What lens to use for a helicopter tour over the Big Island

We just booked a helicopter tour over the Big Island for our upcoming trip in four weeks. I most likely will bring my 1DM3 along with my 5D and the 17-40, 24-105, and 100-400 L lenses. I will also bring my S5 IS.

But I do not want to take my bag up with me on the copter as there probably will not be enough room and the weight could be a problem. I am thinking of taking my 1D M3 with the 24-105 on it. I specifically would like to hear from those that actually have taken tours in Hawaii because if not we would only be making guesses as to what lens would work best. From what I understand we will get fairly close to some sites, so maybe the 24-105 on a 5D would be better. If I need a tele I could use the S5 IS. So I am wondering if I will need something wider or something longer. The 5D/24-105 gives me something wider and of course the 1D M3/24-105 gives me something a tad longer. I think taking the 100-400 will be too long and I am not sure if I want a long telephoto in a moving helicopter, but maybe I can crank up shutter speed and use still take advantage of the IS of the 100-400. I am inclinded to think I could use my little Canon prosumer though if I need something longer as the range is 35-430 if I am not mistaken.

LOL! I think as I type this I am answering my own question. I probably should take the lighter 5D with the 24-105, but not certain. I know the quality of the S5 IS will not be quite the same as using a dslr. It will be fun to have some movie clips from the copter.

Gary
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http://www.expecttowinphotos.com

I´d say the 24-105 on a 5D would be ideal.

You cannot count on having access to an "open hole" in the plexiglass, so try to figure out which side of the helicopter to sit on, with respect to the sun.

You also want to pay attention to how low the rotorblades go. You don´t really notice those live, but they show up in the pictures.

You want to isolate the camera as much as possible from the helicopter vibrations. Thus you want to isolate it from your own head too.

Hand-holding the camera with two hands and as relaxed arms as possible, with the elbows away from your body, and of course away from everything else.

A polarizing filter can be very useful.

You want to have either a very clean filter, or no filter at all on the lens.

David

I second David's suggestion. I'd take the 24-105 and if you have a 70-200 IS, perhaps that lens. You may need a little bit of wide angle but some telephoto will come in handy to keep the rotor blades out.

Watch those reflections in the plexi-glass.
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Visit me at

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I did a helicopter trip in Hawaii in dec/jan and used my 5d with a 28-300L.

I would take 24-105 + 5d and the mk III + 100-400L and that will cover just about everything.

The ability to shoot will depend on the chopper used , ours had a large open section and the pilot flew in a way that made shooting easy for me.

At the end of it all , the idea of the chopper trip is to sightsee and I ended up taking very few pics. If you have got to take the pics thru the plexiglass , dont even bother. Sit back , relax and enjoy the trip,

I also took my s3 is on my cruise but only used it once and was disappinted compared to my 5d , so I just left it onboard the ship.
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Rodney Gold

The nicest thing about smacking your head against the the wall is.......The feeling you get when you stop

We will be using Paradise tours and the chopper is a 6 seater. I was told because of my height and weight I would be guaranteed a window seat. There are small windows that open but from what I have been told much will depend on what seat I am in.

I did recently buy a polarizer and in the company literature it states to wear dark clothing to reduce glare. We will have headphones on and I was told I could always ask the pilot to stay an extra second for a shot or even change position of the copter. Trust me, I will try to make the pilot my friend from the get go!

I probably should call again to see if I could take my camera bag. My understanding is it could be cramped a little so I am thinking I just want to bring a camera. I could have my wife carry one of the cameras though. I am thinking it would be fun to take the S5 IS along because of the ability to do film clips. If I had to choose to leave something behind it probably will be the 100-400.

And you are right about the mind set I need to have. I am kind of conditioned to get the shot and if I can't I sometimes brood over my failure or over what could have been. This is a much needed vacation and having two weeks on four different islands should result in getting a few keepers so I shouldn't think too much about missed opportunities.

Gary
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http://www.expecttowinphotos.com

I'd take only the 5D and the 24-105...I did this for an open door chopper tour over Kauai and it worked great.

The long zoom lens is probably too large and heavy for this purpose...I think it's an easy choice.

