D810: a what is the best setup to shoot Blue Angels?

I have a D810 and am going to see Blue Angels. I usually do not shoot action subjects but my D810 is set on AF-C with a single focus point displayed in the VF controlled by the AF-ON button.

what would you suggest for settings to capture the aircraft flying in close proximity overhead as I pan to track the subject?

I've shot the Angels with single point before "group" focus was invented and it worked fine. However if I were shooting today, I'd try group for some of the shots, seems like it's made for that. Keep your shutter speed as high as you can with ISO as low as you can, close down the f-stop a tad to get the most out of your lens(s) and do an EV comp of +.3 - .7 depending on how bright the sky is. Assuming you'll shoot RAW. During the pre-show, there will be prop planes. Keep your shutter slow enough to blur the props, usually slower than 1/320th. You're already set with AF-C. (I prefer "release" vs. the other options) Have a good show!

glo

leicaman said:

I have a D810 and am going to see Blue Angels. I usually do not shoot action subjects but my D810 is set on AF-C with a single focus point displayed in the VF controlled by the AF-ON button.

what would you suggest for settings to capture the aircraft flying in close proximity overhead as I pan to track the subject?

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I use 3D for air shows from all the way back to the D7000 days. Tracking is excellent.

But I would worry more about motion blur. Both of mine have some, sadly









--
Are you a photographer or a technician?

Some tips:

• You will need a telephoto lens. Zoom is better. I'd recommend at least 200mm. 300mm + is better. Do not feel afraid to use the 1.2x or the DX crop modes either to fill the frame.
• Aperture: As you will probably have good natural light available, try f/4 or f/5.6 for grater sharpness.
• Shutter Speed: Make it work fast. At least 1/1000. Or faster than that for hand held, and if VR/VC/IR is not availible.
• ISO: Use auto-ISO. With natural light, it will mostly be use low most of the time, but the auto-ISO can compensate and adjust for any variation.
• With auto-ISO activated, you could set your camera for M/manual mode, with either f/4 or f/5.6 fixed aperture, and 1/1000 plus as shutter speed, and let the camera work the ISO by itself, automatically. It's like a manual mode priority.
• Focus: Use the Group Focus or the 9 Points AF modes, and remember that you will be focusing at infinity most of the time. So AF-C with AF-On button is your best setting, for sure. This way you can focus at infinity, lock it for flying subjects, and just change it again for grounded/close-up subjects.
• Do not shoot only flying subjects. If possible, get the ground operations as well. Get a close ups to the cockpits and the pilots. Shoot the smoke. Zoom down to get several planes together. Decrease the shutter speed to 1/500 or less, if you want to get motion captured. Be creative!

And have fun!!

InTheMist said:

leicaman said:

I have a D810 and am going to see Blue Angels. I usually do not shoot action subjects but my D810 is set on AF-C with a single focus point displayed in the VF controlled by the AF-ON button.

what would you suggest for settings to capture the aircraft flying in close proximity overhead as I pan to track the subject?

Click to expand...

I use 3D for air shows from all the way back to the D7000 days. Tracking is excellent.

But I would worry more about motion blur. Both of mine have some, sadly

--
Are you a photographer or a technician?
http://inthemistphoto.com

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Are you kiddin me, these look great you can see the heat from the exhaust.

--

Manfrotto gimbal on tripod would be nice for that job...

I would disagree that you need as high shutter speed as possible. 1/1000 to 1/1250 is plenty fast enough for jets. I have shot the Blue Angels and the Thunderbird a dozen times. You don't really need VR at that shutter speed. Shooting prop planes is a different story. I don't think tripod is practical unless you have a lens that you can't handhold. I saw someone shooting props at 1/1600 giving advice to another member about how to shoot airshow... I guess everyone has his own technique.

Just my two cents.

kdrk888 said:

Shooting prop planes is a different story.

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And copters. To elaborate on your answer the best prop planes / copters image leave the propeller(s) blurred by a small bit (from ~ an 1/8th of a turn with 4 blade propeller, but up to 1/4 of a turn with 2 blade propellers) which convey a sense of motion.

But the O/P probably knew that.

Now, what kind of machines the Blue Angels fly on ;-)

--
Thierry - posted as regular forum member

TOF guy said:

kdrk888 said:

Shooting prop planes is a different story.

Click to expand...

And copters. To elaborate on your answer the best prop planes / copters image leave the propeller(s) blurred by a small bit (from ~ an 1/8th of a turn with 4 blade propeller, but up to 1/4 of a turn with 2 blade propellers) which convey a sense of motion.

But the O/P probably knew that.

Now, what kind of machines the Blue Angels fly on ;-)

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They fly blue plane! ;-). I actually had my picture taken with one of the pilots after the show last week. For props I use 1/125 to 1/250. If anyone wants to see some great stuff, check this out: http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/600984/0

I have shot the Blue Angels over the years with a few different set up, this week end I get another chance to do so. This time I will be shooting with my D800e + Tamron 150-600mm, Raw. I did shoot them earlier this year in Lancaster, CA see below - I used my D800e + Nikkor 400mm f2.8 (Sweet lens) see some samples with Exif used:




























Which way is up?






Near Miss at 350MPH!!!













I will be in Miramar this Saturday shooting these exciting machines and their amazing Pilots. The new F35 will also be on Static display...BTW I have a like new Sigma 50-500 OS HSM for Nikon and Pentax (yes I have both) that is available, I have not used it after I received the Tamron 150-600.

Its going to be a wild blue yonder.

These are some nice shots. May I ask why your shutter speed varied so much? from 1/600 to 1/6000?

vbuhay,

Looks like you're going to have nice weather. The forecasted high for Orange County is ~100 on Saturday, but only ~86 for San Diego.

Enjoy the show!

It has been 6 months but as I recall I rented the Nikkor 400mm f2.8 due to its reputation as a really sharp lens. I got it on a Friday and shot a few frames at the Bolsa Chica nature reserve near where I live. In testing the lens I shot BIF subjects with this lens. I read somewhere that the lens is sharpest between f4.5 - F6.3. So I shot it those apertures and let the shutter speed float to get the right exposure. I used ISO 100 to keep it as clean as possible. I think I used AF S as single point for exposure, I would most likely use a different setting this time around. Because of the rapid action series of shots (CH 4FPS). There was the possibility that some of the shots was exposed for the sky thus the wide shutter speed swings. I did a bit of Post processing thanks to the RAW FILEs I was able to save some of the best frames. I have since learned to use AF ON I will be using this technique on Saturday.

I am thinking this time I will use X1.2(CH 5fps), Manual f6.3, 1/800 - 1/3200sec, AFC 51 focus point Center weighted (AFS and single point for static displays), Auto ISO except for propped planes and helicopters, I might have to go to around 1/200 - 1/400 sec. for those.

Good shooting!

Its going to be really hot at the tarmac specially if its a cloudless day, but it will be fun!!

I took some shots of the Thunderbirds at the Salinas Air Show last weekend. I used 1/1000s to 1/2000s, and AF-C (21 points?). No VR was used (not needed). I used D5300 w 28-300. My D810 will arrive this Fri

Great shots.... love to see some blue sky and fluffy clouds to get more depth this weekend in Miramar Air Show.

vbuhay said:

Great shots.... love to see some blue sky and fluffy clouds to get more depth this weekend in Miramar Air Show.

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Thanks. Good luck!

I always look for foreground.

vbuhay said:

Great shots.... love to see some blue sky and fluffy clouds to get more depth this weekend in Miramar Air Show.

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The show in Las Vegas in November will be fantastic, so many performers. Too bad I won't be able to make it.

Great catch Jim!