helicopters

I have been given a short helicopter flight as a birthday present.

Is it worth trying to take photos whilst in the air or will the 'window' give a distortation?

If it is worthwhile what lens and what settings would you suggest?

Dave

Hi Dave,
All the images I have come across are all softened by the window. So not competition winners. But they will make great memories of your flight..

Lucky you! I would take a wide angle to capture the interior of the cockpit Dave, and a medium telephoto for picking off details of the landscape if you get chance.


Shouldn't you have been there with her instead of watching a play?

I take a helicopter or small plane on scheduled flights, once in a while and always take a camera (or two!).

On digital I have a normal zoom 17-50mm Tamron and put it in Av. Be prepared to switch to manual focus (avoiding focus on the window scratches) and adjust the exposure comp as you change from dark cabin to bright view in the window. Either that or have a wide bracket set up with RAW+ and select later.

I've also used a DLux3 to reasonable effect.

I take a second point and shoot compact. In my case a Yashica T4 which has a Zeiss Tessar T* 35mm lens. Loaded with colour slide film or colour film it just allows a slightly different end result.

I took a MZ-M last time with the 58mm Nokton attached and it was pointless. Too much faffing about.

If its a small craft and special charter you might get a window open for you.

These were taken 'through the bubble' in 2009, with a DA 50-135 on a K10 (at the short end!).
link
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link
Not great shakes as images, but it may give you a better idea...

I've done a fair bit of aerial photography in a Piper Warrior. OK, it's not a helicopter, but the flying height will be similar. The lens I used the most was an old FA 28-200mm ED/IF lens and I got some reasonable results, even through the scatched and dirty plexyglass windows.

You might be lucky and have a 'copter with an opening window.

Just don't forget, 'Clunk, click', you'll not want to fall out. Not more than one anyway.

Just fly with the door open.

I took a flip in a Tiger Moth, no glass in the way. The photos were taken with a Canon A95 so I'll not post here.

link

Greg

Do you know what helicopter it is? You may be able to open a window. A 17-50 or 18-55 should do it, but take a tele zoom as well. What lenses do you have available?
Try and keep the shutter speed above 1/500th, and stop the lens down to f5.6 or f8. If you can't open the window, try and take along a bit of matte black card to shield reflections, and use a lens hood. On the ground, look where the windows are scratched and try to avoid shooting through the scratches.
Have fun!

Well what a fantastic experience Lovely weather

Difficult to photograph anything what with looking out of the window, reflections, bird shit, misting of the windows.... I will just have to go out again

A couple of pics

the helicopter



at last a clear photo




Dave

I use to specialise in news pix from helicopters. Some have opening sections in the windows. If not, many have a facility to remove the door. It's not remotely dangerous because you are strapped in.

I covered a grand prix from a helicopter once. We flew from Battersea, put down in a field a mile or so from Silverstone and hid the door in a hedge, then collected it on the way back to London. Those were the days!

Why not ask anyway? Maybe the elf and safety does not stifle every thing yet.

A DA10-17 to snap the inside of the cockpit would be great. In fact hanging it out the window would be cool too. Don't drop it

I don't remember seeing those photos in a thread here