"Oshkosh AirVenture 2007" highlights

[DonSchap]

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The following are from Oshkosh AirVenture 2007 which wrapped up this weekend.

I'm slowly weeding through over 1000 shots ... to find some of the more choice images that I and my brother took at the show.

One of the funnier aspects to this particular trip was the fact that my brother is a novice photographer ... kind of a point & shoot hero with my cast off Canon S3 IS, not wanting to unload scads of money into a DSLR habit. I spent a good portion of the night explaining the ins and outs of using a DSLR ... and what he could do with it. He also had complete control of my wagon load of lenses and equipment. As I climbed up on to the Canon-provided "shooting towers", that were along the flight line, he sat along the flight line, in the crowd. He laughed, telling me that as he broke out some of the higher powered lenses, over the next couple of hours, dozens of people were inquiring with various photography questions. He told them that he really didn't know much about DSLR stuff ... as he sat there loaded with a wagon full of thousands of dollars worth of my lenses and gear. I just had to laugh ... as I know how he felt ... I don't know much about this stuff, either. :eek: Okay ... well, maybe a little. :p

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So, with the two digital camera bodies I have, I stuck with my Canon EOS 20D and I gave him the much more user-friendly SONY A100, as he was anxious to give it a good going over. After shooting it for several images, he told me he was rather amazed with its snappy performance and now desires to have one, himself. (See ... all you have to do is effectively show the P&S crowd what they are missing ... and they will come to the DLSR-side ;) ).

He had his choice of any of the lenses I brought (TAMRON AF70-300mm f/4-5.6 LD, TAMRON Adaptall 2 MF 200mm f/3.5, TAMRON AF28-200 f/3.8-5.6, Tokina AF20-35mm f/3.5-4.5, TAMRON Adaptall 2 MF 70-200 f/4.5, Ozunon AF 70-210mm f/4.5). As I had already suspected would happen ... since the day I had put the two pieces of equipment together, back in March, he preferred using the TAMRON AF18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 XR DI-II LD Aspherical (IF) with the A100. It really is an all-purpose outdoor lens and I have found that it works quite excellently with the SONY A100's built in IS. The 'snatch and grab' ability of this lens just cannot be overstated.

With this combination, he got this shot of the F-22 Raptor, as it flew by with its weapon's bays open for only a few scant seconds.


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SONY A100 w/ TAMRON AF18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di-II LD Aspherical (IF)
EXIF: 250mm - f/9 - 1/500 sec. - ISO-100 - Auto Mode - Handheld


By itself, it's an amazingly well-timed capture at 300 mph and I am delighted that with just a little practice, he was able to capture such a dynamic, high-speed shot. Most people just get empty blue sky or a piece of the aircraft ... at full zoom, totally missing this kind of shot, especially with a P&S.

Here was what I got with the EOS 20D and the TAMRON SP AF200-500mm f/5-6.3 Di LD ... from a slightly different angle (Camera turned 90-degrees - Portrait mode).

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Canon EOS 20D W/ TAMRON SP AF200-500mm f/5-6.3 Di LD
EXIF: 213mm - f/8 - 1/500 sec. - ISO-100 - Manual Mode - Handheld



He then used the older TAMRON Adaptall 2 MF 200-500mm f/6.9 to capture this rather impressive calendar looking shot of a P-51 Mustang.


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SONY A100 w/ TAMRON Adaptall 2 MF 200-500mm f/6.9
EXIF: 1/400 sec. - ISO-200 - Shutter Priority Mode ... Manual lens settings - f/6.9 - 300mm


And then, to make matters worse ... this novice photographer got this high-speed pass of a F-117 Stealth Fighter ... handheld, with that same 97-ounce lens! :eek:

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SONY A100 w/ TAMRON Adaptall 2 MF 200-500mm f/6.9
EXIF: 1/400 sec. - ISO-200 - Manual Mode ... Manual lens settings: f/6.9 - 400mm


I tell, the kid's got a natural gift. He was beginning to make this look too easy. LOL :rolleyes:

Will ya just look at that blue sky ... just an awesome day for shooting.

More to come ...

[DonSchap]

Image opportunities were everywhere, but none more exciting than in the air, which is what Oshkosh is really all about. Personally, being a military buff, I love the warbirds. And they had a few … so I pulled out my 20D … and opened fire!

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When we arrived, the C-17 Globemaster III started doing its show, with some astounding flight control which had the jet literally stopping in mid-air and just hanging there, using its dynamic flight surfaces, landing dropped and four huge jet engines roaring.

