optimal settings for air show?

dtokez

dtokez

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Dan
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Hi all, will be going to Bournemouth air show again this year, wasn't very impressed with my shots from last year so just wondering what ballpark settings work best?

I will be using a 7D and probably a 70-200L f2.8 with a 2x converter. last year I was experimenting really (without the 2x) but never found settings that worked well, tried all sorts of aperture and shutter combinations- lack of sharpness and blown out images from bright sky and washed out looking :9
 
Tv 1/250th for props and Av F/5.6-8 for jets (although make sure the shutter speed stays above 1/800) and you should be fine. As for exposure compensation I use centre weighted average and the adjust to suit conditions.

You will also want AF on AI Servo, using all points or centre point.
 
Shooting at Bournemouth you will inevitably be against the sun so Av exposure is going to be tricky. I would take a meter reading from the grass at your feet and set up manually. In backlit shots the sky is always going to be blown unless it's deep blue (unlikely!)
 
Do what Harry says.
Don't take photos of things direct in front of you, do left and right shots, and you have a chance.
However,the better solution is book a boat trip. Suns behind you and you get much better angles.
 
Cheers guys. Thanks hazza, that's exactly what I was after
 
What version of the 70-200 and 2xTC do you have. The MKI version of that lens isn't a great combination with the 2xTC MKII. The new MKII lens and MKIII TC a much better combination. As for camera settings, usually, centre focus point, with focus point expansion (custom settings), AIServo and either TV or AV depending on the conditions.
You'll be mainly panning to capture your shots, so think about picking up the aircraft early and panning smoothly with the action until it starts to fill the frame, take only a couple of shots, recomposing as you pan, try to avoid bursts, and continue with the pan after taking the last shot. Shutter speeds for props I would start at 1/400 then adjust once you've comfortable with you pan and its smooth, you can then reduce the shutter speed to 1/320 or 1/250 sec (especially for the Lancaster's). Jets depending on their speed, anywhere from 1/640 to 1/1000 sec or as Harry said, set your aperture, but keep an eye on the shutter speeds. As for helicopter, these are very difficult to take images of, especially if you want rotor blur, the problem is the rotor speeds are relatively low and to compensate, slower shutter speeds, but you then introduce camera shake and soft images, especially for pans, so there's a compromise, just have a play with the shutter settings.
 
think i used about +1 exposure comp at fairford, seemed about right
 
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