Reno Air Races - Who's going and what to rent?

I am self-admitted aviation nerd, who was trying to get into flying planes for the army/navy/af/whatever after college until my body turned into that of a fifty year old from competitive snowboarding, coupled with a good dose of hearing loss. But I still love it. So I'm going to the Reno Air Races which is about 45 minutes away from where I live. Anyone else here going? I'm super excited, as the last air show I went to must have been ten years ago. Would like to maybe get a small group of us together.

My next question is- I'm thinking of renting something as my longest lens is a 70-200. Maybe 100-400? I had one in the past but it didn't impress me much, but I think it is well suited to this type of thing, unless I want to go the prime route with something like a 300 2.8 or 500f4.

100-400 at a minimum for shooting the actual roundie-rounds. 500 f/4 would be better .. 800 f/5.6 would probably be ideal (and no, I don't mean the 100-400 + 2X TC... )

Don't overlook the opportunities available for shooting on the ramp and in the pits as well. UWA and up are all useful.

Wish I could make it up there but I kind of blew my finances up with the OSH trip this year.

I've been pretty happy with the 100-400, but I would love to get the 300 f/2.8 + TC and 500 f/4...yes, AND

One day when I'm rich, I would hope to be able to shoot with the big guns of the 800mm!

Jay, you don't think like 70-200 on the 5d and 500f4 on the 1d3 would be too limiting? Never shot any of this stuff before but I want to have some fun so a little frivolous spending for a week of big glass won't hurt, just want to do it right

I was definitely going to bring the wides (15mm fish and 17-40)!

My own tastes would run to having the 5D + 70-200 handy but then I tend to like to shoot detail close ups with long-ish glass (Think Sunrise down the side of a fuselage with shallow DOF...)

The MkIII + 500 will be a killer combo. Wore mine out at Oshkosh. I'm even dumping some stuff right now so I can get a MkIV and have 1-series ergonomics for both my long primes (40D is my other "reach" body right now. Nowhere near as comfy to shoot with as a 1-series.)

Come on Jay! I'd love to meet the master himself. That 500 is calling my name, hopefully finances shape up. Shipping price on that thing is a beeatch!

mikekelley wrote in post #10721512
Come on Jay! I'd love to meet the master himself. That 500 is calling my name, hopefully finances shape up. Shipping price on that thing is a beeatch!

Trust Me...

There will be plenty of "Masters" around at Reno.

Look up Tim Adams (adamsti) .. He rocks Reno and was just at Pylon Racing School up there: His Gallery.

I posted this last year and I'd be interested if you can still get to this location. It is the best for those of us that can't get on the course.
Here's the real secret, SSssshhh... on your second or third day, pack some drinks, food, maybe a chair or blanket and find Reno/Stead Airport on google maps, look to the western airport fence for Osage Rd. You'll just take 395 and get off at Red Rock Rd. There are private houses and open fields where people set up RVs for FREE along the airport fence. As the jets and faster planes fly around the long course counter-clockwise, they occasionally spill wide and actually will fly directly over and/or much closer to you than the viewing area on-airport. When they scream by at 500mph, they will quickly fill any prime tele.

i'm nowhere near Jay or Tim in their mastery of aviation, but i'll be there. this year will make my 26th year (been going since i was 4 and only missed the races when Uncle Sam told me to). i rented a 100-400 for my 5D, and then i'll be taking my 70-200 and 24-105.

i'm getting some practice in at this weekends Capital Air Show at Mather Field. two airshows in two weekends = VERY full memory cards

cheers

I'll be there, most likely on Friday. I've been a few times before, but never had anything but a P&S, so this will be a new experience for me.

I'm here now.
We're the parachute team that has been jumping in every day at 12:12pm.
I brought my 70-200 with a 2x expander (along with the rest of my gear)

Got a few good shots but saturday and sunday should be the best for my availability to shoot.
Btw- if anyone gets any good shots of the jump team I'd love to see them.

I'll be the second jumper to land

JTVal wrote in post #10929250
I'm here now.
We're the parachute team that has been jumping in every day at 12:12pm.
I brought my 70-200 with a 2x expander (along with the rest of my gear)

Got a few good shots but saturday and sunday should be the best for my availability to shoot.
Btw- if anyone gets any good shots of the jump team I'd love to see them.

I'll be the second jumper to land

Is this you? I have a few more of the jump team. I'll be happy to share them, but I'm not sire how good thy are.

Yep, thats me.
As a photog and a jumper I rarely get to see "ME."
Thanks for sharing. I'd love to see more if you got them up somewhere.

It was unfortunate that we didnt get to jump the last two days, but the winds were out of limits.

Anyone get the Thunder Mustang wreck?

JTVal wrote in post #10946141
Yep, thats me.
As a photog and a jumper I rarely get to see "ME."
Thanks for sharing. I'd love to see more if you got them up somewhere.

It was unfortunate that we didnt get to jump the last two days, but the winds were out of limits.

I have a photobucket account I use host images for forums. It's not really organized enough to cal a gallery. I put some more parachute shots up. Here's a link:

http://s110.photobucke​t.com …ozd52/2010%20Ai​r%20Races/