Haven't been in eight years. Now 23, going alone, M-F, and camping. Tips??

[PlaneBrain]

I think the Sigma 50-500 would be a good choice. That along with a wide angle should cover just about everything you wish to shoot. I would think the performance would be relatively close to that of the Nikon. My ancient Tokina 300 2.8 with a 2x converter can usually keep up, even with high speed passes from F/A 18s and the like. Most of the aircraft are of course moving at a more leisurely pace so lightning fast focusing is normally not required.
Good luck deciding and happy shooting!

[FlyingRon]

Zooms on TC are often problematic (though the 50-500 1.4 combo seems OK). You're going to lose one stop for 1.4 and two for 2 (of course not usually a problem for air shows). A lot of times you lose the autofocus feature as well. The 50-500 directly on the camera seems to focus pretty well but I've only been shooting things out the window and such so I'm not really trying to hit moving targets.

[dbarnes612]

Kazoo, with your gap of more than two decades, the biggest tip I can offer is to get set for a very different experience this time. As you've probably read, the convention's gotten MUCH BIGGER and more commercial.

Still a great time, tho!

The campgrounds probably have changed the least, except I'd say that the percentage of tent campers has gone down quite a bit.

[Eric Page]

I once tried to use a Vivitar 2x TC on my Canon XTi with a Canon 28-135mm lens. Autofocus still worked, but it hunted a lot before locking on. Could be because the lens is f3.5-5.6, so the best I got with the 2x TC was f5.5, and with full zoom, f7.6. Also, I suspect the TC wasn't telling the camera it was there, but just passing signal from the lens. If so, the camera was unaware of the 2-stop difference.

It's your money, obviously, but I'd vote for buying/renting the best glass you can afford. You'll never be happy with the results you get using optical trickery.

Whatever you decide, be sure to post some of your photos for those of us who can't make it. Oh, and have fun!

[avinuts]

I have a cranial-follical challenged condition to deal with on a regular basis in the winter with the cold and in the summer sun. Over the years attending Oshkosh I have tried a variety of head gear to prevent my flesh from peeling to the bone. I have found, on a personal level, that the boonie hat is the way to go. A little cooler due to airflow and protects the back of my neck, forehead and ears. We may be a distance north of the equator but the summer sun at Oshkosh can be brutal and very unforgiving. Sunscreen not less than 45, a hat, plenty of water and sunglasses. My forcast for that week 85 plus degrees with an average above 92 degrees. Bright sunshine and 70 % humidity. Severe short burst thunderstorms starting on Sunday the 22nd. Good luck! Thats my 2 cents worth (probably worth less than half of that).

Mike