SLR Camera for a PPL
 

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good value Camera for a pilot to carry in their flight bag?

Hi Logie101,

I think... The world is your oyster!!! So many options, such a vast price range!

I personally have a Nikon D5300. I am no photographer, I just enjoy taking a few snaps and enjoy them on high quality screens / professional prints. I find the quality fantastic, and the definition pretty impressive - but then again - I am no photographer. Just an amateur using a kit lens!

A few friends have used the Canon 5D and 6D with really nice lenses in the plane. This is far superior to the quality of my camera, but I find it is wasted on the fact that the average spam-can has scratched/damaged windows. (I also didn't have that kind of money to spend on a camera). They however smash my little Nikon to pieces when you compare the quality whilst taking pictures with the window open! You will however see day and night differences between your iPhone / Android phone's camera - mostly because of the focal points and ability to use real zoom.

I would recommend getting polarising filters, they are super cheap on Amazon (check you're buying the right size) as this will help with the amount of reflections that you see whilst taking pictures from inside the aeroplane.

I am happy with my little camera, i love the pictures it takes, and have printed a book of my travels with it too. Absolutely perfect for what I wanted. If you want full comparison of available cameras, there is a funny channel on youtube (which calls themselves "The Top Gear for Cameras" DigitalRevTV) [http://bit.ly/2e3yaDI] who do a pretty good job of comparing different cameras.

I hope this helps!
Alex

I now use a compact digital. A "tough" camera, used often in movie mode. Always available.
Long ago, I used an Olympus OM1n, non automatic, 35mm, with 35-70 lens, shooting out of the open Cessna window or Pa28 panel.
Zoom often is poorer than wider angle and enlargement, due to aircraft instability.
Ability to choose slow shutter speed is essential, if shooting through prop.
Also ability to switch off image stabilisation, and autofocus.

My favourite camera is also a compact digital type.

Panasonic / Lumix TZ-40. It does everything I need it to do.

I would say, not necessarily SLR. Go for a Bridge - because everything is integrated there's limited ability to lose stuff , and they're fairly easy to operate single handed while flying with the other.

If you want a suggestion, try the Canon SX60. I use the slightly older SX50 , and have taken some superb photographs both on the ground and from the air. A cheap adapter allows you to fit filters, and it'll fit any of the usual mounts. I also have a radio remote control, designed for the more expensive SLRs that works with it and cost me £20 or so.

G

Yes, I would avoid an SLR. but you will need a fairly fast shutter speed to deal with vibration and a/c motion. Experiment with a cheap s/h camera first. I like the idea of the Panasonic Lumix; I think they have genuine Leica lenses. When you have done your stuff and are ready for a shot which may need massive enlargement, see if you can borrow a 5x4 field camera with a good quality Schneider or Rodagon lens. Ask for a couple of double dark slides loaded for you (if you can offer a dealer a ride, you may get an impressive service), and then see what a tiny portion of the negative enlarged looks like.

What might be different about an SLR for a PPL than for any other aspiring photographer? If size is an issue then the Olympus SLRs and mirrorless cameras are the ones to look at.

Otherwise all the main makes (includes Pentax, Nikon, Cannon, Sony, Panasonic) all have excellent offerings at various price points. Of course the more expensive cameras have not only more features, but more importantly better sensors which is an issue if you will be shooting in low light levels. They all have reasonable kit lenses.

Hope you are not planning using your camera whilst flying!

Why wouldn't you use your camera whilst flying? How is this type of distraction any different to checking your map, or talking to a passenger, or changing frequency, or changing transponder settings, or altering your GPS waypoints? Especially if the kind of plane you're flying has autopilot, the few seconds it takes to get the camera out and take a few snaps surely is no more time consuming than checking your map in flight!

( I am attributing a relatively high "common sense" value to the pilot - not the kind that is too busy taking selfies in bad weather at very low level before stalling the plane and not being able to recover... )

Everyone here likes the super-thin cameras, I never liked them because back in the day - i couldn't find something with an acceptable quality of zoom and image with these tiny cameras. This may well have changed over the years! But I still love my little D5300!

ps: I've got my own official photographer on board normally which is better still!

I've never had an autopilot. I've usually taken pics solo. Hence the preference for compact digital, pre-setup, point&shoot, once they became available. For last 5+ years it's been a Panasonic Lumix FT2. Temperature tolerant below 0°C. The previous Fuji, as the manual said, did not function correctly below zero.

If the pictures were critical, my business, or involved low flying - then I'd certainly separate the role of pilot and photographer, and have.

For the fun of it - just go for it. Compacts and Bridges are generally much easier to operate one handedly than DSLRs, and Bridges have much better zoom capability than most affordable DSLR options. Bridges also, in my experience have *most* of the direct image control of a DSLR, which you won't get on a comapact.

This is just an example, my Canon SX50 Bridge, about 1500ft, one handed, other hand on the bar of my microlight - south coast of the New Forest.

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...65&oe=589A2854

And another, again one-handed, light aircraft, same camera, through a perspex canopy - all of course done at a safe height, and a long way from that balloon using the zoom as Mr Canon intended. Just North of Reading around 1000ft IIRC.

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...c1&oe=586F0656

G

What as strange thing to say.

Nice pics, G. Are you using a UV filter?

Probably, I usually have one on the camera.

G

Fuji finepix s5700. A very old bridge that is a piece of cake to use, delivers a decent picture and can be found for about £15 in the bay. I have had mine for eight years and have trouble justifying buying a replacement. 46mm filter ring allows uv and polarising filters and a set of AAs will shoot 500 images.