Red Arrows Weymouth

[KenP]

I heard a couple of biplanes over the house yesterday and suddenly remembered that it was Weymouth Carnival and that the Red Arrows always follow the wing-walkers.
I grabbed my camera and walked a couple of hundred yards out to the cliffs overlooking Weymouth. On the dot at 4.30 pm they arrived. Since I was up on the cliffs a great deal of the air display is either below me or more or less at eye level.
I am not an aircraft photographer, but this is what I got.
Nikon D3 set at 1600 ISO, Sigma 50-500mm zoom handheld at 1/2500 sec throughout.
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[curtisl]

really nice set. this is the best i managed from airbourne.

[stigmundfreud]

love 567 in the first batch and the last one in the 2nd batch, nice shots Ken!

[CivicMan]

Excellent stuff Ken - you are now an aircraft photographer!

[Fordo]

Fantastic stuff - id love to have a photo or two like those on my wall.


Just curious- is the extremely high shutter speed/ high iso needed at such focal lengths to eliminate cam shake?

[_dobbo_]

Lovely stuff Ken! I was going to ask why ISO1600 in bright daylight but I guess because of the fast shutter speed?

Out of interest, how do you rate the 50-500? I'm looking to pick one up for our safari in October, have yet to find a real owner to share their experiences.

[KenP]

_dobbo_ said:

Lovely stuff Ken! I was going to ask why ISO1600 in bright daylight but I guess because of the fast shutter speed?

Out of interest, how do you rate the 50-500? I'm looking to pick one up for our safari in October, have yet to find a real owner to share their experiences.

To be honest, I was a tad disappointed. There is clear vignetting near full focal length and if you push the contrast, you get a clear doughnut highlighted shape in the centre of the image.
I just checked the Exif and I was shooting at 1/3200 throughout. I upped the ISO to give me a highish shutterspeed and some DOF. Handhold a big lens like the 'Bigma' requires a quick shutter to avoid shake.
Also the camera can struggle to focus quickly when you are pointing at a small, fast moving object in a bright sky with loads of glare. All in all I was quite pleased with my first attempt at shooting aircraft.

[KenP]

Fordo said:

Just curious- is the extremely high shutter speed/ high iso needed at such focal lengths to eliminate cam shake?

Exactly, but it also helps prevent panning blur. I had aircraft passing me within 150ft (I have a pilot's licence and can judge these things)and at times I was spinning like a dervisher in order to track an aircraft.

[_dobbo_]

Thanks for the info Ken. I'm coming from a Nikkor 80-400 and to be honest most of the same criticisms could be leveled at that lens too.

Seems to me most of what you suffered with wouldn't be issues whilst on a safari. I really need to get my hands on one and have a play before I commit the cash, I just can't find any local stores that have one.

[KenP]

_dobbo_ said:

I really need to get my hands on one and have a play before I commit the cash, I just can't find any local stores that have one.

Whereabouts are you based in the South West?

[_dobbo_]

Weston-super-Mud! I tried a couple of the Bristol camera stores but no-one had one in stock. I guess they might have now, I should phone around really.

[KenP]

_dobbo_ said:

Weston-super-Mud! I tried a couple of the Bristol camera stores but no-one had one in stock. I guess they might have now, I should phone around really.

A bit far from Weymouth, otherwise I would have lent you mine for a few hours.

[stigmundfreud]

_dobbo_ said:

Weston-super-Mud! I tried a couple of the Bristol camera stores but no-one had one in stock. I guess they might have now, I should phone around really.

If you try t4 in Swindon I could collect and drop off, used to live in Worle and then just oposite morrisons in the new houses so a trip down weston would be super

[Furyous]

_dobbo_ said:

I really need to get my hands on one and have a play before I commit the cash, I just can't find any local stores that have one.

Im sure you're well aware of these people, but just in case.....

Lens for hire

Cheap way of finding out if its for you ?

[_dobbo_]

Thanks for all the advice chaps. Have found lots of shops with 150-500s for me to try out but no 50-500s anywhere.

I'm now considering renting something a bit more special for the fortnight instead of buying something. Just need to check the situation with taking expensive rented glass to Africa!