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payload I

UV sensors 
DSLR camera 
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The Digital SIngle Lens Reflex (DSLR) camera

from http://www.photozone.de

 

 

 

 

 


 

Digital Single Lens Reflex (DLSR) imaging system

 

The light Nikon D40X camera with a compatible Nikon ED-IF AF-S Nikkor 70 - 300mm F/4.5 - 5.6 lens.

 

Nikon D40X

Nikon D300

units

resolution

3,872 x 2,592 = 10.2 M

23.6 mm x 15.8 mm

4,288 x 2,848 = 12.3 M

23.6 mm x 15.8 mm

pixel

wavelength

400 - 700

400 - 700

nm

frame rate

3

6

fps

RAW image size

9.745

 

MBytes

JPEG image size

3.5 to 5.2

 

MBytes

ISO range

100 - 1,600

200 - 3,200

 

shutter speed

1/4,000 to 30

1/8,000 to 30

second

weight (body only)

481

825

grams

Nikon D40X

  • The most compact and lightweight Nikon digital SLR ever

  • 12 bit image compression

  • Remote control from a PC using Nikon Camera Control Pro software

  • £ 319 from www.microglobe.co.uk

Nikon D300

from www.microglobe.co.uk

  • EXPEED image processing engine with 14-bit A/D conversion and 16-bit image processing for superb tonal gradation.

  • GPS NMEA 0183 (Ver. 2.01 and 3.01) interface standard supported with 9-pin D-sub cable (optional) and GPS Cable MC-35 (optional)

  • Remote control from a PC using Nikon Camera Control Pro 2 software
  • £ 1,249 from www.microglobe.co.uk

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Viewing angle

The relationship to calculate horizontal and vertical viewing angles is given by:

LCCD = dimension of CCD, here 23.6 mm wide (use for horizontal angle) and 15.8 mm high (use for vertical angle) for the Nikon D40X and the Nikon D300

Lf = focal length, for example, 35 mm

focal length mm

horizontal degrees

vertical degrees

18

66.5

47.4

25

50.5

35.1

35

37.3

25.4

50

26.6

18.0

85

15.8

10.6

100

13.5

9.03

135

10.0

6.70

200

6.75

4.52

300

4.50

3.02

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Nikon AF-S zoom lenses

Above: the AF-S 18 - 55mm f/3.5 - 5.6 G II ED AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor lens.

L_focal

min, mm

L_focal

max, mm

f/x.x

- x.x

G

ED-IF

DX

VR

weight

grams

cost

£

18

55

3.5

5.6

G II

ED

DX

-

205

69.94

55

200

4.0

5.6

G

ED

DX

-

255

142.50

18

135

3.5

5.6

-

ED-IF

DX

-

385

184.95

18

70

3.5

4.5

-

ED-IF

DX

-

420

144.95

18

200

3.5

5.6

G

ED-IF

DX

VR-II

560

434.95

24

120

3.5

5.6

G

ED-IF

DX

VR

575

367.95

70

300

4.5

5.6

G

ED-IF

DX

VR-II

745

319.95

Our view is that Nikon lenses suitable for use on a small Unmanned Aircraft are highlighted in light green, these being the 18 mm - 200 mm and the 70 mm to 300 mm focal length zoom telephoto lenses. Both of these lenses include second generation vibration reduction. The two drawbacks of both of these lenses are their weights and their prices.

See imaging page for some examples of photographs taken using this camera system.

High speed, low light level, zoom telephoto AF-S lenses

from http://www.microglobe.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?pName=nikon-2470mm-f28g-afs-nikkor-ed-lens

L_focal

min, mm

L_focal

max, mm

f/x.x

- x.x

G

ED-IF

DX

VR

weight

grams

cost

£

24

70

2.8

2.8

G

ED-IF

DX

-

900

1,279.00

70

200

2.8

2.8

G

ED_IF

DX

VR

1,470

1,148.00

  • G = "no aperture ring"

  • ED = "Extra Low Dispersion" glass used in the lenses

  • IF = "internal focusing"

  • VR = "vibration reduction" equivalent to 3 stops

  • VR-II = "second generation vibration reduction" equivalent to 4 stops

  • cost refers to the prices displayed on the www.amazon.co.uk web site on 1st November, 2007.

Both of these lenses are very high performance, heavy, expensive lenses. If you need top performance, these should be considered.

The 70 mm to 200 mm f/2.8 Nikon lens from http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/nikkor_70200_28vr/index.htm

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Computer control of the camera

First, you need to purchase a copy of the Camera Control Pro software from Nikon. This software is not supplied wth the D40X camera. Camera Control Pro 2 is used for the Nikon D300 DSLR camera.

After installing the Camera Control Pro software on the computer, you need to set the USB option in the camera menu from "Mass Storage" (for downloading images from the camera to the PC) to "MTP/PTP" to enable camera control via USB, and to store the images on the PC rather than on the camera.

When running the Camera Control Pro, three windows pop up. The largest window is used to display the most recent image. As far as we can tell, the software does not display a viseo image when the D40X is used. Pity.

The camera settings can be adjusted in the second window.

An interesting capability is the setting of the image transfer curve to accentuate dark features, or images in the shadows...

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Pro and cons

The good points

  • good quality images, across zoom ranges

  • reasonable quality images from a moving camera and in low light level conditions

  • fast shooting speed
  • good remote camera control software via USB connection to a Personal Computer, but you need to purchase the software seperately

The not-so-good points

  • the top quality camera, such as the D300 and a fast telephoto lens, such as the f/2.8 70mm - 200mm lens are expensive, but then you get what you pay for.
  • the camera body and the attached lens are heavy!
  • Using Camera Control Pro, you do not see video images on the PC when operating the camera using the PC. Camera Control Pro 2 for use with the Nikon D300 camera might support display of video imagery. On application, Nikon will supply a copy of the camera control application software, so one might be able to remotkley display the images after some software development.
  • Cannot remotely control the optical zoom using the Camera Control Pro software on the PC.

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