Airshow...settings on a 1D Mark II

Bend The Light

Bend The Light

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Craig
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Can't remember if I asked before on here, but I am off to an airshow in 2 weeks time. I have a 1D mark IIn and I am renting a Sigma 50-500 lens. I know it's gonna be heavy, but doesn't cost much to rent so was gonna give it a try.

Was after advice on settings for jets and for props. We will be seated in a stand for the air display. The stand faces South-East, runway running north-east to south-west. As the display starts at 10.30, there may be a little bit of shoooting into the sun, however, as it's getting to summer, the sun should be quite high.

So, any help with settings would be great...I rarely shoot planes, apart from the odd one from the side of Manchester Airport, so it's all new.

I don't get much joy from exposure compensation, but maybe I am using it incorrectly. I am happy to shoot manual, though.

Any other pointers useful for my daughter who will be shooting a 1100D with a 70-300 f4-5.6 IS at the side of me. She won't be able to adjust settings so reliably...she's only 7.
 
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Props you'll want Tv 1/250th, jets Av at the fastest the lens can go if it's bright, if not bump the ISO a tad. Want to be about 1/800th+ for jets ideally.

Experiment with SS for the props, 1/250 is a nice balance though.

AI servo for both :)
 
Hazza said:
Props you'll want Tv 1/250th, jets Av at the fastest the lens can go if it's bright, if not bump the ISO a tad. Want to be about 1/800th+ for jets ideally.

Experiment with SS for the props, 1/250 is a nice balance though.

AI servo for both :)
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Cheers. I will play at changing settings beforehand so I can do it a little bit quicker without too much thought.

Mike.P said:
You will need slower than 1/250 for helicopters most of the time ... and the Chinook (if there is one) is a right pain. The 50-500mm OS is pretty good for airshows though. :)
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There will be a chinook apparently...very slow rotors? To be honest, If I get some nice pics, I will be happy even if the rotors do show a little bit static.

I'm actually only wanting one thing - a decent shot of the Vulcan! :)
 
Mike.P said:
Lovely plane .. you should have no problems with that one, it flys past quite slowly. Take earplugs though. ;)

One I took about 4 years ago at my first airshow (Bournemouth) with the old non OS 50-500mm

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Nice!

I used to go to Finningley whan I was a kid (many moons ago) and the Vulcan and the English Electric Lightening were my favourites!

I'm already deaf as a post so the noise won't bother me. Got my daughter some proper earmuffs though...can't damage TinyTogger's ears. :)
 
Mike.P said:
Take earplugs though. ;)
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If I see anyone in that stand with earplugs in while the vulcan is up I will go and beat them with their own lens *looks sternly at Craig*

I've shot there a couple of times. If the sun is out, accept your shots will have god awful lighting until at least midday. If we are lucky, the wind will be from the east and the aircraft will be taking off into the sun - if we get a westerly wind as well that is generally bad.

If there is no sun, well it is while background for all. If there is rain... well it make for atmospheric shots...
 
Hazza said:
Does your 1D have custom settings? I've got 2 on my 50D so have one for props and one for jets. Fantastically easy!
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The 1DIIn doesn't have custom settings like the 40D/50D, on the dial. (It doesn't have the dial...ha ha).
It has "Personal Settings" but these are configured via firewire and I don't currently have that option to do that.
So it'll be a case of changing settings between sets...not so bad, though.
Cheers

RichardtheSane said:
If I see anyone in that stand with earplugs in while the vulcan is up I will go and beat them with their own lens *looks sternly at Craig*

I've shot there a couple of times. If the sun is out, accept your shots will have god awful lighting until at least midday. If we are lucky, the wind will be from the east and the aircraft will be taking off into the sun - if we get a westerly wind as well that is generally bad.

If there is no sun, well it is while background for all. If there is rain... well it make for atmospheric shots...
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I certainly won't be wearing ear protection, Richard, but my daughter will...got to protect little ears, and she is and always has been sensitive to noise. :)

Thanks for the advice on shooting though...are you going this year?
 
RichardtheSane said:
If I see anyone in that stand with earplugs in while the vulcan is up I will go and beat them with their own lens...
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You won't need earplugs for the Vulcan anyway... I watched it at Cosford and it was a lot quieter than the last time I saw it. I kinda felt robbed! :D

I have a feeling they're not powering up the engines as much.

The Typhoon on the other hand was noisy enough to make my ears ring once or twice! :)
 
Spiritflier said:
You won't need earplugs for the Vulcan anyway... I watched it at Cosford and it was a lot quieter than the last time I saw it. I kinda felt robbed! :D

I have a feeling they're not powering up the engines as much.

The Typhoon on the other hand was noisy enough to make my ears ring once or twice! :)
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Cool! Was the Typhoon as loud as the Hawkwind concert I went to in Edinburgh in 1989? I was deaf for 2 days afterwards and then could only hear ringing for a further couple of days. Superb gig! (y)
 
Bend The Light said:
I certainly won't be wearing ear protection, Richard, but my daughter will...got to protect little ears, and she is and always has been sensitive to noise. :)

Thanks for the advice on shooting though...are you going this year?
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Fair do, you are right about your daughter too :)

Yep, I am in the hurricane enclosure again this year
 
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