JonB,
I have 3 old SLR fillm based cameras. One is the old Lester Dine zx50 Pentax model with a lester Dine 105mm lens with ring flash and the offset flash. The second one is a Canon Elan with a 100mm Macro zoom lense with the Canon Ring flash. The last one is a dinosaur Minolta XG 1 with a multitude of lenses, filters, etc. I talked with a local camera shop in an attempt to parlay all three of these into a nice digital setup with a macro zoom lense and ring flash. They all said the bodies were not worth much at all, but maybe I could find something to use the lenses and ring flash with. I want to be able to shoot some of my work, and also, since I'm a pilot, I want to get a good camera for shooting from the plane during flight.
What, in your opinion would be the best set-up for this. I enjoyed the post above, and thanks in advance for your response
hi Randy - sorry for the delay in replying.
I also have a couple 35mm slr bodies - so if you find a market for them...
The Canon 100mm ƒ2.8 Macro lens isn't a "zoom" so I'm guessing you might have misidentified it. It IS however a fantastic lens. What model of Canon ring flash is it? If it was designed for film cameras - it is probably NOT safe to use on a digital camera body. Older flashes fire at much higher voltages and will fry your digital camera.
So you may or may not be able to use your lens or your flash. Please let me know which models you have before you sell them or give them away... or use them.
I suggest going to the KEH.com website and requesting an evaluation of all of your gear. They are buying older equipment all the time and will give you a decent price for it. Not great - but not giving it away either.
If you are comfortable in the Canon camp, and assuming your 100 Macro is a model 1 version it should work fine on any newer digital bodies. I use mine on my old 20D as well as my 1D Mark IV and it will work fine on the IDX when it comes out. If it is a manual focus lens, it is time to upgrade.
I'm an advocate for buying used, so there again you will save a boatload of money at KEH.com. You need a good digital body, a 60D, 7D or a used 5D Mark II are great choices - but a 20D or a 30D will suit most people for most purposes for a lot less money. Canon is coming out with their 5D Mark III, so Mark IIs will be had for a song in short order.
In shooting air to air - that is another animal altogether. It Requires (and that capital R is there for a reason) so I'll repeat it - Requires experienced formation pilots to do safely. Too many fools turn their beautiful airplanes into smoking holes with a gust of wind, or a right when it should have been left, or an up when it should have been down. usually when a pilot wants images of themselves flying in their planes, the formation pilot takes the right seat - but still controls the aircraft. You would do well to consider this.
All that said - the tools we use for air to air include a fairly simple rig - a good digital body, either a 24-105mm ƒ4.0 IS USM or a 70-200mm ƒ2.8 IS USM, a Kenyon Gyro is a good thing to have in choppy weather - but at $3500.00 - a little pricey... that and good light in the early morning or the early evening. Flash/lighting is an option but it is a very difficult option and adds to the costs. Same with professional video.
You want to plan your shoot over a large body of water or an area of countryside that isn't cluttered with farms, buildings, cities, or even power lines. A good photo ship is a B-25 Mitchell with the tail guns removed, but lacking one of those at 4 grand an hour, a Skyvan will work well. Of course having an experienced photographer with some common sense is always a good thing. That photographer will not even consider going up if the pilots involved aren't experienced formation pilots.
If you just want to shoot scenery from your plane, that 70-200 is a great one to consider - cause its good for a whole lotta photography stuff. I wouldn't be without mine anywhere!
