willy6419

Did it with professional Alaska photographer in September

24x70; bracket 3 shots, +, -, on; auto iso, ss adequate (500 or more based on your camera, skill and that you are airborne, some you will shoot flying, some may be hover, but still moving, weather dependent.)

Hopefully, door off

Don’t stick your camera into the slipstream

Strap to your body


No time to change lenses

Commicate with your pilot before to discuss what you might see, your interests, his photo experience and recommendations

Hopefully you will have headphones during the flight

Check ytube

Nantahalan Loc: Savannah originally; western NC now

From shooting aerials from helicopters and fixed wing for my employers 1969-2014, I found 24 and 50mm on full frame worked best; shutter speed was 1/1000 or higher if available. With my current cameras (D850, 810, & 500) and 2.8 lenses, I’d start at f4 and 1/2000, letting sensitivity be auto, though at least 1/3 stop underexposed. Cropping a sharp image might satisfy your zoom desires. A 24-70 might be as close as you can come to having some telephoto and wide to be sure. Well, that’s just one guy’s opinions and experiences.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

That focal length is the best. OP has a crop camera and that lens is still the best.

Bultaco Loc: Aiken, SC

I prefer the M60

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

While going from Ft Campbell for an assault training mission an M60 was dropped into a neighborhood. You can imagine the panic when 4 "Black" helicopters came down and discharged soldiers. We did recover the weapon and left. no explanation was given.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

The point of the ride is to give you a wide view, so don't expect to be using your maximum focal length a lot. Intentionally getting far away and then zooming in seems counterproductive.

Nantahalan Loc: Savannah originally; western NC now

The greater range and force of M60 rounds are probably discouraged on civilian site-seeing tours.

OKPhotog Loc: Oklahoma

I’ve done four doors off chopper flights and would do it again In a heart beat! I used a 24-105 on the first flight, but used on 24-70 on the other three. I would not recommend anything longer. I used a minimum shutter speed of 1/1500 (higher when I could) and got tack sharp shots (one was chosen as Photo of the Day by Arizona Highways). My lens was image stabilized for all trips. The latest trip I also had in body stabilization.

As others have advised, do check with your tour company. Safety rules can differ some, but if it’s “doors off” I doubt any extra gear will be allowed. Personally, I would not want to manage anything extra anyway. The scene changes quickly and you will need your attention on what you’re doing. On my last trip (this past October) I was using a Canon R5. I wanted a bit more range for one shot and quickly put it in crop mode (that still gives me about 22 megapixels) and then quickly changed back to full frame. That’s much quicker than a lens change if you have the capability and safer, too. You do need to think through in advance what settings you may want to use and make you can get to them quickly. You won’t have time to search as well as watching the changing scene trying to find your best compositions.

Above all, enjoy the experience! It’s thrilling!!

Fly cessna Loc: Hemet ,Ca

All trying to beat the air into submission called flight and take you along for the ride

Mr Bill 2011 Loc: southern Indiana

my only helicopter tour was about 20 years ago over the Grand Canyon. Other than the fantastic scenery, the main thing I remember about it is the tight space. If it were me, I'd carry something like a 24-105 zoom, especially if you're using a crop frame camera. And if you ever get the opportunity to take a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon, by all means do it, especially if the ride is over the main part of the canyon, not the western part where most helicopter trips from Las Vegas go to.

rlynes Loc: Wisconsin

24-70mm. Anything longer will capture vibrations, at speeds with usable ISO's anyway.

And DON'T wear light colored clothing. Reflection on the windows will severely impair your imaging.

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

"As a helicopter pilot, I can tell you that long lenses and helicopters aren’t a good mix."
"...I would recommend either a 50mm lens or something along the lines of a 24-70...."
Wingpilot speaks with stellar authority here...

I had the privilege of shooting Hurricane Damage to Washington County Maryland historic stone bridges... Battle of Sharpsburg (Civil War era). I used Color Infrared film (to help cut through the mist), a Nikon F3 with a 50mm f/1.4 lens and a #12 Yellow Filter. The wind tossed the chopper around so much that anything other than a normal lens would have been useless. The mission here was to do "Damage Assessment) for the County Engineer in order to deploy emergency equipment as expediently as possible. I sat in the Copilot's seat (Left Side; it's reversed for helicopters where Pilot sits on the Right Side) with an open window to shoot out. The noise level was so high that I simply relied on the Pilot to position where he saw fit to best capture the flooding of the bridge structure

btw, at the time I was employed as an Environmental Planner for Washington County, Maryland which needed photo documentation to go for Federal Grant monies. Hurricane Damage wasn't in the initial job description...

Don you might consider Dramamine as an essential component of you kit...

Hurricane flood damage (Kodak Ektachrome Color Infrared Film) Nikon F3; 50mm f/1.4 lens with #12 Yellow Filter.

(Download)

marine73 Loc: Modesto California

It can be done. I did it in a 172 I was flying using a canon AE-1 an I believe a 50mm lens if memory serves me correctly, it may also have been a 135mm. The way I set it up was I contacted castle approach told them I was single pilot (my wife was with me an I had her looking out for traffic) and got their blessing and told them what I was doing an at what altitude I wanted to photograph from, if I remember they gave be a block from 1000' to 1500'. I think I staid around 1200' and was able to my wife's aunt and uncles entire property in to the shot. I shot over the nose and to the left and right of the nose and out the left door window. I had the camera preset prior to take and at no time did I let any part of my body touch the aircraft.

I also took some aerial shots from a 182 that I was a passenger in, they were of hot air balloons over Disney world in the late 70's.

If I was to do this again I would make sure I had a safety pilot so I wouldn't have to worry about altitude, airspeed and other aircraft.

scubadoc Loc: Sarasota, FL

Choice of lens will also depend on altitude of the flyover and whether or not the pilot will hover over areas of particular interest. 70-200 on FF body should be adequate. You might want to consider a relatively new smartphone with good video capability. While doing a helicopter flyover in Botswana game preserve, my iPhone captured excellent video. If you are using a smartphone, make sure it is tethered to your body, and I would also have the camera secured with a sling, assuming this is a doors off flight.

Mama Bear984 Loc: Langley, BC Canada

We did one in Sydney a few years back. The whole idea being that part up is to get the wide expanse view of the area. I used my 18-135 & it worked out beautifully.