Does anyone use a tripod for Airshows?

[cambsno]

Never done so myself, can see that it may help with panning for prop aircraft... have people tried hand holding & tripod - any preference?

 

[mattyg]

There was someone at Southport Airshow last year with a gimble

 

[Bernie174]

Nope, never! The trouble is, that you can't follow an aircraft doing oh my god mph with one, more so when it suddenly changes direction.
I've seen a few people use one, I'd love to know how successful they were, I suspect not very.

 

[Hazza]

Tried once. Lost my rag with it and gave up. One friend of mine refers to them as the 'weak and feeble brigade'... A monopod might be easier but I've not tried, as Bernie said though you can't beat your arms for following the planes

 

[Nod]

I have done but not for shooting! I used the tripod to keep the second body close to hand so I could swap quickly when necessary. Main body was a D700 with a 70-300 and 2nd body was a D70 with the Sigma 150-500.

 

[huffy]

I have not used a tripod but did try a monopod, not very successful. As the aircraft climbs vertically you end going down on your knees trying to look through the viewfinder.

 

[jonathan_ed]

Gave it a go at Abingdon a few weeks ago, lasted all of two minutes. Couldn't get the hang of it. Think it's good in theory, but not in practise. But... Each to their own I suppose

 

[pete.rush]

See a few people at totterdown farm using a tripod and gimbal, but then again it was either a 500 or 600mm f4 prime lens. Bought myself the manfrotto version of the gimbal for my tripod, so might give it a try at Fairford from the farm, or just handhold the 500mm f4 MKI, undecided.

 

[Bernie174]

Biggest problem is as Mark says, when something goes to the stars, you go through adversity ( a swift bit of aviation related humour there!).
Unless you have the Hubble telescope, it's much easier, and in my experience more successful holding it.

 

[hamster100]

No just gets in the way, plus I eat lots of spinach!

 

[Bernie174]

I did see someone with a tripod yesterday at Cosford, in the erm....Naughty field.
Not sure what camera it was, possibly one with a name beginning with a N, and what looked like a 50mm on it, anyway, I struggled getting a decent sized image with 600mm, so I doubt that his results showed the colour of the pilots eyes. Then again, if he was happy with the results, then so be it. Anyway, my point is that in his case, a tripod was an utter waste of time, apart from when the Typhoon appeared, the light was good enough to hand hold and the tripod was just clutter for the sake of it.