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Articles or discussion related to camera exposure modes

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Nikon D7200 v D300 One Month Later

Nikon D300 and D7200 side by side front view

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Nikon D7200 v D300 hands on opinion

I have owned the D7200 for just over a month now. This article aims to provide information to those wondering if the new Nikon D7200 can genuinely be considered as a D300 replacement (*update 06/01/16 – Nikon D500 released as D300 replacement*). There has been a lot of discussion about Nikons latest DX format DSLR camera. Many are unhappy that there has been no signficant upgrade over the D7100. Whilst this viewpoint may be somewhat justified, this article is aimed at people who haven’t recently upgraded their Nikon bodies. There is a significant population of photographers who have been waiting for the almost mystical D400 to replace the well respected Nikon D300. Many havent upgraded their camera bodies despite several iterations of Nikon DX format DSLR cameras being released. I purchased my Nikon D300 a couple of weeks after initial release just over 7 years ago. Camera sensors, image processors and AF capabilities have significantly improved in that time. Those who have used the D300 will agree with me that it is an extremely capable, robust and solid camera. Indeed, the D300 has been such a good camera that none of the recent releases have been a match for its capabilities. Newer cameras may have improved components and features but none have offered the overall package offered by the D300. A compromise in capability was always required to move away from the D300 – until now. I have been following the stories and rumours about a Nikon D400 for some time. As time goes by it seems less and less likely that this much anticipated camera will ever make an appearance. With this in mind, the Nikon D7200 caught my eye when Nikon announced its release. The D7200 feature list addressed most of what I needed in a camera body. I researched many articles to try and understand the full feature set of the D7200.  After handling an example at the ukphotoshow, I took the decision to finally give in and upgrade. This article is written on the basis of my experiences moving from the D300 to the D7200.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Does size matter?

The first obvious feature of the D7200 camera body is its smaller size when compared to the D300. The size difference is not massive but is noticeable. The D7200 is as comfortable in the hand, and is lighter, but you do notice the smaller size. In the side by side photos shown below you can see the size difference of the Nikon D7200 v D300 when viewing from above, the front and rear.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row font_color=”#00478c”][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”27205,27206,27207″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The photos above illustrate the size difference but also show the many changes to the cameras controls. Most notable on the top view is the D7200s Mode Dial in place of the D300s dedicated Quality, ISO and WB buttons. The rear view shows a smaller Multi Selector pad on the D7200. You can see the focus area, meter area controls and dedicated AF-ON button controls are missing. I was concerned the removal of these buttons inferred that Nikon had removed key functionality. The D7200 still offers all the D300s functionality, and more besides, albeit the functions are accessed via different controls. Consequently, there is quite a learning curve as you adjust to using these common functions. I will admit to suffering  from a bit of frustration as simple operations, that were once instinctive actions, have had to be re-learnt.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row font_color=”#00478c”][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”27211,27210″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Nikon D7200 Ergonomics

There are two ergonomic issues I didn’t immediately like about using the D7200. I have to ask why certain simple actions have changed. The two images above illustrate my first dislike. The release dial on the D300 requires the index finger to operate the release button and a twist of the dial with your thumb. The D7200 design has reversed this meaning the thumb releases the dial button and the index finger twists the dial. For whatever reason this just does not feel as comfortable. Many times my index finger has been groping in vain for the release button. When I realise and try to release with the thumb it just feels weird. Secondly, the rear Multi selector pad is smaller on the D7200 and doesn’t have that smooth operation of the D300. The pad is also bulkier and just feels less precise in operation. Other than these two issues, the ergonomics of the D7200 are not too bad. Much of the ergonomic issues I have encountered result from having ingrained muscle memory from using the D300.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Nikon D7200 Operation

