Lenses.
 

I have got a Canon 50D with two lenses a EFS 17-85mm and a EF 75-300mm, what I would like to know is what lenses do you use for aviation photography for the best results. ;)

When I use film, my 'best' lens used to be a Sigma 75-300mm APO f4.5-5.6

I have a Sigma 400mm f5.6 but it was too long (and fixed focal length) for most of the airshow shots, but, as time has gone by they are moving the aircraft further and further away from the spectators (and flying higher).

I'm considering a Sigma 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 (autofocus) for my digital Pentax K200D Super as the above are manual focus only.

Thanks G-C, sorry for late reply my internet has been off for two hours and more. Let me know when you get the Sigma 28-300mm and how it performs.

Considering . . .

Chris
If there are any special shows you are going too, you could always consider hiring a large lens for a day or two. You see the adverts in the camera magazines I give you. Apparrantley they are hired out at a reasonable cost. I have never tried it though

Alan

Thanks Alan, never thought of that, I will have a look in the magazine.

Depends what I'm going to be shooting, but I like at least 400mm and as fast a lens as possible (which usually means f4 with a 300mm f2.8 + 1.4x teleconverter) but having a fixed focal length means either a 2nd body with another lens attached or juggling changing lenses...and the latter is not much fun.

I've never fancied taking my 600/4 to an airshow, the need to take large & heavy support complicates mattters further.

I usually have the 300/2.8 + 1.4 tc on a body with a 1.3x sensor crop and a 70-200 f4 on a full frame body.

Thanks Andy, I see that Canon are releasing a Mk III version of both sizes in December, may give it a go then as they will fit my L series lenses

Alan

Yes, and as with the newer Sigma teleconverters, the fact that their last element (nearest camera body) has fancy new anti reflective coatings, sort of makes one of the selling points of their forthcoming (massively expensive) lenses a bit irrelevant.

Having said that, the new lenses from Canon do have a lot of 'extras'... but even selling my current lenses, the extra ££ needed is totally out of the question without a lottery win :eek: I'd hoped to sell for example my 300/2.8 for £2.5k, add another £1k or £1.5k and get the newer version... not a hope, another £5k, absolutely ridiculous :mad:

cheers,
Andy

Hi Andy, just to let you know I have just ordered a MKII Canon 2 times extender, I cannot see the point of having a MKIII when I use L series lenses.
Thanks
Alan

Evening Alan, how is the new markll Canon 2 X extender performing ?

I am thinking of buying a Canon 60D, when it was first advertised I think it was £1,199:00 body only and I have just had a look on the internet and one shop has reduced it to £829:00 £300:00 off in a few weeks. I am very tempted now, I have the 50D but the 60D has HD video capability has a extra.

Ask yourself whether you need (HD) video - and whether you would choose to shoot it with your stills camera.

(I've recently been through this exercise - I decided to stick with a 'simple' stills camera.)

Canon 60D here:- http://hdewcameras.rtrk.co.uk/?scid=..._id=5927337921

Evening G-C, I am thinking of getting a 60D because of the moving objects that I photograph, I am constantly having to change lenses and has you know every time you change a lens it is possible that dust etc. can cause havoc to the camera. the HD video will be a bonus to film some of the odd bits that crop up now and again.

They're not worth it just for video mate,you can get a decent camcorder for less,i bought a 550d that has HD videoon it and it dosen't get used .:)

G-C what lenses are you using with your K200.:cool:

I have the 18-55 kit lens and my newly-acquired Sigma 28-300mm.

I also carry (when I'm 'out on an assignment' - ie something like an airshow) manual focus Sigma 75-300mm and Sigma 400mm. I also have a much-loved and frequently-used (with 35mm film) Vivitar 28-200mm which was my standard-fit lens when I shot on film.

Among my collection of manual lenses I have a fisheye and two mirror lenses (500mm and 1000mm) though I haven't used any of these since I went digital. To be fair I haven't really ever used the 1000mm (well, maybe a couple of times to shoot views of the Moon). It is a Russian lens and one of the few that I bought new (I was still working then). Both mirror lenses are fixed aperture f8.

my word i thought i had a lot of lenses..lol

if i was truthful the lense i'd like is the canon 400mm L but at £5K it's well out of my price range.
Wot other photography do you do mate,i do quite a few landscapes and portraits.:):cool:

G-C Are all your lens Pentax K fit? As the lens I use 99.9% of the time is a Tamron 18-200mm

I bought all my lenses (except the 1000mm one) secondhand.

When I was working I did a lot of travelling, and always called in to camera shops to see what they had for little money.

I got back into photography when my son asked for a camera so that he could join a photography course at his highschool.

I offered him a new Praktica - or a secondhand ME Super (for the same money). He chose the ME Super.

I thought it such a nice camera that I bought one for myself (and another for my daughter). I had been without a camera (other than the Vito BL which wasn't used much anyway) for a couple of decades.
(Actually that isn't true - I bought a Polaroid camera to take snaps of the children when they were very young.)

Anyway, I progressed from the ME Super to a Super A and expanded my collection of lenses as and when I found suitable ones at the right price.

My major activity has been at airshows, but more recently I have attended shows of old vehicles (cars as well as trucks) - and, of course, I now have grandchildren!

I have at least one screw-thread lens (85mm f1.4 IIRC) which I used with a bayonet adaptor.
Most of my lenses are KA fitting, though I have a few 'classic' K-type lenses (40mm pancake and a 50mm f1.2 for example).

The mirror lenses are simple K-fitting of course, being fixed aperture!

Would be good for us allto get together at some point for a good natter and grab a few pics.:cool::)

Me and Alan Audiman M6 AEN have bought a Canon 100x400mm lens apiece with the 2x extender so we can not wait now for the weather to warm up a bit to try them out.

Martin HS-TRA as also bought a 100x400mm Canon lens and we both use them all the time now and find them a superb bit of kit, but Martin is more of a dab hand with them than me.

I use my 100x400mm every day now to take shots and I must admit to rating it very highly, but Martin is an absolute expert with his, he as taken some cracking action and still shots with it.

I also have this superb lens, which I use mainly for railway shots at this moment.
mickey

I have also purchased a Canon L series 70-300mm which is a good all rounder. I use it for everything IE aircraft, trucks and trains and also for my bird photography.

I still use my Canon L series 70-300mm every day for my aviation shots and wildlife shots and rate it very highly and it is light enough to carry around.

I've never owned one of those.

Reading the previous messages, looks like I'm the odd man out, lol.
My current set up as follows, Nikon D800, Nikon D300s, Nikkor 70/300G, Nikkor 70/300D, and Nikkor 80/400D. As wel as the current set up, I also have various Nikkor small lens, and serval Nikon film cameras.

You have got a great set up there Wilson, I do not know much about Nikon I have always used Canon but a lot of my mates use Nikon and like you take fantastic shots. I am just waiting for the Canon 90D to come on the market and I might just treat myself to one fingers crossed.

Thanks Chris, Just went and bought me another digital camera, the Nikon D850. Where does it all end ?

It never does Wilson and good luck with the new Nikon.

Lol, Chris. It's never ending. Apart from the Nikkor 80/400mm zoom, I just bought the Sigma 150/600mm Super Zoom.
It's a good lens, but heavy on the neck, especially when waiting for planes to arrive. Only drawback I've noticed so far is, when the ground's warm, you notice the heat shimmers in the photos, they tend to make the object look out of focus.