FlyFloats From Canada, joined Jan 2005, 43 posts, RR: 0 Posted (7 years 10 months 4 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 1608 times:
Just wondering what kind of advice the pros can give to me and others who are just starting out in order to get the sharpest pics possible. Lately mine have seemed a little soft and I know the 70-200 2.8 USM IS is capable of better, so I figure it must be something with my technique. How does everyone else go about freezing the action of a fast moving object like an airplane? Obviously a fast shutter and fast aperture and fast film. I assume just about everyone is handholding since it's pretty hard to track a plane on a tripod. Are most of you doing a sort of pan technique and moving the camera while pressing the shutter? Or do you hold the camera still and wait for the subject to come into the frame before pressing the shutter? And if you've got any other words of wisdom to help your fellow man let's hear them!
Oh yeah and one more question.....is digital inherently sharper than film for the same shutter/aperture/ISO setting?
CallMeCapt From Australia, joined Jan 2005, 496 posts, RR: 8 Reply 1, posted (7 years 10 months 4 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 1562 times:
Quoting FlyFloats (Thread starter): Obviously a fast shutter and fast aperture and fast film.
Not necessarily. Fast film or ISO is not good during daylight. Always go for the lowest ISO you can get. Most cameras, it is ISO 100.
Aperture needs to be very small, not fast. Always go for above F8.0 as that will capture everything in focus. A larger aperture will blur the background.
Always shoot in the highest MP you have and the finest detail. It eats up memory but it's worth it.
Quoting FlyFloats (Thread starter): is digital inherently sharper than film for the same shutter/aperture/ISO setting?
That depends on your slide scanner. i think the lowest res you should use on a slide scanner is 3200 x 3200 but don't quote me on it. Digital has a lot more flexibility in post processing so it would have to be the best choice for me and a few others.
It's not the equipment that gets the best photo, it's the photographer.
Without struggle, there is no progress. (Frederick Douglass)
Paulinbna From United States of America, joined Feb 2003, 1114 posts, RR: 5 Reply 2, posted (7 years 10 months 4 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 1530 times:
Quoting CallMeCapt (Reply 1): It's not the equipment that gets the best photo, it's the photographer
Although I agree you to a certain extent, if you are talking about quality then try telling that to some one trying to get a picture with a 2 MB camera as opposed to a 8 MB camera with L glass.
Now composition wise I agree with you.
Canon 50D user; 100-400 MM L IS 10-22 MM, 60MM Macro
ChrisH From Sweden, joined Jul 2004, 1136 posts, RR: 18 Reply 5, posted (7 years 10 months 4 weeks 1 day ago) and read 1467 times:
Quoting FlyFloats (Thread starter): Are most of you doing a sort of pan technique and moving the camera while pressing the shutter?
Pan with the airplane while zooming in/out and use continuous autofocus on your camera and you'll be getting sharp pics in no-time! In daylight, stay with aperture 8. Its more than enough to get a whole plane in focus. Ive shot 340s at 2.8 =) Focus depth varies with distance, here's a fun link to toy around with:
Fergulmcc From Ireland, joined Oct 2004, 1916 posts, RR: 54 Reply 6, posted (7 years 10 months 4 weeks 22 hours ago) and read 1452 times:
Panning can be difficult as you need a low shutterspeed to create a good motion blur for the backround or you need to pan fast. I find that using one of the focusing points, mainly the center one, is best. Keep that point on a part of the aircraft and then shoot. It takes a lot of practice, so keep at it and you will get those gems. I'm no proffesional and I get my share of blury shots even with the IS.
You can always try a monopod, not tried it myself but have seen others use it. Find anything that will aid you, i.e. a pole to lean your shoulder or hips against.
Dendrobatid From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2004, 1605 posts, RR: 64 Reply 7, posted (7 years 10 months 4 weeks 22 hours ago) and read 1449 times:
Quoting Paulinbna (Reply 2): Although I agree you to a certain extent, if you are talking about quality then try telling that to some one trying to get a picture with a 2 MB camera as opposed to a 8 MB camera with L glass.
I saw a graph in a magazine somewhere the other day which compared picture quality at different formats and pixel and the point at which the two were equal was about 6 Mp, above which Digital gave better quality. I will try to find it and let others see it.
The scanning of 35mm slides or negatives is what makes 35mm more difficult and the magnification factor of the lenses on digital that makes things easier for digital users.
I am taking photos today that I would have killed for 30 years ago !
Mick Bajcar
FlyFloats From Canada, joined Jan 2005, 43 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (7 years 10 months 3 weeks 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 1374 times:
Quoting CallMeCapt (Reply 1): Always go for above F8.0 as that will capture everything in focus
Thanks, I'll give that a try. I've been shooting wide open or close to it to stop the action. Another question though - if I shoot at f/8 I'll be shooting that much slower, which could result in the photos being soft from movement of the plane, no? I'll give it a shot and see what happens. Thanks again for the replies!
CallMeCapt From Australia, joined Jan 2005, 496 posts, RR: 8 Reply 9, posted (7 years 10 months 3 weeks 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 1349 times:
If you want to focus on panning shots, then you can have the aperture as wide as you want. Blurring the background wouldn't matter, but then your shutter speed would be faster.
Without struggle, there is no progress. (Frederick Douglass)
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