Controller

CameraAxe

The Camera Axe is a popular device that synchronizes the camera and flashes for high-speed photography (think bullets and popping balloons). I use long extension wires to connect the lift-off sensor to the Camera Axe and a shorter shutter release cable to connect the Camera Axe to the camera. Actually, the Camera Axe has two camera ports, which I use to trigger two cameras, thereby capturing the same rocket lift-off from different angles!

Other high-speed camera controllers, such as Trigger Trap, HiViz, or StopShot should work as well.

I use “Advanced Sensor” mode with the following configuration:

Setting Device 1 value Comment
Trigger sensor Sensor 1
Delay ms 150 Increase delay to capture rocket higher on launch rod
Bulb sec 0.5 Let camera take 3-4 shots
Prefocus No
Trigger type Low Trigger on voltage change from high to low
Trigger value 500
Power On
Retrigger 5 Suppress false positives