View allAll Photos Tagged Electronics
Russian Zenit ~1960.Re-branded Revueflex for German market. Analog (film). No batteries, no electronics or automatic, or light measuring.
For the past few weeks I've been contemplating on getting the D700 because I want something to accompany my Nikon F100 when digital shots would just be more appropriate. Since I don't own a tripod, it's often hard for me to bring my Nikon F100 around with me at night because I usually shoot with ISO 400 film and that's too slow for some handheld shots I want to take. I want something that I can ride with at night without lugging around a tripod.
So why didn't I go with the D7000 or another DX format SLR?
After playing with the D80 in the summer, I realized that I just don't like the smaller viewfinder and the way that my 50mm would be cropped into a mid-telephoto. Which meant that if I invested in a d7000 or d90 I'd have to buy a 35mm to get the same FOV as my nifty-fifty. On top of that, I also plan on buying a wide angle lens to compliment my street shots but as of now I'm not sure which one to get. Any recommendations? I'm thinking of the Nikkor 24mm f/2.8. Overall I think the D700 will be a good partner for my first love.
Anywho, I will be getting one of my films developed tomorrow so I'll post some exposures from that roll of film and then I'll start shooting with my new toy.
November 30th will be one year since I started photography and I feel like I've learned so much since then. I started out with a point and shoot, then a film SLR, and soon I'll be shooting with a digital SLR.
I've never been to photography school but I'm glad I had flickr to learn from.
The vintage Shure model 51 microphone. I have it setup to use with the Johnson Ranger. It has great sounding audio on AM.
At the Caps game (Caps FTW!!) last night, someone kicked my phone from one step into my beer that was sitting on the step below. I didn't notice for a while. The beer drenched phone was very unhappy.
Since it's not working anyway (turns on, none of the buttons work), I figured I would perform some surgery to see if I could clear the circuit board of beer gunk. It's an old phone (like, really old), so no loss if it doesn't work. Was hoping to hold off on buying a new one, hoping against hope for a CDMA iPhone...
Update: I washed it with water first to clear the gunk, then cleaned the circuit board and the buttons (after removing it further from the housing) with rubbing alcohol and a q-tip and let it rest over night to dry. Now all the buttons work, but I can't get a signal at all. But hey, at least I can get all my contacts off the phone!
Olympus OM-1 MD ~1977
Telesor Auto Zoom 4.5/88-200
Komura Telemore 95, focal doubler
MD stands for motor drive, this is the latter model, motor drive ready.
Design of Yoshihisa Maitani, designer of other iconic Olympus cameras as the Pen F and the XA.
You can read an article about Yoshihisa Maitani at Classic Cameras
This camera with the 50mm lens, the zoom and focal doubler were bought by my brother in law Mário Gamelas, from new, with a gorgeous Olympus case, around 1977, in Andorra.
He gave it to me last Christmas.
Some photos taken with this camera
Watertown, NY. August 2016.
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Jan 29 2017 [Unexpected] Tragic news out of Quebec City tonight as we are learning of a shooting in a Quebec City mosque that killed at least 5 people. The news is unravelling very slowly so details aren't all that clear at the moment. So sad to hear this.. my heart goes out to the victims and their families. One minute someone is praying in peace and security and in the next minute the world's paranoia comes and takes their lives. I know all Canadians will stand up against this and support one another to end this type of hatred and sensless violence. It just seems crazy I even have to say that.. what a world we're creating...
Johnson City, TN. June 2016.
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My baby <3
I don't use her as often cause Costco is the only place near me at school that develops film...I miss it :/ Probably too heavy to bring with me this summer. so sad.
The Nixie Watch project plods on! Software development begins.
Every project needs to go through this phase, at least in my scheme of handling things.
Here we see the Development Environment of Kings hosting an Atmel ATTiny861 microcontroller (MCU). Just out of shot is my laptop, upon which I wrote software for the MCU that causes it to blink an LED. This is a nice quick way to make sure that I haven't fried the chip and that I've wired everything up properly. For the programmers out there, I consider this step to be the "Hello World" of MCU programming - though this implementation is a bit more sophisticated than it needs to be; the LED blink is driven by a timer interrupt.
This version differs from the IN-14 clock version linked above in that it's all powered by batteries. One of the challenges of designing the watch software will be to set it up so that the MCU draws a minimum of power - not a pressing issue for a clock which is going to be plugged in to a wall socket, but critical for a thing like this which I would like to run for months on a trickle of current.
The little black box in the center right contains 2 AA batteries, which are standing in for the single lithium watch battery which will run the MCU in the real watch. Below it is the display power supply with its own battery. Getting the MCU and display working together is going to be the tricky part. To conserve power, the MCU will run a program that will cause it to immediately shut itself off - but not quite all the way off; it'll be just awake enough to notice when the display power supply fires up. That is, when the watch's wearer presses the button to show the time. At that point the chip will awaken, fetch the time from a crystal-based real time clock chip (not yet wired up), and start showing it on the nixies. When the wearer releases the show-time button, the display power supply will be disconnected and the MCU will notice that, stop trying to display the time, and hibernate again.
