Lens hire for air display

BIGEYE

BIGEYE

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Jim
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Looking at hiring the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM from Lenses For Hire for using at Leuchars Air Display.
My camera is a Canon 500D, and I won't be taking a tripod. As I am on a budget, is this the best lens for the air display, or should I consider something else (within the same sort of price range).

TIA
 
You can't go wrong with the 100-400mm for an airshow, gives you the versatility that you'll need especially on a cropped sensor.

You might struggle if the weathers against you, as f5.6 @ 400 the autofocus will struggle to lock on moving subjects and will hunt in poor light.

If you want to keep shutter speeds up for the fast jets you'll have to increase you ISO settings to compensate, but there's a balance with noisy images.

Probably the only other lenses are the budget sigma's like the 150-500mm, but slower autofocus and f6.3 @ 500mm, so light conditions will effect performance as this lens works better stopped down an f-stop or 2
 
300 f/4 + 1.4x tc is same price give or take, and much better IQ from this lens. I'd go for that over the 100-400 every day
 
c_robinson said:
300 f/4 + 1.4x tc is same price give or take, and much better IQ from this lens. I'd go for that over the 100-400 every day
Click to expand...

I love the 300mm f4, my main lens for many years and works well in good light with the 1.4x TC..... and I shot predominantly aviation and motorsport with a prime, currently the f2.8 version, but I also have 2 bodies (zoom on 1, prime on the other) and with a prime you have to be abit selective with you shots, especially for takeoff images and close passes, just think versatility wise the 100-400mm would suit more.....
 
What would be the best filter for bright, sunny conditions or dull, cloudy conditions?
 
problem with renting its darn expensive and a lot of company's want a deposit for full cost of lens. so 100-400 costs about £1100
i posted in a recent thread regarding someone who wanted to rent. i posted a list of company's that had been reviewed by this months digital photo mag
ill see if i can find the link
 
Went for the 100-400, just need to know if I am going to need filters.
 
only filter usable for the airshow would be a polariser. 77mm on a 100-400
it will cut down reflections on the aircraft fuselage and darken blue skys
however it will cut down the light by a couple of stops.
just remember to switch image stabiliser to option 2 for moving subjects
without image stabiliser you will need at least 400th sec. betterhigher if you take the crop factor in to account
 
just to add so anyone who serches 'renting lenses' Lenses for Hire are spot on, can't go wrong with them, Stuart and his team are worth paying a little more to deal with than the only cheaper company i've found!

*not affiliated in any way but a very happy customer
 
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