After getting past the size and different button arrangements, your next noticeable difference comes when you look through the D7200s viewfinder. You will see that the Focus Mode, Exposure Mode and ISO speed readouts (see update below) are missing. I really dont like this aspect of the camera and do not know why these features are missing. This camera is aimed at semi-pro and advanced amateur photographers, so why remove such a useful facility? The visual representation of this information in the viewfinder is a must have feature in any ‘advanced’ camera. You want to keep the camera to your eye and visual reminders in the viewfinder are crucial. Tsk tsk Nikon – dont think you can release a D7200b or D7250 to cover up for this omission because that wont wash. Back to comparing the D7200 to the D300. Every aspect of the cameras operation has changed and there is a fair learning curve in getting to grips with these changes. I guess this is expected considering the changes that have taken place with camera technology since the release of the D300. The new mode dial brings a lot more functionality to hand quickly. The displaced D300 buttons have been moved and relocated onto the cameras rear panel. The new dial on the D7200 allows quick access to some very useful functionality and I feel is an improvement.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]**Update**

I need to make a slight clarification in regard to viewfinder display information. Following Rods comment below, I double checked the viewfinder readout and found the ISO was showing.

This was enabled by using ‘Easy ISO’ mode in the custom menu settings. When Easy ISO mode is enabled, you control the ISO setting with your thumb on the rear command dial. Also, lo and behold, it enables ISO readout in the viewfinder.

Apologies for this oversight and I hope it hasn’t mislead too many people. I only recently dabbled with the Easy ISO mode and never noticed the correlation between the viewfinder readout and this mode.

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The AF modes are a little confusing at first and will take a little time to adjust to. Your familiar 3 way C, S, M AF switch (Continous, Single, Manual) is replaced with a 2 way AF and M switch with a new central button. Essentially you now only choose either AF or M with the toggle. To access the differing AF modes, you hold in the new central button and select the AF mode with the Sub Command dial. To change the AF matrix configuration, hold in the button and rotate the Command dial. Throw in a new AF mode to the mix (AF-A which automatically selects between AF-S or AF-C depending on subject movement) and you have a rich recipe for confusion. If your chosen field of photography needs frequent swapping of focus modes and matrix configurations  then you need to get out in the field and practice, practice, practice before you go to an important shoot!

Located above the AF Mode selector switch is a new Bracket button. The D7200 bracketing options have increased over the D300 giving you more creative flexibility.

One unexpected factor I noticed is the D7200s operation speed. I didnt notice this until I went out with both cameras (tele on the D7200 and wide angle on the D300). The D300 was noticeably slower in general operation and when firing off a series of shots. The D7200 has received criticism for its burst mode and poor high speed shooting capabilities. All I can say is when shooting 6 or 7 consecutive shots, the D7200 is noticeably faster than the D300 in getting those 6 or 7 shots off. I always regarded my D300 as perfectly capable for getting off continous sequences so am pleasantly surprised by this discovery.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”27209,27208″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Nikon D7200 Customisations

There is no denying it – the Nikon D7200 is a complex bit of kit. With this complexity comes a generous number of customisation options. Almost every button and function can be customised to tweak almost every camera mode. With a little time and experimentation, you can customise your own D7200 to become a highly personalised tool honed to your photographic niche. The trusty ‘My Menu’ option, whereby often used menu options are added to your own menu for quick access, is still available. Added to this are the two user settings, U1 and U2, on the mode dial. You can set very specific camera functionality and store it in one of two user slots. You can then quickly swap between these settings by moving the dial to U1 or U2 and load the settings. This is useful if you swap between two subjects that need different camera operation – for instance swapping quickly from fast sports photography to macro photography. Each of those scenarios need differing settings and these user slots make multiple setting changes very easy.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Nikon D7200 Ruggedness

The D7200 does not have the full armouring and water resistance of the D300. Many have commented that this is an obvious omission by Nikon. I have to agree somewhat, but also in the 7 and a bit years of owning a D300, I never dropped my camera to test its actual ruggedness. I will handle the D7200 with the same care so (fingers crossed) I wont have need to see how robust or brittle the newer camera is. As for weatherproofing, well I got caught in a monstrous rain shower on the Charles bridge in Prague. I am happy to say the D7200 and my lenses survived perfectly well. If the camera survived this downpour then I have no worries going forward in respect of weatherproofing.