Interestingly, if you find such things interesting, this is the way most battery powered computerized widgets work; for instance, games on the Nintendo Game Boy (which I used to program, back when I was younger and even dumber) spend most of their time with the main processor asleep like that. At least they do if they were written well.
After a bit more fiddling I will be able to wire this to the display prototype and it will start being a watch - at least in the functional sense. Trying to wear the prototype on your arm would be like wearing a very geeky buckler.
What more could I want? I have actually spent hours working on our financial numbers today using both the ipad and laptop. I have been horribly neglectful about that all year and it took cover to get caught up. Funny, that it coincides with when I returned to Flickr and joined Kindle Unlimited. Possible cause/correlation. 274/365
WEEK 20.2 – “Conns”truction Update
While the previous pictures were taken from Hudgins Road (which actually dead-ends right past that interstate-facing entrance I just showed you), this one is taken from the familiar perch of the former Super K's parking lot. Signs were going up at a fast pace, and I expect the main Conn's sign may well be on the building at this point. Judging by the design of similar new Conn's stores, I'm guessing “mattresses” is the word being prepped for installation on the bottom right in this shot.
(c) 2016 Retail Retell
These places are public so these photos are too, but just as I tell where they came from, I'd appreciate if you'd say who :)
Pleasant Hills, PA. April 2017.
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New Kensington, PA. April 2017.
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Watching the cortical video was like flying through a 3D extrusion of a Jackson Pollock.
[which reminded me of a flickr conversation that spilled over to lunch today... about how we see beauty in certain common patterns in nature... resonant homologies if you will... It seems that we like the emergent constructs, fractal and nested, that arise from iterative computations (evolution, organic growth...). In other words, we appreciate the accumulated computational complexity produced by evolutionary dynamics (genetic and memetic).]
Henry Markram from EPFL showed videos of the morphologically complex dentritic maps from the 10K neurons in one human cortical column. An IBM BlueGene computer runs at 22TFLOPS to model 10 million dynamic synapses for those 10K neurons.
The output from BlueGene is a data stream of 1 terabyte per sec. So they need another supercomputer (SGI with 300GB shared memory) for visualization to assess if the results are interesting.
■ 올 최대 전략 스마트폰 28일(한국시각 기준) 전 세계 동시 공개
□ 세계 6개 도시에서 24시간 이내 행사 완료
□ 28일 한국 출시 이어 세계 170여 통신사 순차 공급 예정
■ ‘Simple is the New Smart’ 컨셉트 반영
□ 사용자 경험 최우선의 G시리즈 철학 계승
■ 글로벌 런칭 첫 쿼드HD 스마트폰
□ 쿼드HD(2,560x1,440) IPS 디스플레이 탑재
□ 538ppi 초고해상도 구현… HD의 4배, 풀HD의 2배
■ 레이저 오토 포커스로 빠르게 초점 잡는 카메라
□ 후면에서 레이저 빔 쏘아 피사체와의 거리를 초고속으로 측정
□ 어두운 곳에서도 선명하게 찍히는 전면 카메라
□ 오디오까지 배려한 비디오 레코딩
■ 심플함을 담은 입체 디자인
□ 매끈한 일체감 느껴지는 전면 디자인에 심플한 GUI 적용
□ 후면엔 인체공학적 곡률 채택해 한 손에 들어오는 그립감 구현
□ 메탈릭 스킨 후면 커버, 더 편해진 후면키 채택
■ 사용자를 이해하는 진정한 스마트 UX
□ 빅데이터 분석해 오타 줄여주는 ‘스마트 키보드’
□ 사용 패턴 기억해 맞춤형 정보 제공하는 ‘스마트 알림이’
□ 노크 코드, 컨텐츠 잠금, 킬스위치로 강화된 ‘스마트 시큐리티’
※ Social LG전자 (social.lge.co.kr/newsroom) 에서 관련 보도자료를 확인하실 수 있습니다.
Desiderosa di creare una fotocamera paragonabile alla Rollei 35, Petri puntò tutto sulla funzionalitá e sul design per creare una concorrente degna della minuscola compatta tedesca. cosí dopo due anni di sviluppo, nel 1968 Petri presentó l'incredibile Petri Color 35. Una fotocamera molto eccellente che in alcuni aspetti superava la Rollei 35. Negli anni a seguire peró vennero commercializzate le Rollei B e C dal costo ridotto e cosí Petri compí un miracolo tecnologico: Nel 1970 creò la più piccola fotocamera full frame completamente automatica presente sul mercato, la Petri Color 35 E che fu pubblicizzata come la più piccola al mondo con queste caratteristiche, primato superato successivamente solo dalla incredibile Minox 35 del 1970, che peró erano in policarbonato.
