Lancaster Bomber Pic Virgin

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Hi, I'm planning to go and get shots of the above flying over the local dam/reservoir next week but I am a bit green re pics of propeller aircraft.

Can anyone recommend settings/method to capture the motion of the propellers etc?..... as there will be little/no time for trial and error.

Thank you
 
Last time I shot the Lancaster(s), I used 1/200th which was maybe a bit fast. 1/125th would have been better. I used shutter priority which gave me f/14. In hindsight, full manual, 1/125th and f/11 would probably have given me better underwing detail but they are painted black underneath so maybe not! It might have blown the sky too.

DSC_0425.jpg
 
If you can, get tripod mounted to reduce any camera shake. Someone might correct me but if you have the focus point on the bright sky, the camera might under-expose the shot, causing the black underside to lose detail.
Focus Point on the aircraft underside will probably overexpose to compensate for the black paint and blow out the sky.
Best bet you can hope for is a dull, grey day which might not make the most interesting shot, but certainly capture more aircraft detail. I would also go manual mode, 1/125 second, F11 and get it all set up ready for the incoming aircraft.
 
Much appreciated. I will aim for 1/125th and aim around the f11 mark then. I just didn't want to completely f*ck it up!!!!
 
Given they are 3 bladed props and the Merlins will most likely be at high throttle I'd be aiming for 1/160th to give motion blur but still retain some blade detail. I'd go lower for a ground idle or landing shot.

GC
 
Much appreciated. I will aim for 1/125th and aim around the f11 mark then. I just didn't want to completely f*ck it up!!!!
Might be worth dialling in a bit of ove exposure too if you have a bright sky as the meter will be fooled by all that brightness. Alternatively goes for bracket exposures.
 
Would spot metering with shutter priority and auto ISO work?
 
Would spot metering with shutter priority and auto ISO work?
Maybe, depends on how much backlight there is, but spot and auto Iso will I believe just give you a "correct" exposure as far as the camera designers were concerned, which may not be correct for the conditions. Generally speaking I used centre weighted and 1 or 2 stops exposure compensation on bright days but your camera might want/need different settings. Experiment, doesnt cost you anything, apart from card space, shutter count and a bit of battery power :)
 
1/125 is a good target to go for, if you haven't panned at a lower speed with a long lens I would get some practice in before the day.


RIAT 2011
by JJ, on Flickr

I should point out that the above is at 1/100, and the below:


RIAT 2011RI
by JJ, on Flickr

The below is at 1/125:


RIAT 2013
by JJ, on Flickr

Lastly one at 1/250:


RIAT 2017 (Saturday)
by JJ, on Flickr
 
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Just be mindful of your focal length. If you are using a shorter lens the slower shutter speed will not be a prob, just take into account you may need to crop in slightly in post production ;-)
 
Some good tips (and photos) above... but with the benefit of hindsight, just be mindful of it not turning up to be photographed in the first place, and the stand-in Typhoon jet arriving unexpectedly around 30 minutes late after it was announced that its flypast had been cancelled! :whistle: And yes, I know because I was there! :banghead:
 
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