Aviation Photography

It's really a balance. 

Generally, 320-400 is about as fast as you can go and get an acceptable prop blur, but I’ve gone as high as 500 and been fine:

Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/500)
Aperture: f/8.0
Focal Length: 400 mm

 

That being said, there is something to be said for a good panning technique:

 Exposure: 0.02 sec (1/50)
Aperture: f/9.0
Focal Length: 52 mm

How close you are to the subject is also a consideration. The farther you are the less apparent motion is the subject has, so a big lens helps.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for posting these great photos Roy (I resized them to fit within the window)

 

Thanks for the info Roy.  I'm awaiting the arrival of a new camera to replace my Nikon D70 which as a 1.5 inch monitor which, even when enlarged, often fails to allow me to see a problem with a shot.  The Nikon D3000 is a new lower end Nikon with a 3" monitor.  It should be out in a couple of weeks and should go a long way to be able to see a problem and try again.  I plan to take it to my airfield to practice with the shutter speeds and panning.  In addition to the shorter focal length lens coming with the camera kit, I also have an 18-200 mm Nikon VR lense so I should be able to get this down.

Thanks Adam,

 

I assumed that the window would scroll, but found it didn't. Then I couldn't find an edit button.

You're right, it's not easy.  A realistic looking prop needs a good blur, and that means a shutter speed slower than you might think.  Half the space between two blades is about right, so do the math:  2400 RPM (typical cruise prop speed) is 40 rotations per second.  An exposure of 1/40 sec would give a full prop rotation.  For a two blade prop, half space blur is a quarter rotation, or 1/160 second.  Higher blade counts permit higher shutter speed.  A landing airplane with slower prop speed needs a longer exposure to look right.

 

If you can do a slow enough exposure to get a full prop rotation, a streak of reflected light helps.  Work out if the sun angle will be appropriate for the shot you want.

 

        David

This is thread creep but I am shopping for a good camera to take airplane photos. I was leaning towards something like an entry level DSLR but then Canon announced the new Powershot G11. It seems to have everything I need. Any thoughts from those of you with more experience?

Canon G11 Review:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0908/09081908canong11.asp?from=rss

I thought that this http://www.pcworld.com/article/170050/what_you_need_to_know_to_photograph_an_airshow.html

 was a pretty good article on photographing airshows.  Show people here may already know all the tips in this article, but I learned a few things I didn't know.

Bob,

Maybe we need a new thread called "what camera do you use to shoot airshows?"

I read the Canon G11 review and it looks to me like a good high compact camera.  Canon is a great airshow sponsor and deserves our support.  That being said, for another $100 you can buy a Nikon D3000.  This is the camera I am looking at. 

Nikon D3000 review:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0907/09073005nikond3000.asp

 

 

 

Tom,

I have found a shoulder stock to be of great benefit for panning with a slower shutter speed.  There are a couple models still on the market I believe but you can make your own quite easily from wood.  If you attach a sling or strap it makes it quite easy to carry around and can also lend stability when shooting.  My technique is to hold the front of the stock with my left hand while using my left elbow to put tension on the strap.  The butt of the stock rests against my right shoulder and my right hand is in position to operate the camera as normal.

 

Works quite well for me with a prime lens, zoom lenses pose more of  a challenge.

Great shot, Jo!

Hi Tom,

I think Jo's information was right on...not to mention posting a great photo. To take it a step further, here's some additional information to consider:

Set your camera to servo or track focus- this way your camera will make minor adjustments in focus as you lock in on your subject plane. If you're using the shutter button to focus, hold it down half way to lock on the subject and then keep the plane centered in your viewfinder (and focus point) as it passes by you.

Practice your panning movement before you actually start shooting- I do a few practice "swings" to make sure I'm keeping the camera as steady as I can before the actual pass.

If there is a "sweet spot" in panning, it is when the plane is perpendicular to you. If you get the shot right, you should have nose to tail in your field of focus as well as the maximum blur effect to the background. Another advantage to this angle is that you can use a slightly higher shutter speed and the prop   won't look so "frozen" because you're only seeing the side of the propeller.

Try starting out with, say, 1/250 of a sec for shutter speed and see what you get. If you seem to be getting the plane in focus, then slow the shutter speed down to 1/125 and try that. If you can get a shot like Jo's then I think you're there!

Panning is all a game of percentages to me. You will get out-of-focus photos. But remember the ones that count are the in-focus ones. One good picture makes up for all the ones you delete.

Jim

 

I'm trying to decide between something like the Canon G11 and a DSLR like the Nikon 3000. Pros and cons to each.

Let me know what you finally get.

The Canon Rebel XTi is also worth considering. Less expensive than the Nikon D3000 but with more megapixels and better specs in a number of areas. If you keep up with the rumor sites, there should be new equipment coming out in the next month or so...might be worth seeing what the next generation of cameras will be.

 I started doing aircraft shots (and racing car shots) when I was young, and we didn't have cameras that went higher than 1/125... so that made it easy ! *grin*

To this date I am still using 1/125 as much as I can for prop aircraft (jets are easier) and I use my old Nikon D70 for it. Together with panning it usually gives the desired results, but much also depends on the available weather and light.

 

 

I have been using a Rebel Xti for the last couple years, my step up from a Canon 10D.  I've been very happy with it!  It has done very well for me especially for the price (since I expected another upgrade in a few years)!

Just checking the Canon site I see they now have a Rebel T1i at 15.1 megapixels!  And pretty affordable.  Hmmmm....what did I say about another upgrade?

 

Two more things to add to Jim's reply.  

First the servo tracking has a maximum tracking speed, for the Canon EOS 1Nd I believe it's about 183 MPH.  Probably not a big deal unless your trying to follow the F-22's on their high speed passes. 

Second, when shooting at lower shutter speed (250th and below) on airshow acts with very high roll rates (Patty Wagstaff) you'll start to get some blurring if the wings, caused by the rotation of the airplane.

To get a full prop blur during an airshow is usually very difficult due to the length of lens required (I shoot with a 500 a Canon EOS 1Dn, which I believe have another 1.2 magnification in the camera) and the speed and path of the airplane.  In general the best time is to try to the performer when they are doing a very slow maneuver, like Sean Tucker's Harrier Pass. 

DK