A short clip from the rainstorm is shown below.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/q1CjwQpNHOI”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Nikon D7200 New Features

As mentioned the D7200 offers many new technologies and features that weren’t available at the D300s release. It goes without saying that the D7200 hardware is a significant upgrade over that employed in the D300. The sensor is a far more capable 24mp device as opposed to the original 12mp sensor. The image processor is 3 generations newer and the AF module is extremely capable. In short, and without getting into the technical intricacies of each component, the sensor, AF and image processing is very good. Moving on to the new features I particularly like some of the additions. I like the new quiet shutter mode. The cameras operation doesnt become silent, but is somewhat quieter for those situations where noise may be an issue. The AF-A mode could be interesting. To be honest I like to have direct control over the AF mode. I select either single servo or continous servo depending on the subject matter. I will experiment with this new AF-A mode to see if it is reliable and accurate enough to correctly identify subject movement. One feature I really like is the wireless control via mobile phone. The mobile app is available for both Android and Apple devices via their respective app stores. Once downloaded, you can connect the D7200 and mobile device via wireless and control the camera via Live View. The app will display the scene seen through the viewfinder and gives you the ability to trigger the shutter from your phone. This is perfect when the camera is placed in awkward positions and may save you a few aches and pains! The app has more functionality and is a great addition. One other feature that I like is the delayed shutter mode. You can select a predetermined time for the shutter to operate once the mirror has raised. This is ideal for those circumstances where the slightest camera movement may affect the sharpness of your image.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Is the D7200 really the D400?

From my viewpoint, the D7200 probably isnt the D400 per se. Having said that, the Nikon D7200 is an extremely competent and feature rich camera that I am sure will satisfy anyone waiting for Nikons next real move in the ‘semi-pro’ and ‘pro-sumer’ niche. The upgrade in sensor, AF Module and image processor is enough alone to justify my decision in upgrading to a D7200. Add in the features I discuss above and you have at hand an extremely competent camera. A camera that is capable of delivering top quality images coupled with an extremely useful range of features. Features that are customisable to such a degree that you can create a fine tuned instrument honed to your particular photography niche.

It may not be the D400 but the Nikon D7200 is definitely the camera I have been waiting for. Of most importance to me is the change to the D7200 hasnt compromised any of the capabilities my D300 provided. I now have an exceptional main camera and an extremely competent and proven back up. If the D400 never materialises then I have an exceptional camera that will serve me just fine for a long time. If the D400 does ever appear, then it will need a genre breaking feature set priced somewhere around the £1500 mark for me to even consider dropping the D7200.

I’m beginning to the think the D7200 has made the Nikon D400 irrelevant. The D7200 is set to serve me well for a long time and my next upgrade may not be the D400 at all, but a step up to Full Frame – now that is a completely different kettle of fish!

I hope this article has been informative.

I’d love to hear your views, so why not leave a comment below?

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Aircraft Photography Tips Part 2 – Camera Metering Modes, Exposure Modes And Exposure Compensation

Belgian Air Force F-16 aeroplane trailing white vapour trails during an airshow display

Aircraft Photography Tips – Choosing Camera Metering Modes, Exposure Modes And Exposure Compensation

In my first post on aircraft photography, called aircraft photography tips part 1, I discussed essential camera modes and looked at some of the currently available lenses.

Specifically, I mentioned the importance of control over certain camera modes of your chosen camera.

Those camera modes were –

  • metering mode – centre weighted and spot
  • manual control of exposure compensation
  • auto modes – aperture priority and shutter priority

Lets look at these camera modes to understand how and why they affect the finished image.

The article will talk in depth about the technical aspects of camera exposure. My aim is to make the article interesting enough for those with some knowledge of the subject without being too complex for beginners. Please let me know if I was successful in this approach!

Camera Metering Modes

One of the most important factors in any type of photography is to understand and interpret the varying light levels in your chosen scene. The photographer then needs to understand how the selected metering mode will affect the camera in achieving the final exposure.

In general photography, the majority of scenes will consist of evenly lit subjects.

Multi area matrix metering, which evaluates the relative brightness of subjects in the whole scene, is usually very good at selecting an exposure that will render the colours and brightness levels in a very authentic manner.

I am sure we have all experienced scenes that have more sky or shadow and see that the resultant image has either nice shadow detail and a burnt out sky or a nice sky and dark shadows.

