Granite From UK - Scotland, joined exactly 14 years ago today! , 5542 posts, RR: 67 Posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 735 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW HEAD SCREENER
Hi all
Anyone want to share their focusing techniques?
Some years ago now I read a Japanese aviation photography article (in English!) about focusing, especially with auto-focus.
It mentioned about focusing on the nose first then pan along the aircraft. I do this now and it works for me.
Sometimes focusing on the centre can make one end of the shot blurry, or is it my developer?
Also, when recently at LHR, I disabled the auto-focus and was a bit happier in my focusing, especially when landing.
Sometimes with the auto-focus, you can 'miss' aircraft while it is trying to focus.......hope you understood that.
My mate, Mr Barnes might have heard me swearing a few times when this happened to me.
Ake0404AR From United States of America, joined May 2000, 2534 posts, RR: 50 Reply 1, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 629 times:
Out of focus, happend to me quite a few times and that mad me really mad. It could have been a really nice shot but I screwed it up.
When it comes to technique we are on the same wave length Gary, mostly I focus on the nose and go along, nevertheless sometimes the autofocus gets irritated as it cannot find a target. For all shots onboard through the windows I disable the autofocus as I had better experience with it.
If I remember well there is a webiste from Nikon or Canon just dedicated to Aviation photography with tips and tricks. I don't know the URL though.
Maybe someone else knows.
Dsmav8r From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 579 posts, RR: 8 Reply 2, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 633 times:
I think we have all had this problem more than once... One of the many challenges of shooting fast-moving, metallic objects, is the ever-annoying light reflection that confuses the heck out of your AF. However, I have only had this problem in continuous AF mode, single servo mode seems to work a little better, but its much trickier to work with.
I agree with your panning technique, I just make sure I never focus on the highly-reflective parts... nose-cone, windows, and tail-cone.
Aric Thalman
Omaha, NE
To most people, the sky is the limit. To those who love aviation, the sky is home
Granite From UK - Scotland, joined exactly 14 years ago today! , 5542 posts, RR: 67 Reply 3, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 5 days 6 hours ago) and read 608 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW HEAD SCREENER
Hi Aric
When you mentioned 'fast moving metallic objects' it reminded me of Heathrow again.
I really needed to get some nice shots of the American 777's and with the weather being right, I wanted it to be perfect.
I tried autofocus on one of them and was not that great as it kept trying to focus so decided to use the manual focus and it worked out good and I was happy with the results.
You can't get more 'metallic' than an American Triple7
Ckw From UK - England, joined Aug 2010, 529 posts, RR: 18 Reply 4, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 604 times:
The more I hear about autofocus, the more I'm glad I've stuck with manual focus! Focus on the nose is generally you best bet, particularly with approaching aircraft a) the cockpit tends to draw the eye, get this blurry and the pic is in trouble, even if other parts are sharp. b) depth of field extends further behind the point of focus than in front.
In profile shots, again go for the cockpit. This MAY mean engine pods, wing tips out of focus, but this is better than the other way round.
When focusing, I tend to pick up the aircraft some way out and start tracking the cockpit - I get a rough focus fairly quickly and sort of hunt around that point as the plane gets closer - easier to do than describe!
APP From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2000, 546 posts, RR: 7 Reply 5, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 603 times:
I dont know if I have a problem or not, I wear contact lenses, which means that even with the lenses in my sight is not 'spot on'. Therefore if I use manual focus, am I adjusting the focus to suit my eye and therefore throwing the actual focus out slightly? I don't know if my problem is with my eyes or my camera lens. I've even sought advice in this forum before about changing my Sigma lens for a Nikon lens.
Anyhow with the autofocus switched on I've missed loads of potentially good photo-opportunities as the A/F decides to refocus at the exact point that I want to depress the shutter release.
C'est la vie!!!
Regards,
APP.
Mirage From Portugal, joined May 1999, 3120 posts, RR: 16 Reply 6, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 594 times:
It's really frustating when I want to shot and the camera don't wants to shot, this happens sometimes when I want to photograph planes moving fast on the runway, mostly with those white liveries. Sometimes I focus on some point of the runway and after passing to manual focus, I wait till the plane passes over that point of the runway, not 100% perfect. Sometimes I'm following the plane but predicting that the camera will not be able to focus, so I pass to manual while composing the picture wich is a kind of stressing.
English is not my natural language, I don't understand what do you mean with "...focusing on the nose first then pan along the aircraft..." what is pan along the aircraft?
Jormy From Finland, joined Jan 2000, 231 posts, RR: 5 Reply 8, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 5 days ago) and read 589 times:
Hi there.
I don't know which cameras you use but I have not experienced this kind of problem with autofocus - not at all.
I use the following cameras: Canon EOS50E and EOS300. Both have more than one focusing point and that way at least one of the points is usually on the plane and the camera is able to focus correctly and quickly without lens "hunting" for a point to focus.
As a matter of fact I have never regretted selling my MF gear and moving to AF-age, AF focuses always 100% correct and that way you don't have to worry about focusing when taking the pic.
If I were using a MF camera or a single focus point AF-camera (with line-type, not cross type focusing sensor) I would _always_ focus to some part of the plane where are vertical lines, ie: tail, engines, wing, nose, etc...
