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7D & 100-400 L - First Airshow

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Private Custard

Private Custard

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I took my new gear along to Duxford on Sunday to see how it did. I was very pleased with the results :)






Concorde




Emergence


Harvard




Pitts S1


F-86 Sabre


Breitling Wingwalkers



I managed a rather large haul of decent shots, so I'll just link to my set on flickr......just in case anyone wants to see more!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/private_custard/sets/72157633734623538/
 
I used the old 50-500 with Olympus gear at airshows. It couldn't really keep up.

Plus, it's hard to get the full 500mm in one twist whilst remaining stable, I always seemed to end up at exactly 420mm! The push/pull zoom of the 100-400 is a much better method in my opinion.
 
Same here. Start out at higher shutter speeds to get a few keepers, then drop down. I usually try for as close to a complete prop circle as I can, which often means shooting at 1/125 or slower. At 400mm, it takes good panning technique, and luck. Of all the reasons for being able to shoot at 8-10 fps, I think prop aircraft are near the top. You're going to get less then 5% keepers, so you need volume. :)

Definitely a difference in aircraft types when trying to get blur. I find Corsairs are the toughest, you need something like 1/80. Modern acrobatic planes are easier, maybe 1/250.

Mark
 
Where or rather what were you shooting from?

Also, if I remember my film days properly, I used to stop a prop cold with 1/500.

Beautiful work.

Mo
 
Mo Kwart said:
Mo50 wrote:

Where or rather what were you shooting from?

Also, if I remember my film days properly, I used to stop a prop cold with 1/500.

Beautiful work.

Mo
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Sorry for the delay, haven't been around for a bit!

I was stood at the far eastern end of the spectators area, waiting for them to approach low and from the east. They often come in from slightly behind, so they show you the top of the aircraft more often as they approach the flight-line.
 
Private Custard said:
Private Custard wrote:

I used the old 50-500 with Olympus gear at airshows. It couldn't really keep up.

Plus, it's hard to get the full 500mm in one twist whilst remaining stable, I always seemed to end up at exactly 420mm! The push/pull zoom of the 100-400 is a much better method in my opinion.
Click to expand...
I agree on the push/pull of the 100-400. I find it much easier than the twist zoom on the 70-300L. Too much rotation involved, and unlike the 70-200 f/2.8 II, I can't "thumb" the zoom ring on the 70-300L.
 
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I may be a bit slow on the uptake, but a few of those look like you had to be in the air yourself. How high was the spectator area.

They are all beautiful.
 
Mo Kwart said:
Mo50 wrote:

I may be a bit slow on the uptake, but a few of those look like you had to be in the air yourself. How high was the spectator area.

They are all beautiful.
Click to expand...
I was stood at ground level, so the level-looking shots were either low passes or slightly longer range. Duxford is amazing for spectators, last year I witnessed a large swathe of crowd lose their hats/chairs/drinks/lose items to the jet-blast from a Hawk T1 as it was taxiing, you can get really close!!

The shots that look like I'm level are often helped by very good pilots. A Hispano Buchon (ME-109 with a Merlin engine) made a pass at one point that I swear couldn't have been higher than 20ft, and he wasn't hanging around speed-wise!

Thanks for the feedback :)
 
bluestreakrem said:
bluestreakrem wrote:

I thinks it's time to buy the 100-400 lens.

Will any of the telecoverters autofocus with that lens?
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Not with that body! You need a 1-series body to be able to use autofocus at anything about f5.6. In fact, if you add a Canon 1.4x or 2x the 7D won't even try to focus. BUT, if you use a non-Canon 1.4x (such as a pro model from Tamron or Kenko) the body will try and focus, and may even manage to focus if there's enough light/contrast.
 
Jeff Peterman said:
Jeff Peterman wrote:
Jeff Peterman said:
bluestreakrem wrote:

I thinks it's time to buy the 100-400 lens.

Will any of the telecoverters autofocus with that lens?
Click to expand...
Not with that body! You need a 1-series body to be able to use autofocus at anything about f5.6. In fact, if you add a Canon 1.4x or 2x the 7D won't even try to focus. BUT, if you use a non-Canon 1.4x (such as a pro model from Tamron or Kenko) the body will try and focus, and may even manage to focus if there's enough light/contrast.
Click to expand...
Also recent 5D3 firmware update will make this works 100-400L with 1.4x TC on 5D3.



Nevertheless it doesn't work well as sharpness, contrast and AF suffer great hit. However for small birds it may work better than over cropping.


