Helecopter ride - which cam?

bevanbraves · 5th November 2009, 8:28 AM

I'm doing a helecopter ride over sydney early in the new year. Which lens/camera should i take?

10-20 to get lots in?
18-200?
Or wifes P&S?

sgn · 5th November 2009, 8:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bevanbraves

I'm doing a helecopter ride over sydney early in the new year. Which lens/camera should i take?

10-20 to get lots in?
18-200?
Or wifes P&S?

Call em first and make sure you are allowed to take a camera..

Ask if you can do it doors off as well! its a tonne more fun! (better pics too!)

I recently did one up a hamilton island an I had to take extra straps for the camera to make sure its hooked up to my body and almost impossible to fall out. I took an 18-55mm on a 450D and my photos turned out pretty good.

there is a lot o vibration in as well.. so make sure your on a fast shutter speed.

DSLR over point and shoot.

Squeezer · 5th November 2009, 9:08 AM

One of the helis I went on in NZ had a little Window they could open enough to stick a lens out of but defintely ASK first before you go opening things

LOL .. We had a light plane trip to Milford sound and the plane had small windows that opened also. I hadnt asked the pilot about them which was a BIG mistake. Mid way through the flight I thought I'd be able to get better shots if the Window was open. I flicked the catch the the Window "flew right open" sort of sucked open due to the outside airspeed. Had the Pilot screaming at me "SHUT the F*@#ing WINDOW" - scared the crap out of me

lench · 5th November 2009, 11:42 AM

im in the same situation as you. even thinking about renting a lens for the day
was recommended that i use my 75-300 (no IS or USM

)with a decent shutter speed and it should work perfectly fine. still havnt decided if i want to use a CP filter or not

so in your case id use the 18-200

baar01 · 5th November 2009, 11:52 AM

take both lenses. 10-20 is sure to give some interesting shots.

sir_bazz · 5th November 2009, 12:13 PM

I'm thinkin the 10-20 would be best for stills inside the cockpit and video for all the rest.

bazz.

Athiril · 6th November 2009, 10:00 AM

Tele-end can be rather difficult (esp on video), i managed to get a few 400mm equiv shots on HDV which were quite smooth, as we had the cam attached to an ockey strap (much less dodgier than it sounds, camera was secured properly) from the side of the door that was removed where we sit in with the harness, putting lots of tension on the cord (pulling down hard) allowed to stabilised the fov on tele-end.

Now that I've been once there's lots of things I could have done better.

10-20 might (I know it would be in the helicopter I went up in) be too wide for any clear landscape shots unless you can get it at a reasonable distance out past the door, and then it becomes difficult to hold because of the wind.

sgn · 6th November 2009, 10:14 AM

You can get up to 160KM p/h a helicopter so sticking things out the window isn't the greatest idea. It may get ripped straight out of your hand.

having said that still an awesome rush to have the doors off.. feels like you can fall out at any time.

doigal · 6th November 2009, 7:28 PM

ask well before take off and preflight about the door or a window, but expect them to say no. Do NOT open anything unless the pilot gives you the clear instruction to!

Mred32 · 7th November 2009, 11:50 PM

I did one a while ago over Perth and Fremantle. I took a 15mm fisheye and my 10-20mm. Here are a couple of samples with only the last shot being with the 10-20mm. All shot through the window from the rear seat (my son was in the front seat).

Mred32

bevanbraves · 8th November 2009, 7:53 PM

Right, no opening doors without pilots OK first, got ya.

Mred32 .... thats the look i'm after! Can i borrow your 15mm fisheye?

Athiril · 8th November 2009, 8:43 PM

Very nice!

Squeezer · 8th November 2009, 9:00 PM

Wide angle FTW....

Mred32 · 9th November 2009, 9:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bevanbraves

Right, no opening doors without pilots OK first, got ya.

Mred32 .... thats the look i'm after! Can i borrow your 15mm fisheye?

Sure you can. Pickup in Freo?

Mred32

5th November 2009, 8:28 AM	#1
bevanbraves Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 968	Helecopter ride - which cam? I'm doing a helecopter ride over sydney early in the new year. Which lens/camera should i take? 10-20 to get lots in? 18-200? Or wifes P&S?

