Suggestions for a Hot Air Balloon Ride....

[Kenski]

I am taking my wife on a Hot Air Balloon ride for her birthday this Sunday and it is going to be a Sunrise trip and was wondering what lenses I should take along.... 15mm fisheye, 20mm, 50mm, 18-55, 28-300mm.... Anyone been on one of these before that can give me some suggestions????

[Headcase650]

Make sure you have your neck strap and squat when you change lenses. My father was a small plain pilot when I was a kid and somehow talked a ballon pilot into takiing me and my brother for 25 mile ride. I remember it wasnt super smooth, wind gust can move the basket suddenly.

[flyfishnj]

Clean pair of underwear and a sandwich

[mjordan]

You are going to want both a wide angle and probably a telephoto if you want to get pictures on the ground. The wide angle will be good for in the basket if it's wide enough and can focus that close.

If you have never taken a balloon ride before, wear hats if either of you are tall. The burners are not that far above you and they put off some heat when the pilot sets them off. If he uses one burner it's not too bad, but if he fires both burners, it's a blast and half... and it's loud as it's basicly a controlled explosion of flame each time he pulls the cord. The hats will keep you from feeling like you are going to singe your hair. :lol:

You will be going at the speed of the wind, so you won't feel it. If you are lucky you will get some nice sunrise pictures. Get there early so you can get pictures of them setting up the balloon if you can.

And of course we expect to see some of your shots. :wink:

Mike

[commando]

Ear plugs might be a good idea if the explosion thing is loud. Perhaps throw a couple of pairs in your pocket just in case. I'm pretty sensitive to loud noises though, since I got tinnitus due to excessive music volume.

[sparker1]

I've yet to go for a balloon ride (would love to), but always find a long zoom to be best for sunrise/sunset shots. The 28-300 sounds right to me.

Have a great ride.

[joeseph]

We went up in a balloon in Luxor, Egypt and I can tell you it was one of the great highlights of the tour. I had my 16-35L and a very average 75-300 lens and swapped them countless times over the hour we were up. Make sure the batteries are charged and plenty of flashcard space avail as you don't do this sort of thing every day!
enjoy...
:)

[Kenski]

Thanks... I come from a VERY aviation-filled family and it was eaither this or a sailplane because I didn't know if they did the balloons this time of year still up here.... Before I met my wife I was never in anything bigger then a twin turbo-prop plane and I have seen 40 out of the 50 states but nothing out of the country and my wife was in nothing smaller then a MD-80 and has seen the world but nothing in the states... I have gone and exposed her to the aviation world... We have been up in a P-51(TIGHT FIT), Waco, MANY small singles and twins, and now going up in a balloon... Next it will be the sailplane...

I think I'm going to go rent a 70-200 for the weekend then...