D7000 and Aviation

Big aviation buff here and I'm just itching to try out my new D7000 at an air show. Luckily there are two in my area coming up in the near future - Wings Over Addison, Addison TX on Sept 29 and the Fort Worth Alliance Air Show coming up on Nov. 6th.

The only lenses I have right now for the D7000 are the kit 18-200mm and the 35mm f/1.8, so I'm planning on using the 18-200mm. Won't even have the camera broke in good yet by the 29th, so If anybody has some tips or suggested settings for this camera and lens combo related to aviation they want to pass along I would sure appreciate it.

Dave

I have taken thousands of pictures of aircraft, first with my D3000 and now with my D5100. In all honesty, when taking pics of aircraft at the airport, i just throw my camera into Auto.... yes, guilty as charged. However, because of the changing weather at the airport - cloud cover, amount of sun, etc. - i feel it's best for me to put it in Auto. I say this because instead of trying to change a setting and losing a shot, the camera will do it for you. This really comes in handy with the changing environment as i mentioned before, also because aircraft are coming in or taking off in multiple directions. Anyhow, this is the only time i use Auto - maybe shame on me - and certainly is nothing that you should follow. It jsut works for me in this instance and it helps me just enjoy being out there and not worrying about settings. The 18-200 will be great and i think all you will really need. Work on your paning technique and don't stop panning when you take the shot, follow through with your pan while taking the shot, just like skeet shooting. Have fun

I say Pick a lens you want to try and rent it. Rented the 70-300 vr last weekend. Hardest thing to do was ship it back this morning. I used it for the Naval Air Station Show this past Saturday.

I used lensrentals.com, but I'm sure there are many others available.

Thanks AC016, I'm thinking about getting out by the highway and practice panning trucks as they fly by.

Mike150, I've been thinking about renting a longer reach lens for the Fort Worth show, but I'm concerned I won't be knowledgeable or practiced enough with the AF system in the D7000 to get most out of it. It's kind of the same - but way different than the Canon AF systems I'm used to, if you know what I mean. Still, having a long reach 400 or 500mm for the weekend would be awesome!

BTW Mike, that's an awesome shot!

Had my 1st go at aviation shots last weekend at the Leuchars Airshow here in Scotland. Had the Sigma 150-500mm on my DK7. All hand held shots.. my arms are still aching!
Here are a few shots. The 1st 3 are of the Red Arrows RAF display team. The 4th of a Typhoon fighter.

portybear said:

Had my 1st go at aviation shots last weekend at the Leuchars Airshow here in Scotland. Had the Sigma 150-500mm on my DK7. All hand held shots.. my arms are still aching!
Here are a few shots. The 1st 3 are of the Red Arrows RAF display team. The 4th of a Typhoon fighter.

Click to expand...

Nice shots. My advice, get a monopod to work with the long and heavy lenses. You can still be very mobile but you don't have to hold the darn thing all day.

portybear said:

Had my 1st go at aviation shots last weekend at the Leuchars Airshow here in Scotland. Had the Sigma 150-500mm on my DK7. All hand held shots.. my arms are still aching!
Here are a few shots. The 1st 3 are of the Red Arrows RAF display team. The 4th of a Typhoon fighter.

Click to expand...

That is a beast of a lens portybear, but it is reasonable price wise and those are some awesome shots.

Good idea on the monopod Marcel. The Fort Worth show is scheduled to have the Thunderbirds, Canadian Snow Birds, The Horsemen, Tora Tora Tora, The Navy East Coast Hornet Demonstration Team and a whole lot more. Gonna need all the support I can get!

I have those two lenses and the 18-200 worked GREAT at our airshow a couple of months ago....we just went up to Denali National Park and drove in and rented two sigma 55-500....omfg....those are some beauties...we have to buy one (or two) now.

Just ordered a 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED IF AF-S VR Nikkor lens to try out. Should have it by mid week so I'll have time to practice with it before the show in Addison Saturday. The price was right, so I'll see how it works out. Still want to someday get up in the 400mm, 500mm range for wildlife and airshows.

Don't put it in auto. I fear you'll regret it! At least use shutter priority! Generally for airshows, I'd suggest a shutter speed no slower than 1/640, Aperture anywhere between f/8 - f/11 for sharpness and ISO 400-800. This will generally work for most in-flight airshow situations. ISO can be bumped if you get particularly dark cloud cover.

These were with my old D40, by the way:

1/650, f/9, ISO400

Red Arrows by Forkie, on Flickr

1/640, f/10, ISO400:

Frecce Tricolori by Forkie, on Flickr

1/640, f/11, ISO400,

French Air Force Rafale Burn by Forkie, on Flickr

With my previous cameras I typically shot static displays with aperture priority (anywhere from wide-open to 16 depending on lens and the shot), auto ISO and standard AF. For aerial displays I would use shutter priority (1/150 or so for prop aircraft, 1/500 + for jets), auto ISO and area focus in servo mode. I'll probably start out with the equivalent on the D7000 and see how it goes.

Yes, don't do like naughty me and put it in Auto! Though, i never regretted it. But, certainly is not something i want others doing and having them blame me.