Aviation Photographers Equipment thread

[spectre]

Aviation Photographers Equipment thread.

Please list what you currently have, what you use the most, and what you are planning on purchasing.

This might get moved...but I do not know how many of you visit the equipment thread.

I am looking on how or what to expand with right now.


Canon 30D Body
BG-E2N Vertical Grip
100-400 f/4.5-5.6L
28-105 f/3.5-4.5 II
50 f/1.4
Giottos Monopod P-Pod 5580
DynaTran AT-L104T Nomad tripod legs (no head yet looking at a DynaTran ATH-A03)
LowePro Micro Trekker 200
3X BP-511A battery (1X1390mAh Canon, 2X1700mAh Flashpoint)
1X SanDisk Extreme III 4.0GB, 1X SD Extreme III 1.0GB, 1X SD Ultra II 2.0GB
Giottos Rocket Blower (L)
No Filters

[FlyingPhotog]

Only thing I'd do (going by your list) is to add a second body so you can shoot one with the 100-400 for inflight shots and one with the 28-105 for taxiing or static subjects.

You might want to consider the 10-22 EF-S instead of the 28-105 if your bodies are "crop" sensored.

[spectre]

Only thing I'd do (going by your list) is to add a second body so you can shoot one with the 100-400 for inflight shots and one with the 28-105 for taxiing or static subjects.

You might want to consider the 10-22 EF-S instead of the 28-105 if your bodies are "crop" sensored.
How do you like your 5D?
I will get another body but I do not know if I will have it before the next Airshow season.
I will either get the 40D or a 5D

I hear that 10-22 is a nice lens but if I get the 5D then there will be not point in that.


also, looking at your gallery on PBase (I did not look at every picture but took a sampling) You seemed to use your 5D more for the static shots and the 20D more for the flight shots...may I ask why?

[FlyingPhotog]

How do you like your 5D?
I will get another body but I do not know if I will have it before the next Airshow season.
I will either get the 40D or a 5D

I hear that 10-22 is a nice lens but if I get the 5D then there will be not point in that.

I face a similar dilema for next year as well.

Love the 5D for static shots and slow moving targets but I really like having the longer effective focal length you get with a crop body. You can really reach out and touch stuff with the 100-400 x 1.6!

I'm waiting to see what Canon does with the mystical 5DMkII (7D?) and if it has a significantly higher fps (like at least 6-8fps) and a slightly bigger buffer, I might just go all FF but from what I'm reading and seeing, the 40D is a really sweet camera.

The picture will be much clearer after the PMA show in January...

[JBaz]

If you are going to be sticking with shooting sports and planes in action, i wouldn't go FF and I'd doubt that the new 5D's will be 6-8fps, more like 5fps if that. 5D is more of a "cheap" FF studio body while the 30/40D are more of a "cheap" sports body. A 1D mkII would suit your needs better.

[LBaldwin]

Hey Spectre,
I have currenlty
1DmkIIn
70-200 2.8L
17-35 f4
28-80 5.6
EX 1.4
EX 2
580
A2E film camera

500mm f4 inbound this next year!!

I have a complete portable studio system for interiors , exteriors and execs flght crew etc.

Les

[spectre]

If you are going to be sticking with shooting sports and planes in action, i wouldn't go FF and I'd doubt that the new 5D's will be 6-8fps, more like 5fps if that. 5D is more of a "cheap" FF studio body while the 30/40D are more of a "cheap" sports body. A 1D mkII would suit your needs better.
I do not think I can afford a 1DMKII just out of my range. If I get the 40D, I'll more than likely get it used.

[JBaz]

yes, but you mentioned that you were interested in a 5D. Used 5D's are similarly priced to used 1D MkII's.

[andrewhuxman]

Tripods and monopods in my opinion are not very useful when shooting flying , but can be very useful for full prop blur of planes on the ground and less than ideal lighting, sunrises-sunsets. I would opt more for the monopod than a tripod . I use a Bushhawk .... http://www.bushhawk.com/ for my flight shooting, due to me having a bum wrist (non- operable) which does me very well. I know of 2 others that use the same Bushhawk and they love theirs also .As far as lenses go all shows are set up differently some are closer than others, 100-400 is good and versatile and there are lots of folks that use big primes 300, 400, 500, 600 all depends on what ya want, talk to people and ask questions most folks are pretty nice ,notice I said most. Just get out and enjoy the aircraft and taking pictures:D

[spectre]

Tripods and monopods in my opinion are not very useful when shooting flying , but can be very useful for full prop blur of planes on the ground and less than ideal lighting, sunrises-sunsets. I would opt more for the monopod than a tripod . I use a Bushhawk .... http://www.bushhawk.com/ for my flight shooting,...:D

I looked into one of these :) I decided not to get it because the cops around here are very twitchy and the camera itself is bad enough...I can only imagine if it LOOKS like you are pointing a MANPAD at a plane while landing :)

I have never seen one of these up close... Is it solid? Heavy? What model do you own?

[JVolz]

I can only imagine if it LOOKS like you are pointing a MANPAD at a plane while landing :)

For those unaware of the meaning of that acronym, it's going to conjure up some interesting thoughts visions...:lol:

MAN Portable Air Defense, by the way, for those wondering.

[andrewhuxman]

I have never seen one of these up close... Is it solid? Heavy? What model do you own?[/QUOTE]

I have the BH-220D, with a righthand trigger. all you do is either call or shoot him an email and tell him what camera you have and lens your going to be using on it to get the appropriate shutter release cord and a mounting plate and your good to go .He is located in San Diego Ca and has very good service

[JBaz]

I've also been meaning to get the bushhawk platform.

[spectre]

I've also been meaning to get the bushhawk platform.
I wouldn't mind trying one out...

I have very bad rheumatoid arthritis, along with ankylosing spondylitis...so I need all the support (and steady hands) I can get.