Vintage Air

We had a vintage aircraft day last weekend, but the weather was the usual dull overcast. These functions seem to attract conditions like this and the light was hopeless, dim and flat. However, I decided to make the best of the rather uninspiring results and gave them a sort of faded, vintage look.

 

The camera was a Nikon FE with a Sigma 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6 lens, and the film was Ilford FP4 Plus developed in PMK Pyro. Here are a few samples.

 

#1

 

 

#2

 

 

#3

 

 

#4

 

 

#5

 

 

#6

 

 

#7

 

 

#8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wow.

Thanks.

Fantastic! Both the planes and the photos.

Beautifully done, and with a Sigma 28-200. I've found that the F/3.5 version of these is better all round than the more common F/3.8.

Well done.. I like the look you went for here. Surprised and pleased that you were able to eke this out with so little speed in effect. IIRC you rate the box speed down a bit so circa 80 and then with a comparably "slow" lens under these light conditions you manage such DOF. The flat low contrast light plays to bringing out the lovely detailed subjects. Kudos!

chuck-foreman said:

Surprised and pleased that you were able to eke this out with so little speed in effect.

 

Yes, it was certainly a bit of a struggle, though the DOF at the 28mm end of the scale is substantial, even at wide apertures, and down at this focal length 1/60th shutter speed is manageable. I took an elbow rest on top of the restraining fence for some of the longer shots.

 

John Seaman said:

Beautifully done, and with a Sigma 28-200. I've found that the F/3.5 version of these is better all round than the more common F/3.8.

 

Thanks, John. The Sigma is quite sharp throughout it's very handy zoom range, though the barrel distortion imposes restrictions on one's choice of subject matter. I prefer it to the equivalent Tamron 28-200 f/3.8-5.6 (apparently the best-selling zoom lens in this range, worldwide) ; the distortion is about the same but the Sigma gives the impression of being better built, and I find it a tad sharper. I 'm not familiar with the f/3.8 version of the Sigma. The Nikon version is apparently good, but a minimum focusing distance of 6 feet puts me off, when compared to about 2 feet for the Sigma.

 

Thanks for your comments, Moving On and Chauncey

Edited November 3, 2018 by rick_drawbridge

Your shots look ok to me Rick, I'd be proud to have one hanging on my wall. Are all the planes local NZ treasures ? I admire NZ's lineup of muscle cars when they go on their runs, and I believe NZ has the only flying DeHavilland Mosquito (correct me if I'm wrong), but a throng of WW1 planes ? never knew about that

 

Would have loved to have seen them at the last Warbirds air show at Temora NSW a few weeks ago, but I guess the costs to get them there would defeat that. And guess what, the weather was also overcast there. I used the Bronica ETRsi with 250 plus 2x converter, the film has yet to be developed

Edited November 4, 2018 by kmac

Thanks, Kmac. Yes, NZ has quite an accumulation of flying WWI machines and is lucky enough to be home to The Vintage Aviator, a company headed by the movie producer Peter Jackson that builds flying replicas of these aircraft, full scale and with fantastic attention to detail. If you're very wealthy you can order one, many of the sales being to international buyers. The Mosquito was reconstructed from a rather sad specimen that had lain in a Canadian cornfield for many decades, I believe, and it's now back in the hands of it's US owners. You'll find the Vintage Aviator on Facebook, if you're interested; the completed machines and the company's collection are flown from our local Hood Aerodrome in Masterton.

 

I hope you can post some of your shots from the Bronica!

I hope you can post some of your shots from the Bronica!

 

I surely will Rick, I'm letting films of different photo shoots accumulate before mixing chemicals

 

I also exercised the Canon 960 IS compact and got a particularly "arty" shot I'm not sure what do with

 

Should I put a reserve of $1.8 million on it ?

 

kmac said:

Should I put a reserve of $1.8 million on it ?

 

At the very least! You'll have to create some arty title for it, though...

Enjoyable post Rick. There does seem to be an active aircraft restoring community in NZ. When we were kids we used to read the literary masterpieces from Capt W.E. Johns.

The Vintage Aviator |

Here is a very good website for those so interested.

Thanks, Greg. Ah yes, who could forget the adventures of Biggles, Algy and Ginger? Those were the days...

Wow, that is a fantastic collection of WW1 vintage Warbirds. Love them.

You've captured them beautifully as well, Rick.

Thanks for sharing them

Rick_van_Nooij said:

Thanks for sharing them

 

My pleasure Rick, absolutely.

Great series, Rick. Makes me look forward to the next air show in my area. From time to time Columbus Air Force Base will have a show.

Contax IIa Helios

Very nice, JDM. The Mustangs, along with the Spitfires, seem to be everyone's favourites. There are are a few of the 75% scale replicas flying around down here, and there were a couple at this event.

 

Mustang Replica