1) I don’t really visit airshows, but let’s take a regular visit to AMS (my “homebase” if you will). I used to shoot around 70odd on a full 10 hour day. Today I came back from a 7 hour day with 286 photos.
2) Oh yeah! Mind you, my previous camera was really bad. A Pentax Espio 200, which is a compact with long lense. Of course compacts and long lenses don’t really mix for aviation photography.
3) Levels and brightness and contrast depends on the weather. I try to avoid it or use it as little as possible. As for sharpening (and levelling!), all the time! Also, resizing to 1024×768 for JP and 600×400 for my own site.
4) I don’t change backgrounds. I have on occaision removed obstacles though, nothing mayor however. Just small poles, birds/people and dustspots that got into the frame.
5) Give or take 40%. About 20% because the quality if bad (which is far fewer then when I had my conventional camera) and the rest because I got a shot double.
6) Number five already hinted at it. The best option is that you can shoot as much as you want without having to worry about the cost of film, developing and printing. In the past I would not shoot anything KLM except 747s and MD11s. Nowadays I do not mind to shoot a series of 4 of 5 shots of a F70.
Another advantage of that is that I have become more interested in experimenting. In the past I would not shoot anything at very low speeds because I knew 95% of the shots would be wasted, and with it 6 or 7 euros (as a student you don’t want to waste too much money!).
Last main advantage is that you can have immediate access to them. You don’t have to wait 3 or 4 days for the print shop to do their magic. If you see something odd you can have it online in under an hour. Disadvantage is that you loose the anticipation. I always looked forward to going to the store to pick up the prints. Kind a like how a kid looks forward to their birtday or christmas. That is no longer an issue since the shots are examined and, if required, binned even when still at the airport.
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