Iruma Air Base Open Day 2024 was Awesome
I hadn’t been to Iruma Air Base since 2019. That was five years ago. I remember it well. It was my first time photographing an air show. What’s more, it was all military aircraft from the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF). Aircraft crowded the tarmac. Planes filled the sky. Activity was everywhere. The excitement was nonstop. Well, we did it again in 2024. This time was even more exciting because I had a new Canon EOS R5 camera.
The air show had me pumped. Everyone at the gate felt the same. You could see it. The kids (including the big ones) had big smiles. Once they entered the base, it was time to find the big toys! The mad dash to get photos before the main crowd arrived is a trial for older photographers.
In 2019, the Mitsubishi F-2 and F-15 Eagle drew most attention. 2024 was the same. That’s no surprise. They are sexy aircraft. The F-35 Lightning II was nowhere to be seen.
Once the slower people arrived, it was game over. Cameras and smartphones were everywhere. It was a patience game waiting for a space to open. I squeezed my way through in some places to get my photos. But in most cases, it was simply a case of waiting. That was the pattern for the rest of the day.
The only time I stood still was when photographing aircraft in the sky. It was fun shooting the planes and helicopters. There was so much action. A Chinook showed off its maneuverability. Kawasaki T-4s buzzed the crowd. Paratroops dropped on the runway. Big transport aircraft flew in formation. It was exciting!
I skipped most of the hangar displays. Aircraft photos were my target. I didn’t want to line up with hundreds of people. Time was important. After all, the Air Show went from 9 AM to 3 PM. Six hours was all the photographers had to work with!
The Blue Impulse aerobatic team was the highlight of the day. It’s Japan’s version of America’s Blue Angels. They flew Kawasaki T-4s, a subsonic intermediate jet trainer. The pilots knew how to work a crowd. Everyone on the ground lapped it up.
Well, I imagine they did because I missed it completely! Around midday, I felt a fever coming on, so I beat a hasty retreat. This was a letdown, but I didn’t want to be sick on a crowded train. That was okay because I still took many photos.
JASDF aircraft at Iruma Air Base
- Boeing CH-47 Chinook
- British Aerospace 125
- F-15J Kai
- Kawasaki C-1
- Kawasaki C-2
- Kawasaki T-4 jet trainer
- Lockheed C-130 Hercules
- Mitsubishi F-2
- Mitsubishi H-60 maritime helicopter
- Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk
Photo gear for the air show
Camera Body: Canon EOS R5
Lens: Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM
EOS R5 first impressions
The Canon EOS R5 was released in 2020. That was four years ago. The company has supported it with firmware updates ever since. It may as well be a new camera in 2024. Many YouTube photographers support that view. It is a capable piece of kit.
What can I say about its performance at Iruma Air Base? It was flawless. The EOS R5 was a massive investment. Buying it made me nervous. I had never spent that much money on camera gear! But it didn’t let me down. The photo quality is superb.
The only problem I had on the day was me! It’s hard getting used to new cameras. I spent 7 years with Fujifilm, so I knew that system inside and out. My hands know what to do when needed. That’s muscle memory for you!
And that is where my problem is. My hands and brain need to get used to the R5. It’s a bigger, heavier camera. There are no dials on it. Menus drive it. I need to memorize a new system. I’m slow at the moment. But I’ll get there. They say practice makes perfect. I’ll do lots of that!
Conclusion
Using my new Canon EOS R5 at the Iruma Air Base Air Show was like a dream. This camera might be the king of action photography! Others claim that title too. Maybe I should say it exceeds my expectations. It’ll be exciting to see how it performs in other situations. Leave questions and comments below.
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and plans to capture the entire city.
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External related websites:
- Iruma Air Base (official website)