After some tips for motorsport pics

F

Flyfisher

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Ive just bought a 2nd hand Canon 40D and a new Canon 70 - 300 IS USM lens, and Im after some tips for camera settings for motorsports. Mallory Park is about the closest circuit and I tried out my bridge camera there a few times at the end of last year.

1. Whats would you suggest as a ball park shutter spead to go for so I can get some wheel motion. Ive noticed shutter speeds on my bridge camera dont really relate much to the Canon.

2. Is IS of any use for motorsport or is it better off ? IS Mode 2 looks like it might be useful for panning shots ? On a side note if anyone takes pics at airshow, would you use any IS ?

3. AF setting. Which one would you suggest ?

Many thanks
 
i use a 40d with tamron17-50 2.8, canon 70-200 f/4

base settings i would suggest is

TV (shutter priority)
1/320th and work your way down as your panning technique improves
let the camera pick the aperure but keep the ISO as low as possible

on sunday in decent light i was shooting 1.60th, f/13 ISO 100

Focusing:

AI Servo is the only way for motorsports

I don't have IS lenses, have never used it, hired a 300 f/4 for photographing low flying planes doing a few more mph than most cars (about 450mph apparently) and was pleased with the results with IS turned off, and didn't notice a better keeper rate with IS mode 2 activated.
 
Thanks C Robinson, that all makes sense, Ill give that all a try. How do you find the noise control on the 40D btw ? So far I've gone up to 800 and the pics still look pretty clear, to a newbies eye at least.
 
FF, try getting the panning down to a tee mate... and take plenty of shots (i wont cost any more)

believe me im no expert, but i do end up with what i consider keepers like this:-

(excuse the low res format)

n1313654259_305469_2821836.jpg


what i also do is pitch up at brands hatch on a testing day (free admission) and practice and practice and practice.... its a good few hours out and about as well ;)
 
Hi Flyfisher

I photograph MX every weekend, also using a 40d, with 70-200 f2.8L

Basic settings use AV mostly, as I sell on the day, riders like sharp.. for myself a mixture AV, TV. centre point AF is the quickest, ISO average day 400, Partial metering, AI servo.

The hardest part is getting the shot, watch for a while work out how they are riding the track, look to see where the rders are getting the bike at its lowest, look for roost shots, most poeple like jump shots, but there are alot more shots out there if you look.

Mallorys a good track think the resident photop is a lad called Joe, good lad, have a chat with him, take a hi viz with you, you may get on track but they are getting stricter on insurance & CRB Checks...

Have fun... here's my stuff.. www.imagemx.webs.com
 
There are some cracking shots there Old Git, I,ve been looking at the albums. I was a bit puzzled at first and wondered why all your pics had a chain running through the middle of the shot till I realised it was your copyright mark ! (Must get my eyes tested).

Thanks all very much. Plenty of advice to keep me going. Think it might be a while to get shots like Old Gits mind :-)
 
Flyfisher said:
There are some cracking shots there Old Git, I,ve been looking at the albums. I was a bit puzzled at first and wondered why all your pics had a chain running through the middle of the shot till I realised it was your copyright mark ! (Must get my eyes tested).

Thanks all very much. Plenty of advice to keep me going. Think it might be a while to get shots like Old Gits mind :-)
Click to expand...

lol... yes heavily watermarked, lots of thieving sods out there, have found hundreds on facebook even witht he watermark, sample page might give you a better idea.

If you are selling to riders, there will prefer sharp, still shots, opposite to photographers. You'll notice 95% of shots in the photobucket albums are shot in AV for that reason.
 
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