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Spotting With A Compact Camera (many Pics)

AirCatalonia From Spain, joined Nov 2007, 532 posts, RR: 0
Posted (4 years 1 month 4 weeks 2 hours ago) and read 3938 times:

I am not a spotter (I don't have the equipment, unfortunately) but today I decided to head down to BCN to check out the spotter locations around the airport and to see what I could get with my compact CANON IXUS 85 IS.

I think the camera is quite good and I've seen I can get some decent photos, unfortunately at high speeds 1/1500 and high ISOs (1600), the pictures become all blurry. I don't know if this is a limitation of the cam itself or if I am doing something wrong (most likely).

This is what I saw today at the airport:

The park near the threshold of 25R. A great place to "relax" as you can see.

A 747. I don't know the airline. Perhaps someone can help. All blurry as I said:

Jet2:

At this point a Transavia went around and the A320 behind switched to 25L about halfway into the approach. I guess something happened on the runway. Here the Transavia going around:

Dassault Falcon 900EX:

Air Nostrum CRJ-200ER:

Air Europa Boeing 737-85P:

Vueling Airbus A320-214:

Another Air Nostrum CRJ-200ER:

Air France Airbus A320-211:

Alitalia Airbus A319-112:

TAP Airbus A320-214:

KLM 737-800?

Swiss A320

Alitalia A321:

Portugalia - CRJXX? - help needed:

Various:

Lufthansa A321:

Some Plane:

easyJet A319:

Iberia A319:

Iberia A319:

Clickair A320:

Brussels 737-400?

And that's it!

I also saw a PIA plane (A310 I think) I didn't know PIA flew to BCN. Perhaps it was a charter or a diversion.

Regards,
airCatalonia

Comments welcome Smile

[Edited 2009-04-23 16:30:04]

14 replies: All unread, jump to last

UnattendedBag From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 2243 posts, RR: 1
Reply 1, posted (4 years 1 month 4 weeks 1 hour ago) and read 3917 times:

Quoting AirCatalonia (Thread starter):
and high ISOs (1600),

there is no reason this camera should be set at 1600 ISO for this type of photography.

Slower traffic, keep right

AirCatalonia From Spain, joined Nov 2007, 532 posts, RR: 0
Reply 2, posted (4 years 1 month 4 weeks 1 hour ago) and read 3913 times:

Quoting UnattendedBag (Reply 1):
there is no reason this camera should be set at 1600 ISO for this type of photography.

Ok, I think I'll try lower ISOs next time.

The thing is that this camera chooses the shutter speed automatically and I was afraid that if I set a lower ISO I wouldn't be able to "stop" the plane in the air. But probably 400 ISO and speed 1/400 or something like that should still work.

JakTrax From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2005, 4780 posts, RR: 8
Reply 3, posted (4 years 1 month 4 weeks ago) and read 3904 times:

Read the manual - all the information is in there. There's absolutely no reason you shouldn't be able to get A.net-quality images with what you're using.

Even ISO400 is excessive in the conditions under which you've shot - the sun's out, the sky's blue, perfect! Try ISO100 or 200 for best results, and aim for a shutter speed of around 1/400 for fast-moving objects (such as arriving aircraft). Remember too to take advantage of the sun's position, by having it at your back - this will help increase shutter speed. I've seen mnay lovely shots from BCN so I'm sure the places exist.

Finally, try altering the camera to aperture priority and aim for a shutter to match - shooting in full-auto and/or P mode rarely produces decent results.

P.S. The 'blur' you're encountering is actually excessive noise due to the unnecessarily high ISO.

Karl

Klemmi85 From Germany, joined Mar 2009, 209 posts, RR: 0
Reply 4, posted (4 years 1 month 3 weeks 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 3880 times:

Quoting AirCatalonia (Thread starter):
and high ISOs (1600),

Avoid high ISOs on these compact cameras if possible. The noise produced by there tiny little sensors is excessive otherwise. Those cams turn out best from 100 to 400 ISO max. If possible, never go above even if the manufactur claims "goes up to ISO 3200" or whatever.

