While most people are happy staring through a helicopter window at the surrounding spectacular views, most photographers battle with the unavoidable conditions of flying. There’s the distasteful glare reflecting off the windows, the limited angles, or simply being unprepared. In order to leave with iconic images, a photographer has to work around these common variables and research how to handle the situation. That’s why, as a landscape photographer, the Olympus M.Zuiko 7-14mm F2.8 PRO is my go-to lens.
For places like the Na’Pali coastline, I opted to fly doors off. For some, this may be a scary alternative. In my opinion, I find it just as safe as flying with doors on—infused with more adrenaline. This allows me to get wide open views of the location. It also means there are no metal barriers and no glare. The coastline is massive so the more I had in the way, the more likely I would miss opportunities. The only thing I had left to battle was the wind, which would be strong enough to push around my OM-D E-M1 Mark III while shooting. This is when using the proper equipment becomes that much more important.
The Olympus Lens
After reading blogs and calling Mauna Loa Heli Tours beforehand, it was clear among all sources that I should use a wide angle lens. The M.Zuiko 7-14mm F2.8 PRO was an easy and comfortable choice considering that, with doors off, you are limited to the setup that is strapped around your neck. Instead of having a huge clunker to hold steady, Olympus gear is incredibly lightweight and compact by design. It’s also made out of metal and offers a robust build. My decision was a no-brainer.
From a technical perspective, this lens was a perfect match for the scale of Na’Pali. Having been to Hawaii several times, I knew I would be bouncing around apertures as the clouds and lighting shifted. I ended up shooting between F6.3 and F16 throughout the flight. At nearly all apertures, the optical quality is unrivaled. It provides edge-to edge-sharpness, giving me the chance to get everything in focus.
This Olympus lens is also lightning quick and very accurate. There were times I would instinctively have to pull up my camera and rely on the auto-focus to work fast enough to capture a composition that was available for only a brief moment. When coupled with the high-performing optics, I was able to crop for photos like the one above. The final album from Na’Pali was everything I had hoped for and more. I absolutely love the color that this lens allows me to capture. As I’ve become more widely known for my greens and yellow editing style, I widely attribute that as a product of the Olympus color technology.
Up to this point, I have trusted and put my Olympus lens to the fullest test. Whether I’m in the skies during a helicopter tour or exploring safetly on the ground, my 7-14mm F2.8 PRO has never let me down.
I can’t wait for my next helicopter flight above something as beautiful as the Na’Pali coastline!
