Remote Control 2 - Summernats

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Remote Control 2 - Summernats

Postby Dipstix Pix on Sat Jan 23, 2010 6:25 pm

I'm baaaack with some more remote control shenannigans. The Summernats in Canberra in January is an awesome event and has everything from ear shattering burnouts to great looking cars and a load of different events. Some of these have been photographed the same way for over 20 years. I thought I'd try and put a camera where a photographer couldn't go.
I was again using my trusty 10-22mm Canon lens on a variety of 30,40 and 50D Canon bodies with a Canon LC-5 wireless controller.
Dyno Cell.
The Dynocell is a dangerous place to be as an engine can explode at any moment. I was not happy shooting through a wire cage so I set my rig up on a tripod next to the rear tyre. With exposures of down to a 1/5th of a second the rear wheel looks great
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Go to Whoa.
This is a very special discipline that sees a car accelerate away from a startline to try and stop on between two lines at the finish - the shortest time wins the trophy. Most drivers do it in nine to ten seconds. A very good time is under eight seconds with one recoring a six second time. Again the old 70-200 lens on a front three quarter angle has been the normal fare - I set my camera up on the ground right on the finish line and with the line leading towards the car and got something different.
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Jets
Two jet cars made runs down the go-whoa strip but they are a) extremely toasty and b) blow every grain of sand in one's eyes. I left the camera in the same place for this exhibition run (you can see a second flame below that of the van)
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Trying to get something different is always a challenge and one thing I really wanted to do was obtain a photo of a person grabbing a flag in the grass events (they have to grab six flags in the shortest time over a course of witches hats). Using a Camzilla rubber cup unit I mounted the camera on the front guard with me able to get the windscreen and person grabbing the flag in the one shot - the only thing was the dust was so bad that I couldn't get one decent frame - oh well there is always next year. :roll:
Canon 40D | 30D | 10-22mm EF-S f 3.5-4.5 USM | 15mm EF f2.8 | 17-40mmEF f4L USM | 24-70mm f2.8L USM| 85mm f1.8 USM | 70-200 f 2.8L USM| 100-400 f 5.6 L IS USM| 300mm f2.8L IS USM | 2 x 580 EXII | 1.4 conv | 2x conv |
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Re: Remote Control 2 - Summernats

Postby Raskill on Sat Jan 23, 2010 8:22 pm

Nice.

The biggest thing in MS images is to find a unique angle, which you have.

I'm waiting to buy some pocketwizards, I think they offer some very good possibilities.
2x D700, 2x D2h, lenses, speedlights, studio, pelican cases, tripods, monopods, patridges, pear trees etc etc

http://www.awbphotos.com.au
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Re: Remote Control 2 - Summernats

Postby aim54x on Sat Jan 23, 2010 9:26 pm

Pays off to take a different point of view. I have to admit to having a very large soft spot for that Shelby Cobra on the Dyno, but the point of view on the blue car really makes it stand miles ahead.

Any more Cobra shots??
Cameron
Nikon F/Nikon 1 | Hasselblad V/XPAN| Leica M/LTM |Sony α/FE/E/Maxxum/M42
Wishlist Nikkor 24/85 f/1.4| Fuji Natura Black
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Re: Remote Control 2 - Summernats

Postby Dipstix Pix on Sat Jan 23, 2010 11:55 pm

Aim54x - the problem with the photo of the Cobra was that there was a large open roller door behind it that saw a brightness range difference of about five stops - I tried to comphensate. I have a "standard" photo of the Cobra here and you can see the remote camera at the end of the concrete wall on the right - for the record it produced around 230 kilowatts at the wheels (300 horsepower).
Image
Here is another car - A Ford 28 Model A roadster from the same angle
Image
For those that are interested I had a report and photos published this week at this site (see url at top).
Image
Canon 40D | 30D | 10-22mm EF-S f 3.5-4.5 USM | 15mm EF f2.8 | 17-40mmEF f4L USM | 24-70mm f2.8L USM| 85mm f1.8 USM | 70-200 f 2.8L USM| 100-400 f 5.6 L IS USM| 300mm f2.8L IS USM | 2 x 580 EXII | 1.4 conv | 2x conv |
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Re: Remote Control 2 - Summernats

Postby aim54x on Sun Jan 24, 2010 10:40 am

A beautiful machine that Cobra is, do you know which variant it is? 300BHP is a bit low for a 427SC, so I am guessing a 289?
Cameron
Nikon F/Nikon 1 | Hasselblad V/XPAN| Leica M/LTM |Sony α/FE/E/Maxxum/M42
Wishlist Nikkor 24/85 f/1.4| Fuji Natura Black
Scout-Images | Flickr | 365Project
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Re: Remote Control 2 - Summernats

Postby Jeff on Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:43 pm

Nice. good to see another perspective.

Jeff
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