Motor racing photos

[barry]

Hi everyone, this is my 1st post. Let see how we go.

I have a question for the motor racing fanatics.

I want to get into V8 supercar photos as Eastern Creek/Oran Park.

What lenses have you found useful.

As an entry point I was thinking of the 70-300 f4-5.6D ED and may be later on a TC14 teleconvertor if I need more reach.

What do you think?

[robboh]

Most of what I have read on the net suggests ~400mm is needed for good motor racing pics. Im presuming that is 400mm effective, which the 70-300 ED will give you (300*1.5 = 450).

Ive done a bit of shooting at bike races in the past and my 70-210 on my old film SLR was just long enough from the sides of the race track. However, this was on a street circuit where you could get close to the edge of the track (the Wanganui Cemetery Circuit here in NZ that runs on Boxing Day).

I doubt that you would get anything decent from the stands at most circuits Ive been to. They are usually up high and a reasonable distance from the track.

A TC on this lens would need a lot of light to maintain AF and would probably still be a bit dodgy. The 70-300ED while not at all bad, isnt the sharpest of lenses around either, so you also might be a little disappointed with the results with a TC. However, it might do at a pinch.

Rob.

[redline]

hi barry welcome to the forum,

if your planning to go as a spectator i guess you need to ask yourself a few questions.
1. are you planning to shoot the cars?or the pit babes(bring a fill-flash)?
for cars
2. what part of the track you plan on shooting from?
3. what type of angle does these positions provide?
4. what type of lenses do you have available atm.

if your after panning shots, a good focusing lenses or shooting at f22 fully manual focused x meters close to infinity would help.

[sheepie]

...Wanganui Cemetery Circuit here in NZ that runs on Boxing Day...

Do they still run that? I thought several years ago it had to be stopped because of insurance/safety concerns. Maybe that never eventuated - Wanganui is just down the road from my home town

I have a question for the motor racing fanatics.

So far as Motor Sports go, we have a resident expert on this forum who I am expecting to answer your queries - he's down Mt Gambier somewhere.

My experience (and I'm now talking several years ago - NOT with the D70) was that as long as you got high enough exposure and got your panning right, you could get some pretty good pics. All depends on where you're able to get in relation to the cars - are they coming straight at you, along side, or going away. If it's the later, then you'll be lucky if you can get a decent shot.
Anticipation is the key - try to anticipate any action, or the location of the vehicle. I think this goes for any form of sport really - you have to be ready that split second before it happens!
I used to rattle off a 36 exposure B&W film at the local speedway each night - processed it myself, and used to be happy with the results most of the time. Got published once on the back page of Dirt Track Racing in NZ Am looking forward to getting the D70 out to some motorsport sometime - haven't had the chance yet.

Anyway, let's know how it goes - maybe even let us know some more details of when you're going, and you might get some company!

[barry]

Thanks for input.

Fortunately at the venues I intended to visit, it is possible to get some relatively close track positions.

Sound like I might get away with 70-300 lens.

[barry]

Up until now I have been using an FE2 with a Vivtar 70-205 with and without a Kenko 3X convertor. Results have been mixed.

Last month I bit the bullet and invested in a D70 with std 18-70 lens. I am now reviewing my options to extend my kit.

In comparison to the FE2 I am amazed with the shophistication of the D70.

[robboh]

Do they still run that? I thought several years ago it had to be stopped because of insurance/safety concerns. Maybe that never eventuated - Wanganui is just down the road from my home town

Its a small world isnt it
As far as I know they do. Im up in AKL now and haven't been for a few years, though I used to be very involved in the scene and used to race myself. They had some racing from there on TV a few weeks ago, which Im presuming was from this year. Where abouts were you?? Im a Palmerstonian myself.

I used to rattle off a 36 exposure B&W film at the local speedway each night - processed it myself, and used to be happy with the results most of the time. Got published once on the back page of Dirt Track Racing in NZ

Well done. I must admit that the D70 has gotten me interested in photography enough again that Im pondering on dragging out F601, the enlarger, and going out and shooting some TMAX

[sheepie]

Im a Palmerstonian myself.

You're bloody joking!
snap!

Do we know each other? hehe

[BBJ]

Hi Barry, Well sorry i am a bit late posting but been out being trigger happy as usual.
Well i think sheepie and redline have covered most of it, the 70-300 G lens is a cheap lens and gets bagged a lot but i have had some good results a lil bit slow on the AF but not impossible. I use an 80-400 VR at the moment as in some places on the track the extra reach is very handy, but i have have free run of the track and not everyone can do this so the more reach the better. If you can close to the action well then you should be ok, a monopod is a good thing if your not used to paning. I started using 1 then i stopped and just hand hel the lens as i am a big fella i can handle the weight, would be different if i was using a 300mm F/2.8. I keep most of my shutter speeds to 1/160 to 200 as to keep motion blur in the wheels but the whole process is to go try and practice.
Know your gear, learn what it can do and what it cant do and the 80-400 lens is not a fast auto focus lens but it can be done so its how you do it is what counts and as i do a lot of this i have a very low throught away rate.

Out of say 300 pics i might through away 10 or so due to not in focus or framed wrong and so on. Barry all you can do is have a go and you will soon know if you need more reach and so on, as i dont shoot cars like V8s as i have never been to a race but i do shoot motorbikes and they are very fast as you know so give it a try then look at your options after a race meet and then look at way to improve your technique.


Cheers
John
BBJ

[robboh]

You've got some lovely sharp panning shots there John.

[robboh]

Im a Palmerstonian myself.

You're bloody joking!
snap!
Do we know each other? hehe

Scary!! Its quite possible. Palmy isnt that bigger city!!
Recognize the sirname Harrowfield at all??

[barry]

Thanks for your comments John.

If I could end up shoots like yours I would be more than happy.

Barry

[Onyx]

Wow and wow BBJ!! Stunning images.