Aerial Cameras, Aerial Films, And Film Processing | by Richard W. Underwood
Any discussion of the aerial camera must of necessity contain information regarding aerial films and aerial film processing, for the aerial camera is merely the instrument used to procure a precision photograph. An unbroken continuity of quality assurance procedures is mandatory from manufacture of the original aerial film through its use in the aerial camera, its photographic processing, and reproduction. A logical approach to the development of aerial photographic expertise, starting with the use of simple, low-cost systems, is outlined.
| Title | Aerial Cameras, Aerial Films, And Film Processing |
| Author | Richard W. Underwood |
| Publisher | Center Operations Directorate Manned Spacecraft Center, NASA |
| Year | 1970 |
| Copyright |  |
By Richard W. Underwood, Photographic Technology Division, Center Operations Directorate Manned Spacecraft Center, NASA
Aerial Cameras, Aerial Films, And Film Processing- For over a hundred years man has been capable of leaving the surface of the Earth accompanied by the camera. A century ago, both his aerial vehicle and aerial camera were quite rudimentary. Figure 1 i...
- The Aerial Camera
- Aerial cameras are available in numerous sizes with a variety of film formats, focal lengths, precisions, spectral responses, and costs. Selection depends primarily on the type of information the user...
- Focal Length
- Aerial cameras are available with focal lengths from about 25 mm to more than a meter. The focal length governs the scale relationship of the actual size of the subject to its image size on the expose...
- Resolution Of The Image
- The quality of the lens is of major importance (figure 7). It should have a high factor of light transmission (that is, ability to permit all or nearly all the available light reflected from the subje...
- Spectral Responses
- The modern aerial camera took on its basic design before the advent of practical and economical utilization of color Rims. It was not necessary then to manufacture lenses with polychromatic capability...
- Reseau Calibration
- There are aerial cameras which contain in the optical path, usually adjacent to the focal plane or film surface, a glass plate with fine line markings (usually crosses or dots) which are positioned ve...
- Filters
- Usually filters will be introduced into the optical paths of aerial cameras. Their primary purpose is to reduce the effects of haze, both manmade and natural. Manmade haze will vary, depending on prev...
- Camera Calibration Information
- Before one can do any type of accurate work with an aerial camera, comprehensive knowledge of its calibration is mandatory. If you cannot secure the information from a reliable source or by means of m...
- Multispectral Cameras
- If one wishes to record information from a discrete portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, a film highly sensitive to the desired portion of the spectrum is used in conjunction with a filter designe...
- Films For Aerial Cameras
- Most of the world's leading film manufacturers produce films especially created for aerial survey photography. At the Manned Spacecraft Center, practically all films used in the Earth Resources Survey...
- Selection Of Films
- Many factors must be considered before an aerial film is selected. These factors include: (1) Intended Use Of End Product (a) Prior to selecting a specific film, the user must survey the technic...
- Preprocessing Quality Control Procedures
- To create a photographic image of known properties with highly reliable information, the user cannot tolerate any break in the continuity of information about his aerial film. He must have a complete ...
- Processing Laboratory Equipment
- Photographic laboratories vary in sophistication from a wooden sink in a darkroom to multimillion-dollar complexes designed to enhance the state of the art. I have seen aerial photographs made with th...
- Conclusion
- This paper has stressed the importance of having a complete knowledge of your films, cameras, processing, and reproduction equipment. This knowledge, coupled with comprehensive, well documented qualit...
- Bibliography
- American Society of Photogrammetry Manual of Photogrammetry Manual of Photographic Interpretation Manual of Aerial Color Photography Photogrammetric Engineering (published monthly) Soci...