This is because the matrix metering is trying to evaluate an unevenly lit scene. Whichever element, bright sky or dark shadows, forms the majority of the scene will be judged to be the most important and the camera exposes accordingly.

It is extremely important to remember that aircraft in the air are comparatively small and dark against a big bright (hopefully blue!) background.

If you choose wide area matrix metering modes you are going to quickly run into underexposed shots.

With multi area matrix metering, the camera sees a large bright expanse of sky dominating the scene and exposes for an overall bright image. Typically you will get a nice blue sky and a black or dark grey aircraft.

Because the aircraft are relatively small compared to the whole scene, you must compensate against this by selecting centre weighted or spot metering mode.

These two camera modes reduce the amount of the overall scene that the camera measures when computing exposure.

Centre Weighted Metering

Centre weighted metering simply means that the exposure calculations made by the camera put more emphasis on the readings detected in the centre of the image.

Typically, centre weighted metering will put the emphasis on about 8-15% of the scene. The brightness levels of the whole scene are still evaluated, but the camera adjusts the exposure so that the readings taken from that 8-15% are given the greatest emphasis in its calculations.

One thing to remember is that each brand implements their metering modes slightly differently, and the sophistication of weighting calculations vary as well.

Lower end models may have a fixed value of emphasis and have the centre weighting fixed to the centre of the focusing area.

With the more expensive cameras in any given range, you will find the sophistication of the systems increase.

You will find that you can control the size of the centre weighting in steps somewhere between 8-15% and that this weighting is not fixed but follows the selected focusing point.

Spot Metering

Spot metering is simply a more extreme version of centre weighted metering. The emphasis is now placed on an area as low as 1 or 2% of the scene. Again, each brand implements the feature slightly differently and the sophistication increases as you move higher into the brand range.

Spot metering is a key feature and is not always included in the lower end models so make sure any model of camera you look at has spot metering.

It is extremely important to remember that aircraft in the air are comparatively small and dark against a big bright (hopefully blue!) background

So, by understanding how cameras evaluate a scene, and how the user can select a weighting mode, you should be able to see how a more accurate exposure of our aircraft against a bright sky can be achieved.

Although cameras metering modes are becoming extremely sophisticated and competent, they are still not fool-proof in getting that well-exposed aircraft photo.

This is where the next important camera feature – exposure compensation, comes in to help.

Exposure Compensation

So far we have looked at how we can choose a metering mode that will help the camera to interpret the scene as we want it to.

Exposure compensation allows you to directly adjust the calculated exposure value by a set amount of either over or under exposure.

By manually controlling exposure compensation, you are further controlling the final calculated exposure.

Most modern DSLR cameras allow you to manually ‘dial-in’ a fixed adjustment to the calculated exposure value.

Depending on your camera, you can usually add in between +2 and -2 stops of exposure in steps of either 1/3 or 1/2 stop increments.

I like to dial in up to +0.7 exposure for small aircraft and +0.3 exposure for larger aircraft, but you will find that the exact compensation is a matter of trial and error depending on the light encountered on the day.

I do this because a smaller aircraft means more bright sky affecting the calculation so I want the camera to overexpose slightly more on its calculation. A larger aircraft means less bright sky so the camera is more likely to calculate a more pleasing exposure so only a small adjustment is needed.

Don’t be afraid to take test images – review the histogram and fine tune your adjustments. As the light changes during the day, you will probably need to make adjustments anyway.

In the example below, a single F-16 trails vapour at an airshow. The camera sees a large tract of bright blue sky as the dominant feature in the scene.

Belgian Air Force F-16 aeroplane trailing
white vapour trails during an airshow display

By selecting either spot or centre-weighted metering, adding exposure compensation and framing your target aircraft in the area of emphasis, you can increase the chances of a good exposure.

In this example I had +0.3 dialled in and used spot metering exposure mode.

Lets look at the next features – aperture priority and shutter priority modes

Auto Exposure Modes – Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority

We use the camera as a tool to calculate that ‘x’ amount of light needs to get to the sensor to produce a ‘good exposure’.

The previous section looked at how we help the camera calculate a good exposure, now its time to look at how the camera executes that exposure.

