R5 on AirPower 2022

Joe Reynolds wrote:

>>With Vehicle (or None tracking), AF worked over 99% of the time (in over 20,000 photos) to the point that I could concentrate on framing (zoom and positioning in the frame) and panning technique.<<<

With planes there is not a clutter around so not surprising “object” tracking is decent.
--
---------
https://www.flickr.com/photos/joereynolds3/

I have been practicing and experimenting at the public plane spotting location at DFW (they can get ~100 people on a busy evening) in prep for Wings Over Houston in October and Wings over Dallas in November. I'm trying to see what shutter speeds to use and to improve my panning technique.

There is some form of radio tower very near where planes touch down. I was impressed how the Vehicle tracking stayed locked on the plane and didn't get distracted/switch focus as the plane passed behind the radio tower. The first 4 pictures below are from about a 40-picture burst taken with the R5 and the RF100-500 with 1.4x TC. I selected one from before, a couple during, and one after the radio tower. The second two are from a take-off roll with a lot of junk in the background and the plane moving slower.

Many planes touched down or started their takeoff roll just short of that tower, and the camera stayed locked onto the plane. I also didn't seem to have problems with many planes or buildings in the background. It may have helped that I was panning with the plane, it may also help that the tracking had already "sized" the subject, but whatever I thought, the focus stayed locked on the plane well. I very rarely lost the focus lock on a plane once it was acquired.

Before tower

crossing behind tower 1

Crossing behind tower 2

Past tower and still the focus is locked

From at taking off sequence so the plane is moving slower and with a busier backround

Still, the focus is locked onto the plane as it rolled behind the tower