generating ideas, creating software and designing innovative products...
|
Aerial photography: Part 3 |
These images were taken on Emirates flight EK8 from Heathrow to Dubai on 10th November 2008 to attend the Dubai Air Show 2007, and on the return Emirates flight EK29 on 14th November.
These photographs were taken using a Nikon D40X body and the Nikon 70 - 300 mm zoom telephoto lens. The ISO setting was fixed at 1,600 and the shutter speed was set at 1/1,600 second.
|
Images |
|
On take-off from Heathrow |
|
Sunset over Iraq |
|
Dubai Air Show 2007 opened by HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum |
|
The control tower at Dubai International Airport |
The effects of reflections from the windows are quite clear.
|
The US F117 stealth plane |
|
The biggest lens seen at the Dubai Air Show 2007 |
This lens and Nikon camera body in the hands of a member of the French acrobatic Team
|
Just after take off from Dubai International Airport |
Without additional illumination, it is very difficult to see anyone in a house from a distance...
|
A little while after take off |
After using auto levels and auto contrast in Adobe Photoshop, one can discern someone on the roof of this building. However, it is difficult to spot anyone inside the building. This image was taken with maximum telephoto zoom of 300 mm.
|
Oil fired power station in Iraq photographed from 37,000 feet |
Not too bad, considering the photograph was taken through the aircraft exhaust which had the effect of blurring the photograph.
|
Photograph for use in collision avoidance analysis |
|
The Thames and the famous London landmark |
|
Lessons learned |
-
Some image degradation resulted from the need to take the photographs through the aircraft turbine engine exhaust. Next time I will book a seat in front of the wing.
-
The reflections from windows are still a problem. A circular polarizing filter has been purchased and will be used in future to reduce the level of reflections from windows and other dielectric surfaces, such as water.
-
There is still room for improvement, with many of the images being blurred.
-
Next I will try an 18 mm - 200 mm zoom telephoto lens.
-
We may yet need to use the larger f/2.8 lens shown below to achieve sufficient clarity from a fast moving platform.
© Barnard Microsystems Limited 2006 - 2008