Taking photos from a helicopter

[Iscariot]

Im working through planning a trip to the red centre of Australia this and toying with the idea of a helicopter tour for photographic purposes. If I was to do this what lens do you think would be the best fit? My thinking is that the 14-24 would be way to wide, although this will be my sunset / sunrise lens. Would the 70-200 be worth considering or would it be to long?

[I @ M]

Are you using 35mm equivalent or an APSC body?

A helicopter is not generally restricted to a minimum height restrictions so in that scenario I would be looking at a 16mm lens on a 35mm equivalent body and asking the pilot to vary their height accordingly.

[Iscariot]

35mm equivilent

[Mark L]

Can you borrow a second body, thus having access to your two lens?

[ameerat42]

Iscariot. I don't know what background colour scheme you have set, but grey on grey is a bit hard to read. I had to hilight the text to make it out.

Now, if you REALLY don't want to take two lenses/bodies, take the w/a lens.
Am (through a glass darkly, so to say).

[Iscariot]

Can you borrow a second body, thus having access to your two lens?

I have a D800 and D7K so taking two is possible.


Iscariot. I don't know what background colour scheme you have set, but grey on grey is a bit hard to read. I had to hilight the text to make it out.

Now, if you REALLY don't want to take two lenses/bodies, take the w/a lens.
Am (through a glass darkly, so to say).

Sorry I copied it from another forum and it went a little pear shaped. I will be taking my 14-24 with me for the sunrise and sunset shots but just not entirely sure about the helicopter. I thought the 70-200 would work but the size could be an issue, same with the 24-70. I also worry the focal length might be a bit short. Deep down Im thinking a prime might be best which based on what I have with either be 85 or 35mm

[ameerat42]

Nah! to the primes UNLESS your zooms are of exceptionally poor quality. Now that you mention the 24-70, it seems to me a likelier candidate. Though never [inserted: taken pictures] from a helicopter, I have found a wide angle (to modest telephoto) to be most useful for aerial shots. It does really depend on what you want to get/how expansive the vistas will be, and whether you want to include parts on the aircraft. It weight and bulk are not an issue, take a couple, but again, the 24-70 sounds ok. To check any doubts, go to some piece of local relief and see what you get with them all.
Am.

[Xenedis]

Im working through planning a trip to the red centre of Australia this and toying with the idea of a helicopter tour for photographic purposes. If I was to do this what lens do you think would be the best fit? My thinking is that the 14-24 would be way to wide, although this will be my sunset / sunrise lens. Would the 70-200 be worth considering or would it be to long?

It all depends on what kinds of images you want.

Do you want vast expanses, or do you want to capture details?

In recent years I've shot from a helicopter as well as planes, and I used only my 16-35mm lens (full-frame camera).

A 70-200 would also be a good choice if you wanted to compress the landscapes or narrow in on some particular details of the landscapes.