I. High Speed/Time Lapse Photography JPHT 511

1.1 3 credit hours

1.2 2 hours lecture, 4 hours laboratory. Some of the laboratory time may be spent outside the classroom setting.

1.3 For upper division JPHT students, others may register with instructor approval.

This is a course in the theory and practice of photographic systems designed to permit analysis of events of very short or of extended duration. Included are operational characteristics of time lapse cameras, sequencing and timing control devices, time magnification relationships, etc.. Also, basic characteristics of intermittent and rotating prism cameras, rotating mirror and drum cameras, synchronization systems and timing controls and high speed flash and stroboscopic systems. Introduction to high speed video recording. Students gain basic experience not only in the use of fundamental equipment but also in proper planning, set-up and introductory data reduction techniques through a series of practical experiments.

III. Course Objectives:

At the conclusion of the course the student will be able to:

3.1 understand the operational principles of diverse high speed and time lapse instruments.

3.2 use and apply these instruments to record events and data related to the fields of high speed and time lapse photography.

3.3 apply theoretical principles to the solution of a number of practical problems.

3.4 show competence in the communication of technical findings resulting from the execution of the above objectives through written technical reports.

Each lecture deals with the particular concern of the laboratory exercise for that week. There are 10 weeks total. One week is devoted to a midterm exam during the lecture period and a make-up lab period in case this is needed or a demonstration of special high speed equipment to be determined.

4.1 Measurement of time. Calibration concepts. Shutters and shutter calibration methods. In this topic, covered over a period of two weks, you will be performing several shutter calibration experiments and will be determining the velocity of various subjects based on blur.

4.2 The motion picture camera. Time magnification.Time lapse fundamentals. Animation. Intervalometer circuits. Camera and lighting control devices. Production of a Super 8 time lapse film or a time lapse video record and an animated photographic sequence.

4.3 Streak photography. Velocity recording cameras. Applications in ballistics and industrial photography. Experiment to determine the velocity of small gauge rifle bullets.

4.4 Strip photography. Photofinish and synchronous aerial cameras. Emphasis on simplified and experimental devices. Experiment in simulated synchroballistic or photofinish photography.

4.5 High speed flash photography. Energy storage and conversion concepts. Synchronization devices. Flash measurement methods. Experiment in high speed flash photography.

4.6 Stroboscopy and stroboscopic motion analysis techniques. Moving film techniques for motion analysis.

4.7 High speed intermittent pin registered motion picture cameras. Their fundamentals and industrial applications. Basic data reduction methods.

4.8 Introduction to high speed video recording systems. Production and analysis of a high speed video record. This is tentative at this time

4.9 High speed rotating prism motion picture cameras. Image motion compensation. Framing rate and exposure time determina- tion and relationships. Efficiency. Illumination requirements. Delay and synchronization devices. Timing lights. Production of a high speed film and data analysis.

4.10 Ultra high speed cameras. Rotating drum and rotating mirror framing cameras. Applications and limitations. Techniques for recording at 1 frame per microsecond and faster. Ballistics photography and data analysis.

The objectives of the course will be met primarily through the transfer of information based on lectures supplemented with audio- visual material. In addition, valuable experience will be gained by the students through laboratory sessions designed to provide hands-on experience with fundamental equipment and techniques.

Finally, as an adjunct to the formal involvement described in the above outline, students will be exposed to informal presentations in state-of-the-art applications and equipment through attendance at presentations by industrial users, distributors and manufacturers of high speed equipment as these become available.

VI. Evaluation:

The course grade will be determined on the basis of the completion in a satisfactory manner of class experiments substantiated by the submission of written project reports plus level of performance in a final written examination.

Best grade obtainable based on reports alone is a grade of C. To achieve this grade you must submit at least eight project reports as described below. This, or lower, preliminary grades can be improved one letter grade by earning a score of at least 70% in the optional final written exam. Grade based on reports alone can be raised two letter grades by earning a grade of at least 85% in the final exam. Earning a grade lower than 70% or nonparticipation in the final exam means that the grade earned by reports alone will be the one assigned.

Periodically there may be quizzes given to cover past material. These quizzes can not improve your grade but failure to participate in at least 80% of them will result in a penaly of one laboratory report.

VII. Bibliography:

There are no required texts. Relevant material as written or procured by the instructor will be made available whenever possible. If available, the following book is suggested for reference:

Arnold, Rolls and Stewart, APPLIED PHOTOGRAPHY. The Focal Press, London, 1971.

Sidney Ray, HIGH SPEED PHOTOGRAPHY. The Focal Press

VIII. Team work and lab report.

It is allowed to work in teams of up to three students in terms of the laboratory work. Ultimately, however, you are working as an individual and if team members can not be identified for all students then it will be expected you will work individually or in a team of two. In case you are part of a team, the laboratory grade will be the same for all members of a team. Complaints about interpersonal problems among team members will NOT be accepted as a valid excuse for missing or inappropriate work.

The names of team members MUST be prominently displayed on the cover sheet of the final laboratory report. This page MUST be followed by a table of contents of the final report. The final report MUST be either broken down into easily identified sections or paginated with the same purpose in mind.

NOTE: Failure to comply with any one of the above instructions will result in the automatic loss of one letter grade. Reports may be hand written as long as the writing is legible. Reports MUST be handed in no later than the end of the final exam. Each report MUST contain a statement of objective, theory or procedure, data gathered (if any) equipment used, results, and conclusion. A given weekly report may be deemed unacceptable if it is subjectively (in the opinion of the instructor) deemed to be cursory, of poor technical, grammatical or esthetic quality.

IX. Final exam.

This exam will ONLY be given during the regularly scheduled exam period. It is permitted to bring one 8.5x11 inch sheet of notes to the exam. It may contain information on both sides. Only hand written or typed notes are acceptable. Photomechanically reproduced notes are not acceptable. Calculators are recommended. The material in the exam may cover anything which was referred to in lectures, labs or the reprints provided as a supplement to this class.

filed under des-hispeed.html
rev. 09-01-99