Della Color 35 E esistono diverse versioni e persino qualche modello venduto sotto altro nome ma l'esemplare in mio possesso è stato il primo a essere presente sul mercato. Costituita da un corpo interamente in metallo cromato opaco, da comandi interamente in metallo massiccio e da poche parti in plastica, la Color 35 E é un classico prodotto del suo tempo ed era molto simile per qualità costruttiva alla Color 35 originale, infatti solo il barilotto dell'obiettivo è realizzato in plastica nera. Questa semplicitá di forme la rendono peró un oggetto elegante e senza tempo. Malgrado sia stata la più piccola fotocamera degli anni '70 di certo non era la più leggera. Considerate le sue dimensioni ridotte, con circa 390 grammi, il Color 35 E ha un peso significativo e una sensazione di grande solidità grazie ad un bellissimo lavoro di artigianato e di attenzione ai dettagli, davvero il meglio che la Petri potesse offrire. Comunque rispetto alla Color 35 dalla quale derivava aveva un design molto più convenzionale poiché invece dell'obiettivo completamente annegato ed erigibile tramite rotella ne aveva uno collassabile ed estraibile semplicemente tirandolo fuori dalla sua base, un sistema semplice e meno costoso. Oltre a ció la 35 E avendo un sistema di esposizione completamente automatica ed essendo provvista di messa a fuoco a stima manca di qualsiasi informazione visibile nel mirino oltre ad un sistema di flash a numero guida, impedendo cosí all'utente la possibilitá di controllo dell'esposizione selezionando diaframmi e tempi di posa. L'unica informazione é una bandierina rossa che spunta in caso di sovra o sotto esposizione o nel caso non si sia estratto l'obiettivo. Per il funzionamento è necessaria una batteria PX675, ma la funzionalità è minima anche senza di essa. Se la batteria non è installata, la fotocamera imposta la velocità dell'otturatore più alta (1/200) e l'apertura più piccola (f/22) o la velocità dell'otturatore più bassa (1/30) con l'apertura più ampia (f/2,8), a seconda della versione della 35 E in vostro possesso. Per accedere al vano batteria è necessario rimuovere il dorso della fotocamera che una volta sganciato scorre verso il basso rivelando un piccolo coperchio a fessura in aluminio massiccio. Interessante il vano pellicola caratterizzato da una piastra premi pellicola incernierata in basso. Per verificare la carica della batteria vi é un pulsante di controllo che una volta premuto attiva un ago visibile in piccola finestra colorata sopra l'obiettivo: Come indicato nel manuale, finché l'ago è nella parte blu, la batteria è buona. I tempi di posa e i diaframmi sono accoppiati da 1/30 di secondo a f/2,8 a 1/200 di secondo a f/22 e comandati da una cellula CdS posta sopra la lente. La modalità di esposizione automatica normale “EE” é selezionabile tramite una levetta a scorrimento posta sotto il barilotto che serve anche a selezionare il numero guida del flash e che blocca i tempidi scatto a 1/30 di secondo. Infine, a destra dell'obiettivo è presente anche una porta di sincronizzazione PC.
La Color 35 E è dotata dello stesso obiettivo della Color 35 originale, il 40 mm f/2,8 di Petri a quattro elementi in tre gruppi, di tipo Tessar, una classica focale adatta in tutte le situazioni e che come qualitá di immagine non ha nulla da invidiare alla concorrenza che a quel tempo ed in quel settore era particolarmente agguerrita.
Le caratteristiche tecniche:
Velocità dell'otturatore - da 1/30 a 1/200 di secondo
Apertura - da f/2,8 a f/22
Tipo di esposimetro - CdS “Electic Eye
Messa a fuoco - da 1 metro a infinito.
Otturatore - automatico, con velocità e apertura dell'otturatore accoppiate
ASA - da 25 a 500
Obiettivo - 40 mm f/2,8,
quattro elementi in tre gruppi
completamente rivestito e corretto nel colore
stesso obiettivo del Color 35 originale
Opzione flash - slitta a caldo, porta PC
impostazione manuale del numero guida del diaframma (1/30), regolazione automatica della messa a fuoco
Batterie - PX675, in alternativa LR44 ma bisogna compensare l'esposizione di circa uno stop negativo
Tipo di pellicola - 35 mm
Altre caratteristiche - funzione di test della batteria, dorso rimovibile.
