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Thread: Getting a clearer photo

  1. #1
    Rod Wiley
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    Default Getting a clearer photo

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    I'm trying to photograph jet airplane vapor trails and cloud formations, the planes fly at 40,000 ft and I'd like to see the markings on them. The vapor trails they leave behind are hard to get a good focus on as the auto focus can't find them half the time. Since the vapor trails stay up there for several hours I don't have to hurry getting a good one. The planes travel around 650 mph so thats a differant story. I'm using a D300 and a 500mm lens with the 1.7X and sometimes the 1.4x. Does anyone have any suggestions on a better way to capture these images? Thanks Rod

    www.rjwileyphoto.com
    Last edited by James Shadle; 11-23-2010 at 10:21 AM.

  2. #2
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    I would manually focus at infinity and use a polarizing filter to increase contrast between the sky and the chemtrails :p.

  3. #3
    Roman Kurywczak
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Michael View Post
    I would manually focus at infinity and use a polarizing filter to increase contrast between the sky and the chemtrails :p.
    VG advice Jim.....tough to track at those magnifications especially with the 1.7. Added contrast of polariser will help. Remember to keep it on topic please.

  4. #4
    Rod Wiley
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    Jim I was photographing the moon years ago when I found out that putting the lens on infinity over shot the moon by a little bit and had to back it up some. If the moon isn't infinity what the heck is

  5. #5
    William Malacarne
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    The infinity line on a lens is a rough guideline. It changes as temperature changes.

    Bill

  6. #6
    Rod Wiley
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    Jim I used auto focus on this one. The big jet went by about 45 minuites earlier and than this little plane came along so I was able to get a auto focus on the little plane and catch the vapor trail of the jet in same photo. I'm going to try the manual focus when I just photo the vapor trails and clouds. Thanks Rod

    www.rjwileyphoto.com

  7. #7
    Rod Wiley
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    I didn't know about the temperature part, thanks

  8. #8
    Roman Kurywczak
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    Hey Rod,
    I use manual focus at huge magnifications (aka 800mm +1.4 TC) but you have to be very careful with the critical focus! If you have time ......a trick from macro is to use live view...10x magnification.....this really helps with critical focus.

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