topic Re: what lens should I use for a helicopter ride in EF & RF Lenses

what lens should I use for a helicopter ride

awioa — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 19:13:14 GMT

I won a ride in a helicopter and i am wondering what would be the best lens/adaptor for me to use.

I have a Cannon EOS Rebel XTi here are my options with what I have:

Lens

50-100mm

75-300mm

Adaptors

.35x Super Wide Fisheye

.43x Wide Angle

2x Telephoto lens

Filters

CPL

ND8

Halftone Orange

Halftone Blue

I also have a 50mm Prime which i just don't think would work for this and a 500-1000mm/2x multiplier. I wasn't really looking at using this one since I need to be a lot more steady with it and on a chopper... no way... LOL

Thanks for any input

Re: what lens should I use for a helicopter ride

RobertTheFat — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 20:32:18 GMT

The XTi doesn't have particularly good low-light performance, but you're going to need fairly high shutter speeds. So wide apertures would be a help. What's the 50-100? One of the old f/2.8 Sigmas? (Just guessing, because it's about the same vintage as an XTi.) If so, I guess I'd be inclined to take that. I'm betting that your 75-300 isn't a constant-aperture f/2.8.

I don't know much about aerial photography; so if you hear from someone who does, take his/her advice over mine.

Re: what lens should I use for a helicopter ride

cicopo — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 00:12:19 GMT

I did a heli tour of Kauai way back when the 20D was the new body to own. It was a heli without doors which made for great photos & I used a Sigma 18-200 (the original non OS version) with very good results using Sport Mode. I think I used the lens from full wide to full long but more were wide to mid range than mid to long end

Based on reading threads giving suggestions for photos from a heli with doors wear dark clothes to cut down on reflections from you. .

Re: what lens should I use for a helicopter ride

ebiggs1 — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 14:41:23 GMT

I did areal photography one time. What you have listed would not be on my short list for lenses to take at all.

Maybe you could supply a little more info of the 50-100mm ? I am going to guess you have the first version of the Canon EF-S 75-300mm? It is a faily slow lens but if these two are the only possibility, I'd choose it.

It and the XTi will work as a mattter of fact I took two XTi's on my flying photo experience. But I had the fantastic EF 70-200mm. Another thing, there is NOT a lot of room on these aircraft.