Aerials with NEX-7

[ustein]

Shot some aerial with the NEX-7 and Zeiss 85mm f/4.

 

[Mike Hatam]

Great stuff Uwe! I love the first one. You should also post these in the "fun with NEX-7" thread.

 

[alphaman]

I echo what Mike has said, particularly about No. 1; that one works very well for me!

 

[Vivek]

Nice stuff, Uwe.

To my eyes, these small pictures look better than the D800/24-120 aerials you posted.

 

[Terry]

The first one really is wonderful. It isn't just the purple but all of the different greens, etc.

 

[ustein]

>these small pictures look better than the D800/24-120 aerials you posted.

Hard to compare these different subjects. The NEX-7 was hit and miss.

1. By holding the camera on the lens I often touched focus
2. The camera is so light that it is hard to hold it stabil on the plane. Even at very high shutter speeds.
3. No IS in lens anyway

 

[Vivek]

I wonder (among other factors) if the lack of VR helped here.

 

[DjordjeJ]

Great almost abstract shots, specially first one.

 

[sergio lovisolo]

I wonder (among other factors) if the lack of VR helped here.

I think this is possible. In my experience (I have been an aerial photographer for half a century) using IS with high shutter speeds and strong vibrations leads
to loss of micro contrast.
But I have not tried with the latest VR II.

Sergio

 

[Vivek]

Thanks for your insight, Sergio.

 

[ustein]

Updated version of an earlier image:

 

[ustein]

>using IS with high shutter speeds and strong vibrations leads
to loss of micro contrast.

I have not much experience with Aerials but it is fun. Here is the plane we use (Stinson 1947):

Here is how I shoot with NEX-7:

and the D800:

I have to try to keep the lens inside the plane because otherwise the propeller wind shakes the lens.

There are many factors at play and I need to figure out the optimum.

- Lens (the Zeiss 85mm is very good)
- Shutter speed
- IS or not
- stability (bumping) of the plane

 

[Vivek]

Awesome images and awesome vehicle! Thanks for sharing, Uwe!

 

[Mark K]

Great images...
Stability of holding a camera is always my concern...and that is why I use dSLR for most of the time..

 

[sergio lovisolo]

Great work, Uwe.
A few things I do.
Manual focus. The lens is set to infinity with Scotch tape.
ISO 200 and F4 usually allows faster than 1/2000
Do not touch anything inside the aircraft to isolate vibrations
lock every camera control not strictly necessary
500-1000 feet ideal. Even a very light haze from distance destroys images
in an incorrectable way (no way to recover the lost micro contrast and image
flatness.)
Every shot is a test of corner to corner lens sharpness....
Moirè...moirè...roof patterns are a nightmare, (Kodak 14n, M8, M9, even
Pentax 645d but less than the others cited) Nex 7 seems better, but shadow
noise is a problem. D800 should be the optimum.

Just an example from yesterday's flight with the nex 7 and elmarit m 90


_DSC0390A by sergio lovisolo, on Flickr

100% crop

_DSC0390B by sergio lovisolo, on Flickr

Sergio

 

[ustein]

Thanks for joining in with your experience.

>Manual focus. The lens is set to infinity with Scotch tape.

Thought of exactly that


> ISO 200 and F4 usually allows faster than 1/2000

I use f/5.6 because the lens is f/4 wide open.

>Do not touch anything inside the aircraft to isolate vibrations

Like had some shots where I violated this.


>500-1000 feet ideal. Even a very light haze from distance destroys images
in an incorrectable way (no way to recover the lost micro contrast and image
flatness.)

We are often locked to higher altitudes by regulations.

Next time I plan to use the D800 with 105mm Micro VR (on and off)

Thanks again