Have fun and share the photos! : )

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Pak K So
'Enjoy your life, guy'

I've just done a couple of flights using 5D and 24-105 over San Francisco, Canyonlands and Monument Valley. I used an ISO of 800 and Tv in the 800 to 1250 range giving me around f8. I had a very high proportion of successful pictures and yes it was through plastic windows. Unless the windows are really bad you will get pictures good enough for your own purposes. Don't bother with a wider lens. The wider they are the more reflections you will capture. Zooming in will avoid most if not all reflections, and may save you having to mess about with a polariser. I carried one but did not feel the need to use it. You won't want to be changing lenses. Just make sure you have spare cards and batteries. Spare cards and batteries - ok? And a cloth to wipe the window - outside if you can, and inside where previous fliers have been pressing their greasy foreheads on it. Watch the focus. Mine worked on auto ok most of the time with only an occasional switch to manual.

Don't forget to allow yourself some 'you' time every once in a while. Stop looking through the viewfinder and look at the view with your own eyes. On trips like this it's too easy to see it all through the camera.

Seriously, the best research you can do is right here:
http://www.sportsshooter.com/news/1214
http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=16650
http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=7-6454-6928

Essentials:

• "Done correctly, aerial photography can be fun, exciting, and rewarding. Done incorrectly, it can be deadly."

• "Two rules that you must understand and integrate into your thinking and planning: Safety Comes First and Less Weight Equals More Power. Safety Comes First It is the overriding concern that governs all of your decisions. Less Weight Equals More Power is absolutely critical. The more weight you add to the aircraft, the less power you have as a safety margin. (This is especially critical with helicopters!)"

• "A turbine delivers significantly more power for its weight than a piston engine. You can easily overload the limits of a piston helicopter. Example: say it is a hot summer morning (strike one!), you're a big guy around 200 pounds plus you're carrying your normal twenty-pounds of gear and an additional ten pounds for a gyroscope (strike two!) your pilot is also a big guy (strike three!). Guess what? If you have a full load of fuel, you are now over gross weight. Which means, you're not going anywhere. In a turbine, that is a piece of cake."

• "The main key to shooting aerials is always think safety first. Ask a lot of questions. Plan your routes. Plan your times. Talk about safety. Talk about hand signals if the radios go out. Fly when the temperature is the coolest. The air is thicker and you get more power from the engine."

_ "If you don't understand how helicopters work, ask. Use descriptive words for what you want your pilot to do. Don't stay stop. Actually, don't say hover, either. You never want to hover, unless you're pointed into a steady wind. Always ask your pilot to keep forward motion."

There's a lot more to absorb there, but it's worth it - and check out LaForet's lens choices, there's a lot to be said for a long lens (400mm or over), that lets you pick out detail.

Take two bodies if you can, so you're not attempting to change lenses mid-air; and for GOODNESS sake take a short strip of duct tape to stick your seatbelt down. Your camera strap WILL catch on it, and unbuckle you (I didn't believe it either, the first time) - and if the door's open, that's a BAD thing to have happen.

Good luck,
R!

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Robert Catto, Photographer
Wellington, New Zealand
http://www.catto.co.nz

Just for reference, here are a few shots from a helicopter ride I took with my wife last year in the Rockies - shot through the plexiglass.







The lenses I was using on my 5D at that time were the 17-40 and the 70-200.

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At the very begining, I found photography simple: Point the camera and push the button. After several weeks of practice, I discovered I could achieve even better results by turning the camera on and removing the lens cap.



http://alterego.zenfolio.com/

... when I took this helo trip last year I took my 20D with the 24-105 instead of the 5D. I shoot a fair bit from (antique) aircraft at home and find that the 38mm equivalent wide end this gives you is wide enough for most scenics and the extra on the long end is an advantage for details. I've just run Focalplot against the folder with the aerial shots and found that 27% are at the longest focal length (168mm equivalent) 13% are at the other end (38mm equivalent) 17% at 80mm equivalent and the rest are scattered fairly evenly. If you have a crop body (did you say a 1 series?) this may be a better choice than the 5D. If it's the same company we flew with, there won't be enough room for a bag or extra lenses. A polarizer can help with the reflections, but it can also cause weird coloured patterns in some kinds of perspex. I have tried one on occasion when shooting through canopies, but usually end up removing it.