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Canon EOS 20D W/ TAMRON SP AF200-500mm f/5-6.3 Di LD
EXIF: 209mm - f/5.6 - 1/1600 sec. - ISO-100 - Sp - EC -0.7 Step


The next big bird that flew in was the B2 Stealth Bomber or flying wing. To see this puppy swooping in, knowing it is packed with enough firepower to level a small city … leaves you gaping at the serene and eerie grace with which it does its mission.

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Canon EOS 20D W/ TAMRON SP AF200-500mm f/5-6.3 Di LD
EXIF: 200mm - f/9 - 1/640 sec. - ISO-100 - Auto - EC -0.7 Step

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Canon EOS 20D W/ TAMRON SP AF200-500mm f/5-6.3 Di LD
EXIF: 243mm - f/7.1 - 1/500 sec. - ISO-100 - Sp - EC -0.7 Step


Then the performance ace, the F-22 Raptor tore up the sky with its “vectored-thrust” and incredible “turn on a dime” performance. Anyone foolish enough to think they could tackle one of these is just "meat on the table."

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Canon EOS 20D W/ TAMRON SP AF200-500mm f/5-6.3 Di LD
EXIF: 243mm - f/8 - 1/500 sec. - ISO-100 - Manual - EC 0 Step


At the end of the F-22’s performance, it was joined into a formation by a P-38 Lightning from the WWII era and a F-86 Sabre Jet from the Korean War, creating what they call the ‘Heritage Flight”. I snapped this shot to capture the side-by-side size difference between these bad boys. I figure, with a skosh more room in the loft, I might actually be able to park the F-86 in my garage.

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Canon EOS 20D W/ TAMRON SP AF200-500mm f/5-6.3 Di LD
EXIF: 200mm - f/10 - 1/500 sec. - ISO-100 - Manual - EC 0 Step


To end Sunday's performance ... someone really did their homework and got two B1B Lancers to do a fly-by. This is not what you want to see coming if you are standing on foriegn soil.

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Canon EOS 20D W/ TAMRON SP AF200-500mm f/5-6.3 Di LD
EXIF: 200mm - f/8 - 1/500 sec. - ISO-100 - Sp - Manual - EC 0 Step


Because when you see this next image ... you're mere seconds from seeing the here-after ...

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Canon EOS 20D W/ TAMRON SP AF200-500mm f/5-6.3 Di LD
EXIF: 200mm - f/8 - 1/500 sec. - ISO-100 - Sp - Manual - EC 0 Step


And finally, walking around the static exhibits, a B-17 Flying Fortress ...

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Canon EOS 20D W/ TAMRON SP AF17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di-II LD Aspherical (IF)
EXIF: 29mm - f/10 - 1/250 sec. - ISO-100 - Sp - Manual - EC 0 Step


... sported some of the traditional “nose art”, which still goes on … but is not nearly as common or risqué as it was in the 1940s. Some things change for the worse, I guess.

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Canon EOS 20D W/ TAMRON SP AF17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di-II LD Aspherical (IF)
EXIF: 50mm - f/8 - 1/400 sec. - ISO-100 - Sp - Auto - EC -0.7 Step


Anyway, there are all sorts of photographic challenges with the brilliant sunlight, the heat, the reflections, the deep shadows and, of course, all the wonderful people who seem to always walk right through your shot. :rolleyes:

What the heck ... it was entirely a bunch of fun and I'd do it, again, in a heart beat. It was a great time and we met some pretty cool people along the way.

[Bynx]

Some great shots Don. Wished I could have been there. I took one of your pics and gave it a bit more detail.

[DonSchap]

Thanks, Bynx ... and I'll up the ante ... by having the BONEs throw some bones ...

LOL :eek:


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Canon EOS 20D & TAMRON SP AF11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Di-II LD
@ 11mm - 1/400 Sec. - ISO-100 - M Mode - Handheld


The heat is on!

[Bynx]

Dont know what BONEs throwing bones means, but nice job.

[DonSchap]

Dont know what BONEs throwing bones means, but nice job.

A "BONE" is a "B-ONE" or "B1"

I was just having a little fun at the expense of the original name. And "throwing bones" is tossing bombs at your ... target :D Obviously, the above image is a Photoshop construct. One of the EAA members is a demolitions expert, who puts on a coordinated explosion series for "the Warbirds", as they go around the country to the various airshows. I know it sure burned up a lot of grass, on Saturday. Anyway, I took one of the larger explosion images that I had taken and merged the two B1Bs into it ... to provide some drama to a rather nice, but mundane fly-by. The explosions were on Saturday ... the B1Bs were on Sunday.

