JFK 11/13/2010 - Great Weather, Great Spotting

Went out to JFK today mainly to go with my friend Bill "Woz" as he had not been officially spotting to JFK. Turned out to be a terrific day both for spotting and for weather and light. We were even treated to an impromptu KC-10 Extender refueling op overhead of another KC-10 Extender. My D2Xs failed me badly as it totally underexposed ALL the shots.

Well, I just wanted to post this because it seems BOTH my cameras are suffering from this problem ???? Never noticed it before today. IF I swing up fast I get completely underexposed shots... both Manual and Aperture Priority.

Here is a SALVAGED shot of the refueling overhead at Bayswater :-(

http://manny.smugmug.com/Airplanes/S..._9uty3-O-0.jpg

oh, this is a crop of the original JPG out of the camera. Exposure was set to Manual so I am not sure why it would underexpose like this so badly.

http://manny.smugmug.com/Airplanes/S..._VWsPz-L-0.jpg

Some of the better ones

http://manny.smugmug.com/Airplanes/S...83_5f4mz-O.jpg
http://manny.smugmug.com/Airplanes/S...89_siKLg-O.jpg
http://manny.smugmug.com/Airplanes/S...73_H8vpb-O.jpg
http://manny.smugmug.com/Airplanes/S...66_ckCr3-O.jpg

Nice picture! I was actually flying over Eastern Long Island in another KC10 while you got this picture, probably around 10:30AM, right? Those two KC10s were doing random-AR and were headed direct JFK - Hoist99 and 98 I think were the callsigns...

Nice pic. I headed back to ohio today!

It was great meeting new people and Manny, I want to thank you for the addition for my lens... without which this shot would probably not be possible...

http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/8...tothemoonx.jpg

http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/8...tothemoon2.jpg

I'll upload some more tonight as i Process the 1500 images i took...

Well..............it turned out to be a great day! Manny and I were taken by surprise by the KC-10s refueling right above us as we were spotting at Bayswater park. It was nice meeting Bill, Sam (again), Nick, Dan just to mention a few. Here are some of my captures:

KC-10s refueling:
http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...YfoE8-XL-1.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...1_P6AE3-XL.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...3_SV6yu-XL.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...6_3jF6o-XL.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...2_RBWhm-XL.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...1_DJxbG-XL.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...4_HQsqh-XL.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...7_9c3rA-XL.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Av...6_XCR7g-XL.jpg

Sam, you're welcome on the TC-17 :-) I think it's a great compromise between the 1.4x and the 2.0x converters. And you used it well !

I have to get a better shot of that Lufthansa Cargo. Only have it lining up on 4L from Bays.

Nice pics so far all... now there were lots more cameras there yesterday, let's see more pics :-) I was experimenting yesterday with new settings to try and beat some of the problems I have been having lately (see other thread) and I accidentally left the camera on Manual Exposure and some shots were severely under/over exposed :-( Looks like light down on 4L turnaround is totally different than it is on 4R at 100' lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by USAF Pilot 07

Nice picture! I was actually flying over Eastern Long Island in another KC10 while you got this picture, probably around 10:30AM, right? Those two KC10s were doing random-AR and were headed direct JFK - Hoist99 and 98 I think were the callsigns...

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Yeah that sounds right. We felt it was king of odd to be doing this right over NYC, indeed right over JFK busy airspace. I must say it was real pretty to see the perfect formation. Thank god I looked up to check out a con-trail and said "what's that?" At first it looked like it could be a Twin Mustang LOL. I said no way. The binoculars really came in handy today. :cool:

Say, is this something we can prepare for in advance? This is now the second time one of us catches refueling overhead around JFK. I'd like to be prepared for more and maybe get better shots!

One more edit out of the can

http://manny.smugmug.com/Airplanes/S...38_4nBMn-O.jpg

Manny.............I noticed I had the same issue with shooting on the 4s........I was using center-weighted metering, Aperture Priority. When on 4R, I compensated my exposure value (EV) by +0.3, but while shooting on 4L, my EV was set to -0.3 or maybe even -0.7.

Sam............the 70-200mm lens + 1.7 TC is a sweet combo for spotting or even air shows. The 70-200mm is a sharp lens. By the way, always carry an extra charged battery especially during the colder days. The juice gets used up a little faster.

Mark, yeah weird... I guess it has to do with the heat / haze?

Sam, also remember the battery on the D700 is tiny compared to the D2/3 series which are almost twice as big capacity-wise.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gonzalu

Yeah that sounds right. We felt it was king of odd to be doing this right over NYC, indeed right over JFK busy airspace. Say, is this something we can prepare for in advance? This is now the second time one of us catches refueling overhead around JFK. I'd like to be prepared for more and maybe get better shots!]

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Was thinking the same exact thing concerning the refueling right over JFK. Gonzalu what was their altitude? The last time I saw that was a few days after 9/11 and I was on my deck
when I looked up to see something that looked strange. Using my binocs I saw a fighter jet doing an air refueling.

