Douglas L wrote:
I almost forgot about this thread...
Different kind of bird....the Raptor. These were posted in the A1 thread and the big A7 thread. First time to try shooting airshows at 840mm on full frame body. I will try it again this weekend at another airshow.
Amazing images, Douglas! There is an air show scheduled for October and your images make me want to go out give it a try.
AGeoJO wrote:
Amazing images, Douglas! There is an air show scheduled for October and your images make me want to go out give a try.
Thank you, Joshua! Were you referring to the Huntington Beach airshow? That one has a pretty nice lineup! I am going to another one this Sunday in New York state, 600 miles round trip. It's a day trip for me. That will be the last airshow for me this year. The really nice one near Virginia Beach in Sept just got cancelled due to COVID. I will be using the 200-600 on one of the two A1s and the 600 GM+1.4 TC on the other. I had never shot at 840mm before until the last show but will do now! Nice to get some closeups without needing to crop too much. The iron birds are a lot easier to shot because their flight paths are pretty predictable, except the sneak pass.
Douglas L wrote:
Thank you, Joshua! Were you referring to the Huntington Beach airshow? That one has a pretty nice lineup! I am going to another one this Sunday in New York state, 600 miles round trip. It's a day trip for me. That will be the last airshow for me this year. The really nice one near Virginia Beach in Sept just got cancelled due to COVID. I will be using the 200-600 on one of the two A1s and the 600 GM+1.4 TC on the other. I had never shot at 840mm before until the last show but will do now! Nice to get some closeups without needing to crop too much. The iron birds are a lot easier to shot because their flight paths are pretty predictable, except the sneak pass.
Yes, that’s the one on 2 October and I hope it is not cancelled. You have to pay to go inside a certain area that supposedly will enable you to get better shots. I am not sure about that though. I have not been to any air show…believe it or not but I am looking forward to that one.
AGeoJO wrote:
Yes, that’s the one on 2 October and I hope it is not cancelled. You have to pay to go inside a certain area that supposedly will enable you to get better shots. I am not sure about that though. I have not been to any air show…believe it or not but I am looking forward to that one.
If it's performed over the water at the beach, I guess you can see it easily for free nearby but some show organizers fence up the best sections of the beach to sell ticket. If they do so, I guess it's what they called "show center" where you can hear the narration and get better shots of the two jets' opposing passes.
The Blue Angels are incredible. I have been to more than 50 airshows, my wife says I am crazy. The shots look very similar every time but I just like to hear the fighter jets noise and enjoy the patriotic feel of these shows. You need to go at least once in your life time!
I want to share a "discovery" of my 600 GM with you guy. This afternoon I tried to use a rocket air blower to blow away a couple dust specks in the real element, but couldn't get them off. I was asking myself, how did the dusts get inside the rear element? Later it dawned on me that there is the filter slot behind the rear element, I removed the filter and saw the dusts on the filter, but shockingly, I saw a thin layer of grease like substance on the filter. I bought this lens brand new and had never touched or removed the filter. You would have to deliberately put your finger in that deep to touch the filter glass. Looks like Sony put a dirty filter in the lens.
You can see the substance on the filter in the picture it look you carefully. I am shocked the pictures coming out from this lens are still so sharp with this dirty filter on. I will clean the filter tomorrow when there is some daylight.
Douglas L wrote:
I want to share a "discovery" of my 600 GM with you guy. This afternoon I tried to use a rocket air blower to blow away a couple dust specks in the real element, but couldn't get them off. I was asking myself, how did the dusts get inside the rear element? Later it dawned on me that there is the filter slot behind the rear element, I removed the filter and saw the dusts on the filter, but shockingly, I saw a thin layer of grease like substance on the filter. I bought this lens brand new and had never touched or removed the filter. You would have to deliberately put your finger in that deep to touch the filter glass. Looks like Sony put a dirty filter in the lens.
