ORD 10/23/16

[captmjk16]

During a visit to see my girlfriend I Chicago, I got to spend most of a day at O'Hare getting some spotting in. The cargo operations were top notch, and I was able to add a few new airlines to my collection.

This was my first spotting trip where I shot exclusively with my new D500, which spent its day paired up with the Sigma 150-600S.

https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5820/31202852986_61d4bb5ef2_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/PxhM6U)c2 (https://flic.kr/p/PxhM6U) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5458/31094743912_bbc3375af7_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/PnJG3m)c4 (https://flic.kr/p/PnJG3m) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

Had it not been for a later arrival, Fanhansa would have been the highlight of the day for me!
https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5734/31223336006_e7f30849f1_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Pz6KZq)c5 (https://flic.kr/p/Pz6KZq) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5327/31223335846_77824504fe_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Pz6KWE)c7 (https://flic.kr/p/Pz6KWE) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5783/31223335636_8a5bcd0e3e_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Pz6KT3)c12 (https://flic.kr/p/Pz6KT3) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5338/30495411253_0611b0d42b_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/NsLXjD)c14 (https://flic.kr/p/NsLXjD) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

My first time catching National Airlines. I was excited to spot this beauty on FR24 early that morning and even more excited when she turned final for the runway I was in position for!
https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5745/30935141410_9efaf20c0a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/P8CFM5)c18 (https://flic.kr/p/P8CFM5) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5628/30500927414_f7140617fa_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Ntge5S)c21 (https://flic.kr/p/Ntge5S) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5565/30500929804_1deccf6bda_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/NtgeN5)c22 (https://flic.kr/p/NtgeN5) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5627/30500926724_7dd62c5f32_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/NtgdSY)c26 (https://flic.kr/p/NtgdSY) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5529/30972247390_8f795d795b_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/PbUS6m)c31 (https://flic.kr/p/PbUS6m) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5335/31226446001_6884cabe4c_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/PznGu2)c33 (https://flic.kr/p/PznGu2) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5632/31360076095_2f032a91f2_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/PMbA4a)c35 (https://flic.kr/p/PMbA4a) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5768/30552298663_b46c429f82_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/NxNvY4)c36 (https://flic.kr/p/NxNvY4) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5767/31073217940_8bab2f6dde_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/PkQn7U)c38 (https://flic.kr/p/PkQn7U) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5526/31406652706_db1d052994_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/PRiiEb)c39 (https://flic.kr/p/PRiiEb) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5758/31073217420_8549ca1fa0_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/PkQmXW)c40 (https://flic.kr/p/PkQmXW) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5616/31322092982_129fc536e4_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/PHPUZU)c41 (https://flic.kr/p/PHPUZU) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5521/30626813594_55833cc382_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/NEoqEf)c44 (https://flic.kr/p/NEoqEf) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

I don't know when I last had a chance to see such a variety of 747s in a day... Generally the only good looking double deckers I see are the handful of BA arrivals at JFK and the Qantas flight from San Francisco.
https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5561/31322141662_d77f92e2d2_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/PHQatd)c47 (https://flic.kr/p/PHQatd) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5713/31453715396_b6718e5a8a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/PVsvKS)c50 (https://flic.kr/p/PVsvKS) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

As the sun got lower the light became less favorable for shooting from my normal spot. Instead of calling it quits, I tried a few head on shots before the sun disappeared for the day.
https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5477/31453714956_9434f4156e_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/PVsvCh)c52 (https://flic.kr/p/PVsvCh) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5474/31453714596_e422d5ba85_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/PVsvw5)c54 (https://flic.kr/p/PVsvw5) by Mark Kolanowski (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mk16photo/), on Flickr

Thanks for looking!

[ANITIX87]

Great stuff! How do you like the Sigma? I'm desperately trying to sell my current telephoto to get it but nobody wants to buy it off me!

[MarkLawrence]

That is awesome stuff Mark!! Very jealous!!

[Anton Homma]

Great pictures!!

[captmjk16]

Thanks guys!


Great stuff! How do you like the Sigma? I'm desperately trying to sell my current telephoto to get it but nobody wants to buy it off me!

I love the 150-600 S for spotting, airshows, and some other random stuff that one wouldn't think to use it for. It's a bit heavy (basically a longer/less balanced version of the 120-300 S), but you get used to it pretty quick. The sharpness and focus is great, perhaps not 400 f2.8 level, but it focuses fast, and gives you a lot of flexibility with framing. With the exception of some of my shots of 13L landings at Kennedy, almost all of my aviation shots from the past few years were taken with it, and there's plenty to see on Flickr. Let me know if you've got any more questions!

[megatop412]

Mark, congrats on the new body and you got some outstanding shots that day. I have the 150-600C and could not be happier, Sigma really stepped up and did a nice job replacing the "Bigmos"

Gorgeous shot of the AA 787

[captmjk16]

Mark, congrats on the new body and you got some outstanding shots that day. I have the 150-600C and could not be happier, Sigma really stepped up and did a nice job replacing the "Bigmos"

Gorgeous shot of the AA 787

Thanks William. I've got to give most of the credit for the AA shot to mother nature for giving me a bit of nice background to work with!