On-ride camera
Encyclopedia
An on-ride camera
is a camera mounted alongside the track of a roller coaster
, log flume
or other thrill ride that automatically photographs all of the riders on each passing vehicle
. They are often mounted at the most intense or fastest part of the ride, resulting in humorously distorted expressions due to fear
or wind resistance
. The pictures are then available for viewing and purchase as a souvenir
.
Upon exiting the ride, park guests pass a booth or shop where their vehicle's pictures are on display screens. Depending on the size of the vehicle used by the attraction, the entire car or groups of one, two, or four may comprise one photograph. The display images are numbered, and customers wishing to purchase a photo take the appropriate number to a cashier. This photo shop may be located in the same building as the displays or in a separate shop nearby. Many parks offer minimal editing tools (such as red-eye effect
removal) before purchase. The photo is usually ready within minutes of purchase. Single prints in varying sizes are available, provided in cardboard folio bearing the name of the park or ride. Often specialty products, such as poster
s, keychain
s or t-shirt
s, are available also.
Occasionally, a rider may use the camera as an opportunity to make a rude gesture or expose parts of the body
. One example is the aforementioned Splash Mountain at Disneyland, which has gained a reputation for this kind of stunt, mostly involving women baring their breasts upon the final drop; due to this phenomenon occurring so frequently, the ride is unofficially nicknamed 'Flash Mountain'. However, the offending photograph will be removed before it has a chance to be displayed, and those wishing to buy an on-ride photograph must ride again, in which case a Cast Member (or other theme-park equivalent) will direct them to the front of the queue, to avoid waiting in line for the photo a second time.
An unusual camera configuration can be found on the hydraulically launched
roller coasters Top Thrill Dragster
at Cedar Point
and Kingda Ka
at Six Flags Great Adventure
. Both have two cameras, one during the high-speed launch segment and another at the final brake run
, providing riders with a before and after picture of themselves on those harrowing rides. Another unusual configuration is Hydra the Revenge
at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
. The ride features two cameras, one takes your picture before a loop and the other takes a picture while the rider is upside-down. Hydra the Revenge is also the only roller coaster to take a picture while the rider is upside down.
cameras. On some rides, on-ride videos are recorded by cameras mounted alongside the track, similar to on-ride photo cameras. This provides a third person montage-style of cuts which show the train entering, passing through and then leaving the frame. One such ride using this system is SheiKra
at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at Universal Studios Florida
.
Using the alternate system, videos are recorded by cameras mounted inside the ride vehicles, usually on the back of the seat in front of the subject. This provides a first-person stream of consciousness-style film, showing the riders' emotion
s close up from start to finish. One such coaster that uses this system is Thunderhawk at Michigan's Adventure
. Raptor at Cedar Point
, Volcano: the Blast Coaster
at Kings Dominion, FireWhip at Beto Carrero World
and Saw: The Ride at Thorpe Park
utilize this style, with the camera mounted to the seat backs.
The fastest ride (at 84 miles per hour) using on vehicle cameras on the vehicle is the Furius Baco
at PortAventura
. The same system which is currently installed on Furius Baco is also active on few other European attractions such as "Magic Mountain" rollercoaster and "Raptor" Wing coaster in Gardaland, Italy, "Tami-Tami" Kiddie coaster and "El Diablo " wooden coaster in PortAventura, Spain.
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
is a camera mounted alongside the track of a roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
, log flume
Log flume (attraction)
Log flumes originally referred to a special construct used to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain to a sawmill by using flowing water. Today, however, the term is also used to refer to an amusement ride consisting of a water flume and artificial hollow logs or boats...
or other thrill ride that automatically photographs all of the riders on each passing vehicle
Train (roller coaster)
A roller coaster train or car describes the vehicle which transports passengers around a roller coaster's circuit. More specifically, a roller coaster train is made up of two or more "cars" which are connected by some sort of specialized joint. It is called a "train" because the cars follow one...
. They are often mounted at the most intense or fastest part of the ride, resulting in humorously distorted expressions due to fear
Fear
Fear is a distressing negative sensation induced by a perceived threat. It is a basic survival mechanism occurring in response to a specific stimulus, such as pain or the threat of danger...
or wind resistance
Drag (physics)
In fluid dynamics, drag refers to forces which act on a solid object in the direction of the relative fluid flow velocity...