You can see the substance on the filter in the picture it look you carefully. I am shocked the pictures coming out from this lens are still so sharp with this dirty filter on. I will clean the filter tomorrow when there is some daylight. ...Show more →
Thanks Douglas, good Lord, that’s really dirty.
Cleaning that and switching IBIS off should make your hummers look super sharp.
k-h.a.w wrote:
Thanks Douglas, good Lord, that’s really dirty.
Cleaning that and switching IBIS off should make your hummers look super sharp.
K-H.
Thanks K-H. I rarely use the 600mm GM for the hummingbirds. The MFD is just too far for me because I mostly shoot the hummers about 7-8' from my study, more often than not, through the not so spotless double pane window., which is probably stiller cleaner than that filter Sony put in my 600 GM. I can't believe Sony made such a mistake on such a pricey lens. I use the 200-600 for the hummers. Interesting comments on switching the IBIS off. Don't you have switch it off via the lens if the lens has OSS?
Douglas L wrote:
Thanks K-H. I rarely use the 600mm GM for the hummingbirds. The MFD is just too far for me because I mostly shoot the hummers about 7-8' from my study, more often than not, through the not so spotless double pane window., which is probably stiller cleaner than that filter Sony put in my 600 GM. I can't believe Sony made such a mistake on such a pricey lens. I use the 200-600 for the hummers. Interesting comments on switching the IBIS off. Don't you have switch it off via the lens if the lens has OSS?
Douglas
Thanks Douglas. Got it about the hummers. I agree, MFD is important.
Yup, when the lens has image stabilization then the switch on the lens controls On or Off.
Your air show pictures are very special.
BTW how many air shows per year are available in your area?
Douglas L wrote:
I want to share a "discovery" of my 600 GM with you guy. This afternoon I tried to use a rocket air blower to blow away a couple dust specks in the real element, but couldn't get them off. I was asking myself, how did the dusts get inside the rear element? Later it dawned on me that there is the filter slot behind the rear element, I removed the filter and saw the dusts on the filter, but shockingly, I saw a thin layer of grease like substance on the filter. I bought this lens brand new and had never touched or removed the filter. You would have to deliberately put your finger in that deep to touch the filter glass. Looks like Sony put a dirty filter in the lens.
You can see the substance on the filter in the picture it look you carefully. I am shocked the pictures coming out from this lens are still so sharp with this dirty filter on. I will clean the filter tomorrow when there is some daylight. ...Show more →
Wow, that’s sloppy on Sony’s part! ! I will be checking mine, too, tomorrow.
k-h.a.w wrote:
Thanks Douglas. Got it about the hummers. I agree, MFD is important.
Yup, when the lens has image stabilization then the switch on the lens controls On or Off.
Your air show pictures are very special.
BTW how many air shows per year are available in your area?
K-H.
Thanks, K-H. Within 300 miles radius from where I live, there are usually 7-8 airshows in Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania that feature at least the Blue Angels or the Thunderbirds, some other military jets, wwii war birds and so on. There are some smaller shows that don’t include the Blue Angels or the Thunderbirds, I usually don’t bother to attend those. Bear in mind I am counting the Saturday show and the Sunday show at the same location as one show here. I have been going to airshows since 2010, about 5-6 times a year. At long as it’s less than 300 miles away, it’s a day trip for me. IMHO, the 200-600 is the best single lens for air shows for its versatility, 600mm is usually long enough but sometimes you still need to crop quite a bit, that’s why I started to try the 600 GM +1.4 TC to get some real close up shots, I love the results. From now on I will have the 200-600 on one A1, the 600 GM +1.4 TC on another A1, all hand hold. There is no time to change lenses on a camera. The A1 is God sent for airshows for the FPS and the resolution, with 30 FPS, the probability of getting good shots of the moment two opposing jets passing each other is much higher than other cameras, it’s almost like cheating. I am going to another show tomorrow, the weather is not looking good , but I hope there will be enough moisture in the air so the jets can make some nice vapor cones when they are flying close to the speed of sound.
