shooting aircraft

[greyhorse]

 When shooting aircraft  should yoube in AI Servo?

And for Auto Focus should it be single point or use all

the points?

Thanks

[cicopo]

There are a few opinions on AF but YES re using AI Servo. Some like to use a single point & try to keep it on a specific part of the aircraft as they pan. This helps them make a smooth pan. Others go with all points active. The most important part of it is using the right shutter speed for what you are shooting. Jets, high shutter speed, prop planes, max 1/320 & slower is better so that you have prop blur rather than a frozen prop, heli's SLOW, 1/60 or slower. Although I wrote it for shooting radio control planes this explains how I shoot both full scale & models but the above shutter speeds are for full scale.

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

If you are using an IS lens that has mode 2 use that too. If it only has an IS on or off switch turn IS off.

[cicopo]

One more point about shooting aircraft is that in general the idea is to frame it in a way that allows more room in front than behind which gives it a place to be going. That works well except when it's at an air show with the smoke on. For those shots I place it with the larger area behind it. IF you decide to use single point AF then I recommend using one off center as needed for each situation.

[greyhorse]

Thanks

 So using group AF would be ok too?

Also whats the difference between AI Servo and AI Focus?

AI Servo for moving subjects,

and AI Focus for portraits ,landscrapes and such?

[cicopo]

I have read about the difference but don't remember much from my reading BUT the Pro bodies don't offer AI focus which may mean something. In general I leave my cameras in AI Servo even for shooting stationary subjects. As for using all points I've shot full scale that way most of the time with excellent results but I am using pro bodies most of the time. It may be a bad idea if you were trying to focus on 1 specific plane in a group or formation.

[greyhorse]

O.K. Thanks for the help