. The pictures are then available for viewing and purchase as a souvenir
Souvenir
A souvenir , memento, keepsake or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. The term souvenir brings to mind the mass-produced kitsch that is the main commodity of souvenir and gift shops in many tourist traps around the world...
.
Upon exiting the ride, park guests pass a booth or shop where their vehicle's pictures are on display screens. Depending on the size of the vehicle used by the attraction, the entire car or groups of one, two, or four may comprise one photograph. The display images are numbered, and customers wishing to purchase a photo take the appropriate number to a cashier. This photo shop may be located in the same building as the displays or in a separate shop nearby. Many parks offer minimal editing tools (such as red-eye effect
Red-eye effect
The red-eye effect in photography is the common appearance of red pupils in color photographs of eyes. It occurs when using a photographic flash very close to the camera lens , in ambient low light. The effect appears in the eyes of humans and animals that have no tapetum lucidum, hence no...
removal) before purchase. The photo is usually ready within minutes of purchase. Single prints in varying sizes are available, provided in cardboard folio bearing the name of the park or ride. Often specialty products, such as poster
Poster
A poster is any piece of printed paper designed to be attached to a wall or vertical surface. Typically posters include both textual and graphic elements, although a poster may be either wholly graphical or wholly text. Posters are designed to be both eye-catching and informative. Posters may be...
s, keychain
Keychain
A keychain or key chain is a small chain, usually made from metal or plastic, that connects a small item to a keyring. The length of a keychain allows an item to be used more easily than if connected directly to a keyring...
s or t-shirt
T-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
s, are available also.
Occasionally, a rider may use the camera as an opportunity to make a rude gesture or expose parts of the body
Exhibitionism
Exhibitionism refers to a desire or compulsion to expose parts of one's body – specifically the genitals or buttocks of a man or woman, or the breasts of a woman – in a public or semi-public circumstance, in crowds or groups of friends or acquaintances, or to strangers...
. One example is the aforementioned Splash Mountain at Disneyland, which has gained a reputation for this kind of stunt, mostly involving women baring their breasts upon the final drop; due to this phenomenon occurring so frequently, the ride is unofficially nicknamed 'Flash Mountain'. However, the offending photograph will be removed before it has a chance to be displayed, and those wishing to buy an on-ride photograph must ride again, in which case a Cast Member (or other theme-park equivalent) will direct them to the front of the queue, to avoid waiting in line for the photo a second time.
An unusual camera configuration can be found on the hydraulically launched
Accelerator Coaster
The Accelerator Coaster is Intamin AG's term for their hydraulically-launched roller coaster model. These models are the tradename for some of the fastest rides on earth....
roller coasters Top Thrill Dragster
Top Thrill Dragster
Top Thrill Dragster is a steel, Hydraulic-launched roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. It was the first "Strata Coaster", loosely defined as a complete circuit coaster that is over tall. It was built by Intamin and debuted to the public on May 4, 2003...
at Cedar Point
Cedar Point
Cedar Point is a 364 acre amusement park located in Sandusky, Ohio, United States on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Erie. Cedar Point is the only amusement park with four roller coasters that are taller than...
and Kingda Ka
Kingda Ka
Kingda Ka is a roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey, USA. It is the world's tallest roller coaster, and was the world's fastest until Formula Rossa opened in November 2010. The train is launched by a hydraulic launch mechanism to in 3.5 seconds. At the end of...
at Six Flags Great Adventure
Six Flags Great Adventure
Six Flags Great Adventure is a theme park in Jackson Township, New Jersey, owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corp., the world's largest amusement park corporation...
. Both have two cameras, one during the high-speed launch segment and another at the final brake run
Brake run
A brake run on a roller coaster is any section of track meant to slow or stop a roller coaster train. Brake runs may be located anywhere along the circuit of a coaster and may be designed to bring the train to a complete halt or to simply adjust the train's speed...
