Spa 24 hours

Gary

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great event as always.

this was a big test for me, as it was my first job with a whole new set up.
Canon 7D, 24-105L f4, sigma 10-20mm f3.5 and sigma 120-300 f2.8 all gone.
Replaced with Nikon D600, D7100, sigma 14-24, sigma f1.4 35mm and sigma 120-300mm f2.8 sport.

Started off with the parade, where i found it difficult to get used to the new gear.
The three biggest problems were:
1) Having customers say 'quick get a shot of us all with the car' and not having a mid range zoom anymore or any idea where the buttons are on the cameras.
2) One of the SD cards was way too slow, and I missed shots whilst the buffer was full.
3) The sigma 14-24 is a horrible lens with huge amounts of distortion. Customers do not like it when you make them look fat!

Anyway, I learned as I went along, and it was enjoyable to be out of my comfort zone. Which was part of the idea anyway.

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1) Town Parade

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2) Nissan GTR

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3) Raidillon

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4) 458 Detail

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5) Philipp Eng

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6) Stefan Mücke's take on the Vettel finger
 
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7) Eau Rouge just before the race start.

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8 Trying to find a spot I hadnt done before

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9) As close as you will get to a sunset at spa

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10) Beemer at dusk

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11) Heading back

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12) Bit of blue
 
Don't know what to say, other than you've really nailed it Gary! Love 3 and 7.

I remember being in sim races with you years ago. Back then I knew you were into photography, but I didn't realise you were this good! :)
 
Don't know what to say, other than you've really nailed it Gary! Love 3 and 7.

I remember being in sim races with you years ago. Back then I knew you were into photography, but I didn't realise you were this good! :)

I wasn't hahaha. I was rubbish :)
But a bit of experience has helped :)

Which series did we race together in?
 
24 hours in the Spa? Haven't your bits gone wrinkly?

An interesting set of images here matey:

#3 the sun burst is lush - sometimes handy the flare of the sigma :)

#7 probably isn't original but I like it a lot

#11 is lush - how much waiting and mucking about did that take?

#13 is just gorgeous. Motorsport or not this would make a great image for the wall

So, a Nikon convert or is the jury still out? I'm still not quite sure what you think your previous setup was lacking. Nikon glass is something you might want to migrate too - I've largely hated the colour cast from the Sigmas and the non AFS focus can be gash on the short primes.

Lastly, how did you processing have to change? I know when I flipped I had to rethink my standard brew processing and spend a lot of time trying to find some (jpg) image settings as my starting point (I don't shoot raw!)
 
So, a Nikon convert or is the jury still out? I'm still not quite sure what you think your previous setup was lacking. Nikon glass is something you might want to migrate too - I've largely hated the colour cast from the Sigmas and the non AFS focus can be gash on the short primes.

Lastly, how did you processing have to change? I know when I flipped I had to rethink my standard brew processing and spend a lot of time trying to find some (jpg) image settings as my starting point (I don't shoot raw!)

I converted mainly because I think Nikon is better value. I had a 7D that cost £1k and they just released a 70D that costs £1k, so there is no way a 7D mk2 will still be £1k when it comes out. The D70 is already out and £200 cheaper than the venerable 7D.
After i got used to using the Nikons there is only one thing I dont like about them. I cant switch ISO with one hand, therefore I cant do it whilst looking through the viewfinder. Although I havent looked through the custom functions yet.

The thing I really did like about both the Nikons is how they can focus on moving cars in 90% darkness! no hunting, no missing, just focus and bam!

But I do need a mid range zoom. Thought i wouldnt miss it, but it was a PITA without it.
 
Never will be a fan of your blurry stuff, Gary but 11 and 13 are simply superb!
 
I converted mainly because I think Nikon is better value. I had a 7D that cost £1k and they just released a 70D that costs £1k, so there is no way a 7D mk2 will still be £1k when it comes out. The D70 is already out and £200 cheaper than the venerable 7D.
After i got used to using the Nikons there is only one thing I dont like about them. I cant switch ISO with one hand, therefore I cant do it whilst looking through the viewfinder. Although I havent looked through the custom functions yet.

Actually, I converted for a similar reason thinking about it... 900 quid for a D300 or something like 3000 quid for a 1D MkIII. Mind you, looking at it now its not quite a so obvious choice.

Both Canon and Nikon are fannying around trying to decide if a well spec'ed crop body has a place in the market (of course it has a place...motorsport!!). Both have spent too long thinking about that idea. However, even if they do respond, both will come out with something at at least 2k, maybe more - which might well fall to 1.6k after 12 months.

At the moment the D300S is 879 (from WEX) and the 7D is 1079... two hundred quid for a camera a year newer but will no other obvious improvements? Maybe I can see what you mean.

Still think both will be about the same money for the same thing.

The thing I really did like about both the Nikons is how they can focus on moving cars in 90% darkness! no hunting, no missing, just focus and bam!

The one thing Nikon have done is to put their top notch AF system into prosumer bodies. The only difference is the buffer size. The system is nice and easy to operate and does as you say, not hunt in low light at all.

But I do need a mid range zoom. Thought i wouldnt miss it, but it was a PITA without it.

If you mean something like the 24-105... hmmm you will struggle with that. Although I've never been a fan of the Canon one (actually I found it totally meh) the Nikon attempts at the same thing have been even worse.

You could get the Nikon 24-70 and forget the long end, but I *really* dislike the 24-70 when you use it for distance stuff - it lacks distance resolution and clarity. Its also still not very quick focusing (compared to the 70-200 or the 300 f4 or 2.8). The 17-35 is a better bet, but still its another different thing again to the 24-105.... I think the answer is probably use your DX and FX bodies to their best capabilities and have a different lens on each.
 
11, 14 and 17 for me. really sums up the event very nicely. amazing pictures as always.
 
Really Really Really nice shots, cant deciede which one is my fave, 3, 9 and 16 are stunning, and no 7 is tremendous and there isnt even a car in the shot !,
thanx for sharing them. . . . ,
Dave
 
Best one for me was the kerb view thru Eau Rouge - stunning colours. Landscape photography beckons!!!
 
An epic set of pictures, I too like the Eau Rouge shot and also No 11 and 16.
 
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Great as always. Looks like a fantastic event to shoot.

Not to keen on #1 to be honest. Perhaps its the size that its at but the car just doesn't seem to stand out for me and it looks very busy.

#3 is stunning. One of my favourite "from the top of Raidillon" shots I've seen.

Really like #11 as it shows the sheer scale of the circuit. Something you just can't appreciate when watching on tv.

#14 is crazy. Loze it. Been thinking of picking up a flash for a while now and that might have convinced me to pull the trigger! :D

#16 is great. Love the cars when they look like this. I think for the shorter races they should have a can of spray on muck that they use at pit stops. Just so the cars look like this by the end of it! :D

#17... don't know what to say. Incredible. How long did you spend to get that one!? (y)
 
Nice stuff. Not a car in sight but I keep going back to #7, great motor sport shot. Enjoy your new kit.
 
not much I can say that the others haven't really. Very interesting set - thanks for sharing them :)

I can only imagine some of those took a while to get perfect? as in waiting for the opportune moment as the headlights are right and the cars in the right place. Classic example of less clicking and more thought to get that perfect image?
 
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