Douglas L wrote:
Thanks, K-H. Within 300 miles radius from where I live, there are usually 7-8 airshows in Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania that feature at least the Blue Angels or the Thunderbirds, some other military jets, wwii war birds and so on. There are some smaller shows that don’t include the Blue Angels or the Thunderbirds, I usually don’t bother to attend those. Bear in mind I am counting the Saturday show and the Sunday show at the same location as one show here. I have been going to airshows since 2010, about 5-6 times a year. At long as it’s less than 300 miles away, it’s a day trip for me. IMHO, the 200-600 is the best single lens for air shows for its versatility, 600mm is usually long enough but sometimes you still need to crop quite a bit, that’s why I started to try the 600 GM +1.4 TC to get some real close up shots, I love the results. From now on I will have the 200-600 on one A1, the 600 GM +1.4 TC on another A1, all hand hold. There is no time to change lenses on a camera. The A1 is God sent for airshows for the FPS and the resolution, with 30 FPS, the probability of getting good shots of the moment two opposing jets passing each other is much higher than other cameras, it’s almost like cheating. I am going to another show tomorrow, the weather is not looking good , but I hope there will be enough moisture in the air so the jets can make some nice vapor cones when they are flying close to the speed of sound....Show more →
Many thanks Douglas for your explanations, much appreciated.
Good luck for your air show tomorrow and the weather in particular.
I will be looking forward to your pictures. Oh BTW do you shoot while standing or sitting?
k-h.a.w wrote:
Many thanks Douglas for your explanations, much appreciated.
Good luck for your air show tomorrow and the weather in particular.
I will be looking forward to your pictures. Oh BTW do you shoot while standing or sitting?
K-H.
Standing. Sitting is less than ideal when you need to turn you body to follow the planes.
k-h.a.w wrote:
Thanks Douglas. How long does a show last? K-H.
Usually from 11 or 12 to 3:30. If you want good spot, you may need to arrive around 9. Getting out after the show is always a nightmare, it's not unusual it take 90 minutes to get out of the airfield because everybody leaves at the same time. Or you can wait until the crowd are gone.
Douglas L wrote:
Usually from 11 or 12 to 3:30. If you want good spot, you may need to arrive around 9. Getting out after the show is always a nightmare, it's not unusual it take 90 minutes to get out of the airfield because everybody leaves at the same time. Or you can wait until the crowd are gone.
WOW Douglas thanks! That’s quite an effort to get those shots.
However your stunning images make it seem effortless.
Now I know it ain’t so.
k-h.a.w wrote:
WOW Douglas thanks! That’s quite an effort to get those shots.
However your stunning images make it seem effortless.
Now I know it ain’t so.
Thanks again, K-H.
Thank you K-H. tomorrow's trip is 300 miles one way, leaving at 3:30 in the morning. This is about as far as I want to go for airshows if it's a day trip.
Douglas L wrote:
I want to share a "discovery" of my 600 GM with you guy. This afternoon I tried to use a rocket air blower to blow away a couple dust specks in the real element, but couldn't get them off. I was asking myself, how did the dusts get inside the rear element? Later it dawned on me that there is the filter slot behind the rear element, I removed the filter and saw the dusts on the filter, but shockingly, I saw a thin layer of grease like substance on the filter. I bought this lens brand new and had never touched or removed the filter. You would have to deliberately put your finger in that deep to touch the filter glass. Looks like Sony put a dirty filter in the lens.
You can see the substance on the filter in the picture it look you carefully. I am shocked the pictures coming out from this lens are still so sharp with this dirty filter on. I will clean the filter tomorrow when there is some daylight. ...Show more →
I checked mine and it looks clean to me. It looks like yours was assembled on Monday morning after the weekend of wild partying… .
. The shots look very similar every time but I just like to hear the fighter jets noise and enjoy the patriotic feel of these shows. You need to go at least once in your life time!
.