Korpenko From France, joined Jun 2011, 35 posts, RR: 0 Posted (4 months 2 weeks 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 1496 times:
Hi
I just began shooting more seriously, ie caring about the overall quality of the pictures and settings needed to achieve it.
I haven't been lucky so far, 3 shootings, 3 backlit time of the day.
The camera is the panasonic FZ150, with a 25-600mm zoom, and no tripod.
What are the best conditions for this camera? Stopped, close, well lit aircraft i think but what about distant, or moving, or dark aircrafts ?
What is the ISO limit regarding grain ?
Thanks
dazbo5 From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2005, 2084 posts, RR: 5 Reply 1, posted (4 months 2 weeks 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 1478 times:
Korpenko,
The limits of your camera are really in your hands. A camera is only the means by which to capture light. It's up to the photographer to create the photo. In terms of image quality, that is governed by the sensor and the glass in the lens. I'm not familiar with your camera, only with the F238, but I would imagine it will have the same limitations, as do most point and shoot / bridge cameras. Due to shutter lag, it makes it difficult to capture all but slow or static aircraft. The lens is quite sharp at the lower focal lengths, but is a little soft towards the longer end and unless you have a steady hand, makes it difficult to get sharp shots. Noise becomes an issue over ISO 200. These are the technical limitations of the camera image quality wise so you really only want to be using it on a sunny day with the sun on your back so it illuminates the aircraft nicely, and for slow moving or static aircraft. You have to bear the atmospheric conditions in mind too. Shooting long focal lengths (zoom) on a hot and humid day will give poor results due to heat haze. Planning is a key aspect of photography, being in the right place, at the right time for the shot you want. For ultimate quality, an SLR is the way to go but there's no reason why you can't get good results with your camera as long as you plan the shot and bear in mind the limitations.
Darren
Equipment: Canon EOS 50D & 350D; Sigma 10-20 EX DC HSM, 50-500 EX APO DG, Canon 24-105 f/4 L, Speedlite 430EX
Korpenko From France, joined Jun 2011, 35 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (4 months 2 weeks 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 1458 times:
"The limits of your camera are really in your hands."
You wouldn't have said that if i mentionned my brand new cellphone with a 8MP(!) sensor
More seriously, i will have to shoot on mornings given the area of the local airport i can access.
What about noon sun ? Highest light intensity will allow me to use very high shutter speeds (up to 1/1000 or 1/2000s) and be sure of having a sharp picture even if shaking the camera or moving it. In fact i think capturing a flying aircraft is more exciting.
Would a tripod allow me night shots ? Like this one : http://www.airliners.net/photo/US-Ai...d=5bf0dbafa827b2cdb409dde3b8b03818
dazbo5 From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2005, 2084 posts, RR: 5 Reply 3, posted (4 months 2 weeks 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 1427 times:
Quoting Korpenko (Reply 2): You wouldn't have said that if i mentionned my brand new cellphone with a 8MP(!) sensor
In terms of composition, something like that is capable of taking some excellent photos. Composition and lighting is not about the camera, but the photographer. It's only quality where it may let you down. Photography isn't all about equipment, although the right tool for the job obviously helps.
This is my point about planning. In the winter months, shooting at noon isn't too bad as the sun is still relatively low in the sky and isn't too strong. In the height of summer, shooting on a sunny day at noon will give harsh contrast and are not ideal conditions. In the summer months, you want to avoid the middle of the day where possible. The lighting is at it's best in the morning and later in the afternoon. The problem, and where you may need to compromise is when the subject is only available at certain times so you may have no choice but to go when the lighting isn't at it's best.
Quoting Korpenko (Reply 2): Highest light intensity will allow me to use very high shutter speeds (up to 1/1000 or 1/2000s) and be sure of having a sharp picture even if shaking the camera or moving it.
That's only part of the story. If you have a shutter speed that fast, what is the ISO and aperture to acheive that? This is where knowledge of the exposure triangle comes in and how each effects the another. On a sunny summers day, I would use a smaller aperture and the lowerst ISO I could in order to get the best quality I can, but this is subject to the equipment you are using. You need to get to know your equipment. Even a shutter speed of 1/1000 or 1/2000 is no guarantee of a sharp photo if the focussing is slightly out or you have heat haze, and if you're using a wide aperature, shallow depth of field. I can't remember the last time I had a shutter speed of 1/2000, if ever. You need to understand the basics of photography and apply the right techniques then you can use them to your advantage. A good place to start is a basics of photography book.
Quoting Korpenko (Reply 2): Would a tripod allow me night shots ?
A tripod allows you to keep the camera still when using slow shutter speeds. The shot you linked to was probably an exposure of several seconds so wouldn't be possible without having the camera mounted on a tripod, a wall, or anything that will keep the camera perfectly still.
Darren
Equipment: Canon EOS 50D & 350D; Sigma 10-20 EX DC HSM, 50-500 EX APO DG, Canon 24-105 f/4 L, Speedlite 430EX
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