Airplane Spotting setting for Canon SD630

[jasonsw]

Hello all! My pleasure to find such resourceful site / forum with knowledgeable members!!!

Will you kindly advise on settings i should try out for taking photos of airplane landing at LAX? I have Canon Powershot SD630. I am trying to utilize my Manual option since AUTO option is giving me blurred image of fast moving plane that is landing at around 3 p.m. when there's a lot of sunlight. Picture attached below.

low ISO80? HIGH ISO? ISO800? My guess is low ISO80?

what about Exposure? Options: Exposure -2 through +2

Long shutter: 1-15 seconds. leave it at 1?

how can i change aperture and shutter speed on this camera?


Any comments / advices will be greatly appreciated! Thank you all for reading!

Blurry picture even during 3 p.m. when there's sunlight.

[D Thompson]

You'll need a fast shutter speed - 1/100th or faster to stop the motion. Usually anything moving will blur @ 1/60th or slower. Use the lowest ISO you can to get that shutter speed.

[SpecialK]

More like 1/500 or faster. Lowest ISO possible. Meter off clear blue sky away from the sun for an initial exposure setting.

As far a changing the settings, I'm guessing you put the mode on M (manual) and use 4-way left and right to change the shutter or aperture settings at the bottom of the viewfinder.

You can download the manual here:
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/co...&modelid=12956

Edit - Looks like there is no real "Manual: settings. I would use the Kids and Pets mode for the faster shutter speed if it does not raise the ISO too much.

[reppans]

You can freeze photo as descibed above, or, what I happen to prefer, is a panning shot where the plane is still, but the background (clouds, or ground as the plane is landing) - it gives a much better sense of the action. For a panning shot:

- use the view finder to follow the plane like rifle scope on a moving object
- keep camera, arms, elbow all tight and pressed into your head/body and follow plane by twisting at hips/legs
- use a low ISO to help drive a longer shutter speed
- use Tv priority around 1/30th to 1/60th
- let the camera's meter select proper Av, but if selected Av is outside its range, you may need to change the ISO a bit until the camera can select an Av within its useful range.
- shoot in continuous mode and delete the pics that are blurry (which will be most of the pics)

an example:



Not much chance of getting a non-blurry plane if your using 1+ seconds shutter speed (for that matter anything longer than 1/15th).