Sono certo che Petri non se ne rese conto allora, ma questa fotocamera è perfetta. Quasi una moderna point-and-shoot. Facile da usare e facile da trasportare, é davvero un peccato che la Color 35 E sia meno apprezzate della Color 35 di cui riprende l'eccellente obiettivo accoppiato peró ad un otturatore leggermente più lento, anche se automatico. La Color 35 E ebbe una vita lunga ed avventurosa: Venduta in entrambe le Germanie con i marchi Braun e Ihagee, reintrodotta da Petri con il nome di Micro Compact e ripresa da Cosina dopo la scomparsa di Perti, c'era sicuramente qualcosa di buono in questa piccola e graziosa fotocamera.
È davvero un peccato che oggi la Color 35 E sia meno apprezzate della Color 35 di cui riprende l'eccellente obiettivo accoppiato peró ad un otturatore leggermente più lento, anche se automatico. Se apprezzate le compatte anni '70 ma desiderate un modello facile e veloce da usare, ideale per la fotografia da strada, la Petri Color 35 E é la macchina che fa per voi.
Wilkes-Barre, PA. March 2018.
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Day two of assembly, and this is what I have so far. Everything is painted black (not so appropriate for the name Lux, but it helps to prevent light leaks), and I'm testing out the shutter and electronics. So far so good.
However, the dimensions on my laser cut parts were all screwy, which was mostly my fault. What a shame. It looks like I have to wait at least another week for my new parts to come in.
More info and part files here:
kadookacameraworks.com
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Lux is my proof-of-concept platform for my new electronic shutter (see SLS, single leaf shutter). A secondary goal for this camera was to make it completely homegrown, meaning no parts from existing camera manufacturers, with single-element lenses from Anchor Optics.
Type: Box Camera
Medium: 6x6cm, (56x56mm nominal), 120 film
Focusing: Unassisted, helical focus with distance scale
Objective: Single element 80mm(?), glass, MgF2 coated
Viewfinder: Waist-level brilliant finder
Diaphragm: Rotary aperture plate, f/6.3,8,11,22,32
Shutter: Electronically controlled single-leaf shutter (1/125s(?) - 1s + B & T)
Construction: 3D printed polyamide (nylon), laser cut stainless steel
BODY:
Manufactured by Nippon Kogaku K. K., Japan (Nikon Corporation since 1988)
Model: c.1968, model Photomic FTN that produced between 1968-1974.
All Nikon F produced between 1959-74
35mm film camera, fully mechanical, (except posemeter)
Engraving on the top plate: Nikon and serial no. 6944460
Lens Mount: Nikon F bayonet type
Lens release: by a button on the right front side of the camera, just beside the lens mount
Focusing: screen Matte fresnel Split-image prism rangefinder, Type A, provided as standard, interchangeable with 16 other type finder screens
Shutter: Mechanical, horizontal-travel, titanium foil focal-plane shutter
speeds: 1-1/1000, +T and B, for X sync 1/60 is red
setting : dial on the top plate, coupled with the speed dial of the finder Photomic FTN
Shutter release: Threaded collar, accepts Nikon F, F2 type cable release, on the top plate
Cocking lever: also winds the film, short stroke type, retractable,
automatic film advance possible when motor drives F36 or F250 are used.
Frame counter: on the cocking knob, Additive type, auto-reset
Reflex mirror: Automatic instant-return type
Mirror lock-up: by a lever on the right side of the lens mount
DOF preview: by a button, on the right front side of the camera, just beside the lens mount
Viewfinder: Photomic FTN, metered, SAI, eye level SLR pentaprism,
center-the needle pointer, shutter speed and apertures index visible in it, to f/32 and T&B settings, T appears as 4 sec. and B appears as 2 sec. in the finder,
Maximum aperture scale: on front of the finder:
After setting the lens to f/5.6 or lower, mount the lens on the camera and cycle first back and then forth between the minimum and maximum apertures, some spring-loaded gizmo in the finder automatically communicates the maximum lens aperture to the metering circuit
(check the maximum aperture scale)
For Nikon F cameras classic Eyelevel prism finder was standard, interchangeable with 7 other types including 4 metering prisms
Finder release: main prism release is the small silver button on the back of the top plate and second is a lever on the right side of FTN, pushed in towards the finder after the main prism release is pushed-in.
Meter switch On/Off: On button on the right side of the finder, Off button on the top-right of the finder, when the on button pressed, the meter switch-off button will pop up and a red line around its circumference will be visible. This serves as a warning that the meter is on.
Battery check: depressing the off button while the meter is off, which will cause the meter needle to move slightly right of the center notch if the battery is still good.
Exposure meter: Cadmium Sulfide cells (CdS) in prism, through-the-lens, center-weighted exposure metering, (corresponds to the 12mm in diameter ring on the screen),
Film speed range: ASA 6-6400, setting: dial on the finder
Metering range: EV 2-17
Exposure setting: manual, set the ASA then center-the-needle pointer moving between horizontally arranged +/– (over / under exposure) markers at the lower part of the viewfinder, by turning the aperture ring or speed dial, speed and aperture are visible in the viewfinder.
