Large format aerial photography...anyone?

[rjmeyer314]

I have two areal cameras just made for this task, a Graflex K20 4x5 roll film camera and a Keystone F8 that has been modified to take a 5x7 bag magazine. These used to be fairly common on Ebay.

[Tin Can]

Japan is using big drones to examine mountainous dams, they have many very difficult to access

I wonder how big military drone sensors are?

Top Secret I suppose

[Kinografx]

Even most experienced pilots feel uncomfortable at first with one of the most useful maneuvers for the photo-reconnaissance aircraft, the side-slip. Slipping requires crossing the controls and goes against all basic flight training and instruction, but when you have a pilot that can or learns to do it for you, it is a great technique.

Slipping is a basic flight maneuver and IS part of basic flight training. I’m a licensed pilot, and at least in my training, side slips were a basic maneuver required to pass the checkride- plus they are a actually a bit of fun

[Per Madsen]

Probably medium format size (due to chip yields), but selected error free. Could also be radiation hardened.

Like i.e. Fujifilm GFX 100

The optics are the interesting item in this connection.

The Danish air force (RDAF) used 70 mm Vinten cameras in their photo Drakens (RF-35) from 1970 to 1993. So this sensor size (with film) was already good enough in the seventies.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_35_Draken

[Dan Fromm]

The Danish air force (RDAF) used 70 mm Vinten cameras in their photo Drakens (RF-35) from 1970 to 1993. So this sensor size (with film) was already good enough in the seventies.

Per, it is more likely that the Draken couldn't carry larger (4.5" x 4.5", 9" x 9") aerial cameras as used by, e.g., USAF and RAF. Vinten's F95, which shot 6x6 on 70 mm film, was used by many air forces including USAF and RAF. The F95 was initially supplied with TTH lenses, later, after TTH stopped making lenses for it, Elcan lenses.

[John Kasaian]

Finding large format roll film for aerial cameras is a PITA. Decades ago I used to buy past dated Kodak stuff but I think that's all History now

[Michael Whyte-Venables]

My perception is that most LF cameras for aerial photography are fixed on infinity so bellows would appear to be pointless.

[John Kasaian]

My perception is that most LF cameras for aerial photography are fixed on infinity so bellows would appear to be pointless.

Pretty much. Prop wash and wind don't like bellows.
My current aerial camera (I parted with the K-17 after the hernia repair ) is a Gowland. Pretty much an aluminum 8x10 box camera.