topic Re: Settings for fast airplanes in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

Settings for fast airplanes

Batfire2000 — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 12:58:17 GMT

Going to be taking pics at a rc plane field.
What is a good starting point for settings, I'm assuming manual mode ? And I'm confused on metering? Thanks, I'm very new to all this awesome hobby. Rebel T6i.

Re: Settings for fast airplanes

ScottyP — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 13:28:27 GMT

Hopefully Ciccopo weighs in on this. He's an expert.

Kind of like shooting racing cars. You don't want to use so fast a shutter that there's no blur in the car wheels or the plane's propeller, and you want to pan with the subject so it is not blurred due to the not-quite-freezing shutter speed, but the background shows motion blur.

Re: Settings for fast airplanes

ebiggs1 — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 14:07:34 GMT

Absolutely you need to ask cicopo. He has done this successfully for a long time. One of the best. If he does not see this, send him a PM.

Re: Settings for fast airplanes

Batfire2000 — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 14:07:59 GMT

Cool, thanks.

Re: Settings for fast airplanes

kvbarkley — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 14:31:02 GMT

Not an RC model, And the exposure was -3 stops off, but this one was taken at f/18, 1/800 second ISO 100.

So change to ISO 400 and you would have the correct exposure.

Re: Settings for fast airplanes

Batfire2000 — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 14:49:15 GMT

Nice, thanks.

Re: Settings for fast airplanes

diverhank — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 15:17:51 GMT

@Batfire2000 wrote:
Going to be taking pics at a rc plane field.
What is a good starting point for settings, I'm assuming manual mode ? And I'm confused on metering? Thanks, I'm very new to all this awesome hobby. Rebel T6i.

Normally, when taking pictures of fast moving objects, you need to have the shutter speed set to something high like 1/1000 or even faster. You mentioned you're very new at this so I'd recommend you use Tv mode, set the speed to 1/1000 and set ISO to Auto and go have fun at it.

However, like ScottyP had stated, for propeller airplanes, people dislike the "frozen" propeller syndrome...so the common way to capture propeller airplanes is to pan the camera at ridiculously slow shutter speed so that the props are blurred. This requires a lot of skill and that comes with a lot of practice. The added advantage of panning is you get the background to blur beautifully. I have a few of those but it would take too long to find them. Here is one I captured with just the sky background to show you the blurred props...

This picture was of an actual airplane...taken at 600mm, f/13, 1/100, ISO 100 using a Canon 5D Mark III and a Tamron 150-600mm f/4.3-5.6 lens. Note the blurred props and creamy smoke...that's the effect of panning.

Re: Settings for fast airplanes

Batfire2000 — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 15:43:36 GMT

Thanks, that is a great shot !!!!

Re: Settings for fast airplanes

cicopo — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 16:28:08 GMT

The good news is that model aircraft engines spin much faster than full scale which allows prop blur at higher shutter speeds but 1/800 is the high limit for most circumstances. This is my guide for those trying to learn the basics.

http://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/showthread.php?t=147971

A lot of the info also relates to motorsports too where wheel / tire & background blur with a nice sharp car or bike say it's in motion rather than looking like a parked race vehicle.

This is from last Sat's Float Fly. We have a Warbirds event tomorrow & amazingly we may get a nice day.

Re: Settings for fast airplanes

Batfire2000 — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 17:49:47 GMT

Thanks, I'm going to read it now !!!

Re: Settings for fast airplanes

cicopo — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 18:11:11 GMT

One suggestion I make now that I don't think is in the article is to set your camera so that it's between f 8 & f 11 when zoomed out at the empty sky where the planes will be flying. This is done after picking the shutter speed you want to use by setting an appropriate ISO and as the day goes by you should re check this. The idea is to avoid having the camera end up in the high F stop numbers which show any & all dust on the sensor. It usually forces the camera to use an f stop very close to wide open on low passes with a dark background (usually trees) but in general works out nicely.

Have fun & enjoy the event too. I consider it as getting to enjoy 2 hobbies at the same time.

Re: Settings for fast airplanes

Batfire2000 — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 19:46:52 GMT

Will do 😎

Re: Settings for fast airplanes

ScottyP — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 02:41:10 GMT

@cicopo wrote:
One suggestion I make now that I don't think is in the article is to set your camera so that it's between f 8 & f 11 when zoomed out at the empty sky where the planes will be flying. This is done after picking the shutter speed you want to use by setting an appropriate ISO and as the day goes by you should re check this. The idea is to avoid having the camera end up in the high F stop numbers which show any & all dust on the sensor. It usually forces the camera to use an f stop very close to wide open on low passes with a dark background (usually trees) but in general works out nicely.
Have fun & enjoy the event too. I consider it as getting to enjoy 2 hobbies at the same time.

Now that's a good piece of advice that comes from shooting this subject a lot. I wouldn't have even thought about aperture in terms of dust spots, but, now that you mention it, if you were shooting a blue sky at really small apertures you are begging to see dust spots.

Re: Settings for fast airplanes

Waddizzle — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 11:06:19 GMT

Took my first swing at an RC show last weekend. Some of the jet aircraft seemed to move faster than what the camera could focus, when they were flying almost towards me, for a head-on shot.

Passing shots were near impossible to catch, no matter what I did. I got my best shots during takeoffs and landings, and when they aircraft would turn around. Some of the aerial stunts were easy to photograph, and some were not.

It was a variable cloudy day, with scattered showers in the forecast, although we saw no rain. Because light was quickly changing, I used Manual mode, and set ISO to AUTO, which varied from 100 to 3200 as I varied shutter from 1/320 to 1/1000.

Most of the shots were at 1/500 and f/8.

Re: Settings for fast airplanes

ebiggs1 — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 12:33:26 GMT

"Some of the jet aircraft seemed to move faster than what the camera could focus,..."

You need to learn how to pan.

Re: Settings for fast airplanes

Waddizzle — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 13:37:36 GMT

@ebiggs1 wrote:
"Some of the jet aircraft seemed to move faster than what the camera could focus,..."

You need to learn how to pan.

Please, explain to the class how to pan when the subject is a model jet that is approaching you at top speed. I ask because that is what I was talking about.

While you're at it, explain to the class how to pan when the model passes you at speed, covering a hundred yards in a 2-3 seconds, if not less.

Re: Settings for fast airplanes

ebiggs1 — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 17:30:47 GMT

""A skill is developed through constant practice with a passion to improve, not bought.""

As a experienced RC photographer is fond of saying. Sorry if you find it difficult. But if it wasn't just anybody could do it.

Re: Settings for fast airplanes

Waddizzle — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 20:44:35 GMT

@ebiggs1 wrote:
""A skill is developed through constant practice with a passion to improve, not bought.""

As a experienced RC photographer is fond of saying. Sorry if you find it difficult. But if it wasn't just anybody could do it.

As I am so fond of saying, I find your posts to be offensive. Your initial comment was designed to be an insult.

Re: Settings for fast airplanes

cicopo — Sun, 20 Aug 2017 00:21:33 GMT

i'm downloading my cards from today's big event but for jets (no prop blur needed) I recommend 1/1000 & faster & in general use 1/1600-1/2000 most of the time these days. This is a high speed pass (about 200 MPH) from a month ago using my 300 L IS on my 7D2

Re: Settings for fast airplanes

cicopo — Sun, 20 Aug 2017 00:34:54 GMT

Where was your jet event? Was it the New England Jet Rally? A few friends are attending it.