Catching a speeding bullet with Canon 7D

[surfs-up]

I was just wondering - my new Canon 7D has a very fast shutter speed at 1/8000 sec. But how fast is this ? if the lighting is perfect, and the timing of the shutter is perfect.....would this camera be able to catch a speeding bullet as it leaves the muzzle of a gun ? Anyone tried this ? If it can capture the bullet, is it just a big blur...or can it capture the shape and form of the bullet ?
Just curious how fast it really is....

 

[Dolby]

The shutter speed may freeze it - but the consecutive shooting is what may catch it.

I'd say 8fps is no where near quick enough - but you may get lucky

 

[Cicero]

You'd battle to capture it imo.

1/8000sec is 0.125ms. A bullet travels at 320m/s. So during exposure it'd travel 4cm.
So to me, if you did manage to get something, it'd be a blur.

BTW: The bullet speed is from wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orders_of_magnitude_(speed)

 

[AstroTurf]

You may get something if you can manage to set the camera up to shoot xmm/s before the shot is fired...

 

[Bursty-dude]

1/8000 is not fast enough to freeze a bullet in flight (depending on the bullets velocity of course).

Example, bullet with velocity of 330m/s (just under the speed of sound) will travel 33cm in 1/1000 of a second. So at 1/4000 shutter speed the bullet would have traveled 8,25cm.
At 1/8000 the bullet would have traveled just over 4cm. So it would be a blur if nailed at 1/8000 sec.

All dependant on the bullet's speed though. Obviously a slower bullet like some low powered pellet gun or a small calibre weapon using sub-sonic ammo you MIGHT be able to get away with 1/8000 shutter speed.

Oh, and hello fellow 7D user!

 

[surfs-up]

Very interesting, and thanks for the responses. I was just curious, because I have often seen pictures of a bullet leaving the muzzle of a gun, and wondered how they managed to achieve this. Looking at the specs on shutter speed for various top end DSLR cameras, it looks like 1/8000 sec is the ceiling, and the 7D can also manage this speed.
I'm still in Chicago, fly back to SA tomorrow. Maybe when I am back home, and if I am ever in the outback, then I will setup a tripod to see what the image looks like - if I am lucky enough to capture it

 

[BigAl-sa]

The way to do it is with a strobe light. You then actually use a fairly long exposure.

 

[bwana]

I wonder if I put my 7D in front of a speeding bullet if insurance would cover it . . .

 

[chau]

I wonder if I put my 7D in front of a speeding bullet if insurance would cover it . . .

Does insurance not cover you while you're on the job?

 

[bwana]

Does insurance not cover you while you're on the job?

It would but this is purely for pleasure.

 

[chrismine]

Which insurance do you use, my wife looking to insure her stuff but best quote so far is R 583-00 per month. Thanks for any pointers.

 

[bwana]

Which insurance do you use, my wife looking to insure her stuff but best quote so far is R 583-00 per month. Thanks for any pointers.

I've got mine on the business insurance but without knowing what gear you're trying to insure it's hard to say if you can do better.

 

[Bursty-dude]

My statement above is for a plain camera with no flash or anything, just trying to zap the pic of a bullet.

I have often seen pictures of a bullet leaving the muzzle of a gun, and wondered how they managed to achieve this.

http://www.diyphotography.net/bullet-photography-at-home


http://myphotographytutorials.com/gallery/bullet-through-objects-photography

 

[bwana]

My statement above is for a plain camera with no flash or anything, just trying to zap the pic of a bullet.

Assuming you've got the timing down to activate the shutter at exactly the right moment you might as well go the whole hog and pan . . .

 

[Moklet Kcuf]

In pro high speed photography, shutter speed is usually irrelevant. The shutter is typically left open while going for the shot, a movement sensor then triggers a strobe for a far quicker and more exact exposure.

 

[Pixual]

What you'd get may look something like this:

http://nikongear.com/live/index.php?/gallery/image/987-challenge-impactjpg/

Freezing the bullet slug would not be possible, imo. Not with 1/8000 and probably not with a strobe either (do Canon make one that will sync at that speed?).

 

[Dolby]

Which insurance do you use, my wife looking to insure her stuff but best quote so far is R 583-00 per month. Thanks for any pointers.

Wow.

There was a thread about this a few weeks ago and I think it was R200.00 per R50,000.00 on average

 

[chrismine]

I've got mine on the business insurance but without knowing what gear you're trying to insure it's hard to say if you can do better.

Canon 400D, Canon 7D, Canon 100mm f2.8IS USM, Sigma 70-200mm and a few other odd and ends. Can you recommend an insurer or which company are you insured with? Thanks a lot.

 

[chau]

It would but this is purely for pleasure.

They wouldn't know that AND you were covering a riot story when a stray bullet struck the front element of your lens

 

[Dolby]

... I think the riot bullet would go through his face