I have been taking pictures of airplanes in flight (typically cruise) from an Airbus flight deck for some time. However the results are almost always rubbish (blurred). This is certainly owed to the multi-layered cockpit windows, and to distance. But I do get some lucky shots too, so it is possible. I have not (yet) managed extract the key factors for success vs. failure.
Can anyone share their tips on how to best take pictures of other airplanes from an airliner cockpit? I am using canon EOS 7D with 100-400 IS L lens - whilst not pro level equipment it's probably not an issue with the equipment but rather the setting - and me...
I am ideally looking for any suggestions on best settings (modes, focus, etc.), but appreciate any hints from anyone who has experience with this.
Thanks in advance!
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Re: How to: Take Air to Air pictures from Airbus Cockpit?
It's a very frustrating exercise. And I never could nail it really down.
In my experience the bigger the zoom, the worse the result. Maybe the longer the lens is, the more the light gets scattered after it is already slightly broken by the layered window.
Usually people say to have have a lense wide open when shooting through a window. But I have the feeling this makes the effect worse.
Best results I had with a lens with a fixed, moderate focal length. The Canon EF 100 f/2 is quite short built. Downside is you need to crop the picture heavily afterwards. A crop camera helps.
It helps definitely if you can shoot rectangular through the window, e.g. during turning.
A good example:
ISO160, f/8 1/3200s (-1.33 ev, lightened up in postprocessing). We were just over a waypoint and therefore banking to the right, which improved the angle through the window.
However the picture is heavily cropped. There was not much resizing after cropping for the actual size on a.net. So there is no chance to have it in a higher resolution.
I haven't tried the lens for this purpose since I have a full-frame camera, as this would involve even more cropping. I tried a fixed focal 200mm on the full frame but I had no success. Maybe with the higher pixel count there is still a chance with the small 100mm? I will have to try.
In my experience the bigger the zoom, the worse the result. Maybe the longer the lens is, the more the light gets scattered after it is already slightly broken by the layered window.
Usually people say to have have a lense wide open when shooting through a window. But I have the feeling this makes the effect worse.
Best results I had with a lens with a fixed, moderate focal length. The Canon EF 100 f/2 is quite short built. Downside is you need to crop the picture heavily afterwards. A crop camera helps.
It helps definitely if you can shoot rectangular through the window, e.g. during turning.
A good example:
ISO160, f/8 1/3200s (-1.33 ev, lightened up in postprocessing). We were just over a waypoint and therefore banking to the right, which improved the angle through the window.
However the picture is heavily cropped. There was not much resizing after cropping for the actual size on a.net. So there is no chance to have it in a higher resolution.
I haven't tried the lens for this purpose since I have a full-frame camera, as this would involve even more cropping. I tried a fixed focal 200mm on the full frame but I had no success. Maybe with the higher pixel count there is still a chance with the small 100mm? I will have to try.
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Re: How to: Take Air to Air pictures from Airbus Cockpit?
I doubt the OPs camera equipment is the issue, it’s more likely the windows in the plane itself.
If possible I’d be constructing a makeshift hood to go over the front of the lens that can block out stray light and reflections from elsewhere in the flight deck. One end attaches to the lens, the other goes up against the window so no stray light or reflection can interfere.
It might help a little bit. The rest might be getting the angle as close to 90° as possible.
Big cropping would be a no-no as well.
If possible I’d be constructing a makeshift hood to go over the front of the lens that can block out stray light and reflections from elsewhere in the flight deck. One end attaches to the lens, the other goes up against the window so no stray light or reflection can interfere.
It might help a little bit. The rest might be getting the angle as close to 90° as possible.
Big cropping would be a no-no as well.
Re: How to: Take Air to Air pictures from Airbus Cockpit?
Anytime I shoot through a window, I have a polarizing filter on the end of the lens. These airplane windows have a polarizing effect, too, so they tend cancel each other out.
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