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Hi all,
Just been out to the local bike track in Melbourne to test out my 70-210 AF-D lens. Boy, do I need some work! Being new to photography, I didn't know how hard it was to pan shoot and get the proper camera set-up. I did manage to get a few I thought were half decent and I hope you like them. A little USM, Saturation, EV adjustment and Curves in PS. Please comment and critic. Any advise would also be appreciated.
Cheers, Jase.

Jase - not a bad effort and really good photos. Those bikes are amazing

Jase,

I'm not sure what you're complaining about Those are some top shots. Agreed it takes a bit of getting used to when it comes to panning, but after a few minutes of tinkering, you get the settings right and everything's a breeze afterwards

Look forward to more images mate.

Cheers,

Wayne

Great work for a starter mate! That fifth one is great, look at the eyes!

cheers

spartikus

Thanks guys,
Actually Spartikus, that last shot was, I thought totally unusuable. It was for some reason really underexposed and need alot of PS and Neat Imaging to get it halve way decent. It would have been binned if it wasn't for the composition and like you said, the eye's.
Cheers, Jase

Any shots on Dwarf Throwing

Great shots.

Mic.

Funny you should say that Mic, because in real life I am a Dwarf and we find it very offensive to be tossed around like that!
Check out my Avatar.

excellent effort for starters
bobrob

G'day Jase,

These look terrific, those bikes would be a blast

Curiosity question, I'm not up with panning but with that lens do you use continuous focus and lock-on to the rider?

Hi Andy,
I never gave it much thought at the time to use AF-C. I left it at AF-S and held the shutter down halfway to focus on the riders as I panned with them. Then lens was really great for this and stayed in focus with ease. I did have some odd moments when the lens went totally out of focus for some reason at 210mm when just focusing on a distant part of the track, but quickly re-focused again. Not sure why it did this. Still learning the in's and out's. It was very overcast though so perhaps that was an issue.
Cheers, Jase.

Hi Jase, someone bet me too it as i did notice in the info that you was using AF-S, but yeh i think these are great shots mate and i wouldn't complain about these at all. I think these are great and i am sure you would have no problems at all doing this the way you are doing it, it is just having the action to go to thats all. We have had a lot of races lately and now is a bit slow and back to ride days at the end of the month, so i tackle Motox as well.
Cheers
John

Hi Johnny,
Yeah, I need to see if I can get to an event or two around my area. I'd love to get shots like yours. Just awesome stuff!
Any tips you can throw my way in the way of camera set-up etc. Do you use a monopod for this type of work or is it just skill.
Even though these little bikes are slower than the full size ones, I still had trouble with tracking resulting in blurry images. I guess I'll need to keep practicing, huh?
I also love the freestyle MotoX and Motard.
Cheers, Jase.

Jase, always use AF-C, i always use shutter priority and a shutter speed between 160 and 200, you want to get some motion blur in those wheels.ok with the bigger bikes you leave youself open to getting some duds but that happens and you will soon learn what is good and what isn't.

I never use a monopod, they are good i guess and a lot of people use them and i am a big fella and can walk around all day holding the 80-400 as i have done many a time but i find this way gives me more freedom to move around. I like to pan with the top 1/2 of this big body and follow the bike and well for me this was good practice.

Use continuess shooting mode all times as sometimes there may be a fall or some action you can just keep the button down. I had a sidecar in the last big meeting loose it and heading straight for me so as i was stepping backwards i was also holding the shutter down.

The main thing is to practice, practice and try a few different shutter speeds and check histogram often for exposure. i think you are pretty close for what i seen from your shots so just make a few small adjustments and get some bikes doing a 100mph + and have fun.

Cheers
John

Thanks for the tips, mate!
I'll definitley try a few out and set the camera as you described.
One other thing, I noticed that the Ev varies alot when panning from one spot to another, which it would naturally do. But, do you think it would be better to lock EV when doing panning or doesn't it matter so much if the images are going to be PostP.
...Ah, got it. Shutter Priority will take care of exposure.