Linda Karlin
Member
Just wonderful what lens to use for the Jones Beach Airshow. I have the 100-400mm with the 1.4x teleconverter, or the 600mm pf lens.
Thanks
Thanks
Lens for Airshow
- Thread starter Linda Karlin
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I shot an airshow years ago with a 200-500 and was very happy with my results. You might like the flexibility of the zoom as you're walking around but that 600 would get great shots in the air.
joe43
Well-known member
I hink the 100-400mm would be an ideal lens for the blue Angels. The lst air show I did here in Houston I used a 300mm f4 prime on one camera and a 70-200mm on second body. I was in a "photo Pit" location so the major events were close to where I was sitting. A zoom offers you lots of flexibility. If I go to the air show in 2024 I will use my 100-400mm.
simonsi
Active member
My goto is a 200-400/4 on a D500 - great range of composition options at typical airshow distances.
I would bring both lenses and add a second body so you can switch quickly. You probably won't need to mess with the tc. Rent a second body for the show if you don't have a second.
Will you be able to use a tripod/gimbal or is it going to be handheld only?
If you go with two lenses use blackrapid straps for carrying them. Get single straps (not the double) and make sure they are set for opposite shouders. That way you can carry both and quickly switch between lenses. I tried the two camera strap and found it annoying because everything would unbalance when you lifted one lens.
You are likely to see a wide variety of distances, including perhaps some crowd shots which will mean less telephoto.
For this situation if any lens was possible I would go for 70-200 plus the 400mm f4.5 and bring the 1.4x tc. Those two lenses are amazingly sharp. The 70-200 would allow some crowd shots and a wider field,, the 400 is incredibly sharp and you can go dx or crop to get closer if you need. You can easily handhold either of those lenses.
The 600 pf is an incredible lens but may be too much telephto for some shots.
The key is to stay flexible with two lenses and be able to shift as needed.
Will you be able to use a tripod/gimbal or is it going to be handheld only?
If you go with two lenses use blackrapid straps for carrying them. Get single straps (not the double) and make sure they are set for opposite shouders. That way you can carry both and quickly switch between lenses. I tried the two camera strap and found it annoying because everything would unbalance when you lifted one lens.
You are likely to see a wide variety of distances, including perhaps some crowd shots which will mean less telephoto.
For this situation if any lens was possible I would go for 70-200 plus the 400mm f4.5 and bring the 1.4x tc. Those two lenses are amazingly sharp. The 70-200 would allow some crowd shots and a wider field,, the 400 is incredibly sharp and you can go dx or crop to get closer if you need. You can easily handhold either of those lenses.
The 600 pf is an incredible lens but may be too much telephto for some shots.
The key is to stay flexible with two lenses and be able to shift as needed.
Douglas L
New member
100-400+1.4 TC will work fine, 180-600 is the perfect lens for airshows, IMHO. I have shot lots of airshows, including Jones Beach.
Cameron T
Well-known member
Agreed. A zoom is pretty necessary if you have one body and want to cover all your shots.
Ideally, I'd have 2 bodies, one with something wider (xx-150 or 200) and then the xxx-600.
Douglas L
New member
In the last 2 years, for airshows I used 2 combos, Sony A1+200-600, and A1+600F4+1.4 TC for some crazy closeup shots. I loved the two setups. This year I will try the A1+200-600 and the Z8+800 PF, a lighter setup than the 600 F4+1.4TC. I shoot all handheld. Tripod or even a monopod will slow things down for me.
Air shows really calls for 2 lenses…
We used a 70-200 + 2xTC and a 500pf
Blue angels
Heat shimmer and polluted air is something to deal with.
