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Author
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Topic: lunar EVA photography question
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mjanovec
Member Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 10-06-2005 05:18 PM
   
In looking at the EVA photography from the Apollo lunar landings, is there a reason they used both B&W and color film for the EVAs? It seems like a lot of the color film was shot when the astronauts were near the LM...getting the historic shots saluting the flag, etc. And a lot of the B&W imagery seems to be documenting sample collecting during the EVAs.Was there a specific reason to not use color for all of the images? Were there specific points in the EVAs where they would switch from color to B&W? Just curious... |
bruce
Member Posts: 917
From: Fort Mill, SC, USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 10-06-2005 08:51 PM
If memory serves, one reason that both black & white and color film was used was that NASA was interested in obtaining better data on the variables of color and contrast of the lunar surface material. This information was valuable in helping to identify features in the rocks and soil as well as the surrounding areas of the rocks and soil as they related to possible impact, volcanic and chemical reaction theories. Exisiting photography before the Apollo moon missions showed the lunar surface to be more or less "gray scale" tones. Black and white film gives a nice reproduction of the broad range of these gray scales. The color film provided additional data, which served as a comparison or "control", while revealing additional details at times that the black and white film could not. I'm sure glad Schmitt and Cernan had color film when they discovered their orange soil! Also, as you point out, the color film did help make the images around the LM and flag more exciting!Best,
Bruce |
RMH
Member Posts: 578
From: Ohio
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 10-09-2005 01:44 PM
I saw one of the moon walkers give a speech (not sure which one - probably Schmitt) He noted that the comander of the mission would carry color film and the other would carry black and white film. I never really thought about it until he mentioned it that some moonwalkers are mostly in b/w photos while the others are in color. |
Matt T
Member Posts: 1369
From: Chester, Cheshire, UK
Registered: May 2001
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posted 10-09-2005 02:29 PM
A photographer friend of mine once explained the scientific reasons why black-and-white gives a more accurate, detailed image than colour film.However I have forgotten everything he said  Cheers,
Matt ------------------
www.spaceracemuseum.com |
Rick Mulheirn
Member Posts: 4208
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 10-09-2005 04:17 PM
I recall NASA messed around with under and over-exposing some of the surface photography; I remember seeing some surface geology photos from Apollo 16 for instance that used over-exposed images to show shadow detail from some of the surface rock formations. Black and white film lends itself better to this kind of manipulation.Regards, Rick. |
Rob Joyner
Member Posts: 1308
From: GA, USA
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 10-11-2005 12:57 AM
If I may throw in a little artistic 2 cents worth.
When a photo is in color, the eye tends to 'look' at the colors, the scheme, the contrast between the other colors and what colors certain items are.
One doesn't intentionally do this, that's just how colors play to the eye.
B&W photos show only definition between light and dark in a scale of grays, and the eye tends to then 'look' at the items or objects in the photo and not at any kind of color, which, of course, is not there, thus creating better detailed objects to the eye.
This reminds me of when it snowed here in coastal GA Xmas day in '89 or '90. I took some photos of various streets, trees, etc., and even though I was shooting with color film, the photos came back looking like B&W because of the lack of color available in the landscapes and they were very sharp and detailed.
I wonder if it's also possible that maybe some of the B&W lunar photos were actually shot with color film, but due the the fact there are no 'colors', per se, on the Moon and the astronaut's suits were white, they came out looking like B&W photos?
Just a thought!
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Obviousman
Member Posts: 438
From: NSW, Australia
Registered: May 2005
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posted 10-11-2005 04:36 AM
They used have a colour chart which they shot at the beginning and end of each magazine, so they would have 'control' colours, and the film would then accurately show the colours. IIRC. |
spaceuk
Member Posts: 2113
From: Staffs, UK
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 10-11-2005 06:10 AM
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/alsj/a11/a11-hass.html You can see the magazines used in the Hasselblads at above - which is my article I did originally for BIS Spaceflight magazine and later modified for use on the ALSJ site and copied to NASA site (above). A gnomon - with an attached color chart - was also carried during the EVA's. The gnomon would give local vertical and the colour chart (having been calibrated on earth) could be used to verify colour correctness in the film frames when processed and viewed back on Earth. This applies to whether film was colour or B&W. In B&W frames the various 'grey' colours could be matched against the colour chart - where individua colours were differing shades of grey.
Phill
spaceuk
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spaceuk
Member Posts: 2113
From: Staffs, UK
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 10-11-2005 06:44 AM
A bit more info on the film used during Apollo-11 which I produced for a forum many months ( years?) ago:-
Nine magazines of 70mm Hasselblad film exposed
Black and white photos were taken on 3400 Panatomic-X film on 2.5 mil estar polyester base. Lunar surface colour photos taken on Ektachrome EF SO-168 colour film on a 2.5 mil estar polyester base. Other 70mm photos taken on Ektachrome MS SO-368 colour reversal film on estar polyester base. Note that the eamil address inthe NASA ALSJ web page for me is out-of-date.
Phill
spaceuk
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