In space, no one can hear your shutter click
By Jeremy Hsu Posted 02.05.2010 at 2:00 pm 12 Comments

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam:  Soichi Noguchi
Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi has spent his time aboard the International Space Station doing much more than just making sushi to entertain his fellow crew. He's also taking full advantage of the space station's new Internet access to stream plenty of Twitpics taken from space And to give all of us Earth-bound folk some sights to remember, he's using something a bit more advanced than the camera on his iPhone.

According to the EXIF data on his photos, Noguchi is using Nikon's D2Xs DSLR with a massive 800mm lens to snap space photos of everything from Mount Fuji to the Golden Gate Bridge. We've assembled some of his latest work here, while we await Noguchi's reply via Twitter about how space sushi tastes.

Follow Soichi here.

Nikon Nikkor 800mm: On Earth it weighs 12 pounds. Probably a lot easier to use microgravity, no?  Hafizudin

12 Comments

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John Mahoney
02/05/10 at 6:30 pm

I think of all the places I could feasibly be right now in the universe, "on the ISS with an 800mm lens" is probably near the top. You're a lucky man, Noguchi.

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eteam
02/05/10 at 7:05 pm

I don't think Nikon makes an 800mm lens. Looks like a Sigma lens.

see www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3295&navigator=7

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Kim - Talkingde...
02/06/10 at 10:11 am

The picture itself looks like a piece of art.

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imongi
02/07/10 at 6:24 pm

The more I see arial pictures of citys like this I can't help but think of how it looks like a disease or cancer infesting the planet. It's amazing, but really not that pretty.

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martindanny
02/09/10 at 12:18 pm

Whoa, it's kind of heavy and huge!

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Cuddles
02/11/10 at 12:31 pm

HA! Great point imongi.

www.freebord.com/ride <-- Snowboard the Streets!

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OR_Lee
02/11/10 at 1:02 pm

Keep in mind you would never use a flash with that lens. Maybe he has it to attempt to counterbalance the weight ;-)

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vidkid
02/11/10 at 1:33 pm

I don't think that strobe is gonna cut it !

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rguptaca
02/11/10 at 2:26 pm

Astonomers use mirrors and lenses of larger apeture to capture more light and not necessarily for zoom or wide angle. Photographers use lenses for all of the above.

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Koblog
02/23/10 at 4:06 pm

Do you need to use a tripod or other stabilizer while weightless?

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SciTech0321
03/06/10 at 10:08 pm

Whatever it takes. I love the pictures.



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