Optimal aircraft window lens/body

[FrozenInTime]

So you've managed to get a window seat that's not mid-wing or blocked by a bulkhead:
What's your ideal carry on lens and body going to be ?

On my past experience, it's got to be small enough to fit into the seat pocket and it has to be mechanical ( to get around the no PEDs on take-off and landing ).

Do you prefer a tight view - collapsible 50mm ; a modest 35/28 wide or to include the window frame - 21/15mm ?

Is a SLR a better choice - so you can see flare, scratches and have no parallax : but bulk makes the in seat pocket option even more difficult.

[sevo]

Non pressurized small aircraft will have some windows or doors that can be opened - whenever you can, arrange for that, and bring your best/biggest format camera. On airliners, any disposable camera will do, given that the windows generally are no better than a coke bottle bottom.

[gliderbee]

I've often used my D200 or D40 to shoot through the window of airliners, even with zoomlenses. No problem at all. I never thought about these as electronic devices that may not be switched on; never had a remark about it either.

this was with my D70 and 18-70 zoom

[mfogiel]

This was shot with Nokton 35/1.2 on a ZI.



You should stick the lens to the window to minimize reflections, and do not use wide angle lenses in order to eliminate the problem of the window scratches getting into focus.

[kermaier]

Use a rubber hood. That let's you keep the hood pressed against the glass to eliminate glare/reflections from the cabin interior. It also reduces the fear of banging the lens around if there's a bit of turbulence, and should isolate the camera from engine vibration transmitted by the window glass. And, if you get a hood for a wider FOV than your lens, you can tilt the camera a bit at different angles and flex the hood, without causing vignetting. This has worked well for me using a 40/2 M-Rokkor on a bus -- dunno how that focal length will be from an airplane.
::Ari

[Kim Coxon]

Umm! I have generally found something between 35 and 85 mm best when taking shots from inside an aircraft.

Kim

[uhligfd]

I guess the issue here really is the angle of view with the sensor/film used; or we have to know the crop factor of the tiny camera to be used as well.

So, for me on commercial flight, i can go wide to a certain degree, but not too much and much longer than normal usually catches nasty nonlinearities in the multiple sheets of plastic that are the window glass.

So maybe from 65 degrees down to 35 degrees angle of view will do fine.

[Beemermark]

Polarizer helps with color film, orange or red filter for B&W. The windows (even when they don't look like it) are usually tinted. Check your exposure against the sunny F16 rule. Definitely use a large rubber lens hood, never let the camera touch any part of the plant body. Generally including part of the wing makes the picture more interesting.

[jsrockit]

If it is a commercial flight... I'd use whatever camera I brought on vacation with me. If I was invited to go in a non commercial plane, I'd bring my best equipment.

[Kim Coxon]

A couple of thoughts which are appropriate for both air-air and air-ground.

Unless you are at low altitude ie below about 5000', exposure can be a problem due to the higher UV levels and less filtering of the sunlight. If you can, take an incident hand held meter reading from a window on the other side of the aircraft.

Aircraft portholes usually produce quite marked distortion at the edges where they are thicker. The middle part is generally OK but can act like a supplimentary lens. An SLR will normally take account of this but an RF won't.

Use a good UV filter if using colour otherwise you can end up with a strong colour caste.

"Freehold" the camera and make sure that not only does the camera touch any part of the aircraft but also don't "brace" yourself against any part due to the vibration. Use your body as a "shock" absorber.

Kim

[Bruin]

I don't recommend a polarizer, since most commercial airplane windows have layers of plexiglass and you'll see weird color bands through the polarizer.

Good tip on the UV filter and orange filter for B&W!

[Richard G]

M6 90mm 2.8 twice box speed f16 in sunlight. Boeing filter only.

[varjag]

I keep 35mm on-camera during take off and landing approach, for the unlikely case the plane goes down. Otherwise, a 200mm.

[FrozenInTime]

Originally Posted by varjag

I keep 35mm on-camera during take off and landing approach, for the unlikely case the plane goes down.

I used to carry a mechanical Minox AX or BL everywhere : just incase I was abducted by those Aliens with EM fields that disrupted electronics
Always having it did mean I grabbed a few interesting shots, such as happening across filming on a Bond Movie, but no plane crashes to date.

I started the thread as I had some disappointing results shooting with a small sensor GRDIII on the plane from Spokane last week.
Based on the comments so far, I will try the M6 with 35 Color Skopar next time : B&W and Orange filter. I'm will order a rubber hood - I've never tried that.

[tj01]

Originally Posted by Kim Coxon

Umm! I have generally found something between 35 and 85 mm best when taking shots from inside an aircraft.

Kim

Did you use Sunny F15 ? Haha , great shot

[Kim Coxon]

Gossen Sixtomat digital using an incident reading. About the only way you can get accurate enough exposure for E6. Velvia 50 was a fantastic film for Air-Air.

Kim

Originally Posted by tj01

Did you use Sunny F15 ? Haha , great shot

[DanP]

Originally Posted by Kim Coxon

If you can, take an incident hand held meter reading from a window on the other side of the aircraft.

You mean from the outside?

[Gradskater]

I thought this one turned out well. Olympus XA

[Kim Coxon]

I've lost a couple of headsets taking pics but only my head was outside!

I take the reading from the light falling on the opposite side of the aircraft I am shooting from. The light falling on my aircraft is the same as falling on him as we tend to be so close.

Kim

[silverbullet]

Nikon D300 + 17-55 Nikkor
no filters

the police tried to stop us due to no stopping at a traffic light.....

[SimonSawSunlight]

this is one of the weirder gear threads...

[Richard G]

Originally Posted by Richard G

M6 90mm 2.8 twice box speed f16 in sunlight. Boeing filter only.

Melbourne by Richard GM2, on Flickr

City of Melbourne May 2009. No point deploying the builit in hood. Camera about 45˚ to very good condition Seat 2F window, not hard up against it. Late morning early winter sunlight, looking North at ~37,47˚S.

[Richard G]

I am beginning to think that when Kim needs to shoot to the right and wants an incident reading from the other side of the plane he just needs to swap the meter to his left hand....RAF?

[oftheherd]

Originally Posted by varjag

I keep 35mm on-camera during take off and landing approach, for the unlikely case the plane goes down. Otherwise, a 200mm.
...

If I thought there was the remotest probablilty, I would take another flight, but what difference between 35 and short tele if the plane goes down? Survival, at least on commercial aircraft, isn't very good no matter.

[varjag]

Originally Posted by oftheherd

If I thought there was the remotest probablilty, I would take another flight, but what difference between 35 and short tele if the plane goes down?

Taking pictures is easier offcourse. The planes are usually pretty cramped inside, not much use for tele.