Shutter speed

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Shutter speed

Whether film or digital - 'driving the film' in rapid advance helps get those desired prop arc results by increasing the law of averages in the photographer's favor.

Bucky,

This certainly has turned into a great thread - getting you and Neal into this discussion... priceless!

On the "driving" thing.. I've heard criticism thrown "once or twice" at the "spray and pray" theme.. but in the end, what you're after is to capture "that" moment that will live on. Each of us have chances, wherever we are on the course during the event (and it does NOT have to be ON the course) to get "the" shot that will be memorable. HOW someone gets it is, to me, irrelevant as long as they get it. I actually tell myself that if I walk away from RENO with ONE really good keeper each year, I have not wasted my time. Usually, with the law of averages and (thank god, cheap electrons) I manage a few more than that but I mean the ONE REALLY GOOD shot..

Something I think a lot of of forget.. and I'm dragging this a bit from the shutter speed theme, is that THE shot of the year might just not even involve an airplane. It might be a racer with a kid, or just a kid... a guy on a bike... A kid with that "wow" look! (watched one sneaking in the old press gate where we used to "dine" one year and kick myself forever for not shooting him!)

Personally, I get so focused on getting "the" action shot that I sometimes completely forget about the other end of things and this is where Neal is so blessed to have Birgitta on his "Wingman Photo" team!

She really sees things we never get to see and her contribution toward recording the history of the sport is an extremely valuable one, indeed!

Again, great thread!! Thanks you guys!!

See you in a scant few days!!

Wayne

[Ken from PG]

Re: Shutter speed

I am using a Canon Rebel XT, last year I got some great shots but you can read the writing on the props while they are flying by at 400mph plus. What is a good shutter speed to get a nice prop blur? Thanks for any help.

I'm thinkin' that you just got schooled by the best of the best.

[eldon2101]

Re: Shutter speed

I really want to thank everyone for their advice and input on this thread. I don’t think I will be the only one that will profit from all this information. I Will head out to Chandler Airpark this weekend I try to apply some of the advice. I am sure I can handle the 1/250, hoping to be able to semi master some 1/100. That picture That Victor shows 1/40 is just crazy. I don’t think I could capture my patio furniture at that speed. I did attach two pictures from last year that I took. A little prop blur on the one would be great.

[Victor Archer]

Re: Shutter speed

I've heard criticism thrown "once or twice" at the "spray and pray" theme..

"spray and pray" will still not help you if you are not proficient at panning, have a steady hand and worked to perfect your technique.
I try to only shoot in three/four frame bursts unless it's for something I really want for my self, such as the Bear coming at me low and fast. I have actually found that I have more high quality shots when I take less images , better to concentrate and wait for the shot than just become impatient and just hold the button down. I recently shot at the Camarillo air show and managed to keep my self down to 5 gigs, the guy next to me was boasting about shooting over 40 gigs and from what I've seen he is a subsriber to the spray and pray. There are some days where I won't shoot under 1/160 or even 1/250 because I know I need to get quality shots. As a rule don't experiment with slow shutter speeds on your favorite subject unless you know for a fact you already have some good high quality shots of it. On Sunday I won't be messing around with that, I need to make every shot count.

[BillRo]

Re: Shutter speed

As usual Victor's shots are amazing - who else would even try 1/80th for a P-51 flyby, but I guess he was varying shutter speed throughout a run to see what would happen. That said, take a look at the prop arc in the last two shots of P-51 #18, the ones at 1/100 and 1/80. The arc does not quite meet by about 10 degrees on the first but overlaps by a similar amount at 1/80. Therefore the correct shutter speed for a perfect arc was 1/90.

That was determined not by the camera but by the prop and airplane engine speed.

Don't know much about Merlin RPMs but in F1, I always ask photogs for a full prop arc on ground run ups. Say the engine is turning up at 3,600 rpm, that is 60 rev per second. We have usually 2 blades, so each blade makes a complete rev in 1/60 sec and so you should get get a complete arc at 1/120th. If the RPMs are not that high then 1/80-1/100 should do it. In race conditions F1s are turning 3,800-4,200 rpm.

In races, flying at 240 m/h, equivalent to about 350 ft/sec, the airplane itself travels about 3 feet while the shutter is open for 1/120th. Very tough to get a sharp shot and a prop arc.

Unlimiteds have an advantage that they usually have 4 blades - only 1/4 rev needed for a complete arc, but the engines turn slower and they are travelling twice as fast as an F1.

Now if the aliens could build a radar device to measure prop rpm it could be hooked to the shutter speed control and get perfect arcs every time! Fighter aircraft can tell what jet is approaching from reflections off the adversary engine face so the technology is there.

BillRo

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Shutter speed

Now if the aliens could build a radar device to measure prop rpm it could be hooked to the shutter speed control and get perfect arcs every time!

Ahh Bill... have you ever taken a look inside Veektor's kit bag??