Technique
The cost of negative film limited my aviation photography in the 1970's. As a consequence I have often only a single image of many aircraft types. Initially I used black and white film, but where "pocket money" allowed colour negative film dominated from the 1980's. With the purchase of a Canon 10D I entered the digital world in 2000.
Since 2000 I have used Canon cameras exclusively. This was not for any reason other than I had a couple of Canon lenses for a EOS 5 film camera. My usual "airshow" rucksack contains a 5D111 bearing a 24-105 f4 lens and a 1D 1V with a 400mm f5.6. For the flying display I will put a 70-200mm f4 on the 5D111.
A 100-400mm L lens was my staple lens for many years but my copy was soft at the 400mm end although it proved to be more convenient than forever changing cameras. I have tried a 7D but felt the skies took on a grainy appearance compared to the above.
For fast jets I use shutters speeds up to 1/1250th second. For slowly taxiing props I use 60-80th second and up to 500th for aerial views of the same. The camera is set to Tv mode, centre autofocus with expansion, +2/3 stop exposure and single shot.
Whatever settings I use I invariably find the number of keepers increases the more I practice panning. To me this is the difficult part. Some days it comes easily but others blur is a problem.
I use Lightroom 4 for both cataloguing and "developing" my images.
A 100-400mm L lens was my staple lens for many years but my copy was soft at the 400mm end although it proved to be more convenient than forever changing cameras. I have tried a 7D but felt the skies took on a grainy appearance compared to the above.
For fast jets I use shutters speeds up to 1/1250th second. For slowly taxiing props I use 60-80th second and up to 500th for aerial views of the same. The camera is set to Tv mode, centre autofocus with expansion, +2/3 stop exposure and single shot.
Whatever settings I use I invariably find the number of keepers increases the more I practice panning. To me this is the difficult part. Some days it comes easily but others blur is a problem.
I use Lightroom 4 for both cataloguing and "developing" my images.