Microlight pics

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Paul
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I’ll be doing a microlight flight shortly and will be taking my camera up with me. Anyone any suggestions as to best setting to use? I would imagine something like f8-f11 aperture priority on a 24-105mm, is that long enough?

I’v done the microlight flight before but not with a camera. Anyone done this and care to share some pics and exif?

Thanks
Paul


Me! by paulsflicker, on Flickr
 
Hi Paul,

I would suggest keeping the shutter speed as high as possible. You'll be sitting in a 70mph draught, not easy to keep the camera still. You probably know this already, but make sure you have the camera well secured - loose items have a habit of going through the prop :-(

I think you will be better off keeping close to the wide end of your lens. Avoiding camera shake whilst bouncing about in the back seat of a flexwing is not going to be easy - great fun though!

Haze is often a problem with flying pictures, it looks great on the ground, but once airborne the haze becomes a problem.

Are you flying from Ince? If so, you'll have some great coastal scenery to capture, enjoy the flight and I'll look forward to seeing your results.

Chris
 
Totally agree with Chris there. Don't bother with a lens cap, leave a filter on the front. really don't want anything falling off. Keep your ISO high and use a shutter speed of 1/400 or 1/800, it's a lot more shakey up there than you'd imagine. Also, you probaly want to use a lens less than 70mm, anything more then your framing gets a bit too directed and you lose relevance to the surroundings.

Also, thick gloves
 
Many thanks for the info Chris n Chris. Good call on a fast shutter speed, as there will be engine vibrations as well as speed to contend with. Will up the ISO accordingly and switch on IS.

Yes flying from Ince Blundell, past my house and hopefully up the coast to Blackpool and maybe the Lakes! Will post the pics if / when I return.:D

Edit: Thick gloves are provided as I remember it was bloody cold up last time. So won’t be able to muck about in manual.

Thanks again
Paul
 
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I took my camera up with me on my microlight trip. One body, one lens, they won't let you take anything that can fall off or out. As has been said, don't take the lens cap.

I'll have a little look and see if I've got the piccies in my flickr album for you and all the exif is intact.

I think there may have been a thread on here that I started with advice as well so I'll have a look

Have fun



Found the photo link:

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=147693
 
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kelack said:
I took my camera up with me on my microlight trip. One body, one lens, they won't let you take anything that can fall off or out. As has been said, don't take the lens cap.

I'll have a little look and see if I've got the piccies in my flickr album for you and all the exif is intact.

I think there may have been a thread on here that I started with advice as well so I'll have a look

Have fun



Found the photo link:

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=147693
Click to expand...

That’s great Kelly, many thanks for the link. Your pics look great particularly the Leeds Castle one. All exif is intact too, a great help. :thumbs:

Cheers
Paul
 
kelack said:
I took my camera up with me on my microlight trip. One body, one lens, they won't let you take anything that can fall off or out. As has been said, don't take the lens cap.

I'll have a little look and see if I've got the piccies in my flickr album for you and all the exif is intact.

I think there may have been a thread on here that I started with advice as well so I'll have a look

Have fun



Found the photo link:

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=147693
Click to expand...


That's a brilliant picture of Leeds Castle Kelly, if that was your first trip in a flexie, you did a brilliant job, it's such a strange envronment for first timers, that few people have the presence of mind to take decent pics.

There's nothing better than the back seat of a flexwing - apart from the front seat!

Chris
 
I'm very jealous and would love to do something like that:cool:

I've just looked into it though and apparently I'm too tall and too heavy....sigh....:shake:
 
Pork said:
That’s great Kelly, many thanks for the link. Your pics look great particularly the Leeds Castle one. All exif is intact too, a great help. :thumbs:

Cheers
Paul
Click to expand...

Thanks Paul

I've found the flickr album too with more on if you want to have a look. Again, all exif should be intact. I'm so jealous, would love to do it again, just can't afford it

http://flickr.com/gp/kelly-ackary/3CS791/

Foxbat Flyer said:
That's a brilliant picture of Leeds Castle Kelly, if that was your first trip in a flexie, you did a brilliant job, it's such a strange envronment for first timers, that few people have the presence of mind to take decent pics.

There's nothing better than the back seat of a flexwing - apart from the front seat!

Chris
Click to expand...