I would agree- 5D w/ 24-205 and 1D w/ 100-400. You can probably bring a small bag with your 17-40 and place it between your feet, but most likely you will end up only using what you have in your hands. A helicopter moves fast so you will find yourself shooting fast, and won't want to be fiddling with gear. Speaking of fast, while I have gotten sharp heli shots at dusk at 1/15th, I wouldn't recommend shooting at anything under 1/1000th. And over shoot because even then you will still have some blurry images.

I recently did an aerial tour with another, smaller company out of Hilo (can't remember the name), and they offered a "doors off" Volcano tour (a few shots from the tour in my gallery here: http://www.photoshelter.com/gallery-show/G0000BmbpKsl5Qp8/ ). If photography is your priority I recommend either looking for a doors off tour or do a private charter and have them take the doors off.

Enjoy!
-Cory

First of all make sure you fly out of the Hilo Airport and not Kona. Hilo is much closer and the cost is much less. I used Paradise Adventures and they worked out just fine. If you want to sit next to a particular door make sure you ask for that. I would discuss this with the person you book the flight with. Make the reservation a few days in advance.

I used a 70-200 F4 IS on a 30D and for the most part that was exactly the lens I wanted. Shutter speeds may be a big problem if you have cloud cover at the time you go up. You need to use 400 or higher for shutter speeds as the motion in the chopper will cause blur. Consider using shutter priority mode with IS set to mode 2 if you have that on the lens you decide to use. Using the 100-400 could be a real issue under some circumstances but it maybe exactly the lens you will use the most. You will likely be 300 to 600 feet off the deck.

Your pants may reflect in the Plexiglas doors so wear dark pants and keep your legs as far a way from the door as possible. It is possible to get reflections on the Plexiglas. I would wear black pants if I do this again and I'd do it in a heart beat. Most of the time I was shooting at 200 mm but there were times when I was at 70. I never wanted to go wider than 70 but I would have used 50 if I had something that short. I use a 30D, so adjust the focal lengths accordingly.

You will not have much time to change lens in the chopper, you'll shoot with what you have on the camera. If the lava is flows like it was at the end of August you will never get your eye out of the finder. I think I had the camera to my eye for a 20 minute stretch at one period. You really do need to have some reach to take shots of the amazing things you will see on the ground. It would be a mistake to take only at 24-105. I hope the lava is really flowing when you go. I would rather go late in the afternoon when it's darker than in daylight. You can see the lava better but that's a tougher set of circumstances to shoot in.

I really appreciate these suggestions. I am thinking of taking my 1DM3 and 24-105, mainly for the extra reach. From what I am reading I will value the extra reach more than the wider angle I will be giving up. Being at a distance my guess is 31mm should still be wide enough, which would be what I have with the 24-105/1DM3 combo.

I keep debating about leaving the 1DM3 at home but I have been lugging around my new Thinktank UD60 with all my camera gear so I have a pretty good idea of the weight I will be dealing with. There will be times when I will just take a camera and lens while leaving the rest of my gear at the resort, but I like the idea of having two cameras at time where I don't have to change lenses. A lot of our trip will be in a car so it will not be a problem having the bag (and yes, I know better then to ever leave anything of value in the car while in Hawaii!).

We are going on a Paradise two hour tour and the chopper carries 6 passengers. One in front and 5 in back sitting limosiene style. The company requires everyone to give their weight and the seats are assigned, so I am confident the company knows what they are doing (good safety record on the Big Island). The open door tour goes out of Hilo and we will pass on that one. The tour we will take also flies into Waipi'o valley, and from our understanding other than hiking in, which we will not have time to do, the next best thing is a copter tour of the area. Our tour also goes over the volcano area which we want to see by air due to time restrictions.

There is a weight limit of 270. I am at 240 so I probably will not bring my bag and 100-400. I will have the S5 IS which can go to 430 (yep, I know the quality will not compare to the 100-400). I like the idea of being able to do a few short film clips of the tour.

