Lens for Duxford and Yeovilton Airshows

darkman · 15 Jan 2013

Hi

Looking for a bit of guidance from those who have been to either of these airshows. What lens would you recommend as a minimum.

I am refreshing my kit this year and am debating what lens to get for airshow use. :help:

Looking at
70-200 non IS L F2.8
70-200 F4 L IS
100-400 Is L
300 f4 L

hamster100 · 15 Jan 2013

At Duxford you will need something longer that 200mm as the crowd line is quite far back. The 100-400mmL is a popular choice for airshows.

I've not seen the Yeovilton show so I can't comment on that show.

seriousrikk · 15 Jan 2013

How about adding the 70-300mm L to the list?

Very good lens, sharp wide open, I used it at Waddington last year to very good effect.

wyx087 · 15 Jan 2013

it would also depend on what kind of shots you are looking at. tight shot of the aircraft or their trail of smoke?

I used a 70-300mm at Duxford and was just borderline enough (with a bit of crop) for tight shot on low fly overs, and pretty good for smoke displays.

if you've got the money and muscle, get the 100-400.

darkman · 15 Jan 2013

Thanks

the 100-400 seems to be the most flexible for range. 70-300 I hadnt really considered so will check it out.

cw318is · 15 Jan 2013

At Duxford the problem you have is there are only really two places to get reasonable photos from as the display axis is south of the crowdline, so you are facing the sun all day. Consequently some of the best lit shots will be long towards the east and west. Just flicking back through last years efforts at Duxford the bulk of my shots were taken between 300-400mm with a white dust pump, and even then some cropping was required.

Yeovilton because or the width of the pan again you'll be looking towards the 300-400mm end of the scale.

Whilst I would recommend a 100-400L in a heartbeat, just to through another into the mix have you thought about the Sigma 150-500? Slightly slower but I've seen copies which are sharper then my 100-400 at 300-350ish mm.

cambsno · 15 Jan 2013

At Duxford I have used a 70-200 on a crop body (d300) and found it too short. The 300mm prime was perfect overall for most aircraft in flight.

pete.rush · 15 Jan 2013

For airshows nowadays the display line is getting further away from the crowd line. There are shows like Shoreham and Old Wardon where you'll still get reasonably close to the aircraft, but for Duxford and Yeovilton (unless you cropping majorly into your image) you requiring 300-500mm and as for Fairford, 400-600mm

The advantages of modern camera's is the extra MPs so you can crop into the image, but people are still looking at the longer zooms or primes.

Sigma 50-500mm or 150-500mm OS lenses seem to be used by a large number of people over the 100-400mm nowadays, the OS system seems to help quite abit when the light conditions drop off, but because they're a f6.3 lens they do still struggle, but they are an affordable way of achieving 500mm

welshwizard645 · 15 Jan 2013

100-400 L simples - will give you the length on an APS-C camera as well as full-frame. works well with 1.4x extender.

pete.rush · 15 Jan 2013

welshwizard645 said:
100-400 L simples - will give you the length on an APS-C camera as well as full-frame. works well with 1.4x extender.

Depends which brand of TC. Canon, only on a 1D series if you want to retain autofocus. The non reporting or cheating TCs like Kenko would work, but they will hunt if the conditions ain't right and could damage your lens (autofocus motor) especially for moving subjects like aircraft.

darkman · 16 Jan 2013

Looking like a 100-400 or 150-500 for a bit less outlay.
Wll have to try and find somewhere local to try a 100-400

Bernie174 · 17 Jan 2013

300L F4 with a x1.4 converter is your best bet.
100-400 is OK, ish, but can be soft from 350 onwards, even when stopped down, which isn't a luxuary you can always have during our supurb summers.
Yes, it does mean you are left with manual zoom (walk backwards, walk forwards), but the quality is brilliant!

pete.rush · 17 Jan 2013

300mm f4 a great lens was my main sport / aviation lens until I upgraded last year to the bigger brother. The f4 works very well with the canon 1.4x TC, but you do need the light to get the best from that combo.

300mm f4 with 1.4x TC

300mm f4 with 1.4x TC

300mm f4

300mm f4 with 1.4x TC