airborne

My Feedback: (1)

Yes, that's the one I use all the time. Here's a few more photos - r/c this time. All shot with that lens and the 20D.

http://www.airbornemedia.com/rcu/corsair-flying.jpg
http://www.airbornemedia.com/rcu/dr1-flying.jpg
http://www.airbornemedia.com/rcu/extra-flying.jpg
http://www.airbornemedia.com/rcu/jinx-flying.jpg
http://www.airbornemedia.com/rcu/matrix-flying.jpg
http://www.airbornemedia.com/rcu/p51-flying.jpg
http://www.airbornemedia.com/rcu/reflection-flying.jpg
http://www.airbornemedia.com/rcu/rogue-flying.jpg
http://www.airbornemedia.com/rcu/skypilot-flying.jpg
http://www.airbornemedia.com/rcu/t-rex-flying.jpg
http://www.airbornemedia.com/rcu/turmoil-flying.jpg
http://www.airbornemedia.com/rcu/turmoil2-flying.jpg
http://www.airbornemedia.com/rcu/twin-stick-flying.jpg

With the exception of the Corsair (my personal bird - photo taken by my wife), these were all shot in the last couple of weeks at the AMA site in Muncie. All will be part of various product reviews in Model Aviation. This should give you some idea of how the 20D/100-400IS lens combo will work with R/C stuff.

Also, I saw a post relating to the 30D. It's a slightly upgraded 20D - resolution is the same, but some subtile differences in programming and a few other tweaks. The good thing about this introduction is that you should be able to get a 20D bit cheaper these days.

Enjoy.

Panzlflyer

My Feedback: (15)

mine will be here tomorrow

ROGER RUSSELL

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Mark:
Great pics.
Questions a little off topic

1. Do you use auto focus?
2. Do you use auto settings?
3. What speed, etc... do you like shooting at, etc.... (many answers to this due to lighting, etc....)
4. What software to enhance, etc....
5. Wife pic may have out done yours,,,,,, LOL.


I have a Rebel Digital, besn into photography as a hobby, have EOS 1 and two 620's films for sale LOL

Hope to order lens later this summer

sharbold

Andy

I will be waiting on some photos. Are you taking off work tomorrow so you can play with the new lens when it arrives?

Have a Great Day
Sam

Panzlflyer

My Feedback: (15)

Weather is supposed to be rain and Ive got to work to pay for it !
Will get some use hopefully this weekend when a friendmaidens his BME 30% Biplane.

Roger, it is ON topic IMO and I would like to know also,thats what the forums for.
If you look at Sams links the Exif info tells a lot of his settings which produce some fine pics

This weekend I was playing with all the focus settings with the 28-135 and it seems to have picked up focus on all of them (40 size trainers etc), only problem being the distance...hence the new lens.
The auto focus on the 20D is spot on and I dont find the view good enough to do much manual focus unless you go to the $8000 1Ds etc.
I think that is one reason to go Canon lens, getting the AF to work fast and correctly.

airborne

My Feedback: (1)

Roger,

Yes, I use autofocus 99.9% of the time. The only time I don't is if the subject if off center in the frame and holding still (portrait).

Yes, I use auto settings, but not all the time. For jets or glow powered machines, the "Sport" setting usually does the trick.
However, for anything with props, you have to continually play "catch-up" using a shutter priority mode. The reason for this is to balance getting a good sharp focus and getting a prop blur as well. Also, I shoot as much as possible in RAW mode. It gives me a great deal of lattitude in adjusting the photos post-shooting.

Here's few problem shots:
One of the product review models - a Hangar 9 Edgde 540. Great color, sharpness, composition - but no zero blur.
http://www.airbornemedia.com/rcu/hangar9edge540.jpg

The first time I went anywhere with this setup was Oshkosh a couple of years ago. I fought my way to a great seat along the flight line and had rows and rows of P-51s, P-38s, etc. come right by me. I started shooting away, but didn't check any photos because I was caught-up in the moment. Imagine how better some of these could have been with the right shutter speed!
http://www.airbornemedia.com/rcu/excalibur.jpg
http://www.airbornemedia.com/rcu/green.jpg
http://www.airbornemedia.com/rcu/old-crow.jpg

Usually something in the 1/250th will do the trick, but it depends on the available lighting and the subject. Also, electrics sometimes require a slower shutter speed because the RPM of the prop is much less.

Software - Photoshop (currently using CS2). No questions. As I do this for a living, I have to have the best software. Photoshop is the unquestioned leader in photo enhancement, adjustment, etc – but it will cost you.
Photoshop LE is a less costly alternative and you should be able to get decent results with it. For simple color correction and cropping, I would imagine most any photo-enhancement-type software could work, but I don't have any experience with those.

As for my wife outdoing mine, well you may very well be right. Sometimes when we need to do a product shot, there is no other pilot available so I'm at the sticks. Although she doesn't have a lot of time on the camera, we constantly talk to each other during the flight(s). I can usually "pose" the model as needed for her because I know what I'm after. Then she points and shoots away. It really works well.

ROGER RUSSELL

My Feedback: (12)

Some shots I took of a friends P51 this past weekend, using is digital and 28-300 lens.
No cropping or photo enhanceing

ROGER RUSSELL

My Feedback: (12)

Another

Unfortunately, Sun right above us

Panzlflyer

My Feedback: (15)

All I can say is "Wow"
Light is poor at the moment but there a few feathered friends and I took a couple of shots. Nuff to say it aint going back!!!
Handheld at 400mm IS on, so it works pretty well

sharbold

Andy

Glad to see the weather allowed you to get a few shots in, Looking Good. Wait till this weekend if you have sunny skies and the planes are flying you won't want to go home. Here is one of my feathered flyers.



