The HB Airshow is on!!

Great shots. I did an air show with 100-400mm on a A7iii and didn't have much success (lots of blurred images or missing focus. I tried 1/1000, 1/2000 and 1/4000 seconds. But I was using EFCS but at least I expect 1/1000 to be somehow workable). It's my first airshow shooting so I'm obviously learning.

So may I ask: 1) are you using mechanical shutter or electronic? 2) Are you using OSS Mode 1 or 2 (or none) 3) Anything of note that you may share?

Thanks!

I am shooting mechanical shutter APS-C High Speed Shutter preferred at 1/2000 with auto Iso. The lens is in mode 2 (scanning )most if the time - wasn’t always paying attention. Focus is wide responsive. I had spot meter regular - which might be a mistake.

One thing that I did with the R3 was go manual with auto ISO - it seemed to improve tracking speed and focus.. try it.

Glenn Barber said:

lovehifi said:

Awesomeness! Great shots! Have not had a chance to use my R4 yet on shots like that. Thanks for giving me some confidence that is very capable.

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I have had every edition of the A7R, mostly using them for landscape while shooting action with my Canon gear, I unloaded the Canon gear with the R2 to some disappointment. Even the A7R3 resulted in frustration. Finally, the speed of shooting in APS-C, focus acquisition, and recoverable detail are so much better than even the A7R3, it's almost hard to compare.

However, there is definitely something strange going on with exposure on point of focus when shooting in high speed, I'll get one shot in a sequence that is like no other, sort of washed out, with sensor dust visible like it was F22 but the readout exposure is the same as the others in the sequence. For the airshow I am thinking should have gone full manual.

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Interesting. If you figure out the issue let us know if it’s a camera or setting issue.

Glenn Barber said:

Here's a shot I recovered which was almost two stops underexposed, its close to 100% crop. Anybody know what this is??


Blue Angels Memorial Flyby

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You have some good photos, I also like that colorful smoky plane photo.

My only suggestion is to try to use much slower shutter in prop-driven plane such as this one. Under fast shutter, the propellers will be frozen in midair that gives a surreal look that the plane is stalled and going to drop

Prop-drive plane is the biggest challenge in airshow events to me (and many others) as if you want to use very slow shutter in panning mode to generate blurry propellers look.







Also during plane taking off and landing time, also can try slow shutter in panning mode to have a motion look.









But slow shutter has several challenges - 1) much easier to have a motion blur ruining photos, 2) aperture jumping very high under bright sunlight while A7r IV PDAF stop working at f11, also diffraction effect will be more obvious, 3) tiny dusts on sensor now get much amplified. Therefore I use ISO 50 in panning (as a ND filter is not that practical in airshow events) but then ISO 50 cannot be added into auto-ISO in Sony cameras (that is one of my main complaints). Therefore I configured into two modes - dial 1 for prop-plane (ISO 50, Tv or Shutter priority), dial 2 for jet planes (auto-ISO, M-mode with 6.3 and 1/2000 default). Also configured an Install-Recall in dial 1 mode for dial 2 setting in case a jet plane suddenly flying in when I shoot under dial 1 mode.

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Here's the Canadian team with 9 jets. Lots of smoky rollovers in formation. Last is my fav of the bunch.

All good points.. my last air show a few years ago with the A7R2 was a complete disappointment and I really didn't know what to expect with the A7R4. Next time I'll slow the shutter a bit for the props. However these were really long shots and tightly cropped. I'd be concerned that I'd either get eaten by Sony's famous dust spots or a bit too much shake. As it was I had a few spots I needed to cleanup in post.



Here's a couple where I could have used that advice

This one slowly drifted by - easy shot...

The Brits Bus





The Brits Big Bus




USAF




Refueling Demo

This is the last of it for tonight... thanks everyone for looking...

Two brave dudes...

Glenn Barber said:

Here's a nose to nose thunderbird flyby. Kind of an extreme crop.

I was panning on the plane coming from the left. The one on the right was passing at a relative 700mph - so its a bit blurred, I would like to figure out how to get both sharp - other than guessing the intersection and shooting at 1/5000 or more.

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yes, panning would have contributed to motion blur on the right-hand plane, since the camera was going in the opposite direction.

i'm at 1/2500th when I shoot surfing at hb, and that is a lot slower than these planes; try increasing the shutter speed, and pan ahead to really lucky with that intersection spot :-0 who says that we don't need talent with modern gear?

nice set of pics!