Camera exposure basics

Exposure is controlling the amount of light hitting the camera sensor.

In basic terms, every lens has an adjustable opening, called its aperture, that controls how much light entering the front of the lens is passed through to the sensor.

Lens showing Wide Aperture
Lens showing Wide Aperture
Lens showing Narrow Aperture
Lens showing Narrow Aperture

The shutter speed controls how long the sensor is exposed to the light coming through the lenses aperture.

The exposure calculation simply means the camera needs to let ‘x’ amount of light get to the sensor.

To get ‘x’ amount of light onto the sensor, the camera selects an appropriate combination of aperture and shutter speed.

In pure ‘auto’ or commonly ‘P’ mode, the camera will select both values and operate the shutter.

Essentially, Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority are still camera ‘auto’ modes, but importantly execute that exposure based on the user choosing to directly control either the aperture value or shutter speed.

By using Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority modes, we are taking more direct control on how the camera is generating the image.

So what does that all this mean in simpler terms?

Differences between Shutter Priority and Aperture Priority camera modes

In shutter priority mode, the user can select an exact shutter speed and the camera will choose an appropriate aperture to ensure the exposure corresponds to our ‘x’ amount of light.

Conversely in aperture priority mode, the user selects an aperture and the camera will calculate the appropriate shutter speed for our ‘x’ amount of light.

So, if aperture priority and shutter priority both do a similar thing, why bother differentiating between them – why not just use whatever mode you are comfortable with?

Unfortunately, it isn’t that simple if you want the best results. You will find to get the best photos, you will be regularly swapping between both modes depending on the type of aircraft, lighting conditions and mood you want to create.

So, if aperture priority and shutter priority both do a similar thing, why bother differentiating between them – why not just use whatever mode you are comfortable with? Unfortunately it isn’t that simple if you want the best results.

Benefits of Aperture Priority mode

Lets look at a couple of environmental issues you will likely face when out and about –

  • you are using a telephoto (and probably heavy) lens
  • your subject could be moving extremely fast (military jets) or painfully slow (older prop aircraft)
  • the wind is probably going to be blowing you about
  • the lens hood will be acting as a sail increasing the effects of any wind

Very quickly you are going to run into the problem of camera shake and blurred images. The aim is sharp images so you want the fastest shutter speed obtainable.

In aperture priority mode, you can select an aperture of f2.8 or f4 (on more expensive lenses), f5.6 ( most common on cheaper telephotos), f8, f11, f16, f22 and maybe f32.

You choose an aperture and the camera automatically chooses an appropriate shutter speed to give a good exposure. That amounts to 7 options (slightly more if including intermediate apertures between each major ‘stop’).

The aperture options for you to select are restricted to the physical quality and abilities of the lens.

Hidden dangers of Shutter Priority Mode

In shutter priority mode, you can select a shutter speed anywhere from 30 seconds through to 1/4000th of a second. That is a lot of options.

This is where you need to be really careful and understand the concepts of exposure.

Starting with aperture priority, let’s consider an average bright day with ISO set to 200.

The table below shows examples of typical shutter speeds your camera will generate for a given aperture.

  • f5.6   1/1600
  • f8       1/800
  • f11     1/400
  • f16     1/200
  • f22    1/100

From this you can see the suitable shutter speeds for good exposure range from 1/1600th to 1/100th of a second.

Herein lies a trap for the unwary.

In shutter priority mode, you can select any shutter speed you want. If you choose a faster shutter speed, the camera will need to select a wider aperture to let more light in. If the lens doesn’t support a wide enough aperture to allow enough light in for a balanced exposure, you will get an underexposed image.

Conversely, you can select a 1 second exposure, but if the lens doesn’t have a small enough aperture to automatically restrict the light sufficiently you will create an overexposed image.

If you are using shutter priority mode, you need to be conscious of this. In the heat of the action, you might want to get a faster shutter speed and not realise you are already at the limit of the available apertures.

How I use shutter priority and aperture priority camera modes

To manage shutter speeds I use aperture priority mode to obtain the fastest possible shutter speed while safely staying within acceptable exposure values.

