WALKING ON THE MOON: FACT NOT FICTION
Having recently visited the Focus on Imaging annual event at The N.E.C. Whilst gazing at the cameras in their glass display cases on the Hasselblad stand. One of the staff kindly let a good friend of mine, and I take a closer look and handle one of the cameras that Hasselblad provided the Apollo 11 mission with to practise on before their moon landing on July 21st 1969.
Hasselblad had made modifications to this camera so that the astronauts could handle and use it, when wearing their space suit gloves. These included various additions to aid handling and focusing. The actual Hasselblads that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin used on the moon are still up there. The third member of the crew - Michael Collins was responsible for piloting the command spacecraft and therefore did not set foot on the moon.
They brought back the film backs and left the camera bodies up there. The camera bodies were later modified even further by making them lighter. According to relevant sources these cameras are still usable due to their being no atmosphere on the surface of the moon, meaning no corrosion (rusting) takes place. Many thanks indeed to the lady who allowed us this to handle and view up close this iconic camera and model.
To find out more about Hasselblad cameras and this story just click onto: Space cameras
Trevor David Betts
9th March 2013.
Having recently visited the Focus on Imaging annual event at The N.E.C. Whilst gazing at the cameras in their glass display cases on the Hasselblad stand. One of the staff kindly let a good friend of mine, and I take a closer look and handle one of the cameras that Hasselblad provided the Apollo 11 mission with to practise on before their moon landing on July 21st 1969.
Hasselblad had made modifications to this camera so that the astronauts could handle and use it, when wearing their space suit gloves. These included various additions to aid handling and focusing. The actual Hasselblads that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin used on the moon are still up there. The third member of the crew - Michael Collins was responsible for piloting the command spacecraft and therefore did not set foot on the moon.
They brought back the film backs and left the camera bodies up there. The camera bodies were later modified even further by making them lighter. According to relevant sources these cameras are still usable due to their being no atmosphere on the surface of the moon, meaning no corrosion (rusting) takes place. Many thanks indeed to the lady who allowed us this to handle and view up close this iconic camera and model.
To find out more about Hasselblad cameras and this story just click onto: Space cameras
Trevor David Betts
9th March 2013.
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