(Air) More From KBIL

A cloudy sky for a background for these images of some arrivals and departures from KBIL today. Canon 1D MK II N + Super Takumar 300mm f/4.

UAL A319 from KDEN

Clouds in the first shot look amazing!

#1 hooks me as well however, you've got some pretty noticeable dust bunnies!

If you're shooting at a very wide aperture and can see that much dust, you need a major sensor cleaning intervention.

However, if you're seeing that much dust because you're stopped down quite a ways, then I have to ask: Why are you stopped down so much and not allowing yourself a higher shutter speed for jets?
(Unless of course, you intentionally wanted "motion blur" in the background...)

Thanks guys. Jay, the sensor needs a good cleaning that's for sure. I was using f/11 & 16 to slow the shutter down for prop blur and should have opened it back up for the jets. I'll get all those ducks in a row one day.

wtlwdwgn wrote in post #10162684
Thanks guys. Jay, the sensor needs a good cleaning that's for sure. I was using f/11 & 16 to slow the shutter down for prop blur and should have opened it back up for the jets. I'll get all those ducks in a row one day.

No Problem...

I get caught in the wrong mode from time to time myself. It can be tricky shooting at multi-use airports where every other arrival needs a different setting. It's great practice though for developing muscle memory for finding controls without looking.

I walk out the door on a sunny afternoon at 1/125 @ f/13 in Manual mode.

Through repetition I know:
Jet: Five Clicks Faster Shutter + Five Clicks Bigger Aperture
Prop: Five Clicks Slower + Five Clicks More Closed
Jet: Five Clicks Faster + Five Clicks More Open

Wash .. Rinse .. Repeat!

Good way to remember when to use what. The "Wash .. Rinse .. Repeat" is for the sensor, right?

wtlwdwgn wrote in post #10162758
Good way to remember when to use what. The "Wash .. Rinse .. Repeat" is for the sensor, right?

Didn't intend it that way but I guess that's kind of how it works, eh? Hahaha...

I find much greater success in Manual working reciprocal exposures than in Av or Tv and trying to chase the meter needle.

I may get some shots that are a 1/2 stop over or under depending on passing clouds or elevation angle (a clear sky is less hazy and darker the more you tilt up so you need to open up a bit) but that's easy to adjust in post processing.

You'll notice that your shots tend toward a bit of underexposure when you're shooting up because your fighting a brighter sky and in order to hold the clouds, the plane comes out dark.

Yep, that's been my experience also, even more so if the plane is painted a dark color. After I get a couple of meter readings I like to shoot in Manual as well. I took these in Av just to get started shooting airplanes again and I used center-weighted metering. I never use spot metering because nothing is ever in the spot! With my Pentax's I can shoot in TAv mode but the frame rate, focus speed, and focus lock is not as good as with the 1D Mk II N. Next I'll have to decide between the 100-400 f/4-5.6L and 400 f/5.6. The 400 is a terrific birding lens so it's gonna be a tough choice.

wtlwdwgn wrote in post #10156792
A cloudy sky for a background for these images of some arrivals and departures from KBIL today. Canon 1D MK II N + Super Takumar 300mm f/4.

UAL A310 to KDEN

UAL doesn't have any Airbus A-310s. That's an A-320.

Oops! I meant that to be A319 which UAL does fly. Good catch.