We used a 70-200 + 2xTC and a 500pf
Blue angels
Heat shimmer and polluted air is something to deal with.
fastharper
Member
I've found the 600mm-ish focal length to be pretty good for those incoming aircraft shots
Darrellhar
Well-known member
I'll be at Jones Beach show this year again (It really is a great show) but one thing to remember is that its a beach and if its windy at all (which it always is) you won't want to be changing lens at all and certainly not often. Out of the two lens you mentioned I would go with the 100-400 and decide if you want to shoot with TC or not (I would go with it). This years show is pretty much the same as it was in 2022 and I shot that with 200-500. The only time I wish I had anything longer was for single plane passes but to be honest I only needed that during initial approach and not as they flew by. Plus you get a lot of haze off the water there so longer shots often times don't come out anyway (although I never learn and take them anyway) Douglas above mentioned that the 180-600 is the idea airshow lens and I agree with him and will actually being shooting this years show with it. Unless you are looking for something unique from a close up perspective I would leave the 600mm prime home that day. I think the range you will get with 100-400 with TC (140-560) will be more than enough. I often times will try to shoot a little loose to make sure I don't cut off part of aircraft and crop in afterward. This is the last show that I will be able to see my favorite aircraft the A-10 fly in so I for one am really looking forward to it. Lets pray for good weather as this show can sometimes be hit or miss because of it.
Linda Karlin
Member
Thank you so much. I have been to the airshow at JB for years. Your input was super. Hoping for better weather than 2022. lol. Between the fog and the rain Sunday was the better day that year. I will get there on Thursday as well when they case out the layout of the area. Of course Friday practice. So excited. Love the Blue Angels. Hope you have a super time.
Douglas L
New member
I am trying to be there on Friday for their rehearsal, I have other commitments for the weekend. Hope the A-10 and the F-35C will show up at the rehearsal. IMHO, the F-35C demo is even better than the F-35A demo. The Blue Angels will be doing the commencement flyover in Annapolis on Friday, not sure when they will practice at Jones Beach.
I was at an airshow last Summer. A DX-format camera with 100-400mm lens worked well.
One thing that affected sharpness of aircraft at a distance was atmospheric disturbance caused by heat coming from the ground and engine exhaust. Quite a number of photos had an impressionistic look. The sharpest photos I got were of aircraft that were relatively close and not too high above the ground.
I used shutter speeds between 1/2000 s and 1/4000 s for fast jets. Airplane propellor blur is best recorded at around 1/250 s or 1/320 s. (Expect a lower success rate because of those speeds.) Helicopter blades have a nice blur at around 1/125 s.
Have fun at the airshow.
One thing that affected sharpness of aircraft at a distance was atmospheric disturbance caused by heat coming from the ground and engine exhaust. Quite a number of photos had an impressionistic look. The sharpest photos I got were of aircraft that were relatively close and not too high above the ground.
I used shutter speeds between 1/2000 s and 1/4000 s for fast jets. Airplane propellor blur is best recorded at around 1/250 s or 1/320 s. (Expect a lower success rate because of those speeds.) Helicopter blades have a nice blur at around 1/125 s.
Have fun at the airshow.
I'll echo all of the "rent a body and bring both" folks. When I shoot Fleetweek here in San Francisco, I put my 600TC (CORRECTION: Actually it was my 800PF this year, not the 600TC, and previous years it was also the 800, but the older 800f5.6) on a tripod with gimbal and I have the 180-600 on another body on a strap around my neck. I use the 600 (correction 800) when I want to get tight shots, and swing up the 180-600 when I want wider and/or flexible shots. Here are a few shots from 2023 Fleetweek. However I'm so far behind on processing my photos I haven't even started working on the Blue Angels shots. This one is of AceMaker in a T-33. I processed these first because the pilot has seen my photos in the past and specifically asked me if I got any shots. I really liked the distorted view of Alcatraz in the canopy in Photo1 so I did an upscale of it, which is Photo2.
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Darrellhar
Well-known member
I think the Blues often practice on Thursday when they come to Jones because of that. Everyone else will be on Friday.
Douglas L
New member
Thanks for the info. I guess I won't be missing the Blue Angels too much as I will see them in Annapolis on Tue (rehearsal) and Wed that week. Do you know if the F-35C and the A-10 normally do the rehearsal on Friday afternoon? Or could be any time on Friday?
Marcepan
Well-known member
Darrellhar
Well-known member
Yes to my knowledge everyone else practices on Friday (unless the weather is expected to be bad). At least that is the way its always been. Only the Blues change since Annapolis is always the same week. I know the Thunderbirds practice on Friday when they are there (every other year).
Linda Karlin
Member
thanks for feedback.
Linda Karlin
Member
thanks for feedback.