F-16 Fighting Falcon rips into the sky ... after waiting in the hot sun under that bubble canopy for 25 grueling minutes for the F-117 to enter the airspace and do its fly-by.
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He wouldn't even wave ... can't says I blame him.
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Static display: U2-Variant, the TR-1A
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Parachute closing team ...
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Once again, Oshkosh had a tremendous variety of photo oppotunities and depending on your available time and willingness to withstand the heat ... you can get some wonderful images of subjects that are both interesting and detailed. ;)

[griptape]

Most of these are really great. I do have a question about the 2nd and 3rd pictures though... I personally would have had my ISO at 400 (if not 800, depending on how large I thought I might share/print them) to get my shutter speed in the 1/2000 range. Was this accidental or a conscious choice?

[DonSchap]

Just to simplify operation for my brother (novice manual guy using manual lenses), we usually left the camera at ISO-100 or 200, due to the brilliant skies we were dealing with. He complained of a series of over-exposed stuff, even at this low a setting, that he got. Next year will offer some more "practice", so perhaps then we'll start snapping ISO around then. High-speed shutter also tends to retard color saturation and increase contrast. Everything has a cost. :o

I hope to have some more 'advanced' lenses for the SONY, next year, also. The manual lenses are labor intensive and require you have a better understanding of your equipment than the "average Joe" does. Everytime you swing the lens, you change the amount of light it gets ... and hence, the exposure has to change to compensate. Manual lenses don't indicate this ... only the metering ... so you have to be really cognizant of that little indicator, in these cases.

Also, the intensely bright sun is rather harsh when you are trying to figure out what you have on the LCD. Even shading it with your hand is practically useless for these determinations.

[krzkrzkrz]

Hey DonSchap,

Amazing photos and great story line.

Do you think the Canon 70-200 IS USM with a 1.7 tele-extender is good enough for this kind of show?

[DonSchap]

I have a 1.4X T/C ... and while some people say it provides an adequate shot ... it slows down the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM's autofocus response significantly and upon close review, does reduce the image quality a bit.

When you are shooting distance shots ... your image quality already is under assault by atmospherics, so I'm not sure I'd want to lose any more of it. It guess it might be worth a try, if you are not going to get a long lens ... and are opting for a cheaper solution. Don't expect miracle shots, though.

Watching some of the "heavier" pros out at the show, up on scissor-jack platform trucks. They, like CW ... have Canon's serious long-glass ... with IS. I speak of the 400mm f/2.8L IS (11.8 lbs) or 500mm f/4L IS (8.5 lbs) ... and these will provide, without a doubt, your snappiest looking images. (I may rent a couple, next year, just to see for myself. That scissor-jack truck looking mighty fine, too! LOL) These are not zooms ... but long primes. They are designed to accept Canon's T/Cs to vary their focal length.

More often than not, you sacrifice IQ with using a zoom ... you do so, even more, adding a T/C to it.

Specifically, this is the very reason I bought the 200-500mm f/5-6.3 and the 200-500mm f/6.9 ... to eliminate the T/C entirely. Also, these particular zooms (200-500mm), I have found through serious testing, don't accept a T/C without the mechanical loss of "infinity focus", which you absolutely need taking long distance shots. You wind up with a very soft image, because it starts to become unsharp at about 25 feet.

w/o T/C
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Canon EOS 20D w/ TAMRON SP AF 200-500mm f/5-6.3 Di LD

w/ 2x T/C
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SONY A100 w/ TAMRON Adaptall 2 MF 200-500mm f/6.9 LD w/ Adaptall 2 2x T/C


(I usually don't like posting obviously inferior images, but for the sake of demonstration, here it is. It is no reflection on the camera or lens, but only in the application of a 2x T/C to the combination.) These 200-500mm zoom lenses are what they are ... if I need 1000mm ... I'll really need to buy one and forget the T/C.

So ... in a nutshell ... it's a crap shoot with the T/C-Zoom combo. If the images really need to look sharp ... craps, you lose. You may be able to boost them with "Unsharpen Mask" ... but, I have found that it always seems to be better to have a snappier and sharper image going into post processing, if at all possible. Your mileage may differ.

Good luck. :)

[Rooz]

some great shots don. i was beginning to think the young fella may have done a number on ya until you posted the second lot. :p

[DonSchap]

Thanks, "Rooz" ... but the SONY A100 did give him a "leg up" in quickness, due to its user-friendly layout. He quickly adapted and with the built-in IS ... his shake was effectively non-existant. The TAMRON Adaptall 2 MF 200-500mm f/6.9 is a pristene piece of glass to shoot with ... if you can handle the weight. He did well with it ... although it is entirely manual ... aperture and focus.

All I can really say ... is he wants one of those. Understandably so ... it's nice when you don't have to fight with it.