Duxford - My First Airshow

[peteloud]

This was my first air show. I was impressed.

After paying my £20 and entering the show field I was annoyed with myself when I realised that better shots could probably be taken from outside the showground. It was almost a week later, when I came across this website, and I discovered that this a a contentious issue, 'Naughty or Nice'.

I turned up with my Sony camera and a 25 year old Minolta 70-210mm from eBay, and was humbled by all the fancy cameras with long lenses. I struggled on and was pleased with a couple of my photographs, until I discovered this website. The photographs here impressed me greatly, but cut me down to size . I am pleased I didn't know about this website earlier or I would have given up when I first saw my efforts compared to the shots here. I now know I could do with a lens that zooms up to 500mm. As the £20 ticket strained my state pension a £3,500 lens is unlikely

[wv383]

Don't be downhearted. There's nothing wrong with those shots!

[CJS]

These are great shots - having the (slightly) wider angle produces a really cool result, the second one particularly is an unusual and great shot

[peteloud]

I am feeling a bit excited about the subject and thinking of buying longer lens. I use a Sony a850, (full frame), and am considering a Sigma 120-400mm, f4.5-5.6, APO DG HSM Lens for about £600-700. Does this seem a reasonable lens for this subject?

[Monty]

These are two great shots, personally I think shots like these are much better when photographing display teams than close-ups.

[Bruno G]

great pictures ....
the most important is the photographer's eye...

[Hasboman]

These are really good Peter - just goes to show you don't need a expensive long lens to get great images!

Have you got anymore that you'd be willing to share with us?

Harry

[peteloud]

These are really good Peter - just goes to show you don't need a expensive long lens to get great images!

Have you got anymore that you'd be willing to share with us?

Harry

I have, but they are not in the same league as those of the Red Arrows, so don't think I have been falsely modest. However I'll show a few more to show what made me so dissatisfied with my present lens, (and zero experience of photographing aircraft).

This is the best that I could manage. They are probably OK for a 25 year old lens with a max zoom of 210mm and a guy who has never photographed aircraft.





They look so static they could be Dinky toys.



I thought that they were OK, and the best that I could hope for. What I didn't realise is that air shows have many aficionados who are very skilled and well equipped photographers who produces superb photos.

[F-86]

There is only one person that you need to please and that's yourself, I don't claim to be a photographer just because I have had some photo's published in a book or magazines. I just take photo's for fun and for the memories of shows. If people like my shots that's nice, if they don't I don't lose any sleep over it.

Looks like you did a good job with what you had.

[Vodka]

Well my thoughts are always airshow first and photography second. Are the shots better over in the naughty field? No, not in my eyes, just a different perspective.

If you were at the M11 end of the airfield you would have seen the Sabre's spectacular last pass. Super low and full topside! my favourite moment of the day. Though mixed with some great displays and memories walking round the airfield. Superb day at DX.

[ciaranchef]

Love those first two, welcome to the forum Peter, Ciaran,

[peteloud]

Hi Guys,

I was so impressed by the superb aircraft in flight photos taken by you guys I have just ordered a new lens, a SIGMA 120-400mm F4.5-5.6 OS HSM, for my Sony a850.

On my second airshow I will not be able to excuse my aircraft in-flight images on the grounds of my 25 year old 70-210mm lens. I hope that my enthusiasm lasts, and that the weather will be as good as it was at Duxford.

I hope to bump into some of you guys before the seasons out, (most likley in the naughty field ).

[AntonovAN-2]

Hi Guys,

I was so impressed by the superb aircraft in flight photos taken by you guys I have just ordered a new lens, a SIGMA 120-400mm F4.5-5.6 OS HSM, for my Sony a850.

On my second airshow I will not be able to excuse my aircraft in-flight images on the grounds of my 25 year old 70-210mm lens. I hope that my enthusiasm lasts, and that the weather will be as good as it was at Duxford.

I hope to bump into some of you guys before the seasons out, (most likley in the naughty field ).

Duxford have bought the naughty field and will be putting fences around it if u are found on it you will be removed

[peteloud]

You have me confused.

> "I did wonder if you were a troll making spoof posts, now I'm getting convinced of it."

Are you suggesting that I am troll making spoof posts, or that AntonovAN-2 is the troll?

