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Air Tattoo RAF Fairford - Sigma 10-20???

mcpieman
Posted 10/06/2014 - 14:08 Link
I'm off to the Air Tattoo at Fairford in a few weeks time to see the F-35. I've worked on F-35 software for the last 7 years so am looking forward to seeing one in the flesh. I'm taking my 3 year old son so won't have loads of time for photographs, also with all his gear won't have much space to carry kit. I was wondering if the Sigma 10-20 would be a good option for the static displays, I'm thinking I'll want to get my son and the aircraft in the frame and will probably be restricted for space. Or would this be a recipe for lots of shots with too much sky and concrete? Would the 18-135 be better or too close up sometimes? I'll be taking the 55-300 for the longer stuff.

Cheers Steve
jeallen01
Posted 10/06/2014 - 14:15 Link
In a situation like that - especially where there are large crowds - you will probably find the 18-135 is not "wide enough" and you will need the 10-20 (I always take mine with that in mind, and it usually does get used).

W.r.t the 55-300, practice some panning shots beforehand, and get used to focusing it manually as the autofocus is rather too slow - especially for fast jets (and I would not bother with fast approaching aircraft unless you can sort out the manual focusing - even the bigger Sigmas have problems with that on Pentax bodies )
K-3 II, K-3 and a K-70 from SRS (having now relegated the K-30 /"K-50" to a backup body), & some Sigma and Pentax lenses (and a lot of old 35mm gear!)
Mike-P
Posted 10/06/2014 - 14:19 Link
I took my 12-24mm Sigma to Yeovilton last year for the static displays and found it just right for getting shots of the aircraft and cars that were on the ground. It really does help to have as wide as possible when there are large crowds of people.


Comment Image
Yeovilton Static Display by Mike.Pursey, on Flickr

Comment Image
Yeovilton Static Display by Mike.Pursey, on Flickr
mcpieman
Posted 10/06/2014 - 14:23 Link
Thanks John

Quote:
practice some panning shots beforehand

I'm hoping the F-35 will hover for a bit so I won't need to be that fast

Thanks for the great shots Mike no problems with too much sky and concrete there.
Gravelrash
Posted 10/06/2014 - 17:31 Link
Wow that's got to be some responsibility working on a Jet Fighter's software. It could be a little more problematic than a camera lockup
Steve

Sometimes I'm serious and sometimes not, but I consider sarcasm an artform. Which is it today?
mcpieman
Posted 10/06/2014 - 18:00 Link
Quote:
Wow that's got to be some responsibility working on a Jet Fighter's software. It could be a little more problematic than a camera lockup

Its pretty mundane software to write, lots of restrictions and testing it to death, when problems make it to the aircraft they are usually because the requirements were wrong (but I would say that :lol

Having said that when it takes off at Fairford I'll be the one wearing a hard hat.
Edited by mcpieman: 10/06/2014 - 18:08
Gravelrash
Posted 10/06/2014 - 18:12 Link
Haha and at least your there to tell them to switch it off and back on again
Steve

Sometimes I'm serious and sometimes not, but I consider sarcasm an artform. Which is it today?
andy_bell
Posted 11/06/2014 - 08:40 Link
10-20 Sigma will be great, you should be able to get all of most of the Jets in the frame, the added bonus is you can take shots much closer up so other spectators shouldn't pose so much of a problem for you as to those with longer lenses.
Take the 10-20, I'd also probably take a 70-200, and maybe my 300 & the tele-converter for the added reach it will bring...
A few bits & Bobs
Smeggypants
Posted 11/06/2014 - 11:18 Link
Gravelrash wrote:
Haha and at least your there to tell them to switch it off and back on again

No just switch it off. Done
[i]Bodies: 1x K-5IIs, 2x K-5, Sony TX-5, Nokia 808
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283
mcpieman
Posted 11/06/2014 - 12:14 Link
Thanks Andy

Quote:
I'd also probably take a 70-200, and maybe my 300 & the tele-converter for the added reach it will bring...

I've only got the 55-300 to play with, probably won't have much time to shoot the flying with my son with me anyway.

Quote:
No just switch it off. Done

If I were flying it I wouldn't even do that, I'd have long since ejected

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