Camera Labs

I'd do that if I was more than one person so I can swap shifts! I just can't imagine myself camping alone at a single spot for hours on end, esp if I have to get there ahead of everyone else with the same idea. That's why I thought about wandering towards the ends where it seems less busy, judging from past photos.

If I was serious, I'd just fork out the extra for a private enclosure, but I'm not that serious...

_________________
Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Kitchen sink on standby. Is the following overkill, or should I bring even more?

8mm fisheye
15-85 zoom - thinking I'll use this most for the static displays
85/1.8 - in case I fancy trying shallow DoF on the statics
70-300 - just cos it's small enough to carry in shoulder bag on walkabout
100-400 - in backpack, will only get it out for the flying display

30GB of CF cards. I shouldn't fill them all with jpegs, so I wont take a laptop.

E-P1 with both 20/1.7 and 14-42 zoom. General wide-ish angle backup.

Umbrella - forecast possibility of showers during the day.
2L bottle of drink, random nibbles

_________________
Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Enjoy the show. I might consider a monopod as a useful accessory if you use those long lenses.
About those ear defenders ... better to have them and not use them than to need them and not have them. Some people say they don't need them ... I predict visits to audiologists later in life

_________________
Brian,
Canon 5DII, 7D, EF-S 10-22, EF 50 USM 1.4, EF-S 60 macro EF 16-35 L USM, EF 24 -15L IS USM, EF EF 100-400L, Canon SX130

I don't have anything heavy enough yet to need a monopod, at least nothing I can't hold for hours. Too late for me to look for ear protection now, unless I do get some on the day.

Getting really paranoid about traffic now. I'm not approaching on the official routes since I live between them and there's a more direct way for all but the last part. Just concerned if joining the official routes might be difficult with traffic, unless I decide to get out quite early. Saw a comment on their site saying last year someone waited 2 hours on the blue route from 8-10, which is the one I'll be joining. Maybe I should set the alarm extra-early...

_________________
Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

My own limited experience with long lenses at airshows was not so much about the weight of the lens in terms of my ability to carry it, but rather my inability to keep the focal point at 300mm from jumping all around the sky. The monopod helped me to follow fast moving targets more smoothly. But that's what worked for me. Others experience may be different.

_________________
Brian,
Canon 5DII, 7D, EF-S 10-22, EF 50 USM 1.4, EF-S 60 macro EF 16-35 L USM, EF 24 -15L IS USM, EF EF 100-400L, Canon SX130

I've had plenty of practice with (feathered) BIF so for now I don't think that's too bad. Now, I've set my alarm to go off in erm... 6 hours from now so I can get out extra early and beat the traffic. Can't get to sleep though!

_________________
Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Long day is long. Was great while I was there. Saw lots of old and new assorted coloured planes. Many of which were somewhat noisy.

Dunno how many photos I took yet. I think I held back too much, didn't fill up my cards and I even turned on raw to use up more space. Estimated total probably not even 2k shots, including many bracketed for possible HDR later. Not sure I'll bother sorting them tonight...

Low point was getting there and out again, which was a complete farce. It should not take 1 hour to go 3 miles on the way in, and I was relatively early. I didn't even go that fast getting out, as the car park I was in had a daffy steward who wouldn't let anyone out even though the neighbouring ones were practically empty. Took 2 hours to get home, of which one hour was spent waiting in the car park. So I guess at least the driving part was technically shorter...

_________________
Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Going through the pics now. Took around 3800. I guess I wasn't going that slowly after all Thankfully the sky compresses well so I think on average the images are smaller, allowing more than normal.

Have a quick sampler:


F16-AM Fighting Falcon FA-110


F16-AM Fighting Falcon FA-110


Hurricane IIc LF363


Messerschmitt Bf-109G-4 D-FWME

The faster fighter jets were relatively easy to photograph, as they moved predictably at various angles. I did suffer a bit from low contrast during the middle of the day though with the overcast cloud conditions. The old slow planes in the Battle of Britain display were harder, since they flew mostly close and level you only got to see under them. The more side on shots above were when they were a bit further out.

_________________
Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Have some more...


F-16AM this one from the Dutch, the earlier one belonged to be Belgians.


Vulcan


Tornado


F-22A


B-52H taken with a fisheye, in infrared.

_________________
Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Some great shots there. It was a fantastic day yesterday, the weather held out and the displays were awesome.

The Raptor was the highlight for me closely followed by the A400m.

Ill upload some shots once Ive gone through them.

_________________
Lee Diggle
My Astronomy Blog | My Photography Gallery

Where are the Spits?!?!?! Show me, show me....!

Have some Spitfires too...







They mostly flew level when close so I didn't get anything really decent on their top half.

_________________
Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Love the B52 shot Popo.

_________________
Nikon D80, D40 and various lenses.

Nice photos popo. B-52 is different. like it.

I went on Saturday, virtually drove straight into car park (green) just after 7:00. Then ended up at back of queue of earlier arrivals about 1/3 of a mile long!

First time at airshow with non P&S for years, whish that I'd gone to Yeovilton like Digz to get some practice in as I managed to cock-up the settings - first shutter speed too slow to hand hold @ 300mm end, then forgot to slow down for the prop shops etc etc. but had a good day.



Yes, but it was the commentary for the Raptor that cracked me up, if there had been a Boeing stall selling Raptors at the show, I'd have been there to max out my plastic after that



Nearly always get that from the crowd line these days,I think it's due to all the safety rules in place these days. I was wondering if you'd get a better view from where all the people were watching from outside the perimeter fence over the other side of the airfield?

A couple of pictures to follow if I can find any half decent ones.

PS. Got a bad case of lens envy nearly everywhere I looked, think I'll try sticking a piece of drain pipe on the end of my 55-300mm like Oddball in Kelly's Heroes

_________________
Dent, Arthur Dent.

Pentax k-30 and k-x with DAL 18-55mm and DAL 55-300mm, Tamron 18-50mm and Camera Labs Straps.

ROLF @ Arthur - he sure was getting enthusiastic in narrating the Raptor display

"And now prepare as the worlds most formidable fighter jet pulls up into the vertical, climbing to 3000ft before coming to a stall and falling backwards........"

Cracked me upto!

I might post some shots myself soon

_________________
Lee Diggle
My Astronomy Blog | My Photography Gallery