Calling all aircraft toggers - Shooting the Lancs advice pls

Raptor Mike

Raptor Mike

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Mike
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I'm going to see the Lancs at Dawlish tomorrow (wohoo!!).I just wonder if anyone can give any ideas for shutter a apature please? Im using a 60D with a sigma 150-500.

Shutter: I've seen some done at around 1/200s plus and someone in my club said 1/500s gets sharp pics with prop blur.

Apature. 6.3 is the widest at 500mm but I want the whole plane/ both planes to be sharp. Around f11??

I'd really apriciate your suggestions.

Thanks in advance, I really don't want to screw this shoot up lol
 
I'm hoping that they'll be doing a couple of passes so a quick review as they're turning for another run should show how much prop blur 1/125th gives me. I'll also be shooting in S mode (unusually for me!) and will be able to adjust on the fly.

I believe that the BBMF are closing the show so we should be able to get our panning technique honed on the other displayers.

Unfortunately, Flickr seem to have lost almost my entire photostream so I can't see what settings I used last time I shot the Lanc and others - I'll have a look at the originals later since I have the files but on another machine.

See you tomorrow.
 
For prop blur I would say 250 and below as much as you can, I am actually taking tripod and second camera specifically to drop speed really low and hope and pray, hand holding at low speeds I find very difficult to get things sharp, that's because I am crap though :D
 
I wasn't going to bring the tripod cos I'm coming on the bike and it weighs a ton lol.

What about apature? Really don't want half sharp planes
 
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Personally I use TV mode at airshows as shutter speed is possibly the most important thing.

This was at RIAT a few weeks ago, 1/180, f6.7, 500mm using a Sigma 50-500mm OS and the prop blur on the Lanc isn't great even at that shutter speed.
Also because of the aperture used the Spitfire isn't really all there either so I would say at f8 or even slower.

Avro Lancaster I and Spitfire (BBMF) RIAT 2014 by Mike.Pursey, on Flickr
 
I'd shoot using 400 ISO, and try and brace the lens as much as possible.

I find it's too heavy to hand hold for too long and I induce accidental camera shake because of this, so compensate shooting +2/3 stop and around 500 shutter speed.

This should give you quite a nice pic providing you don't use it at 500mm, I'd pull back to around 409-450 and F8 if you can.

Remember, this might be a 1 hit affair for you there so shoot a higher speed and capture the moment rather than go for major prop blur.
Good luck and enjoy

Cheers
Dave
 
Raptor Mike said:
I wasn't going to bring the tripod cos I'm coming on the bike and it weighs a ton lol.

What about apature? Really don't want half sharp planes
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the only reason I am taking the tripod is have one shot in mind :eek: whether I pull it off remains to be seen :)

As Dave has said get a shot, this is probably once in a lifetime 2 lancs, I have tried stuff before and come away with nothing but blurred images and that is annoying, we just talk to each other and see what we come up with, I know that at 250 or lower my panning technique is crap, at 320 it acceptable.

How much prop blur are you happy with :)
This one was at Dawlish 2010.....1/250 F14 ISO400

Lancaster-Large_3534 by 19bob58, on Flickr
 
As already mentioned , once in a lifetime shot . I know not ideal but you can always add prop blur in pp .
 
3 bladed prop makes it even harder. As its a one off I would play safe the first time, make sure you're happy with what's you've got and then go for something slow second time round if it happens.
 
Had a good time at Dawlish yesterday. I met up @RKC who was very helpful and an all round nice bloke. I also met @Nod who also seems like an all round nice bloke. I was really into planes when I was in my teens so to see the two Lancs, the Spitfire and the Hurrican and hear the roar of 10 merlines was just something else and it was well worth the weaving through the traffic jams on the bike to see. I've only edited one so far but it looks like I've got some gooduns. I'll start a thread as soon as I've edited some more but here's a taster of our cousins from across the ocean. Thanks again for all you help folks, I can see why you enjoy togging aircraft.


Canadian Lancaster Bomber 1 by Raptor Mike, on Flickr
 
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Mate,
I'm as pleased as punch for you.

Well done indeed, the Lanc shot is great!:)
 
Been busy since we got home so not yet had a chance to even look at my results! TBH, just being there and hearing/seeing the BBMF+1 made the day worthwhile and if I need any pix, I know where to come!

