airshow help needed.

[malla1962]

hi there i could do with a few tips on shooting a florida airshow next month.ie exposure mode and metering mode,i will be using a 20d and a 100-400is.i was thinking of tv and partial metering.what do you airshow boffs normaly use?thanks
malcolm

[PhotosGuy]

White clouds in the background followed by no clouds in the background will tend to change your meter reading when the light on the airframe hasn't changed at all, so I use M & set the exposure where I want it. RAW let's me make fine adjustments after. Using tv and partial metering should work out OK too, if you use RAW.
Keep the shutter speed down around 1/125 with the old warbirds unless you like frozen props.

[PacAce]

A good "gray card" to meter off the exposure, if uisng M mode, is the clear blue sky with the camera pointed away from the sun and up high (not towards the horizon).

If at all possible, keep the sun to your back if you don't want silhoutted pictures of planes, or add a stop or more of EC.

Make sure the IS is set to Mode 2.

Use AI Servo and start tracking the plane long before when you want to take the shot.