A380 at Sydney

I was out with the family yesterday and went to a spot I used to go in Sydney to check out some planes to kill time, and noticed about 4 shooters with big glass in the carpark. I didn't think too much of it at the time as it is a fairly common spot for shooting aircraft, I got to my usual spot on the fence and saw this beauty roll by about 5 minutes after arriving! First time I have seen one. I'm normally the one who shows up after the "event"

As I haven't got a big zoom yet, I can't shoot from the carpark so I need to go up to the fence to get any decent shots, but of course there is a big fence there!

The tail of the first one shows the effects of that. It was very frustrating! The mesh was just too close together to not get any in the shot. The second shot was affected by heat haze and by the time it cleared the fence it got a little small for my lens and had to crop it down a fair bit

Please let me know how I could PP to add a bit of detail in the underside, it's just too dark but looking at the raw I can pull some more out of it without issue, but then of course the fuse is too blown out. Oh, and if you see how it could look better in any way (color, whatever) please let me know, I'm always keen to get better shots.

Taken with 50D and 17-85 IS

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The first shot is awesome, very sharp. The second you're getting some heat haze but that is something we all battle with when shooting aircraft on the ground. But that shot really does show the ginourmous wingspan really well.

1st, it looks good in color managed Firefox3. If you're not using color management will see a darker, more contrasty image. See my Sig.

If/when you do need to do that, You could make a second conversion in PS & blend the two images with a Layer Mask which will hide part of the image. Drag one conversion into the other pic holding down the Shift key to keep the layers aligned. Add a Layer mask, click on the mask in the Layers Palette & Edit> Fill with black, & paint in the image, not the mask, with a white brush to just put the change where you want it.
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=82876

If you only have a jpg to work with, see post #9:
Airport runway shoot

Thanks photosguy, i'll give it a try tomorrow and see how it goes. Thanks for the link on masking and blending. I'm still fairly new to anything more than basic layer adjustment, but only on the entire image. It's just gone midnight here and it gets a bit hard to keep the eyes open now!
As far as the color goes, good to hear it's all "normal". My monitor is getting on in age and I haven't calibrated anything. I use firefox 3.08 (just updated it today) do I still need to color manage or is it now sorted?

Ever since I bought the cam, I have been shooting purely in raw (and might I add manual 90% of the time ) I have been using the " take a photo of the palm trick" learnt on this site, and so far it's working out ok. I think I knocked down the exposure in this one .17? in DPP.

A2EVOMR:
The starboard tip was about 6 ft in from the fence as it came past. I really would have liked more shots of it but the fence was like a punch in the face if I pulled back from 85mm. I might take a small step ladder next time I'm down that way. I have seen another shooter years ago do that at that spot and I thought it was a top idea.
But man, is this thing ever so quiet?! It has an entirely different sound to it as well.

The second shot does show it's span nicely, and it also shows the interesting lines across the span, but to be honest, it's not so much the span that makes me go "oooh" it's more the bulk of it, and the frontage compared to a 747. It just looks so "thick" coming at you. I just love how thick the LE is at the root!!
I notice you use the 100-400, and do a lot of aviation shots. I originally had my mind set on a 70-200 F4IS but now I'm thinking more along the lines of the "dust pump" purely for the range. How do you find it as a lens for aviation? I assume range isn't an issue, more so the general use of the lens for this purpose. I like plane spotting and would do a lot more if I have the range to do so.

pixelbasher wrote in post #7621663
But man, is this thing ever so quiet?! It has an entirely different sound to it as well.

I notice you use the 100-400, and do a lot of aviation shots. I originally had my mind set on a 70-200 F4IS but now I'm thinking more along the lines of the "dust pump" purely for the range. How do you find it as a lens for aviation? I assume range isn't an issue, more so the general use of the lens for this purpose. I like plane spotting and would do a lot more if I have the range to do so.

Yes they are very quiet. I went to JFK to catch the Emirates on arrival, and with your naked eye you could see the beast turning in on a 10 mile or so final. As she went past, not really a sound other then the wind it was cutting thru.

About the 100-400, it is a great lens. Here in the USA, we can't get very close to airport grounds so the 400 millimeters is a must in some spots. Although, my lens is so dirty I try to avoid using it, and I use my 70-200 whenever at all possible for the sake of saving time doing spot removal.

Nice shots. Man those things are huge!

You have to enable management.
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=561719

Firefox (3.0.4) + add ons

A2EVOMR wrote in post #7624792
About the 100-400, it is a great lens. Here in the USA, we can't get very close to airport grounds so the 400 millimeters is a must in some spots. Although, my lens is so dirty I try to avoid using it, and I use my 70-200 whenever at all possible for the sake of saving time doing spot removal.

Is this how it gets it's nick name? Is it really a dust pump?, and hows the sensor deal with it?

Thanks again photosguy, I'll take a read and sort it out.

Hi Pixelbasher

In ref to the 100-400mm for shooting aviation. I also use one on the 350D and 5D and so far have been very impressed with it. As far as dust goes, I don't think it's any worse than any other lens, but that just might be me as I change lens quite often. I just try and keep thnigs generally clean with a blower.
As A2EVOMR says, sometimes its hard to get close to aircraft at airports, unless you're at an airshow, and even then, the crowd line is not always in the best place. I like the reach of 100-400, and the versatility of it at the airshows. The only drawback I find, apart from its weight, the thing is a light hog, doesn't do too well in poor light, but good summer sunny days, just great.
For the money, I'd recommend it for it's many uses. Hope this helps some

Chris

I want so badly to see one of these beasts up close and in person! Very nice pics.

Chris, I'll take any info I can!
Amongst the spotters in the carpark there was a girl shooting with the 100-400 and I should have just gone up and asked her what she thought of it, and to even ask to see some of her shots to get some idea of how big things get at 400mm from the distance she was shooting at, but I didn't for some silly reason. I figured whilst she was still shooting, I didn't want to bug her and I did have a 3 hour trip home.

thanks scout, glad to share it here.
The first shot is prob the sharpest plane shot I have taken of any plane and it is the first plane shot I had taken with my new 50D....I'm happy with that! Can't wait to stick some "more betterer" glass on the front!
We don't get the 380 around here, I'll need to drive back to Sydney to see one again.
I must get up to RAAF Williamtown, about 40 minute drive north of me. The hornets and hawks come straight over the road on short finals, as well as doubling as a domestic terminal, mainly A320, 340 and 737 size. No problem with 85mm at this spot!

P.S i like your "if it moves shoot it" i can add something to that by saying if it doesn't move, shake it!