I need help, want to do plane spotting...


arikyeo

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Oct 23, 2010
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I used to have a 18-300mm IS bazooka, but that broke because someone manhandled it;( and I just need to rent for plane spotting on the tenth, and the 18-300mm lens is too much for me to rent as I'm too broke now... What lens should I pick?

Also, on the tenth November, which direction are the planes landing? I'm cycling there from ECP (as I have class gathering there) in the late afternoon... Pls advice.
 

I used to have a 18-300mm IS bazooka, but that broke because someone manhandled it;( and I just need to rent for plane spotting on the tenth, and the 18-300mm lens is too much for me to rent as I'm too broke now... What lens should I pick?

Also, on the tenth November, which direction are the planes landing? I'm cycling there from ECP (as I have class gathering there) in the late afternoon... Pls advice.

I won't have any advice on the lens choices, but the landing direction all depends on the wind direction of the day and time.
 

Can someone with expertise in plane-spotting-photography advise me pls?
 

It's a matter of luck too... If we can tell you the wind direction, then I think I'd be luckier in 4D too.
 

The distance between Changi Beach and East Coast is less than 30min on a bicycle. In addition, NEA's website states the wind direction. Based on that it's quite easy to make a good guess. But directions may change during the day.
 

I used to have a 18-300mm IS bazooka, but that broke because someone manhandled it;( and I just need to rent for plane spotting on the tenth, and the 18-300mm lens is too much for me to rent as I'm too broke now... What lens should I pick?

Also, on the tenth November, which direction are the planes landing? I'm cycling there from ECP (as I have class gathering there) in the late afternoon... Pls advice.

There's such a lens as 18-300?

Anyway for plane-spotting i suggest you get a Sigma 150-500 or other bazookas:)
 

Your 18-300 is a third party lens? Seems quite cool :what: Canon 75-300mm should be affordable.
 

There's such a lens as 18-300?

Anyway for plane-spotting i suggest you get a Sigma 150-500 or other bazookas:)

Ermmm... yes, there is. Canon, Nikon, Sigma, etc... has them;) From what I can summarise from all your kind:cool: help I should try my luck by cycling to Changi beach from ECP, btw I have a canon 400d so I will need to multiply by 1.6 the focal length if I use an EF lens right?
 

At this time of the year, winds are generally coming from the south. Hence, aircraft taking off from Changi would be taking off in towards Batam. It is 200 degrees magnetic in the 360 degree view. Sometimes, Changi Air Traffic Control may change the runway in use due to prevailing winds, weather or other mitigating circumstances like Air Defence Exercise.

I used a 75-300 during the Singapore Airshow, and it was ok. Am selling my lens too if you're interested. Just pm me.

I personally prefer to shoot aircraft coming in to land as they're slower with their landing flaps and gears down. Landing aircraft comes in at about 250km/h, while on take-off, can be 330km/h or more.

Hope this helps.
Cheers
 

Your 18-300 is a third party lens? Seems quite cool :what: Canon 75-300mm should be affordable.
Hmph... I'm thinking of renting for now, because I won't be needing the bazooka for a long long while... What lens should I rent? The 18-200mm EF-S lens or the 100-400mm EF lens?
 

Hmph... I'm thinking of renting for now, because I won't be needing the bazooka for a long long while... What lens should I rent? The 18-200mm EF-S lens or the 100-400mm EF lens?

Definitely the 100-400...
 

Definitely the 100-400...

So what I can whip up from Google, if I insert the 100-400mm onto my 400d, the focal length the camera sees is 160-640mm right? And I can only focus manually because the autofocus won't work right?
 

So what I can whip up from Google, if I insert the 100-400mm onto my 400d, the focal length the camera sees is 160-640mm right? And I can only focus manually because the autofocus won't work right?
What kind of web page is this?
The focal length is always the same, it's defined by the optical elements used in the lens. Due to your smaller sensor (crop sensor) the image projected by the lens will have field of view (note the different term!) equivalent to a lens with 1.6x longer focal length used on a film camera / full frame sensor camera.
The EF 100-400 is a genuine Canon lens, why would the auto focus not work? All EF lenses are compatible to all EOS cameras, they share the same EF lens mount which also includes the functions for aperture and auto focus.
 

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You don't exactly need a "bazooka" for plane spotting just the right location, these photos are uncropped and shot with a focal length of around 60mm to 70mm with the approaching aircraft about 400 meters away. Get any closer and you'll need an UWA lens instead. ;)


4444466165_d98b704e1a_b.jpg


4444465207_2dede86423_b.jpg


4445240754_cab4dfde5a_b.jpg


Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS​
 

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What kind of web page is this?
The focal length is always the same, it's defined by the optical elements used in the lens. Due to your smaller sensor (crop sensor) the image projected by the lens will have field of view (note the different term!) equivalent to a lens with 1.6x longer focal length used on a film camera / full frame sensor camera.
The EF 100-400 is a genuine Canon lens, why would the auto focus not work? All EF lenses are compatible to all EOS cameras, they share the same EF lens mount which also includes the functions for aperture and auto focus.

so it means that the images will be cropped slightly if i use an ef lens on my dslr and i compare with one that uses full frame right?

You don't exactly need a "bazooka" for plane spotting just the right location, these photos are uncropped and shot with a focal length of around 60mm to 70mm with the approaching aircraft about 400 meters away. Get any closer and you'll need an UWA lens instead. ;)




Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS​

wow, stunning images here. what are the settings you used here? just wanna know so that i can prepare myself :think:

and pls pardon my lousy spelling here, im replying this from my hp:eek:
 

so it means that the images will be cropped slightly if i use an ef lens on my dslr and i compare with one that uses full frame right?

1.6x is not "slightly"....
 

At this time of the year aircraft tend to come in from East Coast side. In the evening you could spot from ECP although planes will be closer and lower at Changi Business Park. A standard 55-250 will be sufficient although if you want to go closer, 75-300 or 100-400.

Use this site to determine the wind direction.
http://www.wunderground.com/Aviation/index.html?query=WSSS
 

so it means that the images will be cropped slightly if i use an ef lens on my dslr and i compare with one that uses full frame right?
Look here http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/dslr-mag.shtml
I wouldn't call this 'slightly' ...
It depends on the sensor size. It doesn't matter whether you will use any EF lens (= Canon) or any 3rd party lens (which also needs an EF mount to fit).
 

What kind of web page is this?
The focal length is always the same, it's defined by the optical elements used in the lens. Due to your smaller sensor (crop sensor) the image projected by the lens will have field of view (note the different term!) equivalent to a lens with 1.6x longer focal length used on a film camera / full frame sensor camera.
The EF 100-400 is a genuine Canon lens, why would the auto focus not work? All EF lenses are compatible to all EOS cameras, they share the same EF lens mount which also includes the functions for aperture and auto focus.

You don't exactly need a "bazooka" for plane spotting just the right location, these photos are uncropped and shot with a focal length of around 60mm to 70mm with the approaching aircraft about 400 meters away. Get any closer and you'll need an UWA lens instead. ;)


Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS​

Look here http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/dslr-mag.shtml
I wouldn't call this 'slightly' ...
It depends on the sensor size. It doesn't matter whether you will use any EF lens (= Canon) or any 3rd party lens (which also needs an EF mount to fit).

hmm... so it dosent matter right? the crop area will still be cropped no matter what lens I use rjght?