catch a bullet

[3bayjunkie]

Try to capture a bullet on camera. The average speed of a 9mm round leaving a pistol is about 1100 feet per second. So calculate how fast your shutter speed will have to be to freeze this bullet. Also You might have to work with different angles. I am gonna try this when I get home, but I want to see what you all come up with.

Good Luck

[IABoomer]

Thank you for this reminder. I've wanted to go to the range with a friend of mine and try catching some muzzle blasts. With any luck, I'll get a two-for-one deal and catch a bullet leaving the gun as well.

[3bayjunkie]

Well, ive done the math. Most cameras max out at 1/8000 shutter speed. at the rate of 1100 fps the bullet will travel 1.65 inches during that 1/8000 of a second, so yes this is challenging. I'm sure there is a way to catch it at the right angle. I can't try it now since I am in Iraq but when i get to a range back in Alaska I will be trying this out

[corvus2606]

Originally Posted by 3bayjunkie

Well, ive done the math. Most cameras max out at 1/8000 shutter speed. at the rate of 1100 fps the bullet will travel 1.65 inches during that 1/8000 of a second, so yes this is challenging. I'm sure there is a way to catch it at the right angle. I can't try it now since I am in Iraq but when i get to a range back in Alaska I will be trying this out

run your shutter speed at your flash sync speed and your aperture set so you get darkness without a flash. run the flash at its lowest setting which will make the exposure much shorter than a mechanical shutter could ever achieve. this is used in any high speed setup because its not possible to mechanically get an exposure that short

[3bayjunkie]

yeah i did think about doing that. probably going to be the only way to catch it

[kcoppock]

Originally Posted by 3bayjunkie

Well, ive done the math. Most cameras max out at 1/8000 shutter speed. at the rate of 1100 fps the bullet will travel 1.65 inches during that 1/8000 of a second, so yes this is challenging. I'm sure there is a way to catch it at the right angle. I can't try it now since I am in Iraq but when i get to a range back in Alaska I will be trying this out

Try mounting the camera directly in front; it should stay in view that way.

[dlambert]

Not sure if this counts -- it's a shotgun, so there's no bullet, per se, but I'd say it's pretty close.

[3bayjunkie]

Originally Posted by dlambert

Not sure if this counts -- it's a shotgun, so there's no bullet, per se, but I'd say it's pretty close.

I think that could count what was the shutterspeed anyway?

[3bayjunkie]

Originally Posted by kcoppock

Try mounting the camera directly in front; it should stay in view that way.

i was thinking infront just off to the side enough so that it doesn't get hit by the bullet

[kcoppock]

Originally Posted by 3bayjunkie

i was thinking infront just off to the side enough so that it doesn't get hit by the bullet

That could work. I was just being a smart-ass. :P

I'm pretty interested to see the results of this, though. I don't own a gun, so no tries from me.