help needed: settings for takng photo for F1

[xjasonz]

not sure if this is the right place. mods please move if necessary.

currently i m using canon 400D. lens is 17-85 kit lens.


yesterday at f1, i cldnt take a decent shot of the cars zooming past me. i toyed with different settings but cldnt get the shot i wanted. below are samples of the shots i cld manage yesterday.

i will be going down today again. i wld need advice from you guys here..thanks!. this time round i will be at the bay grandstand.

 

[lordpain]

not sure if this is the right place. mods please move if necessary.

currently i m using canon 400D. lens is 17-85 kit lens.


yesterday at f1, i cldnt take a decent shot of the cars zooming past me. i toyed with different settings but cldnt get the shot i wanted. below are samples of the shots i cld manage yesterday.

i will be going down today again. i wld need advice from you guys here..thanks!. this time round i will be at the bay grandstand.

you might wana check out this thread.

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=418573

 

[xjasonz]

thanks..still newbie here...was very disappointed last night...cldnt get any decent shots....

 

[GavinTing]

Your ISO is 400. Too slow! Bump up to 1600.

Shutter speed is 1/25? F1!!! Too Slow! I suggest you put to aperture priority, the smallest number you can go, and let your camera decide the shutter speed from there.

If possible, use middle AF, prefocus, and fire when car comes.

 

[Evilmerlin]

Actually, I would have expected to use Shutter priority rather than Aperture, set it to some like 1/125 or faster.

 

[Rashkae]

Actually, I would have expected to use Shutter priority rather than Aperture, set it to some like 1/125 or faster.

Not possible given his lens. He'd have horribly underexposed shots.

 

[Evilmerlin]

Not even with the ISO pumped up?

 

[Rashkae]

Not even with the ISO pumped up?

Maybe if he got it to 1600 (or 3200 if his camera supports it).

I shot at ISO 400 and got 1/80s (sharp pics). Then again, I was also shooting at f/4.

 

[Evilmerlin]

I don't think he has much of choice. If the lens is simply not fast enough, you'll have to up the ISO to max and damn the noise. Cleaning up the picture is better than having no picture to clean.

 

[Garion]

Actually, I would have expected to use Shutter priority rather than Aperture, set it to some like 1/125 or faster.

Yes, Shutter priority or full Manual is the way to go. How fast depends on which part of the track you are panning at. If stationed at turns, can go a bit slower on the shutter. But panning along the straights when the cars are hurtling pass you at 200kmh ++ is damn near impossible if you are just next to the track, even with high shutter....they are too fast! The metal fencing also complicates matters.

 

[calebk]

Lighting is fixed; it doesn't change like a day race, so there's more reason to use Manual Exposure mode.