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smitty1960
See my 5 Photos  
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2011-09-08 GMT-5 hours 
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I'm about to go to my third (and last) airshow of the year and would appreciate any tips from the pros out there. My keeper rate remains at about 10 percent with most throw-aways due to blurriness. I typically shoot in AV mode and meter for the plane--bump up 1/3 or 2/3 for a dark plane against bright sky, etc--and only shoot in TV mode if I'm shooting a prop. I shoot between 1/125 and 1/160 to get decent prop blur, but my panning skills still need a lot of work. Only practice will fix that. I try to keep the frame "filled" as much as possible so I don't have to crop as much in post-processing. For larger aircraft which are fairly predictable and slower, that's not so much a problem, but for smaller planes that fly erratically and are more difficult to track, I'm forced to zoom out a little. I also shoot in AI Servo, with focusing set at center point expansion and I aim for the "center of mass" (shooting term). Lastly, I keep the lens's autofocus turned on, and mode set to 1. Mode 1 SEEMS to help make up for camera shake. While I understand Mode 2 is for panning, when following a smaller aircraft, it's not always "passing by"--it's sometimes coming right at you. I cannot switch back and forth between Modes 1 and 2 without looking down at the lens. Lastly, I've been shooting at ISO 400-650 lately because it helps me get a faster shutter speed. I can generally clean up any graininess during editing. Am I missing anything?
Canon 50D (mine) with Canon 70-200 2.7L IS Mk II (mine) Canon 7D (rental) with Sigma 150-500 5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM (mine) I prefer to use the 7D 90% of the time because of it's higher frame rate, better sensor, better focusing. The 70-200 is by far the better lens, but doesn't have the reach I need most of the time. |
| Author | Message |
ironfan
See my 920 Photos 
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2011-09-08 GMT-5 hours
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Smitty,
There are many ways to answer your questions because everyone's goals are different. Personally I rarely shoot anything which such slow shutter speeds. Personally I hate to see pictures with a great prop blur but the rest of the aircraft is blurred too, I'd rather have a sharp aircraft and a frozen prop than a blurry aircraft. Of course if you can get both even better but that comes down to lots of practice and I don't have the time or opportunity for that! With jets it's easy just shoot with a fast shutter speed, 1/1000 for example. You settings seem pretty similar to mine except IS is always on 2 or even off for fast shutter speeds. There is a lot of talk around that IS actually hurts when you get to shutter speeds around 1/1000. I typically shoot at ISO 200 because the noise at 400 is enought that I have to deal with it in post processing and at 200 I don't do any denoise treatments. One other improvement would be to change the Sigma lens, I've never shot with that lens but have heard it is not the sharpest. To get the tack sharp shots of the pros (and good amateurs) you want a prime lens but that reduces flexibility so many people go with a zoom for budgetary reasons and the 100-400L seems a popular choice for Canon shooters. Anyway I could ramble for hours but bottom line is your shots in the database look good so keep going along those lines and you'll be fine. |
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Grimmi
See my 3,131 Photos 
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2011-09-09 GMT-5 hours
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Ok, I'm from the yellow-banded section of photographers - but I loved the Sigma 150-500mm on my bodys. If you haven't received a Monday-model then it should work fine. Ok, not so fine like much more expensive lenses - but it's enough.
Pictures with the very cheap version (cheap plastic, without any electronic gadgets like stabilizer) of the 150-500mm of me. Sorry for the many pictures - but I tried to show you the lens-quality by different angels/weather and situations. Wetfilm/Diapositive:
Digital:
Advises for photos: I used the lens nearly all the time with F on 8.0 (then a aircraft should be sharp from front to end). And yes, with this lens it's important to make F -0.3, better -0.7 in the Range over 400mm. Muuuuhhh - welcome in the land of milk and chocolate |
| Author | Message |
smitty1960
See my 5 Photos
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2011-09-09 GMT-5 hours
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Thanks ironfan and Grimmi. I agree that the Sigma is not quite as sharp as a Canon L, but it is still a very good lens. I do intend on eventually replacing it when I can afford an L prime. But in the meantime, I intend to wring out every bit that I can from the Sigma by improving my technique, and that can always be improved upon.
Grimmi, I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "...with this lens it's important to make F -0.3, better -0.7 in the Range over 400mm." Oh, and what is a yellow-banded photographer? BTW, all of those are geourgeous shots Grimmi. |
| Author | Message |
Grimmi
See my 3,131 Photos
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2011-09-09 GMT-5 hours
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Hi smitty,
'yellow-banded' means the other big brand - Nikon. No differences in general, but each body has it's limits/preferences to be settled. With 'F -0.3' I meant to set the aperture setting minus 0.3 (Exposure Meter). Thanks and always a lot of sun, Grimmi Muuuuhhh - welcome in the land of milk and chocolate |
| Author | Message |
YIFLY
See my 7,078 Photos
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2011-09-09 GMT-5 hours
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I use the TV setting on my 5D MK II which is attached to a Canon ISM 100-400mm lens. I like to experiment with props and yes, send a lot of those to the trash can. However, when you nail one, the effects are great. I agree with the ISO settings and don't go above 400 ISO. I really prefer 100 but normally stick to 200 ISO. I pan with a monopod and keep my lens ring loose so it swings through more degrees as I pan.
At the Pax River Air Expo, I shot right next to a guy using a 30D with a Sigma 150-500 attached. You could not tell the difference between our images.  
“There is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter.” -Ernest Hemingway |
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