Mike, I SEEM like a nice bloke!!! ;) (And actually am, too.)

That side shot is great and from that angle the shutter speed is less critical than most others but you've got some prop blur going on.
 
Nod said:
Mike, I SEEM like a nice bloke!!! ;) (And actually am, too.)
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You know what I mean :p

Thanks very much folks.

Chris Wilson said:
Looks good Mike - sorry I didn't get over to se you guys - it was enough for me just to get up the hill.
Weren't the Red Arrows close!!

cheers, cw
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I should've come over to see you when Nod came back, sorry:sorry:
The Red Arrows were amazing. I usually watch them at Lyme Regis but missed them this year because of work :rolleyes: I'll put a post up when they are there next year. Last year the Falcons were there too.
 
These days I normally take landscapes and things that don't move (although I've done a little motorsport photography) and the last time I photographed an airshow was with a manual focus film camera.
I went to Little Gransden on Sunday and due to operator incompetence, hardly anything I took was really sharp.
I think I've figured out what I did wrong, so I'm going to have to visit another show, probably Duxford, and try again.

View attachment 19288
 
Raptor Mike said:
Had a good time at Dawlish yesterday. I met up @RKC who was very helpful and an all round nice bloke.
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:ty::agree::p:D.........................................you weren't such a bad chap ;) nice to meet you and spend some time with a very easy going guy(y)

Glad to have been some assistance, that looks sharp to me and well exposed
 
RKC said:
:ty::agree::p:D.........................................you weren't such a bad chap ;) nice to meet you and spend some time with a very easy going guy(y)

Glad to have been some assistance, that looks sharp to me and well exposed
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Thanks :)
Have you got yours up yet?
 
This was my take from Waddington when the 2 Lancs and the Vulcan flew off together. This was the 2 Lancs coming in to land about 09.40 on a dull and cloudy day. Took at 1/250 and f10 and I'd of liked a bit more prop blur so I'd say around 1/180-1/200 would be spot on for me. Love your side on shot OP, looks like you had a lovely day for it.


Twins by modchild, on Flickr
 
I only managed one Lancaster, not two.... But agree that 1/200 is about as fast as you would want to go for prop blur. At least this means you don't need to go high on the ISO like with the jets. :)

 
Different aircraft have props wizzing about at different speeds, so 200 isn't always the top shutter speed you can go.

So the Lancaster I used 250th....

15061756319_a33e511dae_b.jpg


But, if you go down to 200th
14957792549_2bc16dc62e_b.jpg


There's not a huge difference to be honest.

You can go lower, of course, if you are feeling brave, so this is what you get for 1/80th and a prayer!

4826015622_a4fc95ef00_b.jpg
 
Hoping for prop blur today at Southport but as I've not seen Vera yet I might chicken out for the first pass, to be safe!
 
Thanks Mike,

Shooting iso650 today against a poor, rain filled sky but looking at the topside pic of Vera on the camera screen I thnk I have a fair pic that needs 'breathing on' in lightroom.

However, seeing 2 lance together made me put my camera down and just watch for 5 mins :)
Cheers
Dave
 
David Jones said:
Thanks Mike,

Shooting iso650 today against a poor, rain filled sky but looking at the topside pic of Vera on the camera screen I thnk I have a fair pic that needs 'breathing on' in lightroom.

However, seeing 2 lance together made me put my camera down and just watch for 5 mins :)
Cheers
Dave
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I know what you mean. I did the same. I find whenever I watch bike racing its always though a tiny eye piece.

Look forward to seeking you photos. And I've been enjoying looking at the other photos posted on this thread :)
 
David Jones said:
Hi Mike,

I've uploaded a few from yesterday to my Zenfolio site
http://davejonesphotography.zenfolio.com/p688035985

I think they are too poor to put here, but please feel free to have a look.

I'm glad I wasn't down the front when the JP looked like going in, it scared me and I was back on the 'bank'.
Cheers
Dave
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I recon you should get a thread started with some of those. Love the Typhoon. From what I can see on my tablet I recon they look good, not that I know about such things. Some are a little dark but I recon you should put them up for crit. Good stuff!!
 
Cheers mate,

I tried getting rid of the darkness but it mucked up other factors unfortunately.
Having said that, the weather was nothing like what it is today :-(
 
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