Possible first trip to Farnborough

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J.Smith photography
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Possible first trip to Farnborough

Post by J.Smith photography »

Hi
I am currently debating whether to go RIAT or Farnborough, I have been to RIAT twice before but I have never been to Farnborough.
I was just wondering what photography is like at Farnborough (only got a 300mm lens). Is it any good for photography?
I have looked at the list for Farnborough and I am tempted to go just for the ME262, the sea harrier and the F-35. Three aircraft that I have never seen before.
I was wondering overall which one is the better show, and whether Farnborough will be any good for photography (the main reason why I attend airshows).
Also could anyone tell me where the best place for photography of the flying display for Farnborough is?

Cheers,
James

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tommercer
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Re: Possible first trip to Farnborough

Post by tommercer »

With 300mm you get decent take offs and landings and you should be able to get some decent air shots too - you won't fill the frame but that doesn't stop you taking decent shots. All I ever use is a 70-300mm

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Re: Possible first trip to Farnborough

Post by Brummiekid »

Why not go to both? Then you can get lots of practice and compare distances v lenses v light etc?
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Re: Possible first trip to Farnborough

Post by J.Smith photography »

Brummiekid wrote:Why not go to both? Then you can get lots of practice and compare distances v lenses v light etc?


I would love to go to both, but I can't as it would cost me and my dad around £90 to get into each one.

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Thumper
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Re: Possible first trip to Farnborough

Post by Thumper »

I went to Farnborough in 2012 and used a 75-300 lens, I found it a stretch for in air shots, some aircraft were quite high and far away like the Tornados. I was at the front of the crowd-line, not in the Grandstand or an enclosure, here are a selection of shots;

https://www.flickr.com/photos/78307693@ ... 508058035/

Best place is the Grandstand or in an enclosure but it's a lot of money. In 2012 I was stood to the right of the BBMF aircraft just behind the enclosure, it wasn't perfect but the best advice I can give you is to get there early and pick a spot, then take loo/food/drink trips in turn so you don't lose your spot!

One more thing, have a look at http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/

A brilliant company, very helpful but they 'sell out' of lenses quite quickly when the big shows like RIAT and Farnborough are on, I missed out on a lens for Yeovilton last year when I tried to book a month in advance.

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Re: Possible first trip to Farnborough

Post by J.Smith photography »

Thumper wrote:I went to Farnborough in 2012 and used a 75-300 lens, I found it a stretch for in air shots, some aircraft were quite high and far away like the Tornados. I was at the front of the crowd-line, not in the Grandstand or an enclosure, here are a selection of shots;

https://www.flickr.com/photos/78307693@ ... 508058035/

Best place is the Grandstand or in an enclosure but it's a lot of money. In 2012 I was stood to the right of the BBMF aircraft just behind the enclosure, it wasn't perfect but the best advice I can give you is to get there early and pick a spot, then take loo/food/drink trips in turn so you don't lose your spot!

One more thing, have a look at http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/

A brilliant company, very helpful but they 'sell out' of lenses quite quickly when the big shows like RIAT and Farnborough are on, I missed out on a lens for Yeovilton last year when I tried to book a month in advance.

Thanks for the advice, nice shots by the way. I will have to think about hiring one of those lenses, but that does add to the cost of the show a lot.

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Re: Possible first trip to Farnborough

Post by AMB »

tommercer wrote:With 300mm you get decent take offs and landings and you should be able to get some decent air shots too - you won't fill the frame but that doesn't stop you taking decent shots. All I ever use is a 70-300mm


'Won't fill the frame with a 300mm lens at Farnborough' - you have got to be kidding? The public barrier is close enough to the runway for the largest aircraft to fill the frame with a 50-100mm lens on the runway and a 200mm lens for most small aircraft. The proximity of the public barriers to the runway at Farnborough are much closer than at Fairford. As for ther static, I even struggle with a wide-angle lens as everything is always so tightly packed in.

Having said that, if I had to choose just one show between RIAT and Farnborough, I would choose RIAT every time for many reasons. Farnbrough is basically a trade show and they do not cater for the public with a very limited flying display and not the variety of aircraft you get at RIAT.
Adrian

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Thumper
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Re: Possible first trip to Farnborough

Post by Thumper »

Just pulled 3 shots up from 2012 which I took that I shall post below. I did struggle with a 75-300mm lens to get nice full frame shots all of the time but I did still manage some nice ones at varying lengths. A 100-400mm I feel would be perfect for Farnborough/RIAT and obviously something like an 18-55 for the static park.

155mm just after take off

Image

300mm

Image

125mm

Image

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Re: Possible first trip to Farnborough

Post by J.Smith photography »

Thanks for all the replies.
I will definitely be attending Farnborough this year rather than RIAT, because in my opinion the flying list for Farnborough looks so much better, with some aircraft that I may never get a chance to see again.
Also Farnborough is more local (I won't have to get up at early hours in the morning). Plus it means that I can do Legends and the Shuttleworth event that is on on RIAT weekend.

Cheers,
James

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Pablo
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Re: Possible first trip to Farnborough

Post by Pablo »

AMB wrote:
tommercer wrote:With 300mm you get decent take offs and landings and you should be able to get some decent air shots too - you won't fill the frame but that doesn't stop you taking decent shots. All I ever use is a 70-300mm


'Won't fill the frame with a 300mm lens at Farnborough' - you have got to be kidding? The public barrier is close enough to the runway for the largest aircraft to fill the frame with a 50-100mm lens on the runway and a 200mm lens for most small aircraft


I think 'won't fill the frame' referred just to flying shots, acknowledging that 300mm would be plenty enough for take offs and landings!

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Re: Possible first trip to Farnborough

Post by Pen Pusher »

These were taken with a 16-105mm for static and a 70-300mm for the flying.

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Re: Possible first trip to Farnborough

Post by J.Smith photography »

Great photos as usual Brian
Where were you standing when you took them?
And how much cropping have you done to them?

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Re: Possible first trip to Farnborough

Post by Pen Pusher »

A bit of cropping on the flying shots :whistle: but that's not a problem with a Sony sensor. :biggrin:
The flying shots were taken at the cross runway at about the rotate point.

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Re: Possible first trip to Farnborough

Post by J.Smith photography »

Pen Pusher wrote:A bit of cropping on the flying shots :whistle: but that's not a problem with a Sony sensor. :biggrin:
The flying shots were taken at the cross runway at about the rotate point.

Brian


That means nothing to me, never been to Farnborough before, could you please mark the point an a map?
Cheers
James

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Re: Possible first trip to Farnborough

Post by J.Smith photography »

Do you need to buy tickets in advance? Or can you buy them on the day? (for the weekend)

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Re: Possible first trip to Farnborough

Post by harkins »

Thought I'd give this a bump as I am mulling over going down on Sunday purely to see the Harrier. I've looked at the website and it's unclear as to whether you can pay on the gate or not and also as to whether buying online requires a ticket posting or if it is a printable (.pdf) ticket.

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