I do this because, in aperture priority mode, once you get to the widest aperture, you cannot make any further adjustments. The camera will have selected the fastest possible shutter speed for that aperture and ISO setting.

This is why you should use aperture priority mode to select your fastest possible shutter speed.

Herein lies a trap for the unwary. You can select a faster shutter speed, but because the lens doesn’t support a wide enough aperture to allow enough light in for a balanced exposure, you will get an underexposed image.

When starting out in aviation photography, you want to aim for 1/1000th of a second shutter speed as a minimum – if you see lower speeds than say 1/320th, you really need consider turning up your ISO setting.

If you find you are still seeing lower shutter speeds and are approaching ISO 640 or higher, you need to see part 4 where I will discuss some techniques to help you through this problem.

There is an awful lot more to choosing appropriate apertures, shutter speeds and photographing aircraft, but the above lays out the basics for those starting out in aviation photography. If followed, with a little practice, you should be on the road to getting some acceptable images. Once you are getting a good hit rate using these basics you can look into some of the more advanced techniques and aspects of aviation photography in the upcoming parts 3 and 4 of my series.

So in summary

  • use either centre or spot metering modes to reduce the effects of a bright background on your subject
  • use exposure compensation to further control exposure
  • use aperture priority mode to get the fastest shutter speed whilst staying within a band of appropriate exposure values
  • beware of incorrect exposure by relying on shutter priority mode

By now you might be asking why bother mentioning shutter priority mode at all – why not stop in aperture priority mode?

Check Aircraft Photography Tips Part 3 to see the answer.

That’s all for now folks, thanks for reading and I hope you have learnt something useful from this article. Please don’t be afraid to leave your own tips or question on what I have discussed above.

Gary

GDMK Images News

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Aircraft Photography Tips Part 1 – Choosing Cameras And Lenses

RAF 3 Squadron 100th Anniversary colour scheme Eurofighter Typhoon landing at RAF Coningsby

Aircraft Photography Tips Part 1 – Cameras And Lenses

This post on aircraft photography has been refreshed and updated in June 2016 to take account of the latest lens releases.

Aircraft photography can present a number of issues which can catch out the casual photographer.  My updated article shares a few tips with you on how I approach photographing aeroplanes. I have listed the main factors this aircraft photography series will look at below –

  • cameras
  • lenses
  • appropriate camera modes
  • general camera technique.

Camera Specs

For aircraft photography, you ideally want an SLR camera that allows the user to select both spot and centre weighted metering modes. Choosing a camera with the ability to switch between these metering modes will make consistently reliable exposures a lot easier to obtain. It is important to note that not all entry level cameras will have a spot metering mode so make sure you check the specs out on any camera you are looking to buy.

Your chosen camera will also need shutter priority and aperture priority exposure modes.

Finally, check the camera has manual control of exposure compensation.

Some compact cameras and bridge cameras look appealing because they feature long reach lenses. Check the specs to make sure any bridge or compact camera has the features and modes mentioned above. The ability to mix and match metering and exposure modes is more valuable than lens reach.

Shutter Lag

If you have, or choose to buy, a compact or bridge camera then pay close attention to the cameras shutter lag specification. Shutter lag is the amount of time between you pressing the shutter button and the shutter operating. This time difference is referred to as shutter lag and ideally needs to be as close to zero as possible. I guarantee there is nothing more frustrating than to frame perfectly your subject matter but miss the shot because of shutter lag.

I use a Sony Nex-6 for general walking about or if travelling light, and many times shutter lag has caught me out because I am used to the instant response of my Nikon DSLR. So shutter lag can be a real problem photographing planes.

If using a compact or bridge camera be sure to look at the cameras shutter lag specification. There’s nothing more frustrating than to frame your image perfectly then miss the shot because of shutter lag.

Whatever camera system you have, or choose to buy, to consistently get good aircraft photo’s you will need to get intimately familiar with the following camera features

  • aperture and shutter priority modes
  • exposure compensation controls
  • metering modes – matrix, centre weighted and spot.

Don’t worry, these camera modes and features are discussed in depth in part 2 – Aviation Photography Tips – Metering Modes, Exposure Compensation and Exposure Modes.

