how many mm do you use?

Flanker27 · Post by **Flanker27** » 23 Aug 2007, 20:50

As I am looking for a 2nd lense to go with my EOS400D (present 17-85) for shooting a/c, mostly outside fenses, useful at Axalp (coming up) and most airshows, I am interested in what you guys use and why. I am mainly interested in the mm question. How much do you need where. I know you can take reasonable shots with 100-200 mm if you just use them for desktop at most places. And 500mm the thing gets pretty heavy, but if you got it, do you use it and when? So around what position is your lense used most frequently?

Thanks already for you responses.

Spooky · Post by **Spooky** » 23 Aug 2007, 23:08

Hi Flanker,

It really depends on the kind of shots you want to make. In general I am using my 70-200 with much pleasure, but when you are talking about Axalp, I would recommend at leat 300mm with a 1,4x converter (at least that is what I used when I was there.

Good luck,
Anno'

Alpha Kilo One · Post by **Alpha Kilo One** » 24 Aug 2007, 09:35

Most of all I use my 70-200 mm and 400 mm and a crop-factor of 1.5X

Ronald

Warthog 71 · Post by **Warthog 71** » 24 Aug 2007, 10:06

Mainly a 70-200 and a fixed 500. Last year I only took the 500 up to Axalp, make sure you bring some mm up there.

Grtz,

Marcel

Bianca · Post by **Bianca** » 24 Aug 2007, 10:32

Hi all,

First of all, nice poll!!!

I only use 70-200mm. I've have also a 70-300mm but that's less quality so I only use 70-200mm. And 18-70mm for static.

Bye,
Bianca

SquAdmin · Post by **SquAdmin** » 24 Aug 2007, 11:09

I'm using a 300mm, half of the time in combination with 1.4 TC. For shooting outside the fence this is sufficient at most airbases, but for airshow photography you can never have enough mm's. The only problem is that the weight increases with the number of mm's which isn't helpful.

In the end, it's always a matter of compromising between focal length, weight, and the amount of money you are willing to spend.

EHAM · Post by **EHAM** » 24 Aug 2007, 15:21

I use a 80-200mm with an 1,5 crop factor.

Kleintje Pils · Post by **Kleintje Pils** » 24 Aug 2007, 15:22

SquAdmin wrote:I'm using a 300mm, half of the time in combination with 1.4 TC. For shooting outside the fence this is sufficient at most airbases, but for airshow photography you can never have enough mm's. The only problem is that the weight increases with the number of mm's which isn't helpful.

In the end, it's always a matter of compromising between focal length, weight, and the amount of money you are willing to spend.

Same goes for me, but on basevisits I often use the 70-200 f4.0 and since two months also the 24-105 f4.0...

Iwan Bogels · Post by **Iwan Bogels** » 25 Aug 2007, 04:59

Hi Michel,

If I read your original image correctly, you are looking for an extra lens to use besides your "standard" 17-85mm. And for this purpose you are asking others which lens they use most. But maybe this is not such a good question......

Why ? If Mr.X has a 100-300mm lens only, his answer is likely to be 300mm. But if you ask him which lens he would like to use, he might just answer 400mm because he has been dreaming of 100-400mm. And my own answer to your poll-question would be 200mm, because in quantity most of my 30.000+ digital shots were made with a 70-200/2.8 (platform & taxi shots) instead of longer lenses. But for action shots I just love my 400mm, which is 6 kg in weight. This lens is likely to be regarded as "too heavy" to most of you, but it's worth every kilo to me. Unfortunately the size of this monster restricts me from bringing it on all my trips, so my fixed 300mm is the most logical replacement.

My advise to you would be to look for a good 100-400mm, which will offer you flexibility, quality and range. But I don't know if the price and weight of this lens are limiting factors for you. That's just my 2 cents worth.....

Good luck on you decision,
Iwan

E. Schoonderwoerd · Post by **E. Schoonderwoerd** » 25 Aug 2007, 07:03

Like Iwan, I would go for the 100-400 mm. With the 17-85 you allready have, you would have a nice range with a slight gap of 15 mm. But then again it all depends on your demands of taking pictures.

A 70-200 mm is faster due to the aperture. On the other hand (i.m.h.o) the noisecontrol of cameras are pretty good, so you can boost your iso. In that case I prefer a sharp picture with some noise and grainy look, instead of pictures with motionblur.

Maybe you can lend a lens from someone and try it out, which will suit you the best.

For some pictures with the 100-400 you can check out the photoforum "full wets at Meiringen".

Good luck.
Emile

warthog64 · Post by **warthog64** » 25 Aug 2007, 08:53

I mostly use my 100-400,
see,
http://www.scramble.nl/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31153" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I now also use my 70-200 4.0L IS, for closer aircraft,

see,

http://www.scramble.nl/forum/viewtopic.php?t=33594" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Robert · Post by **Robert** » 25 Aug 2007, 09:47

Wich lens I use depends where I go. For Ramstein and Spangdalhem for example I use my 70-200. But I use my 100-400 a lot on other bases. it has to do with the distance fromwhere I stand. I think I use them on a 50-50 base, sometimes the 70-200 and sometimes the 100-400.

evhest · Post by **evhest** » 25 Aug 2007, 12:31

I have:

Canon 300mm f/4 IS USM
Canon 70-200 f/4 USM
Sigma 18-50 f/2.8 EX
Canon 1,4 extender

For taxishots and static shots I mostly use the 70-200 and 18-50. For just about every airborne shot I use the 300mm, most of the time combined with the 1,4 extender.

Tom Tiger · Post by **Tom Tiger** » 28 Aug 2007, 13:39

I mainly use 100-400 mm for all the flying shots.
18-55 and 28-135 for the static.

(combined with a cropfactor of 1.6)

sfeyenoord1 · Post by **sfeyenoord1** » 28 Aug 2007, 19:43

18-55mm for static, 70-300mm for the rest here.

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how many mm do you use?