Aerial Photography:
Questions and Answers

On the days with the clearest weather conditions and unlimited visibility.

Any SLR camera, either film or digital, will work out fine.

A zoom lens is the most ideal, but may not give you the best image quality. A fixed lens with a focal length of 28mm, 35mm, or 50mm will give you the most shooting options if it is your intent to do landscape aerial photography at altitudes 500 feet or below. If you plan on shooting at altitudes above 500 feet then you may need a lens with a focal length of at least 105mm to as much as 300mm.

A helicopter is probably your best choice and you have many options; a small two seater,like an R-22 is the most economical, but not the most stable and a Jetranger is more stable, but more expensive. They range in price from $250/hr. to over $1,000/hr. A small fixed wing plane is the most economical, like a Cessna, but you are limited to higher altitudes and can only orbit in circles. They start at about $50/hr. for a two-seater.

A slow speed film, ISO 50 or ISO 100 is best for daytime aerial photography. Fuji Velvia and Kodak VS are probably the best brands.

A fast shutter speed of at least 1/500 sec. and a large aperature.

1. Bracket your shots.
2. Keep the horizon level.
3. Use Autofocus if shooting below 500 feet and use manual focus(on infinity setting) if shooting above 500 feet.