RAF BBMF - Once in a lifeltime opportunity - help!

fritzthedog · 2014-03-30T14:01:00+0100

I am sure that many of you - especially those interested in air shows or specifically the BBMF (Battle of Britain Memorial Flight)will have already heard that the one remaining air worthy Lancaster outside the UK is being flown over from Canada to join the one remaining air worthy British Lancaster for a series of airshows in August. This is a once in a life time opportunity to see the only 2 remaining Lancasters flying together. The RAF No 1 group are working together with the owners of Humberside airport to bring this all together and the Canadian aircraft will be based at Humberside airport for part of the time it is here. It will also be operating 'commercial' flights over Lincolnshire for a limited number of people willing to shell out £3,500 for the experience. Which leads me on to my own once in a lifetime opportunity. Through my work, I have a long standing relationship with the owners of Humberside Airport. In preparation for the events this summer - The BBMF will be put through it's paces from RAF Coningsby next month - and I am extremely privileged to have been invited as a 'VIP' guest for the day giving me access to the aircraft and crew and the opportunity to watch them prepare - take off - fly and land etc. at fairly close quarters. I may also get the opportunity to go 'air-side' at Humberside in August to photograph the Canadian aircraft taking off and landing Now the help required. 1. To upgrade or not to upgrade - that is the question... My experience of photographing the BBMF is limited to 2 visits to the Sunderland airshow and a few 'random encounters'. Before going to my first airshow - I decided that it would be best to use 2 bodies with different length lenses attached to reduce the chances of missing shots. The 2 bodies I have available are a K5 and a Kr so I had the Sigma 150-500 on the K5 for the long shots and the Sigma 50-150 on the Kr for the closer encounters. When I have checked back, I have realised that in 2 years - I did no get a single decent shot with the Kr + 50-150 combination. Kr not up to the job? bad lens choice? poor workmanship? I know my limitations and am certain part of the problem will have been me - but the level of difference between my work with the K5 and the Kr suggests this was not the only factor. Having already treated myself to a couple of new lenses this year, I had decided to hold off on upgrading the Kr until next year - however, with this opportunity looming - I am now asking myself whether upgrading the Kr to a K5IIs would significantly increase my chances of getting this right - any advice/ opinions most welcome. 2. Optimum lens combination In terms of which lens combination to use - the lenses I have that are potential contenders are: Pentax SMC DA 17-70mm f/4 AL [IF] SDM Sigma 50-150 F2.8 EX DC HSM Tamron SP AF 70-200mm F/2.8 Di LD [IF] Macro Sigma 120-400/4.5-5.6 APO DG OS HSM Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Any opinions on which combination to use would be welcome. 3. General tips for airshows ...and finally - It would be great to receive any practical advice/ tips form those much more experienced in this sort of photography than I am. Carl

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Mike-P Mike-P

13627 posts
18 years
Hythe,
Hampshire UK

Posted 01/04/2014 - 20:56 Link

For what it's worth and to give you an idea of size.

115mm

280mm (even 1/125th is really to fast to get decent blur on the propellers with the Lancaster)

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fritzthedog fritzthedog

1908 posts
16 years
Knaresborough,
North Yorks

Posted 02/04/2014 - 19:55 Link

Thanks Mike really good advice - have managed to get the Lancaster in the past with decent prop blur but not great images

Such as this one at 400mm 1/125

Or this one at 350mm

Carl

No matter how many lenses I have owned - I have always needed just one more

ChrisA ChrisA

4839 posts
19 years
South West London

Posted 02/04/2014 - 22:54 Link

Mike-P wrote:
You are photographing the Lancaster?

In which case it's very unlikely you will need anywhere near 500mm, depending how close you are I would imagine 300mm would be a bit much as well. Personally I would be looking at the 10-20mm for quirky wide shots, 17-70mm for people/portrait/interior and the 70-200mm or 120-400mm for the Lancaster photos (really depending on available light on the day)

As for settings ... AF.C, centre focus point, TAv mode, shutter speed will need to be in the 1/250th region (to get decent prop blur ... nothing worse than a prop plane in the air with a static propeller) and an aperture that gets you a decent ISO. As with all panning, keep following the plane for a moment after pressing the shutter button.

Personally I would be up the airport practising as it's unlikely you will get a second chance at this ... very jealous btw.

Very much agree with all this, especially the bits I've put in bold, and most important of all the practice.

Even if you can't get to Humberside, get to an airfield somewhere and hang out near the aeroplanes, if you haven't already spent time doing this.

I'd say 1/250 is at the short end of the exposure range unless it's taking off and you might get away with a little shorter.

I wasn't aware of the Canadian Lanc coming over, but if I have some time, I'll be looking to get some shots of them both in the air. That is the holy grail, really. Quite likely a literally once-in-a-lifetime thing, to have both of them.

The K-5 AF should be Ok for the Lancaster; it doesn't go very fast...

If it's manoevring around, 500mm might be useful, as it was with a couple of these...

[IMG]http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t244/chris5gd/Aviation/Farnborough%202012%20July%2015/IMGP2693.jpg[/IMG]

See what I mean about 1/250 really being a bit on the short side - the above is 1/200.

As is this, not that you can tell with the props edge on...
[IMG]http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t244/chris5gd/Aviation/Farnborough%202012%20July%2015/IMGP2691.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t244/chris5gd/Aviation/Farnborough%202012%20July%2015/IMGP2682.jpg[/IMG]

But if you're close, even 75mm is ample...

[IMG]http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t244/chris5gd/Aviation/Farnborough%202012%20July%2015/IMGP2603.jpg[/IMG]

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Pentax K-3, DA18-135, DA35 F2.4, DA17-70, DA55-300, FA28-200, A50 F1.7, A100 F4 Macro, A400 F5.6, Sigma 10-20 EXDC, 50-500 F4.5-6.3 APO DG OS Samsung flash SEF-54PZF(x2)
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Edited by ChrisA: 02/04/2014 - 22:59

Mike-P Mike-P

13627 posts
18 years
Hythe,
Hampshire UK

Posted 02/04/2014 - 23:03 Link

I got totally caught out with this one ... my back was to the runway and I was chatting away to someone, turned round just as it came over the top and the lens was at 400mm. Didn't have time to pull it in.

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ChrisA ChrisA

4839 posts
19 years
South West London

Posted 02/04/2014 - 23:08 Link

Mike-P wrote:
I got totally caught out with this one ... my back was to the runway and I was chatting away to someone, turned round just as it came over the top and the lens was at 400mm. Didn't have time to pull it in.

For shame!

Though it is surprising how sometimes a crop can be very effective. I like this - very lucky with the light - presumably reflecting off pale concrete or something?

The gear's up - was it a low pass?

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Pentax K-3, DA18-135, DA35 F2.4, DA17-70, DA55-300, FA28-200, A50 F1.7, A100 F4 Macro, A400 F5.6, Sigma 10-20 EXDC, 50-500 F4.5-6.3 APO DG OS Samsung flash SEF-54PZF(x2)
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Edited by ChrisA: 02/04/2014 - 23:09

Gamka Gamka

862 posts
13 years

Posted 02/04/2014 - 23:37 Link

Mike-P wrote:
I got totally caught out with this one ... my back was to the runway and I was chatting away to someone, turned round just as it came over the top and the lens was at 400mm. Didn't have time to pull it in.

That is excellent - it gives the impression it is just feet above you whereas if you had the full span it would look far away.