These terms might seem a bit daunting at first – you will need to practice and experiment to really understand the subtle differences of each function, but your persistence will be rewarded.

Having a good understanding of what these camera modes do, in which circumstances to use them, and how to quickly change between them is very important.

To get consistently good aircraft pictures you need to focus on the action unfolding in front of you and not get distracted by operating the camera.

you will need to practice and experiment to really understand the subtle differences of each function, but your persistence will be rewarded.

Which Camera For Aviation Photography?

The choice of cameras available are overwhelming, but almost any of the current crop of DSLRs are capable of delivering good results, providing they feature the modes and features mentioned above.

I suggest a DX or crop factor camera will be of more benefit than a full frame camera. The ‘crop effect’ of the smaller sensor gives you a ‘free’ boost to your zoom lens of up to 1.5x magnification.

Try not to get caught by GAS – Gear Acquisition Syndrome. Buying the newest, latest and greatest lens, camera or whatever is absolutely no guarantee of success.

Having a solid understanding of your camera and lens performance and then applying that knowledge to your subject matter is the real key to success.

Lenses

The lens you invest in will depend on many factors not just how deep your pocket is.

The first question you need to ask yourself is what type of aviation photography do you want to undertake. If you are looking at capturing larger and slower moving commercial aircraft at your local airport, the lens choice could be a lot different to getting fast moving fighter aircraft at airshows or low level in the Mach Loop.

As silly as it sounds, if you are looking at the civil aviation scene, any lens between 24mm or 28mm through to 300mm will have its uses.

If smaller warbirds or modern fighter aircraft are more your thing then a telephoto lens with a reach of at least 300mm is a good starting point.

Its pretty straight forward deciding on exactly what lens range you want – the smaller your target the longer reach you need from your lens and vice versa.

I used to use a Sigma 100-300mm EX f4 lens sometimes combined with the Sigma 1.4x teleconvertor. This combination gave 460mm reach which equates to 640mm when factoring in the crop factor of a Nikon DX format camera. This combination has served me well and has yielded good results. It didnt have image stabilisation (IS) or vibration reduction (VR) but is a solid lens giving good results.

I sold, and am still selling, many aircraft pictures used with that lens combo.

What lenses might be considered suitable for aviation photography?

Generally speaking, speed of focus and image sharpness at the long end of the zoom range are the most important factors in choosing a lens for aircraft photography. At the end of the day there is no point in having 300mm or more of lens reach yet the autofocus cant keep up with a fast moving jet. Conversely, lightning fast focus is no use if the image is that soft that it might as well be out of focus!]

Entrance Level Zoom Lenses

As with everything in life, focus speed and image sharpness generally improve in proportion to the price tag.

Starting with the cheaper options, Nikon offers a reasonably cheap Nikkor AF-S DX VR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR which could be used as a first lens. Reviews suggest the lens isnt particularly fast focussing and the image sharpness drops noticeably between 200mm and 300mm.

Moving up a bit in quality and performance is the new Nikkor AF-S VR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED which is supposed to be very good and offers better VR and features better quality lens glass.

Sigma offer the 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG OS and Tamron offer the SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD.

All three lenses are reasonable performing mid range zoom lenses and wont cost a fortune.

More importantly, if you decide aircraft photography is not your thing, you wont be greatly out of pocket and will have a good lens that is perfectly suitable for many other styles of photography.

Intermediate Range Zoom Lenses

As you move further up the quality and price range you will come across the new Nikkor AF VR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED which features improved optical quality, auto focus performance and VR.

The traditional alternatives, and until recently the aviation photographers lenses of choice, are the Sigma 50-500mm f4-6.3 APO DG OS HSM and Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO. Both lenses are well respected for aviation photography and the debate still rages as to which lens is the better. In simple terms both are very good lenses, especially if you can get one second hand. Reports seem to suggest the Sigma 150-500mm lens is slightly better than the Sigma 50-500mm. The former is also cheaper but both lenses get good reviews.

Reports seem to suggest the Sigma 150-500mm lens is slightly better than the Sigma 50-500mm. The former is also cheaper and both lenses get good reviews.

