Head to Jeffrey Friedl’s Blog to see the Nikon D3 shutter release in super slow mo’, it’s quite something!

“The setup used to create the images was rather simple; anyone with basic macro equipment could do the same. It just requires quite a bit of patience! I took a total of about 200 frames, and selected 70 for the slides.

The imaging camera was another D3 (but any camera could be used), with a Micro 60mm lens, a white reflective collar around the lens, and a downward-firing SB-900 mounted above. Cable releases were used on both cameras, to avoid disturbing their positions.

What wasn’t quite as straightforward, was collecting the timing data. This is the area where a little engineering knowledge and equipment comes in. The “subject” D3 camera had an SB-800 mounted, set to manual 1/128th power, and turned toward the rear. A phototransistor detected this flash pulse, which was captured on an oscilloscope. Another phototransistor was used to sense the imaging camera’s flash pulse, then the ’scope could give the precise time delay between the two.

From the timing data, one can calculate the mechanical velocities, and even accelerations. It’s worth doing this, as the numbers are impressive, to say the least!”

Brilliant and ingenious!

The frame-by-frame photos are available here.