Lens for aircraft photography

RVF said:
Appologies in advance for a bit of a thread hijack, but this thread has been quite usefull to me (as a bit of a photographic dunce:crying::thinking:) as I've been thinking of upgrading my current Nikon 55-200VR for some better quality glass.

After a bit of research I think I've narrowed it down to either the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 or 120-400mm f/4.5-5.6. Trouble is I'm un sure whether to go for the extra reach of the 120 -400 or whether the 70 - 200 will give better PQ:thinking:
Am I thinking along the right lines here or am I talking rubbish:help:
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I've been using the Sigma 70-200 f2.8 with 2x teleconverter but I'm not particularly happy with the results (hence starting this thread). I like my photographs pin sharp, especially if I need to crop, but don't seem to be able to achieve this with this combination of lenses. I'm now thinking either the 80-400 Nikon or a 300mm prime (f4 Nikon or f2.8 Sigma).
 
ipswichboy said:
I've been using the Sigma 70-200 f2.8 with 2x teleconverter but I'm not particularly happy with the results (hence starting this thread). I like my photographs pin sharp, especially if I need to crop, but don't seem to be able to achieve this with this combination of lenses. I'm now thinking either the 80-400 Nikon or a 300mm prime (f4 Nikon or f2.8 Sigma).
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Thanks for that, sounds like you're in a similar position to me, but a bit further down the line as you've already tried one of the lenses I've been considering.

I had looked at the 80-400, but the price is right on the edge of my price range, hence the Sigma 120-400.
 
RVF said:
Thanks for that, sounds like you're in a similar position to me, but a bit further down the line as you've already tried one of the lenses I've been considering.

I had looked at the 80-400, but the price is right on the edge of my price range, hence the Sigma 120-400.
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You can see some of the shots I took recently at the Flying Legends airshow at Duxford at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ipswichboy2/
All are taken with the 70-200 + 2x teleconverter and most are taken at 400mm. Bear in mind the light was pretty good. The candids are also taken with the same lens combination in similarly good light.
 
Sorry, going to hijack a bit myself. After going to RIAT yesterday I was still left wanting in the lens department. Currently I am using a Sigma 120-300 2.8 with a Canon 1.4x. This gives me about 430mm which I was finding lacking in range but also too close when there were more then one plane in the display i.e the Reds. I this case I was quickly changing to my 35-350L which was very good at this time.

So I came home thinking about a 2x converter but realising this would make the close up shots harder :bang:

I was looking at my mates 50-500 slightly enviously but I know this would be a step in the wrong direction.

So other then two bodies, what options do I have for getting the close stuff and the distant shots of an airshow?
 
ipswichboy said:
You can see some of the shots I took recently at the Flying Legends airshow at Duxford at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ipswichboy2/
All are taken with the 70-200 + 2x teleconverter and most are taken at 400mm. Bear in mind the light was pretty good. The candids are also taken with the same lens combination in similarly good light.
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Thanks for the link, good shots (y) & very useful to see the results of a lens especially as we have the same camera :)
 
used my recently bought 400/5.6 at fairford on saturday, did a superb job - most planes full shot, sharp and fast aswell

will stick my shots up this evening sometime :)

drew
 
I need some airshow lens advice too please...

My issues are around the fact that my camera is full frame and the longest I have is 200mm which I understand is going to be well short.

What solutions would people recommend?

I could possible buy a TC in time, but the 2x seems a no-no which only leaves the 1.4x and I'd then only be looking at a max of 280mm. I could possibly borrow a 1.6 crop sensor camera.
 
buckas said:
400 on full frame would be just right :)
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Discounting a 400 prime or 100-400L, what options are available? I rarely use this sort of length, but it would be nice to be able to once or twice a year. A 2x tc would be ideal, but everything I hear is negative about it. :(
 
With the crowd-distance restrictions in effect at airshows in the UK you might even find that 400 is too short on a full frame body....

The flight line at fairford was slightly further away from the runway meaning that once the aircraft have taken off they move a little further from the crowd to start their display.

When at fairford this weekend I found that 300mm on my crop body was the perfect combination for takeoff and landing shots with aircraft filling the frame when perpendicular to me. During the displays I found that I needed my 1.4x teleconverter to get decent close in shots.

For the purposes of demonstration, none of these shots are cropped.

This first shot was taken using 300mm close to the 250m line on the runway:
p417548035-4.jpg


This second shot was taken at 420mm from the grandstand:
p56256205-4.jpg


This last shot shows how close 420mm takes you when the aircraft are as close as the runway:
p874994297-4.jpg


I'd love to switch to full frame for landscape and studio work but even if the day comes when I can get a full frame body, I'll always keep my crop body for aviation work and similar.

Hope the examples above help to put some real world sizes to these focal lengths (y)
 
grahamc said:
the nikon 300mm f4 af-d isnt too bad and not that pricey
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I am thinking about this or a 2nd hand Sigma 300mm f2.8, the latter being favourite as i have the teleconverters to fit. I did consider the Nikon 80-400 but the reported slow autofocus has put me off.
 
hyakuhei said:
With the crowd-distance restrictions in effect at airshows in the UK you might even find that 400 is too short on a full frame body....

The flight line at fairford was slightly further away from the runway meaning that once the aircraft have taken off they move a little further from the crowd to start their display.

When at fairford this weekend I found that 300mm on my crop body was the perfect combination for takeoff and landing shots with aircraft filling the frame when perpendicular to me. During the displays I found that I needed my 1.4x teleconverter to get decent close in shots.

For the purposes of demonstration, none of these shots are cropped.
Click to expand...

Nice shots... what 300mm were you using?
 
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