subscribe 0330 333 1113 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 20 July 2019 45
On July 20, 1969, a collective dream became reality, with a footprint symbolizing this achievement: on that day, man set foot on the Moon for the first
time. The limits of what seemed possible were now redefined. When the ambition was set to send a man to the Moon and return safe back to Earth,
many people helped to make this dream of mankind come true. Thousands of engineers and technicians throughout all disciplines and countries got
involved. ZEISS became part of this challenge: camera lenses specially designed for space captured the iconic images of this monumental achievement.
engraved on it, known as a réseau
plate, was placed in front of the
film as an aid to identify the
distance of objects within any
image. Precautions were taken
to dissipate minute amounts of
static electricity that might build
up inside the body as a result of
the automatic film wind. With the
shutter in the lens, an auxiliary
shutter inside the body was
removed. Tabs were added to
the aperture, shutter speed and
focusing controls to make them
easier to use in gloved hands.
Specially modified 70mm film
backs were incorporated that
gave 150-200 exposures to
each loading on specially made
ultra-thin film. Both colour and
monochrome films were taken
to the moon.The mission
The Data Camera was fitted to
a chest harness to allow the
astronaut freedom to carry out
tasks while keeping the camera in
a ready position. Armstrong wasthe first man out of the Eagle
landing module to take the first
steps onto the moon’s surface.
He was the one with the camera
strapped to his suit, so he was the
one who took the pictures. That’s
why, despite Armstrong being the
first man on the moon, there are
so few pictures of him and so
many more of Aldrin, the second
man on the moon.
Remarkably, that modified
500 EL carried by Armstrong was
the only camera taken onto the
moon’s surface during the Apollo
11 mission and it worked perfectly.
History might have been written
(or photographed) differently if the
shutter or motor drive had
jammed, or if the lens hadn’t
stopped down as required. An
exposure guide was detailed on
the top of each film back, with
suggested apertures for a shutter
speed of 1/250sec: Full shadow- 5.6, LM in shadow – 5.6, crew
in sun – 11, LM in sun – 11.
The initials LM referred to the
Lunar Module and the numbers
indicated f-stops. Armstrong had a
rough checklist of suggested shots
to be taken sewn into his glove.
The iconic pictures taken
included footprints in the moon
dust, the American flag seeming
to flutter in a non-existent breeze,
and what has become known as
the ‘visor shot’. This showed Aldrin
standing on the surface and facingthe camera with the sun behind
him. Reflected in his visor, lit by the
sun, is the Eagle on its landing pad,
Aldrin’s shadow, experimental
apparatus that had been set up
and even Armstrong shooting the
picture. It was a picture destined
to go down in history. Record
shots were taken of the tasks
undertaken by the astronauts,
including seismic measurements,
solar wind observation, soil
investigation and a collection
of rock samples.
After a mere two-and-a-half
hours on the lunar surface
Armstrong and Aldrin re-entered
the landing module, where they
spent time resting and sleeping
before blasting off to rejoin the
orbiting command module for the
journey home. The camera that
was taken down to the surface was
left behind. Only the film backs
were brought home, in order to
save weight and compensate for
47 pounds of lunar surface
material that was brought back.
Leaving Hasselblads behind
on the lunar surface became a
tradition in the years ahead. It’s
thought that one Hasselblad from
the Apollo 15 mission made it
back, and a camera alleging to be
that very one was auctioned in
Vienna in 2014 with a hammer
price of nearly $1,000,000. But
by the time of Apollo 17 – the
last moon mission in 1972 – 12
camera bodies had been left
behind. Now there’s a priceless
find for the first camera
collector on the moon.Buzz Aldrin with
the US flag seeming
to flutter in a
non-existent breezeA Hasselblad
Data Camera,
alleged to be
the only one
that returned
from the moon© NASA
© LEITZ PHOTOGRAPHICA AUCTION, VIENNA