Aerial Shoot...16:9 or 4:3?

AgeZero

AgeZero

Active member
Going in a plane ride on the 21st 'o June for an aerial shoot of the Yuba River here in California and I am considering using my 16:9 adapter. However I want to be able to zoom in enough without that classic fuzz with the anamorphic lense (especially on the left side of the finder).
So...anyone out there do aerial shoots with the anamorphic lense?
I may need a polarizer for shooting through the plexi too. hmmm....

Maybe the plane will be low enough where I won't need to zoom in so much.
 
Re: Aerial Shoot...16:9 or 4:3?

I think you're probably better without the anamorphic adapter, but you can always bring it along and try it.  Don't use a polarizer if you're shooting through plexiglass unless you want to capture stress patterns in the plastic.  If the window can be opened or removed, it would be better. Whatever setup you use, it's helpful to gaffer tape your lens on infinity focus (94 or 95).  Also, don't rest any part of the camera against the plane while you're shooting.  The vibration from the plane will be transmitted to the camera.  You also may want to use a higher shutter speed to reduce vibration induced blur.  Since you don't want to be photographing reflections in the window, you might buy a *rubber* wide angle lens hood with 72mm threads.  You can press the rubber hood against the window to shade the reflections, but the rubber won't transmit the plane's vibration to the camera.
 
Re: Aerial Shoot...16:9 or 4:3?

I would go for anamorphic BUT:
(based on my limited experience with the adapter)

1-never zoom over 90
2-never open the iris more than 5.6 ( lock it ! )
You should be able to zoom from 0 to 90 with no problem.

my very easy and humble "basic safety focus rule"

should stay in focus 100% and be very sharp and beautifull !

good luck
 
Re: Aerial Shoot...16:9 or 4:3?

According to Adam Wilt's chart, as long as you focus on infinity or thereabouts (I'd recommend 93 or 92) and keep your f-stop at 5.6 or below, you should be able to zoom all the way in. The deeper the f-stop you can draw, the more assurance you'll have that it'll be in focus, so if you're shooting outdoors daytime, you should have no trouble getting f/11 or f/16. In that case the anamorphic should be razor-sharp.
 
Re: Aerial Shoot...16:9 or 4:3?

Thanks for the tips people.
I will take a little of each post and put it to good use.
I will have to look and see how to lock down the Fstop setting.
All I use is manual, so maybe it's that little scroll wheel for iris that I set and leave alone.
As an experienced shooter (except new to the DVX) I feel that the rules are always in the back of my mind and in use, but I always use my intuition and EYES beyond the theoretical settings posted here and there. My partner wants to talk me out of using the anamorphic but only because he uses iMovie and wants to put our shots together with his XL1s 4:3 image. I just love the anamorphic look, just bummed cuz I can't zoom in past 90. I won't use the polorizer. Thanks.
 
Re: Aerial Shoot...16:9 or 4:3?

You could zoom in past 90, as long as you're focusing at/near infinity and stopping down to f/5.6 or more.
 
Re: Aerial Shoot...16:9 or 4:3?

Well the shoot went ok, but could have been better. Reasons are that I could not seem to figure out how to lock the iris down. I was pressing the iris buttom but still maybe it was just me not doing it right. Another problem was that 24pa did not seem to work well enough for me on this particular venu, especially mixing with an XL1s. TOO MUCH TEMPORAL NOISE. Does anyone have exp. in shooting 30P? 30P looks like the right setting, however I am left confused on which setting would work well without comprimising quality. Next shoot in the air, we are going to charter a helicopter and I am debating on using anamorphic lense/24pa. Maybe I should go 60i without anamorphic. Maybe I will get a fisheye. The shutter speed was at 120 and I feel next time I will turn the shutter off. In 24Pa I noticed tons of grain in the picture along with the shutter speed adj. I am lost. I need classes! ANy help hints out there?
Regards, One confused User.
 
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