Lens Options
Air shows are usually several hours in duration
and longer lenses can get quite heavy. Image
stabilization is a nice feature, but a tripod will
give your arms a break and allow you to
create sharp images consistently. While
the majority of my aviation work
is shot with longer lenses, I find
that wide angle lenses are also
useful for performance teams
that are spread out in wide
formations. By utilizing a
few different options,
you can capture more
of the action and
come home with a
diverse collection
of images.
Camera
Settings
In order to freeze
the flight of an aircraft
travelling over 500 miles per hour,
you'll need a very fast shutter speed.
For the best results, I recommend at
least 1/1000th of a second. This is quick
enough to stop even the fastest of aircrafts
while also preventing camera shaking. My
exposure is typically around 1/1000, ISO 400,
and f5.6. These settings are not meant to be
exact, but merely a starting point. Depending on the
weather conditions that day, adjustments may be necessary.
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