The needle array was duplicated on the top of the finder head to allow exposure control without looking through the viewfinder
Re-wind lever: folding crank type,
A red dot on top of the shutter release button rotates while the film is being rewound,
Re-wind release: by switching the shutter release collar to R
Flash PC socket: Possible at all speeds up to 1/60 sec with electronic flash; sync terminal provided for off camera or multiple-flash photography; sync terminal is switchable to work with flashbulbs at speeds of up to 1/1000 sec (type 6 flashbulbs)
Hot-shoe: special Nikon F-type located at base of rewind knob,
adaptors available to convert to ISO or F3-type shoes
setting: the flash sync, lift up on the milled ring around the shutter speed dial and rotate, left or right, setting which visible in the small window just forward of the shutter speed dial,
For electronic flash sync 1/60th or slower, set the white and red letters FX,
the rest of settings for using flashbulbs
Memory dial : for ASA 25-1600, on the left of the bottom plate
Self-timer: dual purpose, a lever-type, rotate it clockwise, small black tick marks for an approximately 3, 6, 10 second delay, on the ring surrounding the self-timer hub, an aid for hand held exposures at slow speeds also
activates by pressing the small silver button appears when you moving the self-timer lever
Back cover: removable with bottom plate, opens by turning open/close folding lever,
interchangeable with 250 exposure magazine back (and motor) F250
Engraving on the bottom plate: MADE IN JAPAN
Tripod socket: 1/4''
Strap lugs
Body: Weight: 1049g, approx with Tn or FTn finder
Battery: Two PX-625 1.3V mercury battery (accepts PX625A / LR9, but better is 1.35v Zinc/air), for light meter only
Battery chamber: on the bottom of the finder
F body serial no / manufacturing year data, F body features / typology are as to:
LENS:
Zoom-Nikkor Auto 43-86mm f/3.5
Manufactured by Nippon Kogaku, Japan
Mount: Nikon F bayonet type non-AI lens , automatic diaphragm ,
Solid meter coupling prong, (no nostrils), single coated, filter thread: 52mm,
serial no. 486556
as to this serial no. Lens model is c.1967
All of this 43-86mm F mount lens manufactured between 1963-74 with many modifications
Aperture: f/3.5-f/22, on the scale number 16 blue coloured
Focus range: 1.2-20m +inf
Focus and zoom ring is same, zooming by sliding it,
scale with coloured lines 43-50-60-70-86mm
F mount with 5 slot screws, Chrome lens Barrel, scalloped aperture setting ring
White coloured LENS MADE IN JAPAN engraved on the black focusing ring,
the character M has vertical sides
The distance scale on the focusing ring is calibrated in feet and meters. Infinity setting is on the left side. The feet scale is yellow and is situated above the white meter scale.
The lens manufacturing year / serial no. data, model features / typology are as to:
For Nikon F cameras the lenses 50mm f2 Auto S Nikkor and later 50mm f1.4 Auto Nikkor-S was standart.
Non-AI lenses fit on the Nikon F, early F2, Nikkormat FT, FTN, FT2, EL and ELW, and the Nikkorex F. They can be used without meter coupling on the earliest AI camera bodies such as the FM and FE, but they must not be mounted on later ones such as the FM2, as it is possible to damage the camera body.
Nikon brought semi-automatic aperture indexing (SAI) from the Nikkormat FTN into the professional F with the FTN finder.
The F is the first member of the long line of Nikon F-series professional level 35 mm SLRs that began 1959 and followed each other in a sort of dynastic succession as the top-of-the-line Nikon camera. The other members were the F2,F3,F4,F5 and F6 (2004–present).
The F-series do not share any major components.
All Nikon professional F-series SLRs are full system cameras. This means that each camera body serves as only a modular hub.
Williamsport, PA. November 2016.
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Blasdell, NY. June 2018.
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Hazleton, PA. August 2016.
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Diese L-Platte passt wunderbar zur Sony A7 - Kamera. Sie ist leicht (100g) und ist für den Arca-Swiss Schwalbenschwanz verwendbar.
Franklin, PA. August 2016.
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Mercedes SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive
With the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive, Mercedes-AMG is entering a new era: the locally emission-free super sports car featuring advanced technology from the world of Formula 1 is the most exclusive and dynamic way in which to drive an electric car. The most powerful AMG high-performance vehicle of all time has four electric motors producing a total output of 552 kW and a maximum torque of 1000 Nm. As a result, the gullwing model has become the world's fastest electrically-powered series production vehicle: the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds.
