SL AF settings for an airshow

[Bohns]

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Hi all,

 

I will attend next Saturday an air show, with warbirds, jets, acrobatics, single planes or full squadrons, with the Patrouille de France as the « cherry on the cake ».

The airfield is in front of mountains, which allows for unclassical views of the planes demonstrations with a beautiful landscape background instead of the usual empty skies. I’ve been there 2years ago with my 1DX and 100-400 v2 with very good hit rate, despite the complexity added by the backgroung.

 

I would like for this year to give a try to the SL with 90-280. May be a little short, but I will try.

I would appreciate advices for AF settings. My experience with this body is more landscape or static subjects. My attemps on continuous AF were quite disapointing until now, but it was on eratic flying birds.

 

Thank you for your insights.

 

Stef.

[frame-it]

quite a few topics in this forum:

 

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/259005-af-settings-advice-for-dynamic-tracking/

 

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/260214-auto-focus-options/

 

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/284835-sl-focusing-on-moving-subject/

 

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/275214-what-slow-focus/

[sillbeers15]

_{The typical motion shot camera setting rules apply. You want to keen your ISO high if the lighting situation isn't as well lite. Higher than 1/1600 s shutter speed would help freeze the jets flying by when you pan your shot but if aircrafts fly by in opposite directions, you'll need 1/4000 s to freeze the motion to get sharp pics. The lens stabilization helps for handheld shots.}

_{There are important tips I've learnt through shooting flying birds and airplanes in particular to mirrorless SL's contrast detect AF as to overcome the weakness:}

_{1   Never shoot against strong back light for dynamic tracking set up as the AF does not work well and the 90-280 focusing can cause frustration and disappointment when the AF starts to hunt and lost the subject completely due to its longer focal length zoom set up. Good light not only improves exposure and allow higher shutter speeds but also greatly}

     _{improve the contrast AF capability;}

_{2   Pre focus the spot which you think it is most likely that you will start your focus tracking on the aircraft coming into frame as the SL lenses do not have a 'focus limit' switch on longer lenses like the Canon/Nikon does. It helps you to compose your subject in frame fast when you start to jam your shutter button to track focus and shoot;}

_{3   Do not start your shoots too early on continuous High setting as the buffer runs out fast and the camera stops accepting new shots. Therefore I prefer to use continuous Medium setting drive speed instead as it keeps my buffer going longer;}

_{4   The contrast detect AF will continue to focus when dynamic tracking AF setting is used but it will likely result in one pics sharp and another soft and the trend repeats, so you might need more frames shot to select your desired shots after;}

_{5   When it comes to crunch where the electronic view finder does not shot a clearly focused image and you want the shot, just jam the shutter release button and trust the camera to do its shot, you can get pleasant surprises which the shot was captured sharp but probably the electronic viewfinder refresh rate could not reflect the changes fast enough.}

 

_{Good luck to your shootings and always practice more to know your camera's limitations well to improve your efficiency of shooting. The 90-280 produces sharp and contrasty images whem you get the shot well.}

 

_{I took the following shot in the Singapore airshow earlier this year using the SL + SL90-280mm handheld set at 'S' 1/2500s, F4 Iso100 using the Medium drive / Zone focus / Dynamic Focus Tracking for my pan shot:}

_{L1070661 by sillbeers15}

[Chuck Albertson]

I've always just put it on manual focus and racked the lens out to infinity. If a screaming jet comes closer than that, you have bigger problems than an out-of-focus picture.

[sillbeers15]

I've always just put it on manual focus and racked the lens out to infinity. If a screaming jet comes closer than that, you have bigger problems than an out-of-focus picture.

It would be an issue with a 500 to 800mm tales but for 90-280mm focal length, no such encounters.

[hillavoider]

I've always just put it on manual focus and racked the lens out to infinity. If a screaming jet comes closer than that, you have bigger problems than an out-of-focus picture.

 

 

lol