WILCO737 From Greenland, joined Jun 2004, 8473 posts, RR: 78 Posted (8 years 2 weeks 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 2247 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW HEAD MODERATOR
Hello everybody,
I bought a new camera and lense about 4 weeks ago, I bought the Canon EOS 300D, I think most of you know this camera! I am using a lense 28-300mm and I took some good shots with my friends etc etc.
But what I cant do: taking good pictures of aircrafts
Most of them are kind of unsharp! There it doesn't matter if the aircraft is running down the runway fast or standing still on the parking stand or so! They just turn out kind of unsharp!
Settings: f5.6; 1/2000 exposure time; ISO200; and it was a nice bright and sunny day...
I took several pics of it and they all turned out kind of unsharp.
And here another picture! It turned out pretty grainy and blurry and dark, but I used pretty much the same settings: f6.3; 1/1600 exposure time and ISO200 at the same light conditions...
Maybe you guys can help me because most of you take REALLY great pictures and I want take such pics, too!
So, I appreciate every answer...
On http://www.wilco737.de you can see some more pics I took, and they are edited and sharpened. What do you think of them? What can I do to make them better?
Fergulmcc From Ireland, joined Oct 2004, 1916 posts, RR: 54 Reply 1, posted (8 years 2 weeks 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 2238 times:
Wilco
Are you processing them through photoshop. All digital images are soft, the degree of softness depends on you wallet, i.e. What lenses you can afford. You should still be able to get good photos with the lens that you have but maybe stick to the days with good light.
All photos need to be processed in photoshop and if you want you can send me an e-mail and I will forward you on my workflow on how I process my shots.
With the first photo try to avoid the fence getting in the way, get a small step ladder to get above the fence.
Mighluss From Spain, joined Oct 2001, 928 posts, RR: 9 Reply 2, posted (8 years 2 weeks 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 2229 times:
At what focal distance were done those? if you zoom in too much, your have to use less aperture (of course, I'm not talking about those pretty L-IS whatever lenses, I can't afford ).
For example, a photo done at 250mm. (and in a sunny day) will be better to use f9 and a slower shutter, this way, photos will come sharper.
JumboJim747 From Australia, joined Oct 2004, 2462 posts, RR: 50 Reply 5, posted (8 years 2 weeks 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 2224 times:
Hey PHIL the best advice i got from everyone here was to stick to AV mode in the camera and stay around the F8 area.
I now just leave my camera on F8 in av mode and let the camera worry about the shutter speed.
And also you say your shooting at 200 ISO try to go down to 100 and if the light is bad then go up to 200 if you have too.
The 300D has also got settings for sharpening you can change the sharpening on it but dont go down below the middle setting.
Quoting Fergulmcc (Reply 1): All photos need to be processed in photoshop and if you want you can send me an e-mail and I will forward you on my workflow on how I process my shots.
And a great workflow at that im using it as i speak and finding it very helpful indeed.
Jid From Barbados, joined Dec 2004, 960 posts, RR: 35 Reply 6, posted (8 years 2 weeks 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 2200 times:
Wilco, it looks like you have been using the Auto setting on your 300D. First shot was ISO200, F5.6, 1/1000sec - second shot was ISO200, F6.3, 1/1250sec. No Exposure Bias was applied. For fairly static shots of aircraft like that in good light try using you 300D in AV mode, ISO100 and set the aperture to around F8 - F9. Normally most lens are at their sharpest when they are stopped down to that size.
Always check the histogram after you have taken a shot and try and get the main peak in the most central part of the graph. If it is all bunched to the left then if is slightly underexposing so increase the exposure bias slightly. If the graph is all to the right then knock the bias down slightly. This is a simplistic explaination of how these functions work but should point you in the right direction.
Cheers .. Jid
G7EPN is back after 15 years! Operating all Bands 80mtrs -> 70cms QRZ DX
WILCO737 From Greenland, joined Jun 2004, 8473 posts, RR: 78 Reply 7, posted (8 years 2 weeks 5 days 19 hours ago) and read 2172 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW HEAD MODERATOR
hi Jid,
well actually I didnt use the Auto funcion, I used the Av funcion and set f5.6 and let the camera do the rest of the stuff!
I didnt work with the exposure bias yet. Maybe I should
And I have another question: how do you know the settings of those pictures?! Obviously the camera and PC stores them, but I dont know where to find them...
Staffan From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 8, posted (8 years 2 weeks 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 2169 times:
Quoting WILCO737 (Reply 7): And I have another question: how do you know the settings of those pictures?! Obviously the camera and PC stores them, but I dont know where to find them...
Most image viewers have options to display EXIF data. In windows XP you can right click the file and choose properties and in one of the boxes the data will show.
Erwin972 From Netherlands, joined May 2004, 499 posts, RR: 49 Reply 9, posted (8 years 2 weeks 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 2168 times:
Hi Phil,
To look at the settings - also called EXIF data - go to windows explorer, right click on the file, go to properties and search for advanced on one of the tabs.
You can also look at them in Photoshop.
I looked at both shots: first shot might also be soft because of the distance: the influence of the atmosphere at work here. The second one is very dark because of the metering that is looking at the very bright landing lights, and thus underexposing the shot.
Other things already mentioned, when there is enough light:
- Av mode
- F8
- Iso 100
- work with some exposure bias, underexpose with complete white liveries in the bright sun, overexpose when head-ons with bright lamps shining at you...
- explorer the possibilities of shooting RAW - leaves you more options during post-processing to save the shot.
Next time I am at FRA it is time for a crash course ?
Fergulmcc From Ireland, joined Oct 2004, 1916 posts, RR: 54 Reply 10, posted (8 years 2 weeks 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 2164 times:
Quoting WILCO737 (Reply 7): I used the Av funcion and set f5.6 and let the camera do the rest of the stuff!
Wilco, like the others have said, change the apperture to f8-f11. Thers is no need to select f5.6 on a sunny day. Also you may have problems with your depth of field when using this apperture. Keep the ISO low and use Large and fine JPEG.
JRadier From Netherlands, joined Sep 2004, 4597 posts, RR: 51 Reply 12, posted (8 years 2 weeks 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 2125 times:
Quoting WILCO737 (Reply 11): you can show me how to use my camera Wink
don't bother, he only owns a shitty Nikon . Nah just kidding, Erwin knows how to handle a camera. I'll try to get to FRA sometime as well, just to make sure he doesn't talk you into Nikon stuff.
[Edited 2005-05-03 13:01:28]
For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and ther