I totally agree that I also need to take time to smell the roses or whatever there is to smell in Hawaii! I am not going to put too much pressure on myself to get gallery type shots (I often do put too much pressure on myself). We will have 14 days on the islands so if I miss something one day there will be another. We hope to return to the islands on a somewhat regular basis.

Gary

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http://www.expecttowinphotos.com

I have been doing a bit of research on a time share forum. Forums are really a great resource, I have been getting many suggestions from those that have traveled to the islands often. We will be staying in Kona, so that is a factor, and the two hour tour we have booked will cover the Waipi'o valley area which is supposed to be spectacular by air. We thought about a fixed wing tour but from those that have taken both, we will be closer to the falls in the copter and we should actually fly into the valley.

I also have been told I will have a window seat because of my height and weight. the literature states to wear dark clothing, but I had not thought about pants showing up as a reflection. We can communicate with the pilot so I am going to try and make him or her by buddy straight off! We are taking the earliest tour because clouds usually roll in later and the sun will be best for the valley shots (many falls are in shadows as the sun rises).

I think my best solution is to find away to become wealthy so I can do it all! LOL! Everything is a trade off. I would love the open door tour out of Hilo (Paradise does this one) and there is a fixed wing tour that goes over the volcano area at sunset, and this is a very popular tour. Heck, while I am dreaming about being wealthy I could add to my dreams an assistant to hold my other camera with the 100-400 (hmmmm, my wife will be with me! I think she will gripe less about holding the S5 Is than a Mark III with a 100-400 attached!).

So my plan will be to take the 1D Mark III with the 24-105. I could also use my 1.4 extender (does that effect IS?). With the Mark III I can crank up the iso a bit (I also feel I can with the 5D as well) and shoot at a fast shutter speed. I think using shutter priority is a very good suggestion and I will try to shoot as fast as possible.

I have thought about taking my 70-200 2.8 IS on the trip, I still may, instead of the 100-400. I am thinking for surf shots and the like it will be nicer to have the extra reach. We will be going to the Old Lahiana Luau in Maui and for that alone I am thinking of the 70-200. I will have to leave one of those lenses home. I plan on taking the 5D and 1DM3 bodies with the 24-105, 17-40, and 100-400 lenses (or maybe the 70-200 instead). I will also take my 1.4 extender. I will also have the S5 IS. My wife knows nothing about photography but I need to have her become familiar with the S5.

Gary

PS: The more I think about it the more I think the 1.4 extender could come in handy. Hopefully it does not degrade image quality a great deal. I have been using it with my 70-200 2.8 on my 1DM3 to shoot football games and I have been pleased with this combo (a poor mans alternative to the 300 2.8). This gives me an effective range of 44-191.

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http://www.expecttowinphotos.com

http://www.naturescapes.net/062004/ej0604.htm

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EJP

That article was written before the 24-105 came into existence.
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EJP

I am now thinking the 24-105 on my 1DM3 will be what I will start out with. The 1.4 extender can be kept in my pocket if I feel I need it. I will not use my polarizer as we will be in a Bell 407 chopper. I will have a window seat. There are small windows that open and from talking to people that have gone on this tour much will depend on where my seat will be if I can take advantage of the window. That was a gorgeous shot in the article. We will be seeing the Na Pali coast by boat this trip, maybe next time a copter tour of the area. We budgeted for one copter trip this vacation so we decided to use it for the Big Island.

Thanks for the link! - Gary
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http://www.expecttowinphotos.com

oops, forgot to mention those shots were mostly with a 24-70 and a 420 (300 +1.4x), although I also used a 70-200

this :

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0401/04012901canon28300is.asp

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erhan hosca
http://www.hosca.com

Most organized helicopter tours in Hawaii are very cramped and a large push pull lens like the 28-300 will be very difficult to handle especiallya t longer focal lengths since, in order to zoom you have to move your head way back. In the case of that lens or the 100-400 this would put your head in the space of the passenger sitting next to you and is therefore not at all practical. In a private charter, this would not be a problem though.
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EJP