View Full Version : SpaceX CRS-13 Rocket Launch


Doug Jensen
December 16th, 2017, 09:41 AM
Yup, another SpaceX launch, but from a much farther away launch pad this time -- and with the first stage coming back to land 8 minutes later. I shot this yesterday morning with my F55 and R7 recorder shooting 4K RAW @ 120 fps. Canon 200-400 lens with 1.4x extender and Canon 1030D head. Pretty cool to see the rocket come back down and land like that, I only wish that I could get closer. Not the greatest lighting or weather for a launch, but I’ve seen the”official” video from NASA and SpaceX and I like mine better. BTW, these are intended to be stand-alone shots for stock sales, so I intentionally did not grade them all to match the same look. I even added in a couple of extreme grades, including a nighttime version, that are only really possible to do because the footage is RAW.

SpaceX CRS-13: Falcon 9 launch & landing - 4K stock footage @ 120 fps on Vimeo

Bill Ward
December 17th, 2017, 07:32 AM
"That's not flying. That's falling, with style!"

Nice stuff, Doug. As usual. ;}

Mark Watson
December 17th, 2017, 09:21 AM
Great stuff Doug.
I got to put my new O'Connor 1030D to use for the first time this Saturday at the drift track. Been using Sachtler FSB-6 and FSB-4 for many years and have no complaints, but there's definitely a difference. When people say "buttery smooth", now I know what they mean. A fine instrument.

Paul Cronin
December 18th, 2017, 07:17 AM
Very cool Doug,

I have never seen a rocket section come back down and land. And all the grades are to show what the F55 and RAW can do.

Agree Mark that 1030D is a fine tuned head, nice rig.

Doug Jensen
December 20th, 2017, 10:34 AM
Great stuff Doug.
I got to put my new O'Connor 1030D to use for the first time this Saturday at the drift track.

Congratulations on the new head. I wish I could come shoot the drift track with you, that sounds like fun!

Mark Watson
December 21st, 2017, 10:35 AM
Yeah Doug, you'd have a ball at the track. They are lots of fun. If you do happen to find yourself in this area between Jan and March next year, I'd be glad to take you up there. I plan to get a few more shoots in before I bail out of here sometime in April.

Mark Williams
December 21st, 2017, 01:58 PM
Nice. I enjoyed watching it.

Doug Jensen
December 21st, 2017, 04:49 PM
If you do happen to find yourself in this area between Jan and March

I'll be working at the Winter Olympics in Korea for three weeks in February, but that's as close as I'll be to Japan any time soon. But thanks for the offer. Come to Florida and I'll treat you to a rocket launch if you time it right.

Doug Jensen
December 21st, 2017, 04:50 PM
Nice. I enjoyed watching it.

Thank you!

Steven Digges
December 22nd, 2017, 09:38 AM
Great stuff Doug. I really like the nighttime grade.

Mark, good thing their drifting, not high speed racing. That "catch fence" wont do much to contain a high speed race car sliding up that grass berm. Although I'm sure thats what its for.

Doug, Early in my career I had the privilege of covering the 1992 Olympic Games in Allbertville, France. I was the still shooter for the United States Ski Team. Even though it was a long time ago and my cameras have taken me around the world a few times since then it is still my top career highlight. What made it so special was the people I met and worked with from all over the world. It was my first big international experience and even the media center was thrilling to me. I can honestly say in four weeks of intense work the only people I met that I did not like were a couple of ugly Americans. And of course they were exceptions. While there I learned for the first time how amazing it can be when people from all over the world come together for a common purpose with good intent.

I suspect this is not your first games?

May you go in Godspeed and experience the highlight of your career!

Kind Regards,

Steve