Air Show Pictures & Photography Tips

[sulla]

Hi!


Thanks to Bryan, for the excellent "Air Show Pictures & Photography Tips" article. What I find most illustrative is that Bryan notes the camera, lens, shutter speed, ISO, etc... from the shots, at least I can learn a lot from this.


But this also left me with a question: Bryan used the non-IS EF-400L f/5.6 lens on a 1D4, and sometimes used shutter speeds of 1/250 (helicopters) and said that he got a relatively large number of blurred photos, what is to be expected.


Why not use something stabilised istead? A EF500 IS f/4 on a 1Ds3? Or, if it was the weight, a EF400 DO IS? Or a EF300 IS on a 7D/50D?

[TucsonTRD]

I'm not an expect, but I imagine no IS is used because panning and IS don't mix. There is a newer form of IS (mode 2) that allows panning along a single place (horizontal or vertical). But my experience with shooting a single air show is that much of my camera panning was at an angle as the planes went overhead. I don't think mode 2 would be able to compensate for that and you would end up with the majority of your photos blurred.

[Jarhead5811]

ISdoes not help with subject motion. When there is plenty of light, allowinga high enough shutter speed IS is pointless.