Aviation photo advise please

We will be shooting the Bournemouth air display over the few days around the end of August. The displays will range from the Red Arrows to Spitfires and other second world war machinery.

Advise on shutter speeds, ISO, apertures etc (in fact anything at all!) would be gratefully received. I've read here about slowing shutter speeds to catch revolving props, but how slow is slow and is there a limit to this?

I have a 100-400L and a 1.4x convertor. Also, in the afternoon of the 29th I have a short (1 hour) opportunity to use longer focal lengths as Canon will be bringing out their big guns. How big this stuff will be is still a mystery.

I do tend to use a monopod for these kind of events, but should I be thinking tripod instead? I'm shooting from a Hotel balcony overlooking the seafront and other years the flying has been over the sea directly in front of me.

Many thanks for any advise anyone can offer.

I have to move this to "T. Talk".

Lowner wrote in post #17020344
Advise on shutter speeds, ISO, apertures etc (in fact anything at all!) would be gratefully received. I've read here about slowing shutter speeds to catch revolving props, but how slow is slow and is there a limit to this?

There are a lot of variables between take-off power vs taxi power.
See the "Airshow guys - prop freeze?" & other links in post #2 of: Shooting airshows in Manual

Since you could put the whole thing down on the balcony, I'd be inclined to not use either.
Good luck!

Lowner wrote in post #17020344
We will be shooting the Bournemouth air display over the few days around the end of August. The displays will range from the Red Arrows to Spitfires and other second world war machinery.

Advise on shutter speeds, ISO, apertures etc (in fact anything at all!) would be gratefully received. I've read here about slowing shutter speeds to catch revolving props, but how slow is slow and is there a limit to this?

I have a 100-400L and a 1.4x convertor. Also, in the afternoon of the 29th I have a short (1 hour) opportunity to use longer focal lengths as Canon will be bringing out their big guns. How big this stuff will be is still a mystery.

I do tend to use a monopod for these kind of events, but should I be thinking tripod instead? I'm shooting from a Hotel balcony overlooking the seafront and other years the flying has been over the sea directly in front of me.

Many thanks for any advise anyone can offer.

Various prop blur examples with EXIF. There's no single or simple shutter speed for every prop blur circumstance.

I've explained how I go about it in this thread.

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1385592

Take off are at higher RPM than landings or slow fly by's.

Many thanks for the information. I will carefully digest it.

Apart from the Red Arrows, it sounds as though the rest of the display will consist of single planes flying fairly slowly past the sea front. Last year, with the good weather, there where no particularly low flying photo opportunities, but who knows what this year will bring?

Actually most single prop planes have a solid propeller that increases in rpm to make it fly faster. As a very rough guide blur is photographed slower than 1/160.

Thanks Dave.

Apart from my own efforts, I've booked to attend a Canon "event" at a beach hut. They will have some really big weaponry and will no doubt offer guidance as well.

IF I produce anything I'm not completely ashamed of, I'll post it up.