Lens for Airshows

[Oggy]

Anyone out there using a Pentax for aircraft in flight photography?

If so, what lens do you use? 300mm doesn't seem to be long enough and my Sigma 150-500 produces very average results.

Am I doomed to have to buy a C***n setup?

[Done_rundleCams]

Am I doomed to have to buy a C***n setup?

Hi Oggy,


God no, you could, also, be doomed to buying a Nikon/Fuji, Sony/Konica-Minolta or Olympus set up, as well

Seriously, check out this Pentax user and Airplane photographer on DPR

Cheers,

Jack

[Dave_Cox]

I use a Pentax K10 and K20 for airshows with a Sigma 50-500mm. The results are good enough to be published, and for a couple of A3 size prints to be sold. The 150-500mm should also be producing similar quality - it certainly does on my wife's D200.
Last year the weather was cr*p at both Shoreham and Dunsfold, but some photos using the K10/K20 and 50-500 can be seen here:
Shoreham 2007Flikr set
Dunsfold 2008

and with the Nikon / 150-500 combi:
Dunsfold:
Spursgirls pics

[jeallen01]

We have had this type of discussion before on a number of occasions - see here
http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk.../page/3#743057

These were some of my shots from Waddington and Flying Legends (Duxford) last year, as linked in that thread - mostly with a Sigma 70-200 F2.8 with a Kenko 1.4xTC .
]http://www.flickr.com/photos/33676977@N07[/url]

As I said then, I am not too sure that a really "long" lens is necessary - particularly with a Pentax, most of which are not the speediest of autofocusers! Another problem, which seems to be true about the very long Sigmas is that they need to be stopped down at least 1, if not 2, stops to get really good results - and then you have to drop the shutter speed or up the ISO, both of which could affect the quality of the results (especially if you are struggling with the weight/limited coverage/wide zoom range that a really long lens brings.

Those factors can make it difficult to accurately frame an aircraft when it is flying past you at speed - and that results in lots of chopped noses/tails/wings which can spoil otherwise decent and sharp shots!

Personally, I thinks something like a good 100-300 with a max aperture of at F4.0 will do the job well - I am now using the Sigma with a Sigma APO 1.4xTC, and that worked quite well at the Shuttleworth display about a month ago, especially since I found I was taking most shots at around 150-250mm. OTOH, when I tried the Sigma APO 2xTC, the focusing was too slow.

A lot depends on how close you are to the actual flying. At Shuttleworth, you are actually pretty close, and the display does not usually go too high. OTOH, at Duxford, Southend-on-Sea, etc., the display can be quite a way off, and then the extra pulling of a 400/500mm lens would be useful - but I don't think I would want to carry the weight around all day!

Generally, the KISS principle is as valid here as anywhere else - the more complex the setup, the more difficult it is to get the best results, or at least I find that to be true. :-)

John

[Oggy]

Thanks for the replies. I took the 150-500 to Shoreham airport along with my Pentax 55-300 and snapped a few Cessnas and I have to say that the results were very average (the light was rather poor) and that crops from the 55-300 looked quite good next to the 150-500 shots. Nothing really bright or sharp.

The problem is that if I am going to buy a Pentax lens, I need to act quickly as the prices are about to go balistic.

In thirty od years of engineering, the KISS principle has served me well. That solution would be a DA*300 (with or without a t/c) and I suspect that is probably the best way to go, but it does loose the versatility of a zoom. Option two would be to buy a DA"60-250 (with or without a t/c). I doubt the iq would be quite as good as the prime. OTOH, it would mean I could sell my DA*50-135 and DA55-300.

The third option is the nuclear one where I flog all my Pentax and go C***n. With the prices of Pentax going up, I guess the second hand prices should be quite good.

Looking at the UKAR website, they had a who uses what thread and i was not too surprised find C***n outnumbered Pentax 10-1. What did surprise me was that they also outnumbered N***n 3-1.

[Done_rundleCams]

Canon EF 100-400 L -- £1290


Pentax DA 300/4 @ £935

Canon EF 300/4 IS @ £1179

Seems like the Pentax 300/4 is a bit of a bargain

Cheers,

Jack

[Monobod]

I had a browse on the WHE site and was amazed to see that my Sigma 100-300 f/4 has gone up in price from £725 to over £1100. Boy, am I glad I bought it when I did.

I to use it with the Sogma 1.4x converter and find the AF to be quite good. It is heavy, but can be hand held using one hand under the lens on the zoom ring.

[Oggy]

Canon EF 100-400 L -- £1290


Pentax DA 300/4 @ £935

Canon EF 300/4 IS @ £1179

Seems like the Pentax 300/4 is a bit of a bargain

Cheers,

Jack

It depends. If it does the job then yes, but it seems to me that I need at least 400mm.

