Took one of the little local Cessna "puddle-jumpers" up for a spin on Sunday night. I took my K20D along with only one lens...a fisheye DA 10-17mm....and took some shots. Thought I'd share as they turned out to be kind of a neat perspective of the area...


First one is looking at Lake City, MN and Lake Pepin (which is really just a 2-mile wide portion of the Mississippi River).....looking southeast...



This one is looking at the Lake City Marina. Love the green plant life in the water!



Overall I'm really pleased with how well the DA 10-17mm works for aerial photography. I've used it plenty and love the perspective it provides while maintaining great image quality. Considering the price compared to other fisheye lenses, I'm in love.

[jmc7104]

Great preprespictive, great photo's. Strange that this post would pop up now as to how I was out to one of our local Airports checking out costs of doing the same thing. jim

[navcom]

Great preprespictive, great photo's. Strange that this post would pop up now as to how I was out to one of our local Airports checking out costs of doing the same thing. jim

Best rent a pilot to go along with the aircraft. I did these solo. It's a lot tougher taking good pictures when you are trying to keep from hitting the hillside.

Usually when I do this aerial photography thing for real, I team up with another pilot. Much safer that way.

Really nice shots. So how much on average is it to rent a small aircraft and said pilot?

[jmc7104]

Here in my area they said approxaly around $100. for 1/2 hour depending on current fuel prices, small 3 seater piper cub. and yes pilot is mandatory, you know anyone can fly a plane off the ground, but getting it back down is not the big problem, just doing it right is the important thing. Take off are options but landing is mandatory. I didnt check to see if third person addred to the cost but probably does. jim

[navcom]

It costs $100/hr to rent the little puddle-jumper up here. The cost is wet...that is, it includes the fuel. Rental aircraft use their hobbs meter to charge for time so you only pay when the engine is on. To rent a pilot is usually about $35/hr. Many airport FBO's have packages set up for tourist flights. Here they offer a 1/2 flight for $85 (if I remember right), which includes the pilot and up to three passengers (depending on weight).

Jim...the Piper Cub is a two-seater. They might be renting Piper Cherokee's or something similar, which are four-seaters.

If you are going to rent an a/c for photography, rent a high-wing bird. This usually means it will be a Cessna (or said 2-seat Piper Cub...most pipers are low wing). The Cessna C172 (Skyhawk) is the most popular.

Make sure you bring along some window cleaner so you can clean the side windows. Better yet, ask the renter if it's possible to remove the window cam screw to allow the window to open all the way up to the bottom of the wing. Then you can shoot without a window in the way. Just remember to keep the camera inside the aircraft and out of the slipstream or your prized possession might end up a pancake in someone's back yard.

Just give me a call if you are in the area...I'll take you up.

[dcmsox2004]

being an aviation buff... i really appreciate these pics....
the fish eye brings that special 'oomph' to these....

[navcom]

being an aviation buff... i really appreciate these pics....
the fish eye brings that special 'oomph' to these....

Couldn't agree more. I love this lens for this application. It's even better when used to take photos at "unusual attitudes".

Unfortunately, this Cessna 172 isn't up to that challenge.

[gawan]

Impressive perspective indeed! great view to say the least!

[jmc7104]

It costs $100/hr to rent the little puddle-jumper up here. The cost is wet...that is, it includes the fuel. Rental aircraft use their hobbs meter to charge for time so you only pay when the engine is on. To rent a pilot is usually about $35/hr. Many airport FBO's have packages set up for tourist flights. Here they offer a 1/2 flight for $85 (if I remember right), which includes the pilot and up to three passengers (depending on weight).

Jim...the Piper Cub is a two-seater. They might be renting Piper Cherokee's or something similar, which are four-seaters.

If you are going to rent an a/c for photography, rent a high-wing bird. This usually means it will be a Cessna (or said 2-seat Piper Cub...most pipers are low wing). The Cessna C172 (Skyhawk) is the most popular.

Make sure you bring along some window cleaner so you can clean the side windows. Better yet, ask the renter if it's possible to remove the window cam screw to allow the window to open all the way up to the bottom of the wing. Then you can shoot without a window in the way. Just remember to keep the camera inside the aircraft and out of the slipstream or your prized possession might end up a pancake in someone's back yard.

Just give me a call if you are in the area...I'll take you up.

Sounds like what they were telling me at the airport and I think they did say it was a cessna. I have flown a number of times in the Cherokee 6, Beech 10 and bigger cessna's with seats removed hauling Machinery components. Was Maintance supervisor of a 3 shift maintance crew for Hon Industries a number of years ago. Wasnt unusal for me to go to local airport and charter whatever size plane and pilot necessary to go where ever parts were located, pick up and fly back so production could be in operatkion next day. Loved low and slow and didnt even hav e a camera with me. Thanks for the offer to take me up but I am considerable distance from you. jim

[mie17]

nice view

[Nowhere Matt]

Make sure you bring along some window cleaner so you can clean the side windows. Better yet, ask the renter if it's possible to remove the window cam screw to allow the window to open all the way up to the bottom of the wing. Then you can shoot without a window in the way. Just remember to keep the camera inside the aircraft and out of the slipstream or your prized possession might end up a pancake in someone's back yard.

You have just inspired me to beg a friend to take me up when he goes next.
Then if I can borrow my cousin's wide angles...
I like the shot out from under the wing and am now very excited to get some images of my own. And soon.

[navcom]

You have just inspired me to beg a friend to take me up when he goes next.
Then if I can borrow my cousin's wide angles...
I like the shot out from under the wing and am now very excited to get some images of my own. And soon.

It's a lot of fun with a wide angle. The more unusual your attitude, the better opportunities you get.

One trick is to keep the horizon level in the viewfinder regardless of what attitude the aircraft is in (when taking photos out the front that is). Most people are tempted to keep the dash of the aircraft level in the viewfinder and let the outside world show their attitude. If you keep the horizon level in the viewfinder, the person who views your photo will get a much more realistic impression of what attitude the airplane was at. This is what makes the photo more realistic. Couple that with the fisheye effect and you get a more riveting photo.

As an example, if you are sitting in the right-front seat, have the pilot bank the aircraft to the right at 45 degrees. While the aircraft is turning, take your fisheye photo out the front of the aircraft just slightly to the right of the cowling, keeping the horizon level in the viewfinder. Your photo will then give the viewer the feeling they may actually be "outside" the aircraft versus sitting in the seat inside...makes you feel more like you are flying instead of riding.

Unfortunately, when you are the pilot and also trying to take pictures at the same time, this is a little hard to do without compromising safety. It's much better when someone else is flying unless you have the altitude to recover if you end up in a wing-over.