5th November 2009, 9:08 AM	#3
Squeezer Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Adelaide Posts: 4,417	One of the helis I went on in NZ had a little Window they could open enough to stick a lens out of but defintely ASK first before you go opening things LOL .. We had a light plane trip to Milford sound and the plane had small windows that opened also. I hadnt asked the pilot about them which was a BIG mistake. Mid way through the flight I thought I'd be able to get better shots if the Window was open. I flicked the catch the the Window "flew right open" sort of sucked open due to the outside airspeed. Had the Pilot screaming at me "SHUT the F*@#ing WINDOW" - scared the crap out of me __________________ Photo Gallery Live Bands, Nature, Events

5th November 2009, 11:42 AM	#4
lench Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Sydney, Five Dock Posts: 1,516	im in the same situation as you. even thinking about renting a lens for the day was recommended that i use my 75-300 (no IS or USM )with a decent shutter speed and it should work perfectly fine. still havnt decided if i want to use a CP filter or not so in your case id use the 18-200 __________________ Screw the NSW <0.5mW Laser bans... i own a 29.5KW Ford Laser Last edited by lench; 5th November 2009 at 11:45 AM.

5th November 2009, 11:52 AM	#5
baar01 Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Brisbane Northside Posts: 534	take both lenses. 10-20 is sure to give some interesting shots. __________________ Flickr

5th November 2009, 12:13 PM	#6
sir_bazz Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Mentone, Vic. Posts: 4,192	I'm thinkin the 10-20 would be best for stills inside the cockpit and video for all the rest. bazz. __________________ Photography is 50% photographer, 40% light and 10% equipment.

6th November 2009, 10:00 AM	#7
Athiril Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 1,465	Tele-end can be rather difficult (esp on video), i managed to get a few 400mm equiv shots on HDV which were quite smooth, as we had the cam attached to an ockey strap (much less dodgier than it sounds, camera was secured properly) from the side of the door that was removed where we sit in with the harness, putting lots of tension on the cord (pulling down hard) allowed to stabilised the fov on tele-end. Now that I've been once there's lots of things I could have done better. 10-20 might (I know it would be in the helicopter I went up in) be too wide for any clear landscape shots unless you can get it at a reasonable distance out past the door, and then it becomes difficult to hold because of the wind. __________________ Canon EOS 30D, Canon EOS 500N, Sigma 12-24mm EX DG, Olympus G.Zuiko 50mm f/1.4, Olympus E.Zuiko 135mm f/3.5 Mamiya RB67 Graflex Speed Graphic 4x5

6th November 2009, 10:14 AM	#8
sgn Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: sydney Posts: 559	You can get up to 160KM p/h a helicopter so sticking things out the window isn't the greatest idea. It may get ripped straight out of your hand. having said that still an awesome rush to have the doors off.. feels like you can fall out at any time. __________________ I thought a 'Blog' was something you did after a heavy night's drinking..

6th November 2009, 7:28 PM	#9
doigal Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Isle of Wight, UK Posts: 2,416	ask well before take off and preflight about the door or a window, but expect them to say no. Do NOT open anything unless the pilot gives you the clear instruction to! __________________ \| The OCAU 'film is not dead' club member#020 \| Flickr Album \| Redbubble Prints FS: 4 rolls of Ilford SFX200 IR 135 Film

7th November 2009, 11:50 PM	#10
Mred32 Grumpy Old Man Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Perth, South of the River Posts: 4,664	I did one a while ago over Perth and Fremantle. I took a 15mm fisheye and my 10-20mm. Here are a couple of samples with only the last shot being with the 10-20mm. All shot through the window from the rear seat (my son was in the front seat). Mred32 __________________ My Self Portrait! I've also eaten lots of brains] Flickr] Last edited by Mred32; 7th November 2009 at 11:52 PM.

8th November 2009, 7:53 PM	#11
bevanbraves Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 968	Right, no opening doors without pilots OK first, got ya. Mred32 .... thats the look i'm after! Can i borrow your 15mm fisheye?

8th November 2009, 8:43 PM	#12
Athiril Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 1,465	Very nice! __________________ Canon EOS 30D, Canon EOS 500N, Sigma 12-24mm EX DG, Olympus G.Zuiko 50mm f/1.4, Olympus E.Zuiko 135mm f/3.5 Mamiya RB67 Graflex Speed Graphic 4x5

8th November 2009, 9:00 PM	#13
Squeezer Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Adelaide Posts: 4,417	Wide angle FTW.... __________________ Photo Gallery Live Bands, Nature, Events