Simviation Forum - Pictures through windows?

May 16^th, 2007 at 9:37pm

Jayhawk Jake Ex Member

Hello everybody!

I was wondering if there were any general pointers for taking pictures through windows especially aircraft windows. When we were taxiing after landing in Houston on Monday I saw a Continental 777, BA 777, and PrivatAir 737 on the ramp and really wanted to get pictures but all came out TERRIBLE to the point where you could barely make out what airline they were. I was using a little powershot and it was focusing on the scratches on the window rather than the plane. But even if I had my dad's SLR I don't know that it would have been any better without the proper settings. So any pointers?

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Reply #1 - May 16^th, 2007 at 9:52pm

flyboy 28 Offline
Colonel
Jacksonville, FL

Posts: 13323

It really just depends on the window. I've been blessed with some great views, but some terrible ones. The 738 I took to San Diego only got it's airworthiness three months earlier, so it was nice and clear.

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Reply #2 - May 16^th, 2007 at 10:19pm

Jayhawk Jake Ex Member

flyboy 28 wrote on May 16^th, 2007 at 9:52pm:

It really just depends on the window. I've been blessed with some great views, but some terrible ones. The 738 I took to San Diego only got it's airworthiness three months earlier, so it was nice and clear.

Ya, the ERJ I was on was probably the worst I've seen. The windows were dirty, scratched, and had a little water residue from the ice at altitude. Even so, I've seen some pictures on A-net from windows that were crystal clear, and I just can't help but think that they had to do something to make them so clear. After all you cant open the window and wipe it off at FL350 Grin

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Reply #3 - May 16^th, 2007 at 10:47pm

Willit Run Offline
Colonel
Jack's Back!!
Cherry Hill, New Jersey USA

Posts: 4030

LUCK!!

&&

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Reply #4 - May 16^th, 2007 at 11:48pm

Jayhawk Jake Ex Member

Willit Run wrote on May 16^th, 2007 at 10:47pm:

LUCK!!

LOL! I guess I should carry a horseshoe...hmm, can those get past airport security? Grin

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Reply #5 - May 17^th, 2007 at 12:43am

Rifleman Offline
Colonel
" Full size A/C are just
overgrown models ! "
Tropical island in the Pacific

Posts: 6622

If you have an option, use manual focus.........

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Reply #6 - May 17^th, 2007 at 2:56am

Souichiro Ex Member

Polarisation filter?

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Reply #7 - May 17^th, 2007 at 3:13am

Anark Offline
Colonel
Yorkshire

Gender:
Posts: 1183

I try to get the lens as close to the window as I can.

&&Intel Core2 Quad @2.40GHz, Vista Ultimate, NVIDIA 8500GT, 500GB internal HDD and 250GB external. &&My MyAviation aviation pics.

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Reply #8 - May 17^th, 2007 at 4:49am

BAW0343 Offline
Colonel
No, now go away or I shall
taunt you a second time
Mesa, AZ

Gender:
Posts: 3294

Couple things I've learned with the point and shoot cameras (as I mainly use one) is to set it to focus on distant objects (landscape setting) and a polarization filter may also help is some circumstances. If its the scratches that cause it then I doubt the filter will do anything. Good luck and hope you get some better images.

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Reply #9 - May 17^th, 2007 at 7:21am

beaky Offline
Global Moderator
Uhhhh.... yup!
Newark, NJ USA

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Posts: 14187

What they said. Grin

And oh yeah- as a general rule-: if the sun is in front of you, even at an extreme angle, it's more likely that the scratches and haze will be highlighted. not much you can do about that, except try some angles.

My Kodak DX7590 does not have manual focus per se, but it has the "near" and "far" option... if I set it on "far" it won't try to focus on something as close as scratches on a window. It helps.
Maybe your Powershot has the same feature?

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Reply #10 - May 17^th, 2007 at 8:26am

Jayhawk Jake Ex Member

beaky wrote on May 17^th, 2007 at 7:21am:

What they said. Grin

And oh yeah- as a general rule-: if the sun is in front of you, even at an extreme angle, it's more likely that the scratches and haze will be highlighted. not much you can do about that, except try some angles.

My Kodak DX7590 does not have manual focus per se, but it has the "near" and "far" option... if I set it on "far" it won't try to focus on something as close as scratches on a window. It helps.
Maybe your Powershot has the same feature?

It might...I haven't had it for long, just got it as a hand me down a few weeks ago. On the SLR I can switch the zoom lens (and I think the wide angle lens) from autofocus to manual.

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Reply #11 - May 17^th, 2007 at 8:19pm

Ravang Ex Member

Gender:

Tip 1: Point at the window*. Tongue

*If window is too foggy, or scratchy find a woman with a large purse (these all alway get past airport security) Grin

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