Asahi Photo Solenoid Repair Asahi Photo Solenoid Repair Asahi Photo Solenoid Repair

RAF Waddington Airshow 2014

AndrewH
Posted 09/07/2014 - 18:21 Link
I spent another happy afternoon at the RAF Waddington Airshow this year...over 800 clicks on the K5iiS with the DA 55-300, which when it gets it right is pretty good. I've trimmed the shots down, and for the first time ever with this type of shot did some gentle PP using PSE11, mostly lightening shadows and a little contrast, with some cropping too.

Here are a few of my favourites, there are a few more on my Flickr if you're interested

Comment Image
BBMF Spitfires P7350 (Mk IIa) & MK356 (Mk LFIXe) by Andrew~H, on Flickr

Comment Image
Patrulla Aspa Aerobatic Team by Andrew~H, on Flickr

Comment Image
BBMF Avro Lancaster PA474 by Andrew~H, on Flickr

Comment Image
RAF Eurofighter Typhoon by Andrew~H, on Flickr

Comment Image
Avro Vulcan XH558 by Andrew~H, on Flickr

Comment Image
'Soloturk' F16 Fighting Falcon by Andrew~H, on Flickr

And this one is how it came out of the camera, no editing/cropping at all...

Comment Image
Hawker Hunter by Andrew~H, on Flickr


C&C welcome, particularly with regard to the PP...there's only one way to learn! And I'm sorry if anyone doesn't like the fact that they're watermarked - I've learned the hard way that photos get taken and passed on with no credit.
Edited by AndrewH: 09/07/2014 - 18:23
Mike-P
Posted 09/07/2014 - 18:41 Link
Not bad at all, possibly the best I have seen taken with the 55-300mm. You could do with a slower shutter speed on the first 3 to get a bit more prop blur and the falcon and Vulcan would maybe benefit from a boost in the shadows to bring out more detail underneath.

Eurofighter is just about perfect.

Edit: Your watermark could be taken out in about 2 seconds by anyone with a clone brush ... tbh it's next to useless if you are wanting to protect your image.
Edited by Mike-P: 09/07/2014 - 18:44
bettyswolloks
Posted 09/07/2014 - 19:29 Link
That Lancaster shot is superb!
One day you'll find, 10yrs have got behind you.
1stEverPentax
Posted 09/07/2014 - 20:28 Link
Great set of shots Andrew...that Hunter at the end is almost toy like...like a prop in Thunderbirds or something! Well done.

Karlo
McGregNi
Posted 09/07/2014 - 21:10 Link
Really impressive aircraft pics, sharp and with dynamic angles plus punchy colour. A great job. There's been discussion on another thread here about camera exposure settings and autofocus modes... Sound be interesting to know how the camera was set up for these ... Any exposure compensation, metering mode and af technique? Clearly it had all worked perfectly here!
My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver
fritzthedog
Posted 09/07/2014 - 21:14 Link
Agree that a slower shutter speed would have been better on the prop aircraft BUT have to say WOW you have managed to get more out of that 55-300 than I ever managed with any of the 3 I have owned and parted company with - impressive set.

Carl
No matter how many lenses I have owned - I have always needed just one more
Posted 09/07/2014 - 21:42 Link
Very nice, I have to be honest a slower shutter speed may have been better for the props but then you risk blurring the whole photo. Keep producing them like that and you cant go wrong they are excellent and very professional. The Lancaster is the one I favour as it gives the impression you took it from above it. They are all cracking shots.
Regards David
davidstorm
Posted 09/07/2014 - 21:43 Link
These are great Andrew, the 55-300 has served you very well. You have done a good job and should be proud of these shots.

Regards
David
Flickr

Nicola's Apartments, Kassiopi, Corfu

Some cameras, some lenses, some bits 'n' bobs
Blythman
Posted 09/07/2014 - 21:46 Link
Like these, especially the oldies
Alan


PPG
Flickr
AndrewH
Posted 10/07/2014 - 00:14 Link
Thank you all for your kind & constructive comments - I am most flattered, and pleased as I haven't done much PP before so was a little nervous about getting it right, and particularly in front of the discerning audience here, many of whose photographs I admire with envy!

McGregNi wrote:
Any exposure compensation, metering mode and af technique? Clearly it had all worked perfectly here!

Centre AF, no exposure compensation & multi segment metering (I had inadvertently started the day with the camera set at Ev+3.0, resulting in *slight* overexposure on some static shots I'm glad I looked at one of them before I'd taken 800+ shots!). Most shots did need some lightening in PSE to bring out the detail and colour, so perhaps a slight positive Ev adjustment may have worked too.

Coupleed with the K5iiS I do believe I have a very good example of the 55-300!
Edited by AndrewH: 10/07/2014 - 00:15
McGregNi
Posted 10/07/2014 - 10:46 Link
Thanks for that, sounds like plus 1 ev would be a good start point. I know centre-point focussing is usually most reliable ...is it the case that there's more hunting around with auto points active?
My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver
AndrewH
Posted 10/07/2014 - 11:20 Link
McGregNi wrote:
Thanks for that, sounds like plus 1 ev would be a good start point. I know centre-point focussing is usually most reliable ...is it the case that there's more hunting around with auto points active?

Yes, that would probably be about right - I can confirm that unsurprisingly plus 3 definitely isn't!

I almost always use centre-point for things like this as it's most consistent and you know where you need the target object to be. With some of these I reframed slightly afterwards for a better composition. I find that if you lose a fast jet for a split second the lens hunts anyway, resulting in several missed opportunities. My dad uses Nikon and I heard him uttering the same groan several times, so definitely the nature of the beast!
AndrewH
Posted 10/07/2014 - 11:28 Link
AndrewH wrote:
Centre AF, no exposure compensation & multi segment metering (I had inadvertently started the day with the camera set at Ev+3.0, resulting in *slight* overexposure on some static shots I'm glad I looked at one of them before I'd taken 800+ shots!). Most shots did need some lightening in PSE to bring out the detail and colour, so perhaps a slight positive Ev adjustment may have worked too.

I forgot to say I was using Av mode as well.

Add Comment

To leave a comment - Log in to Pentax User or create a new account.