Glare from windows in float planes and helicopters

[nmeola]

In my trip to Alaska next year, I am taking 2 float plane trips and one helicopter with a dog sledding option. It very critical that I can take good pictures and videos.

I think I am buying a Canon P & S camera.

My question is technique on pictures and video shot through the windows. I get get a filter adapter for camera. Any suggestion on filters. My thought has been a polarizing filter

[Cabansail]

A polarising filter can have some effect but you will still get reflections.

 

The best way is to have the door or window removed, but I doubt they will do that for you.

 

I have found that you can get good results by getting the front of the lens as close to the glass as possible but if you touch it can introduce vibration and hence blur. An extended rubber hood or similar would be a good idea.

 

You will still probably get some colour cast and a loss of contrast when shooting through aircraft windows but that can be fixed in post.

[pierces]

Be cautious with polarizers shooting through plane windows. They are usually made of plastic and are somewhat polarizing by nature. Adding a polarizer can create bands of false color and dark areas.

 

If you are using a P&S, a rubber hood is hard to attach but a pair of black gloves can help block reflections and glare from inside the plane.

 

Dave

[Cabansail]

I forget about the stress lines you can see through those windows when using a polarising filter.

[pmeola]

Thanks all. I wound up getting a canon g16. So far I am still learning, seems to take a very good photo and video

[flatlander321]

Please verify. In a floatplane, using an extended rubber lens hood, you still don't want to touch the plane window? Just keep it close to block reflected light from inside the plane? I have a hard plastic scalloped lens hood that came with the camera. Is the advantage of the previously mentioned rubber hood that it is not scalloped and provides better side light blocking?

[Re-tired]

Please verify. In a floatplane, using an extended rubber lens hood, you still don't want to touch the plane window? Just keep it close to block reflected light from inside the plane? I have a hard plastic scalloped lens hood that came with the camera. Is the advantage of the previously mentioned rubber hood that it is not scalloped and provides better side light blocking?

 

If you use a soft rubber one it won't matter much if you touch the window with it. The hard plastic one will conduct vibration. A few other things would be to not wear a loud shirt. It may reflect in the window and spoil the image. Also, don't brace your arm or hands on the airplane. If you keep you upper body off of the structure of the aircraft there is a better chance of avoiding vibration and soft images.

[peety3]

In my trip to Alaska next year, I am taking 2 float plane trips and one helicopter with a dog sledding option. It very critical that I can take good pictures and videos.

I think I am buying a Canon P & S camera.

My question is technique on pictures and video shot through the windows. I get get a filter adapter for camera. Any suggestion on filters. My thought has been a polarizing filter

 

The challenge of plane/helicopter windows is not something that a filter can fix. As others have inferred, you could book a private ride on a plane or helicopter, but you're probably looking at 5x the cost of your P&S camera for one hour of flight. By doing so, you can have them remove a door.

 

Alternatively, you could perhaps attempt to at least "reverse out" the color tint of the windows. Go to a camera store (or online) and buy a gray card, then ask the aircrew if you can take a picture of the gray card through one of the aircraft windows. You can then do a custom white balance from that card. Be sure to read the manual well before the cruise to practice this (and confirm that it's even available).

 

Figure it this way: everyone else is shooting through windows, so if you want your pics to stand out, you'll need to do so with technique, art, and/or gear. You make me laugh when you say it's critical that you get good pics & video...

[nmeola]

I guess I mean important. My wife got the cannon g16 and I bought a Song A6000. I have not purchased any other lens yet but thinking of a Sony 18 - 105 f4

[flatlander321]

If you use a soft rubber one it won't matter much if you touch the window with it. The hard plastic one will conduct vibration. A few other things would be to not wear a loud shirt. It may reflect in the window and spoil the image. Also, don't brace your arm or hands on the airplane. If you keep you upper body off of the structure of the aircraft there is a better chance of avoiding vibration and soft images.

Thanks for the practical suggestions. I'll post what worked well when we get back in 4 months. This is a once-in-a-decade trip for us, so I'd like the photography to go well.