 
Beautiful airshow pics - planning & patience definitely paid off! You couldn't ask for better prop blur on the P-51 in my book. Out of curiosity, were you using IS mode 2(pan)? I notice nobody else asked this.

I've found w/my 70-200/f4 IS w/1.4x II attached, using IS mode 2 oddly can hurt sharpness unless light is just terrible. Maybe not so much minus extender. I try not to use IS mode 2 for action anymore if at all possible, if light allows. Otherwise this combo is incredibly sharp.

Your results definitely show the 100-400 is a very capable lens(along w/the 7D which I have), which explains why Canon has been in no rush to update it. Sometimes wish I got it versus what I did, but needing more versatility weighed heavily on my decision. Nice bird shots too!

Cheers,

Mark
 
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I've been tempted by the 100-400 for a while, but it is such an old design that I keep hoping they'll update it with one that has better IS (like their newer lenses). But then, maybe the price will rise by $500 then too!
 
katman68 said:
katman68 wrote:

Beautiful airshow pics - planning & patience definitely paid off! You couldn't ask for better prop blur on the P-51 in my book. Out of curiosity, were you using IS mode 2(pan)? I notice nobody else asked this.

I've found w/my 70-200/f4 IS w/1.4x II attached, using IS mode 2 oddly can hurt sharpness unless light is just terrible. Maybe not so much minus extender. I try not to use IS mode 2 for action anymore if at all possible, if light allows. Otherwise this combo is incredibly sharp.

Your results definitely show the 100-400 is a very capable lens(along w/the 7D which I have), which explains why Canon has been in no rush to update it. Sometimes wish I got it versus what I did, but needing more versatility weighed heavily on my decision. Nice bird shots too!

Cheers,

Mark
Click to expand...
Thanks a lot :)

Regarding IS, I started the day with mode 2, but quickly realised that something just wasn't working out. A lot of the time, I was shooting aircraft that were turning towards me, or approaching in a way that would render mode 2 useless due to the spot I'd picked. So I switched over to mode 1 and just left it there all day.

The 100-400 is indeed a really lovely lens, but I've heard a few people comment that it looks like I've gotten a really sharp copy. Suits me just fine, I needed the luck after one dud 50-500 and one just OK copy, when I was with Olympus!

If I had the money, I'd like to rock up to an air show with two 7Ds, the 100-400 and also the 400 5.6 (or even 400 f4!). But this year's already been crazy enough, what with the total brand switchover.....maybe next year I can go the two body route!
 
Jeff Peterman said:
Jeff Peterman wrote:

I've been tempted by the 100-400 for a while, but it is such an old design that I keep hoping they'll update it with one that has better IS (like their newer lenses). But then, maybe the price will rise by $500 then too!
Click to expand...
Yep, for sure. I wouldn't expect an updated 100-400 to cost any less than £1500. I'll grab as much of the old kit as I can, it works just fine for me :)
 
A lucky catch :)





8993273531_cc45f09194_b.jpg
 
I don't shoot airshows, but I shoot a lot of other events and two bodies makes that much easier. I typically shoot with a 70-200 f2.8L IS on one body and a 17-55 f2.8 IS on another, with a 7D and a 40D.
 
Jeff Peterman said:
Jeff Peterman wrote:

I've been tempted by the 100-400 for a while, but it is such an old design that I keep hoping they'll update it with one that has better IS (like their newer lenses). But then, maybe the price will rise by $500 then too!
Click to expand...
 
Private Custard said:
Private Custard wrote:

A lucky catch :)

8993273531_cc45f09194_b.jpg
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Nice shot! What's this plane?

I love some old planes taken all from 100-400L in the Aviation Nation 2011 airshow, the best one in US probably. It's held annual show (except this year that is cancelled) in the Nellis AFB, NV, just outside Las Vegas Strap. It's the headquarter of USAF Thunderbirds team. Weather was not good on that day in AM, started with heavy cloud in AM and hazy sunlight in PM.


A-10 Thunderbolt


F-4 Phantom


F-86 Sabre


North American B-25 Mitchell

--
http://qianp2k.zenfolio.com/
 

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qianp2k said:
qianp2k wrote:

Nice shot! What's this plane?
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It's a P-51C, named 'Princess Elizabeth', after our queen before she was queen. Amazingly, they shipped it back over to the UK from California, just for this show!

The monster in the background is a rare P-47 Razorback, in the colours of Snafu/War Eagle, a truly awesome aircraft.

I must say, your shots are lovely :)
 
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