RSAF F-5 Tiger II

[Singer high]

I just got my new Sigma 120-400mm OS from Hong Kong. (Ebay, actually).
Air Force was kind enough to arrange this flyby for me to take some test shots.





Unfortunately I was too excited and took these at aperture priority mode f5.6
Might have been better in shutter priority mode.

[melvinchen]

Haha, don't mislead us, people might believe and start calling PLAB to request flyby.

ANyway, is it the lens? It looks a little soft.

[JacePhoto]

wah, nice shot.

[Singer high]

Originally Posted by melvinchen Haha, don't mislead us, people might believe and start calling PLAB to request flyby. ANyway, is it the lens? It looks a little soft.

Hahaha! OK, to clarify the planes always fly by my home when they take off.

Maybe it's because these were taken at f5.6? Might have been better at f8 or smaller.

[Darcy.Zhou]

Originally Posted by Singer high Hahaha! OK, to clarify the planes always fly by my home when they take off. Maybe it's because these were taken at f5.6? Might have been better at f8 or smaller.

So no crop? en... full open always produces soft pic, except those EXPENSIVE lenses

[synapseman]

F-5, one of my all time sentimental favourite fighter jets.

[kkenji]

nice shot!! the black knights were flying round my area too..although they flew low, i dint managed to get a good pi with my 40 to 150mm..

[Singer high]

Thanks guys! Yeah, I like these old jets too. Don't forget they are the co-stars in Top Gun.

Originally Posted by Darcy.Zhou So no crop? en... full open always produces soft pic, except those EXPENSIVE lenses

These photos were cropped. Air Force don't fly them close enough to my home, even at 400mm.

[harper]

woah, very nice. there's some f18s some days back.

[Singer high]

Originally Posted by harper woah, very nice. there's some f18s some days back.

Yes, I saw them on the same day I took these F-5 shots. But they climbed higher then the F-5s upon take-off. By the time they passed my home they were already in the clouds, couldn't get any clear shots.

By the way, I think they were F/A-18F Super Hornets.

[jkuean]

but s'pore doesnt have F-18s...
only F-5 and F-16s are in comission now.....
And the incoming batch of F-15s...
anyway where do u stay? dont really see F-5s now adays...

[Singer high]

The Hornets probably belong to USN/USMC squadrons on visit or exercise.

I live in Punggol. When planes from PLAB take off they pass by my home.

[melvinchen]

Originally Posted by jkuean but s'pore doesnt have F-18s... only F-5 and F-16s are in comission now..... And the incoming batch of F-15s... anyway where do u stay? dont really see F-5s now adays...

Lots of visiting jets land at PLAB every year..its quite common to catch even C-17 and C-5, USAF F-15....sometimes even MiGs.

[jkuean]

cool, i also live sort of near plab in kallang, but can only see f-16s and c-130s...
cant see all the variety of planes as u guys have seen...
but next time u do see foreign fighters can pm... i want to go down to take a look...

[nikkie]

quite nice pics! the slight luminence of the plane probably due to the internal flare of the lens (esp long telezooms). but they can be reduced with lower f-stops.
try at smaller f-stops and see if they can be eliminated. ya, let us know when you spot the MIGs.

[Singer high]

Yeah, the most common planes I see are F-5s, C-130s & Fokker 50s. (Strange, I seldom see F-16s.)
The only foreign planes I've seen are US-types like C-17, KC-10, F-15s & F-18s. Haven't seen any European or Russian models yet.

nikkie, thanks for the tip! I really need to experiment more with this lens to find out what is the optimum method for shooting fast jets. The OS (Optical Stabilizer) operation seems... strange.

[MontoyaSG]

Originally Posted by Singer high Yeah, the most common planes I see are F-5s, C-130s & Fokker 50s. (Strange, I seldom see F-16s.) The only foreign planes I've seen are US-types like C-17, KC-10, F-15s & F-18s. Haven't seen any European or Russian models yet. nikkie, thanks for the tip! I really need to experiment more with this lens to find out what is the optimum method for shooting fast jets. The OS (Optical Stabilizer) operation seems... strange.

F-16s can be easily seen in the western areas as they takeoff from tengah

[whkoh]

I think the Black Knights practise quite frequently these days for NDP too so those near Marina should be able to see them there too.

There's 1 squadron of F-16D in Changi Air Base too, besides Tengah.

[peterpan1975]

Originally Posted by whkoh I think the Black Knights practise quite frequently these days for NDP too so those near Marina should be able to see them there too. There's 1 squadron of F-16D in Changi Air Base too, besides Tengah.

Seem like Whkoh know alot about RSAF .. lolz . u working there or got frz working there. Best no talk about unit and aircraft location unless it be know to public. you never know who is lurking inside most forum site. lolz

Neverless ... nice pic and good focus lens... wish i got one for the coming NDP fly pass..

[Singer high]

Thanks peterpan1975!
I was at the Esplanade last Sat to catch the NDP08 rehearsal flypast. (Photos at this thread.)

Found that this 120-400 lens was too long. A 70-200/300 lens would have been better.