Flying Legends Practice Day 10/07/09

I've currently got a Sigma 150-500mm on loan until the Air Tattoo next weekend so today I went to Duxford for the Flying Legends Practice Day. Here are a selection of photos, aside from any composition issues I'd appreciate any comments from those of you more experienced than I regarding IQ produced by this lens. Not up to the standard of my DA*300mm mind you

All of these were taken with the aid of a monopod...

1/500 F6.3 @ 370mm
[IMG]http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/rr139/RobbieB_album/Flying%20Legends%20Practice%2010th%20July%202009/IMGP2258.jpg[/IMG]

1/500 F6.3 @ 370mm
[IMG]http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/rr139/RobbieB_album/Flying%20Legends%20Practice%2010th%20July%202009/IMGP2259.jpg[/IMG]

1/500 F6.3 @ 400mm
[IMG]http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/rr139/RobbieB_album/Flying%20Legends%20Practice%2010th%20July%202009/IMGP2260.jpg[/IMG]

1/125 F8 @ 370mm
[IMG]http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/rr139/RobbieB_album/Flying%20Legends%20Practice%2010th%20July%202009/IMGP2261.jpg[/IMG]

These were taken with a K20D and using .PEF format in TV mode. I took a few at 500mm but having looked at the image on the screen on the K20D they were poor so I think the most I would go to is 400mm.

Rob

the first 2 are soft the others are ok, as i found with my 150-500mm i had to have the f stop right up around f10 to produce half decent images at 500mm, my 170-500mm is sharper at f6,3 than the 150-500mm at f12 f14, but hopefully it should be back from sigma soon with my k20 recalobrated, so it should be cracking, but im not gonne hold my breath,

as for the shots i like them, but no 3 for me,

I have to say that the last one is my favourite, the reflected light on the undercarriage, really shows of the craftsmenship of the people that built these planes.

Plus the fact I'm not a huge fan of flying plane shots!

No4 for me, well captured

Number 4 seems the sharpest with the slightly increased aperture, I have to agree with Scott that the first few are pretty soft. If you are thinking of a larger Sigma lens then I would be looking at the 170-500mm (excellent from what I have seen of Scotts pics) or 50-500mm (which I can vouch for first hand).

Thanks for the advice and comments, I've got to return this lens next week anyway. Is the Bigma sharper towards the 500mm end then Mike? I sold mine last year as I was without a monopod but now wishing I had still kept it

Just done a quick search through my Flickr for pics taken at 500mm with the Bigma, nothing wide open as the light was good but these are all handheld so with a monopod you should get better.

Nice shots Mike. There is one on ebay at the moment being sold by a fellow forum member that I have put a bid on so I might be lucky

Wont he/she deal through the forum?

No Ebay or Paypal fees has got to be an incentive.

Hi Rob

A few of mine from Shoreham with the 150-500 -

[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc222/Oggy3323/1-2.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc222/Oggy3323/2-2.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc222/Oggy3323/3-2.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc222/Oggy3323/4-2.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc222/Oggy3323/5-2.jpg[/IMG]

Not as good as the ones I took with the DA*300, but they were never going to be. The originals are significantly sharper than I can post here.

lovely shots oggy, but what made the da pictures better,

Um - a substantial difference in price

Those are nice and sharp Oggy. What focal length were they shot at?

Various Rob. If you right click and save them, the exif data is intact. Right click on the saved image and select "properties" or look at them with Photome.

How did you manage any prop movement at all on the Guinot at 1/1600