The Airshow???

[Skylark]

This weekend I'm heading to the Airshow. I have a keen passion for aircraft and would like to grab some really great shots.... Does anyone have any wisdom or handy hints they have learned from their experiences that could help me an others who plan to visit an airshow in the future?

[FlyingPete]

Aside from keeping your shutter speeds high, and being careful about the camera not underexposing the aircraft due to bright skies (usually happens on overcast days), practice tracking the planes, my first attempts a number of years ago with a film based camera yielded alot of aircraft tails!

As for composition, it seems best to have the most space in front of the plane rather than behind. Might also pay, if they are a reasonable distance to set the focus to manual and infinity.

Just my 5 cents worth (they don’t have 2 cent coins here!)

[FlyingPete]

Also to add, my jealousy that your air shows probably actually have some modern aircraft, ours end up being vintage air shows, with a Orion and Hercules thrown in for good measure, that is what happens when your government sells your air force!

[Skylark]

thanks flyingpete, im sure i owe you much more than 5cents..

as for the quality of the show, apparently almost all of the australian airforce aircraft will be represented. As well as some old classics, should be a great show i hope. It sounds a sad tale, the selling of your airforce, Im sure our government has considered doing the same, when faced with the costs of upgrading the fading F111s

[Jon]

Also to add, my jealousy that your air shows probably actually have some modern aircraft, ours end up being vintage air shows, with a Orion and Hercules thrown in for good measure, that is what happens when your government sells your air force!

You've got Warbirds over Wanaka, and you're griping? Military airshows here are increasingly using jet-powered trucks and other such nonsense to keep the noise levels up.

[Biko]

Anything with a prop on it shoot at 1/250 to 1/320 so it is blurred otherwise it will look like its about to drop out the sky.

I would set a high f stop 5.6 and higher and set focus M once you have an idea where the planes are flying- you should have decent DOF that way . Put camera on hi speed setting and save to C.

[Chrisc]

I'd be tempted to bring the shutter speed for props down even lower than 1/250, especially for landings as the piltos have reigned back on the power and unless it's a constant speed jobbie, the prop will be moving quite slowly.

Helicopters need between 1/125 and 1/180.

I've never shot a show on MF, AI servo works wonders, even on the gloomiest of UK show days (we get plenty!) I'll often just use the center point for a single aircraft.

If you have a prime, switch to a zoom for any display teams and try for an aperture of atleast f8 when there's more than one aircraft flying.

The main thing is to enjoy it.

[Biko]

try for an aperture of atleast f8 when there's more than one aircraft flying. The main thing is to enjoy it.

He is using a G5 (or at least that's what his sig says) and the reason why I said M focus is it is slow, well is on my G3.

[Skylark]

Thanks for the tips and shared wisdom...
I had a great time and really did nail some good shots. I found that to blur some of the helicopters blades (chinooks) i had to go as slow as 1/80, and almost all shots of aircraft had to be a little over exposed to get the true color of the plane since the camera wants to underexpose because it is shooting into the sky. Manual focus, set to infinity was a must. And even pulled off some very nice B&W's of the old warbirds... it was a great learning experience and a fantastic show. Thanks again

[Jon]

I found that to blur some of the helicopters blades (chinooks) i had to go as slow as 1/80,

Yeah, "Wokka" rotors are going at about 300 RPM. Nothing, really, compared to a prop.