Most of these compact cameras have a maximum native ISO capability of 400 or 800 and everything that goes beyond is pushed by the internal software, causing only more and more noise.

Clickhappy From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 9462 posts, RR: 72
Reply 5, posted (4 years 1 month 3 weeks 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 3873 times:

AIRLINERS.NET CREW
PHOTO SCREENER

I have been shooting with a point and shoot lately, a Canon G10.

I love it! It is quite the challenge to shoot a moving subject with the slow auto focus of a point and shoot Big grin

Fly747 From Canada, joined Apr 2005, 1497 posts, RR: 10
Reply 6, posted (4 years 1 month 3 weeks 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 3809 times:

Quoting Clickhappy (Reply 5):
I have been shooting with a point and shoot lately, a Canon G10.

Royal shooting with a Canon? What gives?

Ivan

Contrails Aviation Photography

Viv From Ireland, joined May 2005, 3109 posts, RR: 31
Reply 7, posted (4 years 1 month 3 weeks 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 3793 times:

Quoting Fly747 (Reply 6):
Royal shooting with a Canon? What gives?

Nikon do not make a compact as good as the Canon G10.

Nikon D700, Nikkor 80-400, Fuji X Pro 1, Fujinon 35 f/1.4, Fujinon 18 f/2

Kukkudrill From Malta, joined Dec 2004, 1122 posts, RR: 5
Reply 8, posted (4 years 1 month 3 weeks 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 3758 times:

Quoting JakTrax (Reply 3):
Even ISO400 is excessive in the conditions under which you've shot - the sun's out, the sky's blue, perfect! Try ISO100 or 200 for best results

Indeed I'd go further ... with a compact camera you should stick to ISO100 if at all possible. You should still get fast enough shutter speeds.

Make the most of the available light ... a lesson of photography that applies to life

Mclaudio From Portugal, joined Jan 2005, 170 posts, RR: 0
Reply 9, posted (4 years 1 month 3 weeks 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 3752 times:

Quoting Clickhappy (Reply 5):
I have been shooting with a point and shoot lately, a Canon G10

Hi there. Can you share some examples with us? (aviation related of course).
Sometimes if you can get really close to the subject, a point and shoot can do wonders and the tech details of that camera seem interesting.

Proudly one of the 6 million Portuguese that support SL Benfica!! Champions 2009-2010!

Hernan From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 93 posts, RR: 0
Reply 10, posted (4 years 1 month 3 weeks 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 3713 times:

I Just recently bought a DSLR, the same pictures I have on the DBs and other sites I have contributed to for the past three years have been taken with various P&S from Konica Minolta to various canons, IMHO the best P&S, and you can see them all at www.pbase.com/heez10/
Hernan

JakTrax From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2005, 4780 posts, RR: 8
Reply 11, posted (4 years 1 month 3 weeks 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 3660 times:

Your 747 is Jade Cargo by the way.....

Karl

Clickhappy From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 9462 posts, RR: 72
Reply 12, posted (4 years 1 month 3 weeks 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 3599 times:

AIRLINERS.NET CREW
PHOTO SCREENER

Quoting Mclaudio (Reply 9):
Can you share some examples with us? (aviation related of course).

Here are a couple:

View Large View Medium
Click here for bigger photo!

I am still learning the camera. These were shot at ISO80. I am shooting in super fine JPEG, I don't have the time to learn and support another raw format.

I am currently shooting in the "neutral" color mode - the look is toned down a little over regular (vivid is for asshats like Ken Rockwell).

Danielfigfoz From Portugal, joined Apr 2009, 1 posts, RR: 0
Reply 13, posted (4 years 1 month 3 weeks 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 3549 times:

Nics pictures! The green one may be a Aer Lingus.

JakTrax From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2005, 4780 posts, RR: 8
Reply 14, posted (4 years 1 month 3 weeks 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 3546 times:

Just to clarify, the KLM is indeed a 737-800, the Portugalia is an ERJ-145 (not a CRJ) and the green 747 is definately NOT Aer Lingus - unless I'm missing something.....

Karl

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