Airshow lens choice

I'm a 3 year pentax user and have progressed from a K-X to a K30 in that time.

I have the kit 18-55 WR and the 55-300 lens and am now looking to expand my lens collection with a focus towards long lenses for airshows.

I find the 300 okay but would like longer reach and seem to have settled on Sigma as the lens manufacturer of choice.

Sigma 120-400
Sigma 50-500
Sigma 150-500

I have read that the Tokina 80-400 is pretty good but that's quite an old lens now and also like hens teeth in trying to find a good example. And when it does appear it's a big price. My thinking is if I'm going to pay big money, then I may as well pay big money and get a new lens with warranty etc.

I like the idea of the 50-500 as this gives me good reach but also allows me to shoot reasonably close subjects on the flight line if I need to without having to faff and swap lenses.

at Duxford Flying Legends two weeks ago I bumped into two other pentax users.

one had the 150-500 and the other the 120-400.

both agreed the 120-400 had slightly better image stabilisation built into the lens.

now obviously the 400 lens is a lot cheaper but I also read on this forum that of the 150-500 and the 50-500 the 150 is a lot sharper.

My main requirements are sharpness and reach.

I use a hama shoulder mount so I can keep the camera nice and steady.

Of the 3, does any edge it over the other? Alternatively, older Sigma 400 primes are available, what's the view on one of these.

Hi Lancer3397, welcome to the forum.

I haven't used any of the lenses you mention (I do have an old Sigma 70-300 APO and their 400mm MF prime), but a zoom is far better for an airshow. Unless you're only interested in fast jets or small props, you'll probably be wanting to zoom out for large aircraft or formations. A 400mm prime will likely be too long for many situations.

Remember that getting good shots with a 500mm lens is more involved than a 300mm lens (especially for moving subjects). They're less tolerant of (and more prone to) shake and need more careful handling. In some situations, even framing at those focal lengths can be difficult.

Note that to avoid freezing propellers, you'll need to be shooting ideally at less than 1/250th, which doesn't allow much leeway for long lenses.

Sorry can't help with the three Sigma zooms, but experience tells me I'd go for the longest lens I'd be happy carrying/holding all day (depending on budget).

Regards,

John.

50-500 will pretty much do anything in the air at a show except if your too close to the Reds Starburst . and theres one in the classifieds at the minute for a bargain price!

I went to RIAT2013 a week back and took my Sigma 170-500mm. It was ideal for some shots but too long at the short end for others, so I made use of the 55-200 Pentax as well. As JohnA mentions, at 500mm lenses take no prisoners!

An awful lot will depend on where you put yourself to watch the display, so take that into account. If I'd been a bit further away (I was in the centre) then the biggie would have been the sole lens in use.

This was taken with the 55-200mm




This with the 170-500 at the long end




NB - I know these are not brilliant, but it was my first proper air-show and I've learned a lot from it - better results will be had at Shoreham

I was looking at the longer Sigma lenses to include use at airshows, but when I started looking at the exif data of pictures taken by others (take a look on this forum) they seem to be mostly under 300mm, with a good few under 200mm, so I suspect the extra reach is not likely to be used too often at that type of event. Maybe a faster lens up to 300mm might be more useful? But nevertheless, it's still nice to have the extra reach available. As RayB says, it depends how close you are likely to be to the action

I too was at the excellent Duxford Flying Legends show and was using a 55-300 and 18-135. Focus hunting with the 55-300 was an issue for me and I concluded that photographing flying planes takes practice and patience.

If you are planning to spend serious money and air shows are to be your thing, may I suggest possibly hiring the lenses on your shortlist to better gauge what you are comfortable with and what suits your working needs best as I think there is no substitute for personal experience.

One lens I can however heartily recommend for use in the hangars is the Sigma 8-16mnm.

Good look with you search...

Unless the 150-500 or 120-400 is significantly sharper than the 50-500, then I think I have my answer. At Duxford and other places I've found I need the 55mm on my 300 for when stuff taxis past. It saves me from having to swap lenslenses rry a second camera.

At Duxford and shuttleworth, formations I tend to shoot at 180-230mm. And on the high speed passes I only dial back from 300 if they come close to the flightline.

I've also found the 55-300 hunts a lot wide open unless it's a very bright day.

At Duxford, when they come in from stage right over the tank museum, I'm wide open and only have to scale back when the lens hunts to focus and I have to reacquire the target.

Alternatively, what is there in the 300 zoom range of lenses that's nice and fast and doesn't hunt like the Pentax 55-300? I know sigma do a 70-300.

Another thing I have flirted with is keep the 55-300 and mate it with a 1.4 or 1.5 tamron or kenko pz-af tc but considering the 55-300 hunts already I'm not sure that's a smart move.

I was at the Sunderland airshow on Saturday and had the 55-300 and Sigma 120-400 and 150-500 with me.

The 55-300 was discarded within minutes - focusing is far too slow.

Out of the 2 Sigmas - on balance I much prefer the 120-400. It is slightly faster than the `150-500, in my view gives slightly better IQ and most importantly at air shows - is significantly lighter and easier to keep steady than the 150-500 when hand holding and pointing it in the air for long periods.

The only time the 150-500 out performed it was on fast moving jets at the long end - it was impossible at the long end on prop aircraft as the slow shutter speed required was impossible to attain as I could not hold it steady enough - OK with a shutter speed of 1/1600 - no go with a speed of 1/100

These taken with the 120-400

Well as everyone else is ....

Sigma 50-500mm OS










And one for good measure ... something the 150-500mm and 120-400mm lenses can't do (from a couple of years ago on my older Sigma non OS 50-500mm)

50mm

When at airshows, I normally use the Sigma 100-300 F4, with & without the 1.4X TC, except at those where the planes fly very close to th crowd line (e.g. Shuttleworth)where I use the 70-200 F2.8 - and I always keep the 18-135 handy for large aircraft/formations (and it also focuses quicker than the Sigmas).

I have a lingering jealousy for those who have the longer lenses - but then I remember that they are heavier and much more expensive

Therefore I agree with those who mentioned that 100-300mm and fast focusing (and thus the 55-300 does not work as I tried several times) is probably the way for most of us to go for current range Pentax DSLRs - unless you have a big budget and a strong body and arms to deal with the weight.

John

Out of interest, what 1.4 TC are you using?

The Sigma one.

oh well, a change in job circumstances has just settled it for me.

1.7 TC on my existing lens it is then.

oh I'll keep an eye out. if I get at least a 400 or better at some point, then I can always sell the TC later.

the only plus to this is at least at airshows, which is when I'll be using this combination I should have a very bright day so that might help offset the strop drop