Brands Hatch - Formula 4 experience

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Dave
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It was my dad's 60th earlier in the year and being bit of a petrol head got him one of these experience days at Brands Hatch. 15 mins ina BMW M4 to learn the track, followed by 15 minutes in a formula 4 followed by a fast lap in the M4 driven by someone that can take it much closer to the limit. He really enjoyed it, and was much better than the usual 2 laps in a lambo limited to 3000rpm!

Of course I used this as an opportune time to play at being a motorsport photographer for the day. :D

I am pretty happy with the results but there is one issue that has been bugging me and that has been keeping the whole car sharply in focus front to back, some seemed to be alright, but the majority either the front sharp and the rear slightly blurred or vice versa. I was shooting around f8 which should have given me more than enough dof, and the issue can also be noted on images where I was perpendicular to the car so no notable different in distance to either end. I assume it's an issue more with my technique?

Anyway, a few images below, the first two specifically selected to show the problem I am trying to explain. All taken using a 1D2 and 70-200 f2.8 IS.

1. Front and back of the car equally sharp.
Brands hatch-2 by David Walker, on Flickr

2. Front sharp but you can see it getting a bit fuzzy on the wing.
Brands hatch-6 by David Walker, on Flickr

3.
Brands hatch-7 by David Walker, on Flickr

4.
Brands hatch-8 by David Walker, on Flickr

5. One from the fast lap. Amazing just how much more interest is in the image with a hint of the back end stepping out.
Brands hatch-10 by David Walker, on Flickr
 
It’s just the law of physics I’m afraid. Unless you are absolutely perpendicular to the car, different parts of it will move at different speeds relative to the camera position. The effect becomes more obvious as you drop the shutter speed.

Hope this helps.

Simon.
 
It’s just the law of physics I’m afraid. Unless you are absolutely perpendicular to the car, different parts of it will move at different speeds relative to the camera position. The effect becomes more obvious as you drop the shutter speed.

Hope this helps.

Simon.

Damn physics, thwarting me again! :LOL:

I did wonder this, but dismissed it as I thought I was I was thinking too hard. It's not something I have really noticed on other peoples images, maybe I'm just not looking for it. I wonder with these all being armature drivers in speed restricted cars it is more likely where as professional drivers going faster I would have been able to use a faster shutter speed to achieve the same amount of background blur.
FWIW I was using a shutter speed as low as 1/50th iirc, not sure what is typical.

Thanks. :)
 
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