Silvermeteor Loc: South Carolina, USA

This will be my second trip to the Poinsett Gunnery Range near Sumter, SC.

My first was a fantastically enjoyable experience and a photographic disaster. All of my images were blurred from camera shake, excitement (the Gatling gun is loud), poor focus and inexperience.

So this time I am trying to be more prepared.

I use a Canon T3i and I will be shooting with a Canon EF-S 55-250mm f4-5.6 IS STM lens.

My proposed settings are:

Mode: TV to keep the shutter speed at 1/500 or 1/1000

ISO: Auto because there is a lot of bright sky and clouds & no time to change it

Focus: AI Focus to have camera help maintaining focus on a small moving target in a huge sky.

Auto Focus: All points because it is almost impossible to keep a tiny F-16 on the center point.

Drive: Continuous to take multiple shots rapidly

Image Type: RAW because I will have to enlarge

Back Button Focus: Enabled because I always forget to half press & pause

Lens: Set at 200mm which is supposed to be the sweet spot.

Auto Focus: Set to Auto as I'll need all the help I can get

Image Stabilization: On unless I decide to attempt using a tripod but that did not work well last time

Now for my questions. What have I missed? What would you change?

These trips do not come often so I want to have the best chance possible to at least get a few good shots.

sarge69 Loc: Ft Myers, FL

Did I see heavy tripod in there ?

Sarge69

Silvermeteor Loc: South Carolina, USA

No. You did not! lol In fact a tripod was only offered as a remote option. Mine is too short to easily get these small fast movers in frame without squatting down. My 72 year old knees object strenuously. lol

Actually they come in high at about a 45 degree angle then shoot, level out at about 500 feet and climb. I might try but only as a last resort.

Thanks for the thought though.

Michael Hartley Loc: Deer Capital of Georgia

Would a monopod help any?

Silvermeteor Loc: South Carolina, USA

That would probably be better than a tripod but unfortunately mine is just a run of the mill store bought one and is too short for me to look up into the air at a 45 degree angle to track the planes.

That is why I am going with shutter priority to help minimize all the camera shake.

I like the suggestions though.

I guess my camera set up is good to go since there has been nothing said about that.

Michael Hartley Loc: Deer Capital of Georgia

You can make almost anything into a monopod. Go to the hardware store, and get what is called a 'mending screw'. It is a woodscrew on one end, and has machine threads, on the other. Just get whatever threads 1/4, 5/16, fits the tripod mount on your camera. Presto, you can have a monopod, any size you wish.

Silvermeteor Loc: South Carolina, USA

Good idea. I will give it some thought. I believe the hard part would be the constantly changing angle and height as the planes dive in. The darn thing would either be too short or too long. A ball head would help by making it possible to change the camera angle. Maybe I'm missing something. lol

Fleckjohn65 Loc: Ajax Ontario Canada

Keep your head down!!!

Nancy J Loc: lower North Island, New Zealand

[quote=Silvermeteor]This will be my second trip to the Poinsett Gunnery Range near Sumter, SC.

Have you ear plugs and ear muffs, highest grade possible, as well, or would there be some on range you could borrow? Use both at the same time.this would help reduce the noise, Sounds like a wonderful event.

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

It might be best to simple let the brain record the event rather than get lost in the mechanics of photography.

UXOEOD

If your target include the A-10, suggest your carry fresh drawers. The sound of the 30 mm shells leaving the gun, pause, and striking the earth will definitely encourage one to ..... dirty your drawers.

Just remember, on range they are expending TP (target practice rounds, simple solid bullets), image the additional sound and fury of HE, (High Explosive Rounds), detonating upon impact.

Use the ear mints, don't pickup anything you didn't take to the range, have fun, and by all means, post your photos. Can not wait to see them. Spent lots of active duty on ranges, never had time to photograph the action.

mrtobin Loc: North East Ohio

I would not use All points auto focus, instead use something like AF point expansion, (manual selection).

The operative word being "manual selection". That is when you select where the focus point, or small group of focus is in your view finder. I usually use the ones in the middle of the frame. If you let the camera chose the focus point the points are going to be jumping all around in your viewfinder, and the camera will not have enough time to lock focus. Have fun on your trip:)

Silvermeteor Loc: South Carolina, USA

Thanks for your input. I tried single point once before. Impossible to keep on target.

there is no time to select a particular point to use for focus. These guys are moving around 300 mph.

My thought with letting the camera chose from all points is that most everything in the frame other than the plane will be at infinity. With multi points I will have more than one chance to hit the target and not the sky or clouds.

I will post them after I get back. Probably within the next few days.

On the way this morning. Fingers crossed. Thanks for the input.

mrtobin Loc: North East Ohio

Not Single point, but AF point expansion (Manual selection). This will give you a "cluster" of point in the middle of your frame. Pan your camera to keep your subject in the middle of your frame. The camera is not going to choose the focus points quick enough. But hey try it both ways and see how it works out for you

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

Be aware of DOF. The longer the lens the narrower the DOF. At 200mm there is only about 3 feet of DOF window. Use shorter length and get closer, to lengthen the DOF "window" Check out the DOF on line calculator.