Many thanks Chris, I wasn't sure what to expect, people had said it would be smooth and people said it would be bumpy but once up there it was very smooth and a fantastic ride. There were a lot of ones I didn't keep :D
 
Pleased I've come across this thread, I've a voucher for doing exactly this, and can't wait to get it booked but waiting for slightly better weather, would have been great to have had it booked for last weekend.

Thanks for the links to the photo's kelly, like others have covered, the shot of Leeds Castle is a cracker :thumbs:
 
Thanks Andrew, I'd recommend it to anyone. There's times in the day when it's best to go up so that you don't get the hazy but I forget when :lol:

I want to do it again now!!
 
Wookee said:
I'm very jealous and would love to do something like that:cool:

I've just looked into it though and apparently I'm too tall and too heavy....sigh....:shake:
Click to expand...

Luke,

It's worth checking with your local microlight flying school - some of the new generation of machines have higher seat weight ratings and more space than earlier machines. As with every subject there is some out of date information hanging about on the web, a phone call to a microlight training school might just give you the chance to get your feet off the deck.

The power to weight ratio of the new generation of microlights is something to be experienced!

Chris
 
kelack said:
Thanks Andrew, I'd recommend it to anyone. There's times in the day when it's best to go up so that you don't get the hazy but I forget when :lol:

I want to do it again now!!
Click to expand...


I was bought it for Christmas and I'm just waiting for the weather to improve to do it, really can't wait. I did a trip in a Glider over the Highlands of Scotland a good few years ago, then a tandem Skydive a few years ago, so not new to lunacy and adrenalin :lol: :D

Looks like I'll be taking the 17-85mm IS up with me :)
 
Foxbat Flyer said:
Luke,

It's worth checking with your local microlight flying school - some of the new generation of machines have higher seat weight ratings and more space than earlier machines. As with every subject there is some out of date information hanging about on the web, a phone call to a microlight training school might just give you the chance to get your feet off the deck.

The power to weight ratio of the new generation of microlights is something to be experienced!

Chris
Click to expand...

Thanks for that, I was planning on asking a pilot friend of mine this evening. He flies out of North Weald and might know the local club details. Do you think I stand much chance at 6ft 5 and 17st 5lb?:shrug:
 
Wookee said:
Thanks for that, I was planning on asking a pilot friend of mine this evening. He flies out of North Weald and might know the local club details. Do you think I stand much chance at 6ft 5 and 17st 5lb?:shrug:
Click to expand...

If your friend has a 912 or 912S powered machine it may be possible. he will know the weight limits for his machine - they differ according to the model.

Modern microlights often have better seat weight limits than some older traditional light aircraft (aka Spamcans!)

Good luck, I hope you get a flight, it's an amazing experience.

Chris
 
I am very lucky in the fact that my Dad is a microlight pilot (for I think the past 6 years). He flies out of a small airfield near Bourne in Lincolnshire.

With both of us onboard we're quite close to the weight limit, and most of his planes have been really cramped. I've never been comfortable taking up anything more than a crappy P&S, and being the poor photographer I am the pics have been crap (done a couple of decent videos though). In most microlights I really wouldn't have the space to take up a DSLR, though some of the uber expensive planes have decent room for the passenger.

His last plane was an enclosed cockpit 3 axis, so at least you don't get the cold, buffeting winds in your face! Sadly you do still pick up the stench when you fly over things like chicken farms at even 3000 ft.
 
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Thought I'd resurrect an old thread :)

I have a microlight booked in for a few weeks time, trouble is they've said "We don't usually allow any hand held equipment up in the air for safety reasons, but bring it along anyway and we can show the instructor on the day and see what he thinks."

It'll be a shame if I can't take the camera up but and ideas the best way to show it's secure in my hand to the instructor? I have an OpTech wrist lanyard thing already, what did others have to do?
 
I had my neck strap on and that was it
 
The pilot will want to be sure that there is no risk of you letting go of the camera, this is especially critical if you are flying a flex wing, with the engine & prop behind you. A camera would make a mess of the prop, closely followed by a forced landing in a field :-(

There's not much space for the passenger in a flex wing making it difficult to make adjustments to your settings, but if you can convince the pilot that your camera is secure, you could get some great shots. Keep your shutter speed fast & your focal length short to minimise the risk of camera shake from vibration.

Enjoy your flight.

Chris
 
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