Member said:

Thunderbird nose to nose

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Nice! Lucky you that jet fighters were part of the show. Just had a local Out West Airshow here in Prescott, AZ. We only had a 60's era British jet and an Air Force tanker. Alone with a B-17, P-51, Avenger Dive Bomber, and various stunt planes.

Glenn Barber said:

Here's a shot I recovered which was almost two stops underexposed, its close to 100% crop. Anybody know what this is??


Blue Angels Memorial Flyby

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I don’t think anybody answered yet - I believe it’s a Grumman Bearcat. I feel a bit weird for answering though... :-D

Very nice images! Thnxs for posting! Good to read, that the A7RIV never missed focus (where the A7RIII did, as you said); upgrade in focussing seems clear here!

Hmm, I knew I shoulda gone to Huntington Beach last weekend..!

Mike

Helen said:

Glenn Barber said:

Here's a shot I recovered which was almost two stops underexposed, its close to 100% crop. Anybody know what this is??


Blue Angels Memorial Flyby

Click to expand...

I don’t think anybody answered yet - I believe it’s a Grumman Bearcat. I feel a bit weird for answering though... :-D

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You are absolutely right - looking at the picture full size I can see the aircraft name under the number 1 on the tail.

I looked it up.

"The Grumman F8F Bearcat is an American single-engine carrier-based fighter aircraft introduced in late World War II. It served during the mid-20th century in the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, and the air forces of other nations."

They put the biggest possible engine in the smallest and lightest frame they could so it could climb like crazy... That's why it looks like a motor with wings

Glenn Barber said:

I am shooting mechanical shutter APS-C High Speed Shutter preferred at 1/2000 with auto Iso. The lens is in mode 2 (scanning )most if the time - wasn’t always paying attention. Focus is wide responsive. I had spot meter regular - which might be a mistake.

One thing that I did with the R3 was go manual with auto ISO - it seemed to improve tracking speed and focus.. try it.

Click to expand...

All great shots. Impressive by both the photographer and the equipment.

I am very new to Sony (about a week or so) and I have a current thread asking about focus modes for subjects in flight with my A7R IV. MILC man suggested using Wide Focus instead of the Tracking I was using and I'm going to try it. Above you state "Focus is wide responsive." I see the Menu item for Wide, but don't see options within that choice. Help for a newbie to Sony is appreciated (here or in my thread). Thanks

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mujana said:

Very nice images! Thnxs for posting! Good to read, that the A7RIV never missed focus (where the A7RIII did, as you said); upgrade in focussing seems clear here!

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I don't get to air shows very often, however this camera really nails birds in flight low over water, against foliage, etc. That's where I am really enjoying it as an upgrade to the A7R3.

Glenn Barber said:

mujana said:

Very nice images! Thnxs for posting! Good to read, that the A7RIV never missed focus (where the A7RIII did, as you said); upgrade in focussing seems clear here!

Click to expand...

I don't get to air shows very often, however this camera really nails birds in flight low over water, against foliage, etc. That's where I am really enjoying it as an upgrade to the A7R3.

Click to expand...

I never had or used an A7RIII, but coming from the A7RII it certainly is a huge upgrade. Nice to know it’s also better than A7RIII in focussing (like I suspected with the new tracking).

VisionLight said:

Glenn Barber said:

I am shooting mechanical shutter APS-C High Speed Shutter preferred at 1/2000 with auto Iso. The lens is in mode 2 (scanning )most if the time - wasn’t always paying attention. Focus is wide responsive. I had spot meter regular - which might be a mistake.

One thing that I did with the R3 was go manual with auto ISO - it seemed to improve tracking speed and focus.. try it.

Click to expand...

All great shots. Impressive by both the photographer and the equipment.

I am very new to Sony (about a week or so) and I have a current thread asking about focus modes for subjects in flight with my A7R IV. MILC man suggested using Wide Focus instead of the Tracking I was using and I'm going to try it. Above you state "Focus is wide responsive." I see the Menu item for Wide, but don't see options within that choice. Help for a newbie to Sony is appreciated (here or in my thread). Thanks

Click to expand...

I saw this thread from the Forum

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/63135748

"Cam1 tab, page 6 ... set "AF Tracking Sen" to Responsive"