, providing riders with a before and after picture of themselves on those harrowing rides. Another unusual configuration is Hydra the Revenge
Hydra the Revenge
Hydra the Revenge is a steel floorless roller coaster at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in South Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania . It was built where the wooden roller coaster Hercules stood, which was closed for demolition at the end of the park's 2003 season...
at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom is an American amusement and water park located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The park features nine roller coasters, other adult and children's rides, and a waterpark, Wildwater Kingdom....
. The ride features two cameras, one takes your picture before a loop and the other takes a picture while the rider is upside-down. Hydra the Revenge is also the only roller coaster to take a picture while the rider is upside down.
Video
A relatively new trend in the industry is on-ride videoVideo
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
cameras. On some rides, on-ride videos are recorded by cameras mounted alongside the track, similar to on-ride photo cameras. This provides a third person montage-style of cuts which show the train entering, passing through and then leaving the frame. One such ride using this system is SheiKra
SheiKra
SheiKra is a Bolliger and Mabillard diving machine roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. It is situated in the Stanleyville section of the park. SheiKra was the first dive machine roller coaster in North America. It is tied with Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia as the second tallest roller...
at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Florida is an American theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Opened on June 7, 1990, the park's theme is the entertainment industry, in particular movies and television. Universal Studios Florida inspires its guests to "ride the movies," and it features numerous attractions and...
.
Using the alternate system, videos are recorded by cameras mounted inside the ride vehicles, usually on the back of the seat in front of the subject. This provides a first-person stream of consciousness-style film, showing the riders' emotion
Emotion
Emotion is a complex psychophysiological experience of an individual's state of mind as interacting with biochemical and environmental influences. In humans, emotion fundamentally involves "physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience." Emotion is associated with mood,...
s close up from start to finish. One such coaster that uses this system is Thunderhawk at Michigan's Adventure
Michigan's Adventure
Michigan's Adventure is a amusement park in Muskegon County, Michigan, about halfway between Muskegon, Michigan and Whitehall, Michigan. It is the largest amusement park in the state and has been owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company since 2001...
. Raptor at Cedar Point
Cedar Point
Cedar Point is a 364 acre amusement park located in Sandusky, Ohio, United States on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Erie. Cedar Point is the only amusement park with four roller coasters that are taller than...
, Volcano: the Blast Coaster
Volcano, The Blast Coaster
Volcano, The Blast Coaster, or "Volcano", is the launched inverted roller coaster at Kings Dominion. It is one of the more popular rides since its opening on August 3, 1998. It is a custom designed ride designed by Paramount Parks and famous roller coaster designer Werner Stengel. The ride was...
at Kings Dominion, FireWhip at Beto Carrero World
Beto Carrero World
Beto Carrero World is the largest theme park and multi-theme park in Latin America, located in the municipality of Penha, Santa Catarina state, in Brazil. The park is a venture of the late Beto Carrero. The inauguration took place in 1991 and in 2009 already has more than 150 attractions to suit...
and Saw: The Ride at Thorpe Park
Thorpe Park
Thorpe Park is a theme park located in Chertsey, Surrey, England, UK. It was built in 1979 on the site of a gravel pit which was partially flooded, the intention of creating a water based theme for the park. The park's first large roller coaster, Colossus, was added in 2002...
utilize this style, with the camera mounted to the seat backs.
The fastest ride (at 84 miles per hour) using on vehicle cameras on the vehicle is the Furius Baco
Furius Baco
Furius Baco is a hydraulically-launched steel Wing Rider roller coaster located at PortAventura in Salou, Catalonia. Manufactured by Intamin, the ride opened on June 5, 2007 as the 2nd fastest roller coaster in Europe at 83.9 mph, which the ride reaches in 3.5 seconds...
at PortAventura
PortAventura
PortAventura is a theme park and a resort in Salou, Catalonia, Spain; on the Costa Daurada , approximately an hour drive south of Barcelona. It attracts around 3 million visitors per year making it the most visited theme park in Spain. PortAventura Park is also the 6th most visited theme park in...
. The same system which is currently installed on Furius Baco is also active on few other European attractions such as "Magic Mountain" rollercoaster and "Raptor" Wing coaster in Gardaland, Italy, "Tami-Tami" Kiddie coaster and "El Diablo " wooden coaster in PortAventura, Spain.