Stupid question #1

[Noni]

All right, I know, it's not my first "stupid question" thread, but hey...

So my friend (who has registered here as LRDesigns) won a 30 minute helicopter ride. She's invited me along (because she's cool). We are going to go tomorrow, I think. Midday, partly cloudy (according to the weather site), San Diego area and coast.

I am going to bring my film camera. She is renting a 20D (and yes, I'm about as green as envy gets; I might try to rent the 350, but depending on cost, who knows). What sort of things should we watch out for? Aperture/shutter? Potential problems to be aware of? And on...and on...

Yes, like I said, stupid question, but it's going to be a fun adventure...and I'd love to get some shots to commemorate this. (And no, they won't let me skydive from it...this time. :wink: )

Thanks in advance!

Best-
Noni

[robertwgross]

Many helicopters have small window or door flaps so that you can stick the camera lens out through those to avoid shooting through Plexiglass. However, make damned sure that anything out on the lens is tight. You would not want a polarizer to fall off. Further, put some soft padding between the window frame and the camera lens so that the vibration from the turbine does not jiggle the camera.

---Bob Gross---

[PacAce]

And make sure you have a haze filter on the lens. :)

[neil_r]

Watch out for reflections in the Plexiglas (get as close to it as possible) stray bits of airframe and the rotors. Point the camera and have fun. Here are some I prepared earlier

http://www.neil-rice.com/gallery/list.php?exhibition=33

N

[CyberDyneSystems]

Image Stabilization will help dramatically.. if you have acces to an IS lens,. use it.

Regarding the "padding".. it will be far easier for you to pad your lens,. then to pad there Whirlybird.. so run out to the pharmacy and buy an Ace Bandage to wrap your lens in.. (leave acces to the zom ring of course.)

[DocFrankenstein]

Maybe it's just easier to handhold the lens? It will take lots of padding to dampen helicopter vibrations.

[Noni]

Thanks, guys. It would never have occurred to me to protect the cam from bouncing...I think I will handhold (because of vibrations; they still won't be the best, stable shots...higher shutter speed, I guess, will minimize that a bit), but depending upon turbulance I may make a "sleeve" of sorts and give the cam (and helo) a bit of a break. Haze filter is on...and everything will be as tight as I can get it; thanks, Bob.

Neil, those are great. I love flying, and this will be a time and a half for me...I *REALLY* wish I was in a position to get the Drebel right now, and play around with it tonight, but my old film camera will do...and if there's anything postable, I will try to scan and post. But no promises; after all, this is a digi site...

If anyone else has any hints, I'd love to hear them...I'm not leaving until tomorrow morning, so... fire away!

Thanks again, and best-
Noni

[mbze430]

Depends how fast and how close your subject might be, make sure you have a fast shutter speed.

[Noni]

I had soooooooooo much fun...!!!

And I got to play with LRDesigns' 20D (and yes, she actually bought one). And man, that camera is sweet...I got to her house, and she handed me the camera and manual, and told me "learn it, you've got 45 minutes..." ROFL!!!

AF in the helo, some nice shots considering how hazy it was and my shooting through a plexiglass Bell Ranger cockpit...

Then we tooled around La Jolla, and I got a few sweet shots of ocean and a seal, and some interesting rustscapes. I don't know how to PS, so I'm going to play with them in PS and see if I can make some of the colors a bit sharper.

But that is one sweet camera...and I am drooling. I somehow don't think I'll be satisfied with a 350 after today.

Thanks for the advice, you all. It was definitely an adventure, and while I didn't hurt the camera, there was a few moments in the air where I thought I'd thump it on something (slightly turbulent...)

Thanks again!

Best-
Noni

[sixshot]

Looks like you had fun. Gonna post any pics?

[Noni]

Looks like you had fun. Gonna post any pics?
I did have a ton of fun. And I will post a few of the better ones, not because they're anything exceptional, but because I like them.

And glory of glories, LR went ahead and loaned me the camera until tomorrow, so I can shoot to my heart's content today and tomorrow...I will be stalking my housecats, and heading off to the zoo (even though it's rather cloudy, and expected to rain...I can't waste this opportunity!!), so those will be showing up over the next few days, as well.

Like I said, nothing spectacular, but hey, I only had 45 minutes to learn this machine. And what a machine it is!

Best-
Noni

Edited to add: I've put up 2 photos from yesterday. "Yawn" in Nature/ Animals, and "Wave on the Rocks" in Travel/Landscape.