A new dimension of driving performance - a convincing synonym for the AMG brand promise are the outstanding driving dynamics which come courtesy of AMG Torque Dynamics as well as torque distribution to individual wheels, which is made possible by means of wheel-selective all-wheel drive. The most "electrifying" gullwing model ever has been developed in-house by Mercedes-AMG GmbH. The high-voltage battery for the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is the result of cooperation between Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth (GB). This is an area in which the British Formula 1 experts were able to contribute their extensive know-how with KERS hybrid concepts.
"The SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is setting new standards for cars with electric drives. As the most powerful gullwing model ever, it is also representative of the enduring innovational strength of Mercedes-AMG. Our vision of the most dynamic electric vehicle has become a reality. With the help of our colleagues at Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth, we are bringing exciting advanced technology from the world of Formula 1 to the road", according to Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.
Mercedes SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive (2014)
2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive
Pioneering, visionary, electrifying: the powerful and locally emission-free super sports car with electric drive also embodies the development competence of Mercedes-AMG GmbH. With this innovative and unique drive solution, AMG - as the performance brand of Mercedes-Benz - is demonstrating its technological leadership in this segment. The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is aimed at technology-minded super sports car fans who are open to new ideas and enthusiastic about ambitious high-tech solutions for the future of motoring.
Enormous thrust thanks to 1000 Nm of torque
The pioneering drive package in the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is impressive and guarantees a completely innovative and electrifying driving experience: enormous thrust comes courtesy of four synchronous electric motors providing a combined maximum output of 552 kW and maximum torque of 1000 Nm. The very special gullwing model accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, and can reach a top speed of 250 km/h (electronically limited). The agile response to accelerator pedal input and the linear power output provide pure excitement: unlike with a combustion engine, the build-up of torque is instantaneous with electric motors - maximum torque is effectively available from a standstill. The spontaneous build-up of torque and the forceful power delivery without any interruption of tractive power are combined with completely vibration-free engine running characteristics.
The four compact permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors, each weighing 45 kg, achieve a maximum individual speed of 13,000 rpm and in each case drive the 4 wheels selectively via a axially-arranged transmission design. This enables the unique distribution of torque to individual wheels, which would normally only be possible with wheel hub motors which have the disadvantage of generating considerable unsprung masses.
Powerful, voluminous, dynamic, emotional and authentic: the characteristic sound of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive embodies the sound of the 21st century. After an elaborate series of tests as well as numerous test drives, the AMG experts have created a sound which captures the exceptional dynamism of this unique super sports car with electric drive. Starting with a characteristic start-up sound, which rings out on pressing the "Power" button on the AMG DRIVE UNIT, the occupants can experience a tailor-made driving sound for each driving situation: incredibly dynamic when accelerating, subdued when cruising and as equally characteristic during recuperation. The sound is not only dependent on road speed, engine speed and load conditions, but also reflects the driving situation and the vehicle's operating state with a suitable driving noise. Perfect feedback for the driver is guaranteed thanks to a combination of the composed sound, the use of the vehicle's existing inherent noises and the elimination of background noise - this is referred to by the experts as "sound cleaning". The impressive sound comes courtesy of the standard sound system with eleven loudspeakers.
Advanced Formula 1 technology: high-voltage lithium-ion battery
Battery efficiency, performance and weight: in all three areas Mercedes-AMG is setting new standards. The high-voltage battery in the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive boasts an energy content of 60 kWh, an electric load potential of 600 kW and weighs 548 kg - all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector. The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design and a maximum voltage of 400 V.
Advanced technology and know-how from the world of Formula 1 have been called on during both the development and production stages: the battery is the first result of the cooperation between Mercedes-AMG GmbH in Affalterbach and Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains Ltd. Headquartered in Brixworth in England, the company has been working closely with Mercedes-AMG for a number of years. F1 engine experts have benefited from its extensive expertise with the KERS hybrid concept, which made its debut in the 2009 Formula 1 season. At the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2009, Lewis Hamilton achieved the first historic victory for a Formula 1 vehicle featuring KERS hybrid technology in the form of the Mercedes-Benz KER System. Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains supplies the Formula 1 teams MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and Sahara Force India with Mercedes V8 engines and the KERS.
The high-voltage battery consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells. This optimised arrangement of a total of 864 cells has benefits not only in terms of best use of the installation space, but also in terms of performance. One technical feature is the intelligent parallel circuit of the individual battery modules - this helps to maximise the safety, reliability and service life of the battery. As in Formula 1, the battery is charged by means of targeted recuperation during deceleration whilst the car is being driven.
High-performance control as well as effective cooling of all components
A high-performance electronic control system converts the direct current from the high-voltage battery into the three-phase alternating current which is required for the synchronous motors and regulates the energy flow for all operating conditions. Two low-temperature cooling circuits ensure that the four electric motors and the power electronics are maintained at an even operating temperature. A separate low-temperature circuit is responsible for cooling the high-voltage lithium-ion battery. In low external temperatures, the battery is quickly brought up to optimum operating temperature with the aid of an electric heating element. In extremely high external temperatures, the cooling circuit for the battery can be additionally boosted with the aid of the air conditioning. This also helps to preserve the overall service life of the battery system.