Well mathematically, I believe 10,000 feet. That assumes they were at 45 degrees inclination from my spot when they were over a spot at 1 mile from my position.

Tan (45) * 1 mile = 8552 feet or thereabouts. So my guess of 10,000. :-)

But I am the worlds worst sextant .. The formula needs to have exact angles and distances. We should have a sextant on our next spotting outing lol

Some more pics...

Delta N667US Boeing 747-451 Fleet Number 6307

http://www.thrustimages.com/albums/s...0/_MAG5660.jpg

Emirates SkyCargo

http://www.thrustimages.com/albums/s...0/_MAG5772.jpg

Emirates A380 on final to RWY 31L as usual

http://www.thrustimages.com/albums/s...0/_MAG5828.jpg

http://www.thrustimages.com/albums/s...0/DSC_6470.jpg

http://www.thrustimages.com/albums/s...0/_MAG5909.jpg

New tail for this PIA

http://www.thrustimages.com/albums/s...0/_MAG5950.jpg

This Kalitta Air Cargo has an PAPD logo on the front door in honor of those officers lost on 9/11!

http://www.thrustimages.com/albums/s...0/_MAG6003.jpg

My first Delta Habitat for Humanity in flight!

http://www.thrustimages.com/albums/s...0/_MAG6151.jpg

http://www.thrustimages.com/albums/s...0/_MAG6326.jpg

and another low level take off directly overhead .. this was fun :-)

http://www.thrustimages.com/albums/s...0/_MAG6435.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gonzalu

Well mathematically, I believe 10,000 feet. That assumes they were at 45 degrees inclination from my spot when they were over a spot at 1 mile from my position.
Tan (45) * 1 mile = 8552 feet or thereabouts. So my guess of 10,000. :-)
But I am the worlds worst sextant .. The formula needs to have exact angles and distances. We should have a sextant on our next spotting outing lol

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Huh? Wah? Duh? LOL!!! Thanks

Excellent stuff Manny!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gonzalu

Well mathematically, I believe 10,000 feet. That assumes they were at 45 degrees inclination from my spot when they were over a spot at 1 mile from my position.

Tan (45) * 1 mile = 8552 feet or thereabouts. So my guess of 10,000. :-)

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No chance they were at 10,000 feet. More likely FL230 Block 250 or thereabouts...

Not a usual occurrence to do AR over NYC simply because the airspace is so congested and we need a block of altitude when we AR. Happens every so often though, especially if we're going somewhere in formation or the like and get approval...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by USAF Pilot 07

No chance they were at 10,000 feet. More likely FL230 Block 250 or thereabouts...

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Huh (again)? :tongue:

Hahhaa...

USAF, ok, I told you you need good angles for the formula. It does work but guessing the actual position OVER LAND of the craft in flight is tough. For example, if there were 5 miles away from my position (land miles) it would put them much higher at a slightly different angle. Hey, am an amateur photographer, amateur spotter, amateur Mathematician, heck I may as well be an amateur human :tongue:

Hey........I got a suggestion for the next generation of camera's ........... distance measured from subject (call it DMS)!!! Depending on where your focus point is, the camera should be able to calculate and tell you how far your subject is from the camera sensor. Should be able to display it in meters or feet, or in miles on the LCD screen. :P

Pleasure meeting all of you gentlemen! Hope we get to do it again soon!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NIKV69

Pleasure meeting all of you gentlemen! Hope we get to do it again soon!

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Same here Nick... real pleasure.

Mark, they already do :-)

Take a look at your EXIF info in a good EXIF reader and the subject distance is recorded. But not always. I am assuming when it can't, it can't LOL.

clear and crisp excellent shots Manny

Thanks Spunker :-)

Had a great time on my first (and defiantly not the last) spotting trip around JFK on Saturday. It was nice to meet some of the regulars that I've been following on the forum like Mark, Sam, Dan, Nick and others whose names escape me at the moment. It was also great to hang out with my compadre Manny, who finally got me to venture across the GWB for a day of spotting. Thank you Sir!

Highlights of the day for me was seeing the A380 for the first time, a JB pulling a few S turns behind another JB on approach to 4L, and the KC-10's refueling over JFK.

Here are a few of my shots:

http://wozz.smugmug.com/Aviation/JFK...9_Vo3zU-X3.jpg

http://wozz.smugmug.com/Aviation/JFK...3_MGBfK-X2.jpg

http://wozz.smugmug.com/Aviation/JFK...1_7vBRT-X3.jpg

http://wozz.smugmug.com/Aviation/JFK...2_irPUC-X2.jpg

http://wozz.smugmug.com/Aviation/JFK...5_QY47W-X2.jpg

Bill, you got really great shots...! My pleasure... but, I see you really need MORE MEGAPIXELS and then a new lens. Don;t worry, I'll help you convince the wife LOL.

BTW, the D50 is not firmware upgradeable ... it seems Nikon wants you to just upgrade the whole camera!! More incentive.

Looking forward to next time!