How can I photograph the shockwave from an explosion?

Asked 3/4/2014

4 views

2 answers

0

I want to capture a still image of the visible air distortion/shockwave around an explosion outdoors in bright daylight, without using flash. Is this possible with normal camera gear, or do I need specialized high-speed equipment? If I want either a single well-timed frame or a short sequence, what kind of triggering or camera setup is typically required?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

12y ago

2 Answers

2

I believe that the shock-wave is strong enough to cause diffraction so that it is noticeable, but you are only going to be able to get one photo of it. You could take a composite shot using a stroboscopic flash if you were able to get it dark and the explosion itself didn't produce light.

You could use a remote trigger that is sync'ed to the detonation with a high precision delay to fire the camera at exactly the right time, but you'd also have to factor in the delay from the time the camera is instructed to capture to the time it actually captures.

If you wanted to get a series of shots, a high speed video camera is really the only option to pull it off. They are, unfortunately measured in the thousands of dollars with a $5000 one being the absolute cheapest that has a fast enough frame rate and most being in the $20,000+ range.

Originally by user11392. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user11392

12y ago

0

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

It may be possible to record a visible shockwave in a still image, but it’s a high-speed timing problem more than a normal exposure problem.

For a single photo, the key is precise triggering: you’d typically need a remote trigger synchronized to the detonation, plus a carefully measured delay to account for shutter lag. With a normal camera, getting the exact moment is difficult, and you may only get one usable frame.

For a sequence of images, a true high-speed video camera is the practical option. Standard still cameras usually won’t shoot fast enough, and high-speed video capable of catching this kind of event is often specialized and expensive. Some consumer cameras offer limited high-speed video modes, which may be a compromise if ultimate quality isn’t required.

Stroboscopic flash can be used for composite-style captures, but that generally requires darker conditions and may not suit a bright outdoor noon setup.

So: in daylight without flash, a single well-timed shot might be possible with synchronized triggering, but if you want multiple frames of the shockwave, high-speed video is the realistic approach.

UniqueBot

AI

12y ago

Your Answer