i really want to nail this as i live under the flightpath and spend most days starring upwards.




i have the canon 100-400mm lens and this is as close as i could get. so what is the cheapest/best way to take ground air shots

thanks

Hi.
I also have a Canon 100-400 and photos like the one you are trying to make are amongst my favourites. Actually my current wallpaper is an A346 from Iberia flying over my house in Lisbon.
There is no big secret if you want to achieve those frames. The only thing you really need is good visibility and zero haze. Then it's only a matter of shooting in the best quality your camera has and while editing, use a fair amount of crop. As an example, here is an SP crusing at FL360. I did it using a 30D and the 100-400 in full power

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Photo © Miguel Claudio

I agree with M Claudio, these shots are beautiful and all people like to see the contrails, by the way my fair photo here :

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Airbu...dustrie/Airbus-A380-841/1197030/L/

but let me say today thanks to lens as the Synta 1200 mm. or the use of TC 2x the contrails shots has "changed" a lot and now you can see registration in most of them :

http://www.airliners.net/photo/KLM---Royal/Boeing-747-406M/1424258/L/

In my mind the 100-400 at full power is a bit small now,

Javier

Quoting JGR (Reply 2): In my mind the 100-400 at full power is a bit small now,

I really have to agree with you on that point and when we see photos like this one...

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Photo © Steve Morris - AirTeamImages

definitely 400mm is almost nothing. According to the remark of the photographer : Canon 600mm + 2X Teleconverter.  
Only on my wildest dreams...
But back to the op. Now that you spent a good deal of money with the 400mm (but you have the Ferrari of the lenses) you can always try a 2x converter, but good results normally take a little time to achieve.

I currently have this one in the queue at the moment also taken with the 100-400L IS



Ian

Hi,

Ian

Quoting GBOAB (Reply 4): I currently have this one in the queue at the moment also taken with the 100-400L IS

Nice contrail !

Claudio,
I was tinking exactly in this kind of contrail shot ! Stunning sharpness at 1200 mm. and flying near 900 km/h. speed... really amazing example !

But also contrails with small a/c are interestings :

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Photo © Karol Staniec

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Photo © Ivan Voukadinov - BGspotters


Regards,
Javier

Quoting GBOAB (Reply 4): I currently have this one in the queue at the moment also taken with the 100-400L IS

This is not out of the box at 400 (640mm), is it?

Vasco

Quoting AKE0404AR (Reply 6): This is not out of the box at 400 (640mm), is it? Vasco

It is definately 400mm, I wouldn't have got the quality if I had used the 1.4x or 2x converter with this lense

Well you don't need 400mm or IS, I have a 350mm with no IS and can still get the odd shot that has quality. A bit more reach and IS might help get a few more shots that are worth keeping.

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Photo © Jid Webb

Quoting GBOAB (Reply 7): It is definately 400mm,

ok, maybe I should have asked a more specific question:

Crop or no crop?

v.

Quoting AKE0404AR (Reply 9): Crop or no crop?

The photo was cropped

Ian

The one contrail shot I have here that Javier posted was taken with 100-400 and crop.

Quoting GBOAB (Reply 4): I currently have this one in the queue at the moment also taken with the 100-400L IS Ian

see your photo in on the front page, congrates.

what time of the day did you take this? i spent most of the weekend outside starring upwards trying to figure when the clearest time is. i reckon it is in the morning upto 11 ish.

also the sun was an issue as from where i was located, the sun wasn't reflecting off the aircraft so they looked dark.

Thanks, I'm pleased it got into the top 3  

Exact time was 12:45, I was lucky in that it flew right overhead me and was far enough away from the sun not to cause a problem.

Ian

ARE MY GROUND TO AIR SHOTS GOOD ENOUGH

so i tried to take some more shots as the sun was going down. i was trying to get the shutter speed as fast as possible as it was v cold and my hands were shaking.

i have saved them on my website as a unedited jpg and was wondering if any of these would be good enough for airliners.net.

i am not sure myself as zooming into the shot i can't make out the airlines (i think it is a BA 747).

please can you have a look and let me know your thoughts. each pic is 1.7 meg approx

http://www.globaltrekker.co.uk/airliners/1.jpg

http://www.globaltrekker.co.uk/airliners/2.jpg

http://www.globaltrekker.co.uk/airliners/3.jpg

http://www.globaltrekker.co.uk/airliners/4.jpg

http://www.globaltrekker.co.uk/airliners/5.jpg

http://www.globaltrekker.co.uk/airliners//6.jpg

http://www.globaltrekker.co.uk/airliners/7.jpg

http://www.globaltrekker.co.uk/airliners/8.jpg

if they are not good enough which i suspect then even 400mm is just not close enough. i assume i will have to get a 2 x teleconvertor i reckon

thanks
tom

Hi Tom

Unfortunatly none of these have the sharpness to make it. In fact all are blurry. This is one of the main issues with this kind of shot because you are using a long lens ANY camera movement is shown in your image.

Recomendations..

Don't shot with cold shaking hands! (If you are in your back garden try whiskey to stay warm)
Use IS if you have it.
Try a monopod, it does not have to be on the ground but the extra weight will give you more stability.
Don't try shooting in challenging light as you have until you have mastered shooting in good light.
The aim is for a sharp image so use the appature that gives you the best results for your lens, normally around F8.

Good luck .. Jid

jid,

many thanks for your help and you confirmed my fears.

i know that you shouldn't run before walking but with another 200mm to play with then i believe the shots would be better.

if F8 is sufficent then a 300mm lens with 2x TC should be ok

i am doing some research into the most effective affordable super zoom and will keep trying

tom

You have to remember Tom if you are struggling at 300mm if you wack a x2 on there are image stability problems will also double.

Jid

Quoting Jid (Reply 17): You have to remember Tom if you are struggling at 300mm if you wack a x2 on there are image stability problems will also double.

And, depending on the lens, you could find the autofocus doesn't work.

Quoting Jid (Reply 15): Try a monopod,

or a convenient wall/tree/something solid to lean against.

Looking at the photos I'd say you're just a bit too far away to get anything decent with a 400mm lens, you really need the planes going over the top of you.

You might get better pictures with a canon 1.4 or 2x converter on your 100-400mm. At least they'll be the best for the lens, for around £210 here....

http://www.jacobsdigital.co.uk/index...p?target=products&product_id=19578

For a primary lens going to 500mm you'll be looking at the best part of £700, at least, for the Sigma 50-500, 150-500 or Tamron 200-500, all Canon EF.

You could go for an older (Tamron) manual lens and use an M42 mount. Mirror lenses aren't brilliant, but you'll get closer.

Or you can get a telescope.

http://www.luchtzak.be/forums/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=38550&p=211886

I think im having the same issues. I live not too far away from NCL and I use a canon 450D with a Tarom 70-300 lens

Balkan on a late summer evening departure fron NCL

Balkan Holidays Charter

KLM Fokker to AMS



Anyone know how I can improve these pics?

You can't improve these pics you show, quality is too low and you are too far, 1st thing to do : you need be close to the a/c !
Javier

Quoting JGR (Reply 20): You can't improve these pics you show, quality is too low and you are too far, 1st thing to do : you need be close to the a/c !

Didnt think so, I took them from my garden and the aircraft are at about 4000-7000 feet