Quick charge function via special wall box
Ideally the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is charged with the aid of a so-called wall box. Installed in a home garage, this technology provides a 22 kW quick-charge function, which is the same as the charging performance available at a public charging station. A high-voltage power cable is used to connect the vehicle to the wall box, and enables charging to take place in around three hours. Without the wall box, charging takes around 20 hours. The wall box is provided as an optional extra from Mercedes-AMG in cooperation with SPX and KEBA, two suppliers of innovative electric charging infrastructures for the automotive industry.
Eight-stage design for maximum safety
To ensure maximum safety, the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive makes use of an eight-stage safety design. This comprises the following features:
•all high-voltage cables are colour-coded in orange to prevent confusion
•comprehensive contact protection for the entire high-voltage system
•the lithium-ion battery is liquid-cooled and accommodated in a high-strength aluminium housing within the carbon-fibre zero-intrusion cell
•conductive separation of the high-voltage and low-voltage networks within the vehicle and integration of an interlock switch
•active and passive discharging of the high-voltage system when the ignition is switched to "off"
•in the event of an accident, the high-voltage system is switched off within fractions of a second
•continuous monitoring of the high-voltage system for short circuits with potential compensation and insulation monitors
•redundant monitoring function for the all-wheel drive system with torque control for individual wheels, via several control units using a variety of software
By using this design, Mercedes-AMG ensures maximum safety during production of the vehicle and also during maintenance and repair work. Of course the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive also meets all of the statutory and internal Mercedes crash test requirements.
All-wheel drive with AMG Torque Dynamics enables new levels of freedom
Four motors, four wheels - the intelligent and permanent all-wheel drive of the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive guarantees driving dynamics at the highest level, while at the same time providing the best possible active safety. Optimum traction of the four driven wheels is therefore ensured, whatever the weather conditions. According to the developers, the term "Torque Dynamics" refers to individual control of the electric motors, something which enables completely new levels of freedom to be achieved. The AMG Torque Dynamics feature is permanently active and allows for selective distribution of forces for each individual wheel. The intelligent distribution of drive torque greatly benefits driving dynamics, handling, driving safety and ride comfort. Each individual wheel can be both electrically driven and electrically braked, depending on the driving conditions, thus helping to
•optimise the vehicle's cornering properties,
•reduce the tendency to oversteer/understeer,
•increase the yaw damping of the basic vehicle,
•reduce the steering effort and steering angle required,
•increase traction,
•and minimise ESP® and ASR intervention.
The AMG Torque Dynamics feature boasts a great deal of variability and individuality by offering three different transmission modes:
•Comfort (C): comfortable, forgiving driving characteristics
•Sport (S): sporty, balanced driving characteristics
•Sport plus (S+): sporty, agile driving characteristics
AMG Torque Dynamics enables optimum use of the adhesion potential between the tyres and the road surface in all driving conditions. The technology allows maximum levels of freedom and as such optimum use of the critical limits of the vehicle's driving dynamics. Outstanding handling safety is always assured thanks to the two-stage Electronic Stability Program ESP®.
"AMG Lightweight Performance" design strategy
The trailblazing body shell structure of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is part of the ambitious "AMG Lightweight Performance" design strategy. The battery is located within a carbon-fibre monocoque which forms an integral part of the gullwing model and acts as its "spine". The monocoque housing is firmly bolted and bonded to the aluminium spaceframe body. The fibre composite materials have their roots in the world of Formula 1, among other areas. The advantages of CFRP (carbon-fibre reinforced plastic) were exploited by the Mercedes-AMG engineers in the design of the monocoque. These include their high strength, which makes it possible to create extremely rigid structures in terms of torsion and bending, excellent crash performance and low weight. Carbon-fibre components are up to 50 percent lighter than comparable steel ones, yet retain the same level of stability. Compared with aluminium, the weight saving is still around 30 percent, while the material is considerably thinner. The weight advantages achieved through the carbon-fibre battery monocoque are reflected in the agility of the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive and, in conjunction with the wheel-selective four-wheel drive system, ensure true driving enjoyment. The carbon-fibre battery monocoque is, in addition, conceived as a "zero intrusion cell" in order to meet the very highest expectations in terms of crash safety. It protects the battery modules inside the vehicle from deformation or damage in the event of a crash.
The basis for CFRP construction is provided by fine carbon fibres, ten times thinner than a human hair. A length of this innovative fibre reaching from here to the moon would weigh a mere 25 grams. Between 1000 and 24,000 of these fibres are used to form individual strands. Machines then weave and sew them into fibre mats several layers thick, which can be moulded into three-dimensional shapes. When injected with liquid synthetic resin, this hardens to give the desired structure its final shape and stability.