I also think that price is usually a rough guide to quality.

Decisions decisions !

[Monobod]

I also think that price is usually a rough guide to quality.

Unless you are refering to politicians......

[jeallen01]

Just glad I bought my lenses before now
- Sigma 10-20mm - £299 from SRS in early 2008 - now £389
- Sigma 70-200 F2.8 (early version) - £400 S/H from Mifsuds in May (ish) 2008 - not sure how much a s/h one would be now (if you can find one) but a new one is £650 or more.
- Pentax 55-300 - £220 (ish) from SRS in Sept 2009 - now £199,so SOME prices have dropped!
- Sigma 1.4TC - £129 in Dec 2009 from WHE - now £185 or more
- Sigma 2.0xTC - £100 from Cameraworld in Jan 2009 Sale - now £220 or more)

If I wanted to buy them now => Y-OUCH! (that's my credit card squeeling!)

[Done_rundleCams]

Canon EF 100-400 L -- £1290


Pentax DA 300/4 @ £935

Canon EF 300/4 IS @ £1179

Seems like the Pentax 300/4 is a bit of a bargain

Cheers,

Jack

It depends. If it does the job then yes, but it seems to me that I need at least 400mm.

I also think that price is usually a rough guide to quality.

Decisions decisions !

Hi Oggy,

From SRS Microsystems:

Sigma 120-400 @ £599

Sigma 150-500 @ £729

That along with your new K7 .... you should be happy for (at least) three(3) years or 28,000 miles ..right David

Cheers,

Jack

[Oggy]

I've got the 150-500, and I just cannot get the sharpness I see in other peoples' photos.

So I have been bad.




Very bad.



Very very bad.

With the iminent price rise in mind, I got on to SRS and ordered a DA* 300...


and a DA* 60-250


Abd while I was at it, a DA*16-50 somehow fetched up in my basket - no idea how,

Now all I have to do is find a T/C that preserves SDM.

Should get a nice box on Thursday

[GDN]

Just glad I bought my lenses before now
- Sigma 10-20mm - £299 from SRS in early 2008 - now £389
- Sigma 70-200 F2.8 (early version) - £400 S/H from Mifsuds in May (ish) 2008 - not sure how much a s/h one would be now (if you can find one) but a new one is £650 or more.
- Pentax 55-300 - £220 (ish) from SRS in Sept 2009 - now £199,so SOME prices have dropped!
- Sigma 1.4TC - £129 in Dec 2009 from WHE - now £185 or more
- Sigma 2.0xTC - £100 from Cameraworld in Jan 2009 Sale - now £220 or more)

If I wanted to buy them now => Y-OUCH! (that's my credit card squeeling!)

I assume you mean 2008 in some cases? or can you see into the future...

[GDN]

...So I have been bad.
...
ordered a DA* 300...
and a DA* 60-250
a DA*16-50

lol thats the type of thing I do and then regret it until the box turns up... lol

Enjoy.

[Done_rundleCams]

...So I have been bad.
...
ordered a DA* 300...
and a DA* 60-250
a DA*16-50

lol thats the type of thing I do and then regret it until the box turns up... lol

Enjoy.

Been there, done that, got the credit card receipts to prove it and the
photo's to prove it was worth it

Cheers,

Jack

[jeallen01]

- Pentax 55-300 - £220 (ish) from SRS in Sept 2009 - now £199,so SOME prices have dropped!

I assume you mean 2008 in some cases? or can you see into the future...

Of course!

[jeallen01]

Sigma 70-200 F2.8 + Sigma TC1.4 + Photoshop Elements 6 cropping & Solarization!:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33676977@N07/3752784143/

I think the original is pretty good but I really like this shot, although there are a couple of dirt marks on the sensor which I need to clone out!

[jeallen01]

Corrected version of the solarized print

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33676977@N07/3758680343/

Sigma 70-200 F2.8 @ F5.6 & 1/180S + Sigma TC1.4x

[Oggy]

Did Shoreham at the weekend so I thought I would post my findings. One or two decent shots with the 150-500 and the 60-250, but the class act was the DA*300. My nose did not fall off with surprise when I found this out. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[jeallen01]

Did Shoreham at the weekend so I thought I would post my findings. One or two decent shots with the 150-500 and the 60-250, but the class act was the DA*300. My nose did not fall off with surprise when I found this out. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

What did I say about a 300mm lens being about right?
Although I expect that at some airshows (as commented above) it might be a bit too long when the aircraft are flying close to you, which is where the zoom range I mentioned comes in handy. However, I think the Pentax 60-250 is pushing the zoom multiplier (at 4 to 1) a bit too far for this sort of work, where 3 to 1 is probably as far as most of us would want to go.

Nevertheless, just wish I could afford a DA300!