Photo instrumentation

Photo instrumentation refers to recording information of a diagnostic nature via a photographic process. This term is typically associated with high speed still, motion picture and video cameras, and other specialized devices recording an object to determine it's reaction to some kind of force or event.

One of today's most common applications are the car of death crash tests that are often seen on TV. Measurements the image motion from picture to picture reveal how far, and in what direction an object has moved. And the exact time interval between the pictures is also known. These three elements - distance, direction, and time; when combined with the known physical characteristics of the subject such as size and weight allow calculation of many parameters including velocity and force for any desired points within the image. In addition to the quantitative (Numerical.) data, there is qualitative (Descriptive.) information that helps the observer understand the event.

Cameras range from conventional single picture cameras to 'movie cameras' that take over 2 million pictures per second. Specialized optics, illuminations, and films are used to record images of things that your eye cannot see such as movement of air, surface temperature of objects, and stress patterns. And the cameras are often deployed in environments where humans can never tread.