The Creation of the CamrocDV Camera

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K'Tesh

.....OpenRocket's ..... "Chuck Norris"
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Ok, as you know, I'm a big fan of the Estes Cineroc (No! Really?!). My benefactor not only sent me his Cineroc, he also included his Camroc.



Unfortunately, I think I lost its lens. :sad: I can't find it in my living space to save my life. I lost it when I was preparing to re-measure the Camroc, so that Doug's team would be able (perhaps) to duplicate parts for it (save the lens, which I don't think you can print). So, I just scored a replacement Camroc on ebay. :cool:

Now that I've got one that will be able to be made to work (replace string, replace rubber band), and I don't need to worry about a bidding war with someone inspired by this thread, I'm ready to announce the CamrocDV.

The concept is like this... Install 808 camera (stock configuration w/adapter) into an existing Camroc, or a printed copy. Have it look through a hole in the shutter (so it'll film itself going up... LOOK! The sky is getting closer!). Then when the camera would have taken it's picture normally, the shutter will trip, giving the viewer a moment of darkness. The next frame will be your "picture". The camera will then continue to video the decent through another hole in the shutter.

If you can't imagine that... Think of a movie where a subject is under surveillance. You see the subject through the photographer's lens, then you hear the camera click and the image freezes for a moment. When the image begins to move again, you're still looking through the camera lens.

The other benefit of this is replacement parts for missing or damaged Camrocs. Perhaps there'll be alternate transition sizes made available for other body tubes.

More Later...
Jim

(Oh, and yes... I'm working on the Astrocam110DV too (but it's a lot simpler, and much more available than the Cineroc or the Camroc). So, I'll be modifying existing parts from the user built (not pre-assembled) version, and I don't think 3D printed parts will be needed.)
 
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Parts from Jim are in the hands of one of the student modelers. (Don't worry Jim, I pointed out the value of them. :wink:) He's working on mirror fairing version 0.2, some internal parts and adjusting some of the DV parts for better backwards compatibility with original Cineroc bits. Hopefully things keep progressing well. They have tomorrow off of school, but one modeler is working on the ISS handrail clamp project. (Which eats up about 3 hours of printer time tomorrow.)

I had the first-run printed parts around here and got a chance to test the fit with some of the original pieces; I can see why Jim was excited when he started mixing and matching for the test-fitting.

With looming TARC deadlines; we will push forward as quickly as possible with the CinerocDV followed by the Cameroc bits. I have access to some black and white photography paper and chemicals; I want to see what we can get out of a replica Cameroc some time this spring...

Doug
 
Doug, thanks for the update!

To those who are interested in this project... as I said, I've remeasured the Camroc, and found that my previous version from the nosecone library is, honestly... wrong. I was measuring it with a metal ruler (1/64 accuracy), and my knowledge of body tube sizes. Since then, I've picked up a digital caliper (resolution 0.0005"/0.01mm). I used that to create the updated files. In the image below each major change of color is a different section of the camera, the red area is the slot for the Slide (light lock). Except for the clear lens and the plexiglass window, the real camera is a glossy natural black plastic (which is kinda hard to see details with).





BTW, it's missing the Shutter Guide Plate, Shutter, Shutter Release Cord, Shutter Spring (Rubber Band), Foam Padding, Slide (light lock), and the Felt Ring. The Slide Retainer is part of the Film block, and modeled as part of it in the .ork files. The slot in the aft transition wasn't something I could model (easily), so it's missing too. The exterior and interior thicknesses are as accurate as I can measure with my calipers.

Click the images below to go to my scans of the instructions:





View attachment Estes Camroc Camera (complete).ork

View attachment Estes Camroc Aft Transition (breakdown).ork

View attachment Estes Camroc Cover (breakdown).ork

View attachment Estes Camroc Film Block (breakdown).ork

View attachment Estes Camroc Film Retainer (breakdown).ork

View attachment Estes Camroc Main Camera Body (breakdown).ork

View attachment Estes Camroc Nosecone (breakdown).ork
 
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I've just been playing with OR, and I whipped up a Camroc Carrier (1266) for the Camroc... Now, mind you, the fins and the standoffs for the launch lugs are not canon (it's just a first draft), but the basic shape looks close. I also needed to remove the aft transition from the camera to make it sit on the rocket's transition (and look good).



I was able to "install" the engine hook and get it to look right too... I'm now thinking that I should do a series of Estes-style Engine Mounts for my OR Library. Just a quick copy/paste, and you've got your engine mount... But that'll be later, I'm out of steam right now, and my eyes are get'n heavy.
 
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