If you're wondering what 500mm of zoom does...

Calina

link to picture (wide)

This was taken from underneath the Stella Maris statue on the Bull Wall (Dollymount). The two kitesurfers were on their way to Sandymount at the time. The wall in the picture is the Great Southern Wall.

I'd like to add - incidentally - that it was a bloody hard photograph to take because it was so windy down there last night, I actually could not stand against it and I could not - even with the monopod - keep the camera steady.

Dragan

Wow, now that is a pretty awesome shot right there!

Those two folk are obviously thrill junkies heading out in that weather....fair play to them....and you!

PopeBuckfastXVI

Any interest in explaining that for those of us that aren't in our nations capital?

Calina

I hope this works.

This is a sat over view. The two kitesurfers are below the lower pier (that's the Great Southern Wall). I'm standing at the end of the other pier, at the end of the white bit (not crazy enough to run out along the breakwater lastnight, I must confess). (although I tried).

Masada

are you saying that zoom is from dollymount, all the way across to the other side of dublin???
holy hole in the polo batman., thats a serious distance!., :eek:

Calina

Yes, that's what I'm saying. I wouldn't try to do too much detail work with it but last night was special (more photographs to hit flickr during the week).

ThOnda

500 mm plus your crop, of course :-)

Sweet! Good for some spying on the beaches. Well, exactly for your purpose :-P

PopeBuckfastXVI

yowzers!

that's impressive

PaulieC

is that blackrock in the background or is it dalkey?? impressive either way. what lens was it? Sigma 50-500 ?

Calina

I *think* it's Blackrock but am not certain. The southside is bandit country to me. I never go there. And yes, the lens is a 50-500mm Sigma.

Dragan

Calina wrote: »

I *think* it's Blackrock but am not certain. The southside is bandit country to me. I never go there. And yes, the lens is a 50-500mm Sigma.

Your spot on, that would be Blackrock, Dalkey should be around the curve.....now THAT would be some lens!!

Calina

Anyone got a helicopter I can borrow?

PaulieC

Dragan wrote: »

Your spot on, that would be Blackrock, Dalkey should be around the curve.....now THAT would be some lens!!

that's the kind of lens I want!!

Dragan

Calina wrote: »

Anyone got a helicopter I can borrow?

As far as i can tell it's actually not THAT expensive to rent a helicopter for an hour, pilot included.

From my experience in them you could easily have 3 people in one, kit and lens and all sorts, they are suprisingly roomy, and share the cost out among you.

I imagine for the Pro's around here it would be a worthwhile investment to add to portfolio's?

ThOnda

Only this one, sorry...

Calina

Dragan wrote: »

As far as i can tell it's actually not THAT expensive to rent a helicopter for an hour, pilot included.

so tempting...

trooney

Dragan wrote: »

Your spot on, that would be Blackrock, Dalkey should be around the curve.....now THAT would be some lens!!

Those apartments running along the coast in the background are at Bullock harbour.

ttcomet

Yeah they are definitely the ones between Bullock harbour and Collimore harbour you can see that house with the round tower/battlements near Collimore Harbour on the left of the image.

That is some awesome lens .

Edit: You can also see the Martello tower near Bullock just at the back of the apartments.

Paulw

Nice detail there and great range.

One thing I want to try (probably week after next) is combining TCs with my lens.

So, 300mm f/2.8 with 2x TC and 1.4 TC stacked, should end up giving me an 840mm f/8 lens.

Anyone tried such combinations?? Shame I don't have a 400mm f/2.8 lens.

Arciphel

regarding helicopter shotting, i have been getting some quotes for this this week, if people are interested in trying this out drop me a PM.

We won't be allowed below 1,500 feet and can't stay in one location for too long due to noise and air traffic restrictions.

The cost would be: if doors on and shoot through the windows - 1,550.00 for 1 hour ex Dublin Airport

if the doors are off the rate is the same but they have to charge VAT at 21%

Roen

Find a microlight and I'll do it for free

Borderfox

Arciphel wrote: »

regarding helicopter shotting, i have been getting some quotes for this this week, if people are interested in trying this out drop me a PM.

We won't be allowed below 1,500 feet and can't stay in one location for too long due to noise and air traffic restrictions.

The cost would be: if doors on and shoot through the windows - 1,550.00 for 1 hour ex Dublin Airport

if the doors are off the rate is the same but they have to charge VAT at 21%

If the doors are off :eek:

Arciphel

Borderfox, you'd think it'd be cheaper if the doors were off :pac::pac: thats rip off ireland for you! :rolleyes:

Calina

Paulw wrote: »

Nice detail there and great range.

One thing I want to try (probably week after next) is combining TCs with my lens.

So, 300mm f/2.8 with 2x TC and 1.4 TC stacked, should end up giving me an 840mm f/8 lens.

Anyone tried such combinations?? Shame I don't have a 400mm f/2.8 lens.

Be interesting to see what that looks like. I expect with the 2.8 it should be pretty okay...I wouldn't be putting a TC of any description on mine though; it's too soft at the far end.

Arciphel wrote: »

regarding helicopter shotting, i have been getting some quotes for this this week, if people are interested in trying this out drop me a PM.

We won't be allowed below 1,500 feet and can't stay in one location for too long due to noise and air traffic restrictions.

The cost would be: if doors on and shoot through the windows - 1,550.00 for 1 hour ex Dublin Airport

if the doors are off the rate is the same but they have to charge VAT at 21%

Okay. I've just picked my frozen self off the floor. I was thinking about the practical side of this earlier. Basically, the two places I would want to be are both under main flight paths into and out of Dublin Airport so I forecast trouble on that front anyway. Also, I'm not sure how they'd like being out in extremely high winds (it was gusting over 30 knots yesterday evening). Also, I'd need to talk to the kitesurfing community about it although I've a feeling I could get an okay from that because as far as I know, the Failte Ireland ad was shot using helicopters. And I'd want to be damn sure I could keep a camera steady in there.

FX Meister

I was quoted €350 for a half hour last year, to fit four passangers. 1550 seems a lil steep

YogiBear

Really cool Calina! Thanks for sharing.