Whats with the rotor?

[Calfo]

Hi all

I have a picture of a helicopter, and the rotor looks looks like a print that got wet and the ink is dissolving. This image is totally digital, and did not get wet, so whats happening?

[[email protected]]

That must be because of your shutter speed, acording to the EXIF, it was 1/500s. At a higher speed it will look even more "blurry".

Some examples:
Bell 206
Bell 206
Bell 407

[Tim]

I'm guessing you are talking about the 'right' half of the main rotor? Its blurred more simply because of the exhaust from the engine

[Top_Gun]

that's a sweet shot!

[v1images]

Its nothing to worry about, infact it makes the shot look awesome!

[Calfo]

I'm not worrying about it, just trying to figure out what makes it like this. I'm talking about the LEFT half of the main rotor. The RIGHT half looks normal, but I find the LEFT half weird.

I don't think its uploadable as I already have this one in
[photoid=5915678]

[kukkudrill]

Looks like some kind of optical interaction with the trees behind it.

[Airbus_A320]

It's just the heat haze from the exhaust causing it to be blurrier.

[Simpleboy]

I'm not worrying about it, just trying to figure out what makes it like this. I'm talking about the LEFT half of the main rotor. The RIGHT half looks normal, but I find the LEFT half weird.

If im understanding correctly, This is my best explaination, and id be happy to admit im wrong if someone has a better explaination.
When the photo is taken, it is taken over a time, in this case 1/500th, (which we should agree on), during this time, the rotor has moved, causing the blur (Hope every one is still with me:P). Now, when light passes an object, the wave 'wraps' itslef around the object, causing a slight change in direction (diffraction). The right part of the rotor looks normal, as this effect is minimized by the exhaust heat and since the colours are darker, there is less light to make this effect noticeable. With the left part of the rotor, it is noticeable on the account that the background objects are the bright brown, and white, which is far more intense and since white contains all wavelengths, it contaisn the red which diffracts the most due to them having the closest wavelength (about 700nm) to the size of the rotor. This effect will be most noticeable around of the middle of the rotor as that is where the uneffected light rays (because the rotor has moved) have not had the time to make them more present to the sensor of your camera but the altered light rays have been. This would cause the trees behind to appear as if they have 'blurred' to the all black where the rotor always was during the time which you took the photo. At the end of the rotor, straight light rays have been captured in the image overpowering the diffraction effect.

Honestly, if im off the bat, i dont mind, its my geeky explaination and im happy to learn if someone actually knows what is going on.

[BA747-436]

Geek!

lol, Sounds about right, although a somewhat lengthy explanation...