helicopter or plane on big island and which lenses?

if you've ever done any aerial photography on the big island i'd like to know if you preferred helicopter or plane, who you flew with, what time of day and of course which lenses you used .

we will be staying in Waikoloa at the end of the year and it will be our first time to the big island.

from what I've read the consensus is just about split between helicopter and plane but plane is cheaper and guarantees a window seat.

so which will it be guys?

With the helicopter you might be able to shoot out the open door, as long as they harness you in! In the plane you'll be shooting through the glass I would guess unless you want bad hair. I've done both ways, prefer the airplane.

DavidE wrote in post #15992236
With the helicopter you might be able to shoot out the open door, as long as they harness you in! In the plane you'll be shooting through the glass I would guess unless you want bad hair. I've done both ways, prefer the airplane.

that's what I want to hear! thanks David. I got some great shots of Kodiak and katmai from a plane.

I like airplanes, I feel safer in them, although auto-rotating into the volcano is probably better than crash landing, maybe.
http://footflyer.com …ationHumor/heli​_humor.htm

I know planes are safer and for us usually more comfortable. we did a helicopter tour on maui a few years ago and if the pilot hadn't taken it easy I think the lady next to me would have hurled and flipped out.

I want to get some good shots of the volcano and lava flows so I would be willing to do a helicopter again if it's better for photography and I can be guaranteed a window seat.

Rich Boy you.

I would think the whirligig would certainly be the way to go.

hi

i actually did the same thing... i think your hotel is the huge hilton resort?--if so, that's where i stayed. it's AWESOME. you'll love it. and i also took a helicopter tour of the volcanoes.

the helicopter tour i took wasn't private, so there were others in it with us. no way they were going to let us open any of the windows. so gotta shoot through the glass.

at the time i didn't have the lenses i have now. the majority of the shots were taken with an efs 18-135. i had a efs 55-250 with me, but it was really hard to use in the helicopter i remember and i didn't get too many shots with it that were not blurry. i'm better at such things now, but back them it was a real problem.

also, about getting window seats--yeah, not all seats in the helicopter were the same. i forgot how many people were with us, but some definitely had better views. we were seated in the back, and that meant the people in front blocked us. could only shoot out the sides. and even then the way the door was and stuff, there wasn't a view in all directions.

but still, was really awesome to see lava in person!

oh and one thing you should know: it is not a guarantee to see lava. apparently sometimes it flows a lot more, and sometimes not at all. it is a possibility that you will see none. just smoke and blackness. we lucked out--was flowing pretty good.

also, make sure you got a rental car. after the ride you can drive out and take shots at night from a distance. was really fun.

and there is also the trip to the top of their big mountain there. we rented an suv just for that, and i think that was probably a good idea. was really beautiful. you WILL WANT A TRIPOD there. trust me. and maek sure you accliminate at the base. i felt like throwing up when we got there.

Xyclopx wrote in post #15993089
hi

i actually did the same thing... i think your hotel is the huge hilton resort?--if so, that's where i stayed. it's AWESOME. you'll love it. and i also took a helicopter tour of the volcanoes.

the helicopter tour i took wasn't private, so there were others in it with us. no way they were going to let us open any of the windows. so gotta shoot through the glass.

at the time i didn't have the lenses i have now. the majority of the shots were taken with an efs 18-135. i had a efs 55-250 with me, but it was really hard to use in the helicopter i remember and i didn't get too many shots with it that were not blurry. i'm better at such things now, but back them it was a real problem.

also, about getting window seats--yeah, not all seats in the helicopter were the same. i forgot how many people were with us, but some definitely had better views. we were seated in the back, and that meant the people in front blocked us. could only shoot out the sides. and even then the way the door was and stuff, there wasn't a view in all directions.

but still, was really awesome to see lava in person!

oh and one thing you should know: it is not a guarantee to see lava. apparently sometimes it flows a lot more, and sometimes not at all. it is a possibility that you will see none. just smoke and blackness. we lucked out--was flowing pretty good.

also, make sure you got a rental car. after the ride you can drive out and take shots at night from a distance. was really fun.

and there is also the trip to the top of their big mountain there. we rented an suv just for that, and i think that was probably a good idea. was really beautiful. you WILL WANT A TRIPOD there. trust me. and maek sure you accliminate at the base. i felt like throwing up when we got there.

X- that's good information. we're staying at the Marriott, and we'll definitely have a car. a tripod is mandatory for vacations .

did you do the drive up to Mauna Kea in the suv? you think it was doable in a mid size car?

I've been up around 10k feet in the sierras and haleakela but almost 14k is unreal! how would you acclimate for that?

Right seat in a Cessna with the window wide open can work great for air to ground (and air to air):

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #15993354
Right seat in a Cessna with the window wide open can work great for air to ground (and air to air):

i'll bet but I don't think it's going to happen !

ed rader wrote in post #15993325
but almost 14k is unreal! how would you acclimate for that?

It's person dependent. Some people suffer from hypoxia sooner that others.

I took this picture standing on a pontoon of 1960s Dehavilland Beaver .

windpig wrote in post #15993401
It's person dependent. Some people suffer from hypoxia sooner that others.

that means my wife will get deathly ill .

ed rader wrote in post #15993412
that means my wife will get deathly ill .

Well tough guy, she could be the Ed Viesturs of your family and you could be puking with a headache.

BTW, nice shot of the Brown Bear having his Bagel and Lox.

windpig wrote in post #15993401
It's person dependent. Some people suffer from hypoxia sooner that others.

Responding to several posts in this thread:

Guided tours to Mauna Kea make at least two stops on the way up: one at about 6,500 feet and another at the visitors' center at about 9,000 feet. This gives you time to adjust to the altitude. They also carry oxygen and some medications that help fix altitude sickness, at least temporarily. Don't go up there for at least 24 hours after scuba diving.

Rental-car contracts often prohibit driving off-road, up to Moana Kea, or on the "saddle road" which cuts through the center of the island from Waikoloa to Hilo. However, the last time I was there, about two years ago, I saw nothing in the rental contract. If you break down en-route to Moana Kea, the towing charge is about $700.

The road itself is probably drivable in most cars provided they have reasonable ground clearance. Don't take your Lamborghini up there!

On a helicoptor or plane I would want an open window. I hate the thought of pointing my 70-300L through a plane window.