm isn't really that much bigger than APS.

 

[n3tjm]

APS film is 24mm, versus 35mm film. I believe Kodak is phasing out APS.

 

[mkmilion]

I'm getting one next Wed. from Meijer for $22.99 + tax! I can't wait.

 

[Rocketmaniac]

I saw this starter sit this morning at our local Wal-mart...... I sure wish it was also sold as a separate single rocket, without the launch pad etc.......

 

[kenobi65]

Originally posted by n3tjm
APS film is 24mm, versus 35mm film. I believe Kodak is phasing out APS.

IIRC, the announcement I heard a couple of weeks ago is that Kodak is stopping production of APS *cameras*, not the film. New camera purchases are quickly moving to digital, and all the camera companies are scrambling to adapt.

(Also, Fuji makes APS film as well.)

 

[mkmilion]

I finally got around to purchasing one. Haven't flown it yet, but I'll get around to it. I got over 30 C6-7's last X-mas.
The only problem I found is that the pix develope in reverse image. Other then that it seems like a good buy.

 

[n3tjm]

I seen many Astrocams hit the deck with C6-7's. I like modding the rocket to fly the camera upside down, pop in a 24mm mount, and using C11-3 and D12-5 motors

I think they should design a camera to use 35mm film.

 

[Austin]

Ya know, I saw this at Hobby Lobby a couple weeks ago when they had their half off sale...gonna have to get one or two to play with next time around.

Carl

 

[Aerobee300]

Launched my Snapshot today .... nearly perfect flight .... straight up with good ejection and deployment of chute .... too bad the shock cord broke !!!! Oh Well .......... one of the kids caught the rocket body and the camera came back gently via the chute. She'll fly another day !!!

 

[sandman]

I still have film left in mine. She only has 6 pics so far.

The trick is to launch it on a c6-3 or c6-5 and run under the rocket as soon as it fire, look up and smile!

sandman

 

[eugenefl]

Originally posted by Aerobee300
Launched my Snapshot today .... nearly perfect flight .... straight up with good ejection and deployment of chute .... too bad the shock cord broke !!!! Oh Well .......... one of the kids caught the rocket body and the camera came back gently via the chute. She'll fly another day !!!

Wow...this was a big problem with the Astrocam RTF too. My friend Russell had this problem and I had it too when I used to fly mine. I can't believe the shockcord issue was never corrected. What's worse is that this rocket usually entices kids to get started in the hobby. It's disappointing to know people are using these as their first kits only to have their camera separate from the rocket and float away.

 

[slim_t]

I bought my Astrocam about 3 years ago and have flown it probably 40 times. I wish I had that many pics to show for it.
Through it's life it was stuck in a tree once for several months which required a new booster, but I did retrieve the nose cone, took it apart, cleaned it up, put a new string on, and reassembled. I replaced the shock cord a few times. It works well on the C6-7, and on the B6-4 for lower altitude.
This past Saturday I repaired the shock cord one more time and put it up on a B6-4. The chute deployed fine, but it hit the ground hard and broke off the mirror portion of the nose cone and the peg that holds the spring. I lost the mirror and the spring, and it doesn't seem to be fixable.

So I am glad to see it has been reissued, so I can get another.
It actually takes decent pics when you do everything right.

One piece of advice: Get your film developed every 5 or 6 exposures or launches. You never know when something may go wrong and your film gets ruined. The time mine stuck in the tree, I had 8 pics on the film, and wanted just 1 more. That 1 caught the tree, and the rain ruined the film.

Here's one pic. It shows alot of stuff behind a house down the road. I didn't even know that stuff was there until I got the pic, because it's all hidden by trees.

Tim

 

[slim_t]

Here's another. Kind of boring.
It shows the lake behind my house.
You can see my boat on the bank.
Luckily the rocket drifted back towards the house and landed on dry land.

I have more pics, mostly of trees, and some I haven't scanned yet. I'll go through them and see if any are worth posting.

Tim

 

[flying_silverad]

I staged my old astro with 4 d's and got this on some custom B/W film.Photo of house





Kidding