Optimum weight distribution and low centre of gravity
The purely electric drive system was factored into the equation as early as the concept phase when the super sports car was being developed. It is ideally packaged for the integration of the high-performance, zero-emission technology: by way of example, the four electric motors and the two transmissions can be positioned as close to the four wheels as possible and very low down in the vehicle. The same applies to the modular high-voltage battery. Advantages of this solution include the vehicle's low centre of gravity and balanced weight distribution - ideal conditions for optimum handling, which the electrically-powered gullwing model shares with its petrol-driven sister model.
New front axle design with pushrod damper struts
The additional front-wheel drive called for a newly designed front axle: unlike the series production vehicle with AMG V8 engine, which has a double wishbone axle, the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive features an independent multi-link suspension with pushrod damper struts. This is because the vertically-arranged damper struts had to make way for the additional drive shafts. As is usual in a wide variety of racing vehicles, horizontal damper struts are now used, which are operated via separate push rods and transfer levers. Thanks to this sophisticated front-axle design, which has already been tried and tested in the world of motorsport, the agility and driving dynamics of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive attain the same high levels as the V8 variant. Another distinguishing feature is the speed-sensitive power steering with rack-and-pinion steering gear: the power assistance is implemented electrohydraulically rather than just hydraulically.
AMG ceramic composite brakes for perfect deceleration
The SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is slowed with the aid of AMG high-performance ceramic composite brakes, which boast direct brake response, a precise actuation point and outstanding fade resistance, even in extreme operating conditions. The over-sized discs - measuring 402 x 39 mm at the front and 360 x 32 mm at the rear - are made of carbon fibre-strengthened ceramic, feature an integral design all round and are connected to an aluminium bowl in a radially floating arrangement.
The ceramic brake discs are 40 percent lighter in weight than the conventional, grey cast iron brake discs. The reduction in unsprung masses not only improves handling dynamics and agility, but also ride comfort and tyre grip. The lower rotating masses at the front axle also ensure a more direct steering response - which is particularly noticeable when taking motorway bends at high speed.
Exclusive, high-quality design and appointments
Visually, the multi-award-winning design of the SLS AMG is combined with a number of specific features which are exclusive to the Electric Drive variant. The front apron has a striking carbon-look CFRP front splitter which generates downforce on the front axle. The radiator grille and adjacent air intakes adorn special areas painted in the vehicle colour and with bionic honeycomb-shaped openings. They are not only a visual highlight but, thanks to their aerodynamically optimised design, also improve air flow over the cooling modules mounted behind them. Darkened headlamps also impart a sense of independence to the front section. Viewed from the side, the "Electric Drive" lettering stands out on the vehicle side, as do the AMG 5-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels with their specific paint design. The SLS AMG Electric Drive comes as standard with 265/35 R 19 tyres on the front and 295/30 R 20 tyres on the rear. The overall look is rounded off to dynamic effect by the new diffuser-look rear apron, and the darkened rear lamps. One feature reserved exclusively for the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is the "AMG electricbeam magno" matt paint finish. A choice of five other colours is available at no extra cost.
When the exterior colour AMG electricbeam magno is chosen, the high-quality, sporty interior makes use of this body colour for the contrasting stitching - the stitching co-ordinates perfectly with designo black Exclusive leather appointments. AMG sports seats and numerous carbon-fibre trim elements in the interior underscore the exclusive and dynamic character of what is currently the fastest electric car. Behind the new AMG Performance steering wheel there is a newly designed AMG instrument cluster: instead of a rev counter, there is a power display providing information on the power requirements, recuperation status, transmission modes and battery charge.
AMG Performance Media as standard
The AMG DRIVE UNIT comprises the electronic rotary switch for selecting the three transmission modes of "C" (Controlled Efficiency), "S" (Sport) and "S+" (Sport plus), which the driver can use to specify different performance levels from the electric motors, which in turn also changes the top speed and accelerator pedal response. Behind the buttons for "power" and "ESP On/Off", there are also buttons for AMG Torque Dynamics and AMG Setup.
In addition to carbon-fibre exterior mirrors, AMG carbon-fibre engine compartment cover, COMAND APS, Media Interface, Blind Spot Assist and reversing camera, the standard equipment also includes the AMG Performance Media system. Besides full high-speed mobile internet access, the system provides information on engine performance, lateral and longitudinal acceleration, tyre pressure, vehicle setup and lap times, as well displaying a variety of additional information such as:
•vehicle energy flow
•battery charge status
•burrent range
•AMG Torque Dynamics
•temperatures of the battery and motors
•energy consumption kWh/100 km
The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive will be celebrating its market launch in 2013. The price in Germany (incl. 19% VAT) will be 416,500 EUR.