ok how slow do you need shutter speed to blur rotar blades

[redline]

newbie question: ok how slow do you need shutter speed to blur rotar blades on helichoppers?and is this constant? or do some crafts have different rotation speeds?

[Nnnnsic]

Based on the speed, I'd use something between 25 and 100. I'd imagine anything else higher would be too fast, although at the Formula 1, I was getting them singular (without the blur) at around 300-500 so it might be around 10-45.

[birddog114]

redline,
Some tips you can find in the following link:

http://www.richard-seaman.com/Photograp ... index.html

[redline]

thanks Birddog
interesting Nnnnsic how far were you from the craft at 300-500? less than 20 meters?

[Mal]

Very useful and informative link Birddog. One more question if you will. Where is the best place (taking into accout I must stay behind the fences) to shoot at the RAAF base at Richmond. I am doing some work out there soon and this link has encouraged me to have a go at getting some shots.

[birddog114]

Very useful and informative link Birddog. One more question if you will. Where is the best place (taking into accout I must stay behind the fences) to shoot at the RAAF base at Richmond. I am doing some work out there soon and this link has encouraged me to have a go at getting some shots.

Mal,
Do you know the shop they sell burgers and snack along the road of Richmond AFB, one of the Rest Area, I think. but then there's a distnace and you can only see the Herc. from 35 or 37 Squadron.
But then you need to have a good long or zoom lens to play.
Sometime you'll spot the C-17A from The USAF doing courier run too.

[Mal]

Yes I know that spot Birddog. Sometimes when we are at the University Campus they fly directly over us as they practice their touch downs, landings and take offs. I was hoping there might be a good spot a little closer. Oh well time to start saving for that bigger lens

[lukeo]

In my humble opinion, 1/250th of second is as fast you can shoot and still get blade blurr, on the other hand 1/250th is about as slow as you can shoot with the recommended 300mm focal length. So it would be a good starting point. If you have VR or a Tripod then you may get away with slower. All in all just experiment.

Great link thats Birddog.

[Killakoala]

Here's a few examples.

70mm @ 1/640, F8 (D70+70-300G)


70mm @ 1/50, F32 (D70+70-300G)


70mm @ 1/325, F7.4 (CP5700)


70mm @ 1/400, F7.4 (CP5700)
No matter how slow the shutter was for this shot, the Iriqious would never have had blurred rotors (Iriqious courtesy of RNZAF)

[Nikkofan]

Redline

I know this is a dark photo - hasn't gone through PS yet (since I've only done the basic course today) but here's a shot of a chopper taken in Wellington, NZ a while ago and it definately has the blurred blades you asked about

It was shot with a 70 focal length at 1/200th, fstop 7.1

[Nikkofan]

By the way, it was shot at sunset when it was nearly dark (if you wanted to know that).