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30-90mm NYC Helicopter-Flight


diddus

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Alright, so let me Start from the beginning.

 

I did recently buy a Leica S 006 + 70mm whilst being in Wetzlar. I did get a really good deal and basically had to sell my 50mm summilux + M240 and add a little bit of money to finance it.

 

Anyways, I always wanted to do a helicopter flight over New York and now found out that a company here offers these ... Windows open and all..

 

Now these flights aren't cheap, so going up there just to realize that you brought the wrong lens (you can't change it up there...) would be quite disappointing.

Therefore, having heard only great things about the 30-90 zoom, I thought about bringing that.

Trouble is, I cannot really afford spending 10 grand on a Lens that I would usually not require (I work with my 35mm Summilux on the M9 more or less exclusively and switch to the S with 70mm for Studio and other Model related shoots..).

 

I also bought a cheap mamiya adapter and a few lenses, but that won't really do in a helicopter... Hard to focus without being up there.

 

A rental for one, or a few days (depending on the cost..) would therefore do just fine.

 

The problem I am facing now, is, that apparently there isn't a single 30-90 available to rent in all of Manhattan. Neither Photo Village, nor Adorama, nor Foto Care nor K&? have them. Also, the Leica Store Soho is sold out.

 

I was offered a loaner from Leica, but there was a mixup and sadly is not available until the 19th. ... Which is 3 days after my flight. Basically I need the lens for either Sunday or Tuesday, the two days that still have Flight available.

 

I really don't know whom else to turn to, because I really would love to be on one of those helicopters with my S (006) and the 30-90, being prepared for anything.

 

If anyone knows anybody in NYC or has a lens, or just experience shooting an S from the helicopter (who thinks I'll be just fine with the 70mm) ... I'm open to any suggestions and offers...

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Take what you have. I tend to be driving, not photographing while in a helicopter, but have done a fair bit of shooting from them.

I disagree, lens changing should be possible. Not as simple as sitting on a park-seat at ground level, but not impossible. However, if the door is off, all bets are off, I will not allow lens changes if we are over town/built up, or worse still over another aircraft, lenses just magically fall off at the worst time.

 

Try the manual lenses, manual focus is no issue in this circumstance, as most shots will be at or very close to infinity anyway. I recall using 35mm Nikon gear years ago, and favoured a wide to normal zoom, but each trip is different. If you have the luxury, have a bag open, with the relevant lenses all uncapped, ready to change/fit. Realistically you'll only be using two or three at best. Take another camera, take spare batteries, same old story, if it can go wrong, it WILL when you don't want it to. Make sure you wear the neck strap from the camera, LOL.

Enjoy the trip.

Gary

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... lens changing should be possible. Not as simple as sitting on a park-seat at ground level, but not impossible. However, if the door is off, all bets are off, I will not allow lens changes if we are over town/built up, or worse still over another aircraft, lenses just magically fall off at the worst time.

 

Try the manual lenses, manual focus is no issue in this circumstance, as most shots will be at or very close to infinity anyway....

 

They don't allow one to change lenses, because of what you mentioned ;) Not even Shades or anything that could fall of is allowed. 

Anyhow, it is possible to take two cameras. 

 

Like I've said, I had trouble with focussing the Manual Mamiya Lenses, even at Infinity + I did try the Zoom, which is not half bad, but really only good (compared to the Summarit) from F8/f11 on. 

 

The M9 with a 35mm and the S with 70mm is probably an alright combo, but the Zoom would give me a lot more versatility. Usually I take the M9 for Documenting things ... like the flight with the Lux wide open... The S is for the more refined shots...  although I suppose, 35mm and 56mm eq. would be alright everything concidered.. 

 

 

Still, if it's possible to get a 30-90 that would be my absolute preference. 

Edited by diddus
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I've done quite a lot of fixed wing photography, does a helicopter offer a better platform, how about Airframe vibrations?

Um I really don't have any experience so far. 

 

I was advised that the F Stop should be 5x the focal length .. so I will be shooting at mostly at 500 and 1000 to be sure. 

Since I've never been on a helicopter I can't really say ... but oh well ... 30 minute flight means 30 minutes of practice. 

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Hello,

 

You'll want to avoid too much wide angle as you wish to avoid having parts of your rotary wing or fixed wing aircraft in view. Believe me, it is quite easy to have that, even though you think that all was fine at the time of capture.

I have done photography from a helicopter but did not go wider than 35mm (in 24x36 format) and that worked fine. The Vario 30-90 gives you 24mm at the low end, this may be a lot. Do not forget also that you work with an S Type 006, which means usuable ISO until 400 (if you are really critical) or 800. The Vario gets slower when you move up focal length. Combined with in-flight vibrations, you'll wish a high shutter speed of at least 1/500 to avoid shake. Perhaps you would be better of renting the 45 mm lens, which equals about 35mm in 24x36 format. That should give you nice coverage.

Have fun,

Pascal

Edited by leicapages
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Yes, with vibrations, two things to consider.

Shutter priority if you can, and select something that uses about a stop or two of aperture at most from max opening. OK, I suppose you could simply use A priority and stop it down one stop, two stops perhaps. Don't be afraid to crank the IOS up to assist. Noise you can normally tame, blur is a bit more difficult.

Second thing is the not touch the aircraft with your hands etc while shooting, allow your body to soak up any vibrations. Don't lean the camera (or lens) against the window frame or edge, nor on the glass.

Go have fun, don't forget to look outside as well, otherwise you'll miss a chunk of it.

Gary

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At least with digital you can chimp & adjust.. I would go with f5.6 set Hyperfocal (-3ev) 400iso - custom WB, alternatively Shutter Priority

with the same EV, ISO & WB.. These would be My initial settings and go from there...Spot metering, there is a lot of light up there and it will need to be taken into consideration...enjoy the day..L

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I have experience of small military helicopters (for remote area surveying, not military activities) and at the end of the flights my brain was addled by the noise and vibration; civilian tourist flights may be better insulated from vibration. So I agree with the minimum shutter speed recommendations.

 

Can you do a "thought" flight in your own head: either find out the approximate route the flight will take, or, if you have the choice, plan your own route? From this, a map, knowledge of buildings heights etc, make an assessment of the size of the scenes you are likely to want to capture, and hence the FL of lens you would need. This is all very theoretical, but it has helped me in other scenarios where I have started on a shooting event when I had to decide which limited selection of equipment I had to take, with no chance of changing my mind (in my case, typically engineering or construction sites: in tunnels, up cranes etc).

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Thanks for all the feedback!

 

I might be going with the M9/ 35mm Summilux and S006 70mm combo. 

 

 

Since we take off in NJ I'll immediately have the Skyline in front of me ... I doubt panorama stitching will be an option though .. lol ..

 

Anyhow, the route is discussed with everyone that's flying. So I'll see when I get there I suppose. 

 

Sadly the height and especially the distance I will be from the Buildings is something I do not know. I was told by the company that a 24-70 would be best suited. 

 

With the information I now got regarding the 35mm, I might be fine with 35mm and 70mm (56eq) ... with the S I can still crop if I'd like to, so that covers the long End.

 

My god .. so many thoughts, I'm sorry guys for bothering you with this. 
'

 

One other option might be to test the SL with the Zoom instead of the M9 ... kind of sad though since I never leave my M9 behind for anything.

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There is an excellent article on this very subject @ Fstoppers.....(I googled:- photography helicopter flights)

Ahh, i have read quite a bit, but didn't see that one before.

 

Pretty awesome! I'm becoming more and more confident about just bringing the two primes and being done with it.

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