Sam

Panzlflyer

My Feedback: (15)

Whats it doing?
I have taken a few shots inside at full zoom and it seems plenty fast to me, also crystal clear at all lengths. Definately a step up in lens quality after taking a few pics of the print on the box not soft at all at full 400mm.
Comon sun!!!

sharbold

I guess he was looking for dinner. It was an old tree stump in the neighbors yard and he sure was making the wood chips fly. Almost like a mini chainsaw. I was amazed at how sharp the lens was at 400mm and wide open. Its a great lens and I never head to the airfield without it.

Sam

airborne

My Feedback: (1)

Nice looking pics. It's one of those things where you have to experience the difference in quality for yourself. Sure it's a chunk of change, but as you say, "it won't be going back".

Keep up the good work.

rmh

nice shots -
Today , my son and I went out and tried a little multi camera I bought - a CanonS2 IS- and set it on continuous mode and using a fast Ultra 11 card did a lot of candid stuff
For a combo video and point n shoot it is a great little package .
It is not as good as an SLR at this - but it is a great camera for fun shooting - the little model only moves about 5 ft between frames on continuous shots.
Anybody need old Nikon 35mm stuff?

JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

Glad to see so many other RCU'ers with 20D's.. Im getting one as soon as I sell my rebel... Realistically, the rebel takes fine pictures, its the glass that makes most of the difference I feel.. 70-200 F2.8 IS is my next lens purchase..

My pics..

http://www.pbase.com/johnvh

Panzlflyer

My Feedback: (15)

Ive got a Canon point and shoot as well, cant beat them these days, shutter lag is very much reduced on the newer digital point and shoots plus you can change quite a few settings.
Nice pics JohnVH.
My Canon 35mm languishes in a drawer, just stealing its lenses.

rmh

I ran thru a bunch of shots today with the S2IS- amazing little bugger.
this is a foamy bipe -flying over the mountains and a part of a burst shot sequence as I flew it right on the deck.
The continuous sequence shooting on fine large settings is great fun - you can run thru a whole Ultra 11 card if you like - I then review the sequences by tapping thru the stills --like an old video viewer made of pages flipping .
On my shots of the dog playing - youcan catch the tail wags as she runs toward you - really a surprising machine - now under $400.00!

sfaust

My Feedback: (11)

I agree that the 100-400L would be a good match for RC photography. While it isn't a 2.8 lens, I rarely shoot at 2.8 for any airborne shots anyway. They only time I used 2.8 on the 300mm, or 70-200mm was on landing where there were background trees or other background objects that I wanted to defocus. Or when shooting later in the evening with darkening skies. Otherwise shooting around f4 or f5.6 gave me sharper results and more depth of field. I feel the 70-200 2.8 is a better lens, sharper, faster, etc, but having the longer reach with the 100-400 is a better trade off for this type of photography.

If you opt for the 70-200mm 2.8L, you can get excellent results with the 1.4x converter. I wouldn't stack them, nor would I recommend the 2x converter. But the 70-200 combination with the 1.4x works very well. I shot a full season of national pro womens fast-pitch softball with that combination, and a 300mm 2.8 and it was hard to tell the shots apart. Most of that shooting was in low light conditions for evening games as well. It won't get you the same reach as the 100-400, but it will be close.

IMO, if most of your shooting will be RC related, the 100-400 is a better choice. But, if you intent to do a lot of general photography which might also include low light, then the 70-200 and 1.4x setup would serve you better. I love the 70-200mm, 85mm 1.2, 24-70mm lenses. I'm a professional photographer, and do 90% of my work with these three lenses.

Hey Roger... Long time no see

JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

Well, I got my 20D, playing with it now, sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!

NCBrit

Cool. You will now find how much easier R/C photography can be. I also moved up to the 20D from the Rebel. It makes a huge difference. The 20D's larger buffer and faster fps allows for more continuous shooting, and being able to select AI servo makes focusing on a fast moving model much easier.

JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

Yeah, am excited, I also got a 28-135 IS lens with it, first IS Ive had, and Im thinking Ill be getting more! Im going to rent a 70-200 IS F2.8 for an event or two to try out, but that seems to be the hot ticket..

Thanks!

sfaust

My Feedback: (11)

John, its very dangerous to rent the 70-200 2.8L Once you do, you'll end up owning one. It's a very nice piece of glass, my second favorite after the 85mm f1.2.

JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

hehe, this I know to be true

ROGER RUSSELL

My Feedback: (12)

Steve:

No kidding,

What is th price diff with the 2.8 and 1.4 tele that you use and the 100-400?

(100-400 about $1500)

(PS: you going to Nall this year? I hope to next???)

sfaust

My Feedback: (11)

Roger, the 70-200 2.8 is around $1,600, so its more expensive than the 100-400 for the lens alone. I think the teleconverters are around $290 or so. So its about $,1900 for the 70-200/1.4x package. You don't get the same reach as the 100-400, but you do get a 2.8 aperture on the 70-200, and about the same as the 100-400 with the converter. I never compared the quality of the 70-200/1.4x against the 100-400, so I can't say how well it did. Against the 300 2.8 it did well, but of course it wasn't on par with it. But it works well for a lighter weight 300ish zoom for the work I was using it for. I didn't want to be stuck with the 300mm focal length as I needed to cover various areas which required different focal lengths. All in all, it did very well.

I don't think I will get time off to go to JN this year. I just picked up two large magazine accounts, and a book. The book will bring in about 200 shots over the next month or two, and the magazine about 150 shots a month till whenever. So taking a week or 10 days for the trip doesn't look too promising this year. Maybe next.