Next up is the Sigma 120-300mm f2.8 APO EX DG OS HSM which is very well respected amongst wildlife photographers as well as aviation photographers but comes with an even bigger price tag.

In a similar price range is the Canon 100-400mm L f4.5-f5.6 which is coveted by Canon photographers. As a Nikon user I cannot comment either way, but reviews and discussions around the web indicate this is a very good lens for Canon owners.

As mentioned earlier, the two Sigma lenses were the defacto lenses of choice for aviation photography until very recently.

Tamron, and more recently Sigma, shook up the market with new lens offerings. Both companies have released a 150-600mm zoom lens with exceptional image quality. Sigma even released two versions – one in their C or Contemporary range and one in the S or Sport range. The S version has better optics and is aimed squarely at sports photographers and has a price to match. The Tamron and Sigma C lenses are priced similarly to the 150-500mm and 50-500m lenses which seems to indicate that they will take over the mantle of ‘go to’ lenses for aviation photographers.

These three lenses get rave reviews and seem to have significantly raised the bar in terms of affordability versus optical quality and image sharpness.

More recently Nikon released their 200-500mm f5.6 VR lens. This is similar in price to the Tamron 150-600mm and the Sigma 150-600 C lenses. The Nikon has a slight edge in that it features a constant f5.6 aperture throughout the zoom range. As a negative it only goes to a maximum zoom of 500mm.

For what it is worth, I tried both Sigma 150-600’s and the 200-500 side by side on a Nikon D7200 and ended up buying the Nikon 200-500 lens.

The Nikon just seemed to focus faster and the VR seemed smoother in operation and looked steadier. It was purely a subjective test but I went with my gut feeling when making a decision.

It should be noted that once you start looking beyond the three 70-300mm zoom lenses I mentioned, you are looking at very good lenses that are going to set you back a decent sum of money. They shouldnt be viewed as casual purchases and are only suitable if you want to seriously get into aircraft photography.

One saving grace is that many are upgrading from their 50-500’s and 150-500’s so there is a chance of picking up one of these proven performers second hand at good prices.

A factor you may overlook in your lens choice is the weight. A standard 70-300mm lens will weigh somewhere around the 750g to 1kg mark. The 150-600mm lenses are going to weigh in between 2 and 2.5kg. You are going to notice the weight after an hour or so at an airshow!

Superzoom Lenses

I purposely havent included any of the superzooms in the 18-200mm or 300mm range. This is primarily because there is a lot going on inside a wide angle superzoom lens and many optical compromises are made to fit all that zoom range into a single lens. There is a place for the superzooms in photography, and I have considered getting one, but not for aviation photography.

I do feel that if you are seriously looking at aviation photography and are tempted by the superzooms then you will be better served by separate lenses.  A good 70-300mm for flying aircraft and a wide angle lens for aircraft on the ground will serve you better as opposed to a single superzoom lens.

You can get very close to the action at some airports, so a wider angle view lens can result in some interesting alternatives to the standard 3/4 front landing type image. Indeed, you may find the shorter end of a 150-500 or 600 lens isnt short enough and end up missing shots!

Long Prime Lenses

I purposely havent discussed the various prime lenses such as the 400mm, 500mm or 600mm lenses purely for the reason that they are out of the budget range of many photographers. Needless to say, they are generally exceptional lenses but come with eye watering price tags well out of reach of the average photographer.

I havent discussed the various prime lenses such as the 300mm, 400mm or 500mm purely for the reason that they are out of the budget range of many photographers

There are many differing opinions on lenses so please feel free to comment or get in touch if you want to discuss these lens options and their relevant pros and cons in more depth.

So in summary, I have suggested a camera system that allows the user to select and control the following

  • metering mode – centre weighted and spot
  • auto modes – aperture priority and shutter priority
  • manual control of exposure compensation.

I also suggested a telephoto zoom lens with a reach of around 300mm. Next time we will look in more depth at the camera exposure and metering modes mentioned above.

I hope you have found the post interesting so far, follow the link to read Aircraft Photography Tips Part 2 – Camera Metering Modes, Exposure Modes And Exposure Compensation

Thanks for reading

Gary

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