What lenses for an airshow?

[Asmodeus]

Hitting the Reading, PA WWII airshow tomorrow and don't want to carry to much kit. My 13 year old son wouldn't appreciate being used as a pack horse. :)

I was thinking the 5D with the 17-40 and the 20D with the 400 and the 1.4 TC.

Any other suggestions?

[liza]

Sounds about right. Depending on your position, you may not need the TC. I shot one last year with just the 70-200, and it worked well. The planes flew so close to the ground, I didn't need any extra reach.

[Nick C.]

I've no experience in shooting airshows (or anything else for that matter) but I thought that you lost AF capability when combining the 400 and 1.4x on a 20D. Wouldn't that make shooting moving planes somewhat difficult?

[prep]

Use the 300 f4IS on the 5D and and the 24-70. Keep the 20D as a backup. Take the 50 or the 85 for indoors, if you get inside anywhere.

Get there nice and early so you can get a good spot on the fence. You do have a good tripod and head don't you?

[Toogy]

I shot a recent air show with my 70-200 and it worked very well. Especially for the formation flying, I actually had to zoom out to 70mm to capture some of the formations. Ideally a 100-400 would have been perfect.

[Tom W]

I've used the 70-200 and the 100-400 for the long shots. The 70-200 may be a bit short on the 5D, but with a 1.4X teleconverter, it would be very good for many shots. Depends on where you get to stand in relation to the action.

As stated by others, putting a 24-70 on the 20D for close-up shooting is a good idea as well.

EDIT: Maybe the 70-200 on the 20D and the 24-70 on the 5D. Bring the teleconverter along as well.

[Jon]

70-200 too.

[samsen]

I had a similar question, good that is already asked.

Now with my 600mm F 4.5 on a tripod (That I just got) will I look cool , or look fool???

[rhys]

I did an airshow with 35mm about 15 years ago for an aircraft modelling magazine. For that I used a 600mm mirror lens - pretty well exclusively. I locked focus on infinity.

[Jon]

Do you care how you look, or how your photos look? The people who matter won't think you look a fool, unless the featured attraction is Air Mobility Command's new C-17 demonstration team, for which a fisheye would be more appropriate.

[liza]

I had a similar question, good that is already asked.

Now with my 600mm F 4.5 on a tripod (That I just got) will I look cool , or look fool???

I wouldn't use that as a primary lens for flight pictures. You need to be able to pan...quickly.

[steved110]

A 600mm mirror lens is a LOT smaller than a normal 600mm - and much much lighter, so is hand-holdable with the correct shutter speed.

[Asmodeus]

Ended up taking the 5D and 20D, used the 400 5.6 on the 20 D and the 17-40 and 70-200 on the 5D. Best shot of the day is this one; my son's first experience with a digital SLR...

http://chernicoff.com/pictures/WWIIWeekEnd/photog.jpg

[troutbreath]

Great shot of your son. It's fun to see the kids get interested in photography.


I just ordered the lens he's using yesterday -- got confirmation it shipped today! I can't wait!!!

[Amorous]

I had a similar question, good that is already asked.

Now with my 600mm F 4.5 on a tripod (That I just got) will I look cool , or look fool???
You mean something like this? http://kaitcilla.smugmug.com/gallery/1479541/3/70746970

[Amorous]

Ended up taking the 5D and 20D, used the 400 5.6 on the 20 D and the 17-40 and 70-200 on the 5D. Best shot of the day is this one; my son's first experience with a digital SLR...


So, where are the pictures of the planes?

[troutbreath]

That giant lens is insane. It's bigger than his arms.

[rhys]

A 600mm mirror lens is a LOT smaller than a normal 600mm - and much much lighter, so is hand-holdable with the correct shutter speed.

You got it! I hand held and used Scotch 640 slide film. Sharp photos. I even managed to get a view down onto the centre of the main blades on a helicopter from my position on the control tower roof. The bolts securing the blades - I saw with interest - were different colours: red, green, blue and yellow. The helicopter had 4 blades and two had a curved appearence while the other two were straight. I guess my vertical focal plane shutter had something to do with that!

[Asmodeus]

So, where are the pictures of the planes?

There are actually a whole bunch posted at this link:

http://ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=470782

I took about 1000 shots, and haven't had much time to do anything with them. I justed resized and cropped a bunch for my friends on that site.

Also, my gallery software decided it doesn't like my ISP server platform migration. I am not amused.

[samsen]

You mean something like this? http://kaitcilla.smugmug.com/gallery/1479541/3/70746970


Amouous;
Salute. You made my day...:lol:

Only my hair is more Black and my lens more White!:cool:

I clearly see myself now in prospective.

Samsen.