Edited January 31, 2016 by flatlander321

[chipmaster]

Thanks for the practical suggestions. I'll post what worked well when we get back in 4 months. This is a once-in-a-decade trip for us, so I'd like the photography to go well.

 

Hopefully if you are wanting good pictures you have done a few basics

1) Got a reasonably camera, these days any modern P&S and DSLR is very capable

2) Gotten out and shot with it a lot! I mean a lot, not a weak before the trip get a new camera, but months if not years of practice; in low light, bright, snow and are familiar with how to set the camera up and change it often.

3) Go with the flow, there are times you simply can't control the enviroment. Case in point on a helicopter ride you won't have choice of where you sit, nor will you have any control of what your other riders are wearing. If they are wearing bright colors you are going to be SOL with reflections.

 

Happy shooting

[havoc315]

I guess I mean important. My wife got the cannon g16 and I bought a Song A6000. I have not purchased any other lens yet but thinking of a Sony 18 - 105 f4

 

The 18-105 should have good image quality but it's primarily built for video. It's electronic zoom could be awkward for still photos (slow to zoom in and out).

[ABCGreys]

3) Go with the flow, there are times you simply can't control the enviroment. Case in point on a helicopter ride you won't have choice of where you sit, nor will you have any control of what your other riders are wearing. If they are wearing bright colors you are going to be SOL with reflections.

 

Happy shooting

 

This. You can't control what others are wearing. I was on a helicopter tour in Hawaii and the passengers were told in advance to wear dark shirts. That was fine but there was a gentleman on the flight who was wearing white plaid shorts which were reflecting in a lot of the shots! I did get some good ones, a couple of great ones, and a lot of bad ones!

[shootr]

The 18-105 should have good image quality but it's primarily built for video. It's electronic zoom could be awkward for still photos (slow to zoom in and out).

 

Just FYI, but there is also a manual zoom ring on the 18-105 that changes the focal length pretty quickly without using up battery power by using the zoom motor.

 

It is my everyday carry lens at this point - absolutely love the f4 at all lengths, not overly huge or weighty, and very sharp and easy to focus.

Edited February 2, 2016 by shootr

[shootr]

This. You can't control what others are wearing. I was on a helicopter tour in Hawaii and the passengers were told in advance to wear dark shirts. That was fine but there was a gentleman on the flight who was wearing white plaid shorts which were reflecting in a lot of the shots! I did get some good ones, a couple of great ones, and a lot of bad ones!

 

My biggest fear next month when we go to Kauai and take our helicopter tour. They plaster all over the website "wear dark clothes", but inevitably there will be someone special that doesn't read, doesn't care, etc.

 

Pretty sure when I get there that if I don't get a window seat (I can live with being in the middle if everyone follows the dress code) AND there is someone not wearing dark clothes - I'm walking away and rescheduling. I'll hand them money after I meet the other guests and not before. No way am I spending $600+ to have to accommodate someone being inconsiderate.

[peety3]

My biggest fear next month when we go to Kauai and take our helicopter tour. They plaster all over the website "wear dark clothes", but inevitably there will be someone special that doesn't read, doesn't care, etc.

 

Pretty sure when I get there that if I don't get a window seat (I can live with being in the middle if everyone follows the dress code) AND there is someone not wearing dark clothes - I'm walking away and rescheduling. I'll hand them money after I meet the other guests and not before. No way am I spending $600+ to have to accommodate someone being inconsiderate.

Hate to break it to you, but there won't be a seat for you whatsoever with this approach. They'll NEVER hold a seat for you without cold, hard cash, and they'll NEVER give you a refund because someone else didn't follow the dress code. The ONLY reason for a refund is if conditions do not warrant safe flying. At best, you could go to the helicopter base first thing in the morning and hang out on a standby basis, hoping there's a not-full flight AND none of passengers are wearing bright colors. Be ready to wait all day and see every seat be full.

 

If the photo opportunities are that important to you, save up your money and book the helicopter for YOU. A turbine twin is probably going to be $2000 per hour, down to $500-750 per hour for a piston single. If it's YOUR ride, they'll gladly take a door off for you ahead of time, so you can harness yourself into the helicopter and shoot without glass etc.

[shootr]

Then I'll bring some glad bags for the ****ers to wear...