-Janne
Helsinki, Finland
http://personal.inet.fi/private/efhk
PUnmuth@VIE From Austria, joined Aug 2000, 4161 posts, RR: 56 Reply 9, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 5 days ago) and read 586 times:
I've got some other kind of focussing problem. I do my Pictures with a NIKON Collpix 990 and the manual focus isn't realy useful for moving objects, so I have to use autofocus. So when the temperatures are realyy high the camera seems to be unable to focus on the plane. I mean whe the air is really blurry because of the hot concrete its very hard to get sharp pictures. Frustrating but I think I have to live with this disadvantage of this digicam because I like the advantages.
Peter
Mirage From Portugal, joined May 1999, 3120 posts, RR: 16 Reply 10, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 5 days ago) and read 581 times:
but why the need to move that way along the fuselage after focusing the nose? I think after focusing the nose it should be enough to compose the picture and shot.
USAir_757 From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 994 posts, RR: 9 Reply 11, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 577 times:
I hate that too! I have missed countless shots to the AF. The problem is, the lens on my camera very easily gets knocked out of focus on MF mode. I will most likely be getting a 70-210 lens and keeping my old Pentax(I love that camera - I hate the lens it has now).
Has anyone got the Quantaray 70-210 f4-f5.6 MF lens? I'll be choosing from either that or the Sigma 70-210 f4-f5.6 MF lens. But i'd like to see a result from the Quantaray lens.
Cheers,
C. Wassell
-Cullen Wassell @ MSL | Pentax *istDL, Sigma 28-80 AL DG Macro II, Sigma 70-300 DG Macro
Granite From UK - Scotland, joined exactly 14 years ago today! , 5542 posts, RR: 67 Reply 12, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 575 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW HEAD SCREENER
Hi USAir_757
I curently use the Sigma 70-210mm UC Zoom, 1:4 - 5.6
Dsmav8r From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 579 posts, RR: 8 Reply 13, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 573 times:
USAir,
Quantaray lenses are manufactured by Sigma for Ritz Camera. The build quality and optics are not very good (lots of plastic).
The newest generation of Sigma lenses are pretty nice, I have used the new 50-500mm and was very impressed with it.
You may also want to look at Tamron and Tokina, they make excellent 3rd party lenses as well.
Aric Thalman
Omaha, NE
To most people, the sky is the limit. To those who love aviation, the sky is home
USAir_757 From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 994 posts, RR: 9 Reply 14, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 566 times:
Ok, based on tht i'll go with the Sigma lens. Gary's photos REALLY speak out on the quality of thta lens. Best of all I can get it on cameraworld.com for $130 !
--OFF TOPIC--
DSM we're missing you in the chat!!!!!
Cheers,
C. Wassell
-Cullen Wassell @ MSL | Pentax *istDL, Sigma 28-80 AL DG Macro II, Sigma 70-300 DG Macro
Dsmav8r From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 579 posts, RR: 8 Reply 15, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 571 times:
The Sigma would be a good choice, especially for the price. Here are a few websites that have excellent lens reviews:
Mikey From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 193 posts, RR: 1 Reply 16, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 569 times:
Here is the url for the japanese site about aviation photography from Nikon
USAir_757 From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 994 posts, RR: 9 Reply 17, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 560 times:
Gary: In MF mode, does your lens have any resistance on the focusing?
Thanks
C. Wassell
-Cullen Wassell @ MSL | Pentax *istDL, Sigma 28-80 AL DG Macro II, Sigma 70-300 DG Macro
Granite From UK - Scotland, joined exactly 14 years ago today! , 5542 posts, RR: 67 Reply 18, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 542 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW HEAD SCREENER
Hi USAir_757
No resistance at all.
As I mentioned before my recent trip to LHR I used the manual quite a lot. It worked well and will try and use it more often.
My AA757 'Dangling the Dunlops' on Airliners was shot manually.
Cathay111 From Australia, joined Oct 2006, 55 posts, RR: 18 Reply 19, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 533 times:
G'day Gazza!
Mate, I either point at the nose gear or main gear to get the focus and then centre the aircraft and take the shot. Also if the aircraft has very clear title on the fuselage you can just point at that.
Quite a simple trick really, but the proof is in the pudding!!!
Anyway, I am off to get the dingo outta the dunny as he's drinking all my VB!!!
DullesGuy From United States of America, joined Jul 2000, 247 posts, RR: 1 Reply 20, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 526 times:
If the plane is coming left to right on the approach does it matter if you pan "against" its movement in this case pan right to left?
stephen
"..the joy of the Lord is your strength" Nehemiah 8:10
Ckw From UK - England, joined Aug 2010, 529 posts, RR: 18 Reply 21, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 2 days 12 hours ago) and read 511 times:
Just a tad! I don't think you've quite got the panning concept yet ...
In order for an image to be sharp, it must have no perceptible movement in relation to the camera at the point when the film is exposed. By using a fast shutter (eg. 500th) the film is exposed for such a brief time, that the subject has not moved a significant distance during the exposure time (unless we're talking VERY fast jets). But when you use a slow shutter speed, say 1/60th, an aircraft will have moved a noticable distance in that time, causing a blur on the film. To counteract this, you can "track" or pan the aircraft with the camera, so that there is no movement of the subject IN RELATION TO THE CAMERA (though now the background will begin to apprea to move, and reproduce blurred).
If you pan in the opposite direction of movement, you will INCREASE the relative motion (camera moving one way/aircraft the other) and get a very blurry subject.
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From United States of America, joined May 2000, 2534 posts, 
One of the many challenges of shooting fast-moving, metallic objects, is the ever-annoying light reflection that confuses the heck out of your AF. However, I have only had this problem in continuous AF mode, single servo mode seems to work a little better, but its much trickier to work with.
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