[AntonovAN-2]

Its true

[F-86]

Its true

We're all ears. Tell us where you heard this, provide a source, or I'm removing you for trolling the forum.

Blimey Dano is fuming, how dare anyone suggest he might have to go through the public entrance in the future!

Take it your latest signature is there as another feeble attempt to try and wind people up on the subject of the field? Just a thought maybe if you cut out the stupid thread titles and stopped trying to wind people about the issue it wouldn't be so bad and people would get off your case. Trouble is with your little game it's a bit one sided, you don't like it when someone disagrees with your views and then you start deleting their posts with your heavy handed moderating. No doubt this one will end up getting deleted for that same reason.

[AndyXH558]

your first shots are very good. especially the Red arrow ones as the colour is perfect on them. Cannot wait to see what you can do with the Bigma.

If you ever need advice, put it on the photography questions section and someone will try and help. Welcome aboard too.

[Ian G]

I haven't got any shots of the Red Arrows (a) with a wide angle and (b) with a beautiful blue sky like that!!! I've tended to concentrate on getting a tight 9 (or 7) ship shot but I think after seeing these, I may attempt, weather permitting, some wide shots like these as they're pretty good.

[AntonovAN-2]

MY dads mate works at the airfield and he told him also one of his other mates heard of someone else

[AntonovAN-2]

MY dads mate works at the airfield and he told him also one of his other mates heard of someone else

Well, the evidence is overwhelming in that case.

i know i am being 100% honest about this one

[neilos]

MY dads mate works at the airfield and he told him also one of his other mates heard of someone else

And do you have any idea just how much a piece of arable land is worth? Could be wrong, but I very much doubt the IWM could afford it.

And could the IWM require planning permission to erect a fence around the "naughty field"?, in which case, there hasn't been any planning applications made to SCDC from IWM Duxford in that respect.

[Duxfordian]

Duxford is a small village. Rumours and gossip fly about like wild fire. If this was true someone would have said something and would be all over the village.

Its nonesense. 18 carat bullshine.

[AntonovAN-2]

MY dads mate works at the airfield and he told him also one of his other mates heard of someone else

And do you have any idea just how much a piece of arable land is worth? Could be wrong, but I very much doubt the IWM could afford it.

And could the IWM require planning permission to erect a fence around the "naughty field"?, in which case, there hasn't been any planning applications made to SCDC from IWM Duxford in that respect.

apparently the field is now owned by duxford but they rent it out at a sensible price back to the farmer this way they are making money off the field

[AntonovAN-2]

The field is managed by Bidwell's.

Duxford do NOT own it.

You do realise how stupid you are making yourself look, don't you?

Now, stop trolling, before we ban you.

im not trolling i am being serious

[peteloud]

I haven't got any shots of the Red Arrows (a) with a wide angle and (b) with a beautiful blue sky like that!!! I've tended to concentrate on getting a tight 9 (or 7) ship shot but I think after seeing these, I may attempt, weather permitting, some wide shots like these as they're pretty good.

If you check the EXIF data with the image, (I wish others wouldn't remove the EXIF data from their images), you'll see that my first Red shot was at 180mm and the second at 130mm, so they weren't all that wide. I didn't change my 70-210mm lens all day. Even with my new lens, due any minute, a Sigma 120-400mm, I should be able to take such shots using that lens. Bear in mind that I used a full-frame camera, so those with APS-C sensor cameras, comparable shots would use a shorter focal length.

What I don't know is what I will get when using the lens at 400mm. This why I wished the photos here all had their EXIF data. I would have been able to see what different focal lengths captured and had a better idea which lens to buy.

Although I was very impressed with the quality of the shots of individual aircraft after seeing many such shots in this forum I started to find them a bit the same. (I am more interested in photography than aircraft. I appreciate that most members here are aircraft aficionados and will not find the shots 'a bit the same'.)

From the picture, or artistic point of view, I find that the smoke trails gave a tremendous sense of movement and grandeur and, for me, make a better picture, than being able to count the rivets in the fuselage. Of course, with my new lens giving me the ability of take more detailed shots, my views might change.

Here is another shot I took.

Sony a850, 1/750, ISO 200, Minolta Beercan, 70-210mm, f4, @ 75mm & f6.7
Unfortunately the distant cloud in the lower half of the picture reduces its impact.